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All Things Denver, XXVIII

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Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

manurespreader said:
Question for you Denverites. Do you consider the altitude to be an advantage in games against teams from the east. If so how much?
I would think BC has to be considered the favorite this weekend except for the altitude factor and of course the home rink/crowd.
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No doubt, altitude is an edge and if you're a BC fan you saw the Eagles run out of gas in the third period last year.

When we were students, we'd come back from holidays and play pick-up hoops...its no myth...you are literally gasping for air. Its been said that playing in the second night is easier.

Red Berenson who played for Michigan in the 60s in the WCHA, brought his team out to Denver a day early for the Frozen Four in 2007.

Broncos & Nuggets both have benefited from the "altitude edge" over the years.

The DU players train in altitude year round and DU's offseason training since 2003 has been legendary with DU getting off to great starts almost every year.

BC is the big favorite all weekend. My thought is that DU's best hope is stealing the Friday night game.
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post has a nice article about former Pio Mark Rycroft who will be Jay Stickney's partner on the radio side for home games.

Denver Post
 
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Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

dggoddard said:
No doubt, altitude is an edge and if you're a BC fan you saw the Eagles run out of gas in the third period last year.

When we were students, we'd come back from holidays and play pick-up hoops...its no myth...you are literally gasping for air. Its been said that playing in the second night is easier.

Red Berenson who played for Michigan in the 60s in the WCHA, brought his team out to Denver a day early for the Frozen Four in 2007.

Broncos & Nuggets both have benefited from the "altitude edge" over the years.

The DU players train in altitude year round and DU's offseason training since 2003 has been legendary with DU getting off to great starts almost every year.



BC is the big favorite all weekend. My thought is that DU's best hope is stealing the Friday night game.
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You know, it's not a good idea to disagree with DG, about anything. People have a way of disappearing. So I don't disagree about playing at altitude. Let's just say I got a giggle out of his comparison of DI hockey players and fraternity guys, fresh off of Christmas break, getting a little winded shooting hoops in the Men's Old Gym. "Hey, man, you got another beer?" "Let me finish my cigarette and I'll check." :D
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Old Pio said:
You know, it's not a good idea to disagree with DG, about anything. People have a way of disappearing. So I don't disagree about playing at altitude. Let's just say I got a giggle out of his comparison of DI hockey players and fraternity guys, fresh off of Christmas break, getting a little winded shooting hoops in the Men's Old Gym. "Hey, man, you got another beer?" "Let me finish my cigarette and I'll check." :D
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"I don't feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies."

-Michael Corleone
Godfather II
 
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Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Old Pio said:
As Sir Joseph Porter says in "Pinafore," "proper self respect, nothing more." :)
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I learned a lot from The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K. C. B. who dispensed some interesting career advice in Act I:

"Now landsmen all, whoever you may be,
If you want to rise to the top of the tree,
If your soul isn't fettered to an office stool,
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule —
Stick close to your desks and never go to sea,
And you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navy!"
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

There's been a lot of talk about concussions in all sports recently, but one pattern bears watching.

Shorter hockey players getting rammed into the boards. Chay Genoway (5'9 177 lbs) last season and now Austin Czarnik (5'7 155 lbs) in the USHL. Czarnik visited DU, but ended up choosing Miami (Ohio) after seeing their campus.

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/Number-of-concussions-growing-among-all-ages
 
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Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Here are some early thoughts on Denver players after two exhibitions and 2 games at Vermont:

Big Surprise I: Drew Shore, the scorer. With three goals, He's already over halfway to last season's goal totals. Major difference in his confidence level bodes well as he tries to replace Joe Colborne as a large forward who can be a difference-maker.

Big Surprise II: Jason Zucker, the competitor. He has the compete level of a Tyler Ruegsegger, but is a faster and more complete player. The best thing about him though, is the effort level. He's going to be a terrific Pioneer.

Big Surprise III: The goaltending looks pretty good. Both Adam and Sam were able to play very well against a good UVM team in a very tough environment. If they play this well all year, DU will have a shot at being special.

No Surprise: DU has a good defense when they play smart. Donovan can take over a game and may be the best d-man in the league along with Genoway from UND. Nutini and Lee play confidently but within themselves. Ryder crushes people. And Makowski will be very good once he learns how to make his reads and stop trying to get away with stuff that he did in juniors that just won't fly at this level.

Please surprise me: Beau Bennett showed some short flashes of confidence and prodgious talent this week, but overall played a little too conservatively last weekend, IMHO. He needs to assert himself, and hopefully that comes with time and experience.

All in all, an impressive start for the Pios.
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Puck Swami said:
Please surprise me: Beau Bennett showed some short flashes of confidence and prodgious talent this week, but overall played a little too conservatively last weekend, IMHO. He needs to assert himself, and hopefully that comes with time and experience.

All in all, an impressive start for the Pios.
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To me Beau Bennett didn't look ready for college hockey. I think he could have used another year in the BCHL or USHL.

He was making blind passes to no one, usually a sign that the game is moving too quickly for a young player. I think he's going to be an even bigger project than Colborne.

Its interesting to note the difference Zucker vs. Bennett's play.
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

This is fascinating: Swami with some glowing words of optimism, and DG with the doom & gloom. What's going on???

I just got my tix for the "marquee" series of the year (BC, Wisco and CC), and will fill in the rest as I go. I'm very excited to see a high quality team like BC so early in the season. I hope we can hang with them all right. Someone was quoted in one of Chambers' articles as saying that this year's BC team could be the first team since Maine to win 40 games in a season.

I'm especially psyched to see how Ryder develops this year. He had a knack for leveling people without taking a trip to the penalty box last year. I hope he keeps up that trend this year, though his 3 penalties last Saturday don't bode well in that department.
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Other Pioneer tidbits:

1) Matt Carle pumps Philly's Frozen Four Tires on NCAA.com:
http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/101210aaa.html

2) Gwoz at his presser today said Nick Shore is likely going to play this weekend against BC, after having wrist xrays on Sunday.
http://www.denverpioneers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=18600&ATCLID=205010489

3) A new restaurant specializing in food on skewers is opening near DU:
http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2010/10/skew.php
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

manurespreader said:
Question for you Denverites. Do you consider the altitude to be an advantage in games against teams from the east. If so how much?
I would think BC has to be considered the favorite this weekend except for the altitude factor and of course the home rink/crowd.
Click to expand...

Didn't BC annihilate North Dakota and Notre Dame in the 2008 Frozen Four in Denver? I dont think the altitude affects people as much as people think.
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Onion Man said:
Didn't BC annihilate North Dakota and Notre Dame in the 2008 Frozen Four in Denver? I dont think the altitude affects people as much as people think.
Click to expand...

As far as the BC-UND game in 2008, I don't think it really would have mattered where they played...North Dakota just didn't show up. As for the BC-Notre Dame game, I thought the game was pretty close. Notre Dame was coming on in the third as well, and if it were not for a goal waived off which would have cut it to a 1 goal game, I think they could have very well won that game.

Saying that, if I were BC I wouldn't worry so much about the altitude as the home cooking that DU sometimes receives from the officials.
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

Pablo said:
This is fascinating: Swami with some glowing words of optimism, and DG with the doom & gloom. What's going on???

. Someone was quoted in one of Chambers' articles as saying that this year's BC team could be the first team since Maine to win 40 games in a season.

it was Cronin, Northeastern's coach and totally off the charts unrealistic. by november that will be impossible.............he was blowin smoke, IMO
Click to expand...
 
Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

I posted this on another thread anyone like this idea for DU's new conference for possible realignment
If I was the all powerful commissioner of the anti big ten hockey conference the following schools would get invited. Reasons will be given. Also organization will be addressed.

9 teams invited
3 pods of teams. each pod will play each other 4 times throughout the season. Teams in other pods will be played at least twice a year, with a rotating series of 4 with one team every three years.

West Pod
Denver (my school)
CC (want to assure 4 games a year with them)
NorDak (want to assure 4 games a year with them)

Central Pod
Miami (Solid Program, on rise)
Notre Dame (name recognition, solid program on rise)
Nebraska-Omaha (Program on the rise)

Superior Pod
Minnesota-Duluth (solid program)
Northern Michigan (solid program)
Michigan Tech (they bring the MacNaughton Cup, also massive history)

24 league games
Rotating championship weekend between pods, Chicago, Denver/the Ralph, Bradley center? (don't know where superior pod would hold 4 team championship weekend)

8 team playoff
last place team is eliminated from conference playoff

that should leave 10 games or so nonconference to be filled by the universities
NorDak could play Minny and other Minny schools
Denver and CC could still play a home and home w/ airforce along with minny and wisco
Superior Pod and central pod would have enough games with other rivals as well.
 
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