Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

[ecbrevik]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

i think the word some of the people on here are looking for is "competitive". have the games between DU and the sioux become more competitive than the sioux/gophers the last 5 years? absolutely.

but you are KIDDING yourself if you say youd rather watch the sioux eliminate DU from the ncaa's than the gophers. listen to beyond the pond on kfan. last weekend there were more sioux fans calling in than gopher fans- all saying the same thing "i use to hate the gophers because they are good. now i hate the gophers because theyve gotten bad. we need this rivalry.." etc etc. if the gophers make it into the ncaas next year (pathetic that i am saying "if", but thats what its come to), but IF they do, every sioux fan, player, and coach would like nothing more than to kick them out. youve just forgotten what its like because the gophers have become irrelevant.

Using KFAN as your measuring stick isn't a very good or objective tool. It's a Twin Cities radio show. Of course people who call into it focus on the Gophers and on issues related to the Gophers (i.e., the Sioux-Gopher rivalry). And yes, the Sioux-Gopher rivalry is big. Its right up there at or near the top for all UND fans. But that doesn't mean it is still the biggest or that it will always be the biggest.

Frankly, if its an NCAA game, I want the Sioux to knock off anyone who stands between them and the National Title. Doesn't matter if its Denver, Minnesota, or RPI. If you ask me about an NCAA tourney game, the team I most want to beat is the next team on the schedule. But just give me any game, regular season or WCHA tourney, and ask me right now who I want to knock off most, the answer is DU. Certainly Minnesota's recent poor showings vs Denver's strong play contributes to this. But rivalries can and do change, and the single biggest reason for them to change is competitiveness.

One of the reasons the Sioux-Minnesota rivalry is so big is because a lot of Minnesota kids go to school at UND. A lot of those kids grew up as Gopher fans, or if they grew up as UND fans, they grew up surrounded by Gopher fans. For them (including guys like MNS), the Sioux-Gopher rivalry will probably always be the big rivalry. But I grew up in western North Dakota. The Gophers weren't even on my radar until I attended UND and discovered college hockey. Out here in the western part of the state, nearly as many people identify with Denver as being the big "local" metropolitan area as identify with the Twin Cities. Shoot, its just natural out here to look towards Colorado and Denver in any number of ways. And the recent bad blood between UND and DU has sent that rivalry skyrocketing for many Sioux fans.

I suppose you don't like the thought that the Sioux-Minnesota rivalry could be challenged as the top rivalry for Sioux fans, because that just reinforces the negative aspects of the recent downslide in the Gopher program. And I won't stand here and say UND-DU has become the top rivalry for all UND fans. I can't speak for all of them, and I know it isn't the top rivalry for all (see previously mentioned Minnesota kids who attended UND). But for me, in my mind, DU is a bigger rivalry today then Minnesota. Sorry if you don't like that.

 

[SiouxFanatic]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

While it is always fun beating the Gophers, the past few years beating DU has been doubly more satisfying. Mostly because when these two teams collide, they are hard fought games. 2004 is etched into my memory...

 

[ecbrevik]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

but you are KIDDING yourself if you say youd rather watch the sioux eliminate DU from the ncaa's than the gophers.

Oh, and quite frankly, if you were to ask me which single team I would most like to eliminate from the NCAA tourney, my answers would be:
1. Denver - after 2004 and 2005, there is NO ONE who's season I would rather see come to an end at the hands of the Sioux.
2. Boston College - they've knocked us out too many times in the last decade, I want payback.
3. Minnesota - yes, the regional win in Denver was sweet.

 

[SoCalSiouxFan]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

When I first started following Sioux hockey Denver was about the same rivalry level as Michigan Tech. Now they are just slightly below MN and WI.

That said, are there more trolling posts from Sioux fans in the Denver threads or Gopher threads....MN is still the #1 rival, despite their recent bout of mediocrity.

Sure the rivalry between UND and MN is big. But lately DU seems to be the main rival.

DU and UND seem to be contenders for the MacNaughten cup, a Broadmoor trophy, or for a NC most seasons lately. This year both teams were battling for their 8th NC. MN and WI only have 5 each. So yes in many peoples minds our main rival, the team that seems to be there challenging UND at the end of the season, is usually Denver.

 

[Dmann]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

As a longtime Pio fan, these are my top 5 rivals:

1- CC (by far)
2- UND
3- Wisco
4- Minny
5- Mich. Tech

What do the rest of you Denver fans think of this list?

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

Oh, and quite frankly, if you were to ask me which single team I would most like to eliminate from the NCAA tourney, my answers would be:
1. Denver - after 2004 and 2005, there is NO ONE who's season I would rather see come to an end at the hands of the Sioux.
2. Boston College - they've knocked us out too many times in the last decade, I want payback.
3. Minnesota - yes, the regional win in Denver was sweet.

My take on this is the only team you'd like to take down in the NCAA is BC. The other teams I don't think most sioux fans care too much about. I don't think this is true about the gophers because most fans I come across are thrilled they weren't even in it. I heard a few sioux fans call PA to say how excited they were the Gophers weren't in the NCAA even before this past weekend. That to me says they get more out of that then taking them down in the tournament. Weird if you ask me.

 

[ecbrevik]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

My take on this is the only team you'd like to take down in the NCAA is BC. The other teams I don't think most sioux fans care too much about. I don't think this is true about the gophers because most fans I come across are thrilled they weren't even in it. I heard a few sioux fans call PA to say how excited they were the Gophers weren't in the NCAA even before this past weekend. That to me says they get more out of that then taking them down in the tournament. Weird if you ask me.

I can't speak for any other Sioux fan, but I'd love to take down Minny in the NCAA tourney. Just not as much as I loved taking down DU yesterday, and not as much as I'd love to see the Sioux take down BC. Pretty simple statement. No interpretation or "your take" needed.

 

[Dirty]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

I'd love for all schools that wear shades of maroon/crimson and gold to choke on their own vomit.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

I can't speak for any other Sioux fan, but I'd love to take down Minny in the NCAA tourney. Just not as much as I loved taking down DU yesterday, and not as much as I'd love to see the Sioux take down BC. Pretty simple statement. No interpretation or "your take" needed.

I completely agree. I think a lot of that is the fact that we have beaten Minnesota in the NCAAs twice in the last 6 years, and up until yesterday, hadn't beat Denver in the NCAAs in almost 50 years. If you look at our last 6 legitimate shots at winning the title ('01, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08), we lost twice to Denver, and four times to BC. We got our revenge against Denver yesterday, and hopefully are able to turn that into a title. I would have loved if our next game was against BC, but we'll have to wait at least another year before we get a chance at revenge there.

I would never say that the North Dakota-Minnesota rivalry is not a rivalry. Historically it is still the top rivalry, but I would say that the DU-North Dakota rivalry has eclipsed the Sioux-Gopher rivalry right now. With the B1G on the horizon, I see nothing changing that...but there are still 2 more years of WCHA play left to see what happens.

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

I can't speak for any other Sioux fan, but I'd love to take down Minny in the NCAA tourney. Just not as much as I loved taking down DU yesterday, and not as much as I'd love to see the Sioux take down BC. Pretty simple statement. No interpretation or "your take" needed.

So you can have a take but I can't? I don't doubt your statement on what your thoughts are but I'm simply relaying my opinion based on interactions I have had with sioux fans outside this board. The question was asked and I'm simply stating my opinion. Isn't that what you are doing too?

 

[dubbie31]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

As a longtime Pio fan, these are my top 5 rivals:

1- CC (by far)
2- UND
3- Wisco
4- Minny
5- Mich. Tech

What do the rest of you Denver fans think of this list?

I just wouldn't say CC by far anymore. UND is clearly a huge rivalry.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

So you can have a take but I can't? I don't doubt your statement on what your thoughts are but I'm simply relaying my opinion based on interactions I have had with sioux fans outside this board. The question was asked and I'm simply stating my opinion. Isn't that what you are doing too?

Of course. IMO, the casual Sioux fan will always view Minnesota as the top notch rival. In fact, many diehard Sioux fans would agree with them as well. However, there are a growing number of diehards (like myself) that view the Denver rivalry as slightly better than the Gopher rivalry. It will be interesting to see where the two rivalries go after the BTHC.

 

[ecbrevik]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

So you can have a take but I can't? I don't doubt your statement on what your thoughts are but I'm simply relaying my opinion based on interactions I have had with sioux fans outside this board. The question was asked and I'm simply stating my opinion. Isn't that what you are doing too?

Apparently I misinterpreted what you said. I thought you were trying to psyco-analyze my post and tell me that I had just stated the only real rivalry was BC.

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

My bad for causing any undue confusion. I freely admit I'm no sioux expert but I do occasionally get some anecdotal evidence on fans' outlooks. Maybe the ones I interact with are uneducated, casual fans as well, who knows? Certainly wouldn't suprise me.

I do however see that due to the gopher's ineptness over the last few years why the rivalries can swap spots. Doesn't mean there is any less hatred for the teams going in both directions though. I think the real mark for the status of a rivalry is ticket prices. Many teams jack up prices when the gophers come to town (or at least did before the down slide) so when UND does that for Denver, then you know it is real.

 

[ecbrevik]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

I think the real mark for the status of a rivalry is ticket prices. Many teams jack up prices when the gophers come to town (or at least did before the down slide) so when UND does that for Denver, then you know it is real.

DU tickets at REA go for a premium price just like Minnesota and Wisconsin tickets do. The rivalry is real.

 

[Stack]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

Been watching Sioux hockey since 1973. Minnesota is still the number 1 rivalry hands down. It's a matter of not having to put up with Minnesota fans at the Final Five or any other venue that makes beating Minnesota so sweet. Even when Minnesota is not that good of a team there seems to be a ton of tension with the Sioux fans just hating to lose to them. I believe a lot of this rivalry is because a lot of Sioux Fans have friends/relatives that are Gopher fans and because we live so close to most of them we catch crap all year if North Dakota loses to Minnesota. To not have to take crap from my Gopher friends is the best feeling and to not have to listen to the Gopher fans do the Minnesota cheer at the Final Five made me soooooo happy .

Denver is Number 2. With Denver it is not the fans that drive a Sioux fan nuts but Gwozdecky and the team. In fact I have yet to even really talk to a Denver fan even though I've attended every Final Five since 1988 and every Frozen Four since 2000. UND and Denver have played a ton of very important games since 2004 which drives the rivalry up there. They play similar styles and both are usually national contenders every year. So for this rivalry it is the games themselves.

But Minnesota is still the number one rival for Sioux fans.

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

DU tickets at REA go for a premium price just like Minnesota and Wisconsin tickets do. The rivalry is real.

No one can argue with that. Case closed.

 

[jerryj]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

well id like to think, as a gopher fan, im not arguing the state of the rivalry for the sake of wanting to still feel relevant. haha. but thats always a possibility i guess.

if you think DU is a bigger rival to you- then so be it. i am just surprised to hear it- being a guy who has tried 2 years in a row now to get 2 measley tickets to the ralph for a gopher game only to have them be sold out in the PRESALE! so my only question for you that i have left, is....

any advice for a gopher fan on how the heck to get tickets this year? can anyone get them in the presale, or is it only for alumni or something bogus like that? also- happen to know when the gophers play AT nodak this year? i believe the sioux play at marriucci like the 3rd weekend of conference play..

thanks, JerryJ

 

[The Rube]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

DU tickets at REA go for a premium price just like Minnesota and Wisconsin tickets do. The rivalry is real.

They do. I'd say the recent rivalry of DU and UND is alive and well (and the fact that MANY, MANY, MANY UND folk move to CO help that fact). But if you want blood and guts and vile and hatred, and you puke when the thought of MN beating you enters your mind.......MN is the #1 rival. It really is a case of Rivalry 1, and rivalry 2.0.

 

[darker98]

Re: Denver vs. North Dakota Rivalry

They do. I'd say the recent rivalry of DU and UND is alive and well (and the fact that MANY, MANY, MANY UND folk move to CO help that fact). But if you want blood and guts and vile and hatred, and you puke when the thought of MN beating you enters your mind.......MN is the #1 rival. It really is a case of Rivalry 1, and rivalry 2.0.

took nearly 80,000 posts to make a good point.