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Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Koho said:
Fri. blowout to #1 team isn't a tough call. Too bad it's not a Sat.-Sun. series. (Even against MSU, a sweep prediction from you seems out of character. Nippin' at the bottle a little early?)
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No, just reflecting the trends.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Isn't Fasching on AV as well? Yes, I realize that he hasn't technically committed and that plenty can happen, but may as well throw him into the mix as som eone to watch.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Good game so far.

Michaelson with 2 goals Rau a goal and an assist and Fasching with a goal.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Greetings Gophers fans...

I come before you a humbled Northeastern Huskies fan asking a favor. I'm currently living in South Dakota and am heading to Minneapolis next weekend. Have never been to a Gophers game at Mariucci Arena and would love to go. Was hoping to find out if somebody had two tickets available for the game on Saturday night (12/11) against Duluth. I realize it is probably a hot ticket.

I have been to every Hockey East arena (except Vermont) but haven't had a chance to check out any arenas in the midwest yet. Hoping for good seats at a fair price to make my first experience there a great time. Please feel free to get in touch with me at seh128@aol.com or reply to this thread if you have tickets or ideas on the best way to get some. Thanks!!!

As a side note, I will most likely be wearing my Northeastern jersey so feel free to say hi! Thanks again!
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Greetings from a humbled MN fan, mine are not for sale. :)
Looks like there ar quite a few for sale on StubHub if you're interested. There is not a bad seat in the arena so it's just a matter of whee you want to sit.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

fahey4prez said:
Greetings Gophers fans...

I come before you a humbled Northeastern Huskies fan asking a favor. I'm currently living in South Dakota and am heading to Minneapolis next weekend. Have never been to a Gophers game at Mariucci Arena and would love to go. Was hoping to find out if somebody had two tickets available for the game on Saturday night (12/11) against Duluth. I realize it is probably a hot ticket.

I have been to every Hockey East arena (except Vermont) but haven't had a chance to check out any arenas in the midwest yet. Hoping for good seats at a fair price to make my first experience there a great time. Please feel free to get in touch with me at seh128@aol.com or reply to this thread if you have tickets or ideas on the best way to get some. Thanks!!!

As a side note, I will most likely be wearing my Northeastern jersey so feel free to say hi! Thanks again!
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I doubt you will have trouble finding tickets. I would look on craigslist. Just make sure to get them before the Duluth fans do!
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Greyeagle said:
Greetings from a humbled MN fan, mine are not for sale. :)
Looks like there ar quite a few for sale on StubHub if you're interested. There is not a bad seat in the arena so it's just a matter of whee you want to sit.
Click to expand...

Sorry you can't be a Gopher fan and be humble. They are mutually exclusive traits. :D
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

Looking forward, the Gophers upcoming conference schedule gets a bit tougher. This team could be on the verge of a serious meltdown and surpass last season's exercise in futility. Based upon their recent and consistent ineptitude, they could realistically lose most of the next 10 WCHA games:

Fri. Dec. 10 Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Sat. Dec. 11 Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Fri. Jan. 14 @ North Dakota (L)
Sat. Jan. 15 @ North Dakota (L)
Fri. Jan. 28 Alaska-Anchorage (W)
Sat. Jan. 29 Alaska-Anchorage (W)
Fri. Feb. 4 @ Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Sat. Feb. 5 @ Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Fri. Feb. 11 Denver (L)
Sat. Feb. 12 Denver (L)

By Feb. 12-13 last season, the Gophers were 8-12-2 in WCHA games. After the above stretch, the Gopher's conference record (currently 5-6-1) could feasibly be at 7-14-1 (even with a generous home sweep of UAA) with 6 more WCHA games to go (4/6 on the road). The Gopher's conference record last season was 12-14-2. Honestly, given the parity and high level of competition in the WCHA, I don't see how this team makes the NCAAs this season, much less the F5.
 
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Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

HarleyMC said:
Looking forward, the Gophers upcoming conference schedule gets a bit tougher. This team could be on the verge of a serious meltdown and surpass last season's exercise in futility. Based upon their recent and consistent ineptitude, they could realistically lose most of the next 10 WCHA games:

Fri. Dec. 10 Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Sat. Dec. 11 Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Fri. Jan. 14 @ North Dakota (L)
Sat. Jan. 15 @ North Dakota (L)
Fri. Jan. 28 Alaska-Anchorage (W)
Sat. Jan. 29 Alaska-Anchorage (W)
Fri. Feb. 4 @ Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Sat. Feb. 5 @ Minnesota-Duluth (L)
Fri. Feb. 11 Denver (L)
Sat. Feb. 12 Denver (L)

By Feb. 12-13 last season, the Gophers were 8-12-2 in WCHA games. After the above stretch, the Gopher's conference record (currently 5-6-1) could feasibly be at 7-14-2 (even with a generous home sweep of UAA) with 6 more WCHA games to go (4/6 on the road). The Gopher's conference record last season was 12-14-2. Honestly, given the parity and high level of competition in the WCHA, I don't see how this team makes the NCAAs this season, much less the F5.
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Being worse than last years team almost seems impossible. But it could very easily happen and probably will.

This team isn't making the NCAAs and at this rate I almost kind of hope they don't. I realize that's a horrible attitude but at this rate I don't need Maturi to have any reason to keep Lucia ("The team barely got to the NCAAs! let's keep him!"). Especially when you consider that it would also imply another year of John Hill.

This year didn't have to be a complete waste. If Maturi had any balls he would have fired Lucia and we'd be that much closer to rebuilding and competing for NCAA titles. As it is we're just going to waste an entire year and Mariucci will continue to see less than stellar crowds and lose money.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

trixR4kids said:
Being worse than last years team almost seems impossible. But it could very easily happen and probably will.

This team isn't making the NCAAs and at this rate I almost kind of hope they don't. I realize that's a horrible attitude but at this rate I don't need Maturi to have any reason to keep Lucia ("The team barely got to the NCAAs! let's keep him!"). Especially when you consider that it would also imply another year of John Hill.

This year didn't have to be a complete waste. If Maturi had any balls he would have fired Lucia and we'd be that much closer to rebuilding and competing for NCAA titles. As it is we're just going to waste an entire year and Mariucci will continue to see less than stellar crowds and lose money.
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I agree. I've seen enough of this season to know that there is no consistency or confidence to put teams away. After three years of the same crap, the coaching staff has to bear most of the responsibility for the demise and systemic decline of the Gopher hockey program. However, it's very possible that the excuses will be forthcoming and exhaustive in any case as an attempt to avoid the financial liability. If and when that happens, Gopher fans should make lots of noise.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

HarleyMC said:
I agree. I've seen enough of this season to know that there is no consistency or confidence to put teams away. After three years of the same crap, the coaching staff has to bear most of the responsibility for the demise and systemic decline of the Gopher hockey program. However, it's very possible that the excuses will be forthcoming and exhaustive in any case as an attempt to avoid the financial liability. If and when that happens, Gopher fans should make lots of noise.
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I think he could be bought out and it wouldn't be that big of a financial burden. No way the boosters will put up with it for another year.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

trixR4kids said:
I think he could be bought out and it wouldn't be that big of a financial burden. No way the boosters will put up with it for another year.
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The UMN Athletic Dept. is already financially stretched beyond their limits with loan payments to offset the buyouts over the past few years (Mason, Monson, Brewster). Granted Lucia's contract is less than Brewsters (AD reportedly owed $775,000 on the Brewster buyout), but it would come at a very inopportune time. Hiring a new football coach will most likely require a much larger contract than Brewsters (probably 1.5+ million) and with slumping football ticket sales, other UMN sports may be on the chopping block to pay for it. This not a good time for another buyout cost for the University of Minnesota Athletic Dept. My guess is Maturi may attempt a PR spin to avoid the buyout and keep Lucia one more season to the end of his contract, even if this season's outcome is worse than last year. Mono, the flu, injuries, lots of rookies, lots of potential, some positives....I can hear it now. But it's more about money now than a vibrant hockey program.

I thought it was funny, when listening to the end of the Gopher radio broadcast last night, that Sonmor stated this team can still make it to the FF in St. Paul. Let's be honest, this team will not get a sniff at the NCAAs and this season will probably eclipse last season's cruel disappointment.
 
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Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

trixR4kids said:
If that happens Maturi will have sealed his fate.
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Maturi, has been offered a two-year contract extension by outgoing University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks, and I would not be surprised if he takes it as soon as a new president is named. If he lands a fairly qualified football coach with either a low buyout cost from another university and/or a reasonable salary and the PR hype for the football program escalates on the heels of the hiring, he might circumvent a lot of backlash despite a full on Lucia snowjob to keep him another season. Lucia and Maturi are joined at the hip in much the same way as Hill is.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: Kangas Kool-Aid For All!

HarleyMC said:
The UMN Athletic Dept. is already financially stretched beyond their limits with loan payments to offset the buyouts over the past few years (Mason, Monson, Brewster). Granted Lucia's contract is less than Brewsters (AD reportedly owed $775,000 on the Brewster buyout), but it would come at a very inopportune time. Hiring a new football coach will most likely require a much larger contract than Brewsters (probably 1.5+ million) and with slumping football ticket sales, other UMN sports may be on the chopping block to pay for it. This not a good time for another buyout cost for the University of Minnesota Athletic Dept. My guess is Maturi may attempt a PR spin to avoid the buyout and keep Lucia one more season to the end of his contract, even if this season's outcome is worse than last year. Mono, the flu, injuries, lots of rookies, lots of potential, some positives....I can hear it now. But it's more about money now than a vibrant hockey program.
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While we know the games are technically sellouts (they are, aren't they?), is it not also true that the actual number of people in the arena is declining? The U can claim all tickets have been bought and paid for, but if you don't actually have 10,000 (or close to it) in the building for every game, it *will* hit the bottom line. I can't imagine merchandise sales have done particularly well the past three seasons, and if actual butts in the seats have dropped 20%, that will also do a number on concessions. Whether or not these things are anywhere near the amount it would cost to buy out tDon is anyone's guess, but I would think the U is certainly aware of any change to the cash flow from the hockey program.
I thought it was funny, when listening to the end of the Gopher radio broadcast last night, that Sonmor stated this team can still make it to the FF in St. Paul. Let's be honest, this team will not get a sniff at the NCAAs and this season will probably eclipse last season's cruel disappointment.
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Well, he's right. There's a long list of teams that were **** early in a season and great in the middle-to-end. While it's horrible to see MN get swept by a perennial bottom tier finisher in the league, I can't say the team played poorly this weekend. The simple fact of the matter is they suck at killing penalties and struggle when falling behind. There's still time for them to figure this out, and if they do, I think they have enough talent to make a run. Unfortunately, I'm not particularly optimistic about this given the recent track record of those in charge of the program.
 
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