Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

[Go4PuckFan2.0]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

The gophers play a role in Minnesota's hockey culture, but some of you guys take it to such weird extremes. As if the gophers are responsible for the local culture and not the other way around. I don't know if I can disagree with that strongly enough without getting hyperbolic.

My daughters are 5 and 6 and just taking up hockey. They know about the Gophers and the Wild but only marginally care about them because their dad does. And there were about 200 kids in the same age range at Highland Arena last night who probably felt the same way. They love learning and playing the game first. Who they cheer for will be influenced by a number of factors. Not the least of which is bad advice from their Badger alumni parents.

That said, keep in mind that for a lot of twenty-something people, the Gophers were the pinnacle of hockey in the state given the absence of the NHL.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

Really? You actually believe the Gophers weren't the engine that drove the entire hockey culture in Minnesota? How much money are you willing to wager?

I abslutely guarantee you that it was, and am willing to put money on it (Edit)

So you believe that places like Mahtomedi or Edina have 5-8 teams at every age level because their parents believe that there may be a spot for little Johnny on the Gophers some day?



My son plays youth hockey because I love hockey and I introduced him to it and now he loves it. I never for a second thought or did it because I thought he would/could play for the Badgers some day.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

[rant]I come from the Iron Range. We were hockey culture before the rest of Minnesota knew what the sport was. John Mariucci was one of us. He is more responsible for the hockey culture in Minnesota than any other single person. He, as coach at Minnesota, worked tirelessly to develop organization, coaching and talent throughout the state. He has been recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Canada and the US for his roll. He even had a hand in getting your sorry program back off the ground. Next time you sing Varsity after a game at the Kohl Center, you might want to give thanks for John Mariucci caring so much for hockey as a game because he is part of the reason you are able to do that there.[/rant]

Exactly. And when he suggested that Bob Johnson recruit more in-state, Johnson ignored him and chose the immediate gratification of recruiting in Canada. It brought him championships (though Brooks was able to win without doing so), but it set Wisconsin youth hockey decades behind Minnesota (for which it was already behind).

 

[JDUBBS1280]

So you believe that places like Mahtomedi or Edina have 5-8 teams at every age level because their parents believe that there may be a spot for little Johnny on the Gophers some day?



My son plays youth hockey because I love hockey and I introduced him to it and now he loves it. I never for a second thought or did it because I thought he would/could play for the Badgers some day.

Read the book I posted before you criticize. The Gopher's recruiting philosophy wasn't the only factor in the growth of Minnesota hockey, but it far and away was the biggest factor.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

My daughters are 5 and 6 and just taking up hockey. They know about the Gophers and the Wild but only marginally care about them because their dad does. And there were about 200 kids in the same age range at Highland Arena last night who probably felt the same way. They love learning and playing the game first. Who they cheer for will be influenced by a number of factors. Not the least of which is bad advice from their Badger alumni parents.

That said, keep in mind that for a lot of twenty-something people, the Gophers were the pinnacle of hockey in the state given the absence of the NHL.

You're talking about NOW. We're talking about the 1940's -1960's.

 

[mariucci]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

So you believe that places like Mahtomedi or Edina have 5-8 teams at every age level because their parents believe that there may be a spot for little Johnny on the Gophers some day?



My son plays youth hockey because I love hockey and I introduced him to it and now he loves it. I never for a second thought or did it because I thought he would/could play for the Badgers some day.

Thats pretty close to how it started, more so the kids wanting to play for that program. Sorry that the history of the sport is something you're uninterested in (your words)..

Facts are facts, the Gophers were the team followed by **** near every kid in Minnesota, and because of the FACT they recruited Minnesotans is why theres a QUALITY HS Hockey program everywhere ya look.

But I dont expect a WI native to have ever given the history of the sport in the US a second glance or to give a crap... But those people (Mariucci, Sonmore, Nanne, Brooks, Woog) in that program you scoff at is WHY Hockey in MN is so deep... You laugh but I guarantee that if you did your research by reading or contacting those that are still alive they'd tell ya the same thing.

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

The gophers play a role in Minnesota's hockey culture, but some of you guys take it to such weird extremes. As if the gophers are responsible for the local culture and not the other way around. I don't know if I can disagree with that strongly enough without getting hyperbolic.

Exclusively responsible? Probably not but I know from first hand experience that the Gophers do play a big roll. My own son started playing hockey because of the Gophers. My devotion to the team obviously didn't hurt that it rubbed off on him. Now he always is looking forward to his chance to see if he can be a Gopher. I seriously doubt my story is unique so the Gophers do in fact help develop and contribute to the local culture. How you could possibly question that fact is beyond me.

EDIT: sorry a little slow on this one.

So you believe that places like Mahtomedi or Edina have 5-8 teams at every age level because their parents believe that there may be a spot for little Johnny on the Gophers some day?



My son plays youth hockey because I love hockey and I introduced him to it and now he loves it. I never for a second thought or did it because I thought he would/could play for the Badgers some day.

No, not the parents, the KIDS. THey want to be a Gopher!!!

 

[mariucci]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

[rant]I come from the Iron Range. We were hockey culture before the rest of Minnesota knew what the sport was. John Mariucci was one of us. He is more responsible for the hockey culture in Minnesota than any other single person. He, as coach at Minnesota, worked tirelessly to develop organization, coaching and talent throughout the state. He has been recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Canada and the US for his roll. He even had a hand in getting your sorry program back off the ground. Next time you sing Varsity after a game at the Kohl Center, you might want to give thanks for John Mariucci caring so much for hockey as a game because he is part of the reason you are able to do that there.[/rant]

pffft do you really think a Badger fan would recognize Mariucci or the Range.. According to them pond hockey in MPLS is why the U is what it is.. Ignorance is bliss, especially special when they insult the program or laugh when Minnesotans are proud of Minnesota Hockey players. And the Gopher program wether they like it or not is a huge reason why hockey is what it is in MN.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

You're talking about NOW. We're talking about the 1940's -1960's.

Because there wasn't hockey in Minnesota before then? Don't insult your own rich history like that. Mariucci may have done a lot, but he didn't come from nowhere.

 

[johnnypohlfan]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

So you believe that places like Mahtomedi or Edina have 5-8 teams at every age level because their parents believe that there may be a spot for little Johnny on the Gophers some day?



My son plays youth hockey because I love hockey and I introduced him to it and now he loves it. I never for a second thought or did it because I thought he would/could play for the Badgers some day.

You're bad at arguing. Your points are so stupid they don't even warrant being torn apart. We're all happy that your son plays hockey for the reasons you state. But just because he started playing due to your love of the game doesn't mean that every child everywhere took up the game for that same reason.

Yeah, silly us for prizing championships above whatever it is that you clowns try to prop up as accomplishments to make you feel better about yourselves. Riddle me this... If Minnesota has the best talent in the U.S. AND U of Minnesota gets the pick of the litter, how is it possible that you guys don't have 10 to 15 titles? Because BOTH of those things are myths.

You're honestly going to say that the FACT that the state of MN has the best talent and the U gets the pick of the litter are myths? The fact that they don't have 15 titles doesn't disprove either of your "myths." Please support your "myth" argument with some follow-up statements. I implore you. I need a good laugh.

 

[Go4PuckFan2.0]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

Because there wasn't hockey in Minnesota before then? Don't insult your own rich history like that. Mariucci may have done a lot, but he didn't come from nowhere.

SHHHH.

They're on a roll...

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Because there wasn't hockey in Minnesota before then? Don't insult your own rich history like that. Mariucci may have done a lot, but he didn't come from nowhere.

Did I say there wasn't hockey before then?

The sport grew in Minnesota as fast as it did and to be as large as it is though because of many factors. And one of the largest factors was the recruiting philosophies started by John Mariucci and carried on by Glen Sonmore, Herb Brooks, and Doug Woog.

 

[mariucci]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

Because there wasn't hockey in Minnesota before then? Don't insult your own rich history like that. Mariucci may have done a lot, but he didn't come from nowhere.

Let me put it to you this way, and I think you're only deflecting at this point now anyway, BUT, it was because of Mariucci and the Gophers that hockey exploded in Minnesota and that carried a loooong way. It even trickled into your program. Ask Mark Johnson sometime about it, his dad came from that same school of thought, unfortunately he was to eager to win those championships rather than develop local talent. He was specifically told to recruit instate. Why do you suppose that is?

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Did I say there wasn't hockey before then?

The sport grew in Minnesota as fast as it did and to be as large as it is though because of many factors. And one of the largest factors was the recruiting philosophies started by John Mariucci and carried on by Glen Sonmore, Herb Brooks, and Doug Woog.

All of which would mean nothing if they had no one to recruit. That philosophy worked in Minnesota because the pre-existing culture bred a lot of players to choose from. There's a reason that Wisconsin, NoDak and Denver never had the same philosophy and it wasn't because we didn't have John ****ing Mariucci.

 

[firstpusk]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

Because there wasn't hockey in Minnesota before then? Don't insult your own rich history like that. Mariucci may have done a lot, but he didn't come from nowhere.

It came from towns like Eveleth, Hibbing, and Virginia on the Range or International Falls, Roseau and Warroad in the far north. What Mariucci did is successfully transplant that love of the game to parts of the state that never experience hockey. Programs like yours and MSU Mankato, and SCSU have his fingerprints all over them. I can talk with knowledgeable, enthused hockey fans from every corner of Minnesota. Someday you might have that in Wisconsin, too.

 

[Tiggsy]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

Wisco fans just have a hard time accepting these facts. Just like they can't believe we all don't live and die football. Hockey is #1 here, just like the Gophers , and it is in no danger of losing any passionate fans or stature.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Let me put it to you this way, and I think you're only deflecting at this point now anyway, BUT, it was because of Mariucci and the Gophers that hockey exploded in Minnesota and that carried a loooong way. It even trickled into your program. Ask Mark Johnson sometime about it, his dad came from that same school of thought, unfortunately he was to eager to win those championships rather than develop local talent. He was specifically told to recruit instate. Why do you suppose that is?

thats ridiculous. UW has historically gotten their choice of local talent, but there has never been enough high end local talent to build an entire program around it and be competitive. Badger Bob's first job was to build a winning program, not restrict the talent pool for a cellar dweller.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

All of which would mean nothing if they had no one to recruit. That philosophy worked in Minnesota because the pre-existing culture bred a lot of players to choose from. There's a reason that Wisconsin, NoDak and Denver never had the same philosophy and it wasn't because we didn't have John ****ing Mariucci.

Are you really this dense?

There was hockey in Minnesota prior to the John Mariucci era, but hockey in Minnesota prior to the John Mariucci era was growing as fast as it was in other parts of this country. During the John Mariucci era, hockey in Minnesota started growing faster than in other parts of this country.

Last time I'm explaining it to you. If you have any other questions, read the book I suggested.

 

[mariucci]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

All of which would mean nothing if they had no one to recruit. That philosophy worked in Minnesota because the pre-existing culture bred a lot of players to choose from. There's a reason that Wisconsin, NoDak and Denver never had the same philosophy and it wasn't because we didn't have John ****ing Mariucci.

WOW! The pre existing culture bred hockey players is your argument? what the....

You're reaching, you're reaching far into the depths of stupid now..

Mariucci is thee reason the entire stats of hockey is what it is and sorry I know facts sometimes get in the way but he did coach for the Gophs, and he did insist on recruiting instate because it had a huge effect on growing the sport in the state of hockey.

He even tried to teach that philosophy to "Badger" Bob Johnson.

 

[mariucci]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin: Secondary Rivalry, Just As Much Hatred

thats ridiculous. UW has historically gotten their choice of local talent, but there has never been enough high end local talent to build an entire program around it and be competitive. Badger Bob's first job was to build a winning program, not restrict the talent pool for a cellar dweller.

So are you debating that Mariucci urged Bob Johnson to recruit in state?

This is getting better by the post.. How much money ya willing to wager?