Re: Tribute to the UMD DECC - Old Maroon Loon Memories
We know you're a closet Bulldog fan.........
Who isn't a closet Bulldog fan?
UMD is a very likeable program, and most fans around the league would likely list UMD as #2 after the team they follow. Why is that? Well, they are a branch-campus underdog program in terms of the Gophers' shadow. The Gophers have abundance in their favor, and it's very easy to like the little brother who does more with less. If the Gophers are white collar corporate, UMD is blue collar and gritty. UMD has been around as a WCHA member a lot longer than the other Minnesota schools, so there is a lot of UMD history to respect. They have not won enough hardware for arrogance to set in, but they win just often enough to have everyone's admiration.
Secondly, Mike Sertich, who built really built that program to have some glory years in the 80s, is one of the most likable people in the history of the sport. His personality gained him a ton of admiration around the country for his humor, his down-to-earth persona and his enthusiasm for the game still radiates and makes Duluth special. You don't get that warmth from other coaches now, who have become much more intense and guarded over the years, as more money and higher pressure to win have changed the vibe. Sertie represented a more approachable and fun time in sports - something we're missing now.
Then you have that UMD fan experience - the memories of the Loon, the steep seating at the DECC, the flag runners, the Penalty Box, the cheerleaders and the good band. And the for me, great memories of the Chinese Lantern, the best old-time WCHA drinking experience, long ago lost to fire. You fans up there live and die with the Dawgs, and that is something I wish we had more of here in Denver, where we are too spoiled with success, affluence and other winter entertainment options that true emotional bonding with our teams is far harder to generate.
