This entry isn't going to make me many friends in the local hockey community, but I was recently asked why it was that I dislike the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities hockey program to the degree I do. In response to that question, I offer these reasons:
(1) BACKGROUND. I am an alumnus of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, home of an often-ignored Division 1 hockey program. It is ethically impossible to be a fan of both teams, ala the Red Sox and the Yankees. Of course you'd get the argument that the UMD-UMTC series really isn't a rivalry because the Bulldogs have not lived up to expectations recently, but to that I say hogwash. Just because a particular team sucks doesn't mean it can't be a rival. UMD hockey sucks because of the UMTC, and that leads me right into my next point.
(2) EXPOSURE. I lived in Duluth until I was 22 years old, and stunningly enough, I am sure I watched twice as much Gopher hockey than Bulldog hockey. Every single UMTC game is televised throughout the entire state. Every single bleeping game. Hockey fans in Northeastern Minnesota should grow up Bulldog fans based on geography alone, but on cold Winter nights they are forced to watch the only games on TV, which happen to originate from Minneapolis. It's now even gotten to the point where UMD hockey isn't even going to be televised locallly at all this season, save public access TV.
(3) RECRUITS. Everyone knows the Gophers are the Yankees of college hockey. They get all the best in-state recruits every year. Why is that? Well, let's see. Let's say I'm a 14 year old hockey phenom from Hibbing. Being a phenom you could probably assume I watch a lot of hockey. Who's on TV? Oh yeah, that's right, the Gophers, even though there are 3 other NCAA Division 1 schools in the state. Never mind that, they're the frickin' Gophers.
(4) THE WOOGER. TV analyst and former coach Doug Woog drives me crazy. Whenever the UMTC plays another team with a good Minnesotan on the roster he is sure to declare during the broadcast "why isn't he playing for the Gophers?" His arrogance alone is reason enough to turn the channel. For those of you not familiar with the Wooger, when he coached he wouldn't allow any non-Minnesotans on the team. None. What sense did that make? That's why it was completely ironic that once he left the team (and they started recruiting non-Minnesotans) that they won their national championships; a North Dakota native scored the title-winning goal.
Granted, some of the reasons I raised here are those of a beaten down, humiliated Bulldog fan, but I truly think there's some truth here.
Update 9/18: I've got some venom built up over the "better facilities" argument also. Mariucci may be the finest hockey rink I've ever seen a game in. It's a first class facility and does nothing but help recruit better players to the UMTC. Duluth needs a new rink, and when they asked the State for funding, they were told that if they wanted a new rink they should pass a referendum approving an increase in the local sales tax. The city's residents voted, approved an increase, but the State legislature didn't act. Everyone's trying their hardest to keep the program down.
11 comments:
First, I'm a Gopher fan, but I'm from the Twin Cities so I have the geography argument on my side. (My old man went to the U also, so I have that angle covered as well.)
Second, I can totally understand why the state-wide Gopher love fest drives some non-Twin Citians nuts - especially you guys from the Range (greater Duluth), Mankato, St. Cloud, even Bemidji, who have your own programs locally/regionally.
Third, Wooger would totally drive me crazy if I were not a Gopher fan. I get to watch a lot of Gopher games out here, on the Fox College Sports channels (not to rub salt in your wound) and so I catch Wooger and Frank all winter long. I have heard them say things that are either impartial or even favorable about the other team (ie "Nice shot by that [Badgers] player") but still I can get why they'd bug non-Gopher fans.
Fourth, the Gopher bandwagon is pretty full...we don't need any more riders. But rivalries, especially in-state rivalries, are such a vital part of being a sports fan, that I'd rather everyone wasn't a Gopher fan.
This gopher fan doesn't seem to bad, but if you go to the USCHO board they are vicious. I am was getting attacked by them because i pointed out weaknesses for all WCHA teams and told the Gophers their biggest weakness was Lucia and Hill their coaches, and whether or not Frazee could stop a puck from the other end of the ice, ala UND icing. Yeah they got crabby but i was a little hard on other schools as well like DU.
Seawolf
Duluth != da Range, silly Nick.
Roy, you are rocking, as always. As bionic as Gaborik's groin.
How can you say Lucia isnt a good coach? That is absurd. The gophers have, along with Michigan, wisconsin and a couple others, one of the best coaching staffs in college hockey.
And it is about time people stop complaining about the gophers being the Yankees of college hockey. They get the best recruits for many reasons inclduing their staff, facilities, their ability to put a good team on the ice and most of all their tradition. I doubt Mike Howe and Chris Harrington chose the U over SCSU because they were on TV. Grow up. UND gets just as many recruits from the Cities as the Gophs do from the range..
f-ing sweet pic of demitra
Who cares if Harrington and Howe didn't play for SCSU, both of them suck anyway.
Um...
TV REVENUE leads to BETTER FACILITIES and HIGHER SALARIES.
Am I off the mark here?
Maybe the TV money goes to charity.
Name one D-man the Huskies had that was better than Chris Harrington the years he was there. Fletcher is close, Borer was solid defensivly. Harrington would have been the number 1 at State. He didnt suck.
This was the first and last time I will read your blog. You proved your hockey ignorance by suggesting that there are only 4 Division I programs in the state. You presumably left out Bemidji State, which has been beating your Bulldogs consistently over the last couple of years. If you are from Duluth and don't know about BSU's program and its 13 national championships, don't whine about northern Minnesotans rooting for a team other than yours. By the way, its time to end your school's lame reference to the Gophers as "UM-TC." I've never seen such an inferiority complex among a team's fan base.
Amen. I read the blog but all i get out of it is "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha"
You chose to attend UMD, even though, if you have a degree, it reads "University of Minnesota" with no distinction for Duluth or TC. That must be tough on you, and probably leads to the inferiority displayed by Bulldog fans.
Alas, save for a couple of seasons, UMD will always was and will be a second-rate men's hockey program to the U. You chose second-rate UMD - man up and deal with it. At least your diploma associates you with a first class men's DI program.
On the bright side for you, UMD excels in women's hockey. If you want to associate with a winning program, focus your energy and so-called expertise in the women's genre. There's plenty of room for whiners, crying and excuses in the women's game.
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