- Sep 13, 2002
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Oh my gosh, don’t get me started. Stale beer, ratty seats, sticky floors, always a little too cold in the stands: it’s EXACTLY how college hockey should be experienced! 🙂
Outdoor Hockey
- Thread starter DooBi
- Start date
Oh my gosh, don’t get me started. Stale beer, ratty seats, sticky floors, always a little too cold in the stands: it’s EXACTLY how college hockey should be experienced! 🙂
Even the USHL Capitols games there before they moved to Middleton were fun. Such a cool building with loads of hockey history and memories.
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Is Memorial still a powerhouse or has the scene shifted to the Middleton/Verona area?
Memorial has been tough for stretches in recent years and West has improved and been competitive. But Verona is the top team and Sun Prairie (although struggling this year) has been good these last few seasons. That new facility SP built a few seasons ago is gorgeous.
I'm a Kings fan and I like the Wild since I get to see them more often than any other team.
Wild fan here but grew up a Canadiens fan. I have 3 Patrick Roy jerseys from way back when. Easily my favorite player of all time. Got to meet Guy Lafleur once, that was pretty cool. He’s a class act all the way.
- Sep 13, 2002
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Speaking from personal experience - Sun Prairie girls are easy. 😉
The first hockey game I remember seeing on TV was '92. Kings vs. Canucks. My uncle and aunt were living in LA at that time, and my cousin was a Kings's fan. I remember him saying this is a rivalry and there's likely to be a fight break out soon. Sure enough, a few minutes later, the gloves were dropped. Have been hooked ever since.
Quick breakdown of Spring Lake Park:
3 Bantam teams - AA, B1, B2
3 Pee Wee teams - AA, B2, C
4 Squirt teams - A, B1, B2, C
11 Mite teams - 1A, 2B, 4C, 4D
Quick look at the District 10 standings shows the top SLP teams are towards the bottom of the standings. Not trying to bag on SLP but you need to understand the district they play in. Blaine, Andover, Centennial, Elk River, Anoka, Rogers, Coon Rapids, Champlin Park. It's tough for SLP to compete. They're in the bottom half of the district along side Champlin Park at most of the age groups. That said, both SLP and CP are getting better. I know some people at CP and you've got people like Jordan Leopold getting involved with the youth program so there is a push there. The CP Bantam AA is currently a Top 10 team in the state at Bantam AA, for example. Bottom line is it is all about numbers and it's tough to compete with the likes of programs like Andover who has been growing for years and is a new contender in Class AA at the HS level, currently ranked 10th in Class AA.
For example, here is a breakdown of Andover's youth program:
4 Bantam teams - AA, A, B1, B2
5 Pee Wee teams - AA, A, B1, B2, C
6 Squirt teams - A, B1, B1, B2, B2, C
12 Mite teams -1A, 3B, 4C, 4D
First thing I like to see is the Mite numbers for SLP. You want a broad based pyramid with lots of numbers at the youngest levels that you can develop and bring along. The future looks good for SLP if they can keep those U8 kids playing and develop them. So comparing the two, you will notice as the kids age Andover is fielding more teams and at higher levels of play. Bottom line, more depth.
As to MN Made putting a location in SLP I think it has more to do with location. SLP is a central location for the North Metro, it's as simple as that. Easily accessible for all the District 10 programs.
Yes, I realize being from SD I know way too much about this. But I have a few friends that live up there and I'm in the North Metro quite a bit. My oldest played against a lot of these teams as he was growing up so you get to know the programs.
3 Bantam teams - AA, B1, B2
3 Pee Wee teams - AA, B2, C
4 Squirt teams - A, B1, B2, C
11 Mite teams - 1A, 2B, 4C, 4D
Quick look at the District 10 standings shows the top SLP teams are towards the bottom of the standings. Not trying to bag on SLP but you need to understand the district they play in. Blaine, Andover, Centennial, Elk River, Anoka, Rogers, Coon Rapids, Champlin Park. It's tough for SLP to compete. They're in the bottom half of the district along side Champlin Park at most of the age groups. That said, both SLP and CP are getting better. I know some people at CP and you've got people like Jordan Leopold getting involved with the youth program so there is a push there. The CP Bantam AA is currently a Top 10 team in the state at Bantam AA, for example. Bottom line is it is all about numbers and it's tough to compete with the likes of programs like Andover who has been growing for years and is a new contender in Class AA at the HS level, currently ranked 10th in Class AA.
For example, here is a breakdown of Andover's youth program:
4 Bantam teams - AA, A, B1, B2
5 Pee Wee teams - AA, A, B1, B2, C
6 Squirt teams - A, B1, B1, B2, B2, C
12 Mite teams -1A, 3B, 4C, 4D
First thing I like to see is the Mite numbers for SLP. You want a broad based pyramid with lots of numbers at the youngest levels that you can develop and bring along. The future looks good for SLP if they can keep those U8 kids playing and develop them. So comparing the two, you will notice as the kids age Andover is fielding more teams and at higher levels of play. Bottom line, more depth.
As to MN Made putting a location in SLP I think it has more to do with location. SLP is a central location for the North Metro, it's as simple as that. Easily accessible for all the District 10 programs.
Yes, I realize being from SD I know way too much about this. But I have a few friends that live up there and I'm in the North Metro quite a bit. My oldest played against a lot of these teams as he was growing up so you get to know the programs.
That's awesome! I was a Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks fan in school, but a Raiders fan instead of the Bears for some reason. Then the Kings switched to silver and black like the raiders and they got Gretzky and went to the finals. I had a blast watching them and have been a fan ever since. Plus now I hate the Blackhawks! Lol
After 7 straight against a Phoenix, I was just happy to see a different opponent.
I love hockey fan origin stories...
Never watched hockey until my freshman year at Iowa...friend of a friend Ed was from the Chicago burbs and played growing up, huge Blackhawks fan, so when we would be in Doug's room drinking beer, he'd have the game on...that would have been the 90-91 season...my favorite player on that team was Doug Wilson- badass defenseman, hell of a shot, and he didn't wear a helmet! So I started following hockey...91-92 comes along, Doug Wilson gets traded to the San Jose Sharks...WHO THE F ARE THE SHARKS? I see a picture of their first sweaters in a Manny's Baseball Land catalog- I'm hooked...broke out the credit card got a home and away Doug Wilson # 24 on the way...Ed gets tickets to a pre-season Blackhawks/Sharks game at Chicago Stadium...my first NHL game in person...I think there were 15 goals, 200 plus penalty minutes, about 4 fights a period...my god it was awesome...been a fan every since...had season tickets to the Sharks when we live in Nor Cal for 5 years, and the loudest game I've attended is a tie between Chicago Stadium in April 1994 (was supposed to be Gretzky's last game there but he was out injured-ended up being the first game after Wayne Messmer got shot) so that anthem was insane and the end of this PK in the 2nd Round of the Playoffs...
My Dad was never into hockey growing up, being an Iowa farm boy. But when he moved to Waterloo for his first big job in the late ‘70s, he became a big Waterloo Blackhawks fan from going out to games. He then started road-tripping to Chicago Stadium with my older sisters in the mid-80s as the Chicago Blackhawks fortunes rose. 1992 was the year I caught the bug for two reasons. 1) The Blackhawks made the Stanley Cup Finals. My Dad was ecstatic. But in those days you couldn’t get all the cup games on TV in Iowa? So we drove up to the best place in Cedar Rapids he found to pick up the radio broadcast: the small Dairy Queen drive thru on 6th Street. We got food and cones as the van ran and we listened to that soul-crushing comeback the Pens made in Game 1. I don’t even think we stayed for the game-winner. He’d had enough by the time it was tied. Ultimately it indoctrinated me into Blackhawks fandom as when I moved as a teen to Red Wings territory, my cousins who were all Wings fans and I’d have joined them had I not already had my team. 2) National Hockey Night on ESPN began. It was our Friday night routine whenever there was a game on. Still the best theme music AND regular announcing duo for any national sports broadcast that I’ve seen.
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I played in a pee wee hockey league from age 4-7 in Waterloo and that was in the mid to late 1960s.
Man it always seems like there is no hockey fans on this board. I love this thread!
2 years ago I was camping at Emerson Bay in Okoboji. I was at the very end of the campground against that crick there. We were catching so many big bass and a few walleye. I started a fire and listened to game 7 with the Blues and Bruins online.
I remember sitting there thinking that was the absolute definition of Heaven, and it was. My 12 year old son and my 70 year old dad were with me. It was bliss.
Then, the next morning I stepped out of the camper and broke my foot and was off work for 3 months!
2 years ago I was camping at Emerson Bay in Okoboji. I was at the very end of the campground against that crick there. We were catching so many big bass and a few walleye. I started a fire and listened to game 7 with the Blues and Bruins online.
I remember sitting there thinking that was the absolute definition of Heaven, and it was. My 12 year old son and my 70 year old dad were with me. It was bliss.
Then, the next morning I stepped out of the camper and broke my foot and was off work for 3 months!
@Menace Sockeyes, @DooBi
Yeah, I've been alll over the place with teams myself. My cousin went to high school in Connecticut with Brian Leetch, lived in the same neighborhood in fact and played street hockey with him, so I was a big Rangers fan in the '90s. Also had family who were Blackhawks fans.
I liked the Celtics and Red Sox growing up, so I became a Bruins fan too. When Joe Thornton went to the Sharks and they had Joe Pavelski, I rooted for San Jose as well.
I love playoff hockey and really just get into all the games regardless of who's playing.
CSB Alert: Being in Michigan for HS, I got to play through my school. I played Justin Abdelkader when he was a Freshman at our rival school, and he destroyed us as Seniors.
Man I really thought I lost you when you went so "unreasonable" when it came to politics, but I appreciate this kind of post.
You should know, (or maybe you already do) that Joe Thornton is appearing to have an absolute blast p
C'mon, dude. You should know by now I'm not serious. Half the time I'm mimicking other posters, and/or under the influence of pot gummies.
Interesting impression. BNGB has always struck me as one of the most reasonable cats on here.
Lol. Truer words were never written!
I'll work on toning it down a little.
You're a good dude, even if you believe some crazy shit about politics.
Went to our city outdoor rink today and the ice was crap, literally melted completely out. It's below zero all week, as low as -31 below in the daytime, never got above 25, and it's 20 today. How is this possible? Because my city decided to build a combo ice/skateboard park and they simply flood the concrete. If your base is not white the sun will penetrate through and melt the ice. Idiots. They need to put a white plastic liner down before they flood.
Next year we're building our own backyard rink. Done relying on this inept city.
Next year we're building our own backyard rink. Done relying on this inept city.
Man what a gorgeous game last night. If you didn't check it out you missed out. The sun set towards the end of the first period. It looked like old superbowls before the money took over.
It was amazing! Only thing that sucked was the game. Bruins won 7 to 3.
It was amazing! Only thing that sucked was the game. Bruins won 7 to 3.
Little did I know that one day...
My first thought was "going back to Wrigley again?" Then was shocked to see it will be 16 years since the last time. Seems like just yesterday. I'm getting old.
I vividly remember the day of the game. Was at John Barleycorn’s (RIP) watching Iowa/Shonn Greene piss pound South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, then left at halftime to go to the hockey game. Definitely doesn’t feel like it was 15 years ago. But here we are…
Hopefully they do better than last trip from there. In fact, the only outdoor game I want to remember was at Soldier vs the Penguins.
Any you old guys remember the Iowa Stars hockey team in Waterloo? They were only around for the 69-70 season and played in the Hippodrome.
Seemed like an odd place at the time to put a CHL team.
Seemed like an odd place at the time to put a CHL team.
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