2013-14 Season

[almostashappy]

No worries east, you'll get used to it!

Saint Thomas Athletic Academy

I like the way you're thinking.

Now be fair, guys.... next you'll be arguing that the Miss America Pageant really isn't a scholarship competition for young women.

[Nuts&Bolts]

With Stickler's other posts maybe STAA will become Shattuck Saint Thomas Athletic Academy. Other predicitions to add for the 2013-14 season:

1. Traffic on other posts being reduced now that Karl's weekly rankings started flying.
2. Unforeseen drama (post-Willie Brown/HM if true per other posts)
3. Player leaving there high school program mid-season for juniors
4. Additional referee and player training programs to understand the new rules

[almostashappy]

With Stickler's other posts maybe STAA will become Shattuck Saint Thomas Athletic Academy. Other predicitions to add for the 2013-14 season:

1. Traffic on other posts being reduced now that Karl's weekly rankings started flying.
2. Unforeseen drama (post-Willie Brown/HM if true per other posts)
3. Player leaving there high school program mid-season for juniors
4. Additional referee and player training programs to understand the new rules

But will we see more dramatics and posturing by certain coaches against the WHL? And will the number of threads/posts devoted to the pro/cons of MN kids leaving for the WHL dwindle now that scorekeeper and son have moved on to whiter, colder pastures?

By the way, in case anyone is interested, after 10 games for the Wheat Kings, scorekeeper Jr. has 0 goals, 2 assists, a plus/minus of -5, 11 penalty minutes, and one new video posted on hockeyfights.com

[Nuts&Bolts]

WHL drama is a good one to add to the list. Call it what you may but Scorekeeper Jr bailing on Eagan after trying to jump on the bandwagon of last years senior loaded team that fell short and flat again of expectations will hurt your Cats this year along with a couple of other would-be seniors this year that left when they knew the getting was good for SSM or other "greener" pastures (or hives).

[almostashappy]

WHL drama is a good one to add to the list. Call it what you may but Scorekeeper Jr bailing on Eagan after trying to jump on the bandwagon of last years senior loaded team that fell short and flat again of expectations will hurt your Cats this year along with a couple of other would-be seniors this year that left when they knew the getting was good for SSM or other "greener" pastures (or hives).

Yeah, every once in a great while I think about what the Cats would have done had those two kids gone to Eagan High School. But winning a state championship wasn't enough to keep one of them from bailing on Edina for the USHL, and the other left for SSM so long ago that I've forgotten what he looks like. As for scorekeeper jr., it's hard to think of him as "bailing" when everybody expected him to be a one and done from the start (at least within the program).

But there are plenty of programs that have suffered these kids of losses, and on balance Taylor has done an excellent job of retaining kids from the community program (and keeping them on the team once they're there).

[Nuts&Bolts]

Even when it takes special winks get it done. The Edina transplant bailed to the USHL because he had reached the pinnacle and won a state championship which wouldn't have happened at Eagan. Had Edina not won last year it's likely he would have been back with Edina sandwiched between the USHL season. SSM kid has developed into a D1 prospect. Look no further than the Zajac, May, Merchant group that fell flat which has been the norm for the blue and green squad.

Do add missing Scorekeeper to the list along with posts the drive people off topic. Got to go check out the fight.

[puckbreath]

My comments are meant as a "shoe on the other foot" for Hermantown fans. They like to complain about STA because they kept losing to them, the arguments they used against STA are also applicable for them moving up to AA. Picking on private schools with smaller enrollments seems to be ok for Hermantown fans, but they have one of the best youth programs in the state, so they need to do some self-examining before they complain about the private schools. By the way, I've always rooted for them at state. They have a great program and would find out that being at the state tournament in AA once in while is far better than being in the A tournament every year. Let's face it, that's what unofficially AA and A tournaments are, the best teams versus the next tier. The current format just masks the true identity of the tournaments which is Tier I and Tier II. A few exceptions exist for Tier II teams that could consistently compete with Tier I schools(Breck, Hermantown,) but basically you have a Tier II tournament.

So ?

[MNHockeyFan]

So ?

As a high school fan with no kids playing, I do think that it matters. After the first round, which with the seeding are invariably mismatches, I do enjoy watching the Class A semi's and championship game. They are almost always exciting with a lot of talent on display.

But if the top Class A teams were to routinely opt up to AA - for whatever reason - I'm sure that I would no longer be an A fan and would only watch (and attend) the AA tourney. If that were to happen - and Class A were to essentially become a Tier II tourney - I suspect many others would also recognize bad hockey when they saw it and you would indeed hear crickets at the X. Even though the quality has remained good up until this point, the attendance for the Class A tourney is already mediocre.

So, speaking from the viewpoint of just a fan of the game, I hope that not too many small schools feel pressured to "opt up" just because they've had some success for a few years at the A level.

[puckbreath]

So ?

As a high school fan with no kids playing, I do think that it matters. After the first round, which with the seeding are invariably mismatches, I do enjoy watching the Class A semi's and championship game. They are almost always exciting with a lot of talent on display.

But if the top Class A teams were to routinely opt up to AA - for whatever reason - I'm sure that I would no longer be an A fan and would only watch (and attend) the AA tourney. If that were to happen - and Class A were to essentially become a Tier II tourney - I suspect many others would also recognize bad hockey when they saw it and you would indeed hear crickets at the X. Even though the quality has remained good up until this point, the attendance for the Class A tourney is already mediocre.

So, speaking from the viewpoint of just a fan of the game, I hope that not too many small schools feel pressured to "opt up" just because they've had some success for a few years at the A level.

And again, so ?

Are people here getting a % of each ticket sale ?

If not, why is attendance a concern ? I would think that's between the x and the MSHSL.

It ain't/wouldn't be "bad hockey" to those playing.

Interesting, I've seen posts here along the lines of "hey, don't call/make fun of the kid on a public forum/here !"

But saying this is ok, eh ?

[MNHockeyFan]

It ain't/wouldn't be "bad hockey" to those playing.

If that were the only consideration, we'd have 10 class tournaments, from Double A to Single F, with consolations and JV tournaments thrown in for good measure. Everyone would then be assured of getting a medal, but no one would watch or care.

[puckbreath]

It ain't/wouldn't be "bad hockey" to those playing.

If that were the only consideration, we'd have 10 class tournaments, from Double A to Single F, with consolations and JV tournaments thrown in for good measure. Everyone would then be assured of getting a medal, but no one would watch or care.

As I said, an attendance "problems" would seem to be the concern of the x and the MSHSL.

Still see no explanation why it's your, or anyone else here, concern.

[MNHockeyFan]

Still see no explanation why it's your, or anyone else here, concern.

puckbreath, maybe you're a little too young to appreciate, but the Minnesota High School Hockey Tournaments have a great history and have always been special in our State. What makes them special, in large part, is the fan interest and attendance they attract, which I think most people would agree is a good thing. If the quality of hockey in either of our state high school tournaments were to seriously go downhill, fan interest and attendance would follow. I think most fans of the high school game don't want to see it go in that direction. We want to preserve the unique place we have in the U.S. rather than go in the direction of most other states where nobody cares.

[puckbreath]

Still see no explanation why it's your, or anyone else here, concern.

puckbreath, maybe you're a little too young to appreciate, but the Minnesota High School Hockey Tournaments have a great history and have always been special in our State. What makes them special, in large part, is the fan interest and attendance they attract, which I think most people would agree is a good thing. If the quality of hockey in either of our state high school tournaments were to seriously go downhill, fan interest and attendance would follow. I think most fans of the high school game don't want to see it go in that direction. We want to preserve the unique place we have in the U.S. rather than go in the direction of most other states where nobody cares.

I'm more than likely much older than you, sorry, but thanks for the condescending attitude.

You can wrap your obvious distaste for A hockey in any attendance smokescreen you want, it won't hide anything.

Again, the concerns you are so "worried" about are the worry of the MSHSL and like outfits.

If you are so truly concerned, get on/involved with them.

As is, your self-appointed keeper of the future of Mn HS hockey, on a largely unknown internet forum of all places, is meaningless and shallow.

[MNHockeyFan]

I'm more than likely much older than you, sorry, but thanks for the condescending attitude.

You can wrap your obvious distaste for A hockey in any attendance smokescreen you want, it won't hide anything.

Again, the concerns you are so "worried" about are the worry of the MSHSL and like outfits.

If you are so truly concerned, get on/involved with them.

As is, your self-appointed keeper of the future of Mn HS hockey, on a largely unknown internet forum of all places, is meaningless and shallow.

Everything you say here is way off the mark, so much so that I won't take the time to respond.

[inthetwine]

I'm more than likely much older than you, sorry, but thanks for the condescending attitude.

You can wrap your obvious distaste for A hockey in any attendance smokescreen you want, it won't hide anything.

Again, the concerns you are so "worried" about are the worry of the MSHSL and like outfits.

If you are so truly concerned, get on/involved with them.

As is, your self-appointed keeper of the future of Mn HS hockey, on a largely unknown internet forum of all places, is meaningless and shallow.

You just did!

Everything you say here is way off the mark, so much so that I won't take the time to respond.

[elliott70]

I am way older than both of you, so let's call it a draw and move on.



Be happy.
And let each small school, public and private, make their own decision.

[puckbreath]

I am way older than both of you, so let's call it a draw and move on.



Be happy.
And let each small school, public and private, make their own decision.

Exactly.

[MNHockeyFan]

I am way older than both of you, so let's call it a draw and move on.



Be happy.
And let each small school, public and private, make their own decision.

Exactly again