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OK. We're clear now.

But, can anyone find it within themselves to offer a little apology for their confusion and mistakes or are you just going to go with a constant stream of excuses.

A good first step would be to step up and offer an apology. Someone goofed up. Please, someone, say you're sorry.

Minnesota Hockey should look at ways to avoid mistakes like this. One thought would be to have the State Tourneys at the Excel Energy Center. Yeah, that's the ticket, bring the tourneys to the Excel!

This is kind of like being promised to play at the DECC in Duluth, but then find yourself watching your kids play in the old Duluth Curling Club (anyone remember that building? Pretty cool, second floor rink with holes in the wall and flocks of birds flying and crapping on the ice!).

I agree with Elliott. It should be a great tourney and this is a minor deal. The Huck isn't the Duluth Curling Club.

Fire and Ice wrote:MPLS PARK V DULUTH EAST

OMG V ROCHESTER

BEMIDJI V HIGHLAND

APPLE VALLEY V WAYZATA

DE will walk over Mpls Park
OMG over Rochester (2 goal game)
Bemidji over Highland
Best game of the day. AV Over Wayzata in OT.

AV Is your Champ.
D1 does not only not have 2 teams in the Championship, they will not win a game.

A couple of interesting observations,

Rochester Red 38-7-3, whoops, lost to Mpls/Park
Apple Valley, 36-10-3, whoops, lost to Highland/Central

CTBROW why are you busting my chops again? Did I write something about how these teams will finish?

observer wrote:A couple of interesting observations,

Rochester Red 38-7-3, whoops, lost to Mpls/Park
Apple Valley, 36-10-3, whoops, lost to Highland/Central

I think Highland Central was a team that lost 2 or 3 kids to the High School ranks. They were a different team when they beat Valley.

Sounds like a lot of people assumed that since the tournament was in TRF that all the games would be at the "Little Ralph".

We played Regions in TRF two years ago & all the games were at the Huck as section basketball was taking place at the "LittleRalph". The venue did not dimish the importance of the tournament & I did not hear a single complaint.

Sounds like some parents are more dissappointed then the players.

I believe that was directed at me.
When were those games???
4 months ago????


Highland lost to Prior Lake. Prior Lake only had one win in D6.
There's a useless fact for ya.

I wrote what I think is going to happen now, they way that teams are playing now. Who cares about November?

I am sure the tournament will come off as fun for all. We all realize this is something to be grateful for. However this is a little like having a tournament on the Xcel site and having all but the Championship at Roseville. It is amazing that people would get upset with those that are disappointed that all the games are not at the Little Ralph. One of my other children had to play in Biwabik for a state tournament that was supposed to be in Bemidji due to poor scheduling and had a great time.

Wow! ... appears to be a bunch of cake eaters whining. What I have heard all year is that the goal was to get to the State Tournament -- never did I hear the kids talk about the goal being about playing at a certain facility. Grow up and get excited about the kids accomplishments and quit whining about something so stupid as to what arena you think has more "ritz". The glamour is the accomplishment itself!!!!!

.......

By the way, all the kids that I know that have played at both arenas would definitely choose the Huck! They like the ice better; but hey, let's not care about that. Let's just worry about how fancy it is, after all that's what many of you seem to think a State tournament is, huh?!!!

While I agree the point of the weekend is about playing in the state tournament, i also agree that it seems there has been some misrepresentation by omission. I think it us unfair to think people shouldn't be disappointed because the games aren't all being played in the rink everyone was under the impression that they were going to be in. Why wouldn't kids, parents, grandparents and everyone else who is looking forward to that weekend, seeing games in a rink where the likes of Alexander Ovechkin played in. Like it or not, those things are special. I've never been in the Huck, it may be a great facility, heck it may even be a better facility for youth hockey, but the fact is people were looking forward to being in the "little ralph".

I don't think it would be as big a deal if people would have been upfront and honost about what was happening. I won't be there so I really don't have a dog in this fight, but I would think Roseau or Warroad would have been a better venue if these circumstances were known a head of time.

Does MH have a stance on this sort of thing? Unfortuately, I think this opens the door for those who want to have a one site tourney. They can point to this tournament and say, "see it isn't a big deal if we move games during a tournament".


Elliott, why wasn't this corrected on other threads or in earlier posts? Like one of the previous posters I agree with you on most things, but I think you blew it on this one. I hope you can at least agree that these facts should have been pointed out earlier.

Good Luck to all the teams!

Perhaps an ignorant question from someone who isn't on these sites all the time but I will ask it anyway.... Was the state hockey tournament actually advertised as being at the little Ralph or was that an assumption that was made by folks when they heard it was being hosted by Thief River? If is was an assumption, then I am not sympathetic. If it was advertised, then I totally get the complaints. However, my son said his team knew all year that the games were being played at the Huck. He is actually very surprised to hear that Sunday's games are being played at the little Ralph. ...And his comment for those who said their goal all year was to play at the little Ralph -- "Well, I guess that should still be their goal then -- to be in the Championship game at the little Ralph!" .... and how cool would that be for anyone?!!! Come hell or high water, if my kids playing in the championship game I'll be there regardless of where it's played! (I'll just leave my long johns at home if it's at the little Ralph! ha! ha! Don't you just LOVE hockey?!! )

Do they know that they scheduled the State Tournament the same weekend as the 3 A/AA Select 16 tryouts?

sniper87 wrote:Do they know that they scheduled the State Tournament the same weekend as the 3 A/AA Select 16 tryouts?

Does the 3A/AA Select 16 know they scheduled tryouts the same time as the State Tournament?

I would guess that the Bantam A State Hockey Tournament would bring in quite a bit more money than a basketball tournament in a northern Minnesota town. Just a guess? So wouldn't you think you could move the basketball tournament to a gym where the sport is supposed to be played? And use the Ralph Engelstad HOCKEY Arena for the Bantam A State Tournament? This is the State of Hockey isn't it? Keep it that way.

wannagototherink wrote:While I agree the point of the weekend is about playing in the state tournament, i also agree that it seems there has been some misrepresentation by omission. I think it us unfair to think people shouldn't be disappointed because the games aren't all being played in the rink everyone was under the impression that they were going to be in. Why wouldn't kids, parents, grandparents and everyone else who is looking forward to that weekend, seeing games in a rink where the likes of Alexander Ovechkin played in. Like it or not, those things are special. I've never been in the Huck, it may be a great facility, heck it may even be a better facility for youth hockey, but the fact is people were looking forward to being in the "little ralph".

I don't think it would be as big a deal if people would have been upfront and honost about what was happening. I won't be there so I really don't have a dog in this fight, but I would think Roseau or Warroad would have been a better venue if these circumstances were known a head of time.

Does MH have a stance on this sort of thing? Unfortuately, I think this opens the door for those who want to have a one site tourney. They can point to this tournament and say, "see it isn't a big deal if we move games during a tournament".


Elliott, why wasn't this corrected on other threads or in earlier posts? Like one of the previous posters I agree with you on most things, but I think you blew it on this one. I hope you can at least agree that these facts should have been pointed out earlier.

Good Luck to all the teams!

I didn't know until Sunday.
And it does not matter to me.
The Huck and Ralph are at the same site so people will not be running all over town (if that is even possible in TRF).

And what they wanted was not a one site tourney but a metro tourney wihin 45 minute drive time of the X.

hockeyma wrote:Perhaps an ignorant question from someone who isn't on these sites all the time but I will ask it anyway.... Was the state hockey tournament actually advertised as being at the little Ralph or was that an assumption that was made by folks when they heard it was being hosted by Thief River? If is was an assumption, then I am not sympathetic. If it was advertised, then I totally get the complaints. However, my son said his team knew all year that the games were being played at the Huck. He is actually very surprised to hear that Sunday's games are being played at the little Ralph. ...And his comment for those who said their goal all year was to play at the little Ralph -- "Well, I guess that should still be their goal then -- to be in the Championship game at the little Ralph!" .... and how cool would that be for anyone?!!! Come hell or high water, if my kids playing in the championship game I'll be there regardless of where it's played! (I'll just leave my long johns at home if it's at the little Ralph! ha! ha! Don't you just LOVE hockey?!! )

The tournament was awarded to TRF via D16 policy.
D16 was awarded the tournametn via Minnesota Hockey policy.
The Huck and the Ralph (connected at one site) are two quality rinks in TRF. If they had said it would be at the old arena, it would be played somewhere else.

They scheduled other sections that weekend too. So what.

So to the guys that made the state tourney enjoy it, it is better than any individual accomplishment you will ever receive.

sniper87 wrote:Do they know that they scheduled the State Tournament the same weekend as the 3 A/AA Select 16 tryouts?

Now here is a real problem which I am involved.

Section 8 and I believe secton 7 select 16 try-outs are teh same weekend as the VFW tournament.
We have to make arrangements for Moorhead, Bemdiji, and Duluth East bantam A 93 births to be evaluated.
Now I will put section 3 kids on my list.

I suppose it isn't the worst thing in the world. Good luck to all teams. And remember, hard work will beat talent that is not willing to work hard every time.

hockeyman16 wrote:I would guess that the Bantam A State Hockey Tournament would bring in quite a bit more money than a basketball tournament in a northern Minnesota town. Just a guess? So wouldn't you think you could move the basketball tournament to a gym where the sport is supposed to be played? And use the Ralph Engelstad HOCKEY Arena for the Bantam A State Tournament? This is the State of Hockey isn't it? Keep it that way.

The two sides of the Ralph will be full for these games, the ends will have the bands.

It is a pretty big deal.

I believe the City and people who run the Ralph consider the building a multi-use facility just as East Grand Forks does the Civic Center.

Eveleth Hippodrome was used for basketball for years (might still be used for it).

Also Section 6 Adv 16 tryouts are the same time as the Bantam State tournament.

I feel kinda sorry that the Sunday games are in the Little Raph. The Huck has much better ICE. Games in the Raph seem slow to watch. and Definently slow to play on.

outofsite wrote:I feel kinda sorry that the Sunday games are in the Little Raph. The Huck has much better ICE. Games in the Raph seem slow to watch. and Definently slow to play on.

Maybe they will all be at the Huck with all the whining going on.

And I know the guy that can make that happen.

philip18 wrote:Also Section 6 Adv 16 tryouts are the same time as the Bantam State tournament.

Okay, I will include 'em.