The good old days

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

It's not streaming. That's why I mentioned it started well before streaming became common, and early streaming quality was very lackluster. It's often not great now.

Also, steams that are on YouTube show how many are watching. I've never seen trupl digits.

In '83-'84 Johnson had theirnlast best team. City conference officials moved the second game from Aldrich to the Colesium. I don't think it was a sellout, but it was way beyond the capacity of Aldrich. I don't think Aldrich has had a regular season sellout in twenty years.

And it has definitely been a factor at section games. Then-Section 3 (current Section 4AA) had to have separate sessions of the semis at the Coliseum, again because Aldrich was too small. Now Aldrich can easily accommodate borh games in one session.

[CrimsonCakeEater]

I will say that Class A seems to be experiencing a renaissance since 2022 (perhaps excepting this year) after some "down years" following the Breck-STA-Hermantown Triumvirate that existed from 2006 to 2013/2016. The 2017 and 2019 Class A tournaments were certainly entertaining but they didn't have the same sort of vibe that the Triumvirate tournaments did or that the last few have had. I will say, having been in high school much more recently than most of yall, there was a sense that people really only cared starting with the section finals, though my experience was with Breck and Edina so there's probably a "state or bust" aspect that was there that doesn't exist at most schools.

[elliott70]

Golden Era - 1960's TV coverage started and took off.
Great teams from Intl Falls, Roseau and St Paul Johnson were dominating.
New teams that would go on to star first emerged in Edina and Duluth East.

[cjmhockey19]

It's not streaming. That's why I mentioned it started well before streaming became common, and early streaming quality was very lackluster. It's often not great now.

Also, steams that are on YouTube show how many are watching. I've never seen trupl digits.

In '83-'84 Johnson had theirnlast best team. City conference officials moved the second game from Aldrich to the Colesium. I don't think it was a sellout, but it was way beyond the capacity of Aldrich. I don't think Aldrich has had a regular season sellout in twenty years.

And it has definitely been a factor at section games. Then-Section 3 (current Section 4AA) had to have separate sessions of the semis at the Coliseum, again because Aldrich was too small. Now Aldrich can easily accommodate borh games in one session.

Aldrich was sold out for Moorhead-Hill Murray a few weeks ago, theres been plenty of regular season games at Aldrich in recent memory

[raidergrad72]

I just finished reading this post and enjoyed the mentions of years gone by. I tried joining before the 2019 tournament because of Greenway's entry but Karl got me registered in June since I fumble my way through on the computer.

Speaking of that, I'm not on X, Instagram, & I limit my Fecesbook to a local radio station show. Why Fecesbook? People post too much s..t & bulls...t on there for me. Who cares what you ate & where ?

OK, I've also noticed posting here has gone down along with the banter, although I did see Lee's veiled shot at Elliot! And ESPG is keeping his wry humor up, too. And I can admit to some myself! Lol! All in good fun, guys and girls (if we have any).

Not sure if I can post this here, but wish Mercury Bischoff of Grand Rapids-Greenway luck as a finalist for Ms. Hockey. Leads the state in scoring and been on the team since 7th grade to senior.

Maybe Elliot is still awake to read this.

[elliott70]

Still awake.

[elliott70]

I just finished reading this post and enjoyed the mentions of years gone by. I tried joining before the 2019 tournament because of Greenway's entry but Karl got me registered in June since I fumble my way through on the computer.

Speaking of that, I'm not on X, Instagram, & I limit my Fecesbook to a local radio station show. Why Fecesbook? People post too much s..t & bulls...t on there for me. Who cares what you ate & where ?

OK, I've also noticed posting here has gone down along with the banter, although I did see Lee's veiled shot at Elliot! And ESPG is keeping his wry humor up, too. And I can admit to some myself! Lol! All in good fun, guys and girls (if we have any).

Not sure if I can post this here, but wish Mercury Bischoff of Grand Rapids-Greenway luck as a finalist for Ms. Hockey. Leads the state in scoring and been on the team since 7th grade to senior.

Maybe Elliot is still awake to read this.

Don’t you have a sister a year or two older?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

It's not streaming. That's why I mentioned it started well before streaming became common, and early streaming quality was very lackluster. It's often not great now.

Also, steams that are on YouTube show how many are watching. I've never seen trupl digits.

In '83-'84 Johnson had theirnlast best team. City conference officials moved the second game from Aldrich to the Colesium. I don't think it was a sellout, but it was way beyond the capacity of Aldrich. I don't think Aldrich has had a regular season sellout in twenty years.

And it has definitely been a factor at section games. Then-Section 3 (current Section 4AA) had to have separate sessions of the semis at the Coliseum, again because Aldrich was too small. Now Aldrich can easily accommodate borh games in one session.

Aldrich was sold out for Moorhead-Hill Murray a few weeks ago, theres been plenty of regular season games at Aldrich in recent memory

I was there, it wasn't full.

[The51]

It's not streaming. That's why I mentioned it started well before streaming became common, and early streaming quality was very lackluster. It's often not great now.

Also, steams that are on YouTube show how many are watching. I've never seen trupl digits.

In '83-'84 Johnson had theirnlast best team. City conference officials moved the second game from Aldrich to the Colesium. I don't think it was a sellout, but it was way beyond the capacity of Aldrich. I don't think Aldrich has had a regular season sellout in twenty years.

And it has definitely been a factor at section games. Then-Section 3 (current Section 4AA) had to have separate sessions of the semis at the Coliseum, again because Aldrich was too small. Now Aldrich can easily accommodate borh games in one session.

Aldrich was sold out for Moorhead-Hill Murray a few weeks ago, theres been plenty of regular season games at Aldrich in recent memory

I was there, it wasn't full.

In the past there would have been people being turned away. I'll also say something that has annoyed me is not being able to pay cash or credit card for almost all of these games. Why do they need my phone number, email and home address just to buy a $7 ticket. I mean I know what they want to do with that data but come on. Probably not a huge factor but it is one that I know has indirectly gotten me to avoid a few games over the past few years.

[raidergrad72]

I just finished reading this post and enjoyed the mentions of years gone by. I tried joining before the 2019 tournament because of Greenway's entry but Karl got me registered in June since I fumble my way through on the computer.

Speaking of that, I'm not on X, Instagram, & I limit my Fecesbook to a local radio station show. Why Fecesbook? People post too much s..t & bulls...t on there for me. Who cares what you ate & where ?

OK, I've also noticed posting here has gone down along with the banter, although I did see Lee's veiled shot at Elliot! And ESPG is keeping his wry humor up, too. And I can admit to some myself! Lol! All in good fun, guys and girls (if we have any).

Not sure if I can post this here, but wish Mercury Bischoff of Grand Rapids-Greenway luck as a finalist for Ms. Hockey. Leads the state in scoring and been on the team since 7th grade to senior.

Maybe Elliot is still awake to read this.

Don’t you have a sister a year or two older?

Not me, no sister. Mercury has an older sister and brother Hunter who played for the Thunderhawks, then Anchorage Seawolves.

[raidergrad72]

Still awake.

Applause!

[elliott70]

Still awake.

Applause!

Not too loud please.

[raidergrad72]

Still awake.

Applause!

Not too loud please.

Had the "mute" button on.
Are you watching the US- Canada game? Pretty intense.

[elliott70]

Applause!

Not too loud please.

Had the "mute" button on.
Are you watching the US- Canada game? Pretty intense.

I am working.

[raidergrad72]

Not too loud please.

Had the "mute" button on.
Are you watching the US- Canada game? Pretty intense.

I am working.

We lost to Canada 3-2 ot. Great game though.

[WarmUpTheBus]

I don't think HS hockey in Minnesota has faded in popularity. Arenas are still packed for big games, there is excitement and people seem to be engaged. What does seem to have faded in popularity is bantering with strangers about it. I do feel like there's just a desire to consume content rather than be a part of it, and ultimately there's only a select few that create. For example, I saw late last night that FabFive's twitter account reposted a link to an article by LetsPlayHockey that previewed potential difference-makers in sections. It was fun to read about the various impact players heading into sections, and I always like to see a couple of Hill kids mentioned so that was enjoyable. That's great content that someone created. But no one is engaging. It's just consume and move on. What I'd much prefer is that an article like that gets talked about - that people start chiming in with players they think should have made the list, or debating who is the best of them all, etc. Instead, again, it's just posted and a bunch of people consume it.

I see classAguy post tons of great content on twitter (and yes I like reading about class A). He does an awesome job and clearly puts a lot of time into it. Yet, he'll get some likes and maybe a couple of comments - even though if you look at the views it's often in the thousands. So again, lots of consuming of content, just not a lot of active engagement.

I don't think interest in MN HS hockey has faded in terms of this time of year with sections and state but it does seem to me that it has faded somewhat substantially with the regular season. I remember growing up where regular season games would be packed and sold out. Standing room only for games at Braemar.

I went to an Edina/Wayzata regular season game last year where Edina had 15 students and Wayzata had nobody but parents. The rink was a quarter full at most. It was sad to see.

Perhaps too many distractions these days?

I believe enthusiasm is still there but where it’s happening has changed. for example 10 years ago no one went to Shakopee games. The last 3 games I went to in shakopee were packed.

[Doc Holliday]

I do think there's something to the regular season not having the following or energy from those other than the parents or die hards. It does seem like Sections do ramp it up though. There's been complaining about the 2AA/6AA & the venues perhaps being a bit too small, but I will admit that the energy level in both Braemar & BIG is really great. It does seem that the schools involved to ramp it up once section semis hit.

Last sold out regular season game I remember going to was Edina-Minnetonka in 2019 at Braemar. I'm sure there have been others, but that's the last one with that gotta be in the building energy. Those Edina-Tonka games used to have it, then it took a downturn, but shifted back up late 00s when both programs started to churn out contenders yearly.

Rest assured, I still come here often for content.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I had to sneak in the back door for one of the Tonka games at the holiday tournament at PIC last year. But selling out the smaller venues is not as impressive as selling out Aldrich, or the dump that was the Coliseum (the Metrodome of local arenas).

[ryguyMN]

I had to sneak in the back door for one of the Tonka games at the holiday tournament at PIC last year. But selling out the smaller venues is not as impressive as selling out Aldrich, or the dump that was the Coliseum (the Metrodome of local arenas).

The Coliseum was great for the mystique, but the slight lines were brutal. You felt so far away from the action. It's an overrated venue, much like BIG is. At BIG, if you're anywhere by the benches or penalty boxes, it's not a great spot. I won't have a ton of nostalgia for it once Rink 1 is transformed like I do for Braemar. My first high school hockey games I recall attending as a young lad were at BIG as my parents went to Kennedy and the section finals at Met Center.

[Rocketwrister]

The good old days; there was a LOT of action of this board and a lot of good / funny interactions.

I'd expect the Amsoil arena in Duluth to be packed tomorrow (Saturday) with section 7 AA and A playing. I think there will be some great crowds showing up.

Here's to hoping at least...

[SEC Scotty]

Aldrich was sold out for Moorhead-Hill Murray a few weeks ago, theres been plenty of regular season games at Aldrich in recent memory

I was there, it wasn't full.

In the past there would have been people being turned away. I'll also say something that has annoyed me is not being able to pay cash or credit card for almost all of these games. Why do they need my phone number, email and home address just to buy a $7 ticket. I mean I know what they want to do with that data but come on. Probably not a huge factor but it is one that I know has indirectly gotten me to avoid a few games over the past few years.

Are you able to scan that box with your flip phone?
I used to go on my lunch 1/2 hour to get section 4AA final tickets when the box office opened and payed cash money for a paper ticket.
I remember when it was hard to get a ticket for Gopher Hockey and 2AA and 6AA at Mariucci Arena on Wednesday. I remember when high school bands has more than 15 players. I remember when the didn’t charge $25 dollars to park for the State.”
I remember when Johnson, North St. Paul, Washington, and Harding were are relevant.
The Fairgrounds Coliseum wasn’t a palace but so many great games were played there. I don’t ever remember thinking the sight lines were bad.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

The nearest row at the Coliseum was fifty feet from the first row.

[SEC Scotty]

The nearest row at the Coliseum was fifty feet from the first row.

How far was the 2nd row from the first row?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

The nearest row at the Coliseum was fifty feet from the first row.

How far was the 2nd row from the first row?

Buy a ticket to the horse show at the State Fair next summer and you'll see that the second row is about ten feet behind the first. As bad for hockey as the Hump was for baseball.

[GoldenBear]

The hump was the best for baseball. Two World Series Championships. What more do you want? 10 cent beer? GB