Gophers done..

[Bobby Bass]

Gophers lose in B Ball and UMD takes care of the hockey team.... Sorry boys.. 

[Bobby Bass]

ND bites the dust as UMD wins 3-0 tonight, Denver next!! Gopher nation is pretty quiet here...

[thunderpout]

Yep, the Gophers had a tough year, both the team and Lucia.... Im curious... what do you guys think of the current status of college hockey where a player gets a scholarship and plays only a year or two before going pro.... I know all schools face the same issues (but then again, the top schools usually get those top players that end up going pro early...) but its really changed the college game for the worst... what do ya do short of not signing those top players, so they play for you for four years and not use up your scholarships and only stay for a year or two?  Should there be new rules put in place or do ya just chalk all of it up to it being the american way of doin things... its just made the college game alot less fun to follow, and Im a huge hockey fan... by the way Bobby, Im a Gopher puck fan, but I also like the other MN teams too, UMD, MSU, SCSU...  GO BULLDOGS! Their goalie sure is on the hot streak at the right time!  They're gonna ride him to the championship!

[Bobby Bass]

College sports are big time business hidden by a college name. The lure of a scholarship is for the most part what brings big time players to a school. Sports that a player can go on to will always have players who are good enough to take the step up to leave early for the dollars. Football, basketball and hockey I would say are the top reason for kids to leave. Only way you are going to keep kids on scholarship and in school is not to allow them to go pro, meaning the pros need to leave them alone. The dollar speaks here and I don't see that happening. Teams like the Gophers who have a long record of good hockey players, and a good hockey program are treated like a unpaid farm team. Can ya blame the players?, A very good percent I would think would love to play their sport professionally with the idea they could return to school later.

UMD's program has been suffering for many years and now they have a few outstanding players and are playing well as a team. Everyone once and awhile a team comes together as a team and plays the way a team concept was meant to be. No stars, but everyone doing everything just right. And you add a few players stepping up and having career years and bang ya have a little magic. For the dawgs I hope they can ride this a little longer.