2007 NCAA Hockey Tournament: The brackets have been selected, with the #1 seeds going to Minnesota, Notre Dame, Clarkson, and UNH. Notre Dame has been ranked #1 for most of the season, riding a hot goaltender. They have won five straight and only given up 3 goals total in those games. Minnesota beat North Dakota (the hotest team in the nation) in a thrilling OT game for the WCHA conference championship, after an amazing goal by Blake Wheeler (YouTube). First round of the playoffs start this weekend, with the Frozen Four in St. Louis in two weeks.

posted by emoeby to hockey at 01:57 PM - 25 comments

Legendary Twins PA announcer Bob Casey died this weekend.: "Bob Casey the stadium voice of the Twins for all of the team's 44 years and whose signature style and verbal stumbles endeared him to baseball fans throughout the Upper Midwest, died early Sunday from complications of liver cancer. He was 79." Bob Casey was famous for two things, his no smoking rule - "Noooooooooooooooo smoking in the Metrodome! If you must smoke, go outside or QUIT!" (or "go to Wisconsin" or "go to a casino" or "go to Disneyland" or one of his other great variations), and also the way he announced Kirby Pucket back in the day - "Now batting for the Twins, number 34, the center fielder, KIRBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY PUCKETT!". It's a sad day in Twins land.

posted by emoeby to baseball at 09:29 AM - 3 comments

Moss to be traded to Oakland: "The Vikings and Oakland Raiders have agreed to a trade that will send Vikings receiver Randy Moss to the Raiders in exchange for the seventh overall pick in this year's draft, linebacker Napoleon Harris and a low-round draft pick this year, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday."

posted by emoeby to football at 04:31 PM - 16 comments

Herb Brooks killed in car crash: Former Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks, who led the United States to the ``Miracle on Ice'' victory over the Soviet Union, died Monday in a car accident, a state official said. This is a sad day for all hockey fans, especially here in Minnesota where Herb Brooks was our hockey god.

posted by emoeby to hockey at 05:31 PM - 6 comments

Gophers Repeat: The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers became the first team in 31 years to win back to back titles in college hockey. Led by Austrian Thomas Vanek, most likely a top 5 pick in this years NHL draft, scored the game winner on a beautiful solo effort. University of New Hampshire played close in the first two periods, keeping the game tied going into the third. But the Gophers scored 4 third period goals to win the Championship. But of course, stupid college fans had to ruin a good thing, by setting a car on fire and tearing down traffic signs. It's hard to get into college hockey when NHL playoffs are just starting, but ESPN did have the game on and will most likely make the game an instant classic. Go Gophers!

posted by emoeby to hockey at 10:33 AM - 4 comments

Puckett found not guilty: "Twins Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett was found not guilty of all charges against him today in Hennepin County District Court. He was accused of dragging a 34-year-old woman into a men's room at the Redstone American Grill in Eden Prairie, at about 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, 2002. The woman said he pushed her into a toilet stall and grabbed her right breast."

posted by emoeby to baseball at 04:22 PM - 3 comments

"Minnesota exorcised the ghosts that have haunted its proud hockey program for the last 22 years by overcoming Maine, 4-3, in overtime Saturday to win the 2002 NCAA men's hockey championship." College hockey is the only sport I really enjoy watching, and Gopher hockey to Minnesota is like Nebraska football, Duke basketball, and English football all rolled in one. To have your school win the title in OT, and for our defensman Jordan Leopold to win the Hobey Baker award, this has been the best weekend of my short life.

posted by emoeby to hockey at 11:25 AM - 3 comments