One of these things is not Like the Others

One of these things just doesn't belong.

Bemidji State, Miami, Duluth, Minnesota Wild.

OK, OK, so the Wild is a pro team, and the rest are college teams, but that is not the reason the Wild differ from the other teams. The reason i was going for is that the three college teams have shown heart, guts, balls, and the ability to play the game despite being out classed by "better" teams.

This is meant to be a congratulatory post for the three college teams, not an attack on the Wild. If you want my attack on the Wild, head over to the Wilderness.

You see, I was at the West regional over at Mariucci this weekend. I watched as the Bulldogs kept fighting, goalie pulled, everything on the line. I watched seven seniors playing with desperation, knowing there was no tomorrow for them. I watched the Dogs score two goals with less than forty seconds on the clock, the last one coming with 0.8 seconds to play. I watched as the team representatives in the press box jumped so high I thought they were going to fall out of said press box.

I saw players pour over the bench, just so happy to get to play one more period of hockey, let alone one more game.

I watched as Miami University, a school oh so many call Miami of Ohio to separate it out from the University of Miami since the school in Florida has had all of the glory in the past, out played the number one seed for 60 minutes. I watched as Miami fans, in as small a group as they were, rock Mariucci as though they numbered in the thousands. I saw the emotion on coaches faces showing the raw emotion of playing against each other, of losing, and of winning to move on. I listened like a six year old listening to a grandfather talk of war as Miami coach Enrico Blasi went on and on about what the trip to the frozen four meant to his school.

I watched the same night as the emotion overcame Duluth seniors to the point that they could not take the dais to conduct a press conference. You see, they are not guaranteed a tomorrow. This could very well be the last time they get to lace up the skates with a group at that level of talent or better. From that night forward, some of these guys are relegated to the same beer leagues we mere mortals play in.

I watched (this time in TV) as Bemidji State, yes, Bemidji State, became the sole Minnesota school left in the tournament. The majestic University of Minnesota eliminated before the tournament even began, the Mavericks at home on the couch, the Huskies nowhere to be seen, and the Bulldogs having been eliminated by Bemidji's next opponent, Miami.

Yes, Bemidji State, oh thou of the mighty Beaver, you shall be the hope of the great "State of Hockey." And do not think for a second you will slip under the radar again. We now have big plans for you. You have made your existence known. It takes a great deal for the people in the Twin Cities to look past their Gophers, and then their powerful gaze usually falls to Duluth. Not this season, and likely never again.

No, Beavers, you have made yourselves known. You are now on the hockey radar of every hockey fan in the state.

Don't let us down.

(Not that you could.)

Good Luck Beavers. A tip if I may... play Miami hard and physical. You need to maintain possession of the puck, and watch for the forward sneaking in behind you in front of the net.

Just my two cents.

-Buddha

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