Word On The 'Net Is....

With the birth of the schedules, and some recent news articles stemming around the 'net, notably from todays News-Miner article, as well as UAF AD Forrest Karr's response on the UAF Chancellor's Grapevine (see May 22nd), it's pretty clear that we are riding the pine pony in regards to dropping our sticks on WCHA's ice. But apparently UNO might have gotten that spot anyway. Let's Play Hockey has "sources" saying that the WCHA has offered UNO the spot, which, as part of ex-UND head coach Dean Blais taking over the program's terms, UNO WILL be taking that spot (that may or may not have been offered yet in the first place). A lot really hasn't been said officially in terms of what will and won't happen in the future. UAA AD Steve Cobb, who also happens to be a member of the WCHA Structure Committee, was quoted in the aforementioned News-Miner article, saying “From my point of view, we would support and vote for UAF coming into the WCHA for a number of reasons,”. What is missing is what those reasons are exactly, and what is being said about UNO. And potentially even which way the scales may tipping between these two teams. These types of questions are missing from these interviews that other people seem to be taking. All geographic, skill, size, and money concerns aside, it seems to be down to UNO and UAF. And its going to come down to which team brings more food to WCHA's dinner table. Sure, UNO plays in the Qwest Center, a 15,000 seat facility which UNO can only fill about 4,000 of. UAF sells out the Carlson Center on a regular basis, which is obviously a much smaller facility, but its what we've got.

So, who is it going to be? If things aren't really going to be announced until some un-announced meeting occurs sometime somewhere, then why in the hell did LPH already say that spot was offered to UNO? A direct answer needs to come from somebody, sometime.

We all remember Darcy Campbell, a rock solid blueliner that played for the Nanooks from 2004 to 2007, who went pro for one game with the Columbus Blue Jackets, has just signed with Finland's premier team, TPS on Wednesday, (if you can read Finnish, the official post is here, and no, Google Translate does not work) earning a US-equivalent salary well into the 6 figures.

The Alaska Nanook Pep Band has a new graduate student director starting this fall, that will NOT be dancing wildly with a cowbell during songs. Hannah soon-to-be Johnston, graduated from UAF in 2009 with two BMs, one in Music Education (K-12), and the other in Trumpet Performance. You might remember her from her air guitar performance at one of the Ferris State home games last year, funny stuff. Hopefully the band gets a little bigger this year, there seems to be fewer and fewer players over the course of the last few years. Apparently people go to college for an education these days, so nobody wants to have fun anymore. I see how it is...

I'll be seeking some more answers in regards to this WCHA fiasco and making some phone calls in the next week or so to see what I can get out of my "sources". If he hasn't read this blog yet, I know Forrest is reading this now. Questions are coming.