The place to be this weekend: Mankato
Posted on March 14th, 2008 – 11:18 AMBy Michael Rand
We don’t say this every weekend — or, really, ever — but of all the places to be in Minnesota this Friday-Sunday, Mankato has to be at the top of the list. The reason is simple: Gophers vs. Mavericks, best-of-three WCHA first-round playoff series. There is nothing better than watching the Gophers in a road series against an in-state rival with a chip on its shoulder. Add in the intensity of playoff hockey — and the oddity that the Gophers open on the road — and you have an even better story. Then chew on this: the winner has a very good chance of making the NCAA field; the loser is likely done for the season. This is a staggering revelation that we only started researching a few days ago, wondering what sort of long shot the Gophers were to make the 16-team field. Turns out: not that much at all. For as poorly as they have played this season, they are No. 12 in the Pairwise Rankings, which closely resemble the method the NCAA uses to pick teams. MSU-Mankato, meanwhile, is No. 11. Six teams (conference champs) get automatic bids; some of them would have made it anyway, according to the Pairwise, and some would not have. That puts both teams kind of on the bubble (more so the Gophers, we would have to say, based on their record). Tickets will be hard to come by (by Monday, only standing room ducats were left), but if you have the means, we suggest an 80-mile road trip. We promise a free guest post to anyone who can provide the inside story of a series that we imagine will go the full three games.
25 Responses to "The place to be this weekend: Mankato"
I’d be thrilled with a two-game Gopher sweep…shut up those Mankato “we’re good, really we are” folks. All Mankato’s good for is to challenge St. Cloud State for highest percentage of underage alcoholics on campus.
Being the Mankato Alumn that I am, I will take the liberty to tell Dave to SHUT THE [REDACTED] UP!…and some what agree with him. But dave, you don’t have to be bitter if Mankato makes it to the tounry…It’s not like the Gophers had an outstanding season compared to recent ones…the Mavericks on the other hand did.
Joker, you’re right, the Gophers haven’t had a very good season, and I’d actually say they are pretty undeserving of consideration for the NCAA tournament at this point.
I’m sure Mankato deserves to move on based on their season, but I need to meet a smack talking quota here…
I’ll only be bitter because I don’t think the Gophers have any business losing 2 of 3 to Mankato at home or away. This will be the biggest/most important playoff series Mankato has seen…while for the Gophers it has the potential to be Holy Cross all over again.
Dave - This will be in no way comparable to Holy Cross, even if the Gophers get swept 7-1 and 8-1. The Mavs have been playing great hockey for the last two months; they are no pushover.
Also, I’d like to note that RandBall is researching things in the PairWise, while I watch two college basketball games at once. Down is up, black is white…
Jon, I think the “Holy Cross” comparison is based more on perception than reality. I think the Gophers losing 2 of 3 and not making the NCAAs or the Final Five would qualify as more of an “Oh [redacted]” moment for fans than the fluke that was Holy Cross…
Dave
How dare you, Mankato will never surpass the Huskies when it comes to consumption. Take it back.
GO HUSKIES!!!
Are we still talking about hockey? When does hockey season end?
Don’t worry, jama, we’ll be talking about basketball non-stop starting next week…
Dave - Other than Pat Reusse (from whom we could reasonably expect a “HA HA GOPHERS SUCK I RULE” column should the Gophers miss both postseason tournaments), I think most Gopher watchers realize that this is a down year, something that happens to all programs at one time or another. Holy Cross was a historic, first-loss-by-a-top-seed kind of thing. Most Gopher fans can remember Woog’s last year - no tourney, no nothing that year.
Sorry Dave, I can’t contribute next week. Well unless they have wi-fi on the beaches of Mexico. I’ll make sure to get my picks in though because I will not be beat.
go Mankato… being an alumn, i am a fan of Mankato, but Im torn since I have followed Gopher hockey since i could burp. Since they no longer have the Albatross in Mankato, Ill be cheering for the Gophers this weekend.
Most Gopher fans can remember Woog’s last year - no tourney, no nothing that year.
Is that a bad sign for Lucia?
I don’t happen to think so, but what do I know?
I’ll be down there tonight at Mariucci Arena South. Pre-game begins whenever the roommate gets done with school, and we get done with that hour drive.
Minnesota in 3.
As much as I love Hockey (and I do !..college that is) and I don’t mean to rattle anyone’s cage with this post (Heaven forbid !! Do I ever do that ?), but every time I hear a sports team or a sports locale from places like Chaska or Mankato, I (been doing this for years) Google up the tribe or tribal leader we murdered (OK ! Persuaded them ala Sopranos to give up that land)
then “honored” them by keeping the names we ripped off. Just a light and easy thought…
Ok. I take it back..
Randball: P3’s post killing capital.
Rand- as an MSU alum who spent 6 years in ‘Kato, I can tell you there are COUNTLESS reasons that Mankato is the place to be just about every weekend of the year. Things like… um… er….underage alcoholics, and Gary’s Pizza. Also, the zoo has pygmy goats.
Pleasantly surprised to find a few fellow Mavs on the RandBall boards.
Jama, what does that “post killing capital” mean besides maybe the post had (a little) something depressing to add. Surely, looking at most of our “Mn” names we obviously “borrowed” them from their owners. But who knows. Maybe we asked the tribes politely if we could do so (taking the land with their names) but I’m unsure we actually asked (I’m lying..we didn’t..but what does “post killing capital” mean, anyway…I like code as well as anyone)
P3, I think jama was saying that you killed this comment thread, and it’s not the first time…
Not that I haven’t been guilty of that. If killing comment threads was a crime, I’d be locked away for a very long time…
Hootie
Again, the Gary’s in Mankato might be good but I’m sure the Gary’s in St. Cloud is better. Face it St. Cloud is just better than Mankato. Plus St. Cloud has Stu.
jama-
But does St. Cloud have an Erbs and Gerbs? It does?! Crap. You leave me no choice.
Mettlers.
Dave, are you getting whacked out colors on your blog ?
You got me there. Sugar Daddy’s doesn’t cut it. Plus it’s not exactly in St. Cloud.
Let’s call it a draw.
GO HUSKIES! WOOOO!
I just woke up in Section 302. Who won? You can’t win a game if you can’t score.
