Staff & Contributors

NHL Division Finals Make for Classic Hockey

John Gilbert

There are a lot of hockey fans who get so wound up cheering for their own team, such as the Minnesota Wild, that they quit paying attention to the Stanley Cup Playoffs once their team is knocked out. I feel nothing but sympathy for them.

Wild Deserve Appreciation, Not Insults

John Gilbert

Enough, already. After listening and reading for most of a week about the terrible insult perpetrated by the Minnesota Wild, who had the audacity to NOT win the Stanley Cup this spring, it is time to analyze all the analyses.

Nothing Comes Easily in Stanley Cup Playoffs

John Gilbert

Nobody said it would be easy, even if some efforts to over-analyze things seemed to make these Stanley Cup Playoffs seem pre-ordained.

Wild Playoff Run Can Even Rewrite History

John Gilbert

It isn’t even necessary for the Twins to get off to a faltering start, or the Timberwolves to stumble to a place far removed from NBA playoff consideration. No, the Wild captured the state’s sport fancy completely on their own

Wild Sticks to Hockey to Gain Edge on Blues

John Gilbert

School is still in session, which is a good thing, because school is still out – as they say – on the Minnesota Twins. They seem intent on playing as poorly as any team above sandlot ball can possibly play for several games

Stanley Cup Scramble – Pick Your Favorites

John Gilbert

Predicting the winner of the Masters, or the World Series, or the Super Bowl, can be fun and also risky.

Hockey Back in Spotlight for Final Weekend

John Gilbert

Those things aren’t completely resolved, of course, except for Duke securing the NCAA basketball title with an impressive triumph over Wisconsin. 

After Further Review, April 1 Brings Big News

John Gilbert

Maybe you missed it, but after further review, the NCAA Ice Hockey Committee has determined that any questionable calls that are questionable enough to be reviewed by video, but still are questionable, can be reviewed one more time after a cooling-of

Best of Times, Worst of Times for UMD 

John Gilbert

When a few weeks have passed, and the sting of losing 3-2 to Boston University subsides, the UMD Bulldogs players will appreciate their strong effort in the Northeastern Regional of the NCAA hockey tournament.

NCAA Puck Tournament Leans to the West

John Gilbert

Enjoy the NCAA hockey tournament, which starts this weekend with four regionals, because it seems quite likely the ruling body will look over something approaching Western domination and make some major changes to the structure.

Playoffs Rage, Bulldogs Stay Home

John Gilbert

College hockey used to be so easy to follow. Races roared to a conclusion in the WCHA, CCHA, Hockey East and ECAC, and then those four leagues went into their own specific tournaments.

Hawks Repeat as Class A Runner-Up

John Gilbert

Northern Minnesota had no chance but to succeed in the state high school hockey tournament’s Class A state tournament, because for the second straight year, Hermantown from 7A made it to the championship game against East Grand Forks from 8A.

AMSOIL Arena Filled With Puck Drama

John Gilbert

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat played out on the ice at AMSOIL Arena last week, where enough drama filled the place to satisfy even the most zealous hockey fan. You could pick your favorite, and make the case for high school hockey

Hardly a Normal Weekend for UMD Hockey

John Gilbert

Under normal circumstances, this would be a fabulous weekend for UMD’s hockey teams, both men’s and women’s, at AMSOIL Arena. 

The True ‘Hockey Day‘ in Minnesota

John Gilbert

Marketing whizzes can promote what they want with outdoor stadium hockey games and all. But for sheer significance to Northern Minnesotans, nothing can match this weekend.

The World Stood Still, 35 Years Ago

John Gilbert

Where were you on February 22, 1980? Or on February 24, for that matter?

Western College Hockey Leagues Hit Homestretch

John Gilbert

Without a doubt, the NCHC was the most potent league in the nation, with the most competitive teams from top to bottom. But they were pretty much disregarded in post-season selections.

UMD Teams Struggle

John Gilbert

The top four, of course, get home ice for the first round of WCHA playoffs. But the jarring end of the Shannon Miller coaching era at UMD has only that one home series remaining, for certain.

Krauss Puts the Bite Back in Bulldogs

John Gilbert

There is no real explanation for it, but no matter how strong a team is and how good its record, there are going to be flat spots in a sports season. Being up and down is common, but the best teams find a way to put it all together and hit a peak

Seahawks Win Greatest - but not Best - NFL Game

John Gilbert

Let’s agree on one thing: Seattle’s victory over Green Bay in the NFC championship game was NOT the best game in pro football history. But it might have been the most amazing -- maybe even the greatest -- in NFL history

Couple Calls, Misplays Help Decide Games

John Gilbert

Officials make calls, and sometimes they make mistakes. Football players try their hardest, but sometimes they drop passes. Examples of both helped determine a couple of pretty important football games in the past week.

Quarterbacks Rule at Football Playoff Time

John Gilbert

Now we get serious with the National Football League playoffs. The wild card games are over, and the four teams that spent last weekend with byes swing into action.

UMD Athletic Achievements Led Sports Up North

John Gilbert

We got our share of excitement out of our up-close and personal sports highlights for the vanishing year of 2014

Shannon Miller Saga Dominates Sports Scene

John Gilbert

“Well,” he said, “I don’t know anything about the team, but I have heard a lot about Shannon Miller. Does UMD have any idea what an impact she has? Everybody knows who Shannon Miller is.”

UMD Chooses to Lose Shannon Miller

John Gilbert

Shannon Miller is not just the head coach of the UMD women’s hockey team. She is the head, the face, the force, and the personality of UMD women’s hockey. She IS UMD women’s hockey.

UMD Sweeps CC, Lead NCHC

John Gilbert

So the question is, if the Pairwise uses objective logic and has UMD No. 2, what sort of logic are the voters in the USCHO ratings using to rate UMD No. 9?

Bulldogs Save Final Trick to Win 48-45

John Gilbert

If you’ve got the chance to head on down to Mankato to watch the Division 2 Super Region Three football final Saturday

Bulldogs Stun NW Missouri With 3-TD Rally

John Gilbert

Words like resilience and tenacious roll easily off the tongue as contemporary sports cliches. But never have the words been as significant as in the fourth quarter of UMD’s astounding 25-21 victory over defending Division 2 football champion NW

Bulldogs Disassemble Gopher Ice Machine

John Gilbert

They had their No. 1 ranked Golden Gopher hockey team, playing the “lowly” No. 13 UMD Bulldogs, and while the Gopher folks say they knew it would be a tough series, they had no idea how tough.

College Football Rolls On, Despite Ratings

John Gilbert

Playing down to legitimate college football championships create a wide-open climax to the season, whether Division 1, or 2 -- or, for that matter, 3. Focusing on Division 1 and 2, it is impossible to guess at the favorites for the championship

Bulldogs, Miami Create Rivalry as NCHC Contenders

John Gilbert

When the National Collegiate Hockey Conference was formed, in a pro-active move after the Big Ten’s hockey representatives went off to form their own league, it was obvious to those of us with an objective eye on college hockey

Both UMD Hockey Teams Enjoy Home Life

John Gilbert

UMD’s hockey teams will play their second straight weekend where both teams are at home, affording hockey fans the chance to see four hockey games in rapid-fire succession.

Rick Nolan

John Gilbert

Reader endorsements

UMD Weekend Bigger than Homecoming

John Gilbert

This might just be the greatest sports weekend of the whole year. We’ve got so much going on in Duluth this weekend, that maybe this should have been homecoming week. Or maybe the Bulldogs should have two.

Sweeps Spark UMD to 18-1 Volleyball Rush

John Gilbert

But the biggest triumph for UMD last weekend remains the No. 2 nationally ranked volleyball team’s stunning three-game sweep against Concordia of St. Paul.

Hockey Crowds the Crowded Football Scene

John Gilbert

When you’re making plans for what to watch this weekend, the list of sports candidates is a lengthy one. 

Football, Hockey Replace Twins

John Gilbert

As the good ship Twins settles to the bottom of the lagoon, the seasons have already changed to football and hockey around here.

Triple-threat Bulldogs Run in the Rain

John Gilbert

The tandem rushing attack of Logan Lauters and Austin Sikorski flashed its full form last Saturday night, and quarterback Drew Bauer joined them in a three-pronged 100-yard rushing attack that led UMD to its impressive 38-7 football victory

Who Can Judge Peterson’s Parenting?

John Gilbert

What we can discern is that Peterson is less than deserving of the pedestal we’ve built for him. Quietly, he has led the good life, if that includes getting involved with an assortment of young women who apparently were all too willing to get involve

Bauer, Lauters Help Avoid Upset

John Gilbert

Over 5,000 rabid UMD football fans tailgated themselves into being prepared to watch their Bulldogs open the 2014 football season and could be excused for anticipating a dominating, lopsided triumph over Concordia of St. Paul.

Packers-Seahawks, MSU-Oregon Highlight Week

John Gilbert

Yes, we’re only one week into the major college football season, and this is the first week of NFL play, but for those who can’t wait, this week promises a couple of the highlight games of the whole season.

Vikings, Twins, And Private Air Shows

John Gilbert

What do you mean, bad weather? Oh, I was out of town, suffering with my J-Hawks team at the state Senior Men’s Over-35 tournament, so I missed both Saturday and Sunday at the Air Show.

Vikings Reveal “QB for a Half”

John Gilbert

On a normal mid-August weekend, sports fans in Minnesota can take their pick. Watch the Minnesota Twins play a ball game, or go up to Brainerd and watch the National Hot Rod Association’s annual drag-race

Right Time for Wright Racer to Put it on the Line

John Gilbert

“Bracket racing was a lot of fun, and a good way to stay out of trouble,” said Line, who was speaking by telephone from the Summit Racing Team’s nerve center in Charlotte, N.C.

Bernie Gerl Returns to Visit Wade Stadium

John Gilbert

As a little kid, it was always fun to go to Wade Stadium and watch the old Duluth Dukes play. It was a long time ago, but refuted by the clarity of the memory, when I watched a tall, lean, professor-like catcher for the Dukes

Title or Not, 1983-84 Hockey Team UMD’s Best

John Gilbert

There are good and logical reasons for a sports team to hold a reunion, mainly after a fair amount of time has passed, from the date of a significant championship. That’s what makes the gathering of the guys from the 1983-84 UMD hockey team in Duluth

American Legion Baseball Keeps On Paying Back

John Gilbert

Look around, there’s probably a high-octane American Legion baseball tournament game at a ballpark near you.

All-Star Game Puts On a Fitting Attraction

John Gilbert

But all of the pre-game buildup was, for once, just preliminary to the main event -- the Major League Baseball All-Star game.

All-Star Game Is More Show than Go

John Gilbert

All-Star Games Also Had ‘Good Ol’ Days’

We Need More Spectacular Plays

John Gilbert

We can agree that ESPN is doing an impressive job of broadcasting the World Cup soccer matches from assorted cities in Brazil. What I would like to see is ESPN compiling a series of, say, 20 spectacular plays from each day’s games, and then play them