2000 MACHINE VS 2000 BLADES

[EnjoyTheShow]

Hey "peep show" do you feel better now

I think Sweep, you think "Just fine" we will see.

No answer for the other question??? your comments hold zero weight.

[MrBoDangles]

The model baffles me!

Bobo -- Why are you concerned anyway? Have a kid on the team who's not traveling to tournaments? A friend's kid?

Do you know how much the weekend "temps" pay? Are the "rostered" kids only those who show up to practices?

Maybe the kids who show up to practices are the ones who are competing for a tournament spot?

Please enlighten me if you know. Otherwise, maybe you should give the coach a call and educate yourself on their model -- then you might not be so baffled.

Sorry for the long wait on a response. The fishing was great this weekend.

I got a little fired up from listening to a dad that said, "My son was told he was going to go and then told very late he was not." He also said, "My son sobbed for 6 hours straight and I slept in bed with him for the first time in years." Kinda left me with a sick feeling and made me look at the big picture.

FUN.........

[MrBoDangles]

[muckandgrind]

Enjoytheshow, none of this recruiting of kids from other programs started until after a poor showing in the meltdown. Now there is a right way and a wrong way to form your brick team and being "reactive" after the first tourney and realizing your team can't compete well with the best and being "proactive" and holding open tryouts ,as is done for the pride team, at the start of the aaa season is 2 different things. Not to mention the sneaky approach to it all. If you make a mistake and realize your team can't compete, call all the other aaa teams let the kids on your own team know there will be a tryout and create a team out in the open rather than having the parents of these other kids having to deal with the repercussions of the coaches and parents of the teams they are committed to. Why for example did coach Steffens not step up and call Bernie and ask to have the 2000 team skate with the blades to help make a competitive team and why call individual parents and put them in this situation? Now you got a bunch of fools on here blowing a bunch a hear say out of proportion and creating some of their on myths as well. A little bit of character goes along way in earning parents trust and respect.

Many of your points are very strong! I do agree this should have been dealt with sooner, as ultimately the kids are impacted by these decisions. As far as calling some parents, and putting them in this situation, I think as your player grows up, you will understand more and more that there are few people out there that will have his best interests truly in mind. the better he is, the more people that want to take advantage of that. I say, use that to your advantage. If Bernie really cares about your boy, he wants him to play goalie in the biggest tournament there is for these boys. I understand all of this is a business, but he should understand as much as anyone what this opportunity is. I would argue it is him who is putting you in this position, not the people that would give you the opportunity. The blades haven't had that bad of a showing, they have lost 2 games now. monopoly and toronto pro hockey. Mind you, I'm not a blades backer, but I do believe a bit in that other coach for that tournament. I thought he had no chance to be successful when they started, but him and the other CE guy proved me wrong. When someone does that, it's hard for me not to believe in them

You guys this is almost too good...he's complementing himself. I'm busting a gut right now. I know a IT guy that works for the Geek Squad and assures me Monopoly Man and Enjoy the Show their posts came from the exact same computer because their IP Addresses are the same. They are the same person.

You're gonna need more proof than "I know a IT guy"....I'm not saying you are lying, but if you are gonna throw out an allegation like that, you better back it up with some facts.

[Machine parent]

First of all - yes, I'm a Machine parent so half of you guys can already choose to hate me. Thought I'd get that out of the way up front!

Okay - haters on both side need to take it easy with all the allegations and hear-say about the rivalry between the Blades/Machine/Monopoly/Icemen and whoever is next AND about the Brick, recruiting for the Brick and all the talk around that too. It's deteriorated into a "my dad can beat up your dad" type of argument. Fact is a lot of recruiting happens behind the scenes - so what?! Doesn't matter if the team you play for is for profit or non profit - EVERY team wants the best players whether it be for the team or just for a tournament. If your kid is in the mix - be happy and proud and put the disdain for other programs that you don't call your own aside.

As far as the Brick "controversy" goes - I just want to throw out the head to head records of the above mentioned teams vs the Machine (as I know them anyway).

• 2000 Machine vs 2000 Blades (2 - 0) Score of 3 - 1 and 4 - 2.
• 2000 Machine vs 2000 Monopoly (2 - 0) Scores of 5 - 0 and 8 - 0.
• 2000 Machine vs 2000 Icemen (1 - 0) Score of 9 - 1.

Point being - if the Brick truly wants the best kids (or best team) from here to represent Minnesota up there in Edmonton, then it should at least include some Machine kids (either that or we got REALLY lucky five times in a row)! The Blades are at the wheel so they can call the shots - I completely understand and that's fine. Enough with all that back and forth mudslinging. Let the Blades build their Brick team the way they want - I just think they would be stronger with some Machine kids on the roster (and a couple Icemen kids for that matter).

[Tellitlikeitis]

.....

[karl(east)]

If you have any concerns about anyone's identity, please send them to a moderator/Admin via PM.

I don't know much about the turf wars between these programs, nor do I particularly care about them. The extent some people go to really baffles me.

But at least my ignorance allows me to judge things with relative objectivity. If you have a concern, send it to me. Don't resort to some silly form of vigilante justice.

[scoreandscoreoften]

AMEN!!!

[muckandgrind]

.

Point being - if the Brick truly wants the best kids (or best team) from here to represent Minnesota up there in Edmonton, then it should at least include some Machine kids (either that or we got REALLY lucky five times in a row)! The Blades are at the wheel so they can call the shots - I completely understand and that's fine. Enough with all that back and forth mudslinging. Let the Blades build their Brick team the way they want - I just think they would be stronger with some Machine kids on the roster (and a couple Icemen kids for that matter).

Someone mentioned that the Blades have reached out to some Machine players to go with them, but BM has put the kabosh on that....do you know if that's true?

I can say that the Blades HAVE brought some Machine players up there is the past. For example, Hudson Fasching was a Machine player, but went to the Brick with the Blades. I don't know about the younger teams, though.

[EnjoyTheShow]

First of all - yes, I'm a Machine parent so half of you guys can already choose to hate me. Thought I'd get that out of the way up front!

Okay - haters on both side need to take it easy with all the allegations and hear-say about the rivalry between the Blades/Machine/Monopoly/Icemen and whoever is next AND about the Brick, recruiting for the Brick and all the talk around that too. It's deteriorated into a "my dad can beat up your dad" type of argument. Fact is a lot of recruiting happens behind the scenes - so what?! Doesn't matter if the team you play for is for profit or non profit - EVERY team wants the best players whether it be for the team or just for a tournament. If your kid is in the mix - be happy and proud and put the disdain for other programs that you don't call your own aside.

As far as the Brick "controversy" goes - I just want to throw out the head to head records of the above mentioned teams vs the Machine (as I know them anyway).

• 2000 Machine vs 2000 Blades (2 - 0) Score of 3 - 1 and 4 - 2.
• 2000 Machine vs 2000 Monopoly (2 - 0) Scores of 5 - 0 and 8 - 0.
• 2000 Machine vs 2000 Icemen (1 - 0) Score of 9 - 1.

Point being - if the Brick truly wants the best kids (or best team) from here to represent Minnesota up there in Edmonton, then it should at least include some Machine kids (either that or we got REALLY lucky five times in a row)! The Blades are at the wheel so they can call the shots - I completely understand and that's fine. Enough with all that back and forth mudslinging. Let the Blades build their Brick team the way they want - I just think they would be stronger with some Machine kids on the roster (and a couple Icemen kids for that matter).

I absolutely agree. Unfortunately it seems the only thing in the way of this is "the business side" of things. Sounds like some were invited, but were told they couldn't go. Others probably didn't get a fair shake. It seems like its often the kids that suffer a bit from the business parts of youth hockey.

[WhosPuckIsItAnyways?]

Point being - if the Brick truly wants the best kids (or best team) from here to represent Minnesota up there in Edmonton, then it should at least include some Machine kids! The Blades are at the wheel so they can call the shots - I completely understand and that's fine. Enough with all that back and forth mudslinging. Let the Blades build their Brick team the way they want - I just think they would be stronger with some Machine kids on the roster (and a couple Icemen kids for that matter).

The Brick dilema isn't confined to Minnesota. It's the same political football in every state/province that participates. The problem isn't really with the programs that send the teams - it's a fundamental problem with the way the tournament itself is setup.

The Brick Tournament bills itself as a milestone tournament that features the best of the best at a their age, but the reality is, it's an entitlement tournament that features teams who "own the rights" to play in it.

Often times those teams will include some of the best kids in their designated regions, but the vast majority of players on those teams are in those spots due to parental and program politics, "who their parents know" and not how the kids can play.

Actually here in Minnesota it's a much smaller issue. The way the entitlements are setup in the Canadian Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the Tournament has really fragmented an otherwise relatively harmoneous AAA community up until this age group. At this age group the AAA community resembles a nasty game of Survivor where they shuffle the tribes and begin backstabbing each other for percieved personal gain.

The negative effects this tournament has on the AAA community as a whole far outweigh any positive contributions. It's time to either;

a.) abolish this event
b.) call it what it is (a group of specific teams who play each other every year - no more, no less)
c.) have participation connected to merit - i.e. teams need to actually WIN a regional tournament to represent a region

In the end it's much ado about nothing, as the event itself is, and has always been, vastly overrated. Winning the Subway AAA elite has more meaning and even that's only relative to the West

[icnet01]

Now that is hitting the nail on the head.

[scrapiron]

Have any Minnesota Teams won the "Subway"? This must be a tornament put on by Subway?

[WhosPuckIsItAnyways?]

It's the North American AAA Classic, formerly the Subway Classic. It's run by the Manitoba Lightning organization and for whatever reason, it has attracted the toughest talent pool in the West. Probably due to it's Winnipeg location, attracting the Minnesota teams along with the top Western Canadian teams. It's "unoficially" the toughest tournament in the West - a sort of Western Equivalent of the Prospects Cup.

I'm not sure if a Minnesota team has ever won ... I suspect they have ... I know many Minnesota teams make good showings every year.

http://www.northamericanhockeyclassic.com/

[council member retired]

[quote="muckandgrind"][quote="Machine parent"].

Point being - if the Brick truly wants the best kids (or best team) from here to represent Minnesota up there in Edmonton,[b] then it should at least include some Machine kids[/b] (either that or we got REALLY lucky five times in a row)! The Blades are at the wheel so they can call the shots - I completely understand and that's fine. Enough with all that back and forth mudslinging. Let the Blades build their Brick team the way they want - I just think they would be stronger with some Machine kids on the roster (and a couple Icemen kids for that matter).[/quote]

Someone mentioned that the Blades have reached out to some Machine players to go with them, but BM has put the kabosh on that....do you know if that's true?


Wrong, Machine did not have a 95 team when he was 10 and went to the Brick. He was a showcase aaa player playing a year up prior to joining the blades at age 10. Then the Machine 95 was formed, afterward. Then the whole team left the machine and formed breakaway.

I can say that the Blades HAVE brought some Machine players up there is the past. For example, Hudson Fasching was a Machine player, but went to the Brick with the Blades. I don't know about the younger teams, though.[/quote]

[99GoalieDad]

99 Machine won the Subway tournament in 2009 as well as the Calgary Stampede tournament.

[99GoalieDad]

The 99 Machine beat the Alberta Brick team twice at the 2009 Subway Tournament (once in pool play and once in a crossover game).

The Alberta Brick team went on to win the Brick in 2009.

Both 99 Machine and 99 Blades teams will be there in June 2010.

[icnet01]

The Subway tournament in the Brick age group has most Canadian teams without their top players as they are on the Brick team and would be the Canadian Brick team's first games together as the players play with their regular spring teams before this tournament. The Stampede tournament does not attract the top end teams in the younger age groups as it is more oriented towards the Bantam scouting. just saying

[tocanuck88]

Alberta Brick had 9 players from Northern Alberta Attack,4 players from Calgary Top Guns and 1 player from Alberta 99s. These kids have played together for awhile, they picked up 1 kid from Cougar Selects that played in the open division at Subway for the Brick tournament. icnet01 you should get your facts straight before you discount the accomplishments of a team of 10 year olds.

[icnet01]

“These kids have played together for awhile”
I’m not sure where you got your information from as it is incorrect. First, it is true a majority of that team (9) had played together that spring. I can guarantee you the Subway tournament was the first time the team played a single game as the players came from five different teams.
“9 players from Northern Alberta Attack, 4 players from Calgary Top Guns and 1 player from Alberta 99s”
Your numbers are incorrect the Alberta team was as follows:
2 Alberta 99, 2 Alberta Wolverines, 1 Cougar Select, 1 Junior Hitmen, 9 Northern Alberta Attack and yes picked up another Cougar Select after the Subway.
I am not discounting the Machine but please lets keep the facts straight and compare apples to apples.

[hockeyfan74]

This board is hilarious. I have been reading these threads for a while and have really enjoyed the entertainment. Yes this is my first post and I am only posting for one reason. I personally know both Monopolyman and Enjoy the Show. They are NOT the same person. Enjoy the show is a great association coach with a lot of passion for the game. He does not have time to Coach AAA hockey with his summer schedule. He has more flexibility with his Winter schedule. He does still follow his players as he wants to make sure the development they are getting is worth the money they are spending. Monopoly man is the 00 Monopoly Coach. Yes I have a son in the Monopoly program and no he is not on the 00 team. I have been very impressed with the Monopoly's on and off ice training. More importantly my son is having a blast and becoming a better player. To me that is what it is about - the kids! I don't care what team players play for if the kid is having fun and getting better that is what should matter. We can argue all day about different programs - I have talked with Machine players that used to be on other High Level teams and will tell you the Machine are the best - I have also talked with Blades players that have played for other high level teams and they will tell you the Blades are the best. I have heard the same from some current Monopoly players that have played for other high level teams. All players are different and they react to different coaching styles - find what works for your child and stick with it. The only caution I would put out there is be careful what you and your son sacrifice. Kids still need to be kids.

[Pucksahater]

Hockeyfan74 you should have started out stating you used to play juniors in Canada and then we might believe you.The only thing hilarious is you Monopolyman, EnjoyTheShow and now Hockeyfan74.

[EnjoyTheShow]

Hockeyfan74 you should have started out stating you used to play juniors in Canada and then we might believe you.The only thing hilarious is you Monopolyman, EnjoyTheShow and now Hockeyfan74.

Do you ever get tired of always making negative claims and personal attacks? Let me know when you have something productive to offer.

[scoreandscoreoften]

Hockeyfan74 you should have started out stating you used to play juniors in Canada and then we might believe you.The only thing hilarious is you Monopolyman, EnjoyTheShow and now Hockeyfan74.

WOW!!! I suppose you know an IT guy too.

[hockeyfan74]

pucksahater - I was never good enough to play Juniors. I would like to wish you and your son the best of luck with the Machine. I hope everything works out for you. Thanks for your input.