Rivalries in sports are something that everyone needs. You need those rivalry games, it wraps the organization and community together. Teams that are having a bad season still have those rivalry games to look forward to. It is where heroes are born, nightmares started and streaks are broken. Rivalries begin in Squirts and intensify as they players grow older, and rivalries are obviously present in college and professional sports. I personally think college rivalries are more special and real than those in the proffesional world. Those in the NHL, NFL and such can be forced upon the players and those involved with trades and players coming from all over. The college sport rivalries get the entire school and community involved and the players feel more of that hatred. That is why I think you could argue the Minnesota Golden Gopher and the University of North Dakota hockey is one of the greatest rivalries in sports. It is a border battle for the ages, the big state of Minnesota against the small guys to the west (even though that isn’t how their games are played). Growing up a hockey fan in Minnesota, you are well aware of this fierce rivalry. I have been a huge gopher hockey fan ever since I was a little Squirt. My father had season tickets and we would go to a game every weekend. I was there when they won the National Championship in 2002 in the 4-3 OT thriller over Maine when the ‘X’ erupted. I was introduced to how much people care about their beloved gophers, I saw grown men crying when that NCAA title streak was broke. But I would always look forward to the UND weekend. Both teams would seem to just step up their game for the occasion. No matter what the records of the two teams were, it was going to be a dog fight. You can feel the anticipation and hatred in the air when these two get together. Growing up in Minnesota I always dreamed of wearing that M on my chest, like many other Minnesota born and bred hockey players. Almost every hockey player growing up in Minnesota has that dream, but some of the northern boys prefer playing for the Bulldogs to the north and a few drift off up to St. Cloud and down to Mankato. And than there are those who trail over to Wisconsin for “better” education. But I guess a few kids took a couple too many knocks to the head or recieved one too many hospital passes, who end up going across the border to play for the Sioux, the hated rivals. This makes the rivalry all the more intense with ex-teammates facing each other. There is automatic hate, Gophers are brought up to hate the Sioux and vise-versa. The fans love to hate each other, they pour all their hearts into their team and that is why victory always tastes so sweet and defeat is unbearable. Sioux players and fans are referred to as “hacks, goons, cheaters, classless, hooligans and neanderthals” by Gopher fans and gophers are referred to as “prima donnas, hypocrites, cheap-skates” by Sioux fans. There have been fan fights in the stands which can cross the line, and cheap shots thrown on the ice before, during and after the games. The hate is there and it is very real. The Gophers and Sioux can not stand each other, let alone losing to each other. Even people on the outside of the rivalry see how big it is to those involved. Boston University’s coach Jack Parker commented on how they would have a lot of supports against the Gophers from the green sweaters in the first round of the West Regional. I love this rivalry, and that is why last nights game was ever so sweet. The revenge and redemption was perfect. Not a better sight to see a sea of green leaving the rink with time left on the clock so they don’t have to watch another defeat unfold or seeing a defeated Whioux fan selling his frozen four tickets to a jubilant Gopher fan. And last night when the game was 3-1 and 4-1 the Gopher fans began to begin taunting their neighbors in green. The Sioux fans would fight back with  “just wait, it happened last game, it will happen again” or “We got you right where we want you.” even though in the back of their minds they were incredibly worried of what could lie ahead. And Gopher fans would act confident even though there was a little bit of them that was nervous or uneasy about another let down, and how they couldn’t handle something like that again. And when that final horn went off it was a time of celebration for the gopher fans and the Minnesota Rouser was a little bit louder than usual, not only because the gophers were heading to the Frozen Four but because they had knocked off the hated rival and will have bragging rights, until next season. The gophers got the last laugh, and oh how it tastes so so good. I am proud to be a Gopher hockey fan, and i love this rivalry. I hope that they continue to play each other when in different leagues, because we all know those are the games everyone will be circling on the calenders. PRIDE ON ICE!!!! Gophers for ever!


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