Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Yeah, I'm still Pollyanna. Going into last season, I told Gandalf that I was going to take a Pollyanna-ish approach to the season, and I'm continuing it this season. And so I thought I'd point out some good things from last weekend.
  
  - Frankie Simonelli wasn't injured. Watching the replay, it looked like that really hurt.
  
  - Jorday Murray wasn't seriously injured and will be back this weekend.
  
  - Scott Gudmandson was outstanding, Scott Gudmandson I'm in Love.
  
  - If you were super disappointed last weekend, it might be partly because you raised your expectations for the team based on the team's better-than-expected results up to this point. Preseason expectations tended to run along the lines of "It might be a rough year for the boys", and so raised expectations is a good thing. (Of course, you might have been super disappointed because the Badgers simply played like crap, but hey, I'm Pollyanna, and I'm looking on the bright side, and you can't stop me from doing so.)

• UMD is now unbeaten in 20 of its last 21 overtime games (9-1-11) -- a run which dates back to the start of the 2008-09 season. The Badgers haven't won an overtime game in forever, and I'm too lazy to look up the actual record. Does anyone have the overtime record?
  

• I thought this exchange was worth pulling out of Baggot's interview with Craig Johnson:
  Q: Five adjectives that fit best fit Mike Eaves?
  CJ: "Passionate. A leader. Respect. Smart. A good guy.''

• Unrelated to this weekend, here's a quick little link for Ma60.

• I keep forgetting to mention this, but there was a Moose Sighting at the Kohl Center last weekend. Apparently, certain fans (you know who you are, lol) have noted Mike Mersch's moose-like size and have subsequently developed a Moose Dance for goal celebrations. I caught a bit of this after Mersch had an assist last weekend. You know me, I'm all for ridiculous goal celebratory dances, and so I look forward to doing this on a regular basis. Don't let me down, Mike!

• Completely unrelated to the Badgers - this is hilarious, especially after the Red Baron 2006 WCHA Final Five poster. If only page editor had talked to me; I could've told them that the correct name is Disorderly Conduct. (Gandalf and I have agreed to disagree.)