LetsGoDU

Is This The Smartest Man In America and Why Is He Smiling?

Minnesota Golden Gophers coach Don Lucia has accomplished some remarkable things in his career. Playing hockey for Notre Dame, having a successful coaching stint at Alaska-Fairbanks, turning around a floundering hockey program at Colorado College and winning two National Championships at Minnesota after 23 consecutive "near misses."

Whether its driving the Zamboni at the Winter Olympics, stealing a rival head coach away from a fellow WCHA program or "covering" for his players in yet another scandal, no one can say that Don isn't hands on. But perhaps his biggest coup was convincing Phil Kessel he needed a college education just in case he blows through the $20 million he is going to make in the NHL. There is only one word to describe Coach Lucia "genius."

The way that Coach Lucia was able to intentionlly lose four early season games to take the pressure off his young Gopher team was a stroke of brilliance. Those early losses will keep his team focused during the long and arduous WCHA campaign. The fact that one of his losses and a tie was to his old buddies up in Fairbanks shows his compassionate side.

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Obviously being the head coach of the Golden Gophers is not as easy as it looks. OK sure, every kid in the state wants to play in Mariucci Arena from the day they can walk. And of course his every whim is granted by an Athletic Director that basically is his own personal hand puppet. But all this success also makes the Gopher program a target as witnessed by the Fox 9 News investigative report. No, its hard work managing the premier program in the State of Hockey.

Keep up the good work Don.