As a fan of college hockey, I realize that I am a lover of a sport that has exactly nine other fans. Every year at this time, I try to expand that number into double-digits by allowing all of you college basketball fans a chance to double-dip on brackets.

That’s right…the NCAA Men’s Hockey tournament field has been announced, and thanks to the good people at SiouxSports.com, there is now a clickable on-line bracket that will allow you to double your tournament misery (registration required – It’s free, but approval may take up to 24 hours). You can also expect a high pro-North Dakota Fighting Sioux bias; the name of the website ought to be a solid clue…

“But Dubsism,” you say, “I don’t know anything about college hockey.” Suck it up and fill out a bracket, Muffin. Know that girl in your office who will win your basketball pool?  She’s going to win based on a strategy of picking teams based on what color their uniforms are or because they have a cute mascot. Meanwhile, you as “Mr I-Watch-College-Basketball-And-I-Have-Pittsburgh-All-The-Way” is using his bracket as slightly uncomfortable toilet paper.

In a nutshell, here are the basics of college hockey.

• As a North Dakota guy, I am completely and unabashedly biased.
• That doesn’t change the fact that North Dakota is the best team in the best conference, the Western College Hockey Association. Out of the sixteen teams in this field, four are from the WCHA (North Dakota, Colorado College, Denver, and Minnesota-Duluth), and a fifth (Nebraska-Omaha) will be joining the WCHA next season.
• The WCHA can be best explained by comparisons to characters from the Simpsons (the two new members for next season are explained here).
• North Dakota’s style of play is likely very reminiscent of the movie “Slap Shot“…the evidence just piles up, again, and again, and again, and again.

Even if you decide you don’t have the pucks to fill out a bracket, at least find this upcoming tournament on your cable package this weekend and enjoy some of the best sporting action and/or sheer brutality you’ve likely never heard of.