The Bruce Ciskie Show

Let's go! The 2026-27 season has arrived. Here's our jam-packed weekend preview for the opening of the season.

Everyone has a Bob Uecker story. Steve Farr tells his, and talks about his involvement in Ueck, a feature-length film documentary about the legendary baseball player-turned Brewers icon. Ueck will be screened at Zeitgeist in Duluth starting Friday. Learn more about screenings in the Twin Cities at UeckMovie.com.

UMD alum Kraig Karakas enters his 17th season analyzing UMD men's hockey home games. He joins the show to look ahead to the 2026-27 season.

A couple notes about the Gophers, an unsolicited shot at Michigan, and then a Wild preview with our dear friend Pat Micheletti. NOTE: This podcast was recorded and produced before the Vikings traded JJ McCarthy, and before the Wild announced that Brock Faber had surgery on a skull fracture.

After a season where it struggled to generate offense, Colorado College is undergoing some stylistic changes for 2026-27, as detailed in our season preview with head coach Kris Mayotte, who talks about star goalie Kaidan Mbereko moving on and much more.

Denver has won the last three national championships in even-numbered years, a trend David Carle would love to buck this year. We not only talk about the Pioneers, but also get into some of Carle's ideas on improving college hockey.

The No. 9 UMD women's hockey team kicks off its season this weekend. The Bulldogs host No. 15 Mercyhurst for a non-conference series Friday and Saturday at Amsoil Arena. Hear from head coach Laura Schuler, junior defender and alternate captain Kate Kosobud, and junior forward and co-captain Caitlin Kraemer.

Jeff Papas joins the podcast to talk about Scott Underwood's retirement at Southwest Minnesota State, as well as UMD grinding out a last-play home win on Saturday.

Thanks to some (maybe unexpected) portal departures, North Dakota has a bunch of new players again for now second-year head coach Dane Jackson. Off a Frozen Four trip and led by a sophomore captain (Cole Reschny) for the first time in a long time, the Fighting Hawks will try to again gel a new group quickly enough to make noise in the ever-difficult NCHC.

Minnesota State has seen its last two trips to the NCAA Tournament end with gut-wrenching first-round losses to Western Michigan. Head coach Luke Strand previews the 2026-27 Mavericks, who have a new starting goalie after Alex Tracy's graduation.

Hear from four alumni of UMD women's hockey currently playing in the PWHL, as a bunch of former Bulldogs were in Duluth this week. We catch up with former captains Ashton Bell, Mannon McMahon, Clara Van Wieren, and Nina Jobst-Smith.

Former St. Cloud State captain Nick Oliver of Roseau was named the new head coach of the Huskies after Brett Larson left for Minnesota. He talks about returning to a city that's been a big part of his life, as well as the 2026-27 Huskies.

After a uncharacteristically difficult 2025-26 season, Omaha looks to bounce back and make a run at home ice in the NCHC playoffs. Head coach Mike Gabinet talks about how last year's experience makes sophomore goalie Dawson Cowan better, and how he plans to integrate nine more freshmen into the sport's best conference.

Our preview series continues as we talk about the many changes -- likely none more significant than the trapezoid coming to college hockey -- for the 2026-27 season with NCHC Director of Officiating Mike Schmitt. 

UMD men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin enters his 27th season with as much excitement surrounding the program as we've seen in years. Hear his thoughts on Max Plante's follow-up to a Hobey, Zam Plante's next step, and so much more in this long conversation.

UMD wins at Wayne State for the first time since 2017. Jeff Papas joins to talk about it, and we also find out about his new name, thanks to UMD's hotel in Sioux City.

A brief moment to remember the great Barry Melrose and what he meant to this sport, then we start our 2026-27 College Hockey Preview with Miami head coach Anthony Noreen. The RedHawks pulled off a 15-win improvement last season and will now try to get into the NCAA Tournament picture.

Jim Boos is in his 25th season as UMD's volleyball coach, and while his team is very active on social media, he's usually nowhere to be found. Unless he's in a group TikTok or whatever from the top of Pikes Peak. Anyway, the Bulldogs are 7-1 and set to open the NSIC season this weekend, and we talk (mostly) volleyball on the show. (I say "mostly" because Jim is also a die-hard Packers fan. Sorry not sorry.)

We rant about bad officiating (Michigan v Western Michigan) and cowardly football (Luke Fickell again) from the holiday weekend, then UMD football coach Curt Wiese talks about his team finding a way to win Thursday night before facing another ranked opponent this weekend at Wayne State (the Nebraska one).

Chris Long of KSTP provides some takeaways from a pretty useless (but still newsworthy!) Gopher football blowout of FCS cupcake Eastern Illinois. We briefly discuss UMD's win and the weird circumstances, plus the Vikings' QB room.

After waiting out a nearly two-hour weather delay, UMD scores with 37 seconds left and keeps Augustana out of the end zone on the final play of the game to secure a much-needed win. We recap the game and the weather-related shenanigans with Jeff Papas.

UMD isn't the only local college trying to replace a four-year starting quarterback. Donald West accounted for over 9,000 yards of offense in four years at St. Scholastica. Second-year head coach Matt Bremer checks in ahead of the Saints' opener on Saturday to talk about West's impact, what he learned in his first year as a head football coach, and the rest of the 2026 Saints.

Longtime Packers radio voice Wayne Larrivee talks about the heartbreak in Chicago last winter, Micah Parsons, Jordan Love, and much more, as we preview the 2026 Packers ahead of Week 1 next weekend in Minnesota.

Welcome to the podcast that used to be a radio show and a podcast but is now just a podcast, which means nothing has really changed for you! We talk hockey with Pat Micheletti (from the State Fair!) today, primarily discussing a potential Quinn Hughes contract extension with the Wild, but dovetailing into talk about Bulldog and Gopher hockey with their sibling stars this fall.

Jeff Papas starts his 17th season of Bulldog football on KDAL tonight in Pennsylvania. He joins the show today to preview UMD vs Slippery Rock.

Before his 25th season as head coach kicks off Thursday in Michigan, UMD volleyball coach Jim Boos previews the 2026 Bulldogs.

Hear all three parts of our 2026 UMD football season preview, all in one place. In order, we chat with offensive coordinator Chase Vogler, defensive coordinator Trey Dill, and head coach Curt Wiese. Join us for coverage of the Bulldogs' opener against Slippery Rock, Thursday at 5pm on Northland News Radio (610AM, 650AM, and 103.9FM), streaming at northlandnewsradio.com!

Matt Snyder of CBS Sports checks in on baseball's playoff races, awards chatter, why the AL stinks, why the Twins won't call up Walker Jenkins, and lockout thoughts.

We wrap up our UMD football season preview with head coach Curt Wiese, then preview UMD soccer with its longtime head coach, Greg Cane.

Our UMD football season preview continues with defensive coordinator Trey Dill.

Matthew Coller of Purple Insider checks in on the Vikings after their preseason opener, with the latest on the QBs, Jamal Adams, and other positions to watch.

Part 1 of our UMD football season preview features offensive coordinator Chase Vogler.

Longtime UMD athletic communications director Bob Nygaard joins the show to talk about the Class of 2026 for the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame.

Former UMD and St. Scholastica defenseman Brenden Kotyk is back in Duluth, this time as the head coach for the CSS men. Hear about his playing career and his journey back to Duluth.

Jim Rich of Fox 9 offers a less-than-glowing review of the Vikings quarterback situation after Sunday's annual night practice at TCO Stadium.

Former UMD volleyball All-American Kate Sterns joins the show to talk about her induction into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026, as well as her return to the UMD coaching staff.

Chris Long of KSTP-TV joins to talk Vikings camp, specifically the Murray-McCarthy QB competition that should be over soon. We also talk some Twins heading into the trade deadline.

Christian Koelling spent 18 years as UMD's men's hockey director of operations before departing this offseason. Hear him talk about initially getting the job, how the position evolved over the years, being around for three national title runs, his decision to leave, and what he's doing now.

Brandon Warne of Access Twins helps break down the Twins deadline moves.

We talk some offseason hockey with our dear friend Pat Micheletti. Gophers, recruiting, Wild, and more!

The man behind Phil Steele's College Football Preview joins the show to talk Gophers, Badgers, Big Ten, and Notre Dame. Learn more about Phil's work and the products available at philsteele.com! The podcast will be off the rest of this week, back on Monday, Aug. 3. Browse the archives if you haven't already. Thanks for listening!

We preview Minnesota Vikings training camp (and have a therapy session on the Packers' recent failures) with Matthew Coller of Purple Insider.

We preview the start of training camp with Andy Herman of the Pack A Day Podcast.

We wrap up Bulldog Week by catching up with UMD men's basketball coach Justin Wieck. Then you get to hear the conversation I recorded with former UMD goalie Alex Stalock a couple weeks ago. At the end of it, I got to surprise him with news he is in the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which was announced this week. The induction ceremony is Sept. 18 on the UMD campus.

UMD football coach Curt Wiese and soccer coach Greg Cane join the show as we continue Bulldog Week.

Bulldog Week continues with one of UMD's longest-tenured head coaches, Scott Sandelin from men's hockey, followed by a first-year head coach in Brooke Olson of women's basketball.

The show returns as we kick off Bulldog Week. Volleyball coach Jim Boos checks in, followed by UMD's director of track and field/cross country, Brette Jensen.

We talk Timberwolves trades, LeBron, Wild, and Twins with Jim Rich of Fox 9. The show/podcast will be off next week. Please watch your feeds for one special interview that we'll likely be posting at some point next week. We return with new shows July 20, as we kick off Bulldog Week, our annual summer check-ins with numerous UMD coaches. Thanks for listening and subscribing, check out the archives, and have a great week!

The NCHC's commissioner, Heather Weems, joins the show to talk about age-based eligibility, the NCHC Frozen Faceoff tournament's first year on campus sites, St. Thomas joining the league, and more.

CBS Sports baseball writer Matt Snyder joins the show to talk about the upcoming trade deadline and some about both the Brewers and Twins.