The Sicatoka

I was thinking more along the lines of when Lane Kiffin was a HC with Monte Kiffin as one of his coordinators. (We know who the real mind in that set-up was.) Lane was the face of the organization and was supposed to be maturing into a real HC (epic fail).

When I say "power game" in my mind that infers strong defense and a downhill run game with enough offensive capability to recover from two scores down. But I think we just said the same thing.

Or flip that: BB as head coach with an Associate HC (in a coordinator role)* who is mentoring him. *That'd be a guy who wants to keep coaching but doesn't want all the extra stuff (boosters, media, face-time, blah-blah) that comes with being HC.

Everything else equal I'd take: - Midwestern guy over southern or coastal guy - Power game guy over finesse game guy - Guy with HC experience (any level) over guy without HC experience *There's something about having been in a "buck stops here" job before, no matter the level. We didn't have that with the outgoing guy. I will say however, there are certain jobs that aren't titled "HC" that surely are under that same "buck stops here" pressure and you can use that prior role as a measuring stick.

More NDSU math!

Check.

Lest any of you think things just got easier allow me to say: No, they have not. The hard work of rebuilding a program has just begun.

Good. Search nationally. Hire the best applicant. UND 2.0

Folks, we're jumping the gun. Step 1: Have open position tomorrow at 5 pm.

In by-gone days that costume would be black and white striped coveralls (ball and chain optional) or an orange jump suit. It had to be said.

I make no assumptions and state no preferences other than the best applicant.

Really? I thought all the yellow chairs in the Pittsburgh NFL stadium and orange chairs in the Miami NFL stadium today were unrelated to the on-field product.

And they'll switch allegiances to whoever is winning.

Mussman has been out-coached. When a new staff is in place we'll determine if he was out-recruited.

BB or VB? Oh ... Wait ... Both.

Nice. Thanks to the ladies (BB and Hockey) for winning today to make up for a dismal Saturday by the men (FB and Hockey).

Program support? Like a dome in a northern climate? New locker room facilities? Indoor practice facility? Or most importantly, fans who still care (as evidenced by the passion in this thread).

My comment is not about Sparks, but Mussman.

He couldn't skate (push off) in third at all.

Great strategy: play Sparks in first and last games only. Great strategy to get canned.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/278366/ Faison with a no comment, not a vote of confidence statement. Mussman's statements seemed resigned to the impending obvious. Tock. UND 2.0

A weekend to meet with Northern California alumni would be a reasonable guess, as would a final in-person evaluation of their football product's status.

Somebody please tell me that when the plane lands in GF later that Muss is playing "Lane Kiffin" to Faison's "Pat Hayden". UND 2.0

Last time I called out the predictability of Hak's team (RW 5x5 zone entries, etc.). This time I'm calling out the complete lack of spontaneous play. Everything is shoveled back to the D, in every zone, where they settle it down, look around and allow the opponent to set up their trap or defense in front of the net. How about a forward actually picking up a a puck and bringing it out of the zone before the opponent can set up their trap at neutral? I wish I had a dollar for every time I saw a UND center push the puck back to Simpson, et al, in the defensive zone tonight when they had a lane to carry it out themselves. Offensively, how about a one-timer from the points in the offensive zone? Nope, slide it back and the defense holds it so the opponent can stack the goalie, both D, all three forwards, a couple water bottles, their mascot, and heck, even the team bus in front of the net to block a shot. I just once want to see a one-timer ... and our forwards ready to snap off a shot on a rebound. Finally, I'm seeing guys in front turning to get to their forehands on rebounds. It's call a BACKHANDER and goalies don't like them. Both 9 and 29 had first period opportunities they wasted by not snapping off the backhanders and instead turning (wasting time) to the forehand (and allowing defenders to get there and prevent the shot). This slow, ponderous play isn't generating offense, and it gave up a bunch of goals tonight to a team playing quick.

As far as buying out Muss, I could probably tell the crowd at a UND Hockey game that night's 50/50 raffle was to buy him out and take care of it.