The Sicatoka

Smith Hall? Put the shovel down. You're only making it worse. Real men live in WALSH: Where All Ladies Seek Happiness.

1993? Rookie.

Reality check: What does the Say Anything Blog normally rant and rail about? Spending by ND government. What is one of their biggest targets in the ND budget normally? Spending on ND University System schools. Folks, the SAB is going after this issue (a possible wedge for them to get into the door) to try to continue their attack on the ND University System. This is little different from Al Carlson's legislative attempt to undermine the NDUS with an (ill-advised) piece of legislation. Once you realize SAB's true history and normal motives (follow the money), it all becomes clear. PS - If you believe a UND student athlete wrote that ... well, as someone once said "anyone cay say (claim) anything". My proof that the "student-athlete" is a poseur? Easy: "I don't give a rip about good tournaments or better recruits." Seriously? What athlete doesn't care about winning against good teams on good teams. That tripe was written by a poseur looking to undermine North Dakota Athletics.

Yes, this thing is making some "strange bedfellows" and some interesting positions, the one that stands out to me being REA Inc. (assumably pro-moniker) battling the "save the moniker" crew in court to prevent them from bringing petitions for signing to REA.

I'd say either your hypothesis, or they're looking to "cherry pick", is the answer. I'd lean toward your hypothesis however.

Doesn't your skin get pruny after being in that long?

Werner Klemperer and John Banner? How about Mel Brooks having folks dress up as Nazis in "The Producers"? Hugo Weaving? Context people. Context.

Please ponder the following: Do the large, national advertisers want to be sponsoring a broadcast of a university with a "controvertial" moniker? Most national ad agencies (who do the ad booking) are milquetoast and will run away at even the slightest sniff of "controversy".

And Hennessy said what he said at about 10:00 pm Saturday, December 31, 2011, two hours to the official change. Folks, Tim Hennessy gave the eulogy, a beautiful one at that, speaking both fondly of the past and what must come now. Do what you have to do to get through the five stages (DABDA) and move on.

Anyone have the final thoughts from Tim Hennessy to close Saturday's Harvard at North Dakota mens hockey radio broadcast recorded and available? Tim Hennessy, a man with unquestionable allegiance, (paraphrased) said the logo never scored a goal and went on to state why if losing the "Fighting Sioux" moniker and logo causes you to no longer be a fan or reduces your interest then you really never were a fan of what this program stands for.

(WARNING: Self-serving post follows.) I like my new signature, follow the link to learn what the word means. That word would work with the UND "flame" logo, but I'd also like to see a new burning stick logo (as a torch or a weapon) designed just for athletics. And I like the notion of being "somebody with a strong or aggressive personality who encourages unrest". And we'd forever get to say ... Fire. Brand.

Regarding the new womens home jersey: 1. This is why I said pick a new moniker right away. Control what is yours to control. 2. I'd say they borrowed conceptually from these, specifically the first link: http://ts4.mm.bing.n...ld_dark_big.jpg http://ts2.mm.bing.n...blues-jersey%2f

Ponder this from Saturday ... Ponder a power play unit of Knight, Rodwell, and Lamoureux up front and Forbort and Grimaldi (puck-moving forward) on the points. Crazy, but not a bad power play unit. Now consider those five guys were not playing Saturday due to injuries (yes, Forbort too as he didn't play for Team USA) and UND still hung 7 on Harvard.

It's linked in his link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/76954905/08122011-PSU-Wim-to-Kelley

These two are literally attached (as the header photo in the first link shows). And given that there are a couple "pubs" in the Canad, no "driving issues". http://www.aleruscenter.com http://www.canadinns...p?entry_id=8574

I'm hoping it's still a good message to the "devilish" head master of where I hope Mr. Brand currently resides. (There! I said it. So what.)

Why is anyone surprised about Kelley talking to the PSU president when they already had a working relationship? If I was trying to join a group I'd talk to the guy in the group already that I knew.

star, Get it through your head: Goetz was put in place to "deal" (spelled: make go away) with two things -- NDSU's "budget" issues and UND's moniker issue. Goetz did that regarding UND when announcing the settlement agreement and noting that there is a "new dynamic" in ND public policy regarding the issue. Clearly the dynamic came from Goetz's then boss, Gov. Hoeven, the graduate of Dartmouth College (formerly the "Indians", now the "Big Green"). However, and ultimately, this sentence from the "author" (cough-YOU-cough) states the problem no matter the angle it is viewed from: "This optimism supposedly lasted until NCAA official Emmert and Franklin reportedly refused to budge on the NCAA Native American imagery, mascot, and name policy as it pertained to UND; and the 2007 lawsuit settlement agreement between the school and the association." The NCAA pointed to the settlement, smirked, and sent the ND delegation packing. The settlement? See above and Goetz's (presumed) two jobs as NDUS Chancellor. Inside job? Probably. But not by Kelley and Faison (who weren't on the job yet). The "inside job" was Hoeven and Goetz did the "wet work". And as ScottM has noted numerous times, if a US Senator or two called the NCAA (as the Florida Senators did for Florida State) the NCAA would scurry away quickly. But, now-Senator Hoeven remains in absentia. ... Then again, former US House of Representatives Speaker Denny Hastert (R - Illinois) couldn't save Chief Illiniwek for U of Illinois.

If UND started with Oklahoma State's uniforms from last night (black helmet, jersey, pant) and made the appropriate changes (orange --> green, etc.) I'd be pleased. http://www.okstate.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/uniform-creator.html

REA Incorporated is playing the petitioners the smart way. If they let this petition onto their premises they have to let all petition drives on in the future (or risk additional actions against them). The smarter move is to let no petition drives onto their premises, even one that they probably support.

Even in some miraculous scenario where UND were to have the Fighting Sioux moniker and be a full member of the Big Sky and the NCAA, UND would still not be able to host home NCAA playoff games and would need special "post-season" gear without the moniker and logo. Not a big deal say you? Tell that to football and womens hockey. Both teams in this year's FCS title game played all their playoff games at home. And who's going to pay to maintain FOUR sets of gear (home and road with "Sioux" and home and road without "Sioux")?

I feel like the word is being trivialized. I'm probably touchy about that word (combat) knowing people who've seen real (military) combat.

I know a lot of folks think UND makes no sense for the Big Sky. Allow me to point out this: What other options do they have? Imagine a scenario where UND is booted and then Montana and Montana State leave. Who does the BSC pick up to have any sort of serious "name" credibility? The BSC would suddenly become a compilation of "directional" schools. Their new member options would be Utah Valley or Colorado or Washington based DIIs (think: Western or Central Washington). The BSC presidents voted to accept UND into their midst. Say what you will about believing USD was part of a package deal, but in reality, would UND and USD been great travel partners? Four hundred miles by bus in January? Seriously? Tell me which BSC members were looking forward to that. What I'm more likely to believe is that certain folks associated with the BSC (fans, writers, some coaches) aren't happy that a solid conference member is entering their midst, a conference member that is not only happy to be there, but that is thinking about winning conference titles, and that has the resources and drive to accomplish it.

This thread shows something I've known for a while: A lot of people that don't understand all of the factors regarding college athletics are making statements that just plain don't work. Going to just two sports. Nope, doesn't work at any NCAA level because all levels have minimum sport sponsorship requirements. Dropping to DII or DIII. Nope, those are NCAA divisions and under their same control, and moniker sanctions. Join the NAIA? Join an organization that doesn't sponsor hockey? Another state law? The NCAA has already shown they don't care about ND state law. The only option here is SL winning a suit against the NCAA. That's it. And don't hold your breath.

Does anyone else find it somewhat disrespectful to members of the military when Nike calls their uniforms "combat"? Those are game uniforms, not combat uniforms.