The Sicatoka

I'm not a lawyer. I've only quickly read through the documents online. I listened online to the oral arguments. My opinion is that of a lay-person, nothing more. Saying that ... The NDSC was asking the AG about "why now" and such. They really didn't attack why he was there (the constitutionality claim). They wanted to know why the SBoHE hadn't chosen to question constitutionality of other issues in the past (that the Legislature pointed to to claim their position and power). The AG came back with a reasonable response in that to this point they've tried to work things out outside the court but in this situation remedy is needed from the NDSC to prevent further harm. The Legislature attorney got hammered on things like if you want to control nicknames, will you be controlling team colors and scheduling next? The NDSC wanted to know where the Legislature thought their power ended in light of the SBoHE's defined "full" (they were big on that word) control over the ND University System. Reed Soderstrom (for SL CUR) really got beat up. It felt like one of the justices wanted to ask, "What is your standing here? Why are you here? This is an ND state gov't matter and you don't represent a state gov't entity." They brought up the Federal case and all but told him, "Why aren't you fighting that instead of wasting our time here?" The Court asking the SecState attorney what day ballots would go to the printer to me was a "tell". Honestly, I expect a narrowly focused ruling that the SBoHE has "full" control over the universities and that the Legislature needs to stay out of the details of operations and administration.

I wouldn't be happy losing to the Gophers tonight, but with only 17 healthy skaters I wouldn't be upset about not playing three games in three days.

I'd say SCSU's primary downfall was failing to do what Bemidji did the weekend before, namely, keep UND's first line off the scoring sheet. All four UND goals came from the first line. I suspect Lucia and his crew took note of that and will be paying special attention to Knight, Kristo, and Nelson tonight. Did you hear that Misters Rowney, Parks, MacMillan ...

Did you lose a bet?

I listened to the whole thing online. The Board's attorney got some tough questions, but he handled them well. Soderstrom and Durick were taken to task much harder at times just by the tone of voice in the questions they got.

The NCAA is a private entity, not a state actor. Only state actors are required to abide by the Constitution's First Amendement.

Zucker. DU advances.

The specifically asked for the date June ballots would be printed. I'll say before that.

Yes.

Oral arguments in the SBoHE case are done.

The FSN guys in the truck (director's cut) are hoping against OT in this game. Whiners.

Yup. Just plain ugly --> an incomplete bridge truss in the colors of bloody stool and dehydrated urine.

... or having good internet at work.

But that's not this case.

Soderstrom and Durick got asked some questions that left them stammering for an answer.

Why do I chuckle whenever I hear the name "Dusty Jackson"?

DU and MTU tied at 1 with the Zamboni on the ice. Twenty minutes (at least) left.

TV, ... interwebs, ... http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/pages/gopher_hockey_livestream

Got RealPlayer? Listen to the NDSC today at 3 pm: http://www.ndcourts....rt/webcasts.htm

Tech could easily have 4 or 5 instead of a tied game.

The word or the logo can not appear with UND in any form at an NCAA event. Not the team. Not the coaches. Not the administrative travel party. Not even the official school band travel party. That's the NCAA policy. Plus, don't forget the penalty: Game forfeit. (Predatory, defined.) And as I noted earlier this year, just try to find the word or logo on the mask of Dell, Eidsness, or Maris. (Hint: You won't. That right there is a statement from the hockey coaches and administration about what they knew was the NCAA's willingness to relent on this issue at any point.)

I stated this same thought a couple weeks ago. If it was just UND deciding to suffer a fate only UND should suffer consequences. But if the whole state decides but only one would suffer, that's not right, so ... If the whole state votes for such an amendment, the whole state should suffer the fate. Call it "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And yes, the precedent exists within the NCAA as state laws in MS and SC trigger sanctions against the entirety of those states.

Reality check time folks: Jim Dahl and PlayoffStatus.com both show UND with a better than 99% chance of being in the NCAA tournament next week. So, where's the new gear? And I say gear because it's not just jerseys. The helmets say "Sioux" on the front and have the logo on the sides. The breezers have the logo on the left leg at the cuff. And the undergear has the logo. UND can't show up with the word or logo anywhere. Where's the new gear? Not debuting it until stepping onto the ice in a week would be a mammoth distraction.

No, lately, unfortunately, that's irrational optimism.

His basis is that he's sitting with his fingers crossed, his legs crossed, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes squeezed shut tight, bobbing forward and back slightly, and murmuring, " ... they gotta win, SL has gotta win, oh please-please-please ... " That'll carry a lot of weight in Federal court.