The Sicatoka

Either: a) State that they're a go b) State that if they get money right away they'll go really soon c) State that they can't do it. I'm really out there on a limb with that, aren't I?

Wednesday they said they haven't got a name yet. An obvious name to come up would be a guy who is a former DI head coach, former AD, and former commissioner of a developmental league: John "Gino" Gasparini.

C'mon star, you can't put scenarios out there where long rumored DI programs, stalled by conference gridlock, might actually come about and college hockey might grow from the creation of The National. You can't do that. You just can not do that. Even when MSU-Moorhead seems to be positioning for starting their long rumored program. You must comply with the Minnesota spin that UND killed college hockey. Resistance is futile. Discussion is irrelevant.

Goalies (3): Eidsness, Dell, Maris Defense (8): Blood, MacWilliam, Gleason, Forbort, Simpson, Mattson*, Panzarella*, Senkbeil* Forwards (14**): Lamoureux, Rowney, Kristo, Knight, Rodwell, Nelson, Dickin, Parks*, O

Goalies (3): Eidsness, Dell, Maris Defense (8): Blood, MacWilliam, Gleason, Forbort, Simpson, Mattson*, Panzarella*, Senkbeil* Forwards (14**): Lamoureux, Rowney, Kristo, Knight, Rodwell, Nelson, Dickin, Parks*, O

UND loses "never stepped on ice as a collegian" JT Miller. Wisconsin loses leading returning scorer and would-be 2011-12 captain Craig Smith. UND got a door ding. UW needs a new fender.

Oh, ... you mean on the TV broadcasts.

When I heard about the fire and smoke damage in REA I wondered if some of the existing electronics would need replacement ... and upgrade to high-def. We can dream can't we?

I'll go coincidence because that font has that serif (I think that's the word for it) like the new "North Dakota" font (see my signature line below for example).

Notre Dame makes their list. Florida State does not. Clearly Jesse Taken Alive needs to educate these people.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2011/07/13/new-league-national-collegiate-hockey-conference/#ixzz1S1asXh38

I keep hearing "travel budgets" ... OK ... UND already has to travel to UMD, DU, CC, and UNO. No change. In terms of distance Miami is further than Tech, but is probably logistically easier to get to. Cost is probably higher. And then there's Anchorage. And not travelling there. That's a savings (because they stopped paying travel costs for conference mates a couple years ago). And honestly, I expect UND will become somewhat like the UMs (Minnesota and Michigan). UND has the big rink. UND probably will not travel as much non-conference unless someone makes it worthwhile for UND. Not many have the wherewithall to do that.

SCSU brings nothing to the table that UMD doesn't already. This type of move is about "media footprints" and there's no sense in duplicating it. Notre Dame brings national name recognition. I'm not sold on WMU either. They had one good year and lost that coach already. They're calling it NATIONAL College Hockey Conference. Oxford, OH, to Denver, CO, really isn't "national". I wonder ...

Andy Baggot is a pretty sound resource and if he's willing to put it out there. What's the deal there? Why is anyone afraid of McLeod? Does he have photos of the SCSU doggy "gettin' busy" with the MSUM bull? Or is everyone afraid of being on the wrong side of one of his league decisions that leave teams, fans, coaches, administrators and the media all asking ... "What the ..." Fines? FINES? For discussing it? Uh, every conference agreement has "out" clauses in it. Two, no five, no a total of SEVEN current WCHA members are exercising the "out". Fine that Bruce.

My guess at the new conference name ... National Collegiate Hockey Conference

Honestly, MSU-Moorhead would be smart and well served to take a page from the "Trev Alberts book of athletic department operations". Dragon football stinks. Period. And it will always be behind NDSU (and UND) and Concordia in the FM market. Slay Dragon football once and for all. Drop Dragon wresting. It's a non-revenue sport in a place that doesn't have any revenue sports. Add hockey.

Saigo was part of the group that brought the policy and sanctions concept to the NCAA.

Winning puts butts in seats. The change in level of competition (more UAA and MTU, less UND and DU) should let them win more.

All of this, starting with "Jim Delany Television" (aka Big Ten Network) through this new hockey conference, has all been all about the Benjamins. The official announcement of the BTHC was March 21. On March 25 the UNO Regents officially voted to move full DI (and drop football and wrestling). Many things all happened there in rapid-fire succession.

Seriously? Dude needs a map. Notre Dame to ... Oxford, OH 225 miles Omaha, NE 547 miles Duluth, MN 562 miles Grand Forks, ND 816 miles Denver, CO 1080 miles Colorado Springs, CO 1150 miles Burlington, Vermont 817 miles Massachusetts

That would be an interesting twist on the situation. Imagine setting up a league where on Friday and Saturday nights a network could broadcast an early and a late game and have five hours of built-in programming each night.

So we blame the Big Ten (and its Network), Jim Delaney, and ultimately that evil donor that gave Penn State hockey start-up money. I'm good with all that.

There you guys go citing the hypcricy of those other folks. Cut that out.