The Sicatoka

Control what's yours to control, or guys like this will be there to "help" you.

We've been sitting ducks since the August 2005 NCAA press conference. I don't want to be a sitting duck after all this shakes out.

Not always a fan of the guy, but he may have gotten it right this time: I sure hope Ron McNeil hears, and understands, this.

That is a trap game. According to Massey, if Sioux Falls was a DII today they'd be in the top 25.

The North Central is gone. Some to DI (FCS), other to the Northern Sun (NSIC). It seems the NSIC filled the void left behind. The NSIC is 14 today. Will it soon be 16?

In the "market segment" (athletics) UND is in the competition markets the "logo" and "moniker" as much as the "brand". You have to have something to go up against that. Even Michigan, which has its block M logo, and is most identified by really ugly helmet stripes, still has the tag-line "Wolverines". Pick something (control what's yours to control) or someone will stick you with one that's only half complimentary. Personally, I believe UND should make more use of the logo I'm using as an avatar.

Don't be afraid.

I have a Reaper logo ...

Too "Nashville." Be unique. Reapers can look both back (state's ag history) and forward (GFAFB and UND UAV/UAS missions).

USAF flies them. So does NASA. So do these guys. All have ties to Grand Forks, ND, and UND.

Cute. Bob would've appreciated that. But one name/moniker in my final six list was used by a tribal chair and prominent former UND hoopster recently.

I'll guess six finalists: Rough Riders - state nickname, see: Kansas, Michigan, Tennessee, Wyoming, et al (ND/UND trumps GFRR) Nokotas - it's the only animal indignious and unique to North Dakota (and grows hair on its, ahem, scrotum ) Reapers - good concept (farmers of the past, UAVs of today and tomorrow) but too edgy for some of the "sensitive enlightened" Flickertails - it'll fail because it's unmarketable next to the urine-colored M-rodent to the east (don't forget "the Benjamins") <weather/celestial phenomena> - nice idea but people are sick of generic 'storms' and such <something cutesy integrating "UND"> - sUNDogs = fail Missing the final six cut: <some sky raptor> - eagles at UMC and hawks in Fargo, and the owl being seen as evil in some cultures, ends this theme Mafia - MafiaMan would love it, but can you imagine Tony Soprano sending "protesters" ... <anthing Dirty supports> - just on principle Winner? Well, one name was used by a tribal chair and a prominent former UND hoopster. That tells me the fix is in for that one.

Well, I'm looking into my crystal ball and seeing a "diverse" committee of "stakeholders" coming out with <number> final round recommendations for a new moniker for UND in mid-2011. Thus, I'll put mine out. Feel free to join in. Please include the moniker/genre and the why/why not it'll succeed.

Hey, the fool came to poke the bear, and ended up poking the wrong bear! Of course the fool should end up ripped to shreds.

If McNeil wins you just play this.

Ever wonder what a steak feels like when it sits in marinade? Well, here's close, because it's more tenderizing. The grill's comin', about October 1.

Slippery Slope Alert! Please note the author admits this is dangerous use of associative logic. TT beat UND by 25 in Lubbock. UT beat TT by 10 in Austin. Allowing for 3 point home field advantage (pretty standard) ... TT beats UND by 22 on a neutral site. UT beats TT by 7 on a neutral site. ... UT beats UND by 29 on a neutral site? This ends your Slippery Slope Alert. Please return to normal speculations.

Better summary could not be written.

What Spirit Lake did Friday should satisfy the NCAA settlement. However, ... that's only one of the two tribes required by the NCAA settlement. What's interesting is the State Board's ask: a 30 year agreement. I'm not sure that the Spirit Lake resolution (revokable) meets the State Board's self-imposed standard of an agreement (which I'm pretty sure they intend as a binding contract). I can't say I blame the board, as they don't want to have this continue as an on-going concern. In retrospect, the NCAA settlement was set to impede UND in that it required both tribes (where Central Michigan only requires one of five in Michigan). Then on top of an already high standard, the state board adds in a tighter date and a "30 year agreement" requirement. All that leads me to believe that the bar has been set to unreachable heights ... on purpose. So, who made the final decisions to sign off on the NCAA settlement and the state board's additional requirements? And what were their motivations and intentions?

I am being told by a source that the recent actions of Spirit Lake are of no matter. The State Board set the bar unreachably high on purpose, with the intention of dropping the name. The deal is done. The fix is in. The name is gone come October 1. (I'm repeating what's been passed to me so please don't shoot the messenger.)

Schedule says 6 pm. http://www.fightingsioux.com/SportSelect.d...amp;SPSID=58644

NDSU 59 Staten Island Sea Chickens* 28 * Wagner College Seahawks UND 27 NSU 20

My favorite play ... Landry for -2 yards ... on purpose. 0:41 to play UND defeats UTPA 3-0 in volleyball UND 2-0 in GW VB. Landry for another -2 ... game. UND 27 NSU 20 Sutton: runs for TD, throws for TD, blocks punt.

Free kick NSU ... from NSU 20 Recovered at the 39 by ... Jake Landry. Scary.

NSU 1st and 99 yards with 63 seconds. SAFETY! They shotgunned it out of their own endzone! That had a bow on it ... GIFT!