The Sicatoka

The rule is simple: Less than 20% of total games, none in the second half of the schedule. When Ryan Hale hurt his shoulder in 1999-2000 he did it in Game 8 of 40, and he'd played in every game (exactly 20%, none in second half) --> Ryan got an "extra year" (sort of, see following post). When Brandon Strouth hurt a knee it was in Game 2 of 10 (or 11): He had to apply for an extra year (again, see following post). Those injuries in the second half of a regular season schedule, or worse, your 9th game of a 40 game schedule, are the ones that sting: no (redshirt) medical hardship waiver. Michael Forney's appeared in 3 games and the last game appearance was Game 17 (v. UNH) with 35 games on the regular season (non-exhibition) schedule: Less than 20% of total games, none in the second half of the schedule. Coincidence? I think not.

Believe what you will, but ....

Dave Fennell. Schultz and Fennell are/were near cult status for CFL fans.

If ND's congressional delegation believed this issue could cost them their seats they'd have done something already. Folks, honestly, something fundamentally shifted at the highest levels. Proof? At the settlement announcement ... "We have today before us a dynamic in terms of a change in public policy that's being brought forward. This is the recognition of the tribes and how they will be given an opportunity to weigh in on this issue, as should be the case." - NDUS Chancellor Bill Goetz (NOTE: Bill Goetz was an instructor at DSU, a state legislator, and Gov. Hoeven's chief of staff, before going to NDUS.) Public policy at the state level changed. UND didn't change that. The NCAA didn't change that. Bill Goetz didn't change that. The state's highest officials did that. And they felt safe and comfortable doing it. Someone or something must have convinced them that a change in fundamental policy was politically survivable and palatable to enough people: Was it signs of "nickname fatigue" (Denny Elbert's word)? Was it Bruce Smith's president application saying he'd be strong enough to change it? (The most vocal faculty supporter, and a football alumnus, saying that? ) Was it Joel Maturi (AD at Minnesota) saying "no football" and some in the football community saying FB guarantees are more important? We'll never know. We can only speculate. But it remains: ND public policy changed at the highest level. If the people who make policy believed this change would hurt them at election time they wouldn't have done it.

The contract for UND at UNI included an option for a return game at a later date if UND went DI.

I've lived in a couple states. What I notice is people in ND maintain their property and businesses much better so the general appearance is just better.

Post #387 in here is a nice preview of where we go next from here after the NCAA Executive Committee has been handed the whip.

The AG, Mr. Stenehjem, did what he could with (what little) he had and based on this he deserves some credit: At least he got us (temporarily) off the list and some time to look for middle ground.

Ahem, what do you charge for PowerBall numbers?

#25 USD falls at home. http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.d...;ATCLID=1405873 OK, I'm a little shocked. A round of applause!

The men too? Are ya kiddin' me?

Joe Finley having growing pains, the physical kind .... http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...682/1005/SPORTS

Imagine a hockey-football-hockey (Fri-Sat-Sat) weekend in Madison .... *ouch* Oooh, my achin' head .... I think I just got a sympathetic hang-over.

Go to your link, page 2/3, and there highlighted as "1." is a statement about playing schools not on the list. The settlement removed us from the NCAA's list for the time being.

They did run with a short roster this year. Spots on the roster may not be the issue. Playing time however ....

Enjoy the reading. Part I: http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=69354 Part II: http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=69407

Rensselaer (aka RPI) got $350 million for general use (not tied just to athletics) back in 2001.

So they won't be in the arena but will be broadcasting the game. Interesting. This opportunity may serve to prove my long held theory .... It matters not where they are: Frank and Doug have never seen a Gopher penalty committed. :D

Here's how.

The settlement was the perfect political solution for the ND SBHE and the NCAA. Both get to say, "It's not us, it's the Tribes' decision. That's the power they wanted anyway." The Board and NCAA get the perfect scapegoat: Ron His Horse Is Thunder. And thus explaineth why RHHIT was so upset: He got what he said was his all along, but when he got it he realized it came with a very high (political and otherwise) price. Put another way, RHHIT and his ilk have had a long run of jamming up UND. Well, he got jammed up even harder.

The ND SBHE took control of the issue in December 2000 when it decreed UND is the "Fighting Sioux". Nothing really changed since then until ..... Joel Maturi, AD at Minnesota, said effectively "no football for you" early in fall of 2007. Shortly thereafter UND FB alumnus Bruce Smith's application for the presidency (dated October 2007) says "If that middle ground is not obtainable then we need to work with those same groups to honorably and respectfully retire the logo and nickname and move on." The settlement compact then comes in November. I doubt all of that is strictly coincidence.

Ron His Horse Is Thunder finishes what George Armstrong Custer could not: total erasure of the Sioux. Sweet irony.

Did you just pick UND over SIU? Thanks!

You crack a "joke" like that in most American workplaces and you risk your job. It's called "workplace sexual harassment" and only the lawyers benefit from it. Before I've said, "Would you say it to the person's face" is a good posting criteria. I'm wondering if, "Just because you can say it, and could say it, should you" wouldn't be better.