The Sicatoka

Simple observations (not trying to start nothin'): Based on what UND sponsors today (except for M/W hockey), - in womens sports, --it exactly matches the Mid-Continent offerings - in mens sports, -- UND offers football, Mid-Con does not -- Mid-Con offers soccer and tennis, UND does not

Could there be two more contra-indicating factors than this, and this,

Two feathers can do all that?

Ding the bell. He got it 100% right. SDSU fans like Mid-Con because of hoop; NDSU fans like the Big Sky because of football; UND fans like the WCHA because of, er, ah, well, 'cause hatin' Buckie and Goldie is fun and using it as a springboard to 7 NCAA DI national titles ain't bad either. There's the differences in interests and philosophies of the three groups of fans in one sentence. That also explains why UND folks are interested in "conference" before a move: We see what a good conference can prepare you to do in post-season play.

Yeah, and look out for "them."

And wasn't he the guy that said the same thing about 18 months ago? Look what that was worth then.

SacSt's athletic budget is $9 million? Total? And UND's is reportedly $10 million in DII. EDIT: Well, I found $11.2 million for SacSt in here. (More than half their budget comes from student fees and institutional support.)

Subway Holiday Classic banners. Actually, I'd like to hang WCHA Tourney championship banners (in addition to WCHA regular season championships and NCAA championships). And as far as Parise, my personal suspicion is .... Gone.

Playing the "if" game, if they were to expand the footprint so greatly (add NDSU) would they really be so short-sighted as to allow the chance for something else in the new, larger footprint to possibly slip away (i.e. SDSU to Mid-Con)? And would they want to expand the footprint that much for just one game (when they could have set up two new sets of travel partners in BB, someone for UNC and a new pair, instead)? I expect to see all or nothing. And I almost guarantee a "nothing" response from BSC will trigger the Mid-Con to make moves in June.

What hasn't changed? - Geography. - The noises about Sac. St. looking at DI-A. What has changed? - Northern Colorado is in the Big Sky. - The Mid-Con lost Chicago State and is seriously looking at grabbing available teams. I'm guessing the Big Sky was "marking time" on the SUs, knowing they were out there. Now, they may not be (due to Mid-Con). I think the Big Sky has to show its intent or lose out on the SUs (or more).

Let me help even more: Here's what's been to this point: 2005-2006: SCSU H/A; UM H/A; UW H; UMD H/A; MSU-M H; DU H/A; CC A; MTU H/A; UAA A 2004-2005: SCSU H/A; UM H; UW H/A; UMD A; MSU-M H/A; DU H; CC H/A; MTU A; UAA H/A 2003-2004: SCSU H/A; UM H/A; UW A; UMD H/A; MSU-M A; DU H/A; CC H; MTU H/A; UAA H 2002-2003: SCSU H/A; UM A; UW H/A; UMD H; MSU-M H/A; DU A; CC H/A; MTU H; UAA H/A (Remember when UM didn't come to Grand Forks?) Based on that, and knowing it's a four-year rotation, and without looking (promise) I'd guess that 2006-2007 will look just like 2002-2003. EDIT - Poke around the 'net a bit, find this, and have confirmation of how smarts I is.

This question again?

Here's where all that was found I suspect. So I followed the link and found:

These two are tough kids. Here's hoping for the best outcome. The latest update on Abby and Belle Carlsen: http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...44&section=news

Is that what Gopher fans call it these days? No matter, like mom told them they'll still go blind and get hairy palms. No, no. The better question is: Records in NCAA play at The Ralph -- Minnesota 0-1-0 North Dakota 2-0-0 Honest Gopher fans will tell you they'd trade the lead in regular season wins over UND at REA for a win over HC. That one's gonna hang with them for a while because of its historical significance.

Your what on where and how? It just sounds painful.

Radke, Chorney, Jones, Lee, Finley, Bina, Alexander, (and Chay Genoway). Let Marto and LaPoint play 2006-07 in the USHL to develop. They'll be needed in fall of 2007 much worse than now. We're short F and maybe a G. Or maybe we're losing a G but gaining a G. (Am I warmer?)

You admitting you watch pap and claptrap like "reality TV" tells me everything I need to know about you.

If you go and ring the bell for the answer are you sure you'll get one? Considering the hot streak he's on, he may have gone "1-900" or pay-per-view.

Close. You should have said, Then why are you still here?

That article is saying what some of us have been saying (and observed thanks to others) all along: Cost. Conference. Answer those and there's the answer. Ultimately, nothing's changed.

My, what an interesting date choice (considering the NCAA started this adventure with a decree on August 5, 2005).

Trivia: Which member of UND's administration has the most time as a DI coach and DI administrator? Answer: 16 years as a DI head coach; 6 years as an administrator Folks, I wasn't happy with the process of how Hakstol was hired. That turned out OK. Yeah, it may look goofy right now from the observer's POV, but you have to trust the people hired to do the job (until they prove why not to). I say let's let this play out a bit more before we get the pitchforks and torches out and storm Hyslop: Let's see who all made first cut.

I was speaking to UND fans who want to go DI. (Is that how you interpretted that?)