The Sicatoka

But you repeat yourself.

Heck, that's easy. Northern Colorado NDSU SDSU Now rumblings at SCSU ....

I agree with your assessment. That's how I see it also. But how is that worse than a (week-long, think: lodging) trip to Florida, two to Kansas, and about a 18 regional bus trips (between baseball and mens golf)? Five travel weekends can be 10 road games leaving six home games. The goal of course would be 8 home, 8 road games. And as far as "remote location", Denver and Air Force are not exactly in the heart of lacrosse territory right now either. Yes, they have "pair" factor, but a team coming to GF could try to schedule an exhibition in Winnipeg against a Canadian team. Our EADA data shows 45 on the baseball team. All go to Florida for the week, don't they? And doesn't lacrosse limit the "travel party" like hockey does also? (Hockey only, by rule, takes 22 on the road; the others stay home.) Here I think we'll agree: 1. Baseball at DI doesn't make sense for UND (if UND were to go DI). 2. Lacrosse is a viable option given the existing infrastructure and nature of the fan base. 3. If a move to DI were to occur, cutting would happen long before adding. (I accept and acknowledge that.) My point in the conversation is this: UND needs to look at all, all, of this as a blank piece of paper to be filled in.

Golf? Golf? And here all along I thought it was strong academics (you are creating your "peer group" by coming together in a conference, right?), solid foundations (fiscal, facilities, fans), and either football or basketball programs that can produce (national tourney dollars) that conferences look for. Tell Dale Lennon, tell Craig Bohl: It's golf. For the record, of the conference names normally invoked in these discussions (NCC, Big Sky, Missouri Valley, Mid-Con, and heck the MAC and Big Ten) all sponsor swimming. No, wait, all except the Big Sky. But not having swimming in looking for a conference doesn't seem to come up as a "gotta have" issue as golf has. Something seems amiss.

Given the FY 2005 EADA data showing UND with a (albeit very small) profit and NDSU with a perfectly magical "break even" (to the dollar no less ), should we read into these comments concerns about programs at schools who've recently made the jump as well?

This lacrosse notion was brought up to face the realities that would come if (I said if) UND were to move to Division I. - UND does not have good Division II, much less DI, baseball or softball facilities. - UND would not be competitive in baseball, softball, or golf at the DI level. - Baseball draws poorly today (averaging around 250). - UND's weather does not support baseball, softball, and golf. - UND and GF under-utilize The Alerus Center as an asset in the spring. - Canada (long a prime ground for UND) loves lacrosse. - Canadian chain is building a hotel on The Al (marketing). The fiscal realities are stark any way you turn. Forgive me for thinking outside of the box and stepping away from something proven over 50 years to not work and looking at something that may have a better shot at better drawing in fans (and gate revenues). Another thought that matters: Title IX. The 2004 EADA data said UND had 45 baseball players v. 18 softball players and 17 mens v. 11 womens golfers. Going to M/W lacrosse of equal sized teams (and dropping the aforementioned programs) would better balance the M v. W athletes "books".

Lacrosse schedules normally four home and four road weekends and plays two games per weekend. Look at the baseball and softball and golf (M/W) schedules and then look at a sample (e.g. DU) lacrosse schedule. Baseball is taking a trip to Florida and trips (2) to Kansas this year plus the normal "around the region" bus trips (5 or 6) in the NCC. Softball is pretty much the same (save the two Kansas trips). Golf (M/W) both do the "around the region" tour (5 or 6 bus trips). The Florida trip is one weekend. Figure three regional bus trips would be about the same a one longer trip. Baseball and mens golf does 12 bus trips (not counting baseball to KS x2). There's the other three road weekends of "four weekends on the road" of lacrosse, and it should work M or W. And who knows, if (I said if) UND were in a lacrosse league with Ohio State and Notre Dame maybe you bus there to save flight costs. I don't see where the travel costs in total would be all that different. Start-up costs would be the bigger issue (equipment) is my guess. Then again, how bad does Nike want that "swoosh" on the front of UND's hockey jerseys? Bad enough to supply .... ?

Let's repeat this here because this is what I believe is going on: Rich wants to pass Gunther and go out on top. But what a way to go .... My personal belief right now: As the Ravens were to Mike Tice, so the Minot State Beavers are to Rich Glas.

Someone needs to look up the really big word "jocularity". But you did catch on the key to this whole issue: " ... I interpret ... " Yeah, that's how you interpret it. Others interpret it as intended: jocularity. Here's where "PC" has killed the world: It's not what you say, but how others may have interpretted what they thought you might have said.

I'll try with some of your concerns; however, I won't avoid comparing to what is done today. (And some of what you ponder is addressed in the preceding 100 posts in the thread.) Pay for itself? Admittedly a dream. (Few college sports do.) Do better than what we offer today? It'd be tough not to. Baseball averages about 250 per game. DU lax draws 3300 (capacity) to their place more than once. They drew 1100 in a snowstorm against Air Force. The DI Lax Championship is now only second to the DI mens basketball championship in annual attendance! (Yes, they've passed hockey.) Lacrosse fans are out there, especially just across the border to the north: tap in. What you'd be trying to tap into in the region you mention is: (1) hockey fans needing a spring "fix", and (2) football fans needing a speed and contact game with a season that starts up soon after the Super Bowl, and (3) people looking for an excuse to tailgate in the spring. Players not from the area? UND hockey does just fine with a roster made up of a lot of players from 400 miles or more away from Grand Forks. Admittedly you'd want to try to take some good local athletes and get them onto the field with a crosse in their hands also. (I shudder at the thought of what a Weston Dressler-like or Ryan Chappell-like athlete could do in all that open space.)

You'd think a hotel would love to build where they wouldn't have to build their own conference rooms, but just use those already there.

http://www.collegehockeystats.net/

Der iz noze such t'ing az da Mafia orz da Mob. Get it righ' use bum. Capiche? Keep dis up and I'll have ta haf da boyz take use fur a ride in da back of da Town Cah.

I was counting on your support.

This thread's been around this long and still no references to: - bodies floating in the (Mississippi) river, or - Mike Erickson's "decision" to go back to the USHL a couple years back? Oh, wait, too late. My bad.

At the most recent Fargo Sioux Booster meeting someone asked Berry that very question, namely if he and Hak would be skating against "Haaaavid." I believe the exact response from Brad was, "God I hope not."

Whew! My days skatin' backwards are long since gone. I'm glad someone else is hung with it. Am I skatin' on a line with Staff or Sparky? Whaddaya mean "Prpich"? What are you trying to say?

Caller: Under the B, 28, B, 28. Paukovich: Bingo! You and me: (And dang you for pointing out the scary D before I could. )

Folks, when the Crimson come to town what'll our D look like? Smaby (dinged) Radke Jones Finley (out?) Marvin (he didn't have a BSU weekend that gives me confidence) Foyt or Alexander (both if Finley is out) Somebody fire up the iron lung: Smaby and Jonesy are gonna need it. They'll be loggin' mega-ice time in the tradition of recent "MacKensie and Caldwell" days at DU. (I swear those two would log 80 of the 120 minutes of DU D-man ice time in a game.) Forwards? Duncan Zajac Sparky Porter Stafford Miller(reward for a good BSU weekend?) Fabian Prpich Watkins Kozek Kaip (Foyt or Martens) I can live with that for a weekend, but I'll really miss "7" and "9".

Finley was the "presence" name I was going to invoke. He should be a senior at a Twin Cities HS right now but he accelerated so he is pretty young. I suspect he'll follow the footsteps of Greene (and somewhat Smaby) and start to toss the body around more as this season goes on and even more sophomore year.

Well that solved that little "problem" in a hurry.

Based on what I've read, the IP Biloxi is the only "game" in town for about the next year.

Folks keep bringing up the Big Sky. That's presently just as hypothetical as UND shuffling its sport offerings to add lacrosse and drop baseball, softball, and golf. Cost for cost? An analysis would need to be done. Buning comes from a place that had lacrosse (Army). If there was interest I'm sure he could use that as a reference. As far as recruits, even the established NCAA programs are recruiting good athletes and putting a crosse into their hands for the first time. (See here.)

Idaho Vandals Notre Dame Fighting Irish Augustana College Vikings Southern California Trojans Michigan State Spartans Florida State Seminoles I'm not seeing people as spun up about those. As far as a commercial, I know who I am (and I don't go around having to prove who I am to others) so it doesn't bother me. I see it as a part of life. I'd rather let people say what they will to learn what they think than force them to limited words and limited thoughts. I am who I am: I'm not just my race, or my profession, or my religion, or my hobbies. I don't let any one thing consume or define me. Like Marc Ranfranz was quoted one time, "There are stereotypes of just about anything. ... If you're going to stress out about stereotypes of your background, it's a lot of wasted time. You can't control what other people are going to say."