The Sicatoka

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."

Not only is he the only '88 on that squad, he's the youngest guy by 10 months!

All for it! I believe to support a potential DI department options that are possible revenue generators, instead of sure money losers, should be evaluated. Hence the conversation of pros and cons of lacrosse: Could lacrosse draw more fans than baseball (and be less of a negative impact)? I've long said I'd like UND Athletics to be able to pay its own way at the gate. I'm trying to find ways to do that. These were posted on UND's IAC site. It is the projected FY 04 budget. Game Management $1,414,250 Scholarships $1,320,238 Administration - Salary $950,189 Hockey $275,100 Administration - Operations $200,500 Football $192,132 Womens Hockey $174,983 Fighting Sioux Club $130,000 Training Room $123,353 Ticket Administration $115,045 Marketing & Promotions $102,700 Swimming $82,770 Womens Basketball $80,695 Womens Track $70,700 Mens Basketball $68,600 Baseball $62,603 Mens Track $60,605 Volleyball $59,000 Softball $58,975 Media Relations $55,000 Womens Soccer $49,600 Football $36,850* Hockey $27,500* Womens Hockey $24,500* Mens Basketball $22,250* General Sports $20,000 Mens Golf $16,500 Womens Basketball $15,210* Cheerteam $11,475 Womens Golf $11,350 Buildings & Grounds $10,000 Miscellaneous Staff Travel $10,000 NCAA Championships $8,000 Tennis $8,000 Volleyball $7,000* Baseball $4,500* Swimming $4,000* Softball $3,500* Womens Soccer $3,000* Mens Track/CC $2,500* Womens Track/CC $2,500* Tennis $500* Mens Golf $500* Womens Golf $500* * recruiting only

Fahgiddaboudit.

GrahamKracker: You are worried about "stereotyping" of races. Yet, you won't accept that the Vandals are being stereotyped in television commercials. Get consistent or your foundation for argument is faulty. I'm sorry you are upset that the basis of your argument (that only American Indians face stereotypes) is damaged by a simple television commercial, but that still no reason to come with an ad hominem attack. PS - The Vandals are the Germans. They've been persecuted in the US also. Remember the interment camps of WWII. The Japanese were sent to camps in California; the Germans were sent to interment camps in New Jersey. We've all faced tough times. We all always will.