The Sicatoka

Can you draw a better connection between those two? I missed it.

So did I. Guess what: A season ticket holder could lose their seats too. This isn't "students" issue. This is a "fans" issue in the eyes of Kupchella (who was consistent on that "fans" point on the radio with Scott Hennen) and Roger Thomas and UND and the NCAA.

Not to interrupt a perfectly good rip-Kupchella-fest, but I believe everyone (students and season ticket holders) got a letter from .... Roger Thomas .... on Friday. Roger Thomas does give a rip about what the (not students) fans say in the stands apparently. Commence the rip-Roger-Thomas-fest.

I read somewhere that in the past there was this crazy notion called "unbiased journalism."

I want the audio, the ring, the house lights, and the lasers too.

Some pretty good fan commandments here.

Did I mention the Visitor's Starting Center? Link (That would be "fragile, and no hands." )

Using the Daktronics boards before the game to "preview" the other team's starting roster would be fun. Show this picture with the caption: Visitor's Starting Goalie. Link to picture. Show this picture with the caption: Visitor's Starting Defenseman.

Those aren't real? Whoda thunk?

Let me clarify my point of view on this. The band, the music, the PA announcer: None are supposed to be "doing their thing" when the puck is in play*. With the ability of the referee to "warn" the crowd about hats after a hat trick, are we sure a penalty can't be assessed for not following this part of game protocol? They need to sell the advertisements to make the economic engine go. Should some of the copy be reviewed to ensure it can be read in under 20 seconds? Probably. * The only exception is the PA announcer to report goals and assists.

The band or canned music is not allowed when the puck is in play. Why do I often hear Scott Hennen on the PA, doing something other than reporting goals and assists, during play (for example, live ads that take too long, hint, hint)?

Clearly, no one forced Oien to offer to resign (or else they'd have taken it). Oien offering to resign tells me that he believes he may have done something that may tarnish those he is associated with. Offering his resignation gives them a way to get away from him. SDSU chose not to. As this plays out we'll uncover the wisdom of their decision. PS - What's the Women's Studies department at SDSU think about this? Shouldn't they be in an uproar simply over the accusations and charges?

1234: I won't disagree with the 8 points. What I will say is this: "If UND has an SOS greater than 8.0, playing NDSU and winning would still bring their SOS down." If UND's SOS is 9.00 though 10 games, playing NDSU and winning would still lower it to 8.91. JACKGUY: Tell me about schedules of teams that expect to make the DII playoffs this fall. (Winona lost a huge, critical senior class.)

The formula for FB SOS is posted. You saw it. Tell me how playing a DI-AA would not hurt the SOS if UND won every other game (against all DIIs). Playing a DI-AA last year, with a road loss to a DII, would have hurt UND's SOS. The math is there. It's analytic. As far as basketball opponents, NDSU's schedule isn't out yet. You'd hate to have any of those words come back at you.

Oien offered to resign. SDSU didn't take the resignation. This should be great drama as it plays out.

nickelboy: We're well aware of whom Ferris State has played in the past.

The answers to the key questions are above. Recapping: - NDSU left the conference and the division. - Playing NDSU would harm UND's playoff chances (see the math above). Can you imagine Wacker, Morton, or Hager doing anything that would harm their playoff chances? Why then would Lennon?

Knowing the criteria going in, that would bad scheduling compounded with more bad scheduling, wouldn't it?

This is straight from the NCAA DII Football Championships Manual (page 11):

Title IX (pronounced: title nine) is Federal law. It's goal was "gender equity." We could, and have, filled page after page of other threads debating its merits. The bottom line about it is this: Title IX isn't the NCAA or NAIA or NJCAA; Title IX is Federal law and no matter what level you play at you have to be in compliance. Regarding the NCAA and scenarios: The key issue for the "bigs" (the BCS schools if you will) is simple: Money. They don't want to share as much with the smaller schools because they are the "rainmakers." They want to keep what they perceive as having earned. It's tough to argue with that. If the issue was strictly football, I'm sure the BCS conferences would be gone, and maybe would be gone already. But in comes that billion dollar basketball television deal and the issue is not just football money any more. Where does that put all this? It's anyone's guess. But I do know this: This will boil down to a money issue.

Coherent. Non-antagonistic. Very reasonably stated. Who are you and how did you get 1234's password! I'd agree that an NCAA shuffle just may be in the cards. I'm not sure if the BCS schools will completely break away or just get their own new division. (The NCAA would really be hurt revenue-wise if they left completely so they'd probably bend over backwards to keep them in the overall fold by creating a "BCS" division.) What would a "new" NCAA look like? It's anyone's guess.

timbo: The knife cuts both ways on your argument. NDSU would love a home gate next year with UND as the opponent. Alternatively, UND has sold out The Alerus Center with someone other than NDSU as the opponent. I don't believe the same can be said for NDSU and FargoDome. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

From FightingSioux.com: " ... NCAA's hottest team." (Get your mind out of the gutter Diggler. ) A split at home this weekend against Clarkson and they'll finish over 0.500 on the season. Not bad for a second-year program.

Must .... resist .... temptation .... to type .... Mapletoft! As a reference for the future, never assume the rest of us are as infatuated with a player as you are. A few bread crumbs are often useful.