The Sicatoka

Warroad's football roster listed TJ Oshie at 5'10" and 165. He's listed there as a RB and DB.

I always feel like I'm being a cranky, crotchety, curmudgeon when I point those things out. But hey, I'm just a messenger. Don't shoot!

We'll put this one into M. Stuart-ese Sioux Hockey -- "It's a good thing."

As long as were agreeing on things here, I'll admit I would have liked to see Rohle or the Fargo South TE (like I'm going to try to spell that ) play collegiate home games in The Alerus Center. They'll be the backbone of this NDSU class on offense.

Does that mean if Bismarck High had won, Dressler (going to UND) would have won AAA POTY? Oh pity, UND will struggle by with "leftovers" .... like the ND AAA POTY runner-up and the ND AA POTY. Oh woe is Dale Lennon.

Yes, that is true. That's why I wanted a "today" snapshot. The question that started this, however, is about the caliber of athletes ND HS athletics puts out. Relating to "next year," the question becomes are they Division I caliber athletes or playing for a Division I team? Were they recruited by multiple Division I programs or just one? (I know we can't answer that for most.) The number of ND HS athletes playing Division II jumped considerably when the NSIC went DII. That doesn't say the caliber of the ND HS athlete went up.

The caliber of HS play in various sports in ND isn't the same caliber as in the rest of the country. The caliber of ND HS basketball and football isn't nearly what it is in other places. ND HS hockey is closer (a little) to the rest of the nation than those two sports; still, it's not what it is elsewhere, but ND is able to produce more DI players in that area. I'm not looking to start a war here. I'm just asking. Not counting NDSU (to eliminate the "automatic" transition of a bunch), how many ND athletes are currently playing in DI basketball, football, and hockey? I can start a hockey list easily: At UND: 6 (Bina, Fuher, Fylling, Massen, Schneider, Ziegelmann) At Minnesota: 3 (G Potulny, R Potulny, Irmen) At SCSU: 1 At Michigan St: 1 (?) At Bemidji St: 1 (Sedevie) Help? Football? The center at Minnesota and Terry at Iowa State. Basketball? You got me. Bison Kent: I suspect your answer will sift out of these lists.

When'd that change? Eh, no worries. It's just the Badger reporter. We still have our guy in Grand Forks.

That'd all be him.

I thought you had to lift the cap and look down the pump down opening on a septic tank in Sterns County to see that.

No, no, no! Get with the program "NDSU grad." Ol' "1234" says those two (a AAA and the AA player of the year) are "leftovers" compared to a guy who played, what was it, A or 9-man. Get with the program and keep with the same spin.

Did I mention that you can't sign an LOI until you've completed your junior year of HS and then can only sign during LOI signing periods? The media (GF Herald) has reported that Taylor Chorney has verballed to UND (as has Brian Lee, as reported in the Fargo Forum). Taylor Chorney is a HS junior right now, as is Brian Lee. (No LOIs possible.) Tim Hennessy may have made a report about a Chorney verbal. And remember, Tim Hennessy is media (Clear Channel North Dakota - KKXL-AM) and can report whatever he chooses. Yes, this sounds like word-mining, but that's how the NCAA operates.

Let's make this simple and clear: A coach can not talk about any recruit until they have signed a National Letter of Intent. (A verbal commitment by a high school athlete does not count.) Be smart: Don't ask questions that Blais, Hakstol, or Berry, or Lennon, Glas, or Roebuck can't answer. There's a clear distinction here that people need to understand: The Grand Forks Herald (for example Virg Foss), the Fargo Forum, KKXL-AM Radio (for example media members Tim Hennessy and Scott Swygman) can talk about unsigned recruits or recruits after they've signed. They are not UND coaches. It's all just more of the NCAA's (how shall we say) interesting rules.

Let's compare 2003: Weston Dressler (to UND) Bismarck HS (ND AAA) 2100 yards 40 TDs Tyler Rohle (to NDSU) West Fargo HS (ND AAA) 1269 yards 25 TDs Who had the big school big stats?

See what being too close to too many Starbucks will do to you?

They missed the ND Museum of Art on campus at UND? Shame on them. I've long believed that a North Dakotan can move away to a big city and move back to ND and be just as happy before or after. It's just that folks used to that "big city" can't adjust to the more relaxed pace in ND.

It must have been a black and orange Moorhead cap that just faded over time to look maroon and gold. Chip Ammerman? Is his son the defenseman on the MHS team that was on the US U-17 team with Chorney and Lee?

Mens hockey battles a long season and lots of travel and can still show a good number for grades. When mens hockey starts with a "3" any sport that starts with a "2" should be really embarrassed.

Mr. Lee (welcome on board) was apparently involved in a most interesting game last night. 1 hit, 119 minutes- Moorhead wins penalty -laden matchup with Bemidji Moorhead's Brian Lee to UND

I thought I'd never see the day of a UND mens hockey player with a 4.0 GPA! Ack--gasp--(clutches chest)--aaacccckkkk .... (Insert loud thud-on-floor sound here.) Clear! (Insert sound of defibulator discharging here.) To whomever it is: Great job! PS - Congratulations to all the hard work of all of UND's outstanding scholar-athletes. Keep up the good work.

.... or (gasp!) academics for that matter. Trust a PR guy when he speaks of things like projecting a good public image. With the Fighting Sioux Sports Network putting games on satellite, everyone in The Ralph Engelstad Arena becomes a first-line ambassador for UND. What do you want to show the world?

I stop at two words. And trust me, I have a vocabulary that could make a sailor blush. I just choose to use it when I'm sure exactly who is listening.

Tomorrow the rubber hits the road.