The Sicatoka

Phil Lamoureux?

Sure, the Big Sky is at the "letter of interest" stage in their big picture planning. But at the risk of repeating myself:

I'm purely going to speculate here. I have no "insider knowledge" on the subject. NDSU fans sure seem interested in having UND moving up. Wouldn't they have to share the "DI" spotlight in the state then? Could the interest in having UND move up be that ... - the Big Sky would rather have two schools with better FB traditions, and decent BB potential (NDSU and UND) versus a more BB oriented school with less FB tradition (SDSU)? Toss in that logistics between Grand Forks and Fargo are far better than between Fargo and Brookings (airports in each town, and 75 miles versus 200) and that has to come into some BSC AD's minds who are familiar with the schools (like Sacramento State's AD). This is the "McFeely" concept that started the thread. - could it be that NDSU is missing the benefits of playing UND, namely 20000 FB tickets at $20 and 8000 BB tickets at $12.50, or specifically an extra $500,000 of gate revenues. That sure wouldn't hurt NDSU right now. Alternatively, I've thought having UND and NDSU in different conferences would be good if both conferences were solid (kind of like Florida and FSU). Why? Then you'd have a solid conference schedule PLUS one great non-conference gate (assuming they'd be at the same NCAA level of play).

BF1234 got another one correct: SCSU, MSU-Mankato, and UM-Duluth don't have the dollars and the MN legislature's first priority is and will always be "Goldie". USD always seems to be in financial strife. And didn't they just cut some athletic program? Augie has the advantage of being in Sioux Falls but has the disadvantage of being private (and without a big sugar daddy). UN-O will always be second fiddle to "Big Red" in Lincoln (see "Goldie" scenario above). SDSU had better hope for some BB success to keep interest high (and donations coming). Like SDSU, NDSU needs football success for their cashflow. None of them really have complete packages of DI facilities. (I'm not saying Frost or FargoDome are bad. I'm saying each could use another quality facility in the other sport.) As far as the Big Sky, didn't they call for "letters of interest"? All that takes is letterhead and a stamp, right? What'd NDSU's Carr Report say again? "The Consultants recommend that the University begin the transition process, but only after it has achieved the following: Secure an acceptable conference membership before making the decision to reclassify to I-AA."

Is there a way to make them get younger? For the record: Football: Alerus Center, opened August 2001 Mens and Womens Hockey: Ralph Engelstad Arena, opened October 2001 Mens and Womens Basketball: Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, opened August 2004 Volleyball: Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, opened August 2004 Soccer (locker rooms): Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, opened August 2004 Wellness Center: under construction, scheduled to open in August 2006. And who knows what else may be announced in coming days. There's this big space over where hockey and football used to play ....

Minnesota's issues? - Defensemen (Harrington, Vannelli, Stevens, Kennedy, MacKinnon, Atherton, and freshmen aren't a deeply defensive-minded and experienced group; Taylor bolting hurt the toughness in front.) - Loss of leadership (Grant Potulny, Riddle, Koalska, Ballard) North Dakota's issues? - Leadership on-ice and "in The Room" - New coaching staff (sort of, new roles and a new face)

jloos: The Bulgars are off the ruble. They use the leva. (About 1.62 of those to the US sawbuck. ) As far as losing scoring, UND is losing a lot. If Vanek goes Minnesota will have lost even more than UND. But in either case (Vanek returning or not) UND will return more scoring.

I'm not downplaying Carson-Newman. I'm pointing out there's a DII on a glorious DI-AA's schedule. (Carson-Newman's playoff hopes could be damaged by that. Ask North Alabama.)

At the risk of repeating myself .... What surprises me is that NDSU fans have so much time to worry about a (quote: Fargo Forum) "minor league" (end quote) football program like UND. Shouldn't Bison fans be over on Bisonville discussing glorious battles against no scholarships Valpo and NAIA Montana Tech and DII Carson-Newman?

Mississippi State, Ole Miss (U of Mississippi), and the University of North Dakota all appear in US News and World Report's "Tier 3" category. That's not bad company. NDSU shows up a tier down in Tier 4. Valparaiso and Delta State don't appear (quick scan, may have missed) on the US News lists. (Personally, I think US News is a popularity contest system. Princeton Review is a better choice, but I needed a resonably objective source.) bisonguy: I think you missed my point. Level of NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) level of play does not translate to academic prowess. What surprises me is that NDSU fans have so much time to worry about a (quote: Fargo Forum) "minor league" (end quote) football program like UND. Shouldn't Bison fans be over on Bisonville discussing glorious battles against no scholarships Valpo and NAIA Montana Tech and DII Carson-Newman?

Someone say "academics"? If NCAA level of play had anything to do with institutional academics MIT, Johns Hopkins, Emory, Tufts, and a lot of others are really bad schools.

I'm surprised the names "Chad Beiswenger" and "Kasey Moreland" haven't come up yet.

Ah yes, that brutal standard demonstrated by Valpo Saturday.

They are working to finish out the weight room at The Betty. Sure, this year they'll (BB, VB) have to go to Hyslop. That's a small inconvenience now to have their own space in The Betty in the future.

It's so easy .... can't resist .... Mentioning pretend, I heard even your pretend friends ran away from you.

Shot-Score!

I agree with what was in The Forum. (turns on shower and begins soaping madly)

"The dynamic in our business is with facilities. That's where the arms race is." -- Ohio State University Athletics Director Andy Geiger.

From an AP story on the matter: I think the only way we'll see Bochenski in a Sioux jersey again is in pictures.

McFeely's column: http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=67691 Enjoy.

I have it (and probably shouldn't have it because it is academics) from a very reliable source (no, not Virg Foss' ) that Bo is academically eligible. I'm wondering if his scorer's ego wasn't bruised when Parise got signed in the spring and Ottawa left him.

At least the distraction of this "is he, isn't he" is over.

Who? Where? The coaches shows I watch are on the Fighting Sioux Sports Network.

One more time: The domain name is ..... SiouxSports.com. Sioux, as in University of North Dakota Athletics. Thank you.

That was my point as well. Yes, being a DI-AA your football team battles against Marist and Elon for an NCAA at-large birth, but, your basketball teams battle against UConn for an NCAA at-large birth, your swimming teams battle against Stanford for an NCAA at-large birth, your baseball team battles against Texas for an NCAA at-large birth, your wrestling team battles against Iowa for an NCAA at-large birth, et cetera (you get the point). That was clearly Danenhauer's point as well. PS - I puposely avoided adding "your mens ice hockey team battles against North Dakota for an NCAA at-large birth" to the above.