The Sicatoka

I'm going to float this concept here first: - One weekend for conferences to settle the autobid. Do it how you may. - Four weeks of "best 2 of 3" NCAA series with the higher seed getting home ice except for the neutral site finals series location being predetermined. Imagine this year: The three West Regional games drew 5128, 5352, and 6047. - Miami of Ohio at DU would have drawn as well as the West Regional - Holy Cross at UND, two games, would have outdrawn the three game West Regional. My proposed schedule: - What is the WCHA first round now becomes the autobid deciding weekend. - The four weekends of NCAA play would be the weekend of the Final Five, the NCAA Regionals weekend, the "off" weekend, and the weekend of the Frozen Four. I'm surprised the NCAA hasn't done it. That would guarantee no less than 30 total games. Yes, there'd be some small rinks (= small gates) in there but I wonder if they wouldn't be money ahead in the long run.

Picture of Riley in a building or any dog in a building? I've seen non-guide dogs in UND buildings. Of course, they weren't leashed and who knows how they got in there. (I believe 'street mutt found an open door' would be an accurate description.)

Final standings? http://siouxsports.com/hockey/bracketleaders.php

Based on Supertrex's hypothesis, a UND professor needing to attend a conference at the University of Wisconsin the same weekend the Badgers and Sioux play could just "hop on the team bus" and ride with the hockey team down to Madison, right? Physics Department funds pay for physics graduate students' tuition. Athletic Department funds pay for student-athletes' tuition. How and where they get funds may differ, but both have budgets to live to and both must pay for the bills of "their people." That's exactly how any business with multiple departments works.

Are you implying mine was? That'd be no.

That story is the smartest thing I've seen the NCAA do in quite a while. Did I just say "NCAA" and "smartest" in the same sentence!

That assertion is in direct contrast to what Roger Thomas has said more than once at Sioux Boosters. He has said unwaiveringly that every tuition increase must be covered by UND Athletics for their athletes. He has used the analogy that UND Athletics is "mom and dad" for UND athletes because they pay the tuition bills. He has also said that they (UND Athletics) pay the scholarship cost of tuition based on the "home state" of their athletes. (It costs UND Athletics more to have a student-athlete from Wisconsin than one from say North Dakota or a reciprocity state/province.) Somebody's story doesn't align here. Who's right? You or UND Athletic Director Roger Thomas?

Since Tim became Executive VP of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, his "intro piece" in the Alumni Review magazine has normally included a picture of he and Riley, his daughter Katie's dog, in it with them somewhere on the UND campus.

Back to that line of (il)logic again?

Alternatively, a fair question might be, was anything going on in her head? Was she thinking at all?

No, I said I had seats in a section not requiring FSC membership even though I had FSC membership. I like the high corner view of a game those sections offer.

Yes, it about revenue. The bills have to be paid.

I think you missed something:

You realize that the Club Rooms (both) become "open" once the game starts. Yes, that's not "year one" any more, but that's how it is. Plus, they are the SRO areas now. Yes, this is new. Things change. We're complaining about a Club Room. I can't imagine that in 1998 or 1999. This isn't the forum to air the dirty laundry. I said the same to the students not long ago: If you have a complaint, take it to the people who can do something about it, namely these guys. Praise in public, punish in private, right? And hey, I'm glad to see opposing fans spend money in REA. It pays for our sticks. Drink up!

I do not work for UND or it's affiliates (FSC, UND Alumni) in any way, shape, form, or manner. I am a UND graduate. I have a sizable drive to each home game. I have seats in one of the sections required to join FSC to keep their seats; but I was an FSC member before this came about (to improve my seats in Alerus Center). I understand the economic realities facing Roger Thomas and the UND Athletic Department. They are hard.

Bottom line: A pre-game sandwich or another scholarship for the (insert team here) team? Economic realities.

I didn't even consider DU getting to a National Title Game. I gave them no chance against UMD, even after they beat UND. Yo, PCM, pass the BBQ sauce.

Parking was going to be bad this year because of construction. See how it goes this year, or start asking now. Perks? Didn't you get some new ones along the way? If you're in the lower bowl, you get "Sioux Illustrated" for free, right? PS - I really wanted your seats too. BTW, you do make sure they are used for each and every game, even if you can't make it, right? You'd hate the students to accuse you of being a "corp-ie empty seat." (And empty seats really bother me.)

WPoS: Here's the situation. The lower bowl of REA is all FSC Coaches Club or better. $1100 (or better) annual contribution. With that you get rights to four tickets (2 at face, 2 at 25% off). Higher levels (bigger contributions) get you more rights to tickets. The upper last year had four sections that no FSC membership was required. Next year you'll have to join at the lowest FSC level (Century Club, $110 annually) to keep those seats. Last year it was $345 for the 23 game home ticket package per seat. Sounds like economically you'd like to become a Sioux fan. We'll find room in a lot to play some 'darts for you.

cfm567b27: We all knew parking would be a mess this season because of constrution of The Betty. Ah yes, The Betty. A new arena that has to be paid for. But I digress. The more complaints I hear, the more I'm sure my seats will be getting better in the future. If you're complaining you'll quit paying and I'll get your seats, right? And you're all right. It is about money. Somebody has to pay the bills to keep this form of entertainment going. Economic realities. It's pretty sad when I find myself most in alignment with a GOPHER fan on the SiouxSports board.

Do we know all of the details regarding jersey vendors and package deals? I don't. However, in addition to Nike jerseys this season, I noticed more Nike gloves, helmets, skates .... Economic reality.

Where to begin .... tnt: Unless you mean that you would have joined at more than Century Club level, you wouldn't have better seats in REA. It's Coaches Club or better in the lower bowl. Now to general issues .... Old Ralph: Everything not visitor or student was FSC. Nothing new there regarding seating. I'm sure our rivals have policies regarding club membership levels to get tickets also. Plus, some of UND's rivals pay $25+ per game ticket plus club membership fees. Tuition at UND went up 16.5% last year. It's going up 16.5% this year. Scholarships for UND Athletes will cost $200k more next year than last, that's going from $1.1 MM to $1.3 MM! The State won't pick that up. UND Athletics, as Roger Thomas has said, is "parent" to the UND Athletes. If tuition goes up, they have to pay the bill. How else does UND Athletics have to fund this? You want to watch them play? You gotta pay. Would you rather ticket prices go up at the rate of tuition? DO THE MATH! At $345 for a season ticket before, if rates had jumped 16.5% two years in a row, you'd be paying $468 per seat. That's a $123 increase per seat! Joining FSC for $110 for two seats doesn't sound so bad now suddenly, does it. This is economic reality in collegiate athletics today.

Let's correct that to be wholly accurate, and disparage the entire WCHA All-Academic team, if you insist: "all it says you are a good hockey player and played a lot for your team- getting B's in easy classes is not that difficult. They are good players - I am just saying lets not get carried away with their smarts! If you can't get B's in general college courses - there is something wrong with you. I assure you they are not sitting in organic chemistry or advanced physics."

When you make light of the WCHA All-Academic team you make light of it for all members, from all institutions, of the team. Could you have made it?

Seriously? I was oh-so hoping he was doing what is best for Eaves or Lucia.