The Sicatoka

As I read those stats, you better not give up more than 80 and you'd better score at least 110, and your differential had better be better than 30. Using that model, UND is very close on defense and offense, but both need to step it up a level.

I'm surprised the students haven't asked one of the players to lobby for them privately or publicly yet. (Hint! Hint! Hint!)

Let me take a swing at the point 'star2city' is trying to make: Take the average school in a DII power conference. Their choice is (a) move up to Division I(AA), or (b) add Division I hockey but overall Division II status. Going Division IAA has upfront costs, most importantly those associated with conference and travel, facilities upgrades, and scholarships (mens and womens). Estimates of improvals in "the gate" (attendance) are that of roughly a total of 1000 new patrons at all games, all sports, per year (based on NDSU's CSL report estimates). Going Division II with Division I hockey has upfront costs, most importantly those associated with conference and travel, facilities upgrades, and scholarships (mens and womens). Estimates of "the gate" (attendance) would be roughly half the gate of the existing tenant of the proposed playing facility, namely 2500 average during the first season. The new tenant by its name would have better ties to the community upon inception than those of the existing tenant at its inception (and it survived) which would serve as an attendance positive as well. Facilities? Either you need a practice rink or you need to make sure all the other facilities (baseball/softball fields, courts, FB fields) are DI calibre. Specifically looking at the travel/conference issue: All DI teams must play other DI teams. Regional logistics dictate that most of that travel (for everything from FB to tennis and swimming) must be done by air travel due to the lack of DI competition within a reasonable driving distance. Alternatively, hockey offers numerous (albeit most likely non-conference) opponents within a drivable range. Plus, your other (DII) teams would retain opponents within drivable range. Translated: It's cheaper to drive your hockey team(s) by bus (and occasionally have to fly them) than to fly all of your teams nearly everywhere. Scholarships? If you go from the DII 36 FB scholarships to the 63 DIAA FB number, you add 27 mens scholarships, which means you must also add 27 womens scholarships (and you many not even have room to do that in existing teams within existing limits). Adding hockey adds 18 mens (and potentially 18 womens scholarships, which could turn out to be in hockey at some point). Simple math says 27 times 2 is more costs to the school than 18 times 2. Translating all of the above: For roughly the same facilities costs (be they improvements, renovations, or new construction), and most likely lesser overall travel costs, and equivalent overall scholarship costs, the hockey approach offers more immediate payback in fan gate plus more potential long-term payback in that "new" hockey fans may be created where "new" football/basketball fans are very difficult to create in this region. Looking at this from a historical "what has worked for my peers" approach: MSU-Mankato, SCSU, UN-Omaha, and Bemidji State have all taken similar approaches, with the singular best comparator being UNO. UNO started with no previous program and went immediately DI. UNO currently uses hockey as a revenue positive basis for its overall athletics budget after playing DI hockey for less than a decade. Moral of the story: It's all about the Benjamins. Which model is going to work?

If memory serves, that legislation was introduced by an NDSU alumnus. Lead sponsor, Rep. Froelich's, Legislative Biography: In the sake of disclosure, the other sponsor (Wald) is UND 1959. Haven't we done this before?

And who can forget Duluth's finest hours last season.

Yo "Cap", that's a little tough, eh? The CHA is a "mid-major" college hockey conference. Pathetic must be a synonym.

I can't disagree with great portions of what is said in there. I'd still like to touch on a few things: 1. Why does the state with the lowest crime rate in the nation need two PhD Criminal Justice programs? Isn't that a formula just screaming for out-migration? (I won't go into why and how there are two.) 2. I'd like to see "the books" .... at both places. 3. A RRV Research Corridor would help the whole state. The schools need to work together on that one. I'm seeing the Congressional delegation doing things on one end of it. Where's the new work and projects on the other end? Remember, I try to think like a taxpayer first and foremost.

I'll say it again: Don't "dis" the view from the upper in The Ralph. I've watched games from up and down and to watch the game the up is far better.

BK: I think you missed the cynicism in my previous "note to self." At this point I was going to mention use of media to point out lack of facilities issues (cough, Fargo Arena, cough) but I'll decline because Jim seems to have this covered.

If they are serious, they'd be evaluating building a practice rink in Vermillion and play in Sioux Falls.

I don't think Leavitt has said yet. I've heard he'd probably spend next season in juniors (USHL or MJ) somewhere.

This player's stats last season were: Overall - 15G 37A 52 Pts Conference - 7G 24A 31 Pts Name him. This player's stats last season were: Overall - 15G 20A 35 Pts Conference - 12G 16A 28 Pts Name him. Please also note that 15 goals overall tied those two for third on the team and 12 goals in conference was third on the team in that category. When you figure out who those two are, you'll understand why I believe the problem wasn't them but was too many guys with low single-digit scoring. PS - Guys like Prpich (summer-time goldmines) are very rare. Enjoy them when they are found.

Hey, I thought "flatspin7" was our "Devils Advocate." Oh, other kind of Devils. Seriously, "airmail" makes exactly the point I was trying to make. I'm not saying Dirty and his 6-wearing hero should have come in and opened a big ol' can o' whoop-tushy (credit Marge Simpson) on the dozen standing. I'm saying students complaining to the ushers would have made the REA folk's job easy: GF Herald: Why'd you kick those 10-20 students out? REA: Because of the 1000 students around them asked us to. GF Herald: Not the other folks? REA: Nope. The students asked us to fix the problem after they tried first.

Bison Kent: Thanks for the clarification. Note to self: Asking for things you want directly to boosters and alumni is requesting. Asking for same things using local paper as medium to address same groups is complaining.

Along the same lines as before, remember that tied for sixth 2002 season? They were so much better in 2003 on offense, but goaltending and defense didn't improve enough, .... right? UND's Conference Play Year GF GA 2002 103 100 2003 103 82 I must have missed it. Tell me again: What didn't improve from 2002 to 2003? Many thanks to the guy that pointed that one out to me.

I'll gladly take a shot at this. Defense: Up-tick. No Hale hurts, but having a much more mature group coming back (Schneider, Fuher, Jones, Greene, and yes, Marvin) compared to last year will soothe the pain. Mr. Smaby should help in the pain department also. (Read that last sentence any way you'd like. ) Goaltending: Up-tick. Someone needs to press Brandt for the job. In doing so it creates two things: a goalie good enough to press for the job, and Brandt working to keep the job. Alternatively, look at the goaltending numbers from the past season. In conference play clear front-runner Minnesota only gave up one fewer goal. There's food for thought. Forwards: (I'm probably not going to make many friends here.) There were too many of the "same guy" on the ice last year, too many "they work hard but don't score much" guys. On any given night half or more of the forwards fell into that category. Sorry, give me hard work, AND scoring, instead. Add that with a senior class of forwards who were better defensively (than offensively) and offense becomes a real problem if the top guys don't produce, as it did at the end of the season. As much as I liked to watch those senior forwards play, I know Fylling and Connelly can do many of the same things and handle those roles. Instead of six "role guys," how about three or four and get me some more, and more balanced, scoring. Here's another way to look at it: Looking at guys coming back, Minnesota got double-digit scoring (overall) from all but one forward (Smaagaard) and he had 9 points. UND had FIVE forwards (two juniors, three sophs!) in the single-digit realm, and all had fewer than Smaagaard's nine points. Minnesota had more balance in case the top line had an off night. That is what UND needs to restore next year up front. Enter Brady Murray and Drew Stafford, and I'll gladly take anything double digit Chris Porter wants to toss in as well.

flatspin: I'm saying the students knew the deal. If they saw some of their own breaking it they should have stopped it. "Those guys" may have been doing it, but it affects you as well so yes, responsibility does fall to you if want to keep the deal. You let some of your benefits go away by standing (pun not intended) idly by. (There is a great civics/government lesson in there for all of you.) And you really don't want to sit next to me at games. The day I was told I was "obnoxiously loud and boisterous," well, I considered it a compliment.

No, it would not have, but then REA would have been the "hardcase" and been railed on for that. The better question is why didn't the students take responsibility for their own who were causing the problem if it is as you say? The latest Herald article.

I believe NDSU (specifically football) asked for similar treatment from FargoDome regarding "logo-age" and dedicating space to "tenant history." Should the same verbage be used to describe that as well?

To put anything else (ideas above) near the Alerus Center more of the existing land would need to be acquired. And then I note the following headline .... (GF) Council OKs Alerus land deal

And in the only opinion that matters, Jeff Panzer won the award. Next question.

Various articles from last week's Herald: Team Notes: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/s...rts/5720890.htm Facilities: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/n...cal/5702604.htm Spring Game: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/s...rts/5726838.htm http://www.in-forum.com/articles/cache/?id=32397

UND Student Senate votes to build Wellness Center on Bronson Property. That'd be by the new REA. Reasons for the decision in the link. REA, Wellness Center, possible new BB arena west of The Ralph (The Betty? ): The Bronson Property is finally being developed.

Then again, Colorado's population has grown by almost double North Dakota's total population in the last ten years. Growth and available money almost always walk hand-in-hand.

I had heard that UNC had a big campaign to get all of their scholarships endowed (meaning they'd never have to fundraise for scholarships again).