The Sicatoka

farce: Look at UND's hockey schedule last and this season. Non-conference games (outside of tournaments where UND doesn't control opponent) they've played: Minnesota (Hall of Fame game) Maine St. Lawrence Canisius Princeton Yale Brown One of those is a IA football program. Another is a DIII. The rest are DIAA football programs. Food for thought.

"Asked if high school and college teams should stop using Indian nicknames, 81% of Native American respondents said no." Peter Harris Research Group, as reported in Sports Illustrated, March 4, 2002 In America when you follow the will of the majority you are doing what your friend asks.

I find it most amazing that 'tony' pointed it out first, and he's "scream yellow" all the way, yet it's the fault of UND fans.

(In my very best Casey Kasem impression voice) This very special request is going out across the miles from "Bison Bob" to "JBB." Here's "Livin' on Tulsa Time."

So you can only use certain words based on the melanin content of your skin?

Come on 'forecheck,' we all know that's called the "Best Buy key."

Toss this idea out at the message board at USCHO.com and see what you get. That'll be more people to try to answer the question.

tony: UMary seems to have a lot of money lately. They're building and expanding all the time out on the hills south of Bismarck. Don't ask me how, but it's there. " ... they're going to have to battle just to have a winning season every year, plus they'd end up spending twice as much ... " Isn't that what Sioux fans said about NDSU going DI?

The Mary Maurauders and the Jamestown College Jimmies in the NSIC. There's an angle that had never occurred to me. Though, the whispers I heard about Mary said DII, and NCC. as the goal. A start in the NSIC wouldn't be a bad approach.

JBB: About the Minnesota schools, I agree. That sort of consolidation should be looked at here. We have too many schools and too much overhead associated with them. (I believe SD has six state schools, Wyoming has less than a handful, in similarly populated states. ND has what, 13?) I heard about that resolution also. Yes, it's only a resolution so it has no binding power; but, yes again, it shows the mindset of where the division. However, you could read that and interpret it to mean that they want the number of scholarships to go down, ... or up. Do we know where those conferences stand? (I'm asking.) That resolution is headed for a hearing early in 2003. Like I've said before: UND has through August to send a letter and put itself in the same position that NDSU has adopted. I preached "patience" last year regarding the hockey team at UND. I think I'm about to preach it here. PS - Bismarck St. Mary's is the Catholic HS (like Fargo Shanley). The University of Mary (formerly Mary College) is the school that I heard whispers of having visions of DII.

and Wahpeton (NDSCS) has been having budget and enrollment problems and sits an hour away from Fargo. Add to that that BSC has been adding two-year programs that they don't have the classroom space for all the people who want to enroll and it looks better for them. Both are trying to be the two-year tech school for the state. That's why I say one or the other because you need someone to fill that role, be it one or the other. With UND and NDSU looking to grow, and Lake Region, Mayville, VC, and Wahpeton all within an hour-ish drive to them, maybe it's time to take a hard look at the issue. It's been brought up before. It would kill some of those towns. There isn't an easy solution.

Greyeagle: Don't mess this up or it'll get Handy's panties in a twist. I believe he found and pointed out that the Big Ten bylaw says they CAN form Big Ten competition when six or more play, but they are not compelled to. (This has been beaten to death on USCHO.)

If I were a betting man on disappearing campuses it'd go like this: Bottineau Lake Region (at Devils Lake) Mayville Williston Wahpeton or Bismarck (just one of the two two-years, the other'd survive) Valley City That would leave UND, NDSU, Minot, and Dickinson. There'd be privates (UMary, Jamestown College) in between.

I have a solution that'll make everyone happy, even JBB! Let Wanless interview Lennon, but send him Babich to coach the team! PS - My guess is the coordinator from the rival down the road (Davis) has the inside lane. A guy like that has to have better connections in the local recruiting market. However, Lennon, with his track record, can't be far behind.

Could NDSU add hockey? Sure, if they had the facilities, but the rest of their athletic house had better be in order (fiscally) or the howls from the academics and the TeamMakers could be deafening. I'm not saying it can't happen, but for it to happen the circumstances have to be very right. I think "DI" in itself is probably enough on Gene Taylor's plate for quite a while. I'd guess he'd agree. But JBB, not long ago you were saying hockey expense (and losses) was the reason that SCSU and MSU-Mankato wouldn't go up. Now you are saying hockey could be a revenue generator. I believe that is what 'Goon' tried to call you on. PS - UNO is in the CCHA with Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, et al.

Speez just reminded me of a news story from a couple of years ago. Williston HS had just made the state hockey tournament for the first time. They came to the arena to practice. The Sioux were on the ice getting a skate in before getting on the bus to a road game. The TV cameras were there to interview the Coyotes. They captured the kids watching the Sioux practice. Those kids all just stood there with their mouths hanging open and this stunned look on their faces. One of the Coyotes told the reporter something like: Their goalies skate faster in practice than our forwards!

JBB: " ... the NCAA is not known for radical moves" and seldom for rational moves. You dare speak of second class status for Bison football? Blasphemy! They'll take away your super-secret Bison football playbook decoder ring if you keep that up. I could see basketball, but hockey has long been a tough sell in Fargo. (Bears, IceSharks are gone; Concordia, a DIII power, barely out-draws the UND women.) I'm not trying to "dis" you with that, but history points that direction. SDSU, fiscally, is in a worse position than NDSU (based on CSL Reports) and probably UND. That has to be a major factor to their Regents to consider. All the schools are hedging their bets, and they should. (No one looks out for you but you.) Like I said, prepare for 2004 for in the manner that best suits how the situation is perceived. (And remember, UND has until August 2003 to put itself in the same posture that NDSU has assumed. That is not completely outside the realm of possibilities.)

InsideCollegeHockey.com? How'd a quote (and I use that term loosely) like that attributed to Blais show up there and nowhere else? That's the question.

And that's why throught all of this conversation I've maintained that the key isn't what the individual institutions do, but what the NCAA does in 2004. NDSU has upped the ante and started the "DI probation clock." Their choice. SDSU has noted a need for a conference affiliation before a move. Their choice. UND has decided to stand pat. Their choice. Who knows what's in store when the NCAA relooks at the divisions and how it will affect these positions. Scenarios? Who knows. Remove the "play up in a non-FB or BB sport" rule? UND would move up to protect hockey. Create a full IAA (all sports) level? That's anyone's guess. Change the minimums and maximum levels for participation in a division? Again, who knows. Heck, allow scholarships in DIII? That'd change the landscape also. We're all in a tizzy over this and by the end of 2004 the NCAA could have all the decision factors changed.

PCM: Didn't you know that every research grant granting organization checks your level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association before granting academic research dollars.

One group says, "Go Sioux!" The other group says, "Sioux (self-censored)!" instead of "Go Bison!" As a matter of fact, they can't say "Here we go Bison, here we go!" without adding a "Sioux (self-censored)" in there as a part of a standard crowd cheer. And they use that rally cry even when The University of North Dakota is not the opponent. Last winter it was threats and destruction of property relating to the "10 Percent" society on the NDSU campus. Then it was allegations made by the players and coaching staff of MSU-Mankato relating to crowd conduct at a recent FB game at NDSU's home field. Could NDSU finally realize that cheering for themselves is better than cheering against everyone else?

Again, who is defining the disrespect? 81% of American Indians say the name should not change. Wouldn't it be more disrespectful to change, thus ignoring them and their wishes? You continue to avoid the opportunity to refute my 'tatanka'/religious symbol assertion.

dagies: McMahon did a lot of the late defensive zone face-offs Friday. Lundbohm did the key late ones Saturday. Each was the "hot hand" at the time. Coach Blais was also tending to send Parise's line out when the puck was already in the Wisconsin zone for the face-off. Doesn't everybody notice those things?

JBB: I have posed a very plausible scenario. It is no more contrived than the Freethinkers versus Fargo City Hall Ten Commandments, especially so considering that Betty Ann Gross (a prime mover in the anti-logo debate in SD) had a problem with the Watertown (HS) Arrows logo because it had sacred eagle feathers included (drawn) in it. (She's OK with the name Arrows in of itself.) It's far from contrived scenario in today's "easily offended" world and you've attempted to dismiss it by attempting to discredit me. My question is this: Will American Indians oppose inappropriate use of a religious symbol/icon, or, will offended Christians oppose promoting a religion at a public institution? Or will both call for the change?

JBB: You don't counter the argument. You claim I'm living in denial. Who's in denial?