The Sicatoka

Other college football programs dropped this off-season: DII: UMass-Lowell DIAA: Fairfield, Canisius, St. John's

KFGO laid-off: - Afternoon host Steve Poitras - News reporter Jim Monk - Sports reporter Mick Farkas The first two are inconsequential from a UND broadcast contract perspective. Farkas was doing Sioux mens (?) basketball so they'll have to be some work done there.

- The Tech position is open. - A DIII job just opened up out east because that coach just took over Clarkson. - Some others will probably open around the country soon as well. Could one of the UND assistants be looking to become a head coach somewhere? Steve Johnson filling an assistant's role in Dean Blais' staff would set him up to become the head coach come the day that Dean does retire. (Blais' is currently negotiating for beyond his current contract which ends at the end of the 2004 season.)

jeffj: This is an NCAA tourney meaning the on-ice officials will be from a conference outside the CCHA or the WCHA. Most likely neither team will be familiar with the referee.

From The Herald: And on a completely unrelated note, David Hale recently returned to practices with the team. No, I don't know how it happened, but it sounds like the intensity is up. Too bad about Connelly. The speed would have been good on the glacier in Mariucci.

Handy, To capture her heart, you have to go through The Wookie! You just can't compete.

Oh great waffle-speak detector What I said was, it's becoming a choice of the less of two evils. The choice is this: Go into a situation where you know you'll have money and conference (and probationary period) issues or stay in a situation where you can see it's starting to melt down and be taken down with it. Great choices, eh? Still, I'd choose to not melt down, not fade away. I'd rather die trying (meaning not be able to do the budget) if it comes to that. Budget still is the primary concern, as well as those others mentioned. Concerns don't go away by me changing my opinion on the situation. They must be in the open and addressed, even if folks don't want to keep hearing them mentioned. But if you insist that (and my other post) was waffle speak, have at it.

Greyeagle look like this? Oh no, here's a shot of Greyeagle out of hockey gear. Note the faded maroon (almost orange appearing) shirt and gold undershirt and shoes. Dead giveaways. I'm not sure which letter of the M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A cheer he's attempting to form in that photo.

DamStrait, it is all about the Benjamins. And the NCAA should be really mad that this one is in Mariucci (10k) instead of The X (18k). There's some serious gate they missed out on.

And three D-IAA football programs have dropped since the end of the 2002 season: Fairfield, Canisius, and St. John's (yes, that's St. John's the basketball power). All were members of the MAAC. Michigan Tech is one. Who's the other DII?

Hey, Wantagh, pointing out the NHL CBA situation (the current one runs out at the end of the 2004 playoffs) and its potential impacts on decisions made by NCAAers is my schtick. Find your own.

Yes, I said that with a laugh, but I was serious. I'm not sure if you folks realize the money in 1997, 2000, and 2001 that UND left on the table by not being full DI, but making those Frozen Fours. Yes, move up. But, yes, I'm still afraid that it could well be fiscal suicide. In reality, the other choice (no move) isn't much better. That's the conclusion I've arrived at. It comes down to the question: Is it better to burn out or fade away? Or put another way, die, or die trying? Like you, tony, I've mellowed to the idea over time. (Remember, you wrote once that you didn't think the idea was a good one for NDSU at first either.) As I've mellowed, I've looked for mellowing from UND. That's why I locked onto that statement by Roger Thomas. That's the first thing that could even remotely be interpreted as mellowing in the official UND position (whether it was intended or not). The previous problems (money, conference, harsh probationary periods) still remain.

He said "one." PS: "didn't"

The rest, I have very few problems with so I won't comment, but, About point 3: No, the BCS schools can't move the world, but that's not the issue. (Remember to think about this outside the scope of football.) The "Ohio States" are the "NCC" of DI. They want the bigger numbers. It's what the "small budgets" decide is what moves things. With money getting tighter, and a growing number of small DIs, who knows. Could the "DII problem" replicate at the DI level? What would the "Ohio States" do then? No one knows. I say go DI for the Frozen Four money.

No, not really "apples and oranges." Think about this beyond the gridiron. Outside of football, Ohio State and NDSU will be competing "at the same level." How'd this problem develop in DII? An influx of schools with smaller budgets get there and, once there, and because they have numbers, start to change the rules. What's happening in DI? An influx of schools with smaller budgets. Don't think the "Ohio States" aren't noticing.

My point is money. It is what is really driving all of this conversation. NDSU is not happy with underfunded programs watering down DII. Fair enough. But the "Ohio States" (I'll pick them as an example) can't be happy about seeing the profit sharing check (from BB television primarily) keep getting smaller as low-budget programs keep popping up and taking a cut of the pie. NDSU made a move. What prevents the "Ohio States" from making a move to protect their fiscal positions? Now, let me make an argument why UND should go DI: Teams playing in hockey's Frozen Four get a cut of the profits .... if you are a DI in all sports. How much money did UND lose out on in 1997, 2000, and 2001?

Come on, any real Gopher fan would cheer for UND in the early west semi. Why? 1. WCHA (WCHA RS4 defeats CCHA RS champs? That helps the league in the future.) 2. Wouldn't they take more joy in ending the Sioux season versus Ferris' season? If they were brave and strong, they'd cheer for the Sioux on Friday.

Try looking here for starters: http://www.ncaasports.com/icehockey/mens/story/6263459 More info will probably come as the week moves along.

A bunch of schools join a division when they only have athletic budgets that are 20% of some of that division's powerhouses. The powerhouses don't like what they are seeing happening to their division. How long are they going to be bled, by folks spending 1/5 of what they are, on athletics? Now, am I talking about UM-Crookston joining DII (compared to NDSU) or Ohio State ($80 million on athletics) looking at the influx of comparatively small schools to DI? The big DIs are taking notice. That's what those NCAA articles show.

bisonguy: I know the date. I was doing some looking though what the NCAA was up to. Those were some eyecatching words no matter the date. My conclusion after reading some past issues of NCAA news? The NCAA has no idea what it is doing.

If UMD is fake, I don't want to see real.

The current rule is this: If a school hosting a regional is in the tournament, they play at that regional site. That's why Minnesota will play at Mariucci, that's why Michigan will play at Yost. BU is a host somewhere this year. They aren't hosting in their barn however, but they will play in the regional that they are hosting.

Some interesting words from NCAA press releases: May 25, 2001 July 24, 2001

I don't have all the numbers but I'll work from your list. (You have to love Friday afternoon and a search engine. ) ~500 million on flood protection: The Army Corps says about 2/3 of that number for both GF and EGF. GF and EGF pick up significant chunks of that with local dollars. 100+ million (plus attendant costs to the city improving infrastructure of several million more) on the Ralph: The Ralph was $104 million (and change) of private donation dollars. Yes, the city put in some infrastructure, but not much. It sits on pre-existing streets in a pre-developed area. A recent GF Herald article stated that REA brings $17,000+ per month in sales tax revenue to GF. Nearly 100 million on the Alerus: The Alerus ended up at about 75% of the number you cite. What's interesting here? Sales tax revenue (see The Ralph above) goes to pay this off. 11 million dollar publicly-financed hotel: No, CANAD would build the hotel. Private dollars. Yes, they'd get a lease on the land similar to that of NDSU to Fargo for the land to build FargoDome on, plus some tax breaks. 20+ million (if the GFH gets what they want) on an indoor waterpark: From The Herald: "To me, the only acceptable one is the $7 million one because that's the only one we can afford and the only one that will pass (a vote of the people)," (GF city) commissioner Bill Hutchison said. None has been decided on. GF lost their water park to the 1997 flood. A new arena (7 million): Again, privately financed by REA. No taxpayer dollars. Dome over Memorial: Dome is way too strong of a word. Sports bubble, and it would just cover the turf and track so they could be used all year. $1 million on new turf at Memorial: Did UND know the Aurora/Alerus would ever pass and be built? Your number for REA max is about 4000 too high. They only got 13500 in for KU hoops. Old REA is 31 years old and you can see through the exterior wall in some spots (seriously, see 'rust' above). There is talk (first link in thread) of bringing it down. Hyslop is 80+ years old. UND has found a way to update its athletic facilities without being a strain on the State or city of GF. (Yes, GF built the Alerus Center. And Fargo built FargoDome. Call it a wash there.) I'm not sure what your concern is. And at the risk of repeating myself, the rational explanation follows Fargo's explanation for building FargoDome: If you build it they will come. Right? The knock on GF has always been "nothing to do up there." Well, now there's something to do there. The chances for getting new business and industry (non-service sector employment) improves. That is also part of the "build FargoDome" rationale, yes? Why shouldn't GF it a shot?

Roger Thomas said what he said. That's the first thing I've heard any UND official say that wasn't strictly "stay DII." It's worth noting. Does it mean anything? Like I've said, it should be an interesting summer. The BSC is looking at possible expansion. You're reading into that. And I never said "NDSU will not." I'd give them a chance, but others have better chances. (It's travel that is the sticking point.) Idaho may have solved the current problem, but the NCAA is looking at defining a home game more closely to prevent Wyoming from playing a home game in Memphis again. This would most likely affect Idaho's plan as well.