The Sicatoka

Yeah, but UND helped them with three fumbles and an interception all the first half! Oh, ..... yeah.

Is UND scared? Yes, but not of what you'd like to think. Any discussion of the issue must include compliance to not only the NCAA but Federal Law, namely Title IX. If you read NDSU or SDSU's Carr Reports, Title IX is a concern for both of them as well. Dropping "useless" sports like those mentioned is asking to be sued. Not having them will foul up the gender equity part of the equation. Carr actually pointed out the lack of womens tennis at NDSU as a possible future problem. Plus, to maintain said equity you have to add a womens scholarship for each new football or other mens scholarship (per Carr Report). All of this comes down to scholarships (or more simply, money). I'd rather see UND taking a measured approach to make sure the finances are in order. Hockey eats up the budget? 256,591 at $15 per seat is more than the $1.8 MM they spent on hockey last year, by $2 MM. Hockey is the engine.

Apparently, the NDSU Student Senate held back some of the 200 tickets to be raffled to students for themselves. That concerns me a little if they weren't open about it. But that's an internal matter for NDSU to deal with. What concerns me more is this part of the story: I'm not sure what to say after reading that.

There was a long article in the Grand Forks Herald yesterday about plans for the area around the Alerus Center. Your thoughts?

Like I said somewhere else, if I'm going to get excited about the Gophers losing a hockey game .... that wasn't the one.

The winner will be awarded the Nickel Trophy. Someone may try to pilfer it. That is utter blasphemy no matter who possesses it after the game. On that I suspect all true fans of the rivalry will agree. Sure, winner keeps it because that's how it works; however, I'm agreed with jimdahl on that. The series may well take a year or two off, but "eternity" is pretty hypothetical in my view as well.

Mentioning Tusculum, this week's Massey Ratings has Tusculum just one place ahead of Mesa State. If UND only plays one half like in the last two games (and maybe more considering Augie and the non-conference game performances), UND is going to be in trouble because they won't be able to come back against the level of defensive play NDSU is at right now. For UND to win I expect they'll have to play textbook defense and give up no plays over 30 yard plus they'll have to be at least +2 in turnovers. And did I mention that the offense can have no more than four "three and out" drives for the game?

Apparently they're late-bloomers. That's worked the last two weeks. It's not going to work this week.

But Sunday's Fargo Forum reports that the game is sold out. You know what that tells me about $27.50 per seat? They could have gotten more.

You're lucky we like you the other 362 days* a year. * Minus one football and two basketball dates.

Welcome to "The Essence of Using One Data Point To Extrapolate an Infinite Result." There's your host, jimdahl.

I know you all faithfully read the October issue of Sioux Illustrated from cover to cover. UND's AD for NCAA Compliance writes "Complaince Corner." This month's subject was "grants-in-aid," the NCAA's fancy way of saying "scholarships." He mentioned that five UND athletics programs are fully funded (max scholarships), but he didn't say which. He'll put the answer out next month. Why not start the guessing game here. Key information (all credit to Sioux Illustrated, Oct. 2003, "Complaince Corner" for the following) that you'll need to make educated guesses:

Yes, Sedevie ended up with the Beavers. Stingers at Beavers USCHO Recap Stingers at Beavers USCHO Box Score It sounds like it got a little rough at the end.

Dear Prof. McKenzie, hasenpfeffer, bison, it's all the same. It's what's for dinner! This will be UND's only night game and it is outdoors. (They only have one outdoor game remaining: at Mankato.) Based on how it looked out my window this morning, I decided to look into the forecast for Brookings, SD.

Oh yeah! Hasenpfeffer!!!

The Beef Bowl?

Based on number thrown and number landed of the big left by Prpich, the statistics lead me to say, "Yes."

It will always be a hockey arena with a basketball-court-pimple in it once in a while to me.

I believe "Get him away from the ice!" would be "Icu iye toki etaha ci caga!" in the Siouxan tongue, but it's been a while.

First one was free. Now you have to subscribe.

I was told that Hennessy made the final cut to be the "Call(er) of the Wild." That tells me that, setting aside his attachment to the program that comes through at times, he's a top calibre play-by-play guy. But we knew that. On a somewhat related note, I read somewhere that "Shoutin'" Ed Schultz was in the final cut for Voice of the Vikes (won by Paul Allen). As much as Schultz can annoy me (and we won't go into all that again), at least he doesn't have a clipboard full of catchy phrases, and trying-to-sound-cutting-edge bunk, that he tries to slip into games all the time. And as hard as this is to believe, PA makes Ed look objective. A little off subject, but, KFGO got rid of Mick Farkas last spring. Any word on who will be doing Sioux mens basketball? (I believe Scott Swygman will still be doing the womens games. He's not too shabby either.) Kind of fun when you think about it: UND has some relatively decent play-by-play folks.

Relax sprig, in through the nose, out through the mouth. Happy Harry's moved to the NE corner of the intersection of US2 (Gateway Drive) and Columbia Road. It's closer now.

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Fine. Disagree with me. Like you said, you'll be wrong. From the NCAA rulebook:

Attention all Sioux hockey tailgaters: I will be coming around "Trick or Treating!" on October 31, prior to the Yale at UND game. Please be prepared with suitable quality and quantities of beer, er, I mean "treats." Thank you.