The Sicatoka

When it comes to this kind of weather, it's all about attitude. I've been in worse, so by comparison this isn't really all that bad.

UND has two games in hand over most of the league, and especially UMD. Those two games are this weekend. (UMD is idle.) A wise man told me recently: Games in hand are only worth something ... if you win them. Hey, did anyone remind Gwoz's boys that the games have been moved to the University Park rink?

Here is a nice story on the Jahner kids in yesterday's Fargo Forum.

What can you do outside when it is 90+ F and 90% humidity outside? All the same things you can do when it is -40 F outside.

Every school can influence the direction of the NCAA. NCAA decisions have impact and influence on member athletic decisions. That is all very true. Each school directly controls their own athletic budget. Control what is yours to control (and when something is mine I don't put it in unnecessary jeopardy). That's why financial is the primary risk.

I don't see what the NCAA may or may not do as the primary risk. The primary risk I see is very simple: Financial.

Yell at this guy: DerekHanson@clearchannel.com

"Oodles"?

Wr-r-r-rong. Carr said:

The sidebar was a fun little diversion. I'm sure you saw my question to you earlier.

That was the FargoDome's plan, yet that was the number. Ice plants aren't cheap.

NDSU's officials didn't get the answer they wanted so they ignore the recommendations. Why does Doug Fullerton's quote come to mind again?

Yes, the pipes are in. No compressor (which means no chillant in the piping). No boards. No glass. The compressor is the biggest financial hit. The numbers were in the Fargo Forum back in April 2000 and were what I quoted.

What in the NCAA changed between NDSU receiving their Carr Report and their formal move?

OK, they Carr is "the best in their field of work." Carr disagrees with NDSU's course of action (and told NDSU not to do it that way before NDSU did it). Better?

Don't you remember the Fargo Arena debates a few years back? The issue was "why not use the FargoDome?" Why? Because FargoDome isn't completely ready for ice. It would take a few hundred thousand dollars (close to a million?) to put ice into FargoDome. Someone probably has the numbers from back then.

I don't say so. NDSU (de facto) did. NDSU hired them as consultants. NDSU wouldn't hire non-experts, would they?

... and they are the expert consultants.

Not to reiterate myself, but ...

I've read NDSU's Carr Report. It explicitly said "Secure an acceptable conference membership before making the decision to reclassify to I-AA." Not following a consultant's report that you (NDSU) paid for doesn't seem exactly "thoughtfully" done. And now we have the appearance of many "DI-AA" emotional egos here.

Tickets, or season tickets? I don't recall NDSU having had five-digits of season ticket holders even in their powerhouse years.

Let me repeat the key part of that: The "they" of which 'Old Barn Guy at Home' speaks is his alma mater: NDSU. I'm glad to see that at least one Bison fan can view the situation with some level of objectivity.

WYOBISONMAN: If your posit comes to pass and there is a significant "reshuffling," wouldn't you expect there to be reduced, or even no, probationary periods (ala 1973 and the creation of three divisions)?