The Sicatoka

I had a Bison fan report to me, unprompted, that he was disappointed that about 3000 of his fellow season-ticket holders arrived as empty blue seats against UND. His words. And remember, he got his accounting degree at NDSU. Which way are you going to play that?

So Bison fans now show up as empty blue chairs? Geez, they must have learned that from corporate-type Gopher hockey fans. And yeah, UND didn't fill the Alerus against Winona State, but it wasn't called a sell out either. They gave the actual figure.

Shouldn't you be out there raising all those additional funds for the glorious D-I sellouts at FargoDome (like Saturday's, with a couple thousand empty seats)?

Mentioning Parise, here's something you don't see every day. http://www.uscollegehockey.com/stats/ A freshman on the top of that list? Yes, it's early, but I still smiled.

Brookings is just 50 miles from Sioux Falls. Don't tell Fargo but Sioux Falls is much larger and SD doesn't have a personal income tax so SDers have more disposable income, but still the report said:

First, KFAN-AM is in Minneapolis. "The Fan" is their (and Clear Channel America's) radio network in MSP, Fargo, GF, etc. Please don't say K-FAN. I break out in a bad rash. I'm sure Clear Channel North Dakota's radio deal didn't include womens hockey because it didn't exist when the deal was done. Any coach can go down to Bonzer's and hop on a microphone, can't they?

In a little known fact, NDSU was supposed to play UM-Duluth in non-conference football this season. That game was cancelled for some reason. I don't know the exact why. (Part of it I believe was UMD wanted a better "guarantee" for playing.) That left NDSU with a ten game schedule (where most play eleven) and with one less home gate this season. NDSU is currently 1 and 4. UMD is 6-0, has been ranked in the top 25 all season, and has wins over MSU-Mankato and South Dakota.

NDSU hires Carr Sports to do their D-I study. NDSU hires CSL out of Minneapolis to do their survey. SDSU hires the same two and get the same two answers. Me thinks it would be interesting to see if those two groups have ever given any other answers than what administrations wanted to hear.

Since Ed Schultz started the award, shouldn't it be his decision when to stop awarding it? What? Is someone afraid that Gorder will keep losing to a sophomore newbie?

Now, having repeated myself, let me try to decipher JBB's logic: Dr. Kupchella refers to problems and scandals in collegiate athletics. Which are those? In the eyes of the NCAA these problems primarily relate not to the actions of athletes, but to the inappropriate activities of coaches, boosters, and alumni as they relate to athletic programs. Considering the demographics at UND (and NDSU for that matter), most of those roles are filled by

Zach Parise vs. the Xerox Punch Imlach Tourney: 5 goals, 3 assists = 8 points NDSU vs. The UND Defense: 6 points

"The best quarterback was Lakeville's John Bowenkamp." -- The Star Tribune.* There must be "Golden Arm" voters at the Star-Trib. * http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/3362129.html

Now why would they do that when UND has a Hilton on campus? NDSU has a Days Inn across the street from FargoDome, right?

Good thing Gorder wins this, because he hasn't won squat those four weeks otherwise.

They may "fumble" away at football, but all they seem to look at in hockey is "The Benjamins."

The "Golden Arm" for this week has already been updated.

I just realized that a team with a first-time starter at QB, on the road, at the arch-rival, having lost the turnover battle, won the game.

The closest thing to a play that could be called "dangerous" in the second half by either team was the misdirection fake to the FB and flip to Mahmoud. He went around the left side for about 15. Beyond that it was two arms on the ball or throw it away if it's not open FB. It's about what I expected.

Want my cut at an equitable solution? Team with ineligible player? Win or lose it becomes a loss. Team they played against? If they won, so what. If they lost, the stats are kept, but the game is wiped from their record like it was never played (no W, no L). I'd say the right solution is punish UNC with losses for games the guy played in and let those teams that they faced either take the W or nothing (but not an L).

The offenses looked weak. But all those defenders standing over the top of ball carriers was a large part of it as well. And one team had a first time ever starter at the helm.

UND 12, NDSU 6 Oh shoot. I got the under 34 points right, but I missed the winner and margin. I'm so sad. Boo-hoo, boo-hoo, boo-hoo.

Ah yes, stats as reported in post-game on television: Gorder (NDSU) 19 completions, 30 attempts, 63%, 132 yards, 0 TD, 0 Int. (NCAA QB Rating: 109.293) Bowenkamp (UND) 18 completions, 26 attempts, 69%, 164 yards, 0 TD, 0 Int. (NCAA QB Rating: 122.216) The "three-streak" for Gorder is over. With higher yardage, completion percentage, and ratings totals, starting his first ever game, and in the Preposterous FargoDome no less, sophomore John Bowenkamp of The University of North Dakota wins this week's "Golden Arm" award. That really means something only in the mind of one person. (This reporter provided the information to allow the voices to continue to haunt him.) On the positive side, NDSU was able to stretch one three-streak to a four-streak: California-Davis, Augustana, South Dakota, North Dakota, that's four in a row.

Someone from The Herald must have gotten to the Sioux Fall Argus-Leader. They've joined the conspiracy to work against NDSU as well.

"From column A I'll have the egg roll lefsa and from column B let me have the lutefisk chow mein."

Americanized-Chinese run by Chinese-Americans. Somebody's on their game today. So bad Chinese joints would be run by what? Norwegians? Greeks?