The Sicatoka

Either you need to go to Stupid, I mean STUDENT Health, or you need to stop going on Al Pearson's bus trips. I believe the statement by 'forecheck' just might be the definition of "way too much information."

But Duluth wouldn't be a bad game at all. They are a playoff team this year. Hey, why didn't Duluth and NDSU play this year? I had heard the deal was set. What caused the back-out (by Duluth)?

You folks missed the Fargo Forum Editorial Board's take on the situation: Forum editorial: Keep NDSU out of UND logo debate The Forum - 11/20/2002

IF (big if) the games were on DirectTV, they'd be on Channel 642. UND at Minnesota (Jan 10-11, 2003) should be on Fox Sports (North) or DirectTV 641. PS - All home UND hockey games should be on those big dish coordinates.

mksioux, YaneA: You may want to familiarize yourselves with The Fire. You'll be shocked and saddened with the things going on on American campuses.

jim: As the cross is a sacred symbol in Christianity, "tatanka" is the sacred symbol of "Wakatanka" (The Great Spirit) to the American Indians of the Plains. "Tatanka" is sacred in American Indian religion. A public school is using "tatanka" as a mascot. This should not be because some may construe it to be a public institution endorsing a particular religion. Tatanka? You know it in English as Bison.

Hey folks, if you weren't aware of it, the Fighting Sioux Sports Network is up and running. You can watch Sioux hockey (and select BB and FB games) on cable systems across North and South Dakota and parts of northwest Minnesota. Let Midcontinent Cable know that you appreciate it. Send them an email at: mccomm@midco.net and tell them thanks. And if your system doesn't offer it, get on the slackers!

Regarding Gopher fans who are upset with the Herb Brooks statement, as Colonel Jessup would say, "You can't handle the truth!" Come on, you know someone had to say it.

Yes, congratulations on a great 2 and 8 season. The smartest thing I've heard Scott Miller say in a long time was Saturday night in the Bison FB postgame. (I turned that on to find a final score.) What'd Miller say (paraphrased)? "Hopefully, NDSU's starting QB next year is playing at a JUCO somewhere right now."

Not to pat myself on the back too much (which means I'm about to), I must admit that I called it on Saturday night. Right after Spiewak put the big-time "How's she goin'!"

'stars' If you think NDSU doesn't like the deal UND has with Clear Channel North Dakota, how do you think NDSU likes UND's new Fighting Sioux Sports Network deal.

JBB: I'm pretty sure Beasley was a JUCO who didn't have the number of necessary credits completed to jump into DI.

mksioux: I agree with you on the point that we daren't rush to judgement based on this group of unknowns' report. However, this is the third report in eight years. It sound like the fourth confirmation is on its way. But even leaving all that aside, the most damning part of all of this to me is that the US Department of Justice has been (and I think still is) involved. They've been sued (and I believe lost) for some of the practices and behaviors mentioned in these articles. The point here is clear: Their hockey arena may be the "National Concrete Center", but their house is glass and yet they still choose to throw stones.

They don't run it in Fargo. Email the Operations Manager at KFGO and complain: edkfgo@aol.com

Ryan Potulny followed his brother Grant to Minnesota. How'd Grant get to Minnesota? That's a long story that you really don't want to get into. Dan Irmen is actually a Fargo kid. He played freshman year at Fargo North and then transferred to GFRR for a year to play hockey. His junior and senior (now) years he'll spent at Lincoln. UND is log-jammed at goaltender. Why? The plan was Kollar, then Brandt, then bring in Sedevie, and then Lamoureux. Well, Kollar's senior year was what it was. Brandt really didn't instill any confidence backing him up early last year either. Sedevie was hurt twice at Sioux Falls last season (shoulder, knee) and only saw a few games. He couldn't come in at Christmas, so, enter Josh Siembida. Fit that name into that string I rattled off (above). As much as I'd love to see Nate in the crease, at this point I really don't want to (as it would mean that Siembida and Brandt aren't cutting it). Unless something really falls apart in the crease, or unless Sedevie has another questionable season, it just seems that Nate is the odd-man out. Hey, Moreland from GFC is the #1 goalie at SCSU right now. Gasparini was at Duluth. It's happened before. UND is fine with the Grand Forks and North Dakota kids. Evidence: Schneider, Fuher, Massen and Fylling (and Sedevie). I'd have loved to get Ryan Potulny, but I wouldn't trade what's coming instead either. You're limited as to what you can bring in so it makes for some really tough choices. That's why Dean Blais makes the big bucks!

What? He got rid of the dice cup, Ouiji board, and random number generator?

tony: I know you asked "Stars," but I'd like a swing at an answer too. The NCAA is supposed to be about "student-athletes." From my view, the NCAA is now more about "The Benjamins" than anything. Should there be a probationary transition period? Probably. But should it be longer than the traditional period that an undergraduate education takes (four to five years)? No. Why? It's supposed to be about the student-athlete, isn't it? Let the schools move up. Let them become tourney eligible in three to four years. The big schools won't like it, but they will like this: A school moving up reaps no fiscal rewards from the NCAA (like a piece of the TV money) from the move up (except for actual expenses accrued in NCAA tourney play if applicable) for ten years. Let the kids play. The probations are all about money. But there's a bigger problem at work here and I've mentioned it before: The NCAA hasn't kept up with the times. Moorhead and Crookston now have some resources to fund athletic scholarships. DIII doesn't allow that. What are their options? NDSU and UNC see DII being diluted by the Moorheads and Crookston (not that I'm picking on them, just using them as examples). They see their only option as moving up. But moving up causes similar effects to the Division I pool. The problem is that the NCAA hasn't adapted since the Divisions were set up in the early 1970s but athletic department fiscal realities at all levels have radically changed since the 1970s. (Case in point: Old Engelstad Arena at UND cost $2 million to build in 1972. It costs just under $2 million annually to run the hockey program at UND today.) If I could influence the NCAA some of my ideas would be: - Let DIII provide scholarships. - Make real minimums (like support budget minimums, not number of sponsored sports minimums). - Evaluate an "all sports IAA" level to let the huge schools (with $80 million annual athletic budgets like Ohio State) have a league of their own. - Maybe re-evaluate this "school" approach to a "sport at the school" approach allowing more than one mens and one womens program to "play up a level." The NCAA has failed to keep up with the times and has failed its members on this issue. I'm pretty sure both UND and NDSU can agree on this. Where they differ is on what is the best solution and course of action.

I look at that table and a particular sentence comes to mind: Thirteen years. What are "student-athletes" supposed to learn from that? Of course quoting that part of the sentence wouldn't be complete without quoting this part: I still believe that if SDSU goes, UND may find themselves in a position where the best choice is to move up. Those quotes came from Dr. Kupchella's Statement on Division I. (And please remember, Dr. K was requested to publicly state UND's position by a western ND legislator. You don't say "no" to an elected official, especially one that has power over your State funding.)

OK, I can be the same way I guess. I got the license from the above. NDAC? Good gravy man, who here was alive when the North Dakota Agricultural College became NDSU? Half? Less? And no FargoDome? Why would UND not want FargoDome. UND is 4 and 1 in there! Next thing you'll be telling us is that you actually believe in "The Vast Fighting Sioux Conpsiracy" theory about FargoArena too. (That's the one where it was all of the UND alumni in Fargo voting no on the ballot so NDSU couldn't add hockey. The catch is that if you look at the by precinct polling results from that vote, the district that NDSU resides in and votes in (at the Union) voted more no than the rest of the city.) Again, tony, you seem touchy about all this. What's up? It sounds like NDSU is well on its way to its master plan of Division I status. Why are you so concerned about lil' ol' UND? What has UND (not this privately operated 'net board) done lately that's riled you up?

Here's a link to the box score: http://www.collegehockeystats.com/0203/box...es/mndkstc1.n08 Palmiscno served for Blais' stick-trick. I still wonder what Connelly said. I've crossed, "I love you Donny!" off the list of possibles.

Anyone know what Ryan Connelly said from the bench to Don Adam to warrant a 10 minute misconduct on Friday night?

Folks, The NCAA allows you to "play up" in one mens and one womens sports as long as that sport is NOT football or basketball. That's how UND, SCSU, MSU-Mankato, and UM-Duluth play DI hockey (mens and womens).

kr: I think she actually prepared for that interview. That's why I it may have been her best. (And Brian Canady being a good interviewee sure didn't hurt.) Her voice goes to that higher squeak (that is horrible over a PA) when she is flustered or trying to go too quickly. Those things show a lack of preparation. She needs to realize that the arena around her may be loud, but she has a microphone. She can talk normally to it. She doesn't have to semi-yell like you or I would talking directly to each other. I'd volunteer, but as someone told me once, I have a face for radio.

Early 20s. She's doing pre-game and period break "Inside the Game" segments plus MC-ing on-ice stuff like the NW Airlines ticket shot. Her microphone presence is poor. She yells (let the microphone and the PA do the work, please) and her voice, in my seldom humble opinion, is too high for PA work. (You need that low, bass PA voice in a big arena. See Scott Hennen.) I don't think she preps any notes (for her live shots) before the game nor does she pre-read anything she'll be doing (like the NWA ticket game, etc). I think the best she's ever done is the Canady interview, and Brian carried 90% of that. As a person who was sitting behind me last year said, "Boy, is she ever blonde." OK, that may have been harsh but I feel better. Something like the NHL's "Hockey Rules" would be good. I spent a period explaining icing to a couple of "our neighbors gave us these tickets and we've never seen hockey before" one night. When I looked up it was 2-0 Niagara! With all of the "new fans" in The Ralph, it couldn't hurt. U2Bad1: I've sat upper and lower decks. I prefer the upper. Better sound (no problems for me) and a better view of the Daktronics boards. However, if I were still an "energetic" student, the lower would be more fun.

Anybody but Katie O'Keefe. How about her dad Tim? He could talk, show, demonstrate, and then (as the new Executive VP of the UND Foundation and Alumni Association) put in a plug or two for us to donate!