The Sicatoka

Are they worried that Tech will play a game-style that is not socially distanced and they need to isolate after? How can Michigan know all their players will fail Wednesday night COVID test kits we don't have? This is all so confusing ...

Would Cooper Kupp be where he is now if he'd have "transfer portal'd" out of EWU after his sophomore year (FCS First Team All-American) for say UWash or UOregon's "quack attack" or even Alabama? We'll never know, but it's an interesting thought experiment.

I'd rather talk about who gets more touches and what they'll do with them. I think Smith and Ziebarth will be the biggest beneficiaries and I'm thinking they won't disappoint. Is there a true freshman that could come in and surprise us all?

I've said it before; I'll say it again.

Considering it made the team playlist for pregame warm-ups ... my vote is we all "skydive naked from an aeroplane".

OL is like goaltending and money: Ain't no such thing as too much.

Losing Waletzko (assumedly to the NFL) hurts and is a massive spot to try to fill. I stand by my prior stance of greedy, and wanting both NSU OL in the portal, not just the one. With the one NSU transfer in, do we have enough on the OL?

Gord Miller is a hockey PxP guy I'd put in a class with Tim Hennessy, and there ain't many on that list. Understanding of the game beyond reproach Easy to listen to because master of the 4Ps Homer (so you know they aren't just a robot) Bluntly honest when appropriate *Pitch, Pace, Power, and Pause for effect

I see what you did there.

Don't poke the bear.

Seems Montana's punter Brian Buschini portal'd to Nebraska ... and then burned the bridges behind him. The snark on the way out, it's a Buschini-league move by him.

Sanderson's father is an NHL guy with NHL connections. The knowledge and insights that the NHL and NHLPA used to arrive at their decision, they'll be known to Sanderson.

The three days old stuff is tangy!

Given that the NSF expenditure numbers are in "000s", that $40 million is about the difference between NDSU (152,381) and UND (110,836).

Knowing the potential (based on history) and seeing where it's at now has to make the job attractive.

It's not fair. You just had to look down at the tattoo on your forearm for that.

Somebody ( @jdub27maybe?) told me once that there are a lot of research grants that only land grant schools can bid on and that aids NDSU.

< facepalm >

You know the meme with the guy walking with one chick and eyeballing another going the other way? Missouri is the guy; the SEC is the chick he's with, and the B1G is what's getting the eyeball. Missouri would go to the B1G in a split second if offered.

In academia, you are the company you keep. And university presidents decide on that company. (Channeling my inner Volley again, you have to think like a university president on these matters.) Montana (157) and Montana State (135) had a real hard spot with Southern Utah (690) coming into their sandbox, their company, the BSC. They were just fine with North Dakota (153).

There's this little thing called the Big Ten Academic Alliance. It's made up of numbers 2, 8, 14, 17, 23, 25, 29, 35, 38, 39, 40, 41, 53, and 79 (from @FSSD list). How'd they get there? They work together leveraging off each others' strengths to get research funding. I think a conference and academic consortium made up of 135, 138, 152, 153, 157, 182, working together could make a solid core like the B1G has done. That group would have 8 US Senators looking out for them. (The B1G group has 22.) Next likely targets would be 230 and 236. Never forget: College presidents have the final say on conference alignments. They look at this stuff just as hard or harder than athletics. (I think I just channeled my inner Sioux Volley; I miss that guy.)

In the shorter term, the Summit and NCHC sharing administrative resources (office space, staff) could work. Call it a test drive, a getting to know you session.

Please note: Some UMass defensemen back in 2018 declined the Olympic invitation after playing in the WJC. Name? Cale Makar.

What you just described is Gino's "coaching tree": Guys who learned with or under a coach. This Tupac fellow seems to come from the right VB trees. And I'm struggling to not make any cheesy rap references given that name ... for at least a week ...

All that's missing is Clark Griswold getting electrocuted by a cord.