The Sicatoka

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.

For the steam pipe system to heat buildings, sure. Between buildings in the Walsh Complex, yep. Pseudo-tunnels to get around the Wilkerson Complex. But between main academic buildings? No.

Point of order: This author thinks Canada would populate from the KHL and Euro leagues almost exclusively (a bunch of age 24+ guys), but Team USA would go on a college campus raiding mission?

... anyone and everyone be concerned about going there? "So let me get this straight: You asked Matthews, Kane, Johnny Hockey, and even Brock Boeser to go to Beijing and they all gave you the 'No thanks' so you're asking me to step in front of whatever they wouldn't? Um, they've made their money; I'm still looking to get paid. Thanks, but I'll pass. Five weeks in a 6x8 cinder block room doesn't sound enticing should I pop a false positive."

" ... your mom put you in mismatched Garanimals ... you're an un-color-coordinated mess!" " ... there's a great big Spider behind you!" Am I close?

So what are our needs and what's in the transfer portal?

I thought it was the prior AD that hired guys from New Mexico.

Well the Missouri Valley Northern Football Conference has Winnipeg, Flin Flon, Winkler, Steinbach, Regina and Saskatoon, eh.

Skyways/walkways are needed as a student recruitment tool. Potential student: "North Dakota? It's cold!" Recruiter: "Our campus is skyway connected. You never walk outside between buildings."

My point was not about the guy that got them over the hump; my point was sometimes a guy needs to realize he's not going to get a team over the hump and step down (see: Paul Maurice).

And UM-Duluth and Bob Nielsen are forever indebted to him for it.

Fundamentals alone won't win you a championship, but lack of them will lose you one in a heartbeat.

As unsmooth as some are when performing it, my way seems closer to actuality.

Hasn't burned him ... yet.

The Valley would want UNO to prioritize BB over hockey. I'm thinking that's a non-starter.

Willing to bet NDSU and MSU coaches are talking today and tomorrow (and the next) about "assignment sharp" and "head in the game" (false starts, etc) to their teams. Willing to bet NDSU and MSU coaches are reviewing their game situation plans (clock, play chart) more than once over the next couple weeks. One man's dead horse is the fundamentals to the guys still playing.

Blue corn chippa nachos?

Up to the National Title game NDSU has lost once (@SDSU) and its next two closest games were a six-point win at home (JMU) and a six-point win on the road (UND). UND is that close. All the little things, from false starts to clock management, from assignment sharp to play calling, need to get cleaned up to get over the hump.

... grass is always greener, ... until it's not.

After a long work week, me and my buddy Tito spent some time together.