The Sicatoka

Every contracted game between the schools UND has played. We've been over that. I've already contacted the NCAA's enforcement people asking why Ben Newman's name is swirling near loss of eligibility issues on at least two campuses. Call it my good deed for the day. You can thank me later. Who could clear up the smoke immediately? Robbins' by naming (names or substances); NDSU by naming the 'giver' (staff, grad student, S/A) that Larson admits to. Heck if Larson know that he knows the substance too I bet. A fifty word press brief and all the supposition goes away.

How in the world does Clemson staff give this to their players when it is not approved in any substance for human consumption? From the link:

Dabo Sweeney and Ben Newman. Chris Klieman and Ben Newman. (Love the photo: Newman on the sidelines in NDSU gear. Almost looks like a "trusted staff member".) Sweeney says his staff at Clemson may have given a banned substance. Robbins' say "trusted staff member" of Klieman's NDSU staff gave banned substance. Condemning? No. Convicting? No. Circumstantial? At best. Coincidental. For now. Basis for an inquiry? I'd have to say ... yes. I'll say it again: Who is the Ben Newman fellow and why do suspensions seem to show up where he is.

Deflecting would be claiming the stimulant in question is caffeine without a definitive statement from Robbins, NDSU, or the NCAA. Only they would know. Other claims are speculation.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him end up with the ugly broken truss.

As the trade deadline nears there are buyers and seller. Honestly, last night Minnesota went to the seller ranks. I'm wondering when Chicago holds the fire sale: Toews to WPG; Kane to BUF.

Surely there are, but those are the two options publicly presented by media thus far. As you say, I won't speculate on what is the truth, I'll stick with what's out there as statements, the options, in the media by the Robbins' and Larson. Otherwise, I'd be speculating on other options and by default speculating on truth. You see, that's critical thinking.

And that description is from a fellow Bison fan.

Given what's in the media we have a "she said / he (Larson) said" dichotomy. Beyond that would be speculation with no basis. So, please don't say "Newman" with no basis; and please don't pass him off as a "consultant" and not a "staff member". As I've said, how about a look into this by a disinterested third party (the MVFC?) to figure out how this happened so all of us can learn and make sure we don't lose senior seasons of starting fullbacks.

A lot of folks are really good at building and starting a place but terrible at long-term operations and management. A lot of other folks are really good at running an existing place but have no idea how to start something from a greenfield up. If this is a transition from the first type to the second type it's a good thing.

Don't break any rules; let it be a Clean Victory for someone.

Cancel? When has there been a 'cancel'? Date please. When NDSU left the NCC there was no longer a contractual obligation to play. There's been no signed contractual obligation to play since, save for the present deal where one game has been already played and the next is in a few months. Don't expect that to be cancelled short of a mutual cancellation due to an act-of-God.

This is where I would have expected NDSU to push back. A player and his mother (a former NDSU WBB star and NDSU Athletics Hall of Famer) have claimed that the substances came from a "trusted staff member". That's quite the indictment and besmirching of NDSU's name. Yes, bad kids will get into program and do unwise things; however, the staff is held to a far higher standard. Either the Robbins' are off base (and nearly slanderous) or NDSU has some untrustworthy "trusted staff members". I'd think NDSU would want that cleared up if they've done no wrong.

John, UND puts out a release semesterly talking about student-athlete GPA by team (can't go by participant because of privacy). The NCAA rates each team of each school with an APR. That factors in graduation rates. You're a bright fellow; there are your leads; go and investigate.

To date, he has not broken any forum rules.

Here's some interesting data ... straight from UND's NCAA reports. 2018 (17 sports): Revenues: $28,656,183 Expenses: $27,455,093 2017 (21 sports): Revenues: $28,201,349 Expenses: $26,727,343 UND spent more money on fewer sports in 2018. I'll say it again: They spent more money. And on fewer sports. That's called "loading up". That's called shifting dollars to priorities.

You assume much. The actions were a realignment of priorities as much as anything. What you're witnessing is that WIH is no longer a priority, nor is swimming and diving, or baseball. You assume if money was raised it would've gone for WIH; no, it seems there are other priorities. That said, a 21 sport DI department was unsustainable. I have it directly from Phil Harmeson (then acting AD) that he said as much to all the coaches when the DI move was made. UND has realigned to 17 sports. (It would've been 16 had men's golf not been privately saved.) Strangely enough, NDSU has 16 sports*. I'd say UND's department has been re-prioritized and (hate the word) right-sized. *Strangely enough, 16 sports is the minimum requirement for FBS; it's 14 for FCS. Why didn't UND go all the way to 14 if it was as bad as some claim?

Doesn't that cut both ways?

If there was an ongoing issue, clearly Grand Forks media would cover it. That said ... Where's the Fargo media follow-up asking Mr. Robbins (and his NDSU HoF mother) to substantiate their "trusted staff member" claim and to assure us that the stimulant in question is something socially benign and not something far more insidious. There are some nasty things on the NCAA banned stimulants list. (And if you insist on going back to 24 month plus old news ...) You may now continue ... ahem ... shopping at Best Buy.

Clearly. Take out hockey's expense and you lose hockey's revenues. UND Hockey is revenue net positive (revenues > expenses) meaning it adds to the department coffers. What I find curious is I have UND's 2013-2018 NCAA fiscal reports. I can't find NDSU's out there for consumption; and, a source who's asked for NDSU's recently says they are slow in responding. (And I have a person who can confirm both claims if they so choose to reveal themselves here.)

Ouch. Looked right through that one.

Was it really USD 50, Omaha 6 at the half yesterday? Ahhh ... yup. 71-13 after 3. Yeesh ...

Recruiting a guy is a year plus process. Freund's been on the job maybe three months. To get an all-state level guy from Michigan is a pretty good coup.

I wonder if Freund's QB success at UND, and also being about the same height (6'0") was an influence.

Did we have more than that on Case? On Graetz? This QB from Michigan has the intangible: He seems to win (30-6 as a three-year HS starter). My guess as to why he didn't get more interest? 6'1". To that I say: Give Russell Wilson or Drew Brees a call.