The Sicatoka

Bergum is crazy like fox. He knows the "no" mindset of this state in the voting booth. Putting a change to the state constitution on the ballot is a big change and, well, people will default to the "no". But, if he can make it that people are instead saying "yes" to an end to continual state-wide budget cuts ... I have family connections to both, but in reality Mayville State (45 miles from both UND and NDSU) and Valley City State (60 miles to NDSU) should be "re-imagined". Frankly, Bottineau should go with those two. Devils Lake should become an internet remote testing center for UND Online. Williston? Same as Devils Lake. I'd re-imagine the system to two Universities (UND, NDSU), two colleges (Minot, Dickinson), and two two-year facilities (Bismarck, Wahpeton). Everything else needs to repurpose.

The word you're looking for is "elitist".

http://www.grandforksherald.com/opinion/letters/4433335-letter-correcting-clarifying-column-about-und PS - I'd be really sad to see Hesham leave CEM; he's been a great and effective leader. But, I can't begrudge a person looking to advance their career. No, wait, I said the same about Kennedy ...

NCAA DI requires 14 sports (FCS) or 16 sports (FBS). I'm going back to a two-decades long harp (axe?, mantra?) of mine: Fix that "minimum number of sports" requirement of the NCAA. Schools should be able to pick a sport at a level and play it. Just because you want to play DI basketball shouldn't mean you have to have 10 (12? 14?) guaranteed money losing sports on campus. Let schools support and play what their demographics are interested in and are willing to support. Before you say "Title IX", that's Federal law (and Federal law and the NCAA ... not the same). Schools will still have to pick and choose and design their athletics departments to comply to Title IX; however, and believe it or not, that might give the schools more flexibility than they have today.

To quote a wise mentor: "Anybody can say anything."

Which wouldn't be all bad if the schools could be more self-sufficient and less to the whims of state budgets or politics du jour.

No, that game is called AWESOME!

Didn't Blais claim one time that the position is so important the game should be renamed "Goalie".

Certainly not in that key new market. I used to joke with PCM that I had the Dean Blais recruiting strategy relative to the USHL figured out: Dean didn't want the single best player from any team; he wanted the second and third best players from every team. I'd say Vegas got the NHL flavor of that concept.

It was so nice of Mr. Jacobs to be so critical of Mr. Kennedy for responding to a head hunter. Actually, shame on Mr. Kennedy for being so competent that he's garnering outside interest in his president capabilities in just 20 months.

Ray77: I finally got my numbers, all of them, to reconcile with yours!

LaDue outscoring Doughty in the playoffs this year ... what kind of number could've you gotten on that at a (Vegas) sports book.

Lacrosse has become the sport in some regions for the kids that are missing that one piece* to play football (or hockey). We all knew that person who was great at football to a level but was then too small-framed to continue. We all knew that centerfielder who could run and catch but hated contact or the third-baseman with phenomenal eye-hand (fielding or hitting) and an awesome first two steps but couldn't really go first-to-home ... even on a triple**. *Size, speed, hands, head, vision. ** Guilty.

Mr. Jacobs went after Mr. Kennedy's career and professional decisions. I merely followed Mr. Jacobs' lead in questioning Jacobs' career and asked some follow up questions. I did not personally attack Mr. Jacobs, the man or his character. That would be ad hominem.

You really had to claw your way through that one. You seem to have a real ... talon ... for that.

I'm not saying QB is not important in the larger picture. However, what I am saying is right now on UND's roster it's not my greatest concern. PS - Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, and Ed Belfour would like to schedule a conference call with you later today.

Kennedy: 20 months on the job and being sought by headhunters for larger universities. Jacobs: Another year at the GF Herald. Been there since last century I believe. Did the NY Times, or even just the KC Star, call him?

Ray, I agree with your all your numbers except for me (25) and Engineer (27). Me I have: Carlson 6, Forsberg 3, Karlsson 1, Kucherov 6, Kuznetsov 2, Malkin 3, Subban 2, Wheeler 2 Engineer: Burns 1, Butcher 2, Crosby 7, Hall 5, Hornqvist 3, Josi 2, Kessel 1, Malkin 3, Matthews 1, Subban 2 Best as I can tell, I'm the only player with Wheeler; Engineer is the only player with Butcher and Hornqvist and Kessel Help.

Exactly. That's what Jordan Greenway is for.

I respectfully disagree. I'd say: 1. Offensive Line 2. Defensive Backfield 3. Specialists (punter and kicker) We have a QB who ran Sac State (with big numbers) two years ago. We have a decent juco who spent a year at EWU and was our #3 last year until he forced the then #2 to be exposed (and who has since moved to WR). We have a freshman pushing the both of them. And we have another incoming juco QB. Something will rise to the top of that. The pure competition for the spot will force it out. We are far, far better off at that position today than we were a year ago. And we are better off at QB than at ... Specialists. On the roster today we have a redshirt freshman kicker and no punter. I write that and wonder if Specialists shouldn't move to 1 on my list. No, wait, even if we had the 1983 Washington Redskins offensive line, offensive line would be 1 on my list.

Ow.

My motto: Under promise; over deliver.

I'm setting my mascot expectations in line with my nickname and logo expectations: Low, so they're easily exceeded.

Just beat these guys. Admittedly, I kind of like the middle one as mascots go. Beat that and I'll be impressed.