The Sicatoka

Or maybe ... 10% of base salary.

So you're cheering for teams not currently in the PWR top 16 to chew up spots ... interesting ... I wonder why ...

That question applies to all of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation and their "it's about academics" facade ... (ignore the Big Ten Network thing ... ).

Goldie is a combined 6-2 against the OSU/PSU pair with a loss to each.

The PSU/OSU intrigues me. PSU, per KRACH should win about 3 of every 5 games v. OSU; however, PSU is only 1-3 against them this year. Most importantly, I just want the team that can win the next game to come out of this one fresh and ready. Michigan is 4-0 v. Wisconsin this year. I'm pretty sure I know how the night game in the B1G is going tonight. Eaves probably has a tee time tomorrow morning.

Well, here we are just hours away from what are effectively "play in" games to open up college hockey conference tournament weekend 2015. Here's a link to the games, schedule, and primary television broadcast. http://www.uscho.com/scoreboard/division-i-men/

We'll that sounds all "duckies and bunnies, rainbows and unicorns", but it's not how Notre Dame played it when they jumped out of the CFA for a fat NBC television deal in 1990. Seemed football dollars, not academic mission, ruled the roost then. Tell me what's changed.

And now a video biopic of the life and times of MafiaMan ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPU8OAjjS4k

I've wondered why Jake Hanson wasn't the holder for the PK. I hate having the first or second QB, or the P, as the holder for fear of them getting run over. When Hanson's eligibility clock was running anyway, he'd have been a perfect candidate. But going to ILB? Don't most QBs that jump sides of the ball end up playing safety?

Some light reading for those on the road but not driving. Yes, UND does also have a football team. http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=209967976

Some light reading on the highway for those of you heading to Minneapolis and the Frozen Faceoff. http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=209967976

... or game day at the Scheel's Arena ticket window.

You've been slackin' there too, hombre.

In all seriousness, what causes suck-factor*? *Suck-ocity? Suckage? Suckiness?

He did ... in Thief River Falls.

MSU-Mankato and Michigan Tech are relevant and in the conversation today. To those schools that is significant.

Mafia has to have some Carlos Santana on the iPod. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Whgn_iE5uc

There has to be more to it than those five things.

How powerful is a logo that meets those five items, plus Mafia's criteria? I can evoke a positive or negative emotion out of just about every sports fan with this link. <-- Folks, that's a powerful sports logo.

And if the logo can't have the unicorn flying and pooping a rainbow I'm out also.

Here are some thoughts on the subject "borrowed" from this website: Distinctive: "Consumers need to be able to recognize a logo. Therefore, a great logo must be distinct, easy to read and understand. ... unique enough to avoid confusion with other companies’ logos." This last part is why I struggle with the interlocked "ND". It's gets confused with "Our Lady of South Bend" too often. Usable: "A good logo must be flexible enough to work in any situation/medium required." The Ben Brien logo was great until you had to try to produce that detail on a two inch or smaller size, say on a hat. Timeless: "To be effective, a logo should stay with the business as it grows. ... A well-designed logo will persevere for years to come." Everyone remember the Buffa-slug Sabres logo? Too trendy. They went back to their timeless logo. Effective without color: "A good logo not only needs to work in black and white, but it should also still be effective. If color is needed to communicate the message then perhaps too much emphasis has been place on it." Not much more to say. Memorable: "Your logo should make a statement about your company. It should be engrained in the consumers brain when think of your industry." Say the old nickname and Ben Brien's artwork probably pops into your mind. We need that kind of logo.

I saw this brought up in another threat. It's a good topic (and maybe someone on some committee will read it). So: What makes a great logo, and what are sure-fire ways to "logo fail".

Are MSU-Mankato (PWR2) and Michigan Tech (PWR5) all that upset about being with the "dregs" in the WCHA right now?

The Saudis hate the %gobc.

Trying to stay factual (and not political): Why is the price of oil going down? Because the Saudis opened the spigot. Why? Because they know Iran needs oil at about $100/bbl to pay their bills. And if Iran has no money Iran doesn't have money to spend on building a nuclear weapon. That's good in the minds of the Saudis. But wait, there's more: The Russians have been helping Iran with the technology for the Iranian nuclear program. Oil under $50/bbl hurts the Russians because the eastern Russian shale oil fields aren't viable with prices under about $70/bbl. Thus the Saudis get a double-bonus out of opening the spigot, flooding the market, and causing the price to fall: hurt Iran, hurt Iran's collaborator Russia. But wait, there's even more! The Saudis view handling Iran (keeping nukes out of Tehran's hands) as an American problem. The Americans haven't been doing that. Thus, although the Saudis know low oil prices hurt the US shale plays, and probably doesn't make American lawmakers that depend on that tax revenue happy, they can live with it because the Saudis really aren't happy with having to deal with what they consider America's problem to deal with (Iran's nuclear ambitions), themselves. You see gas floating between $1.80 and $2.40 a gallon. I see Saudi Arabia afraid of a nuclear Iran and using their lone weapon of (economic) warfare to head it off. (Closing: Note I made no mention of particular politicians or parties, or political views.)