The Sicatoka

You say it can't be done. I show it can. So your resort to that? C'mon man. I get that the money is the 800 pound gorilla in the room; but, the rules allow it. NCAA politics (spelled: $$$$$) would stop it; but, as written, it's possible within the current DI manual. Can it? Yes. Will it? Questionable.

Added a clarification.

They would be: - conference invite - two-year transition FCS --> FBS - follow all the DI manual rules for FBS Then: - Do an "NCHC" Can it happen? Current rules do not preclude it. Will it? I'm skeptical.

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference? Anyone? (UND, DU, CC, et al, were in the WCHA for a couple-fifty-some years and then started their own conference.)

An outsiders perceptions of what this would do for the Sun Belt: - charge these teams an entry fee (one-time win) - don't give them a split of the money while in SBC (neutral) - find a way to politely dispatch Idaho and NMSU to a western conference (saving travel costs down the road) Negative for SBC (namely, acknowledging Herd's point): An eleventh of the Pie is less than a tenth of the Pie: the SBC is guaranteeing itself less money in the overall split* *Unless that Pie goes up in the future

Dang there j-dub, great minds, eh?

Welcome to Theoretical Land, I'm your host. I started digging into the details of FCS --> FBS (20.4.2 of DI manual). Some key information from that regarding transitioning from FCS --> FBS: (a) it's a two year transition period (b) have to have a full FBS schedule in just Year Two, and © you count as an FBS opponent in Year Two. Keys to making the FCS --> FBS move: 20.4.2.1.1 -- bona fide invite ... OK, your have to be invited in by an FBS conference 20.4.2.1.3 -- you don't have to meet the FBS schedule req's in Year One of transition (my item (b) above) 20.9.9.2.2.1 -- you count as an FBS opponent in Year Two of transition (teams aren't hurt playing you, item © above) Say the Sun Belt invited a large block (say 7 of BSC) of teams. In Year Two all those teams could play each other as FBS opponents, and if the Sun Belt politely shoved Idaho and NMSU toward that block to create "Sun Belt -- West Division" everyone would have 8 games, plus any body-bag money games already scheduled. Most would only need to worry about one more (to make five, 20.9.9.2) home FBS games. If the Belt was truly nice, they'd cover that required fifth home game for those who need it by providing a Sun Belt "East" team (that would probably get a two-for-one in return). Or, for someone like UND, we could try to get a game in Milwaukee or Green Bay v. Wisconsin or such as a "home" game (for attendance minimums, 20.9.9.3). And then at some point in the future the "Sun Belt - West Division" goes the way of the WAC/MWC split back in the day --> Two conferences. Now, why would the Sun Belt do this? Say they charged the teams in that block a cool $1 million each. There's the incentive. Now, unarguably there is the "large pool of money split another way" ($12 million per conf today) conversation (the eleventh FBS conference). That's a whole other set of politics. So, is it logistically possible under the rules? Yes. Are there money issues? Yes, but surely not insurmountable. Thus ends this adventure into Theoretical Land. Thank you for your time.

Yeah, but now CapGeek shows CHI about $2 million over the ceiling. Something has to give. I'm thinking Sharp or Hossa get dealt to relieve cap pressure and to add some depth to the forwards.

And boards so the ball doesn't roll so far away?

Frattin just got traded back to Toronto.

Surprises, lots of surprises. OK, OK ... too easy. Buffalo has to spend $21 million just to get to the salary floor (not the cap). 2014-15 cap is $69 million; the floor is $51 million. http://www.capgeek.com/

http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2014/6/30/GEN_0630145435.aspx

I can fix the passing, the running, and the defense in three words. Line. Of. Scrimmage. Control that and you win.

How about we take care of our own, like in Detroit, Michigan, and Michigan, North Dakota, before we take on saving the world.

Seeing how this section of the memorandum was not invoked: Montana, Montana State, and North Dakota are still in the Big Sky. It's July 1, 2014. Welcome to the University of Idaho Vandals.

Schlossman's AreaVoices blog has the same angle regarding Mantha: http://undhockey.areavoices.com I'm guessing Rick knew that but was being polite in not stating the specific reason. (Holy crap! I just used "Rick" and "polite" in the same sentence! )

Yo, werewolf, a big fraction, a big piece of the pie (as in your graphic), can be oppressed by a small minority: "The 1%" ring any bells for you? (Don't ya hate it when your own argument turns tail and bites you?)

Let me take a shot at this: When I channel-surf right on past soccer what I see during those snips is a game where the token (ball, puck) is seldom possessed. If the token is not possessed you know that scoring action won't be happening. To me, soccer is my worst case nightmare hockey scenario: Two slow, poor passing, slow skating, teams playing on an Olympic rink. --> Pass, miss, puck goes wa-a-a-a-a-a-ay over to far boards, someone (slow) has to skate-skate-skate.....skate-skate-skate-skate....skate-skate-skate to pick up the puck. They get possession, take a stride or two, try a pass ... that misses ... and goes wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ay over to the far boards ... lather, rinse, repeat (ad nauseum).

Numb to the smell, eh?

I'm glad you said "at work" and not "while working" because that would've had me laughing.

KVLY: (noun) NDSU's television broadcast chumbolone. OK, what needs defining next.

And now a murder in north Fargo: Man dead of apparent gunshot wound in north Fargo This is not the North Dakota I recall growing up in.

Seems like LAK have the Kopitar problem solved already.

To me it looks like it's time to be a LAK fan. All their guys are locked up at good cap numbers.