BigGame

I do like the current helmets, but the silver helmet does look nice.

Relax, Chris Belmore had some good games in the past for the Sioux but it is obvious to most people that Reed Manke gives UND the best chance to win. Manke has played great football when healthy this season while Belmore has struggled going back to the second part of last season, although he did play a little better last weekend.

Sounds like the UND offense is doing well if you don't take into acount the turnovers. Belmore almost seems like he has his mojo back.

I had to switch to the Mankato audio, is anyone still getting the UND internet audio?

I agree, as far as ranking are concerned. I reality all national rankings for high school teams are meaningless.

In the district I work in, I think a typical Minot High Team which is usually pretty good. would be in the top 3 almost every year in the district I work in, but it is a weaker 5A district in TX. Part of the problem would be adjusting to the better team speed. Even though most of the teams are better athletically than what you would find in ND, most ND teams don't turn they ball over 7 or 8 times a game and kill every other drive with penalties. Most of the teams I see every week tend to have these problems and almost never get them corrected for any length of time during the season. That is why I think ND teams would fair better than most think, because the though typically not as athletic they tend to play the game better as a team and make fewer mistakes.

I think what you are seeing on TV is the best of the best programs, which are very good and have tons of talent. I live in TX and the speed and skill positions that almost every team has is really amazing. That said most of the teams are sloppy, especially considering they have athletics classes and spring football which means they play football all year long. If you put a good ND team in TX, they would get absolutely handled by the elite teams, but I think they would fair very well against the average TX high school football team. The funny thing about it is that the best teams in TX aren't typically the teams with all the D1 recruits. Katy High School and Southlake Carrol are both great programs and win every year. Southlake has only lost 1 game in 3 years and they might have a couple D1 guys playing for them, but they crush teams with far more talent. North Dakota teams tend to be more disciplined than most of the TX teams I watch each week, if they had as much time to work on football as the TX schools, I can't imagine how good they could be. When I first moved to TX, Aldine Eisenhower High School had 21 players sign d1 national letters of intent. Katy High school beat them by 30 in the playoffs that season, less speed, less talent, only one kid gettting a D1 offer and they whipped them. The speed would be the biggest problem for the ND schools, but I think up front on the offensive line the average ND school might actually be a little better than most TX schools.

I am not condoning anything done in the situation, I was just trying to get Bringdeanback to look at it from another perspective and not assume the reporter gave a fair and accurate account of what went on. I don't know the whole truth to the story, but most newspapers tend to omit a lot of facts in order to slant a story. I just don't know that we should blast somebody based upon a story that is likely far from the truth. I don't use violence to solve problems, but I have also never dealt with being a minority that is a likely target for some idiot that has prejudices based on ethnicity. People can only take so much abuse before they act.

You only take bits and pieces to what I am stating. You are assuming the interviewed women did nothing wrong and I really doubt she was just sitting and minding her own business and they went off on her. I just would like you to see the other side of the coin.

Are you black? and had racial slurs spat at you thoughout your life? I can't identify with him well enough to know exactly what I would do, but a person shouldn't be able to hide behind there gender. If you were pushed far enough to strike a man, why not a woman? Who knows for certain until put in the situation.

You are assuming it has been reported accuratly, which almost nothing is any more. Like I said I don't condone his actions, but if they made racist comments toward him I can understand why he might go off. You aren't in his situation so you truely don't know how you would react.

I not saying anything about what he did, but you should probably get off your high horse. I am sure you have never in you life, lost your cool in a situation. I am also guessing you probably don't have to deal with the crap he has to either. I think what he did was wrong, but they people that making the comments deserve a lot more than what they got.

Sometimes people get to close to a situation to be objective about it. The coaches want to win and do whats best for the team, but they do make mistakes. Do the coaches have more info. than the rest of us? of course but that doesn't always indicate they will make the correct judgements. It's just an opinion, but I was a student athlete at UND once and I understand the work and commitment. When I was at practice and meetings every day I didn't agree with all the personnel choices either. People will disagree about things, but to say Belmore is doing well in these games is bogus. Would someone else do better, maybe or maybe not but as a person who coaches football I would at least give a different player some game time to see how they handle it. It really doesn't matter, the QB needs to protect the ball. We aren't just talking about an INT, it was also returned to a 95 yard TD. Later when UND needs to move the ball they have zero ability to throw, overthrowing the WR's and then throwing another INT giving Auggie field position and a chance to take the lead. INT's are the QB's fault, he has other options than to just throw the ball up for grabs. Most of the time yes, but not always. I have been in the situation of the players, and understand football well enough to make educated statements about the situation. Am I correct, I think so but it is just my opinion. I guess I will get a better look at the play Monday after watching Sioux Sports weekly. UND is 5 -0 which is great, but they are going to need to play better as a team and have a much better performance from the QB as the toughest part of the conference schedule approaches. MSU will play UND tough, they seem to play everyone tough but can't manage to win a game. UMD, USD, and UNO will all be very tough games and SCSU is scarey because they are good team that has lost a few close games and will be looking to upset the Sioux. I was really hoping the scare WWU put into UND would lead to a better performance this week but it didn't work out that way.

He also threw a game turning TD pass to the other team!, and this isn't like it's the only game he has made these huge mistakes. Yep they might be OK as long as they don't actually run into a good football team. It's hard to take, because when Manke is playing you get the feeling he is going to make a play and that UND could score or keep drives alive based on that. I get the exact opposite feeling with Belmore at QB. I hope he doesn't fumble, throw a pick, or take a sack to kill a drive. Manke is the leader, but don't think the other guys on the team aren't playing just as hard for Belmore.

The problem is players need to be accountable for what they do on the field. For example I hope Stroup gets absolutely ripped by the coaches for the stupid penalties he takes. Stroup makes a lot of plays, but he is young and I wonder how often he blows his assignments? Only the coaches know that but is he on one play making a huge play for our defense, but on the next blowing an assignment that gives the opposing team a twenty yard gain. It takes 11 at a time to play the game, but only 1 of those 11 needs to blow an assignment that turns the tide of the game. If they continue to play Belmore and he keeps making freshman mistakes, what good is it to the rest on the guys busting ass every play. I think most player will pick him up after the mistakes, at least for a while, but having this happen every game will get very tough for player not to a least wonder why Freund isn't getting a shot. Why is it OK to play Belmore while he continues to struggle, Freund is putting in the time as well and probably deserves an opportunity. I don't like the idea of playing someone just because he's a senior, I would rather see it based on the level of play they offer the team. One thing that works against coaches evaluating QB's in practice is that they don't get hit, so Belmore could look perfect in practice and almost certainly throws a nicer ball than the other UND QB's. You can't really get a look at game pressure in practice and likely Belmore is looking like a better QB in practice only to struggle game after game. I don't think Belmore shouldn't play at all, but at least give Freund a chance to play a few series. Or just play Belmore hope for the best, wish Manke a speedy recovery, and find out next year if UND is going to have a capable QB.

He needs to sit down, he can be Freunds backup next week. Freund might make some mistakes, but at least you will be getting a guy prepared to play next season and I am confident he is more of a football player and playmaker compared to a Belmore who is a QB with great skills that craps his pants every other play. I look at him being more along the lines of Manke in the style he plays. Also remember how reluctant the UND coaches where to even give Manke a shot to play over Belmore. He is a far better QB and never would have touched the field at UND as long as Belmore OK. Only they huge screw ups each week at the end of last season game Manke a shot and that is very disappointing to me. It seems the UND coaches are a little blinded when in comes to certain players on the team.

I thought the defense played pretty well at the end of the game, but they don't seem as dominate up front as they did a few games back. The turnovers and mistakes put the D in some tight spots late in the game.

UMD is up 17 - 0 on WWU

The defense saved Belmore's ass today! I hope they don't start him ever again.

If your going to have a QB play poorly, it may as well be a young guy that might end up starting next year.

Does anyone know what is the deal with Jake Caufield? It seemed he was starting to perform well at the end of last season, but I haven't heard anything about him this season.

Yeah, Belmore completed a pass!!!!

Belmore needs to be yanked, what is with giving him so many chances.

I hope it will not be long

UND has started most of this seasons games poorly. I hope the defense can get a quick stop so UND doesn't get into a hole.