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1. It's interesting. Let me explain it to you. Sometimes, people that are involved with, or that follow sports closely, because they enjoy seeing them, like to keep track of them. Last night I watched part of the mavs suns game. I did this because I enjoy sports. If there was news that the the suns were moving to a different city, I would care about that also, because its interesting to me. This whole situation with the dakotas is ten fold as interesting as that. This kind of local conference affiliation stuff happens once in a blue moon. I think you could pretty well argue that since the inception of college sports in the dakotas, there hasn't been a more dramatic or far reaching situation. Sure Creighton and UNI went D-I, but now we're talking simultaneously (or were) about the NCC collapsing, and schools that were just in D-II three years ago playing major schools in sports. If thats not interesting to you, then I don't think much to do with sports will be. 2. Its not hard to correct some of the near insane posts in here. The post about "UND will never, ever, have a problem with money". I mean come on, all of you know thats dead wrong, you just choose to ignore it. If it makes me smart, to know that schools have problems with money, then I guess I'm a genius. I guess it also makes me a genius to read the news and understand that UND won't be going to the big sky any time soon. Its pretty simple logic here, I mean, last week you have two conference commisioners tell UND they need to be D-I before they are going to get consideration. NDSU and SDSU haven't gotten much consideration for their conference affiliation earlier in their transition, just like northern colorado. Now their over half way done, and what happens? Conference affiliation starts to look more likely. Is it that big of a stretch to realize that UND is going to have to do the same thing? Does it make me that "smart" to see what right in front of everyones face? Come on, all of you can see the things I say too. You just want to ignore them, because the truth is too painful. The truth is that the SU's, along with your president have pinned you between a rock and a hard place. For years you could say that you were better than NDSU because of hockey. But now thats looking like its all gone. You can't come up with the money for D-I, and you can't afford to be left behind by NDSU and look like second fiddle. What do you do? Its a tough spot to be in, and unfortunately for you its going to shape you're university for the next 50 years. You don't go D-I now, and wait 10 years, NDSU will already be looking at trading up conferences and leave you looking like second fiddle again, because of their time advantage. What happens if NDSU gets into the big dance? That media exposure will eclipse anything UND has ever seen in the state, and drive UND alums crazy. And you know what alums want? Instant gratification. They will want UND caught up immediately, but it won't be possible, so you'll have an even tougher climb into D-I than NDSU and SDSU have had. Sorry that got long, but I hope this post clears up any questions you had about my feelings of the future. I think I have made them abundantly clear.

Well, for one, their three years through their transition. Another I guess, is both of them are going to be fully funded when they are out of the transition, while UND is running a deficit in D-II and using waivers for womens hockey. Another related point would be that they don't have hockey holding them down, taking a huge percentage of the available donor money for athletics. Another point would be they have presidents that actually wanted to go D-I as opposed to a president who is doing everything in his power to stop the school from going D-I. I think I've said all of these points before, so don't accuse me of pissing and moaning if you're not willing to actually listen to what I have to say. You guys can keep talking until your blue in the face about how the SU's have no advantage over you going D-I, but you never can quite figure out why it is that they're D-I, and you're still D-II. I assure, there are actual reasons and actual advantages those schools have over UND. That doesn't mean UND won't go D-I or can't go D-I, just thats its increasingly unlikely.

I'm sorry, but I just saw this, and cdog, that has seriously got to be one of the most idiotic things I've ever read. For a school so well endowed, it sure is funny that you can't even fund your womens hockey team. It's also funny your running a deficit in D-II. I mean its bad enough that your still in D-II talking about it, but you really think that if you're D-I money isn't going to be an issue? Ohio States athletic budget is approximately 100 million a year. You don't think you'll have an issue competing with that? Do you think right now all of the mid majors are thinking, "yeah, we don't need any more contributions, we're not taking any this year. Money's not really an issue for us. " I truly hope you meant something else, because you're completely out of touch with reality if you believe that UND has so much money that its not an issue. I can assure you, it is a huge issue, and if you are a wealthy person, I would suggest donating to UND if you really are a fan, and can afford it. They don't have a surplus of money, just like every other school in the country.

Yeah, thats it. Definitely not NDSU's transition period, geography, and being a relative unknown to the conference. It was UND. I mean, UND is the center of the world.

Yeah, then we can start running this school like it should be, FOOTBALL and HOCKEY FIRST. Is anybody else as tired of academics as me? I mean seriously, how much can it cost to have classes. The first thing that needs to go are all of the teachers. I'm pretty sure they could get by on half of what they have right now. I mean, their not even doing anything half the time. What a bunch of lazy as$es. The money saved there could probably fund a move to D-I, so that UND is playing for the nickel again. And thats not even getting to all of that bullsh!t "research". I've got an idea, why don't all of those teachers research a beer at a hockey game. THERE'S something that actually matters.

Yeah, my hearts broken. Thats sounds like something someone's mom would say to them. "Don't worry about him, hes just jealous of what a nice boy you are". Give me a break. I can tell that nobody has any actual facts when I have to read stuff like this. Everybody remember, I'm the reason UND isn't D-I right now, so keep insulting me, and it will just go away!!!

Why because I choose to argue with posts that are incorrect? Sorry I guess. I'm not a UND cheerleader, and I don't claim to be. Out of all of my posts I challenge you to find any that are irrational, or incorrect in the information they provide. If you can't than I don't understand your problem. In two years UND will be in D-II. In five years, UND will still be in D-II working on their hockey program. The longer UND goes without being a peer of NDSU's the less likely it is they will change. 10 years from now, talk about UND and NDSU playing each other is going to seem like a novelty. Thats my opinion. I'm sure it pisses you off. Thats why I don't go around saying it on the board, and instead just talk about topics that interest me.

Some words for thought from the man sooooooo interested in UND"

I see, so when the argus has something positive to say about UND (citing them as being considered for affiliation) your all over that to tell everyone its a fact... and when they have something negative to say "its not as if they have any inside information". Thanks for clearing that up. Either take the article or leave it... don't cut the pieces out you want and discard the rest. And seriously if another person talks about what fullerton wants, as if they actually know, or that anything out of his mouth is remotely close to a "fact" I'm going to throw up. I don't know what else the guy has to do to lose your trust? Invite you to the conference, and then tell you it was a joke two days later? I mean seriously every possible situation imaginable has come out of that guys mouth, and ITS NEVER RIGHT. Why can't you see that? Are you blind? Its not that hard. Sorry again about arguing with your "facts" of having cited the conference comissioner that has absolutely no say in what happens, about what he was talking about prior to a meeting last month, a meeting where he said that they didn't want to expand to twelve, and that UND isn't going to get any consideration until they are part way through the transistion. Oh wait, those are "facts" that you're choosing to ignore. Sorry, I forgot to not include those.

Seriously Cratter, whats the very first thing you said. I'm not even going to waste my time on comment that stupid. Here's a quote if you need it: Guess you shouldn't have said that if your going by the argus leader then, huh? I guess if you think UND is going to be considered as a stand alone member anytime soon, I see your point, but otherwise I don't. UND has virtually no chance of being in the big sky for the next 5-10 years.

You are actually serious aren't you? I mean, none of this is a joke. You actually believe there is a chance of UND being in the big sky next october don't you? It's not happening anytime soon... period. Chances are pretty good that NDSU and SDSU are going to be accepted to the mid con in the very near future, and your still talking about the big sky 3 team scenario. BTW, great job with the selective use of quotes from the argus leader and other sources. You did manage to leave out this little tidbit though: I suppose now the story is that UND only is going to big sky, once they declare division I. Its pretty interesting to see how far you guys will take this fantasy. I would have thought most people would have given up on this by now, but some of you absolutely refuse to give in. I'm sure you'll be talking about this for the next 20 years too. When NDSU and SDSU are going to switch out of the mid con, there will be people in grand forks talking about how UND is going to come along for the ride. http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...ORTS0202/605240 309/1002/SPORTS

Hey, I don't want to hear it. After all the !@$! people were running there mouths about to me, and all I did was state reality, and I got called everything from an idiot to and SDSU fan for it. Then I make one single post when proved right, and I get you telling me how I don't like blah blah blah. I don't have a problem with any institution. I don't have a problem with speculation. I do have a problem with posts that are so far out of touch with reality, that the poster doesn't even know what their talking about. I'm thinking maybe getting mocked a little bit will make some people think before they trash other posters in the future for not agreeing with their skewed perspective of reality. Sorry if you can't take that.

NO, you guys have it all wrong. Here's what I see happening. Tomorrow Kupchella is going to have the donation conference. There going to roll out a huge cake, and all of a sudden.... FULLERTON IS GOING TO JUMP OUT WITH A CHECK FOR A 100 MILLION DOLLARS TO UND ATHLETICS AND SCREAM "YOUR IN THE BIG SKY, CONGRATS". THEN, AN NCAA REP IS GOING TO COME OUT AND PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR THE BEING WRONG ABOUT THE FIGHTING SIOUX NAME, AND ANNOUNCE A SETTLEMENT OF 200 MILLION DOLLARS TO UND. THE GOVENOR IS THEN GOING TO ANNOUNCE THAT EVERY YEAR ON THIS DATE IS OFFICIALLY UND DAY!!!!!!. So what happened? Despite all of the assurances I've heard about the big sky giving out invites today, the huge amount of media outlets saying this was incorrect prevaled? I don't get it? I thought it was a done deal. Guess we'll have to start the speculation for next october soon, huh?

Man, Mlpsbison, if message boards actually had the power to put NDSU in the big sky, you would be well on your way there because of your hard work the last week. I never thought I would see anybody be as determined not to see NDSU in the mid con as you are. I don't know what your going to talk about after tuesday? The next big sky meeting in october?

Well I guess I didn't see it that way. Is it too early to say sho-in?

Give the guy a break. I can see your point about talking about it matter of factly, but besides that what do you want. Its May, what do you want to talk about, how the football season is going? Right now message boards are about evenly divided between wild speculation and whos marching band is better.

Those are good points, and you also bring up another good point. Starcity, what about the chances of the A-10 or horizon poaching members of the colonial for their conferences? I would think a final four by one of those schools would really look nice in one of those conferences.

Thats an interesting scenario. I had a couple of points though. First, the A-10, wouldn't they be just as likely to attempt to grab a few MVC schools as horizon schools? Southern Illinios, or Bradley maybe? These seem to have as good of a history as any of the horizon schools. If that happens, SDSU and NDSU may find themselves in a position that they always dreamed of, competing for a missouri conference position. Second, why do you think that schools from the horizon would be interested in the A-10? I know right now its regarded as a "high major", but it isn't all that much better than the horizon, with its recent success. Right now the schools in the conference have a great bus league setup, why would they want to give that up for way more travel, with schools that don't look as much like themselves as the horizon with the addition of valpo looks like. I guess my real point here is that you have a pretty long prediction stream there, and I doubt that anybody will be deciding there conference future like that. I do know for a fact that SDSU and NDSU in the mid con right now is a better bet for Division I success then being an independent, and being in the mid con is a better bet for division I success than being in the NCC.

Read the writing on the wall Mlpsbison. The big sky isn't going to happen for NDSU anytime soon. They've rejected you twice, and that was with SDSU as a travel partner. You think now something has changed? Nothing has changed, the big sky isn't serious about expansion. NDSU will be in the midcon. Reading your stuff, it reminds me of the guy who keeps asking for a date after he's been rejected more times than he can count. Give it up, its not going to happen.

Just to clarify, these are the same meetings that only four presidents are attending from the big sky? I really doubt anything is going to happen there.

If I was a Sioux Fan I would be pissed about this excuse. If this was one of us at our place of employment, and we missed a deadline like this, for something this important, it would likely be grounds for a firing.

Exactly, Fullerton will say anything. Why, after the last two turn downs, fans are glued to his every word, is beyond me.

Thanks for "breaking it to me". Too bad you didn't address a single point I made. I don't remember talking about NDSU academics, or fan support. I know that everyone in Fargo thinks that Fargo is the best thing since sliced bread, but do you seriously know how it is percieved around the country? Do you think Hawaii's president is going to think "NDSU in fargo, I heard they had direct flights from Delta coming in, what a great place to get to". NO, he's going to say "FARGO, !@$!, isn't that on the north pole? No way in he!! am I going to be sending my teams there every season". You guys are dreaming a pipe dream in ND right now. Do you really think that NDSU, three years removed from the NCC is a WAC team? Come on, I bet Minnesota mankato had no idea that they were playing a WAC team three years ago. This whole conversation is a joke. And, believe it or not, the MVC isn't actually immortal. Some teams may actually leave the conference. Its known to happen in "college athletics" every so often. I'm definitely SDSU's biggest fan though. I mean I must be to have the completely rediculous idea of a former NCC basketball school joining other former NCC basketball schools in the same conference. Completely ludicrous, I know. I mean what does SDSU have in common with UNI? No way those two are the same level any time soon. Did you guys ever consider that I am an actual fan that isn't biased, and that maybe, just maybe, you have a warped view of reality toward SDSU? I seriously am not a fan of the school, but they way you guys talk about it, I would think there is a dump right in brookings that some guys play sports at sometimes. Hate to break it to you Fargo Bison, but NDSU and SDSU are pretty much the same school, except one has a nicer basketball facility, and one has a nicer football facility.

I'm sorry but until someone shows me an article where it says the Big Sky is definitely expanding, I'm going to view comments like this as the ultimate arrogance. You are and independent. You take what you can get, and THEN try for something better. You're two years from being tournament eligible. Any conference that wants you is a gift. NDSU fans seem to have turned this whole thing into them having a choice of conferences, which is laughable. I'm getting a pretty long list of people I'm going to mock in around two weeks going right now, and you just added yourself wyobisonman.