Air Force One

I got a box of Chippers in a care package from my wife this morning. I passed them around the office to be enjoyed by all.

Thank you for the holiday wishes and Happy Holidays to you and yours too. It hasn't really hit me yet that the holiday season is here, everyday seems the same. All my time has been in the Air Force, the Abrams reference was my passion getting ahead of my thinking and both the Air Force and Navy use JDAMS and cruise missles. You were in the Army, I can understand your feelings, it's a whole different quality of life in the Air Force, I enjoy it, I've done well by it. My reply was not so much about the nickname issue as is was me responding to a percieved personal attack in the context of the Sioux vs Viking comparison and how I could not "claim" to be a Viking warrior. But being of Scandanavian heritage I identify with that, that is how I was raised, that is what I read. I just felt you were being too hypocritical since you come on here to rail on us how we don't know you, we don't know your feelings, we don't know how the nickname affects you, we're not Sioux. Fine, your not Viking! Don't tell us how to or not to feel about anything. I think it's pretty darn cool that 800-1,000 years after their hey day, the Norse Warrior is still known, revered, and respected. I too have been a student of UND and the nickname was an issue back then too, but then the only people that were speaking out against the name were caucasian and the Native Americans that would speak were in favor of the nickname. When I would be out and about around campus or the town, everybody seemed so wrapped up in their own issues, I barely saw interaction between anybody much less discrimiatory actions toward a minority. I'm not saying the environment you describe doesn't exsist, I'm saying make me understand with hard evidence, not generalities and 30 year old storys of t-shirts and cartoonish characatures. Today, this week, this month, what has happened this year that has made the evironment on and around UND hostile or abusive? Explain how the logo is hostile and abusive to you, to me it is an image of proud warrior respresenting his people at the height of their glory. Even with all that, I think there is an oppurtunity the Sioux Nation is missing out on here that would be win/win for UND and the Native American. But that's just a white guy talking. Now Mako, first, go back and re-read my orginal post or look at my member information, that's southWEST Asia, and I'm in the Air Force, hence the screen name, but I know the patch and the units you are refering to. Second, I hope you are getting the help you need, so much anger.

As does the "Viking Warrior"! I like this, not only can we not "claim" to be Sioux, we cannot "claim" to be Vikings either, even though my ancestory is Swedish and Norweigian with a little Irish sprinkled in. I know my language, English, I am an American by birth. My parents were born in this country, and 1 of my four grandparents were born in this country. I still keep up with the heritage of my ancestors. Vikings are best known for their expliots along coastal areas but they also took ther long ships down the various rivers in Europe and western Asia and developed trade routes throughout western Russia and central Europe, throughout the Mediterranean, and even down to the Horn of Africa. But I cannot "claim" to be a Viking Now as far as this warrior thing goes, I guess I can only "claim" to be a warrior after 18 years of active duty military service. My first assignment was only 10 minutes flying time to East Germany and we were constantly ready to respond and repluse a Soviet attack, not just for the West Germans but Americans, all Americans, regardless of color, creed, religion, social status. I was there when the wall came down, I was personnally thanked by a former East German, I felt pride. Now I am in southwest Asia, supporting the global war on terrorism and again I'm at the front lines protecting ALL Americans from this latest plague. And again I feel pride. But still I cannot "claim" to be a warrior even though I have protected my people, defeated an enemy, sheltered and provided for the less fortunate, and freed a people. I get tired of coming to my favorite website and being told I cannot be who I am and the thought has even crossed my mind to quit coming or at least quit reading certain threads. But then I think that these people that express different views than mine and even berate me as a person, they are doing it in a free country and that freedom is protected by me so how can I be upset by the fact that they are just exercising that right, in fact I rejoice that you all are exercising that right as Americans. Now as a person I do not have to agree with it but I respect your view. I use cruise missiles and JDAMS instead of broad swords and spears and I ride in F-15s and Abrams tanks but I know who I am and where I come from like Viking Warrior does. Your welcome.

How much time left?

So, this evening I'm up at our base exchange here at lovely Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, doing some shopping and since it's Sioux/Gopher week, I got on the Sioux gear. I'm standing in the T-shirt isle visiting with a co-worker and from the corner of my eye I see something bright. I turn to see this kid rounding the corner in a retnal burning blaze yellow Gopher Hockey shirt! He sees me and gives me a throat slash! Little punk. I returned his acknowledgement with a single finger salute and he leaves the building. I turned back to my co-worker and she asks what that was about, I said Sioux/Gopher week, it's a hockey thing. She was still confused but shook her head like she understood. Damn Gophers are everywhere! For those not at the games or at a satelite party, please post often. Just like football, streaming audio and video is blocked here and your posts are the only way I can keep up with the game. I'm hitting the rack now because I have to get up at 4 AM to follow the game through your posts. Go Sioux!

I tried to resist adding this story but I can't. December 1990 I was in the passenger terminal at Rhien Main Air Base in Frankfurt, Germany waiting for a jet to come back to the Grand Forks area on leave for the holidays, and propose to the girl that is now my wife. Anyway, there are over 300 people in the seating area and we have had several announcements that the jet is further and further delayed. After the fifth or sixth delay announcement the civilian kid sitting next to me, your average looking college student type, says "well, now I' gonna miss all my connections." I asked where he was going and he said Botteneau, ND. I asked why on earth was he going to Botteneau and he said he was a student at NDSU-Botteneau. His dad was stationed at Minot so when he graduated, he choose to continue his school at Botteneau and his folks transfered to Germany and he had just visited them for Thanksgiving. I said, "hey, my girlfriend's brother goes to NDSU-Botteneau". He asked who he was, I told him the name, he says "Oh, he lives next door to me in the dorm." For a split second, the world felt the size of a tennis ball to me. Alright, I surrender the thread, really!

Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota to be more precise. One time my mom answered the phone, it was a wrong number but she knew the person and they had a 45 minute conversation. Sorry to get off the track of this thread, it's just nice to think of home and how things like this work.

I'm related to him by marriage and our families are close, best people in the world to know.

Chorney, Lee, and Oshie are on the roster http://www.usahockey.com/servlets/FileServ...NJrTmRoster.doc Frazee, Wheeler and Kesshole for the piss colored vermin

In reference to the comments about attendance, 1,797 in a 4,200 seat building.

Now I gotta worry what color my house is?! And my truck! I drive a red truck!

What about Bemidji State, Tesch's squad has been making some noise recently.

How could we have passed on this ironman! I'm sure the guys are quaking.

So is it Kaul or VanWeiren? Either way, Ferris is dog food this weekend, and that observation is from 9,000 miles away!

Duluth - my vote is Holiday Inn. With the enclosed skywalks you can go from you room to the DECC and never have to go outside, 5-7 minute walk. There is a bar downstairs from the hotel that Sioux fans gather at before and after the game. There are other hotels on the skywalk system, but I think the Holiday Inn is the most centrally located.

I thought the Sioux were a sovereign nation? At least that

Great job Sioux! I suppose Bulldog will be here soon to tell us how their "unstopable" quarterback is going to lead Ferris St. to victory after their 31-17 dismantling of Findlay. Crushing Ferris will do wonders for our strength of schedule.

I'm still here for a couple of more games, please keep those updates flowing!

Way to go Scarlet Knights! Rutgers 37-29 over Pitt. Didn't Rocky Hager come from or go the Rutgers program?

Thanks Sprig and SiouxMD for the updates. I made it to halftime again, time to hit the rack, a long day at work tomorrow. Keep the posts coming and I will catch up in the morning when I get up. Keep it going Sioux!

To read the posts here and the descriptions in the Heraldo.com, to watch Dressler in person it must look like he is toying with the opposition. True statement?

Kinda a taste of their own medicine for Augie, I read they had blocked a bunch of kicks in their first four games. What quarter/how much time left?

Alright folks, not everybody is at the game, somebody must be by a radio or have a computer feed. Hook a Sioux fan in the desert up, post those updates! Go Sioux!

Who gets the ball to start the second half?