bincitysioux

Coaches, players hand deliver season tickets in 30 minutes or less

Hell, he was last year.............................

I don't at all forget about R.J.................. Very talented player, quick and explosive, runs great routes, and has very soft hands. He was a huge contributor as a freshman and sophomore. Unfortunately, I see him getting lost in the shuffle for his senior season. That injury last season is going to bury him behind Jackson and Golladay. Let's also not forget about Casey Young or Tyhre Ivery. Both of those guys would have had the potential to be top 2 or 3 receivers at a great number of FCS schools. I don't know who does it, but somebody at North Dakota has been very good at recruiting quality wide receivers...................

I actually forgot about him. I don't know his situation, but it makes me feel good about our depth chart that potentially our 6th WR was at one time a scholarship Big 10 player................

I'm sure it was a combination of both. The Sioux Center is awesome when it is full and rowdy. My best experience there was in 2007 for the women's regional. The place was packed and rowdy as hell. North Dakota will definately have a major home court advantage there for a game against FU. I'm sure it will entice more people to buy season tickets. Perhaps even me, as I've been on the fence about season tickets for basketball for a couple years now. Part of me though, just wants to read "Attendance: 8,123" in the box score the day after the game.........................

Here is my take on North Dakota's Receivers: You are right, that alot of our optimism is based on potential. Hardin is of course a proven upperclassmen, an All-American, and most objective FCS fans would probably agree that he is at the very least one of the of 5 best receivers in the country. IMO, he has easily surpassed any former wide receiver to ever suit up for the Sioux, and there have been some good ones. I personally think that his 3 seasons here have been better than any WR to come through our doors. Having said that, I'm not sure he is even the best wide receiver on our team. Jameer Jackson is a physical specimen. He was recognized as one of the best freshman in the nation for a reason last year. So not only does Hardin have the accolades, but so does Jackson. That kid is good, runs precise routes, has excellent hands, taller and stronger than all of the DB's that will be covering him. Kenny Golladay is the "under the radar" guy that everybody is salivating about. That kid is a freak. He towers over every defender, is uber-athletic, and has the best hands of anybody on the team. If he is here and healthy for all 4 years, his career will go down as something special. Even our 4th and 5th receivers this season who will be Townsend and McGill, they probably even have better hands than Hardin. So anyways, that is my take. It may be bold to say North Dakota has the best receiving corps in the nation, but as someone who has seen every ball thrown to our top 5 receivers during their careers, I think that it is an argument that could be made. The biggest question is do we have a guy that can throw the ball to them?

I agree with all that. And of course with the bigger venue, there would be more FU fans there. But this is one high interest game that can be counted on annually between the two schools. I have never missed the football game much, but I really missed the basketball game while it was on hiatus. This series is a great way to build interest in North Dakota basketball, so I'm conflicted about turning away probably somewhere between 3,000-4,000 people that would otherwise not attend a Sioux basketball game. I also agree that playing in REA somewhat diminishes the home-court advantage due to all the reasons you said, but the majority of the crowd would be decidedly pro-North Dakota, so that would negate some of that. Also playing in front of 7,000-10,000 people in an early season game I would think would help the players get acclimated to that environment when they are playing in front of similar sized crowds later in the year at Weber, Montana, the Big Sky Tourney, and hopefully the NCAA's. Just my two cents. Also agree with all that. If it sells a few more season tickets that is great. North Dakota can and will probably charge double for this game, and that will make up for a good portion of the monetary loss of not playing in REA. The Sioux Center provides a fantastic atmosphere for basketball due to its intimacy, and I know it will be very raucous in there, but the REA is quite an experience for basketball when there is 7,000+ in there as well.

I shuttered when this was announced, because it is a bit cheesy. But if they got 57 new tix out in 6 hours that is impressive. It would be a good idea to explore this campaign for basketball expecially..............

I'd say 57 new season tickets in a 6 hour span is pretty good........

NDSU is going to be at the Betty. Should be a great atmosphere and home court advantage, but the University is leaving a lot of coin on the table by not having it at REA or Alerus..............

Don't know if this was posted elsewhere, but I notice in the info packet that came with my season tix yesterday, it said that all 7 of North Dakota's home football games will be televised by Midco. Also, it mentioned that UND still has a partnership with Fox College Sports and that select games (excluding hockey games) will be carried on FCS.

Until they start playing baseball on ice, I don't think GF fans would support it all that well.......

For anybody in the WDAY listening area, Dom Izzo has been interviewing FCS conference commissioners lately. He had the MVC commish on last night, the CAA commish tonight. I think he said the Southland commish is tomorrow. Big Sky commissioner is the day after that I think. Izzo's show is on 970 AM at 6:30 in the evening.......................

It is kind of a cool idea, but at the same time, a little bit pathetic that it has come to this........................

I agree with all that except for the idea that North Dakota is "all of the sudden" a passing threat. UND his always been a passing threat. Traditionally the Sioux have been very balanced. Most of UND's passing records have been set since Mussman has been here. Going back to the last 10 years in the NCC, QB's like Freund, Bowenkamp, Belmore, Manke, and Klosterman all put up some gaudy numbers in there time here. Last year was just phenomenal. A good coaching staff adapts to the talent on the roster, and that is what they did last year. Now this season we need more balance, and some of the running backs need to step up and take the load off of the wide receivers and young quarterbacks.

They are putting in new turf as we speak I believe. There was a problem with the stuff they installed.last year........

Agree. I hope the Griz fans don't outnumber our student section again this season like they did last year. That was embarrassing.........

Yes, but in basketball, it is generally the coaching staffs that do the scheduling. That is partly why we've seen so many UNI-North Dakota matchups in basketball over the years. Both staffs have connections to the other school. I'm not saying the football coaches don't have any input, just saying that with only a handful of games to schedule in that sport every year, it is mostly the A.D. that makes those decisions.

I think in the case of football, it is generally the Athletic Directors that do the scheduling, so I don't know how much connections between coaches means.

Additionally, 8 wins and a playoff berth are a given.....................

I visited with Coach Strinz a couple years ago about playing in the Alerus. At the time the Alerus was asking for a $22,000 rental fee. I think that would be quite an obstacle for that program.

I'll buy on average attendance being over 2000 this season. Expectations are high and should get bump from the FU game........

I'd be pleasantly surprised if the FU game drew over 7000 again. Didn't even crack 6000 at the Fargodome last season. Maybe if it is on weekend.

Personally, if I were attacked, and then laid out the guy who came at me with a few right hand round-houses, I'd be more than happy to tell my side of the story to the authorities...........................

I think the point is basically that hindsight is 20/20. Mussman consistently gets ripped here for being too conservative for things like punting near mid-field and kneeling before the half. We've had 5 years of him being criticized for stuff like that, but then when he finally goes for it for once on 4th and 1 (unsuccessfully) against UNC last year instead of trying a 53 yard field goal to end the game, everyone changes their tune and says he should have kicked it. Against Northern Illinois a couple years ago, he went for it of 4th and goal from the one in the first half and didn't make it. Everyone seems to forget bold calls like that.