bincitysioux

Here's the press release from the Big Sky on the conclusion of the meetings.......................not much info. The Presidents are meeting next week to approve the things that the ADs went over last week. Here is some audio of Commissioner Doug Fullerton in an interview with the Montana St. beat writer from just before the meetings took place. He is pushing a 20 game basketball schedule, and is dead set against having the basketball tournament moved to a neutral site. He will really push for the the tournament format to remain the way it is. Probably will expand the tournament to 8 teams. They may look at having no volleyball tournament.

"Was" being the key word.................Woodside is gone ya know,

Seems to me like it is NDSU that does most of the public whining when it comes to a North Dakota v. NDSU football game................ i.e. Gene Taylor whining about the Summit Leagues issue with the nickname, Gene Taylor whining about UND rejecting his every other year home-and-home offer, Gene Taylor trumpeting that he approached UND about replacing Georgia Southern for a date that UND had already had filled years in advance................... Any talk of a UND-NDSU football game always ends with Jeff Kolpack interviewing Gene Taylor to get the latest reasons of why it won't work.................

Like I said..............."assuming those programs continue to progress". Yes the basketball team has a long ways to go...........but the team that NDSU played in December was not the same one that was playing in February and March.............just saying there is alot of talent there and alot of optimism. UND's volleyball team kind of kicks ass too.................

Seems like this show was thrown together rather quickly as well................not alot of time for marketing from when the show was announced. About two weeks if I recall?

I sit around the 40 yard line in the front row........... Of course the viewing angle is not great when the teams get near the opposite end zone, but it is fun to be so close to the action.............

A few scheduling notes.................. 9-27 SDSU 10-31 @ SDSU 11-1 @ South Dakota 9-24 Nebraska-Omaha 8-26 Wisconsin-Green Bay Tournament: Dayton, James Madison, Green Bay 10-10 Minot St. 9-2 UND Tournament: Montana, Southern Utah, Green Bay 9-16 Stephen F Austin Tournament: Rice, SFA, Sam Houston St.

I agree on both these points................. Baseball at North Dakota and NDSU at the DI level drives me nuts...................the weather is just not conducive to success. NDSU is a bit better off with a great facility and conference affiliation, but still it is realistically not viable up here on a consistent basis. It was fine in DII with all of the NCC and NSIC schools within driving distance. I'm not as down on softball, basically due to Title IX reasons and the fact that the Big Sky will sponsor the sport. The lacrosse idea is a neat notion on the surface. But I admit I don't have the desire to attend baseball or softball now, and I wouldn't likely make an effort to see any lacrosse. The biggest allure for me would just be the association with more "name" schools. Also, I'm not sold on the idea that the Alerus would house lacrosse if UND sponsored it. I've spoken with Coach Strinz in the past about playing softball in the Alerus. It could absolutely be configured for the sport and that would alleviate weather concerns as far as getting some early season home games or tournaments in. The problem is the Alerus is asking for a $22,000 rental fee for a tournament for softball, roughly the same amount that UND pays for football games. How much would it cost to rent it for a dozen or so lacrosse games? I think if UND had lacrosse, it would more likely be played at Bronson..................

So basically in your opinion, the transition period of the reclassification process is regarded as a failure unless during that transition the reclassifying school defeats a high-major program or FBS football playing school in one of the revenue sports................ NDSU had a very positive transition experience and I give them credit. They are competetive in numerous sports in the Summit League and that is great. But on the other hand I hope when North Dakota is 4 years removed from the transition, I hope that I don't have to continually cruise internet message boards and tout my favorite schools accomplishments during the transition so I can feel better about the 10-14 record that our football program has posted in conference play since the transition ended................... While it would be alot of fun to beat an FBS program or high major men's basketball program so we could go to Bisonville to thump our chest and pat ourselves on the back, it is not a likely a scenario for any transitioning program. Although "a few GWC titles" are not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, I'll still argue that North Dakota has done some positive things during the transition including turning around a dismal volleyball program, turning around a dismal men's basketball program, and securing conference affiliation. Since you insist on speculating what may happen two years from now, to answer your question, IMO based on last season's results, I would say that volleball and men's basketball would have the best chance to compete for Big Sky titles when we join assuming that those programs continue to progress as they have.................

Happy after last season? Probably not................but in the grand scheme of things, North Dakota has had two losing seasons in the past 10 years, the same number that NDSU has had...............hardly reason for armageddon IMO. Were you also bummed that the Rapture didn't come this weekend? In 3 years of "transition", the football team has had a winning record two of three years and beaten the #16 team in the nation, the women's basketball team has won a conference title, the men's basketball team has won a conference tournament title and played in the post-season, the volleyball program has won two conference titles, and the softball program has won a conference title. Failure?......................hardly..........

Generally, it's just Bison fans and Ole in MSP that say North Dakota is failing in the transition.................... IMO, the biggest reason for the negativity surrounding North Dakota's football program throughout the DI transition falls squarely onto the loss to Sioux Falls....................despite the fact that SDSU suffered perhaps an even worse loss to a non-scholarship non-DI program early in their transition, and also have not won an FBS game to date, most knowledgable fans would consider their transition to DI a great success. I think the future looks bright, and I haven't seen anything from North Dakota the last 3 seasons that would lead me to believe that the program is in dire straits as it forges ahead...............

This is probably already well known by the hockey crowd on this site, but Mark Chipman, who heads up True North Sports, is a UND alum and former Sioux football player..........

Somewhat surprised................. Seems to have better credentials than the guy from Murray St. that they hired. Maybe it was Ben's decison, and looking at how well McDermott fared in the Big 12 played a role...........

Don't know if this was already posted, but Pat Sweeney quoted Brian Faison on the 10:00 sports last Thursday night as saying that "we're close" as far as scheduling a game with NDSU.............. I could also care less.......................

Count me in as not being a fan of the 1:00 games............... I started a thread about this last winter, and to my surprise I was apparently in the minority of those who like the later start times........... I'm just a 100 miles out of GF, and I really like the 4:00 game time, but I would like 6:00 or 7:00 just as well. I have no problem getting home late on a Saturday night, and that includes trucking along two kids. For me, the 1:00 games pretty much blow the whole day for me. I don't tailgate, just get there before the game and then head home after, but I'd think tailgating would be better for a later starting game................................apparently not.

So you're planning on going to Portland, OR and Cheney, WA.............but this year's Potato Bowl game might be a hassle and a bit of a long drive home? To answer your, question, I plan on being there as I do whenever the Sioux are playing at home as long as work doesn't interfere. I'd encourage you to take in more road games..................they are a blast no matter where they are IMO. Always fun to see how it's done away from the Alerus. And the players really appreciate seeing you there. Often, you can fly with the team and they make all the accomodations. That is definately the way to go IMO. And as the green team said, I agree that everyone should at least try hitting some UND sporting events that they normally wouldn't. My family of four has season tix for football and hockey, we try to hit a handful of basketball games, and more recently like to get to one or two volleyball matches a year............they're quite entertaining. Hoping to hit a women's hockey game this year. And darrell1976, I implore you to get to the Sioux Center for a basketball game! I know everybody including myself is anxiously awaiting the NDSU game which will likely be in either the Ralph or the Alerus, but the Sioux Center is an awesome place to watch basketball...........I'd suggest the Montana game this season........it should be at or near capacity, and when the Sioux Center is full it is alot of fun.

Scheduling Nebraska would definately be a step away from the FBS scheduling models that Gene Taylor has been using. It is not like NDSU to pursue games against top tier FBS opponents. Nebraska fans may not like Craig Bohl, but it is my understanding that he is very close with Tom Osborn, so that is probably what gets the wheels greased on a potential game like this.

Seriously.................K-State? ? ? ? ?...............who cares........ I would argue that of all the FBS teams that a football team from North Dakota has competed against in the last 6-7 years, that UND has played two of the three toughest in Texas Tech and Northern Illinois. NDSU's toughest FBS opponent to date was Central Michigan, and to their credit they beat them. Other than that the FBS teams they've played, yes they were "regional" but they all sucked by FBS standards. Competetively, K-State is easily the second most formidable opponent they will have faced to date. UND has Fresno St. this season. That is a good program............just as good as any FBS program that NDSU has played this decade. Why do you pine for the "regional" FBS match-ups but then cry foul when UND schedules "regional" patsies like SD Mines? And if Iowa St., K-State and Kansas are "regional", then so are Wyoming and Northern Illinois............

Hefty price for Division I move UNO becomes first school to pay NCAA's new $1.4 Million reclassification fee.........

Folks, there's more to building a football schedule than just plugging in the teams you "want" to play...............................

The rivals were set up geographic proximity.

I'll agree with you on the point about the MVFC/Gateway for football. Always been a nice league, but wasn't really on the radar when UNC, NDSU, and SDSU moved up................when the opportunity presented itself for the XDSU's, I'm sure they were not only pleasantly surprised, but ecstatic. I'll disagree with you on the point of "most coaches would revolt" the Big Sky scenario. Pretty much every school in the Summit League wishes that they were in a different league. That includes NDSU, SDSU, ORU, and even USD who all wish they were in the Missouri Valley Conference. Oakland, IPFW, and IUPUI would cut off their noses to be in the Horizon Leauge. You can't say the same about Big Sky members. Across the board competetively, the Summit and Big Sky are certainly on par with one another. The difference, IMO, is that the Summit is a friendly entry level conference, while the Big Sky is a destination conference for schools that sponser FCS football.

That is the way I've always felt as well regarding our program..............

Even including Allard and perhaps Wilmer? Allard was the guy I was least excited about when this class came in, but I thought he's really progressed since being here and really started to carve out a niche for himself last season. IMO he could be important after Mitchell graduates. If Wilmer stays healthy, it seems like he could have alot of upside at least defensively............ A little off-topic, but what was the last name of the other Jordan from Fargo the left the program, and who got his scholarship.........Brekke/Schuler or one of the 3 true freshman?

I'll bet the telephone in the athletic department at the University of San Diego has been ringing off the hook ever since the Big Sky A.D.'s approved this scheduling model......................