bincitysioux

Damn, now I'm getting picked on at this message board, too.

It's about time! I never liked basketball in the Ralph, too big creates a dead zone. The atmosphere should be much better in the Betty. To my knowledge, the Betty is also wired for TV, so there should still be a couple games on FSSN this season. This is good for hockey, too. The ice should stay in better shape without always having to change between hockey or bball.

I never said that hockey plays a factor for the big sky, I said having DI experience might, and UND has alot more DI experience than the Ag College. I hope you are a joking when you say that NDSU and UND are pretty close on an academic level. That's just funny. I never said UND could make the Sky as a DII, but would have a better chance than SDSU/NDSU while on probation. The Big Sky is a pretty lofty goal for any Dakota school, but if UND were DI, they'd have a much better shot than SDSU/NDSU.

NDSU had a chance to have DI hockey, it will now never happen. It is much easier to have DI-AA football than D-I hockey, that is why they made the move.

deeks pizza is the best!

I think Digger Anderson could possibly play special teams and safety in the NFL.

UND, nor NDSU has any shot at the gateway. The independent conference is bad, but it is a conference. If UND moves within the next five years, they will be in the Great West and the Independent conference. I think the best option for non-football sports after the probation period is the Horizon Leauge. The chances for the Big Sky are very slim for either NDSU or UND (if they move) unless Sac State and/or Portland St. leave. If they stay, the Big Sky will look to schools farther west than the Dakotas if they expand. However if they did consider a Dakota school, I think UND would have an advantage, even during the probation period, over SDSU/NDSU, simply because of facilities, acadamics, and a prior history in DI competition.

Neither do I. Just remember that both schools have DI programs. The difference is that UND's marquee sport competes at the highest level of play available in the NCAA. NDSU's marquee sport competes at a secondary level of play in the NCAA. UND's marquee sport competes against schools like Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, BC, Notre Dame, etc. NDSU's marquee sport competes against SDSU, some teams from Louisiana, Southern Utah or something, etc. This is why UND sporting events are on television so much, because of their level of competition. Don't assume that NDSU will be anything other than mediocre in DI-AA play as they have been nothing more than that in DII for the past 15 years. UND is not a hockey-only school. I go to alot of hockey games but I have season tickets for football, not hockey. I am not a huge college football fan, just a Sioux football fan after going to school at UND, but I have always been a huge NFL football fan. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about the sport. But for what it is worth, I had never heard of I-AA football until the NDSU move. I had never heard of the football team from Northwestern St., in Louisiana. But I did know that BC and Michigan had hockey. I'm not knocking I-AA, because after learning about it, I think that UND football belongs in I-AA also. Just don't think that a football game in N.D. against Nicholls State, Weber State, or UC-Davis is going to garner more attention, locally or nationally, than a hockey game in North Dakota against Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan. And don't think that if the Bison ever do play the gophers in football that anyone outside fargo will care, because it will be nothing more that DI vs. DI-AA warm-up game. Kind of like an NDSU vs. Arkansas-Monticello game. Just a game to get the gophers ready for the football season. But when North Dakota plays Minnesota in hockey, people all over the country take notice, because they know it is a game that will likely have playoff and nat'l championship ramifications.

I don't get what you mean. ndsu only drew 1100 against Dakota Weslyan, and they couldn't get any DI's into the BSA other than SDSU. I'm sure more seats would have been filled if someone like UWGB were there. I'm not talking 5,000, but probably like 2,000-2,500. They probably would have drawn close to that against Mankato or Duluth if they were still in the NCC.

I don't think that a Wis-GB or any opponent from the Horizon league would draw less than Dakota Weslyan or Colorado St-Pueblo.

Just one more point about attendance regarding UND, DII, and DI. UND drew 9,389 per football game in '04, seventh best in DII. Two schools ranked ahead of them (NDSU and SDSU) are in transition so actually you could say UND was 5th. The average for DII football attendance is only 3,685. The average for DI-AA is 7,666. North Dakota already draws better than most I-AA schools. For men's basketball, in '04 UND drew 2550 per game, 11th in the nation in DII. Throw out SDSU (#1 DII Attendance), and that again puts us in the top 10. Average DII basketball attendance was 864. Average DI was 5,154. I know UND is closer to the 864, but c'mon, that sounds pretty meager to me. In '04, UND hockey was 2nd in the nation in attendance, 10,870. Last point, average enrollment of DII schools is about 4,300, while enrollment of schools with I-AA football is a little over 10,000. I believe UND's enrollment is right around 13,000. UND/GF can support a program at the next level.

I don't know if I think they'll put together a hockey program if it passes, but they will definately move bison basketball downtown if it is built. They are keeping quiet about it because Chapman and Taylor know that the voters will never support it for that reason because NDSU is already burning through their funding in making the move to DI.

I agree, basketball in the ralph sucks. It's just too big for DII/NCC play. The betty is a much better basketball environment for Grand Forks. As far other events like concerts go, I think it is fine to have them in there.......during the offseason. It really hurts the ice quality situation when they keep changing back and forth from hockey, to basketball, to a crappy incubus concert. I love money too, and I think the hockey team should always have priority, but face it right now they don't. And on a another subject, if the REA is privately-owned why does Kupchella get a say on where the student section is? Shouldn't REA inc. get to decide that? I am an alumni now, and I sit in the club lounge. When I was in school I sat in the student section in the Old Engelstad. If I had it my way, I would still sit in the student section. I can't believe the University president and the complaints of certain alumni that sit in corporate owned seats would dictate what should be the electrifying college atmosphere surrounding the greatest program in the nation.

Congratulations to Bowenkamp, I think that is awesome. I have only been following UND football since the late 90's when I went to UND, but I personally think that he is the best quarterback to have played for North Dakota. He is a pure pocket passer and has all the physical tools that a quarterback should. Even though the Vikings are my 32nd favorite team in the NFL, I will follow them more closely now, and I hope that John can have the opportunity to make the team. Good luck, Bow!!

Is that true? Has anyone else heard this?

I thought the deal was when they built the Ralph, that REA Inc. would operate it for three years to ensure that it was profitable, then gift it to the university. Did something change, or am I just totally confused?

Anybody heard how the spring game went today? I'd like to know how Belmore is looking or Manke for that matter. Both of those guys scare me.

This is just a question out of the blue, but has anybody seen Danny Freund play this spring? I think that this guy is the future of the Sioux offense.

Question: Why is the mens basketball championship on nat'l tv while the football championship is on cable? Isn't football the most popular sport in the U.S.?

With a new coach, and losing Parise and Bochenski, I'd say this season was a great success. I would have never guessed back in January that I would still be watching Sioux hockey this past weekend. I'm really looking forward to next year. Zajac, Jordan P,. and Spirko have alot of potential to be great college players and I really hope Stafford and Greene stick around for next year. If they do I am confident that another Frozen Four appearance is all but a lock.

I say, #1: Winona St.--They are the cream of the crop in the NSIC. They have alot of success in recent years in football. They are relatively close to UND, USD, and Augustana, and could build in-state rivalries with SCSU, and UMD. #2: Nebraska-Kearney--They have been down in recent years, but again: geography. Close to USD and Augustana. No farther south than UNO. Potential for a helluva instate rivalry with UNO.

Can't wait! I'll be there every saturday, right next to the band. I'm predicting that that ESPN2 semi-final game will be in the Alerus. Go Sioux!

I went to school at UND, and was always a supporter of hockey. But this year I became a hardcore hockey fan and that was because of this year's team. They have a lot of guts and they make me proud to be a North Dakota alum. Thanks for a great season, and I'll be at alot more games next year, cheering you on!

Sorry, all I'm saying is that UND draws alot better than most D-II schools in football. When I said 10,000, I must have just been caught up in the excitement of playoff football. I suppose there is more time to count the people in the stands at NDSU games. Football can compete at the next level....it's just that no other sport can.