bincitysioux

Getting off topic Steer it back on course.

NDSU's new women's basketball coach, Maren Walseth, signs 5 year deal worth $150,000 per year.

And the Metro Atlantic has a higher Men's Basketball RPI than the Summit. Do you think your favorite school should make a move?

And in 2008 the highest attended games were Texas A&M-Kingsville and Western Washington, so perhaps UND should look at either the Lonestar or GPAC for membership. Hardly an apples to apples comparison. I'd say when using college hockey as an example in this comparison, you'd have to reverse the situations. Big Ten Hockey Conference = Big Sky Conference. NCHC = Summit/MVFC. Also, we still play all the "Dakota 3" that some people are so infatuated with just about every year in just about every sport. A move to the Summit would have the net effect of trading future contests with Montana, Montana St., and Weber St. for games against the likes IPFW, IUPUI, and Western Illinois.

If you wanna see the Sioux play often, your best bet for a day trip is Grand Forks. I'm far more concerned about how to get fans to home games first, than I am about how to get them to travel to road games no matter how far or close they are. As someone who has attended football games at NCC, Great West, and Big Sky venues, it seems the number of Sioux fans is usually about the same where ever I go regardless of the distance, near or far. So, honestly, I think the "ease of travel" argument is a hollow one. Sioux fans travel in force for hockey, not so much for other sports. Which is a reason I am against a pre-determined site for the Big Sky Basketball Tournament. Probably had a couple hundred Sioux fans at Weber this year for the tourney. Sure, you'd maybe get a couple hundred more at a neutral site. But you'll get 3,000 strong when it is held at the Sioux Center.

Are you implying that North Dakota would be better off in the Summit because it would be easier to win titles than it is in the Big Sky? Would you also prefer that that the hockey team join the new WCHA?

How often do you get up to Grand Forks for a game? A Big Sky school leaving for the Summit would be like a Big Ten school leaving for the MAC.

In every sport. In academics. In profile. In desireability. Big Sky trumps in every aspect. Not even close.

A move like that would be a major step backwards for North Dakota, no doubt about it.

To be fair, Jones got close to "the dance" two seasons ago, then got even closer this past season. Sorry, but I think the likes of Weber St. is a bigger problem, seeing as how they actually affect our program in a tangible way.

I don't believe I ever said that. I've just never understood how or why some fans think FU is doomed to fail whenever they lose a coach. They invest in their athletic programs and they have a history of success in several areas, so I think it is unlikely they will fall off the face of the Earth whenever a coach leaves. History doesn't suggest that. I guess I just don't relate with the theory that for North Dakota to succeed, then FU must fail. Maybe I have higher standards than some, but I don't subscribe to the idea that UND can only do well in the years that NDSU struggles. Perhaps I am in the minority, but others are free to feel otherwise.

I have heard from a former player (played when Bubba was coaching here in the early 2000's), that the players are responding well to Bubba. Says the culture is already very different from what it has been the last 7-8 years, in a positive way. From the sound of it, the majority of players are enjoying the change of pace. Whether or not that translates to on-field success, we shall see in due time.

The last time they had to hire a football coach, and the last time they had to hire a basketball coach it doesn't seem like it really hurt their program. As a North Dakota fan, I guess it really doesn't affect me all that much.

Montana St. hired Brian Fish as its new men's basketball coach. He was previously an assistant at Oregon, Creighton, and Kansas St. His base salary is $145,000 which if I recall is around $55,000 more that what North Dakota pays our head coach. Not saying Jones deserves a $55,000 raise, but the next time we are in the process of hiring a new coach whether that is a year from now or 5 years from now, the salary is going to have to go way up to stay competetive with other Big Sky programs.

Do these Juco guys have 2 years of eligibility or 3?

Dammit Darrell. That would have been hilarious.

I've long been in favor of dumping baseball. I love the sport, but it just doesn't work here at the DI level. It was different in the NCC when most opponents were a short drive away. The Big Sky doesn't require it, much less even sponsor it. Simply put, it is a poor investment with little to no potential return. And if it were dropped, I don't agree with replacing it with another sport, ala lacrosse. Use the monetary savings elsewhere. I'm sure that is a couple hundred thousand dollars a year that I think would be better spent on basketball or football.

Huff Hopes to Make Statement Competing in Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Congrats Troy and Good Luck! He was also named to the Lou Henson Mid-Major All America team this week.

I believe Freije scored 45 in that game. She was just named All-State for the third year in a row. Still has her senior season left..........

I would like to see one of these young Tight Ends step up and contribute in the passing game as a receiver. Is the prospectus correct that TE A.J. Stockwell is 6'6" and 290 pounds? That is a big TE. Despite the defections of Golladay and Jackson, and the graduation of Hardin, I'm not as worried about the wide receiving corps as one might think. There was a lot of depth there already, especially when you figure McGill coming back, and Ivery moving back to offense. Throw in the young kid Carr and also Casey Young who I think just unfortunately got buried in the depth chart because of the ridiculous amount of talent there the last couple years. I'll bet he'll be right there with McGill as our most productive receiver. Defensively, the biggest thing I want to see if we can get into the backfield and harass the QB. That area has been severely lacking basically since 2007.

I like night games the best, doesn't blow the whole day for people that drive from a ways away. Overall, I think 4:00 would be about ideal.

Excellent post.

I agree. I think they've done exceptionally well in Big Sky play two straight years. I also think they've been terribly inconsistent and did not live up to they're potential. I don't believe they make the results public, but it wouldn't surprise me if Jones finished second or at least third in the voting for Big Sky Coach of the Year. I don't believe he is any danger of losing his job at this point.

All practices are open to the public...

Ah I see....... Looks like UND already exercised the options.... Knowing that now, unless the program strings together multiple horrid seasons, I'd be surprised if UND bought out the contract of a basketball coach.