FargoBison

I was really the only Bison fan opposed to him coming here, and the reasons were that it would probably be better for him to go to UND. Since he could play right away and it wouldn't be a sure thing for him starting even after he sat out a year at NDSU. The only reasons I could see him coming to NDSU is because his freinds and family are here or if he is serious about playing football. I think he has some talent and could make an impact on either team if he ever reaches the level of potential he had during high school. And I also said that NDSU only has a couple scholarships left to give out and since the team will be so young they could really use a couple of impact players from the JUCO level that they could give NDSU some depth and expeirence right away.

I have to agree that some of the former NCC bottom feeders have been getting a little better over the last few years but none of them can still not come close to replacing the losses of NDSU and SDSU. If the SU's were still in the NCC they along with UND would have probably taken 3 of the top 5 seeds.Without the SU's the NCC is still a strong conference but it is no longer an elite conference.

Dave K- Fargo has some kind of youth program for almost every sport. And the youth program for basketball starts at about kindergarten at the Y-ball level then at about fifth or sixith grade traveling teams get started, and there are a large amount of traveling teams in the FM area. Then from 8th grade on school ball starts. There is a fairly large amount of kids playing basketball in the FM area and it is probably about even in popularity with hockey. I just graduated from South a few years ago and I have also watched my brother go through about every level of youth basketball this city has so I know what I am talking about. CoteauRinkRat- And I never called Fargo a basketball city, I just said that basketball was even with hockey in popularity in Fargo. Fargo is a football city then every other sport follows.

Hockey is about even in popularity in Fargo with basketball, it is too hard to say whether one is more popular then the other. But I agree keep the hockey tourney in GF, and have basketball tourney out in Bismarck(except State A rotates with Fargo). But football belongs in Fargo just like how hockey belongs in GF. I was at the last title game at the Dome and Fargo South and Bismarck drew about 10K there wasn't even half of that watching South vs Central at the Alerus. Fargo is a footbal city and the state football title games belong there just like how hockey belongs in GF . Even if Fargo or Bismarck were ever to build an arena half as nice as the Ralph I would still never move the hockey tourney out of GF.

It may be the opposite in Grand Forks and Grafton but for the rest of Eastern ND basketball is more important then hockey. And yes the state hockey tourney belongs in the GF moving it to Bismarck would be a terrible idea. Why would you want to move the hockey tourney out of one of the best hockey cities and venues in the country? Regardless of whether the west ever gets good, the state tourney belongs in GF. The state football tourney however doesn't and I'm glad it's finally returning to it's rightful home in Fargo, GF couldn't support it just like how Bismarck would never be able to support the state hockey tourney like GF does.

This trade isn't that bad if Fowler can open up his checkbook(Red would never do this), here is my best case offseason for the Vikes. Draft Mike Williams or Braylon Edwards then with the next pick draft the safety from Georgia(Thomas Davis?). And in free agency pick up Coles, Rolle, and Bell. The Vikes are 36 milllion under the cap, so they could do all of this. Wr corps of Williams or Edwards, Coles, Burleson, and Robinson would be better then what they had with Moss and the defense would be much improved as well. The trade was terrible but if they would just spend some money in free agency and draft the right guys they could still be a better team next year.

South won 5-3 and won their first ever EDC title

I had to say something about that since I am an ND sports fan and UND hockey takes a back seat NDSU football. And many ND sports fans are fans of either school. A better question would have been does UND hockey take a back seat to NDSU football in the ND media? Or which team does the average ND sports fan favor more in the state? Do you really think UND hockey holds any edge in either two of those question? I would think media would edge slightly towards NDSU because of Fargo but as to who which team do you favor or follow more I think it's pretty much 50/50.

Is Fargo much of a metro area now? No(but you can make a case for it, unlike GF). Will it be in 10-20 years? Most likely. Fargo will most likely start growing into most of the outlying towns and will become a metro area of probably around 200-220,000 people, it wouldn't be the Twins Cites but it would be a metro area. Now to the NDSU half of your post, NDSU won their titles in a much stronger era of D2 football. D2 has just started becoming a "girls division" in the mid 90's. And you should know that to Bison backers NDSU football is king and to UND backers Sioux hockey is king, most of the state either leans one way or the other and the people with a neutral veiw probably follow both teams. You can say UND hockey never takes a back seat to NDSU football but I will say NDSU football never takes a back seat to UND hockey and depending if you live in Fargo or GF would and should affect you veiwpoint. In Fargo NDSU football dominates the news, and I'm sure Sioux hockey dominates the news in GF.

SiouxMeNow- You are right some D1 conferences pusue D2 teams based on being a solid geographical fit, but some D1 conference tell D2 schools to be a D1 indy for a few years and show us commitment. Both statements are correct and the better way for a D2 school to go is debatable and in NDSU's case time will tell. It has only been one year, if somone told me NDSU would be in a conference after year one then I would have been amazed. The Big Sky is still looking at adding NDSU the door still isn't shut. It is almost impossible to judge if the Sky will ever make it's mind up regarding adding NDSU, one week it seems unlikey and then a week later I will hear something and it will seem as likely as ever. And also the Gateway may also start pursueing NDSU if they lose WKU to the MAC and there is serious talks about dropping the IAA division and merging it with 1A and creating a two divsion 1A one playoff and one non-playoff(BCS), that would probably throw another 20-30 teams into IAA and could cause some conferences to need schools. NDSU will get into conference in this decade there is just too much instabilty among DI conferences for something to not open up. I still will mantain that going D1 will help NDSU in the long run on getting into a conference faster, and that staying in D2 was the right choice for UND. Womens hockey- Will probably be a money drain for a long time since nobody cares about it will always be a money drain and will be the reason NDSU will never have a hockey team. And for that I am glad since NDSU can focus on a much more cheaper and popular sport in D1 mens hoops and at the same time they can have a womens team competing at the NCAA's highest level that will be making money not losing it. If UND is going to wait for the womens hockey team to make money then they may be waiting a while. I think UND is waiting because they want to see how NDSU handles the transition and how it affects UND, not because of the womens hockey team

The Gateway would give NDSU an auto-bid and membership into an established and respected IAA conference. The Gateway could also help NDSU get into a D1 all sports conference because it would actually be in a league with teams in other conferences they want to join. Yeah that isn't the most exciting line-up of teams but UNI and SIU would be two great opponents to have on the schedule and the Gateway fits NDSU geographically much better then either the GWFC or the Big Sky. The best case scenario would be for the Gateway to add three teams and form a ten team league by adding NDSU, SDSU, and UNO?/UND?/GVSU? that would basically make the league a perfect fit for NDSU, but it would be alot more likely for them to just add NDSU. And if moving to the Gateway shuts the Big Sky door so be it. I think it is highly likely that Montana will jump to D1A in the next ten years and whats the Big Sky without Montana. I would rather be in any combination of Gateway/Mid Con, Horizen, or MVC(best case) then the Big Sky(especially a non-Montana Sky). And I agree NDSU is doing most of UND's work and UND's only punishment for not jumping may be having to wait because of tourny prohabition and shortend one at that thanks to NDSU and SDSU.

There again another school in a favorable region entering a conference that just lost a school. But in more favorable conference news to the SU's, Western Kentucky from the Gateway conference may decide to jump up and play D1A football in the MAC leaving the conference down a power team. And if they want another power school they would probably add NDSU to give them 8 schools again. The Gateway is football only but playing in an established IAA conference with Mid Con, Horizen, and MVC schools would probably make it easier to get into one of those conferences. I think either WKU, SIU, or Montana could make the D1A jump leaving a IAA power conference in need of a solid team in the next few years. You may not agree with the (damn the torpedos, full spead ahead" approach but I think it will pay off for NDSU in the long run and will get them into a conference much faster. A D1 conference in this region is much more likely to take an established D1 indy school before it takes a D2 school.

No way, both GF and Fargo blow Bismark away. And Cratter I never ment to say GF is a dump, all I was saying was that Fargo is a little more of a major regional city. And to GF's credit it is growing and doing some very good things and is probably on the way to being a bigger and better city. Not to many cities GF's size can say they have a very good University, a pro quality sports arena(that houses one of the best college hockey teams), and some other great things like the Kings walks GC, and the Alerus. GF is not a dump, it actually has alot going for it. But it is still not as much as a regional hub of activity as Fargo is, it is as DamStrait said a college town.

What was so ridiculous about my last post, I said Miles would take him in but there would be no garauntee in playing time after he sits out a year. What this team really needs are JUCO players that can play next year, Miles was down at NDSCS scouting two players the other night. And yes Jamal Stanten is doing well at Mankato but NDSU isn't in the NCC anymore and they play alot teams that Northern Illinios and UW GB plays so it's hard to say how good he would do here playing against the same type of competion. And it's hard to say what style Miles will try to run with this new group of players, what if he wants to try an up tempo style with all the undersized players he has. Koenig had a great high school career at North but the truth is he hasn't done much at UW GB and it's hard to say what he would do against similar competion. You guys are acting like Koenig went to UNC after high school and was some 5 star recruit, which he wasn't. The truth he was a highly touted rectruit from this area and is not doing so hot against D1 competion, how is he going to do at another D1 school that plays the same D1 competion. UW GB only beat NDSU by 6 points so the teams are comparable and yes UW GB runs an up tempo style but it is still yet to be determined what type of style Miles will run. And if Koenig was supposed to be this big difference maker that you say he is then why wouldn't GB try to get the ball more to him. GCwaters- are serious about this renovation of the BSA and will the news be out today.

"I grew up in a town of about 150 people. Does that mean that a town of 300 people is a metropolitan city since it is almost three times as big?"Dakotaboy I don't really hate GF but you can't really compare the city to Fargo. The FM metro area has three 4 year colleges and two 2 year colleges, GF metro has one 4 year and one tech college. Fargo metro has the regional shopping center and a mall, GF has a mall. Fargo has 2 major hospitals and GF has one. Fargo has way more hotels and restaraunts compared to GF. Fargo is know nationwide as having one of the lowest unemployment rates and stable economies in the country and the city is also known better throughtout the nation and region as well. Are you starting to understand the trend here, GF is a decent city but Fargo is the regional center and is a major city in this part of the country. Fargo is a more of a metro area while GF is still just a city. And 160,000 compared to 70,000 is a big difference in city size. It's like $150 isn't much greater than $350 dollars but $70k is much less than 160K. When I see Fargo I see cities like Omaha, Sioux falls, Des Moines, and Billings. And when I look at GF I see cities like Rapid City, Bismark, and St. Cloud. Fargo is in a different grouping of mid level cities, a group that is filled more with major regional cities.

Well Miles and his staff go scout these players and try to find players that match their style of play, it's not like these recruits woke up one day and said I think I will go to NDSU. So if these players fail, it should be his head. And I have stated that K dog is nothing special and may not even be a starter by the time he's eligable. I said if he wouldn't have to sit it would be a no brainer but he has to sit and NDSU needs to put the scholarship to use on a player that can play right away. There is already 8 freshman under scholarship for next season so NDSU will need players that can play right away. So with at least 11 scholarships in use for next year the Bison would be better suited adding a JUCO or two, then getting a transfer that can't play for a year. You can go ahead and give Koenig a copy of my post, I don't think he would come here anyway. If he wanted to come here I'm sure Miles would try to get him here but it wouldn't be as easy decision that it would be for UND. And there would be no garuantee that he would see alot of playing time for his junior year.

I have only seen Moreland play once and that was against south in the state semi's and I was impressed, it's hard to say how good any of these guys are and are going to be but the have tons of potential. Koenig did go to UW GB athletes don't go there for the tradition or the prestige. NDSU doesn't need D1 flops they need players that will allow them to be solid in the furture that is why Koenig would recieve not much playing time at NDSU. I did go to South High so maybe I do have a little biased opinion but I did get to see plenty of Koenig and he wasn't all that he was hyped up to be. And SomeBison UW GB isn't doing so hot this year so a soph. with potential should be getting some serious minutes, wouldn't you think?

Those recruits are the future and there are going to see some serious playing time, you are right Koenig WAS a great recruit out of high school but now he is a D1 flop. If he's struggling against teams UW GB plays then he will struggle here since NDSU plays alot of the same types of teams. And yes I believe those recruits will turn the program around, right now NDSU is a D2 team playing with 7 players under scholarship. And as a D2 team these guys are playing pretty good they haven't lost a game they should have won. The three non D1 teams they lost are Northern St, SDSU, and Mankato this team is actually pretty good considering the amount of depth they have. Right now I would take all of NDSU five redshirts over Koenig along with the three recruits from this year. Koenig was overated and would have been better off playing D2 ball or DIA football. And UND92 Miles will probably have to go JUCO to fill the hole that Erbes and Kelchan are going to leave behind.

If he went to NDSU he would have to sit out, and he wouldn't see any playing time anyway. So a D2 school like UND or Augie may be a good place for him to go and get some minutes. He could be a solid D2 player and should have went to a D2 school to begin with. He should have never turned down scholarship offers at some DIA schools for football.

Sioux goo when I'm doing attendance guesstimates I'm predicting 5-6000 for game against Manhattan, SDSU, Wisc Gb(if we play them) and the home opener. So when I say an average of 4000 I mean with all games averaged togather, not 4000 a night. I think NDSU will get about 2500 for UMKC and Denver, 1100 fans did show up to watch NDSU battle Dakota Weslyen, I think they can at least double that for a D1 game.

Your right time will tell, and your right the first D1 game will have the Valpo factor. And if Tennesse is really coming to fargo to play the NDSU women that willl be a sell out there, Manhattan will draw a solid crowd, SDSU will draw a solid crowd, and hopefully a team like Wisc GB is coming since a Koenig homecoming would also draw a big crowd. I think for the other D1 games your looking at 2000-3000 at best. So I think the attendance would be around 4k maybe even a little more. Both teams are supposedly eligable for the NIT next year so there is something to shoot for, and if the mens team is winning games then I think attendance could really shoot up.

NDSU always drew about 1-2 thousand for the teams they are playing now while they were in D2. So why do you expect a sudden change? These aren't the teams people want see, people want to see NDSU vs D1 teams. Next year will be a much better year attendance wise, I can think of 4 games that are already going to bring in solid crowds(5000+). And when I said great D1 basketball I meant next year. So yes attendance will be about 1500 for this season but next year I think NDSU will average between 4-5 thousand. And UNO is the crappiest arena in the area, hands down.

SiouxMeNow- Like I said the BSA is a pit and an eyesore to the rest of NDSU's great facilities, but the place does have a nice college atmosphere. Who cares about the yellow hue of the lights when you get to see some great D1 basketball . I can't blame the bison faithful for not wanting to go watch NDSU battle UMC or whatever weak NAIA or D2 team thats on the schedule. And I told you the dome is worse then the BSA, 4,000 fans mean zero atmosphere. Yeah I'll get to watch the game and look at the nice big screen replay boards but I want a real college atmosphere, not a flat crowd in a big dome. Enough with the NDSU talk though, UND needs to move the Bball games off the hockey rink and into the Betty were Glas and Roebuck can give their teams a real college atmosphere to play in and not a D2 version of a Clippers vs Wizards preseason NBA game.

Sioux me Now- This is a message board whats with the spelling and grammar lesson. It's what you say not how you say it. Now back to some more related news, the Sioux Falls Argus printed an article a few day ago about scholarship cuts and some of the changes that could result from them.Link I think that scholarships are going to get cut eventually, and then the question will be if the D2 elites(UND, GVSU, Pitt, NMSU, and TAMUK schools like that) would stay in D2 or flee to D1 and IAA. Would a cut of 4 or 6 be enough to push UND out of D2? And then if a large mass of D2 schools go D1 will the NCAA even let them into an already full D1? Highly unlikely. So the NCAA will either have to go through some kind of reclassifaction or will they just make these teams suffer with lower scholarships in D2? I don't think the IAA schools would ever go for Thomas's plan regarding merging D2 and IAA for football. The only way I could see that happening is if the D2 schools were forced to have 63 scholarships, no reductions(which would make it hard to conform to title 9). If the scholarships would have to be cut IAA would lose it's upper half conferences to D1A and the BCS presidents don't want to water down D1A anymore so that plan just will never work. What D2 needs to do is create a D2A(40-25) and D2AA(24-0) either that or the NCAA is going to have add another division and fill it with D2 bottom feeders and NAIA. schools.