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So was Matt Lauer turning the segment with Tom Cruise into a segment about himself? No, he was asking the tough questions that many people want answered. If these guys are going to speak down to people because they know so much about the subject then they have to be ready to take criticism and field some hard questions. (side note: I am really sick of Tom Cruise and could care less if I ever see him again)

Everywhere you look. Some examples: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...erry&id=2096354 http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor..._ray&id=2096420 Then if you watch any TV station other then ESPN people are saying that it is so nice and fresh to see a guy speaking his mind. Also, many radio-sports shows are saying the same thing, namely KFAN.

I can't believe that the media is now sticking up for him. Everywhere you look now the media is saying that it was taken out of context and that he is just standing up for what he believes and that he is the nicest guy when it comes to fans. COME ON! No one that plays a professional sport should EVER be telling that sport's fans (especially the few NHL fans there are) to kiss his butt! Everyone is saying that Dan Patrick was horrible with how he interviewed him yesterday and that he was way too tough. I think Patrick did what 99% of the country wanted to do, in asking him the tough questions and questioning why he would ever even consider saying what he did. There is a good story on ESPN Page 2 right now that pretty much mirrors my feelings: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hruby/050629

Either way, he could still be out there recruiting. You need to recruit walk-ons just as much, if not more then scholarship athletes. Make them know that they are wanted at the school even if no money can be given. Just talking to a kid and telling them about the program, or sending them a letter could well have gotten some of these kids to join the program. A little interest goes a long way for a high school kid looking for a team to play for, especially a high school kid who is not being recruited elsewhere.

I think you need to stand up for what you believe though too. I agree that there are some people who are going to complain about every little thing, but I also think that people should stand up and fight for what they believe.

-He routinely states that he is from Montana, or, "went to school a few miles from the Montana border" -He refused to return to Williston for a dedication ceremony of the high school gymnasium in his honor. -He has been contacted several times by people either with UND or in connection to UND and repeatedly says that the timing is not right for him to return/contribute. On the other hand, he was my uncles little league baseball coach and still stays in touch with him, giving him tickets whenever he wants to go. He also stays in contact with his old high school coach from Williston. I talked with his old coach last spring and he told me a little about him. His friends then told us a funny story of when the Lakers were struggling in the middle of the year (in Phil's last year there) that his old coach called telling him they needed to play better defense. I can just see him sitting there at the gas station in Williston having coffee with his buddies telling them what the Lakers are doing wrong. He was pretty proud of the relationship, though, and it seemed like Phil was too. Now, I'm not a Phil fan, but looking at the evidence I have posted (which is all the evidence I know to be true) I would tend to believe that he doesn't feel ND is that important to him. I don't feel that he owes anything to anyone, but you would think a guy with that success would help out his roots.

I forgot to post this when I got home, but thought that it was pretty funny. I was heading back to ND a couple of weeks ago and had a layover in Minny. I was sitting at Friday's and the guy next to me keeps telling me that the guy across the bar works for ESPN. So finally they just ask the guy and he says no. They keep arguing with him asking if he really does. Finally they realize that he is Wisconsin Green Bay coach Tod Kowalczyk. I'm a few beers and a couple of Morgans in at this point so, not thinking, I ask him about Tyler Koenig. He gets kind of an uncomfortable look on his face and asks why I ask. I tell him I'm from GF and went to UND and hear he is transferring there. He just says, "I'm sure he'll do well there" I wasn't thinking straight at the time and forgot the entire fiasco that went down there. It wasn't probably until I was over about Alexandria that I remembered and felt like an idiot for asking. Oh well, he's the one that should feel like the idiot I guess.

That'll be a while. Speaking of, how about Roenick's comments on fans. What an idiot! As a player in a sport that was previously hurting for fans and no doubt will be hard pressed to get people in the stands when/if they come back you probably shouldn't be telling fans to kiss your a$$. You should be begging them to watch you play and pay your salary. I laughed pretty hard though when I saw the clip, just thinking of everyone in the front office shaking their heads thinking of a way to cover that one up.

What I'm saying is GF is not the place to put an event year after year that doesn't always draw huge crowds anyway.

Omaha stuck with the CWS through thick and thin, and has put millions of dollars into Rosenblatt for the single reason of hosting the CWS every year. It is the biggest event in Omaha year after year and the people embrace it and put on a great show. Kids dream of going to Omaha each year. I doubt that any place would get bigger attendance. When it comes to GF hosting the Frozen Four every year, come on. GF couldn't do half the job that Omaha does. There just isn't enough stuff to do in GF to draw that large of a crowd. Plus with well under 100,000 in GF/EGF there probably wouldn't be enough local support. Sure we think the arena is awesome, but no one else in the country really cares. When it comes to the REA many in GF/UND think that it is much more important then it really is. Sure it's nice, sure it's cool, but people around the country (less big time college hockey fans) could care less.

I think the only problem with that is that hockey is not popular enough to draw in neutral settings. The same goes for baseball, where they have to play the first few rounds in home stadiums to gaurantee decent crowds. Basketball is the only sport where you know that you are going to get huge crowds at the first few rounds even in neutral sites. For that matter, in the basketball tourney the host team cannot play at their site in any round. I wish this were the case for baseball and hockey, but the NCAA wants to make sure they get some $$$ out of the deal.

WOW, was that any bad at all!

Who are the Pistons? Spurs World Champions baby! I'm wearing my Manu jersey at work right now, over my nice white dress shirt.

Good point. Maybe having the 3rd and 4th years be option years some kids will be scared off a little more. I always lliked how guys would come down with injuries for the entire year just so they wouldn't be on the active roster, but let's just hope that this is the only que the NBA takes from the NHL! What is the rule with trading new guys? Rookies, 2nd year players? Is there some sort of restriction. If memory serves I thought there was?

When talking about the guys we are talking about, quite a bit probably. Sure most teams probably do not cover themselves but you don't think a team with Lebron on it would have made money? You don't think the Fab Five brought in more money then it cost to pay for their educations? Based on this argument you would most likely want the age minimum to be four years out of high school. Otherwise (assuming anyone can go to the draft) the talent level in colleges will be much less and they will most likely lose more money (less fan attraction).

I don't agree. The way the NFL does it is the best way I think. Only give the guys that really deserve it a chance to play. There are way too many minor leaguers in these other sports. People are hanging on to the dream way too long. You can't say the NHL is doing anything right as they are losing WAY too much money. I also don't like the argument that colleges are financing professional minor leagues. These kids bring in millions of dollars to the University and in return get a few thousand dollars worth of tuition waived.

The NBA's new CBA will include a rule that players will not be draft eligible until one year from the day their high school class graduates. Although I am in favor of an age minimum, I really don't like this rule. Why not make it 20, or two years out of high school? Making it two years would more then likely push players into college programs where they can grow. Being one year, many players will likely go to the NBDL (which is dropping its age minimum from 20 to 18), go overseas, or pull a Mike Williams/Maurice Clarrett and work out for a year without playing in a program. Making the rule 20 would also help the college game. Players would be forced to stay for two years making it easier for coaches to plan on schollies for the future. There will be instances now where you will have players telling college coaches that they are going to leave as soon as possible, but the coaches will still want them to come to their school. That means one less scholarship for a lesser known kid down the line somewhere. I also think that just maybe if a kid were to go to school for 2 years, a few may actually feel some pride in that school and want to stay a couple more, ala Tim Duncan. One year may do the same, but probably to a lesser extent. Some will say that if an 18 year old can vote and go to war then why can't they play in the NBA. I hate this argument. The rule is not there to hold back the kids that can make it, it's there to help those that can't. It is also in place to protect the owners. Think if you were a gm and there was a really strong high school prospect in the draft who isn't ready yet, but could be the next huge thing. You can't pass up on him and risk looking like an idiot in the future, so you have to take him at a ripe 18 and hope that with all the money you put into him, all the time you spend with him pays off, while now he will be able to go to a college program, progress in his game, and the gm's will be able to see if his potential is a reality. I have strong feelings about the argument of making the NBDL into a true minor league system, but this post is long enough, I will save that for later. Sorry for the length of this post, but I want to see if others have differing opinions (I'm sure many do) and what they are. Thanks.

I think the only thing harder to read then Babel Fish was Micro fish in the library.

what does this have to do with the thread?

And he threw for a two point conversion. Add him to the list of great Sioux kickers. It seems there is always another good one waiting in the wings to take over.

The one thing I don't see positive about building tall in ND is that there is so much area that can be developed laterally. If acreage was expensive then I could see building up, but each story you build up drastically increases the price. I would think companies/building owners would rather buy cheaper land and build a cheaper building. Although the point you bring up about downtown Fargo is a good one. Also, companies would probably want to be in the tallest building in the state as a kind of macho thing. It's funny, when I was little I always thought the capitol building was sooo big. The building I work in now is more then two times taller and is one of the smaller in the city. I was back in Bismarck last week and laughed thinking that one time I was amazed by it. I still like the building though, it is pretty cool with the park next to it.

What is the law in ND regarding the height of a building? I thought that no building in the state could be taller then the capitol. Is this still true? Thanks

I was ashamed with how bad the Spurs played last night. Downright embarrassed! Need to take game 5!