Manitoba_Bison

A few ramblings on the topic... UNO was the original opponent? Man, I would have loved to have heckled them for putting all their eggs in the D1 hockey basket and dropping football and the national-champion wrestling program. NCAA schools would never play WHL teams because CHL teams are considered to be semi-professional. With the exception of spring training exhibition baseball (and does that even happen anymore?), NCAA teams do not play professional teams. So a UND-Wheat Kings game? *Never* going to happen. Deal with it. Similarly, that's why a WHL-NCAA doubleheader wouldn't work. The NCAA isn't fussy on partnering with "the competition" for events such as this...and if you read up on the topic, there is a lot of competition between NCAA schools and CHL teams for hockey players. The NCAA has strict rules about even being in a CHL training camp, and the CHL teams are seen as an option/easy out for student-athletes unhappy with their NCAA situations. A Manitoba-UND game? No, not a good idea...UND has easily dominated our Bisons in exhibition play over the past decade, and this season put the beatdown on the University of Regina. But a Manitoba-UND doubleheader? That would have been amazing. As it is, our Bisons will be at the University of Regina on January 7. I think the ball got dropped by one of the parties. Maybe UND could have approached Manitoba. Maybe Manitoba could have approached UND. Maybe TNSE could have reached out to both parties to have a Canadian University game in the late afternoon followed by an NCAA game in the evening. I easily would have attended both games. I'm sure I'm part of a small minority, but I think that it would have been a great event. As it is, my wife and I will be in the northwest part of the MTS Centre on December 7. We will certainly get together with my UND friends before and after the game, as I think they may have better seats. During both my Manitoba degrees, I went to Manitoba hockey games. When I lived in Edmonton, I attended University of Alberta games. And now, 8 years after I toured the REA, I get to attend a UND hockey game. Here's to the good time to be had by all...just hope the pep band shows up for the game. To the UND alumni in Winnipeg...enjoy. To the UND fans coming up for the game, welcome.

There has a been a buzz about the UND-UNO game becoming the second half of a double header, with the first being a Manitoba conference game. This would definitely have me attending such an event (car was broken into last time I was downtown at the MTS Centre). And to assuage your concerns, let me assure you...a doulbeheader will give you two more periods to sample some Canadian brew. Pace yourselves!

App's 4th down gamble set the stage for this rough patch. ASU radio crew curious that it wasn't pass interference. First time in 5 weeks that ASU has given up a scoring play of 30 yards or more. Commentators say that ASU doesn't look to comfy. And yet the High Country reminded me of Manitoba and the Dakotas when I watched a game there in 2007.

Listening to the App St - Montana game on www.goasu.com. While I've always respected Montana...I lived in North Carolina for 3 years and managed to get to Boone for a Mountaineer game. So my heart is with Appalachian State today..and next week, too. Now if only App would come play at UND or NDSU (not wanting to offend anyone, but App usually draws 24K + at home and not sure if the AC would be big enough of a draw for ASU. For that matter, not sure if the Fargodome would get filled for a game, given the current state of the Bison.

There are rules in place in order to adapt a Canadian football game to a US field (usually done in unique circumstances). As for attendance numbers, I think the CFL might do this for the sake of doing some unique exposure for the league, rather than a simple money-making gesture. That, and many North Dakota colleges have sent players to many different CFL teams. UND easily comes to mind, and not all of the UND greats merely played for Winnipeg. But like I said, just an idea. As a HS football coach, I'm quite envious of the HS teams that get to play in the Alerus on occation.

Hey, Went to the UND-Cal Poly game last week. My first trip to the Alerus. First UND game since 1998. It got me to thinking... If the Saskatchewan Roughriders (complete with Dressler and Alexander) played the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a preseason game at the Alerus, would you, as a UND fan, go? I just think it could be an interesting way for UND fans to see Weston play football in ND again wearing a green uniform. And the Rider fans and UND fans could get into some mutual appreciation thingy. Merely an idea...

Just a note about former Sioux OL Tim Prinsen's career ending in his hometown of Edmonton (same city as former Sioux DL Dave Fennell) SLAM Sports Prinsen's career ends Esk injured in car accident By GERRY PRINCE -- Edmonton Sun "Tim Prinsen feels cheated. After recovering from a knee infection which sidelined him for the final four regular season games and last November's Western semi-final, the veteran centre was looking forward to another four seasons in an Edmonton Eskimos uniform. However, a severe case of whiplash suffered in a traffic accident has left the six-foot-four, 300-pound Prinsen with limited strength in his left arm and ended his eight-year CFL career...."