Walsh Hall

Do many FCS programs have a NIL program? What would a successful NIL collective look like for a FCS team? I'm having a hard time visualizing what/who would be specifically targeted which would materially help the team. For a FBS team it's pretty straight-forward, but for a FCS program it would need to be dramatically different. It seems to me the effort would need to be targeted, not some blanket payment to a specific position group, but what players could be reasonable targeted and persuaded by a FCS NIL deal?

Get this guy on the staff right now! The coaches are apparently unaware that skating is a vital component in the game of hockey. Even mites bring in power skating instructors, it's utterly shocking that a college program doesn't care about skating. To add my 2 cents for the benefit of the coaching staff, we should also look into getting some skate sharpeners so our player's skates can be nice and sharp. That might help us as well.

How many programs have a better record or average pairwise finish than UND since Berry took over?

just as some folks believe it's debatable whether the earth is round or flat...

I completely agree, and it's much worse for lesser programs. I suspect the number of 4 year players at programs will significantly decrease. The guys that aren't getting the playing time at top schools, or didn't pan out like anticipated, will portal out to lesser schools. The guys that exceed expectations at lesser schools will portal out to the better programs. At least UND is a net winner in the shuffle, but I still hate it. I liked the old days when you had to sit a year. I remember the buzz of anticipation hearing that Jason Blake or Lee Goren (different sit out situation...) were dominate in practice and waiting for them to suit up... The players had to be committed to transfer. Now it's generally the opposite.

Again, how many teams will be better over the next 20 years? Based on the doom and gloom I assume UND will be lucky to be in the top half?

Likewise, If you don't want a relationship to be stale and stagnant, the best course of action, and practice largely accepted by the experts, is to berate the other party.

Over the next 20 years, taking the average finish in the pairwise as a metric, how many programs will have a better result than UND?

I largely agree. My only difference of option would be that I'd be a bit more optimistic on the ability of the Champion's Club, with a competent manager, to acquire gaming sites. The management of multiple sites isn't a trivial consideration, but it would definitely be a worthwhile endeavor. A quick look indicates that Teammakers made over 700K on charitable gaming pre-pandemic and pre E-tabs.

I wouldn't be opposed in theory, but that would be a difficult line to draw as a ton of the "charities" are related to youth athletics to try to mitigate the costs for parents or improve the competitive advantage of a program, or other non-profits that many may not consider to be under the umbrella term of a "charity."

Charitable gaming should be a high priority. With the massive increase of proceeds from “electronic pull tabs” that’s a big miss. Many charities are purchasing liquor establishment just to “lock down” the gambling $.

Does the Champion's Club conduct charitable gaming?

That's just the thing, it's odd. I don't think the fan base should be upset at or about the players that left individually (the D men were constantly blasted by the SS.com peanut gallery), but cumulatively it's odd. I attribute it to players having the mindset that they are more entitled and more likely to jump ship coupled with having a few more misses with players that were projected to have more success. In the last 3 years I believe we've brought in 5 fr D. 2 are in the NHL, and 3 are gone to the portal. The portal players will almost certainly, objectively, be trading down with their new program 40% NHL rate in that time period is impressive, but the situation is odd. I really hate the portal.

I'm very curious to see where our portal players end up. That will be quite telling.

If anything, the current state of affairs will hurt local banks. Anyone with substantial deposits, or businesses, would be rather foolish to have their funds in a local bank over the FDIC limit.

I remember Osiecki always had a memorable Don't F with me look running past the student section up to JK for the games. I recall thinking that he was a dude you wouldn't want to mess with.

I had done a similar analysis. If you were given the total goals scored against UND and were asked how many should be in the first/last 2 minutes of periods the statistic answer would be correct. The problem has been giving up too many goals in general. The percentage of goals allowed in the first/last 2 minutes is right were you'd expect it to be.

Would it not be better to give the benefit of the doubt to the coaches with decades of experience of coaching at a high level, who also played at a high level, and who literally watch the players every single day, over the armchair quarterbacks with none of the above?

We are not screwed. We will contend for and win championships. All programs/businesses, etc have issues and have to deal with the practical realities of the current set of strengths and weaknesses. I don't see us being the next Blockbuster.

Recruiting for FCS football and D1 hockey are two completely different animals. It's my thought that recruiting for FCS has to be one of the hardest jobs in college sports. The geographic pool of top hockey talent has changed quite dramatically over the last 40 years. Being a small rural northern town can be a draw for some, but it can also be a massive negative. By percentage, moving from the Minneapolis Metro area to the GF Metro area would be the equivalent of moving from Grand Forks to Beulah.

On whom do you place the blame on this play? If you are a bantam coach, what is explained to the players as to what they did wrong?

I believe it is treated as a typical business expense and taxable to the player.

Any idea what the East v. West record is for the year? Last year the East was something like 34-0 at one point.

I don’t know that the shot charts and effective shot percentages back this up. I can’t find anything to quantify that assertion. There’s no question that there are lapses. Are those lapses statistically significant or are they more noticeable and memorable due to the puck ending up in the net at a much higher rate when confronted with those situations? It probably a little of both.

UND is near the top in the nation in fewest shots allowed per game, and is dead last in save percentage. We’ve played one more game than SCSU, given up 3 more shots on goal for the year, and have given up 33 more goals. Sure there could be better D, better back checking… but don’t kid yourself, the issue for this team is one dimensional. By almost any other metrical this team is very good. The goalies just aren’t stopping the puck.