UND Fan

I agree a new arena would help but I am still not sure that a BB player capable of contributing at the DI level would agree to spend nine months a year in North Dakota's winter, far from his parents, etc. when he could go to another college with better climate and probably more exposure. It should be noted that Beasley, UND's new sensation Myron Allen (you will hear a lot about him!), and most of the other good Junior College transfers that have gone to NDSU (not the two ND kids you have this year), UNO, UNC and other NCC schools have done so because the didn't qualify for DI. If you take away the ability to recruit the Beasleys, Mike McGehees, etc., it is all that more difficult to be competitive. (Forgive me if I wrong about McGehee but I don't think I am.)

JB -- a lot of us UND fans give you a lot of grief (and often rightfully so) but I understand much of what you post is "tongue-in-cheek". I do agree that many of us are naysayers when it comes to most anything having to do with SU -- and I sense that you have the same attitude towards the Sioux and Grand Forks. However, I do think that you have a fairly good perspective on a lot of things. That being said, do you really think that NDSU can compete in basketball. Today, SU and UND (although UND is normally pretty respectable) have difficulties recruiting talented kids to the cold, barren plains of North Dakota. Plus, there aren't a great number of good DII players in the Dakotas or NW Minnesota. (It is a given that any upcoming Jeff Boschees will continue to go to the upper level of DI.) That combined with the fact that many of the kids both SU and UND have brought in recently have not qualified for DI, would make if very difficult to compete. SU may be able to pick up a few kid from the Cities who currently go out to Montana State, Montana or Wyoming. But I don't see real talented kids who have the opportuntiy to go a few different places opting for SU. Therefore, I can't see you winning against DI opponents. I truly believe that SU's terrible football season is somewhat of a fluke and you will be very competitive in IAA soon but building a winning basketball program when you are only average in DII will be very difficult. Your thoughts?

I have not been able to attend a hockey game at the Ralph since opening weekend last year. Unfortunately, I live in Florida and don't get up there often anymore. How are they using Katie O'keefe? How old is she, etc.?

Another good recruit for Coach Glas -- and Coach Lennon. Aaron Austin, originally from Hallock, MN will transfer to UND and play both sports starting next year. He averaged 15-16 points for Northern Colorado as a freshman and is now playing BB at Fergus Falls JC. He should be a great adition. He will be a junior in eligibility next fall.

I posted this in the Racism site but not sure if many would see it there. The NCAA Management Council today turned down the request of the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee to take away the 2005 Elite BB tourney from UND. This could have also had a negative affect on the 2006 Hockey Regional at UND. Great news!

Good news today!! The NCAA Management Council rejected the request of the Minority and Interests Committee to take away the 2005 Elite 8 BB tourney at UND. An opposite decision could have also negatively affected the 2006 Hockey Regional at UND.

Thanks to PCM and Forecheck for the well-written, in-depth summaries - they are greatly appreciated!

My sources tell me that UND may get two other early commitments from top quality kids. It has been a few years since we have enjoyed such a good early signing period - especially with good freshmen.

SDSUFAN -- I appreciate your insight into the DI debate. I agree with you that you folks will likely be able to compete and draw well in BB (much more so than NDSU). Obviously, despite a tough year for the Bison, they will likely be able to compete and excel in I-AA quite soon. My concern is for all the other sports: expensive, difficult to recruit and impossible to compete.

Another commitment -- Mike Gutter from Rufus King HS in Milwaukee. A 6'71/2" power forward with potential to grow. Averaged 14 points last season. He plays on a team with two excellent guards who will go DI so he probably won't have tremendous scoring stats this season. A real good recruit for the Sioux. It is nice to see them get some good freshmen coming in.

SDSUFan: I agree - Moller is a dandy! I hope that Doyle is the same type of player. I am sure that Moller's success at SDSU and in the NCC helped Doyle make his decision.

Oops - Sprig, not Spring!!

Spring -- Thanks for looking into this for all of us!

Coach Glas received his first commitment yesterday: Josh Doyle, a 6'1" point guard from Pleasant Vally High School in Bettendorf, IA. A Top 25 in the sate of Iowa. I am sure someone will attach the story from the Herald. Doing so is well beyond my level of expertise.

Has anyone in GF had the opportunity to see either the men or women practice yet? If so, give us your thoughts!

Speaking of quarterbacks, does any one know how UND's red-shirt freshman, Lee Groeschl, is looking? He is out of Fond du Lac, WS and comes in highly touted. He has nice size: 6'3", 190 and I am sure he is still filling out.

Evan Lindahl is 6'10" and has also added some weight over the summer - he really needs to toughen up more. This likely will happen as he matures. He should be an immediate offensive threat. Great shooter, even from 3 point range! Defense has quite a ways to go! I believe that there is another Lindahl coimg along. Probably an 8th grader or freshman in high scyhool - already 6'4" or 6'5". Hopefully, he will be another future Sioux.

Jerome has also gained 15-20 pounds from last year - in the right places. With the returning cast and Myron Allen plus some help from frosh Lindahl, they could be very good this year. A lot will depend if Jeff Brandt can "light it up" from the outside. If so, it could be a great year!

Gentlemen -- you need to remember that this was an article written and EDITED by an Trib sports writer. He likely put the Minnesota "spin" on the article to create interest among metro area readers. I would guess that this was one comment out of a couple dozen. I sincerely doubt that Mahmoud feels UND would be totally helpless without Minnesota players.

He wasn't going to class and had a bad attitude. The coaching staff still wonders what he would have been like had he not been injured. He was supposedly one of the most talented recruits they have ever brought in. They are saying the same about Myron Allen this year. He is the "real deal"!

From an inside source, if it is determined that the kid should not have been playing, the three games in question will be considered losses for UNC. However, the other teams will not be given wins. Therefore, we really need UNC to win at St. Cloud this weekend.

I understand that Todd Rypkema, the 6'11" sophomore from Wisconsin, has made very good progress over the summer. It is nice to have some talented young size.

If/when NDSU's program evolves to point where they can easily handle UND, there certainly doesn't seem to be any upside for UND to continue the series. The only reason to do so would be a large guarantee from SU for our traveling down to Fargo. If NDSU doesn't rapidly surpass UND, something will definitely be wrong in the Bison camp. There is no way that a "good" program with 36 scholarships can compete with a "good" program with 63 full rides. You can't use UC-Davis -- Sacramento State as an example because Davis is a "better than good" DII program and Sac. State is a "much lousier than average" I-AA school.

Has anyone in Grand Forks seen the UND men's basketball team working out? I realize practice hasn't started yet but the guys are always play in the afternoon. Wondering how the new point guard, Myron Allen, looks.

Anyone living up there know what HS football players UND is looking at? Obviously, they would like to get Roger Thomas' son.