Irish

I really think it is important to support local restaurants during the Great Distancing. Ground Round, Toasted Frog, Speedway, and several Pizza Places have had outstanding service. However, I went to The Red Pepper drive through on 42nd today and it was brutal. It was a little before 4 so not at rush hour. There were three vehicles ahead of me so I thought it could take a little time - was I right. It was over 20 minutes before the first car, which was already at the window got served. We then pulled up a notch and were at the ordering microphone. We waited there almost 10 minutes with no contact and finally left as I had to be somewhere. Went to McDs on Gateway and drove back past the Pepper. The same car that was in front of me was still there - I'm sure it would have taken over 45 minutes if I had waited. Very disappointed. If they want business they need to have staff. My best guess is that they had only 1 worker. Haven't been this disappointed since they changed buns and said the new ones were "even better than the old ones".

I love what those two brought to the team - I am confident that others will pick up the role. What had been missing in our down years is scorers and it looks like we are loaded. Expecting a fabulous year - I hope some others have break-thru years to go with Kawaguchi and Pinto. We could be deadly up front.

Surprised there are no comments on the Heraldo write up on Reese Gaber. Sounds like a great get - we can always use guys who can put the puck in the net as we saw this year. Our scorers made everyone better. Can't wait until next year.

Wow - we got beat like we stole something. Time to reload for next year.

Great win - when we put the puck in the net we are very hard to beat. Let's ride Thome all the way.

It scares me a bit that we look like last year's team (plus Pinto) lately.

Seems like we have had some trouble scoring since Christmas - anyone else think so?

Not saying you're wrong - I just really wish someone would come out and explain the entire workings of the Ralph and how they intersect with the UND Athletic Department.

The optics on this are awful and I am sure not many understand how the Ralph's finance fit into our athletic budget (not saying I do). However, it is not like each sport has a pile of money based on its own generated revenue and hockey is taking a chunk from that which is rightfully football's. All money and budgets come from the Athletic Department and revenue is pooled and then budgeted out. Most sports besides the big ones lose money and are subsidized by others. Our year to year football budgets don't look too bad in comparison to other schools (don't have time to look this up again). We fall short in facilities for many reasons - lack of planning, getting a late start in Division I, getting a late start on Phase I, lack of a large donor, declining football attendance - in other words many factors. Can we support both sports well - absolutely - especially if football starts winning.

Our failure with some potential big donors has been noted and discussed here - and not by me - I'm not sure why it is my fault for mentioning it. Englesteads and Sanford for starters. As for the rest - if I am not excited about a 37-32 record with no playoff wins I can express that here. If you don't like it too bad. Don't read it. I don't appreciate the personal attacks from you.

Interesting if a bit misleading. I see no cause-effect or correlation since there are vast differences in how each college athletic programs evolved. I just don't buy the theory that Hockey somehow robs Football of resources. What's more true is that successful programs of any sport generate resources. What I do think happens is that with a Hockey program that is regularly in the hunt for a National Championship there is much less demand and pressure for Football to be highly successful. We are much more content to be slightly above average when we are winning elsewhere. I don't see the slow development of Phase II as a failure of fan support as much as a failure of UND administrators who have alienated many deep pocket doners. I think if we didn't have idiots in the President's office and ineffective AD's (not necessary the current one) we would see Phase II as complete or near complete. Bubba's record would not be tolerated at most top programs but he gets a lot of love here. That's the difference.

For me it is the total disconnect between their skill and their chirping - they are as mouthy as a conference champ but play like a bottom dweller

I am truly surprised at how many people on this board that think that after Bubba's body of work for the past 6 years think he deserves a big raise and an extension. And the answer that "this is the best we can do right now - we couldn't get anyone better, but maybe, just maybe his first year OC will mature and be the guy in a few years" just makes me sad about the state of the once great program.

So - after 6 years of Mussman and so far 6 years of Bubba (with zero playoff wins and a 37-32 record) we should wait another few years so that our coach with 1 year of OC experience can develop into a potential head coach?

I really hope so - I'm just trying to figure out how 4 more years of Bubba fits into this plan.

That's because anyone coming in would have to rebuild. The bigger question is are we going to be where we want to be as a program after 10 years of Bubba?

Are you predicting a big change in the success level of UND Football? Are we going to dominate the Valley. If so, why?

Please email Chaves and let him know what you think about this deep dive into mediocrity. UND.AD@und.edu

Any wonder why we have a crap program while the Bison have unprecedented success? I had a cocktail with a Bison friend who told me this - "I have good news and bad news - Cox entered the transfer portal, however UND gave Bubba a 4 year extension". So tired of this. Thanks a lot Chaves.

Exactly

We need to write Chaves and tell him what our expectations for Sioux Football are and how disappointed we are. He clearly doesn't get it.

It screams "this is our expectations for UND Football for the near future". Not a good move. I thought Chaves was better than that.

You are correct about the big steps - which pretty much solves the development question. Looking at last year it was pretty evident there was a scoring talent deficit. Glad we are back on track. We seemed to be caught short after the flight after our Natty. We need a combination of role players and high end studs. It is our formula for success. Glad we are back on track. The answer when we talk about recruiting NHL talent can't be "but Boston University".

This shows the importance of having some high end studs in our line-up. See Pinto last night. Last year we couldn't score to save our butts. Almost every time this is mentioned the automatic reply is "Boston University". If we are to win #9 we need some NHL talent on the roster. And the Goering for Shaw swap is a winner too.

Could not agree more - the fantastic new screen is used almost exclusively for "commercial" contests like the idiotic races or some kind of crowd/kiss cam. Nothing to promote the game at all.