Irish

I too have been frustrated by the progression of 1st and 10, 2nd and 9, 3rd and 7 (pass), punt that we have seen a lot of this season. Although some game stats show a reasonable amount of passes, many were of the 3rd and 7 variety or not until we had no choice but to play catch-up. That's a tough spot for any quarterback. We don't work very hard at keeping defenses off balance at all. Having said that, I think that it is hard to evaluate Rudolph until we get some talent to play with. I have a feeling that other adjustments that I have been hoping for would be like re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. It is, however, hard to go into game after game with our game plan to establish the run when you have our O line. I was hoping for a little more flexible gamecalling.

If it were home and home, then great, let's have at it - but to agree to these terms is just plain reckless.

Precisely - "most likely will not have it all together" - Not saying we shouldn't play them ever, we just don't have to bend over to these terms just to get a game we won't be ready for. We need time to rebuild the train wreck that was the Muss era. This is on Bubba if things go south.

Bubba shortened his timeframe to get things together in my opinion when he insisted on bending over for NDSU and wanted to schedule two away games. He darn well better be competative next year or that decision will be a disaster.

Not laying this all at Bubba's feet, but perhaps a new low for Sioux football. Still making many of the same mistakes we did in the first couple of games. How many times are we going to field a punt at our 5 yard line this year? I am very disappointed in the progress so far. We got our butts handed to us at home by a winless team in our conference. Not good.

couldn't agree more - Now that the warm glow we felt when we started "Bubba Ball" is matching the outside temps, we should call it like we see it. So far, a muffed long snap that led to a score and we fielded a punt on our 5. Sound at all familiar?

Because the business owners in Sioux Falls, Fargo, and some extent Grand Forks lobby for a supply of cheap labor. Chamber of Commerce wants the cheap labor here, but won't do anything else to help the immigrants. LSS is good at getting them here, but that's about the extent of their help too.

We won the toss and instead of defering, took the wind. We ended up kicking off to start both halves.

Should we be worried if we win the toss?

In my opinion a huge screw up. Either the captains got confused or Bubba and staff thought that having the wind first would be a huge advantage even though both teams get exactly the same amount of time with wind at their back. I've seen this choice a few times in high school games with high winds, but never in a DI game. Bubba made other decisions that turned out poorly and in retrospect seemed questionable, but in my mind he gets a pass on those because he was trying to be agressive in a game situation. This choice is just a blunder and if Muss made it people would be howling.

I wonder if USD will lose the toss and end up getting the ball twice.

Very true, but just because wins and losses aren't reflected accurately early in the process doesn't mean that they aren't important when that tally becomes more precise.

With or without the mini-Ditkas

The REA management has to be aware if not complicit in this crap. Instead of thinking of how to make this a better and exciting atmosphere for students it has become how can we catch a few having a drink. We need the student energy and this crap needs to stop. If there is a problem then deal with it. Until then stop pestering people.

I'm a season ticket holder and Sioux Club member and I didn't get an email. Wow, they've been at it a short time and I already feel excluded. Nice work.

Ok, I may have been a little off in my years, but from 1979 (Gino) through 2003 (Blais) UND won 5 championships - more than anyone else by 2 - you can do the math. I think it is a reasonable expectation that we keep on winning them.

No, I got your point - my point is that for the 20 years before Hak, we were winning titles about once every 5 years and were overall the top team in the country during that span - although we weren't tops every year, no one else came close to matching our play overall. We were the BC of the 80's and 90's. You can't tell me that winning championships isn't part of the expectations (not 1-6 in frozen fours). Now we are a top team, but not THE top team - I am not saying Fire Hak, but I am saying that I am disappointed we haven't won one yet. I just don't buy the idea that we hit bad luck in the last 6 frozen fours and that our luck is due to change just because we lost the last 6. We need to get it done.

Because Blais's teams looked more like Friday night - no, not every game, but we attacked with speed, carried the puck in a lot more, and got the puck into scoring position often, and worked the opponents when we cycled. When Haks cycle gets dull it looks more like this: skate up to the blue line - dump the puck into the corner - everyone follow it down there until it gets kicked out and goes the other way or skate up to the blue line and ring it around the boards and have it promptly kicked out of the zone - repeat endlessly. Ok - I admit to exaggerating, but that's the way it feels sometimes. You can't tell me you haven't seen games that felt like this. I'm quite sure my memory is idealizing Blais's team's play, but it sure seemed like a faster game without the endless grinding that sometimes seems to go on now.

Or the bees? - or the hounds with bees in their mouths?

Agree - this is still winable - if we get our act together and get some points now

Any of the "Kangas" games - he looked so pathetic sitting in the goal.

Was it just me, or did the PA and Band both seem out of sync with the crowd - a couple of times during a break the crowd was ready to get loud only to be dampened by what we heard - Usually the band is spot on, so I was a bit surprised.

Was it just me, or did we see a lot less dump, chase, and cycle tonight - with great results. Maybe Hak is evolving

Other than that, how did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln

Actually, that's the most I have seen the Sioux look like a Blais team in a long time - relentless, winning the puck battles, and did my eyes deceive me, or did we play very little dump and chase. Without big goal scorers, this is the type of offense we need.