star2city

The long-awaited US television deal for the World Juniors has finally been announced. ESPN coverage of U.S. team in World Juniors begins Dec. 25

The quote that offered the most promise was: For a number of years, there has been capacity shortage for manufacturing monoclonal antibodies, which are being developed in different forms by a host of biopharmaceutical companies against different disease targets. Manufacturing capacity will need to increase by 10-15% annually just to keep up with expected demand. If this lab was build near UND, it would be another step in the development of a biotechnology base, with the Med School for research and PRAC’s for clinical development being existing essential core bases. Academically, UND could help by offering biochemical engineering as a specialty area in the chemical enginering department and further strengthening the microbiology and biochemistry departments. Winnipeg has been able to parlay its academic and government biotech base into a decent biopharmaceutical base (Cangene and Biovail, among others, notwithstanding its large internet pharmacy business). A real biotech success story has been Saskatoon, where there are 5000 jobs (in a city of 200,000) in the biotech industry (mostly in Ag related, but some medical). There is definite potential here.

The year: 1977. The GFC goalie was Neil Whalen, father of future Gopher BB star Lindsay Whalen. I'm a GFC grad myself.

Thanks, Jim, for remembering this thread. In the last month or so, I actually thought there might have been a possibility that the Big Sky would have expanded to the Dakotas, but only if Cal Poly and UCDavis would have joined and then if the Big Sky split into two divisions. (I guess there is a danger in listening to the hype from the Fargo media.) Since the BSC couldn't entice the Calif schools, the Sky's original plan of adding school(s) in the Denver metro won out. Denver U is still out there waiting/ hoping for a WAC bid and I still believe the BSC wants them. Although I am sure this will still be ridiculed, the Altitude/UNC & Altitude/Big Sky deals were strong hints at what was transpiring behind the scenes. For bison (and Sioux) fans, I do think there will be another Big Sky expansion in two years or so. The WAC is still too unstable (San Jose St, La Tech, the maybe Mountain West poaching Boise or Fresno) for the Big Sky to rest comfortably. If only one of these three schools to leave the Big Sky for the Big West/Great West or WAC: Sac St, Portland State, or UNA, there will be votes to add two dakota schools. If Montana were to leave for the WAC, SUU would probably finally get in. I also think SDSU will have some serious flirtations with the Mid-Con in the next 18 months or so. If Montana is still in the BSC in two years and the BSC expands, NDSU/UND would be the odds-on favorites. The next expansion round may be what Kupchella/Harmeson/Thomas are positioning UND for. Just some review info. Call me a fool, again, but a UNC/Denver deal was supposed to happen last summer, but the WAC Commissioner spoiled it by propositioning Denver U publicly. The BSC Presidents responded with a general call for interest, but they always hoped they could respond with their Plan A. Today's announcement just turned out to be Plan A-.

I agree, as I thought these schollies were funded. But this could also explain why there was no repercussion for an athletic fund deficit (the school absorbs the athletic department loss by using tuition waivers).

So based on Ryan Bakken's data, NDSU budget changes from 2003-4 to 2004-5 are as follows: $7700 2004 expenses $6100 2003 Revenue base $-140 ticket sale decline $300 Teammakers increase $100 student fee increase $333 cornerstone campaign $-1007 k shortfall Based on that data, it looks like the Cornerstone Campaign has to kick in an extra $300k to make this year's budget. The Cornerstone campaign may get more difficult each year, as most would rather give to a building campaign or an endowment, both of which are needed. What gets real interesting is 2009 or so, when the $9.5 mill budget must be met. Liberally increasing ticket sales by $640,00 over this year and adding another $200 k for teammakers, adding in more corporate sponsorships, and the shortfall balloons to $1.5 mill annually. $9500 2009 expenses $6100 2003 Revenue base $ 500 ticket sale increase $ 500 Teammakers increase $ 150 student fee increase $ 150 BB guarantees $ 250 FB guarantee $ 150 NCAA money $ 200 Corporate sponsorship $-1500 k shortfall to be made up by annual Cornerstone campaign. How popular will it be when baseball gets dropped by NDSU and there is no college tenant for on-campus Newman Field?

Agree that baseball would be a likely be cut at UND if it moved to DI. If you consider states with the lowest ratio of DI schools to population, Minnesota is the lowest and Wisconsin is not much higher. These states send out a a lot of DI talent that could be directed here. Looking north, more Canadian athletes could probably be wooed down if offered full scholarships rather than 1/2 or 1/3 rides (like in DII football). Unless a kid from Canada is offered a full ride, it probably isn't financially worth it for them even compared with non-scholarship options in their own country.

Questions to Ponder: Does the Big Sky really prefer the UND/NDSU combo over the SDSU/NDSU combo, so much that they do not expand east of the Rockies unless the ND combo is available? Is this why the Forum is pressuring UND in an editorial to move up, because NDSU would be left out in the cold without a conference unless UND moves up? SDSU will probably get a MidCon invite if it is left out of the Sky. In the past, the Forum has trumpeted NDSU’s DI status over UND DII level. Why the change by the Forum, when NDSU would seemingly benefit by being the sole DI school in ND?

It is interesting that the Dakota Science Center sold their building downtown and no longer have any facilities. They put it up for sale anticipating a sale would take more than one year and then had a buyer almost immediately, so they took the offer. The musem/HOF was supposed to be multifaceted with different wings (hockey, autos?, planes?, agriculture, local interest, science), and a Science Center/Exploreum would be needed for kid's interest and for variety. Coincidence? Maybe someone else here has more info than my speculation.

What would also be interesting is how much discussion has gone on between NDSU and the Fargo arena developers downtown. IMO, the Forum/WDAY are not going to do any serious journalistic investigation into NDSU’s athletic finances because that is not in the best interest of NDSU. The GF Herald is unlikely to do it because the GFH is not a state-wide paper with state-wide responsibilities and it would just further NDSU animosity toward UND. Clear Channel radio stations like KFGO or KFYR likely wouldn’t, because they are UND broadcast stations. There are few other outlets that have the resources or temerity to do it, without feeling the wrath of the Forum or from Cass County legislators. I think that the Forum has been surprised that there has been no formal submittal of the expansion questionaire to the Big Sky (yet). What the Forum has done is make the NCC all the more unstable and thereby making it all the more likely that UND will be forced up. In a way, their story makes it all the easier for UND to submit the documents by the 13th, as now it is clear that UND would only be doing so reluctantly. Ironically, the Forum articles practically proved that there was no immediate move to the Big Sky, as there has been no notice sent to the NCAA by the Dec 1st deadline and UND has not been backing out of 2005-6 contracts. Finally, UND move up now would not in the best interest of NDSU athletics from recruiting or media standpoints. The only benefit to NDSU is from ticket sales for UND/NDSU games, which might be an indicator of how badly NDSU needs the money. Since the REA was built and capacity crowds have filled it, it has practically been inevitable for UND to move up, but on its own timeline. With another five-seven years, a football/track practice facity could have been built, the Betty would likely have been paid for, the Alerus/UND could have benefitted from the D2 football championships, a scholarship trust fund built up, and a $2 million contingency fund for REA repairs could have been in place. A move now would make the financial pressures all the more intense.

Good ole Mike McFeely has it right in todays Forum, Arena proposal stuck in no-man's land. McFeely must not be concerned about job security because he sure can be an irritant to the powers that be at NDSU. Since the Forum and NDSU are in bed together (financially and otherwise), even NDSU readers of this post have got to tip their hat to McFeely for his chutzpah. I think NDSU is already quietly and discretely in the mix in contrast to McFeely's statement below.

What strikes me about Kupchella's letter to Martinsen and other football alums is its lack of concise statements. There is no need for any executive like Kupchella to ramble on for three or four pages of written text to their inquiry. The most interesting quote in the whole letter was this: An aerospace engineering program is needed in North Dakota, as it would complement the CAS and the developing aerospace industry in the state. Kupchella should challenge the alumni's fundraising ability with a goal that ties together academics and athletics and benefits both. A goal such as: Raise $15 million with $10 mill as a downpayment on an athletic scholars trust fund and $5 mill to start aerospace engineering and a DI move will be in the offing.

Check out this Forum editorial. In the eighteen months, there are been by my count four editorials by the Forum that were intended as major slaps at UND that went beyond normal journalistic standards. This is another: Division I lights click on at UND For the Forum to state that the DI move has been ultimately successful is like stating the South won the war after the First Bull Run Battle. The Forum should ask UNC about current view of success after this football season. So UND raised its DII nose? It hadn’t yet replaced the Hyslop, doesn’t yet have a decent football/track practice facility, and doesn’t have an athletic scholarship trust fund, would have had to give up the DII 2005 Elite Eight, and didn’t at that time have an interested conference. Sounds prudent to me. NDSU raised it nose at its own consulant report about needing a conference, but that doesn’t get reported. There is no guarantee yet that the Big Sky will accept NDSU. Why does UND and but not NDSU seem to be concerned about DI costs? The Forum, Chapman, Taylor & Company do not bring up funding as a major impediment to the DI move because it would highlight NDSU’s pay-as-you-go financial footing. NDSU has almost no room for financial missteps and the Forum knows it so it has to stamp the move successful to prevent any revolt in the ranks. Why are all these arena proposals being made for downtown Fargo? The aforementioned and other NDSU power brokers know all too well that funding for renovating the BSA will be an long and arduous process that would not even yield a decent DI arena, without sacrificing practice space and indoor track capability. For NDSU to have a shot at b-ball being a success in DI, they have to have the public step up on pay for an arena. As stated before, the Forum, NDSU, and other NDSU-philic power brokers are attempting to manipulate Fargo voters into voting for a downtown arena guised as downtown development, when the major beneficiary will be NDSU basketball. This disingenuous campaign will never be reported in the Forum, until the arena is built. In my view, it is about time that UND dumps WDAZ as a broadcast partner. Why help an entity profit when it’s parent organization derides your decisions when they were clearly the best path for the information that was known at the time. UND should switch to KVLY or the Fox affiliates, both of which would provide larger viewer coverage. Although WDAZ is practically a Grand Forks institution, it is best to do business with a company that at least has honorable intentions.

Any idea why 6'2" Rebecca Kielpinski of defending champ Mandan was not recruited? If Kimbrough had not been signed, wouldn't she have been an option? Apparently, NDSU was after her, as well as other NCC schools. She signed with Alaska-Anchorage. As a side note, defending D-II champ and preseason #1 California (PA) apparently thought they played NDSU, not SDSU, in last years Elite Eight: National Champs Seek Second Title This year, their coach doesn't believe thy'll be nearly as dominant.

Some interesting quotes from USD's Dave Boots: Composure Is Vital To Success

If the fightingsioux.com radio link isn't working, here's the gopher link: Gophersports.com The Star-Tribune had this on the Sioux-Gopher game: UND excited to play Gophers women (Fosston vs. Kittson Central) Also, this in the UofM paper: http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2004/11/05/11115

Omaha World-Herald: Mavs 'old men' want victory party

More properly should be in "Former Players now Coaching" category, from NHL.COM: Dave Tippett: Good coaching makes good coaches

Forbes Story: The 25 Most Entrepreneurial Campuses - methodology - Top 25 Campus List Write-up on UND in Forbes: Herald Story

Good to see the women get their first WCHA victory over the weekend. Getting to UMD and UofM's level of play may be a few years off, but it will be interesting to follow the Lamoureux sisters at Shattuck: http://www.s-sm.org/Athletics/Statistics.aspx?TeamId=15. As only 9th graders, Monique and Jocelyne are 2nd and 4th in points on the prep team (and 1st and 2nd in penalties, by far).

From the above article: It would seem reasonable a concept of a winter sports festival with the football game as the centerpiece would allow easier marketing of Grand Forks and the NCC as hosts, as the climate mindset would be lowered. Here's an article on the Spring Sports Festival: Festival concept finds a willing champion in Division II

IMO, the Mike McFeely column today comes close to giving the real scoop on the proposed downtown arena: http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...ist=MikeMcFeely First his McFeelings: and then confirmation that NDSU is "mildly" interested: Just to review NDSU’s DI needs: 1. Money - to fund scholarships 2. Money - to fund travel and more staff 3. Money - to build practice facilities 4. Money - to revamp the BSA into something respectable (if that’s possible) 5. BB facility - to bring in money for #’s 1, 2, & 3 6. Conference affiliation - partially dependent on #’s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Hmm, doesn't take a genius to see that a new arena is exactly what NDSU needs. If I was a Fargo voter, I would support downtown development, but I'm not sure the Trojan Horse manner in which the arena has been proposed would be very palatable.

It would be a great addition to downtown Fargo if this was built, especially if offices, condos, and retail are included. If it comes down to a vote on a sales tax, seems highly unlikely that it would get approval. Interesting that NDSU officials have expressed little interest in it, in spite of the proposed location conveniently next to their downtown campus and the way it could resolve nagging facility and capital fundraising issues. With a downtown arena, the BSA could be converted solely to a practice facilities, with the new arena for the actual BB and, eventually, hockey games. Perhaps politically, as NDSU learned in the last arena vote, it is best for NDSU to feign disinterest while cheering on behind the scenes, as taxpayers would even more heavily object if they viewed this as a ploy to finance NDSU