star2city

Have to agree on that one. But perhaps there is a licensing arrangement from the Ralph. From this article in the Herald, it's seems clear that the Ralph's management, piece-by-piece, is putting together its vision for a sports/entertainment/exposition/ shopping center as part of the 'University Village'. In the past, the Ralph has been approached by developers interested in building an attached hotel. Once the CANAD Inn is up and running and proven, an attached 'Ralph' hotel seems like a logical step.

Corella / UND Fan: Two great posts! Is Shawn Swan also going to run track? With him and Dressler, that would be a great start to a dynamite 4 x 100 relay team. To your knowledge, are there any ND or NW Minn players being pursued? Specifically, was wondering about Grant Gunhus, the son of UND's Don Gunhus, who plays for Moorhead's Park Christian, or is he Div I caliber? Does the Gus Macker 3-on-3 attract many potential recruits as a "free" visit? It would be great if the Betty would sposor a summer invitational tournament for AAU teams.

An article in the Omaha World-Herald addresses some of the issues to be faced by the new AD: An NCC/MIAA merger? On I-AA football: On hockey’s prominence: Granted, Omaha's in the CCHA, but their eyes still need to be on North Dakota, more than Ohio State.

Nickelboy: I believe the city council approved a revised ordinance that allows alcohol sales in all three venues: Ralph, Betty, and the Olympic arena. From GFHerald:

Another NCC article picked up on the AP from yesterday:

Pictured here, University_Village , is the mini-mall that is already built and occupied. Future developments will also be consistent with the Ralph's motif. On http://www.innovators.net/ , the web-site for UND's entrepreneurial center, there is this description of the nearby new sports bar, 23 Sports Grill, and its developer, Andrew Olson: The Herald recently said it would open right before the World Juniors. Not sure why it is called '23', but I believe a business intent is to use this location as the flagship site and franchise future locations. If successful, this would make this businees much more lucrative than allowing an existing sports bar concept from out of town to move in.

Get real. Nobody believed Florida Atlantic and Florida International would be I-A football in 2005 either, and those two schools have had much less transition time. The last thing a school leaving a conference worries about is if the conference remaining still has an auto-bid (and actually they would prefer the auto-bid be destroyed, as any NCAA March Madness credits would go to the schools that earned them, not to the conference left behind). Last year proved that there is no loyalty to any conferences or former conference schools, but only to money and prestige (ask Donna Shalala/Miami about loyalty). The WAC wouldn’t be excited about any of the Big Sky schools: they held their nose taking Idaho (much as I hate saying that). But if the WAC needs two new schools for its own IA survival, it would show no mercy to the Big Sky. Sac St., Portland St, NAU, and Montana would all be begging and pleading to “take me, take me”, as the schools not chosen would be left on a sinking and burning ship, otherwise known as the Big Sky. Sac St and Portland State both intended the Big Sky to be a wayside stop on their way to I-A (it hasn’t exactly worked to their plan). Montana, which was in the precursor of the PAC-10, has more rivalry history with Idaho (and even Washington State) than it has with Montana State. When Montana gets it finances in order (it already has stadium plans for 30,000), it can kiss the Big Sky gone first opportunity it gets. The Montana President, by telling the press that the WAC had approached them and by not denying a future interest, has officially warned his conference mates of what could happen. The process may look real, but the results are already known: Denver (1st choice if it agrees), and SUU (backup choice if Denver does not opt in). Name one other conference that has required a “letter of interest”? The answer is none. That practically proves this whole publicity on expansion is a sham. The process only becomes truly real if the threat of more conference shifts or schools dropping football in the WAC is eliminated. In other words: slim and none They’re not putting pressure on them to apply, but bending over backwards and obliging Denver’s request for more time, and trying to avoid adding SUU. Fullerton and the Big Sky have admitted lusting after every western IA team that moved to the WAC, and now the WAC has admitted potential interest in Denver. If the WAC has potential interest in a school, you can be assured that the Big Sky is lusting after it, for its own survival.

If UNC had been granted acceptance into the Big Sky, any Altitude/UNC contract would have needed a sign off by the Big Sky also, since the Big Sky / Altitude already had a deal. This would have taken time. By Altitude announcing the contract on the 9th, it shows UNC anticipated a reasonable chance that it could have been accepted on August 9th. UNC also knew that its chances of acceptance were out of its control, and were wholy dependent on Denver accepting a Big Sky bid. Div I conferences don't like two teams in the same media market, so a UND and NDSU combo would not have excited the beancounters. With Grand Forks lacking any westbound flights to Denver or Salt Lake, the chances of UND hooking up with a western based conference would be remote anyway.

aff: I’m not only defending this rumor, I’ll go one step further: Denver may be looking at the Big Sky, but the Big Sky is begging Denver to come in. BTW, your intro comments were great, as well others mocking my posts on Bisonville. It’s like hitting the Daily Double. Let me further explain: The Big Sky’s existence is approaching a tenuous condition as an auto-bid conference, because the WAC has such instability. As long as the WAC is unstable, the Big Sky Presidents should be concerned. In the nine-team WAC, La Tech is no longer a fit (and remains desperate for a Conf USA bid), San Jose St. might drop football (faculty voted to drop it), Hawaii, Fresno St., Boise St., and Nevada have actively sought invites to the MWC, and Hawaii actually might be better off financially if it went indy in football and joined the Big West (which is a power in the other sports that matter on the Islands: volleyball and baseball). The only “contented” WAC schools are the Sunbelt refugees, Idaho, New Mexico State, and Utah State. So how does this affect the Big Sky? First, the Sky’s hope to get any or all of the former Sunbelt schools was shattered (except one holdout - Denver). Second, if the WAC loses more members, it has only one place to turn for more football members: Big Sky. Montana was reportedly already been approached (their accounting scandal this year has made their finances too tenuous for any upgrade now), Sac State and Portland State both believe their programs are more viable at a I-A level than at I-AA and would have definite interest, and Northern Arizona is also reportedly interested. So if the Big Sky lost two teams, it would lose its autobid, unless it already has added another full Div I member. But if it added any full D-I member (basketball or football), it would then have to lose three members. This spring, as long as the WAC is unstable, the Big Sky’s only real choices are (a) add Denver (with UNC as a convenient longer-term sidekick), or (b) add Southern Utah. Choice (a) is preferable to choice (b). To illustrate, if NDSU and SDSU combo are added for the 2006 season, and Sac State and Portland State later decide to join the WAC for 2007, the Big Sky loses its autobid. Not only that, but since they wouldn’t be in an auto-bid conference, NDSU and SDSU would now have to wait thirteen years to count as a full Div I member, not five years. The Big Sky would be forced get an existing DI teams to join in, and then hope everyone stays together for a few more years, in order to get back its autobid. The Big Sky also faces the difficulty that there are so few expansion options near or within its region beyond 2008. Face it: SDSU politically needs to show its legislature and Board of Regents that some conference is interested in it, now, as a conference member. The Big Sky is more than happy to oblige, as it might truly need more Div I members in 2008 and beyond. The whole media display about expansion (highly unusual for a conference to publicly air its expansion intentions) is all about helping Miller, Oien, Taylor, & Chapman maintain a charade that the Big Sky’s interest is on the up-and-up. There is an interest, but only for 2008 and beyond.

A couple of further comments from yesterday: From the Big Sky press release, there was one especially curious statement: “official letters of interest” will be required. To my knowledge, that is an uncommon and publicly awkward requirement by a conference, especially for schools already in another conference. Last week’s comment to the media by the WAC Commissioner, Karl Benson, on the possibility of going to a 10/9 arrangement and more specifically, naming Denver as a school he has talked with, seemed timed perfectly to cause a disruption. My point is this: by publicly revealing that Denver was talking with the WAC, Benson immediately and maybe purposely raised eyebrows among Big Sky presidents, privately causing them to question Denver’s potential commitment to the Big Sky. The letter of intent would force Denver’s hand. If Benson really was serious about adding Denver, and Denver really had an imminent deal with the Big Sky, Benson’s calculated statements bought the WAC time. Secondly, it was really rather curious (IMO anyway), that on the same day that Northern Colorado did not receive immediate acceptance into the Big Sky, the Altitude network immediately thereafter announces a deal with UNC. Circumstantial? Thirdly, in the Sioux Falls A-L this week, there was this quote from U of Montana President Dennison: Let’s see, potential members that hedge against the lower limit: Southern Utah: immediate hedge Northern Colorado: provides hedge in 2007-2008 NDSU & SDSU: provide hedge in 2008-2009 Denver: provides immediate hedge So, if youre buying insurance, who are you going to pick: a company that provides immediate coverage or a company that will provide coverage in four years, but you’ll have four years of premiums either way? Delaying the expansion only helps NDSU and SDSU’s cause. By being involved in a conference “beauty contest” over the winter, it certainly can’t hurt their recruiting or fan interest until at least next spring. The biggest supporter of NDSU and SDSU, Montana State’s President Gamble certainly must understand this. It's rather ironic that he's the only prez that missed the meeting, due to a flight cancellation. Finally, wouldn’t it be hilarious if Terry Wanless is selected as the AD for the traveling review committee? Would bisson backers be able to stomach sucking up to him? Not that Terry would expect that or anything, but I'd like to be a fly on the wall during that visit.

Would it be possible to have a separate forum just for the World Juniors? Sometime in December the hockey forum will be probably almost exclusively World Junior content, much of it posted by non-Sioux fans. Since the World Juniors is a UND and Community - related event, it may stand to reason to have its own forum. As far as a high school forum, you'd probably have to increase the number of moderators on this board.

This article was cut and paste from the Associated Press. Not sure of the original source:

The stand Fullerton is making about the Big Sky potentially being a D-I football conference (rather than D-IAA) is strange. With their stadiums, Idaho State and Eastern Washington also would have no hope of meeting the 15,000 attendance requirements. What is he going to do with them? Kick them out? Fullerton's statement's seem just a ploy to keep Montana and maybe Sac State and N. Arizona happy, all of whom are possible WAC I-A candidates.

Even if this rumor is not true, I dare say the recent stresses of the AD job have had to have been well beyond ordinary. Just consider the following issues in the past year: Blais quits and Hakstol is appointed (imagine listening to and dealing with all the alumni opinions on that!), fan behavior and student seating issues, discontinuing a rivalry with an in-state DIAA school (and all the outside media scrutiny), dealing with scheduling in a smaller NCC, working with other NCC AD’s to keep it whole, dealing with REA management, ticket pricing and season ticket issues, construction and move to the Betty (with all the second guessers ), budgeting with higher tuition, temporary loss of key personnel to Iraq conflict, recent loss of assistant AD, and rumors of dissappointed coaches in Olympic sports. Couple these with what has transpired in the five years of Roger’s tenure and the demands each placed on his time: the construction and move to the New Engelstad, the move to the Alerus, the Fighting Sioux name, the decision not to pursue D-I, not to mention the hockey and football national championships, and together, without question, RT has shepherded the Athletic Department through the most dynamic period in its history. It would be hard to imagine any other person shouldering these issues with the clarity and maturity RT has shown. No matter what happens, UND has been very fortunate to have had someone as capable as RT in the AD role during this time.

Looks like the Big Sky expansion has been pushed back to next spring: BSC expansion. My hunch is still on the Denver / UNC pair. The Portland State AD has an interesting take on this topic: He seems to imply that a 10/9 schedule (10 bball/9football) would be best, exactly what Denver has been approaching the WAC about.

According to this article (already posted on Bisonville), in spite of its support for an NDSU-Montana State rivalry, today may be another cry-in-your-beer-day for NDSU fans:

The Betty is now being described as the home of women's soccer. Just curious, did some of the office and locker room space in the Betty intended solely for women's Bball now get shared with women's soccer? It would be great if the soccer team could get a more permanent field.

Most have probably been e-mailed about the Grand Opening of the Betty - with Martin Short. With Agassi vs Roddick, the Wild vs. the Penquins, and the Timberwolves vs Bucks, not to mention two Gopher series in October, and seven home football games, there doesn't appear to be an absence of marquee sporting events this fall.

Looks like the Men's Elite Eight will be returning to Springfield, Mass, after an eleven year absence. It will be interesting if the attendance figures for this year's Eight at the Ralph will impress the NCAA enough for a return. Also wonder if the Ralph wouldn't try and bid on the Women's Elite Eight. Elite Eight Back to Springfield

Long answer: This is what I think is happening behind the scenes. First, Denver wants out of the now all-southeastern Sunbelt and into a new conference by the fall of 2005. If a better offer is available by delaying action, they might postpone a conference decision until next summer. The main things Denver offers a conference are media exposure, corporate support, and full membership in Div I. The Mid-Con has probably had an informal offer outstanding on Denver for several months. The Mid-Con presidents met in early July and decided nothing, likely because Denver’s wheeling and dealing resulted in getting a better offer. The Mid-Con is the least desireable of options for Denver, but Denver has used this informal offer to gain leverage and a sense of urgency with other conferences. The Mid-Con also has to wait to see what Denver does, because Denver’s move could eventually affect their current members. I still believe that the Big Sky is interested in Denver, in spite of what Fullerton may say in public about football schools. Adding Denver and UNC makes great sense: 10/9 arrangement, regional alignment, media, corporate sponsorships, easy travel, one fully qualified DI member, and only one probationary member. With the Big Sky’s level of basketball play, Denver would have a much better chance of getting in the NCAA’s than in the Sunbelt, so a basketball tradition could be built. Denver’s basketball tradition is their major roadblock into a conference like the MoValley or WAC, as they are less than a decade removed from Division II. If the Big Sky doesn’t take Denver, I don’t think they’ll take UNC at this time either. SUU is their emergency choice, and NDSU / SDSU are possiblities in 2008 at the earliest, due to the probation issues. The commish’s will always talk a good talk to keep interest up: that’s what their jobs are. They are even more likely to flatter you before you get rejected if their interest is longer-term. With the MoValley, two schools would need to be added for Denver to get any consideration, as the MoValley wouldn’t expand from 10 to 11, but maybe from 10 to 12. If a MidCon school like Valpo (tradition) or UMKC (media) were also added, Denver’s chances improve, but this is still probably remote. If the MoValley thinks the MAC might bite off two schools (Ill. State, S. Ill, or SW Mo St.), this might be more serious. The West Coast Conference was Denver’s inital target. Denver’s talks with the WAC also has an alterior motive: get the WAC to take Gonzaga. Then the WCC would almost have to take Denver. Denver might also be able to gain admission if the WCC added two schools, Denver and Pacific, for a total of ten schools. The WAC is a far stretch. A Big Sky informal offer is enough to embolden Denver to aim even higher and their commish would at least listen (as he did), as Denver would fill a major media hole in the West. If the I-A WAC, that has nine football schools, would even consider adding a non-football school, why wouldn’t the Big Sky? For I-AA all-sports conferences, only the Big Sky, Southern and Southwestern conferences do not have non-football schools.

From the Honolulu paper today: My interpretation of this is that Denver has a Big Sky offer in hand, and now is shopping for a better offer.

I agree, if Denver had a choice, they would accept a WAC invite immediately. Their conference preferences are probably as follows: MWC (no way would they get an invite, as there are already have three Front Range teams), then WAC, then the Big Sky or West Coast, then the Mid-Con. The WAC woud probably have Gonzaga on the top of its list, followed by Denver, with a number of Southern California schools as a distant third choice. Even if Gonzaga went to the WAC, it could change things, as then the West Coast Conference would have an opening and Denver might want to be with them, as it is a private school conference. The article does prove one thing: a 10/9 conference arrangement can make sense. The recent postings prove another point: Denver is a potentially attractive school for a mid-level conference. Which practically proves the point of this thread: the Big Sky would be foolish not to look at Denver and it probably already has an offer on the table for the Pioneers to join.

A 3-D artist rendering of the Alerus hotel complex is now available here: http://www.canadinns.com/grandforks/