star2city

The Columbia (SC) newspaper says Lumbala was not offered by SC, so UND may be still in the running (despite the reference to NDSU):

Thanks. Sorry about the mis info. An NAHL team would seem like a good fit there.

This week-old article in the Winnipeg Sun states that the MJHL would be open about locating a team in Thief River. Not sure I like the idea based on Major Juniors possible impact on the US high school and college games, but the Ralph in Thief River probably needs to fill out it schedule better.

Heard that Johnson and perhaps others had been sick with the flu earlier last week. That may been a contributor to last week's losses, especially the second game against St. Cloud.

Lucas Johnson, 6'3" LB/FB and a 3-sport athlete from St. Louis Park, has already visited UND, based on this article.

The CANAD Inns website has a Dec 18th press release with this rendering of the Alerus Center hotel complex. Interestingly, it includes a water park, although smaller than the version the voters rejected. The website gave no official word on when construction begins or if the scheduled completion date is before next year's World Juniors. With this complex, the Alerus would probably be the frontrunner for the Div II football championship starting in 2006, if it so chose to bid.

This story, Engelstad Arena in North Dakota has new owner, was in today's Las Vegas Sun.

I agree with PCM that regulations on reducing particulates would cause high demand for EERC's 'Advanced Hybrid', but the system can also be used for mercury reduction, which looks to be mandated soon. Also, it can be used for non-utilities and non-US markets, which have entirely different regulatory issues. My speculation (with no inside info) was heavily based on a reference in the Herald more than one year ago about the possibility of a plant being built in GF to make the equipment (sorry, I can't find the link). If there truly is a plan for the old Engelstad other than a costly demolition, light industrial use would seem possible, as GF and ND economic development would probably pay for structural and internal refurbishment. Without an available (and low rent) building, the chance of a company locating is almost nil. It's interesting that two of the foremost players in the pollution control business, ELEX and Gore, so prominently display the not yet commercially available Hybrid technology on their websites. Pronounce me guilty of wishful thinking. With EERC's recent expansion (and more hoped for), the old Engelstad arena (or land) will probably, at some time or another, fall under EERC control. With the Hyslop being freed up with basketball moving and the temporary Wellness Center moving out, the athletic department should have alot of available room for football, track and baseball training in the Hyslop.

Sicatoka: How about this as speculation: the old Engelstad will be taken over by its neighbor, the UND Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), and converted into development / production facilities? I'm probably way out in the realm of speculation (and am probably risking the boredom of others), but a pollution control device for particulate and mercury control, Advanced Hydrid, developed by the EERC has the potential to be the single most important invention to come out of Grand Forks since the headbolt heater or Cream of Wheat. Since neither of those directly benefitted the local economy (with production facilities), I'm hoping W. L. Gore (a highly innovative company that was the developer of Gore-tex and is the main licensee of the patent) or ELEX, a Swiss company with a sublicense, will locate a production facility in it. With new EPA regulations aimed at mercury and particulate emissions from coal-burning sources coming in 2007, this product has the potential to be a huge success and boost to the local economy, ... if a production and/or development facility is built in GF. Here's a report on it from DOE: 99.99% removal. Again, this is highly speculative on my part, but it would potentially help explain the seemingly lack of interest in refurbishing the old Engelstad and the building of the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

There's an AP article out about Kleinsasser's disappointment with the Vikings-Cardinals game, his free-agency, his following of the Sioux, and the Sioux -Bison rivalry. Here's a quote:

UND92,96: Great info. As I think you have stated previously, recruitment of Canadians football players, with UND's geography, is a must. There has got to be a lot of athletes up there, especially in highly populated eastern Ontario, that do not receive the level of coaching nor recruiting that many U.S. high schools kids receive. It will be interesting if UND can establish a recruiting base there. Contrasting UND's recruits with NDSU's will be especially interesting this year, as they are supposed to be targeting not only the Chicago metro area again, but Cleveland/Detroit and southern JUCO players. This article says they missed out on a JUCO TE from Oklahoma who was quoted as:

In the Orlando Sentinel today, there was an article on Purdue's special teams coach, Mark Hagen. Mr. Hagen gives credit to Dale Lennon for Purdue's improved special team performance. With accolades from a Big Ten coach, it gives a sense of just how well respected Lennon is. Here is the article from the Sentinel, as you have to register to view it:

The SE Oklahoma job doesn't appear to be open, as its head coach was also a finalist for the Missouri Southern job. Rocky as a finalist for a SE Okla coach looks to be a misreport of the Missouri Southern situation. If Rocky got a job somewhere, UND should schedule a series with his team, as the Alerus would be packed (just think of all the NDSU fans clamoring to buy tickets to get another chance of cheering Rocky back to long-lost glory).

This quote from this source shows Missouri Southern leadership was not impressed with Rocky's cocky viewpoint:

The odds have increased that Mussman or Schweigert will be the new UMD coach:

The UND women should be rated #1 this week, as SDSU surprisingly lost two games: to Winona and Concordia-SP. UND's 28-point win over #20 UMD will certainly open some eyes of pollsters. Here's the last poll. The women will certainly have to endure some tough weather this week, as they play on the Kona Coast of the Big Island. The game against Drury shouldn't be a pushover, as they are ranked #9.

There was a great write-up in the Anchorage Daily News on Chris Kuper yesterday. Hopefully the Alaska recruiting connection can continue.

After the season Lennon had this year, where his coaching abilities really stood out, it is surprising that he has not received serious consideration for other jobs. This year has been unusual in that there have been few decent HC opening. Two issues that hurt him are probably his lack of assistant coaching at the DivI ranks and his recruiting contacts are mainly in the upper Midwest. Also, his turning down of the Sac State job (even though it was hardly a step up) last year probably hurts him, as it doesn't show an unbridled ambition at nearly any personal cost, which is what many AD's at higher levels are looking at. Unless his true goal is coaching at a IA school, moving to the Big Sky or Gateway school just doesn't make that much sense.

Questions for Grand Valley State fans: What are the chances for a home and home regular season series with you guys starting next year at the Alerus? A couple of weeks ago, this series was thought to be close to reality. If the game is the first or second week of the season, the Alerus will be a mad house (with probably the highest attendance of the season). Secondly, how good is Saginaw Valley State going to be next year? From this article, Awrey was 'devastated' by playoff defeat , they definitely will be gunning for a rematch. It also seems there were some subtle digs at your program in that article.

Would it be possible to elaborate on that? The old REA would seem ideal for a development team site (rather than Ann Arbor). It would probably need Olympic-sized ice though.

When did the name of the 'REA Sportscenter' get changed to the 'Betty Engelstad Sioux Center'? Perhaps this is a bit presumptuous, but is this name change an additional way of thanking the Engelstad's past extraordinary generosity, or is 'something else' happening? A few additional questions: Is there still a plan to have a temporary roof/cover for Memorial Stadium? (It seems track and field is getting more emphasis lately.) Is talk of a new natatorium attached to the Wellness Center, which begins construction this fall, any more than a long-range plan?

I thought this was a well-written article in the St. Paul Pioneer-Press: UND game offers respite for community

Practically true. You'd be surprised how many show up with ties on in 95 F blazing sun. - Not exactly a Midwest tradition.

For NCAA playoff games, the I believe the NCAA has set the visiting fan seating arrangement. In the past, I've have been critical of another school (which shall remain nameless) for their fan behaior. Racial slurs and certain other crude jokes are totally unacceptable, and if this happened, as a UND fan I would like to apologize. As a UND fan living in the South, there seem to be differences in fan behaviors and expectations at football games. In the South, students get all dressed up and there's a big emphasis on all the pageantry and formality. In the North, a football game is seen as an opportunity for the fans let loose and intimidate the opponent. By what you described, a few UND fans crossed the line in their eagerness to make a difference in this game.