star2city

Got $200,000,000+ to donate? If UND had that kind of money, it would build a 30,000 seat retractable-roof stadium. After football is complete, set up the an ice-rink on the turf and have a football stadium classic - like in Boston, Madison, Ann Arbor, or Lansing. Would get 30,000+ in for a Minnesota game.

Not Craig-Bohl related, but another NDSU driving incident makes the national news: Washington Post: NDSU wrestling coach suspended after DUI

@chnews If that happens, all the MAC schools would be part of the NCHC. Also, theoretically, the NCHC can pick up the CCHA's autobid if it plays out properly: CCHA is down to just ND, WMU, Ferris St, and BGSU -Ferris accepts WCHA offer -ND moves to HE or ECAC or whatever -WMU and BGSU then "control" a two team CCHA -WMU and BGSU then invite the six teams from the NCHC and rename the conference the NCHC- like a reverse takeover. Technically, the CCHA autobid goes directly to the NCHC. -If ND and WMU both go to the NCHC, and Bowling Green stays as the last team, Bowling Green could invite the AHA teams and UAH and hold onto the CCHA autobid. Looks like WMU's chance for a new arena is delayed for at least another year: Kalamzaoo / WMU proposed arena may be on ice

Minot Daily News: Another new development in Columbus For a town of 133 people, this is the second major development announced this summer. At this rate, Columbus could be a town of 2000 in five years. Columbus is more on the periphery of the main Bakken oil drilling. Seems like the company behind the proposed Potash mining project near Columbus is getting very serious about ND potash - and needs the permanent housing. Dakota Salts Potash Project

The Betty is the practice facility - a brass and leather and granite plated one at that. Four courts can be used simultaneously (although not efficiently.) The Betty has like eight locker rooms, with home locker rooms for Volleyball, M&W basketball, and W Soccer, offices for all the coaches, as well as weight rooms and study rooms. Again, between men's and women's hockey, there just are not enough weekend dates to meaningfully schedule the Ralph for men's and women's basketball, even for the lower bowl. If the REA Olympic Arena had been made expandable to 3000 seats or more for women's hockey, then the Ralph and it's lower bowl would have every other weekend available. But the Olympic Arena can not be expanded in an decent way beyond its 1200 seats. It's also not as if voter approval would be required, only a substantial donation. When the Betty was built, the structure was financed not through donations, but through bonds. (Many donations came in to upgrade the original plan for plastic seats to leather, as well other Ralph-like accessories.) It's my understanding that the REA has paid off those bonds (someone correct me otherwise). If a major donation was given for perhaps half the cost, the REA could float another bond issue to pay for an arena. It's really not that far-fetched. An indoor practice facility is needed, but offers almost no cash flow back into UND athletics directly (yes, an IPF can be rented out periodically, and the IPF would be a tremendous resource for football recruiting, which would help attendance, but that is indirect ). A smaller arena with suites, club seating, and video monitorsoffers something the IPF can't - cash flow - and is about the only way a UND basketball program can break even. The Betty - even if it sells out - just doesn't have the extras that are needed to bring in revenue and sell the game to people under 30. UNC's Dean Smith Center and UK's Rupp Arena are massive arenas (around 23 - 24 k seats each). But guess what, those arenas are in many ways dinosaurs in this arena age. Louisville's arena allows Louisville to have much higher basketball revenue than those two bigger programs, even with UNC's and UK's attendance advantages. Again, suites, club seating, and advertising gives Louisville a huge advantage over those two schools in generating revenue. True sports fans may hate this, but college sports is maybe more about entertainment and socializing than about the game. Why is tailgating so popular? Why is the Ralph so popular? In large part because of the social and entertainment aspect. The Betty offers neither to any degree. The Ralph's lower bowl just isn't available. At UND, men's hockey is what underwrites practically everything. Football and basketball run huge deficits and need the facilities to meaningfully contribute financially. The beauty of Louisville basketball is that was the only thing Louisville athletics had going for it 10+ years ago. Louisville was able to cash flow enough from basketball (without the help of being in a major college league) to help build up all their other facilities - before Louisville was even in the Big East. Now Louisville has first rate facilities in nearly everything. Louisville's other sports like football and baseball can now actually make money - putting less pressure on basketball to perform financially.

Never expected the WCHA to invite Ferris State and Bowling Green - guess the WCHA will go to "Michigan" and "Minnesota" divisions if that happens. So far, only Alaska and Lake State, who both badly wanted into the WCHA, have immediately accepted. If Bowling Green is forced into the WCHA as its only option, as an institution I just don't see them keeping hockey as a sport. As an FBS school, they have nothing in common with any of the other WCHA schools, and their travel would be horrific. UAH hockey probably gets killed by this too. UAH needs the CCHA to survive. The four AHA schools that were looking at the CCHA, Niagara, Canisius, Mercyhurst, and Robert Morris, wanted an eight team CCHA without Alaska, as they didn't want to revisit the old CHA situation if schools dropped out. A six team or maybe even seven team league just doesn't offer the assurance they want. If Notre Dame accepts the NCHC offer and WMU isn't offered, an eight team CCHA might still happen (with UAH, WMU, Ferris, BGSU + four AHA schools), but that is seeming less and less likely.

So if the IPF begins construction, what's the next athletic facility need? There's been talk about an addition to the UND Wellness Center for swimming (Olympic pool, diving pool, smaller lap pool). Tennis should be set with the Grand Forks Wellness Center. Baseball has needs, but barring a domed stadium for baseball, Hyslop would basically be theirs to share with the golf and softball teams. A retractable stadium can be talked about, but wouldn't be a reality without a donation well in excess of the Engelstad's. A new outdoor track/soccer field and parking ramp north of Memorial wouldn't be needed unless a new campus stadium becomes a reality. IMHO, the real need is a basketball arena that has video capability, club seating, suites, and possibly with ice so it can be used for smaller and more intimate crowds that women's hockey bring. Club seating, suites, video capability (think advertising), and concourses with decent concessions - not general tickets sold - are the bread and butter of basketball revenue for mid-major schools. The Betty offers none of that - it's a very nice gym but it's definitely not an entertainment destination. To sustain basketball programs, a 5-6000 seat arena, with amenities that bring in the bigger bucks, is needed. A size about like the Scheels Arena that is designed primarily for basketball but can be converted to hockey. As stated before, the Ralph offers almost no weekend dates between men's and women's hockey, and moreover, is needed for practice for almost every day. The Ralph's lower bowl simply isn't available for many times. The Alerus offers suites, but those suites have no value for basketball. The Betty was designed to be a basketball practice facility and is a very nice facility for that purpose and for volleyball - but there is no way a Betty can support basketball programs that will soon need $200,000 coaches salaries just to keep somebody semi-capable around. The flexibility of a true secondary arena would make the REA even grander (and a much larger money generator for UND athletics). ND HS school tournaments, World Jr championships, a Chicago-showcase type event, multiple-event weekends with alternating times could all be hosted with ease. Just need a $30 million donor for this one.

With the DI rules that only allow five years to complete eligibility (no medical redshirt except by appeal if redshirted as a freshmen), a player getting injured after a redshirt year becomes a much more tragic circumstance. The Big Sky and Colonial conferences have been pushing to five years FCS eligible regardless of circumstances. That measure failed to pass a couple weeks ago, but is sure to arise again: Bozeman Chronicle: Exploring five year FCS eligibility and expanded playoffs

St Cloud Times: WCHA - CCHA meetings - no merger? Notre Dame to the ECAC? Waiting on the Irish shoe to drop? Seems like the meetings were more about how many more schools the WCHA would take from the CCHA (add Alaska and/or LSSU vs possibly adding Moorhead, all of which might be fine from the CCHA's perspective). Since there any more meetings scheduled, that may be an indication that the four AHA schools are ready to jump to the CCHA, once ND and WMU leave.

WDAY: MSU-Moorhead still moving forward with hockey fundraising

Good for NDSU - would that be for the basketball practice lean-to, the new weight area, or the actual BSA BB court?

CNBC's Mad Money to broadcast live from Killdeer on Wednesday A couple of months ago, Mad Money's Jim Cramer mentioned that he would take the show to ND - at the time thought he meant UND as part of their college tour that they do, as the caller was from Grand Forks. Meanwhile, in Appalachia, USGS increases Marcellus Shale gas reserves by a factor of 40 Expect that number to increase as drilling efficiency increases. Also, two other natural gas bearing shales underly the Marcellus, making the reserves even higher. Australia and Canada are two countries that are actively working on projects that are much more environmentally sensitive than Marcellus, Canada with it's tar sands and Australia, with Chevron's huge Gorgon project in Australia's Eden. Both countries have stronger economies than the US, helped in large part by their energy industries and declining energy imports (Australia's unemployment is 5.1%, Canada is at 7.2%.) As natural gas become more plentiful (and very cheap - relative to gasoline), expect more trucks to be converted to nat gas. With current price structures, it is economical to convert natural gas to gasoline, which Wyoming is proposing: Wyoming pushing for natural gas to gasoline plant A natural gas to liquids plant has just been put on-line in Qatar by Shell, proving the technology on a huge scale. In turn, this allowed Qatar to become a huge exporter of both nat gas and gasoline (and the $'s for Qatar to win and pay for the World Cup bid for 2022.): Shell's mega-natural gas to gasoline/liquids plant in Qatar Strategic use of natural gas would allow the US to reach a long-awaited goal of energy independence and allow the economy to get moving again. Foreign Policy: The Americas, not the Middle East, can be the world's new energy capitol

In Dec of 09, the SBoHE approved an IPF for UND. Since the money is not appropriated, the approval still stands as long as it doesn't go over budget. NDSU is still $10 mill short on BSA fundraising, so we may be looking at a new domed retractable roofed stadium before the BSA ever gets remodeled.

RD17: Have missed your wisdom! Hope now that football season is back, you will be posting more. The lack of a Minnesota game has also hurt the football program, as the Twin Cities alums haven't had the chance to play the Gophs. Those games have helped the other Dakota schools, especially NDSU, both with fan interest and with Minnesota recruiting. Totally agree that the USF game burst any residual excitement from the DII years. Regarding a new football stadium, those rumors seem to persist. Years before the REA was gifted, there were similar rumors. The supposed benefactor will be at a retirement age by 2020, much as Ralph was by the year 2000. With gold continuing to make historic highs, hopefully it all won't come crashing down before a gift is made.

Three very reasonable home/home series during the "pre-season": SDSU, W Illinois, and Idaho State. Four or five of those games might actually be winnable (SDSU away should be by far the toughest). A bit surprised that UND doesn't participate in any holiday tournament. A conspicuous absence of USD from the schedule.

Who will be NCHC Commish?

NDSU has been dominating the Summit League in track, so this is a good move for them. So this new track facility won't be attached to the BSA? From the renderings, at least this building's architecture is consistent with the BSA: tin pole barn motif. Never would know that NDSU has an architect school. There's still $10 million in fundraising for a refurbished BSA? Is that thing ever going to be built? A number of years ago (five or six?), I was ripped on for stating that UND's practice facility would get built before the BSA was ever redone. I certainly didn't think it would take UND this long to begin, but again, prophecy was fulfilled.

Tough game at UNM's Pit

Allegiant's website is now allowing the booking of an Orlando-Grand Forks flight, with the first scheduled for November 17th @ $95 price one way. Looks like mostly Sunday and Thursday service. Allegiant flies into the Sanford airport, which is nearly an hour north of downtown Orlando, rather than Orlando International.

The situation is almost identical. Nationwide Arena is owned by the city of Columbus, while Schottenstein Center is owned by an Ohio State U Foundation.

It's the media's job to do those interviews, but they seem to refuse - trusting Kelley every step of the way.

As much as people hate on Al Carlson, he has a much better political understanding of the Big Sky situation than the media or most of the people on this board accept. Straight and simple, the Big Sky situation is certainly a bluff. That's one thing that Kelley and Carlson would both agree on if either was honest. If the media ever got a story from the Weber State or Southern Utah Presidents and their views on the issue, those type interviews might turn this state upside down. Dalrymple has too many "friends" that he needs to protect to really tell us the truth about the whole fiasco. If the anticipated Spirit Lake lawsuit results in restraining orders against both the SBoHE and the NCAA, the Big Sky issue is moot for another year and thereafter die for the lie it is.

If Columbus can't afford two 19,000 arenas without cooperation between the two, how the he** does Grand Forks think it can afford two 12,000 + arenas without doing the same level of cooperation. What I find unfathomable about Grand Forks is that different government organizations just cannot seem to cooperate on anything. The City, County, Park Board, and School District all go in different directions with very little cooperation and vision between them. Just get 'er done, ego's be damned, and save the taxpayers $500,000.

They actually plan to institute a name-change in the middle of the school year? Why? IMHO, the SBOHE and Kelley are fearful a a new law suit - this one by people of Spirit Lake against the NCAA that declares the NCAA a discriminatory organization. If a Spirit Lake group gained standing, their arguments would be legitimate in court. (The NCAA only demanded one Objiwe tribe in Michigan for CMU. The NCAA is discriminating against Spirit Lake by requiring a different standard: two tribes. The lawsuit settlement agreed to by the state of ND and the NCAA -- which Spirit Lake had no part of - discriminated against Spirit Lake.) By dropping the name mid-season, any lawsuit would also need an injunction against the State / UND from dropping the nickname. Once the name is dropped, the name will never come back.

The rules will place even more emphasis on academics. Not many academically questionable athletes will get a shot anymore.