star2city

Hasn't there been a big pop in #'s with the Fargodome game? Ten thousands tickets sold equals three home games. What's the latest status on the BSA remodel? Are all the needed donations there? Couldn't at least one phase begin? You likely weren't even born back in the glory days of NDSU attendance, but were those figures real? During that time frame, seems that both BSA and Dacotah Field numbers had inflation factors.

UND is a member of the Big Sky. The Big Sky bylaws would have to have some type of provision for this type of thing for UND to be voted out without risking penalties and / or court costs. Eastern Washington has had some rather serious academic and cheating issues in the near past that never threatened it's status.

Agree that the NCAA would have no choice but to remove UND from the sanction list , IF Standing Rock approves the name after the settlement date. The NCAA rightly judged that UND and SBoHE - by itself, with all the PC forces within it - would never allow the Sioux name to be reinstated once the name has been removed. However, the NCAA almost certainly misjudged some issues: it certainly didn't expect a referendum on Spirit Lake and hoped to high hell that Standing Rock wouldn't have one either. A state legislature vote and a statewide constitutional vote would be even more shocking to the NCAA. Legislative votes specifically aimed at the NCAA - whether in states or in congress - are something the NCAA wants to avoid at practically any cost.

Content is what matters to me. ShilohSioux has posts have good information and good insight. TRex, on the other hand, has consistently posted four years of Debbie Downer / Chicken Little sky falling garbage without any real thoughts behind them. He must be a joy to be around. BTW, with the new board features, how does one place another poster on ignore? Can't seem to find the ignore feature anymore.

The Longwood game is just another illustration that the true building blocks of a mid-major program start with the freshmen. This program needs the capability of offering three scholarships both this spring and next in order for this program to continue building. Sadly, the scholarships held by the sophomores are a noose around the neck of this program. Without a change, 2013 is the earliest date in which significantly more talent would come into the program. With the high amount of scholarships held by the underperforming sophomore class, the freshman will only get help when they are seniors. Ideally, a program needs to offer 3-4 scholarships a year to constantly bring in new talent.

Whineryville !! They have to be content with the former glory days of Youngstown State. Go Big Sky!!

Rivals is showing an offer out to Wesley Washpun of Cedar Rapids (UNI and SDSU also have offers). Do we really need another point guard? Two recruits that Rivals shows with UND interest are small forwards Michael Emge of Faribault and Alex Richter of Lakeville South.. No sign that Jones will be bulking up the inside.

Is it possible that Wilmer could qualify for a medical redshirt year? Granted, in DI, his previous redshirt year isn't helpful in that end. Wilmer seemingly has more upside than any of the other sophomores. Seven footers aren't easy to find - and more difficult to recruit. Having him around another year could be important.

If UND was ever to make a coaching change next year, why not look here: UMD's Bob Nielson A head coach's responsibilities are a whole lot different than an assistant coach: a head coach has to know or learn how to be a CEO. Some assistants coaches - no matter how good they are - never transition into that role as they are too detail focused (e.g. Charlie Weis - brilliant as an assistant - but doesn't have the administrative skills to be head coach. Bubba Schweigert may be another example). With Nielson, you'd have somebody that would stick around, knows how to win, and actually would be a prime candidate for the AD role as he knows hockey/basketball too. Knows the region and is smart as a whip.

IMHO, Jones job is dependent on bringing in some inside talent. With any of the sophomores don't get a full ride next year: guess they will have to be satisfied with three years of having their room, board, and tuition paid. Wow, that would really suck if they only got three years of college fully paid for. A lot of academic scholarships are dependent on performance, why not athletic scholarships? Should a coach continually get a contract renewed regardless of on-court performance? If the fan base is abandoning the team? Welcome to DI (and DII). Guenther used to drop scholarships. So did Blais and almost any other coach worth his salt.

A bit of outside the box thinking on why UND is scheduling SCSU

Pacific Coast Softball The five Big Sky schools play in the Pacific Coast Softball league. With UND and SUU, the Big Sky will sponsor their own softball conference and land an autobid. The Pacific Coast Softball league will continue with one division and maintain it's autobid.

The bottom line though, if UND is about maximizing the chances of making the playoffs, is to limit a schedule to 1 FBS with 1 FCS non-scholly or 1 DII without an FBS. It would have made more sense to schedule Drake in 2012 rather than 2011.

In 2012, are 12 games allowed in FCS? Could a South Dakota game still be scheduled? Montana only rarely schedules FBS games, and when they do it is for huge guarantees like > $500 (Tennessee in 2011, Iowa a couple of years ago). Since FBS games are usually losses, scheduling a DII or NAIA means that seven or eight of the nine FCS games must be wins to make the playoffs - which is awfully tough no matter who the opponent is. With 3 FBS opponents, UND barely matches Montana's take in one FBS game. Furthermore, the upcoming Fresno St, San Diego St, Idaho, and N Mex St games are all relatively low $ guarantees. None of them can afford much more than $250 k (and in Idaho's case UND doesn't even break even). A lot of the scheduling difficulty UND is facing all goes back to Buning. His scheduling of two Idaho games for only $100 k each was one of the most boneheaded decisions by any AD. Idaho's AD probably couldn't believe their good fortune and Buning's lack of bargaining. If Buning had had any sense, he would have held out for at least $225 k - that would have helped pay for a guarantee games rather than the smaller $'s thrown at Montana Western and Black Hills State. Instead, UND doesn't even break even on going to Moscow twice. Ridiculous.

Would be surprised if Big Sky football is at 13 teams for more than one or two years: Texas State Bobcat Report: interview with WAC's Karl Benson Until Montana announces at least one additional women's sport needed for FBS, they aren't going anywhere. From this recent article, it's rather clear Cal Poly is open to moving up once they have the financial wherewithal. SLO's #2 Sports Story: Big Sky membership

More adventuresome people want to travel to new and interesting places. The MVFC is basically the same scenery: nothing wrong with that. It's just more of a homebody league. When TCU left the regional CUSA for the MWC, most of the CUSA teams were predicting disaster for TCU's program for the same reasons that NDSU fans consider UND's move to the Big Sky crazy. Who won that argument.

Apparently, Herd and NDSU fans are obsessed enough with the legitimate economic arguments presented here (never mind the alumni and recruiting issues) that perhaps a bit of light is penetrating their skull. Again, NDSU fans would never be in a favor of moving over - largely because of entirely emotional issues of being previously rejected and never following UND. I personally hope NDSU never follows UND to the Big Sky, but Bresiani has a strategic enough mind to comprehend that a western conference may pay huge dividends to UND. Although it was different circumstances that caused the change in statewide perceptions in Montana, 25 years ago Montana St formerly was by far the attendance leader in Montana. Nothing ever stays the same.

New Mexico St's program is practically the worst in FBS - by 2013 that should be a very reasonable shot at a win. But that game may also mean a shot at more regional programs like Minnesota, Iowa St, Wyoming or even Colorado State won't be available until 2014 or later.

Thanks for the info! Highlighted some facts just to ensure that Bison trolls read it. I think everyone recognizes that Scheels is Fargo-based - the Fargo Scheels is certainly a destination store. Placing the Scheels name on the Urban Plains Center is likely looked at by all citizens as a very civic minded act. But as some Sioux fans here have noted, paying and sponsoring for a piece of the new SHAC - while also very civic minded (NDSU needs the finances badly), may very well be also be viewed as a statement of allegiance. As other posters have also noted, UND does have athletic facility needs (indoor practice facility). Perhaps Scheels can balance the playing field a bit. Couple of questions for you that you may not be able to answer: Any chance Grand Forks gets a Scheels superstore? What kind of impact on sales do you expect with a new nickname?

Those are naming rights donors (and they only took eight years to round up in Fargo-Moorhead). The bread and butter of athletic budgets are corporate donors that pay for advertising annually and purchase season tickets / suites: like the donors that ring Engelstad Arena boards and advertise at the game and on TV.

What was most interesting is that Scheels first gave a donation to a hockey arena: Scheels know what sport effects their bottom line. The Fargo Force - more or less a Sioux hockey feeder team - took priority over the Bison! It's funny when you walk into Scheels in Fargo: the Bison section is right by the front door, but the Sioux section is just as large further into the store. In Grand Forks, I don't think there even is a Bison section! Would bet that Sioux merchandise is a bigger seller for Scheels than Bison stuff.

Why was a hold placed on that donation? Corporate strings too much? Other conflicting donations?

Ever heard of corporate sponsors? Ever consider that Williston will double in population? That Minot will be growing substantially instead of being stagnant? That Bismarck-Mandan may challenge Fargo within 15-20 years as the state's largest metro? Those are all realistic possibilities as the Bakken (and Lodgepole, and Tyler, and Sanish-Three Forks) formations get developed. As Harold Hamm has said, ND deposits are significantly larger than Prudhoe Bay - it will just take many more people and much more capital to tap all the reserves. UND-Montana and UND-Montana State games will be of significant interest in those cities. NDSU-Indiana State will not. NDSU fans should just push for another name change: Fargo State. Fargo State better reflects the attitude of NDSU fans and administration.

Marquette to add men's and women's lacrosse Marquette will start lacrosse and begin play later in the Big East. College men's lacrosse is now within a traditional UND recruiting area. Latest rumors in the west: Stanford and Oregon start men's lacrosse (USC already confirmed for later) Western Lacrosse League Denver Air Force USC Oregon (Nike interested) Stanford North Dakota !!! Midwest opponents: Michigan (new), Notre Dame, Ohio State, Marquette Start lacrosse before Minnesota or Wisconsin have a chance to get established!

Clearly you are incapable of understanding economic and geopolitical trends. After all, the world revolves around Fargo. Bresciani understands my point: he's from Texas after all. Here's a clue: