star2city

SJSU and Idaho are not even on the MWC's radar - so they definitely wouldn't be on the Big 12's. Schools that the Big 12 may be considering are BYU, Boise St, Air Force, and maybe Memphis. TCU didn't get any consideration from the Big 12 because it really doesn't open up another TV market for that conference. The Big West should be announcing this week if they are adding Hawaii for all sports but football. If that happens, the MWC will take Hawaii for football only. The MWC supposedly is considering going to 12 football schools to have a conference championship game - and would need to add two of the following: Utah St, UTEP, SMU, and Houston. If the MWC takes Utah State, the WAC will be badly crippled - down to only 6 FBS teams even after adding UTSA and TxSt. The MWC has shown no interest in Idaho or SJSU.

Exactly. Until the future of the WAC is clear, one doesn't know what the Big Sky will look like. With the Big West likely soon being "full" (12 members), San Jose St wouldn't have a place to go. Idaho's only non-WAC option is the Sky. Utah Valley is in a tough position - but the Sky doesn't need 3 Utah Schools. Seattle has a lot of merits for membership - even if it doesn't play football.

Fargo Subways - I think LaHaise got in the business shortly after high school. When Buffalo Wild WIngs franchise rights came up, he bought up the rights to Fargo / GF / Bismarck.

Then Oklahoma State and Wyoming will be fighting with us. PC politics is close to it's Waterloo, with the Baby Boomers approaching retirement.

DI: You've mellowed over the years. First you congratulated us on the Big Sky, now wishing us a Merry Christmas. Nice. You must not be hanging out at Bisonsports.net anymore?

DI: You've mellowed over the years. First you congratulated us on the Big Sky, now a Merry Christmas. Nice. You must not be hanging out at Bisonsports.net anymore?

If some minor league team (indoor football or hockey) started a team in Grand Forks and adopted the Sioux nickname, their popularity would go through the roof. There's a number of HS's in college towns that have the same nickname: Cyclones in Ames. For people that live in Grand Forks, maybe Roughriders is a big deal- if the rest of the world would become confused. For those of us from the outside - even if we were raised in GF - it's almost kind of a joke that it is an issue.

The local BWW franchise owner is a GF Central grad. Will be interesting to see if BWW participates next year when the game is likely at the Ralph.

Central Boiler record profits - expands manufacturing to lawnmowers - to hire hundreds Anybody have any clues into how rural NW Minnesota is capable of starting companies and growing them into major employers? Central Boiler is just the lastest. Digi-Key in Thief River is well over 1000 employees and has been adding at a rapid pace. Polaris in Roseau has taken on Japanese companies with new products and done well. Arctic Cat still doing well. Marvin Windows - the housing economy hurts - but surviving a very difficult downturn. In all of ND, only Melroe Bobcat has really risen from nothing as a manufacturing company into a national name: but it is owned by Koreans. What's the secret of NW Minnesota? If those companies didn't exist, places like Roseau, Warroad, and Thief River Falls would be fractions of their current size. Imagine what a similar company could have done for Devils Lake, Valley City, Langdon, Cavalier, or even Grand Forks.

That behavior and infatuation is just mind-boggling. They have so moved on. As hard as it is to believe, many of them are more attached to the Sioux name than us. Can they be that insecure? Bison fans who came on here after the Montana State game demanding respect. They look to us for approval - and when they don't get it we get cursed.

The only scenario that UND should look to the Midwest for a conference is in the very unlikely event that the Big 12 not only dissipates, but Iowa State and Kansas State are left out of the BCS - causing a major shakeup in Midwestern conferences.

The more interesting question about this game is will the older more "mature" bison fans get the bison students indoctrinated with another round of "sioux s*** s***" cheers.

From a marketing standpoint and as a symbol to represent the entire state, Roughriders is a slam dunk. It's unique and fierce and has special meaning to ND heritage. The only team of any signficance that calls itself Roughriders is a CFL team in Saskatchewan - so for the US audience that's hardly a problem. In Canada, we'd be looked at as the Roughriders of hockey - again not a problem. A logo design could be done by Bennett Brien, out of respect for the work he did for the Sioux logo. He likely could incorporate many of the same meanings into the new logo. Some of the people that you would think that would object - anti-Sioux nickname activists like David Gipp and Phil Jackson - have come out in favor of the Roughriders, so I doubt that the "Cowboy vs Indian" thing will hold much water. That those type people support "Roughriders" probably hurts it among pro-Sioux namers. For the people that object because of RRHS's name, the logo and colors would be entirely different: kelley green vs red. Roughriders also goes with the mystique we'd like to create with the Big Sky and nationally: none of them know or care that RRHS has the same nickname any more than we care about that Solen or Westhope HS having the Sioux nickname.

SDSU has mid-major quality 1,2, and 3. I'm talking about getting a higher quality 3 with a little bit of height - not a 4 or 5.

How quickly winning makes them forget Best Buy - which was going on under Bohl's nose almost all last season. Bohl is without a doubt a very good tactical coach. He's also had tremendous assistants that soon move on to greener pastures. But Bohl is just a walking time bomb with regard to personal judgement issues. Him taking on the safe driving spokesperson for the Fargo police just goes to show how his ego trumps personal judgement. He caused major national embarassment to Fargo and NDSU just two weeks ago - now it's all forgotten. There was a story somewhere that the defensive coordinator was actually the coach who suggested the change to NDSU's offensive strategy against Mont St - based on what Robert Morris did to NDSU's defense. That's rather indicative that the NDSU's defensive coaches are what's driving that ship. UND's problem isn't continuity - it's keeping assistant coaches that have to learn on the job just to become passable FCS assistant coaches.

Of course - but guards that can shoot and create plays are also always in demand. Look at SDSU. They have struggled almost throughout their transition. Now, with 8 guards and 4 forwards (and no true center), they are moving up the ranks of the mid-majors. (have beaten Iowa and Nevada - their lone loss was NDSU.) Two of the forwards are freshman from the same school in Iowa- and both are key members of the team. Their guards are also deadly from 3-pt range. SDSU roster Getting one forward that has offensive potential open up the play for UND's guards.

So that means Stockdale and Mathison are non-scholarship. Mitchell is also listed as a guard. In order for the Sioux to be somewhat competitive their first year in the Sky, at least three new players are needed in the middle - preferably next year to gain experience.

Granted, Idaho isn't very good, but the Vandals shot under 20%. Montana just beat UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, so Montana may be pretty good Williston's Brian Qvale was the 2nd leading scorer and top rebounder in the game.

Forgot about Benton. That means no more scholarships next year - unless some changes are made. This team needs some inside presence on offense. Seems like some very difficult decisions may have to be made before spring signing.

The four freshmen continue to be in the top five in scoring. Mitchell is the only veteran in the top 5 group. With only two seniors (Benter and Clausen), and one player signed (Gentry - G) - that leaves only one more scholarship to get any kind of offense inside. Next year, there are only two juniors - so presumably at most two schlolarships (if that) are available. The following year, when we've already played a season in the Big Sky - as many as six scholarships become available. To get the freshmen guards real DI help inside - and to balance out the scholarships in coming years - it would seem prudent to drop scholarships from the sophomores that aren't performing even at a low DI level. Unless there is dramatic improvement with the inside game with our existing players - this team seems destined for mediocrity. The freshmen guards need inside help before their senior year in order for this team to compete at the Big Sky level. The four freshmen guards are the first real mid-major talent we've had here in the transition. It would almost be tragic for them and the program if they don't get a supporting cast inside during their four-year career.

52-54 - 54 sec left.

Sioux within 3. Less than 2 minutes.

If you don't think iramurphy has significant contacts within ND State Government - think family - the joke is on you. Getting a bison fan to renounce years of Chapman worship requires massive therapy to finally embrace truth. It's a tough road to hoe in recovery, but you can do it!!

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/50808891-77/conference-hawaii-football-west.html.csp

Honolulu Advertiser: 3 schools seek Big West membership Somewhat surprised Sac State didn't submit an application. If the Big West admits all three schools, the Big West would likely be full with 12 members. That would mean Sac State stays in the Big Sky and that San Jose St's only option may be the Big Sky if the WAC degrades further.