star2city

Yeah, they'll add Houston Baptist and UTPA, and then the piss off the entire eastern wing of the conference. Add two and lose 4: very smart politically there, MplsBison.

As you stated, the Summit is building an I-29 division. So why would they not have interest in UND beyond November when UND is basically the only school that fits that criteria? I'll state again: UND has a better TV contract than basically the entire Summit League. Who has leverage here that wasn't in place before the Summit nickname proclamation? UND. The Summit League is like a potential employer telling a prospective employee to divorce an estranged wife as an employment demand, when the employee still has hopes of saving the marriage. Not Kosher.

Good point. I was in Greensboro Coliseum for that game and it took a few seconds of thought for the answer. Radford.

You guys would defend Chapman's *ss til death. Everyone knows he was an awesome snake oil salesman, I'll give him that. Now just go back to bisonville hole and blame everything on the UND conspiracy. Pork was one of the main reasons why the Republicans lost control of Congress four years ago. Taxpayers are just sick and tired of it. As far as civil rights, seems the media doesn't care what's going on with the Justice Department's monitoring of the internet. My previous post wasn't meant to be an attack on what you wrote. I actually agreed with you that Hoeven had horrible judgement in getting in bed with Chapman. Hoeven allowed unacceptable behavior by Chapman to go on for way to many years and Hoeven basically signed off on Potts' firing. Hoeven's judgement on that matter was disgusting.

Quit trying to blow smoke up our *ss: Horizon League get's 2 bids for second time in three years You refused to discuss that Summit schools to Horizon scenario here, instead going into your normal tirade about how stupid UND fans are for not dropping the nickname. http://forum.siouxsports.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=434047 We know your spiel is just to aggravate and agitate: it gives you your jollies. But you stating the Summit is somehow a secure conference shows naivety to the nth degree.

Couple of things: for the first time, Minot is actually participating in the Bakken oil boom. Delta monitors business conditions and knows what is coming. Hess moved their ND headquarters there, and there's an incredible amount of drilling going in just SW of Minot near Parshall. Bakken drilling is expected to move beyond Mountrail county into Burke and possibly Renville and Ward counties, and maybe even as far east as Bottineau county. With the housing pressure on in Williston and the changing geography of the oil-boom, Minot may be entering it's biggest boom since the AFB went in. Agree that Hoeven was in bed with Chapman. Chapman could sweet-talk anyone, and politicians are especially vulnerable to that kind of BS. The true Chapman was revealed with the housing episode: Marcil and Hoeven know they were bamboozled and will be especially careful to avoid that kind of association in the future. NDSU doesn't have any goodwill left in the state, so don't expect any kind of favoritism to play out in their direction. UND was hurt in that Kupchella, while honest and straightforward, was just too socially awkward for politicians to want associate with him or do any favors. Kelly seems to have a little more charisma, although not a good speaking voice. With the voter outrage at pork, the ability of any ND senator or representative to bring home the kind of bacon that Dorgan and Conrad did may effectively ended. I think the next major issue within eastern ND will be how quickly Fargo-Moorhead can install some sort of diversion system. With the coming spring thaw, businesses in FM will tire of dealing with the flooding uncertainty, and even when the diversion is built, taxes will rise. While I'm certain GF has no plan whatsoever to capitalize, that could be an unintended consequence.

Big12 to be cannibalized by Big10 and Pac10?

There's been some scuttlebutt about a UND/NDSU basketball series resuming next year. It would possibly be only a one game matchup/season, so a UND/NDSU game at REA might not be until the following year. I've always though UND should sponsor a UND/NDSU/USD/Montana (or Mont St) Christmas round-robin at the Ralph or the Al. Have UND/Montana and NDSU/USD the first night, followed by Montana/USD and then UND/NDSU. I think that would draw very well, especially when the hockey team is normally gone for an annual post-Christmas tournament.

NFL only http://www.databasefootball.com/players/by...of+North+Dakota

There have been rumblings in Brookings that SDSU was preparing itself for an option to go FBS. I was skeptical. With 15,000 seats the magic FBS number, now it truly seems as if they have a plan.

Forum Communications already has a relationship with UND via WDAZ and the Grand Forks Herald. The issue with WDAZ is that it only covers NE ND and NW MN. If WDAY and other western stations could be pulled into the relationship, that could benefit all parties. The choice for UND athletics for some time has been either gain access to the WDAZ sister stations, or move to another network. With WDAY AM and WDAY TV now being the former voices of NDSU, there just could be some openings. It seems NDSU and it's Foundation really bungled their relationship with Forum owner Marcil over his gifting of UND's and NDSU's president's housing. Marcils public statements about NDSU handling of the construction were not at all favorable and could have caused a rift, while he responded favorably to UND's handling of the situation. Until that event, Marcil had always seemed pro-Chapman. UND's and WDAZ's relationship with Fox College Sports might also be entering into the equation, as some of the WDAZ commericals are broadcast nationally. With a state TV network and even a cable audience, Forum Communications could seel more regional rather than local advertising.

Your response says it all: you're logic fails so you resort to attacks.

In the Salt Lake media right now, there are a number of reports that Utah/Colorado are the schools that would go. If Colorado leaves the Big 12, Texas and the Big Ten might be more likely. This report suggests Boise State, but Boise State is no where close to PAC-10 academic standards. MSNBC speculation BYU would never get an invite either, largely because of a secular/LDS divide.

USF win over Sioux helped convince Lennon

Yes, really. Miles promised them they'd be in an autobid conference, and at the time, Chapman etc., were certain that NDSU would be in the Big Sky. You can re-write history all you want.

I'll touch that issue. Who promised those athletes that we would be in an auto-bid conference? Maybe some coaches - not UND. Those athletes were promised an opportunity to compete at the DI level. That has been granted. Only a small fraction of DI athletes ever see NCAA action. If by this summer it is apparent that they won't have an opportunity, guess what, they can transfer to fulfill their dream. There's still time. In the meantime, they get a free education. NDSU promised their fab five they could compete for a Big Sky championship - the MidCon (Summit) was furthest from their mind. In life, situations rarely ever get fulfilled the way we anticipate or hope.

Petition drives never came from Spirit Lake leaders either, nor did they cooperate. Their constituents voted, and the leaders responded. Much like what has been occurring after the shocking upset of Scott Brown in Massachusetts.

Hmm, Big Ten expanding, Pac10 expanding, Big East, Big 12, MWC, WAC all awaiting huge hits, and somehow you believe the Summit is an island of stability? You been given evidence that the Summit is the least stable of any league, and yet you deny that the impending tsunami of conference change will impact the Summit!! Apparently, to you, what's up is down and down is up. Wrong again. But then, this is the same poster who can't comprehend any of Chapman's unethical actions that led to Chapman's forced resignation were any more than unforced errors. Appalling lack of ethical wisdom.

Rumors are continuing and pervasive, Utah/Colorado to PAC10, that Utah and Colorado will invited to the PAC10. Utah loses the right to the Ute name if the Ute tribe reneges on it's approval, which is possible. So based on your so-called logic, the PAC10 should never ever consider Utah? PAC10 schools are some of the most liberal in the country, only rivaled by Minnesota,Wisconsin, Iowa and the Ivies. Your dislike of UND so taints your view of the world, that you refuse to see the Summit's stand as non-normal. Arkansas State was not threatened by the Sunbelt to be tossed out when Arkansas State was deliberating on keeping it's nickname and just foregoing hosting NCAA playoffs. UND is in compliance with all NCAA policies and is legally bound to an NCAA agreement. You're saying the Summit wants something stronger than a legally-binding agreement, when the PAC10 would add a school with an Indian nickname with no legally binding agreement? Your logic is totally absurd. This is all about Douple and Summit President's wanting to score political points with the NCAA because UND had a lawsuit with them.

Chicago Tribune: Wayne Simon

Contradicting yourself there. Oakland, IUPUI, IPFW etc would rather not be in the same conference as four Dakota schools. With a shot at the Horizon, they'd be gone in a blink. Didn't you hear the news? A petition campaign is ongoing to nullify the moratorium on a referendum. That's a significant change. An actual referendum would be next. I don't believe that the nickname staying is a sure thing: maybe a 20-30% chance. Ten months is not too much to ask. After all the Spirit Lake people have done, it would be ethically despicable to throw in the towel now. The Summit League officials have shown they are not exactly our friends, basically dictating a change to a legal timetable. Contrast that with the Spirit Lake people, who have given hearts and souls to the effort. So let's shove the Spirit Lake people aside and do the politically expedient thing and embrace the PC weasels of the Summit League? Crap, with the impending conference realignment, the Summit League practically has to add us: it need 12 or even 14 to survive. The ethical choices are very clear: Be patient for 10 months, be hopeful and courageous, show thankfulness to the Spirit Lake tribe and members of Standing Rock, give the process a chance, and let the chips fall where they may. or Panic at the thought of being left out, embrace some holier-than-thou organization, spite our friends, participate in manipulation, disavow the very substance of our nickname by acting cowardly in the face of fear. It's clear which choice a healthy organization or person chooses. Unfortunately, I don't have faith the NDBoHE will even comprehend what's at stake.

The "bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is accurate, but perhaps the nickname is really the "bird in hand". If UND drops the nickname now - perhaps 40% of its fans would be royally ticked off - and 10-15% ticked off enough that they become non-fans. The upside of changing the name is almost nothing: the PC types that refuse to go to Engelstad arena will continue not going, because Ralph was a rich white man who's actions upset them. The Ralph will always be a rallying point within the PC movement at UND: next, they'll want "The Ralph" name dropped. An anti-Ralph move is practically inevitable if and when the Sioux name is dropped: the PC forces must have an object of their grievances and scorn. As far as the Summit, since it is a feeder league to the Horizon and Missouri Valley, it is entirely possible that it could lose the number of members required to maintain an autobid. For all we know now, the Summit may just be a mirage - it's autobid disappearing shortly after we join. Big East split: large media privates Dayton, Xavier, Butler, St Louis to BB Big East Atlantic Ten: adds the Horizon privates Detroit, Loyola, Valpo, and maybe even Ohio publics Cleveland St, Wright St to compensate for Dayton/Xavier Horizon: adds IUPUI, Oakland, IPFW, and maybe even W Ill to fill Detroit/Indy/Ill holes S Utah gone to Big Sky, ORU to Southland (with UTSA and TXST gone) or MVC (Ill St or Mo St gone) The same type scenario happened to the Summit in 1994 and the Summit barely survived: it can easily happen again. Suddenly, the Summit is down to 4-5 teams without UND, but needs eight. Effectively, the old NCC has to reform (adding UNO and others etc) for an autobid, and UND would have sold it's soul for a non-autobid conference. Review the history of the Summit: it is furthest thing possible from an island of stability and has had to continuously reinvent itself to remain an autobid conference. By becoming Dakota-centric, that type geography drives away most other schools and creates more instability. I'm not advocating staying in the Great West or anything of that nature: but it is inevitable that the Summit will have major membership turmoil as it has always struggled to maintain it's autobid.

A Big Sky without Montana/Montana St would still be a conference that would, in many ways, appeal more to alumni than the Summit. Excluding NDSU, SDSU, USD of course. Without a travel partner hard to see it happen, but many of the schools would be more familiar than what the Summit has to offer. Which is more appealing? Northern Colorado vs Oral Roberts - UNC Weber St vs UMKC - UMKC W Ill vs Idaho St - Idaho St IUPUI vs Sac St - Sac St IPFW vs E Wash - E Wash Oakland vs NAU - NAU Centenary vs Porland St - Portland St 6:1 Big Sky over Summit (excluding schools in bordering states) Where it would get interesting is if the Big Sky started offering associate memberships in football. Which would be more interesting, a football Big Sky or the MVFC? But, UND needs to set it's sights on a new WAC. Big 10, PAC10, Big12, and MWC movements, the WAC could very well be down to: Hawaii San Jose St Utah St Idaho The WAC adds these schools: Sac St Cal Poly UC Davis Montana Montana St Since most of these are relatively low-budget entry-level FBS schools, divisions would be a necessity to reduce travel expenses. Division only work well with 12 schools. WAC Pacific Hawaii - Cal Poly Sac St - UC Davis Portland St - San Jose St WAC Mountain Utah St - Montana St Montana - Idaho UND - NDSU Bowl games in Hawaii and a restored Camelia Bowl in Sacramento. That type league is something UND should shoot for (high academics, similar size institutions, mosly non-commuter, western orientation, historical rivals) and, based on projected conference changes, is definitely a stretch but is not pie-in-the-sky.

With a major shakeup almost certainly coming, that leads to a question: why should UND prostitute itself to Summit demands? With the change in core membership criteria, UND will have equal rights as all other DI schools, and with an indoor practice facility would easily exceed the Summit schools in facilities (discounting baseball/softball). The Summit isn't negotiating, it's basically holding UND in ransom. In another year or two, the Summit could be begging, not the other way around. Where's our negotiation skill?

Hate to cut and paste from another forum, but seems the Montana AD has been making some interesting statements: eGriz on Big Sky and FBS changes