RD17

Exactly. Trendy and cool is what you name your intramural team or an expansion USHL team, not a flagship state university. Fortunately, Roughriders is out there for UND and too logical of an option to pass up.

Yep... plus Roughriders especially has great significance in the western part of the state, which is an area that is booming and will be a UND stronghold as we become entrenched in the Big Sky.

Sorry to steal your thunder. I only went back three years digging up old posts, not four. Actually, there should be no PC problems with this name. If you go back to the first post of this thread, apparently Ron His Horse is Thunder even suggested that UND use Roughriders! And facts like this should give the diversity and inclusiveness crowd plenty of warm fuzzies: Cowboys and Indians working together in the 19th century? That's what I call inclusiveness and diversity!

Dredging up an old thread, but check out list one or list two of state nicknames and you will find: Razorback State (Arkansas) The Bear State (California) Buffalo Plains State (Colorado) Blue Hen State (Delaware) Alligator State (Florida) Hoosier State (Indiana) Hawkeye State (Iowa) Jayhawk State (Kansas) Terrapin State (Maryland) Wolverine State (Michigan) Cornhusker State (Nebraska) Tar Heel State (North Carolina) Buckeye State (Ohio) Sooner State (Oklahoma) Coyote State (South Dakota) Volunteer State (Tennessee) Mountain State (West Virginia) Badger State (Wisconsin) Cowboy State (Wyoming) The flagship university in every one of those states has a nickname synonymous with (one of) its state nicknames. Since North Dakota's are Flickertail State (been there, done that ), Sioux State , Peace Garden State (can't think of a way to incorporate this), or Roughrider State, it only makes sense that we would pick Roughriders as UND's next nickname. It sounds good, has great logo possibilities, would be unique among colleges and universities in the U.S., and to top it off, is one of North Dakota's state nicknames which keeps with tradition at UND and around the country. I know that many would view Red River HS having the same nickname as a drawback but there will be drawbacks no matter what nickname is chosen. As I've seen The Sicatoka mention many times on this board, we need to control what we can and voice our opinion on a new nickname soon or have something lame thrust upon us. Thoughts on Roughriders?

Why does everyone have to make this so difficult? At anytime over the past five years, the SRTC could have voted to allow UND usage of the name and we wouldn't be at this point. It really is that simple. Wouldn't have required the NCAA lawsuit, any petitions, or a reservation-wide vote, could literally have been done in 10 minutes. Obviously, the radicals on the SRTC never intended for this to happen.

I definitely think things could have been handled better by Engelstad and past UND administrations at times in regard to the nickname. But again, once the NCAA got involved, it empowered the radicals that happen to be in charge at Standing Rock to stick it to UND.

What are you talking about? Of course I'm aware that there were people like Archie doing everything possible to get it to a vote and that if a vote happened the majority would support it. But the SRTC never intended to allow that happen, which was obvious by their inaction. We were all told it would change when Murphy took office and that obviously wasn't the case. And the corrupt politicians stuff is silly... to blame this on anyone but the NCAA and Standing Rock is ridiculous.

I realize that I'm back to this thread a little late and and much of this is pointless to go over six years after the fact but here it goes: The penalty for playing up was far less severe, as a loss to a I-AA school gave 9 points while a loss to a good (higher than .700 winning %) D-II team was worth 8. The problem was that a win over a I-AA team was only worth 11, which was the same as beating a D-II team with between a .500 and .700 record at home. So although the point penalty for losing wasn't as severe, there wasn't much incentive to play a I-AA when you could get the same points for beating Ferris State, West Chester, or Western Washington (all teams UND played at home in 2004-2005). The other thing they started doing in 2004 was incorporating overall winning percentage into a strength of schedule index. So losing games to a I-AA hurt and there wasn't enough of a reward in the event that a D-II team did win. In 2006 they changed it to the way it is now where I-AA games don't matter whatsoever. So the wins by UND over UNI in 2006 and SUU in 2007 did not help or hurt the cause.

Standing Rock could have come forward at any point in the last 4-5 years to approve usage of the name and we wouldn't be at this point. We were always told to be patient for a vote on the reservation, it would all change with Murphy in office, the tribal council needs to take care of more pertinent issues first, etc. etc. etc. Fact is Standing Rock never did a thing, nor did leadership there intend for there to ever be a vote. To place blame on current administrators at UND or even the SBOHE for pulling the plug is just plain foolish.

No it wasn't... the point system was in place through the 2005 season. UND was a five seed in the region in 2004 and a four seed in 2005 and would have missed the playoffs both years if they had played NDSU. 2006 was the year it was changed so that results against opponents outside of D-II were essentially meaningless.

Well you're going to be waiting a long time then. You do realize that there hasn't been a new addition to the MVC in 16 years? And that certain members of this same conference had to be given travel concessions just to get USD into the MVFC? Plus, NDSU is now in a bad spot with USD nudging its way into the MVFC. Three is a real ugly number for expansion, especially in a conference as stable as the MVC. If the MVC ever did expand, there is no way it would bypass Vermillion and/or Brookings on its way to Fargo. What would really be bad news for NDSU is if the MVC expanded by two and took USD and SDSU. Maybe NDSU should be pushing hard to get St. Cloud into the Summit so they can maintain some semblance of the NCC/ bus league feel if the SD schools end up in the MVC?

What a great day for the University of North Dakota! Despite the direction the other local schools took in regard to conference membership, I have always regarded the Big Sky as the dream league for UND. I have a feeling that we will see amazing growth in UND's athletic department over the next decade and much of that will be attributed to being in such a fine conference. To go from no conference options when the transition started to being accepted into a true destination league is incredible and we all have to give credit and thanks to Kelley and Faison for pulling this off.

I went to UND's preseason scrimmage in 2007 and I remember Dale Lennon telling me that he thought Goska compared favorably with former Grand Valley QB Cullen Finnerty. I hope Goska can play at that level for the next year and a half.

Very unfortunate that his career had to end this way. Landry wasn't a terrible QB by any means, but his inability to throw with much accuracy on the intermediate routes really put a damper on UND's offense these past two seasons. I really thought his big arm would come in handy, but we would have been better off with a lesser-armed QB that was more accurate and more comfortable in the pocket like Manke and Freund were. I also hope someone like Nichols or even Hendrickson gets some time at QB the rest of they year just so we know where we are at going into 2011. With all of the injuries (I understand that Murray may be out now as well?) I think UND should be getting as many young guys reps as possible the rest of the way.

Agreed. FCS supporters like to tout that level of play as the low cost version of D-I football. In reality, it is the low revenue version. It won't happen overnight, but for UND to have long-term D-I success, it must grow the football program to the point where it can support a move to the FBS level.

Bryant University, who is also transitioning to D-I, just wrapped up a 1-29 season. When you consider that Bryant reached the D-II national championship game the year the Elite Eight was in GF, it is quite a collapse in a short period of time.

Interesting (and slightly alarming) article coming from the Montana student newspaper in regard to the financial problems within the athletic department. The following quotes are from Montana AD Jim O'Day: link

100% agree. Problem is that it has become obvious by their inaction that both would prefer the nickname to be gone, but they don't want to say anything publicly because they fear the backlash. Much easier to just hide behind the SBOHE and let them do the dirty work. Not what I would call great leadership.

As of about a week ago, Target was selling 52" Sony 1080p LCD's for $1199, which is a fantastic price for that high of a quality TV. I have a 42" LG Plasma that I bought about 3 years ago and I am very happy with it. I would recommend going with an LCD if you are buying one today, however.

In addition to dumping the conference "core member" requirement, the NCAA is also looking at requiring any new D-I member to have a conference membership lined up prior to making the move up. link It's probably a good thing that UND made the move when it did.

I heard some sports talk radio guys in Big 12 country talking about how improved Colorado is this year and how opposing Big 12 coaches hate having to prepare for CU's Princeton offense. The other coaches think it's difficult to defend not because all the cutting and back door stuff is necessarily that difficult, but because it puts constant pressure on all five defenders. Today's college players are used to seeing more of an isolation, pick and roll type of man to man offense where weak side defenders can relax just a bit.

I would agree that the indoor facility will help immensely in recruiting. But probably the biggest recruiting factor will be whether or not the money can be raised to basically move football operations to the new facility. Having coaches offices, locker rooms, meeting rooms, weight room, etc. attached to the new facility would be huge for the football program. There has to be a financial commitment coming from somewhere to be moving forward with Old REA demolition so quickly. MWSU's facility has a build time of roughly one year so it's very possible UND could have its new facility built by the 2012 season at the latest.

I really dislike this zone defense.

Still 22-22 15:00 4th Lindenwood ball at their own 30 to start the 4th. USF drove inside the 10 at the end of the 3rd but an end zone interception ended the drive.

22-22 9:44 3rd Another long kickoff return sets up a short USF TD drive.