dlsiouxfan

Honestly Bison Dan, how is this any different than when NDSU tells recruits their business program is better than UND's despite the fact that most of their major programs lack necessary accreditations to give the degrees any value outside of ND. How's that honest recruiting? If Craig Bohl is such an honest guy maybe he should tell them how he can't even remember his ex-players first names after they've played for him for 5 years as an ex-player just recently posted on Bisonville. As long as characters like Bohl, Chapman, and Taylor are associated with your university the word truth should never even be said in the same sentence as NDSU.

You do know it's better than a coin flip chance that NDSU will only have four home games next year. Despite what Gene Taylor says you haven't scheduled a fifth home game yet. Word out of Fargo is that IF NDSU fills this spot it will most likely be scheduling-- GASP!!!-- a D-II or NAIA team. Then we'll have two of Gene Taylor's grand reasons for not renewing the rivalry debunked and then he'll have to come up with an entirely new set of lame excuses to not play UND. While I'm a firm believer that the series will not be renewed for at least another 6-8 years I have no doubt that this issue will continue to plague Taylor and Chapman.

Yeah, it lost this time but this won't be the last time the state takes this matter up. The two schools probably won't play for a long time without intervention of the legislature. Here is my prediction. In 2012, Gene Taylor will introduce some entirely unacceptable proposal for play between the two schools in football. Such as UND traveling to Fargo every year or every few years. There will not be an offer of a return game or a return to the alternating series. At this point, Faison and Kelly need to stand firm and tell Gene there will no game until the alternating series is re-started. The cold war in the media and here on the internet will continue and probably worsen for another 4-5 years before either the legislature takes it up again or more rational leadership takes over at NDSU. We will most likely not see another Sioux-Bison game for another 8-10 years and the only people it will really hurt are the state and the fans of the two universities. The Sioux football program would neither be helped or hurt for lack of playing the Bison. Both programs will probably thrive and there will be alot of meaningful games played against other FCS universities. However, no matter how exciting these matchup will be, none will match the intensity or interest generated by renewing the series. Any argument that it will is foolish, unless your the type of fan who thinks the Michigan- Appalachian state game is equally as intense a rivalry as the Ohio State- Michigan game simply because the same number of people are there.

The decision was made before the season to redshirt the entire freshman class. Which makes up probably 7 of our 9 most talented players and includes almost all of our size. I feel this was an extremely good decision for the program since this season is essentially meaningless. I'll trade losses now for wins later on when we're playoff eligible. You obviously feel this was a poor decision given your incessant sarcastic remarks disparaging the program. Tell me what would you have done differently? Would you have chosen not to redshirt the incoming freshman? If you disagree with Jones' decision to redshirt the incoming class then by all means criticize him for it. That's what this forum is for. If you want to come on here and make snide jackass comments then please go somewhere else or stick to the hockey board. At least if you keep it over there I won't have to read it.

Honestly, if you feel like ripping every team on campus other than the hockey team can you at least stay in the hockey forum. Your act's getting tiresome.

It's not unheard of. In 2007 University of San Diego played UC Davis on the first week of the playoffs. San Diego actually had a pretty legitimate shot at the playoffs as I think they were undefeated going into that game but were snubbed by the committee since they play in the non-scholarship Pioneer league. The game had a contingency where they could cancelled it had San Diego qualified for the tournament. Turned out to be moot point as I believe UC Davis handled San Diego fairly easily.

I think we Sioux fans should outdo our slower, less witty friends to the South and come up with our own nickname for them. I suggest the "Unicorns" because much like a unicorn a great deal of the hype surrounding NDSU's athletic programs (especially on their football team) is entirely imaginary.

Don't let it get it to you. It's a typical response for an NDSU grad. They generally struggle when having their ideas and opinions challenged due their extreme lack of critical thinking ability. It's much easier for them to discuss such things with people of their own low IQ's (other NDSU grads).

Honestly, I support the nickname but it's time has come. It's not worth being the Fighting Sioux anymore. It's hurting our athletes and athletic teams. Any fan that we lose for simply changing our nickname isn't a UND fan at all.

When the SBOHE's initially came out with it's policy establishing the timeline for resolution of the Sioux nickname issue could Taylor have come out against it and set forth his own timeline accelerating the SBOHE's timeline in order for scheduling between the two universities to resume? He'd have been writing his own pink slip. Does the fact that the Summit League is now essentially doing exactly that give Taylor sufficient cover to suddenly adopt this policy? Let's not forget that the Summit League's policy regarding scheduling UND is a loose directive while the SBOHE's timeline was hard and fast policy until recent events. If there is a dispute between the SBOHE and the Summit League (which this essentially is) then Taylor doesn't get to pick and choose sides in the dispute.

Did you even read my next post? You're right NDSU doesn't have an obligation to schedule UND. But Taylor can't say it's because of the Sioux nickname. That goes against the SBOHE's policy regarding the nickname. He could have picked a million other reasons including retribution for UND not scheduling NDSU during the transition and it probably would have been better than what he said yesterday.

The SBOHE's policy regarding this is that the Sioux nickname issue will be resolved according to the timeline they set forth. The Summit League has a policy the UND must resolve this sooner or be penalized through scheduling with it's members. Taylor as an employee of the SBOHE can't adobt the Summit League policy that UND has to resolve this sooner without being in conflict with the SBOHE's policy. In simpler terms, if UND and NDSU were branches of the same company (which they essentially are within the SBOHE structure) and they both had seperate dealings with the same third party. If a dispute arose between one of the branches and that third party (in this case UND), would it be appropriate for the management of the other branch to side with the third party? Especially in a manner that reinforces that third party's position. The Summit League is essentially trying to manipulate the SBOHE's timeline regarding the Sioux nickname and Taylor has sided with the Summit League's position. He is in no position to do this and has undercut his employer's ability to effectively manage the Sioux nickname decision according to their timeline.

There will be repercussions for standing in the way of the rivalry. They played out here at UND as Kupchella and Roger Thomas are no longer here. The same will be true at NDSU if Taylor and Chapman continue as they are. It doesn't matter how many kudos Chapman may have earned with the Governor, the legislature, or others in the state government if a growing portion of the ND population is upset with his decision making eventually the day will come when he'll have few friends in the state governement who he can turn to.

Taylor's statement yesterday essentially took the Summit league's stance on the issue and said it was superior to the current SBOHE's policy regarding the Sioux nickname. The Summit league can have whatever policy they want regarding scheduling UND but since the SBOHE is Taylor's employer, NDSU is bound by the SBOHE's policy regarding the nickname. If Taylor wants to use the nickname as an excuse for not scheduling UND then he is being insubordinate and should be disciplined. If he had given another reason for not scheduling UND, he probably would have been fine at least in the short term. Despite what Taylor or Chapman may believe neither one of them has enough political capital to continue their stance against resuming the rivalry.

Taylor is not obligated to schedule UND, but it's part of his job as an employee of the state to adhere to NDBOHE policy. Whether he likes it or not the State of ND and the ND taxpayers (which includes a hell of a lot of UND grads) pay his salary. Tom Douple may be a hell of a pal to Gene but he doesn't sign Gene's checks so it really doesn't matter what the hell the Summit League's policy regarding playing UND is since that sure as hell better not be NDSU's. If Taylor and Chapman want to continue to take this stance then they will have to pay with their jobs because they're no longer serving the state of ND anymore.

This may have worked when there were two independent newspapers in the Valley. With the Forum and Herald having the same ownership and the Forum essentially being a cheerleader for NDSU athletics we have no other choice but to start flexing political muscle within the state. They are overplaying their cards if the want to oppose conference membership for UND, which I believe is the true root cause of all of this. I spoke with a former NDSU athlete about a year ago and he flat out told me that as long as Gene Taylor and Joe Chapman work at NDSU the rivalry will never be renewed. They're the only roadblock right now to renewing the rivalry and possibly to conference affiliation for UND. It's time UND alumni flex their power in the state and have these two taken down a peg P.S.- I apologize for my earlier harsh comments regarding Taylor, but sometimes it's best to call a spade a spade.

Hey, I know the administration and coaches have been calling every Division I possible to schedule games. No one in the athletic department wanted to schedule this game but in order to get another home game next year we didn't have a lot of options. Hopefully we'll buy the 2011 game out but in order to get a game for 2009 we had to agree to the 2011 game as well. We'll see some better opponents overall but quite frankly it's going to be tough to get quality Division I opponents in the Alerus Center without a conference. Facts are facts. Either you can support the team through these difficulties until we find a conference or you can throw a temper tantrum and stop supporting the program and the Division I move is sure to fail. It's your choice but I've always been of the opinion you shouldn't cut off your nose to spite your own face.

Everyone is writing to the wrong people. Write your legislator, write the governor, write a member of the Board of Higher Ed. Chapman's an employee of the state and he's using his power to inflict financial harm on another state instituation. He's abdicating his duty to serve the state. Let's turn up the political pressure and put that clown in his place. EDITED BY MODERATOR: Let's continue the discussion without personal attacks/name calling of public figures.

Well after Virg Foss' garbage column in today's Herald it's apparent that rag definitely doesn't have any UND homers on it's editorial board. It has to be one of the most idiotic things I've read recently. He misses the long ago rivals of the NCC, yet doesn't seem to realize that most if not all of our true rivals had moved to Division I. It would be nice if the Herald would occasionally write a positive article about the Division I move instead of ripping UND every chance they get. Unfortunately since the Forum's purchase of that newspaper it's become utterly unreadable.

If he's an NDSU grad, ask him what color crayon they used to write his diploma.

Gene's a tremendous coach and the biggest joke in the state of ND is that he doesn't make twice as much as NDSU' coach.

UND's fall in MBB coincided almost directly with when the athletic department started treating them like red-headed stepchildren. If we start funding this sport properly with adequate resources, marketing, etc. the fans would return and the program could be a mid-major power.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the air quality studies are correct regarding Grand Forks. The smell from Simplot most days is absolutely rancid and it's not hard to believe that prolonged exposure to that could have negative effects on a person's health.

I think MBB's struggle is almost directly attributable to Kupchella's idiotic stance regarding the Division I move. Failing to move up when NDSU did made recruiting nearly impossible for most of our sports teams. It's the biggest reason the football team had a down season and is also the reason the WBB team is struggling right now. If we wouldn't have moved it surely would have destroyed the entire athletic department except for hockey. Compound this with the outright theft of resources from our men's and women's basketball program to support women's hockey during Buning's time as AD and it's easy to see why this program is struggling. With that being said, I've heard good things about the redshirt class and I think given time Coach Jones can get the program turned around. Hopefully Faison and Kelly realize the potential of men's basketball for the university. Next to football, it is easily the second most visible sport at the collegiate level and success would give UND national exposure it could only dream about from men's hockey.