UNDBB75

Some more thoughts about the two games. As far as TO's go against Purdue,it sounds like a point of emphasis this year is palming. It was called alot in the Purdue game and not so often taday. Either they cleaned up the problems or these refs were letting it slide. Personally I would really like to see that called until the players start dribbling the way they are supposed to dribble. Also Coach Johnson and Coach Jones were very high on Gutter's offensive play. I guess he has made some big strides from last year. Now if he would start to rebound like the coaches say he does in practice we could have some kind inside game this year. The only mystery about the week end, and maybe I missed something, is where is Boyce. I can't wait to see the team play as I think they will put some excitement back in men's basketball.

He was recruited by Glas and Co. last year but would not sign early. He was dismissed from his JC team for unspecified reasons and UND dropped him from their list also. Hopefully he learned his lesson. I think we can have a respectable team if we play as a team and stay out of trouble off the court. Here's hoping Jones can right the ship.

When Ben was assistant here they had 1 good season. Would the fans be asking for Ben back then? He really hasn't proved any thing and yet is being given a great opportunity. And I hope he succeeds. I think Randall deserves an opportunity on a very short leash. If he can turn it around great. if he can't he'll be the first guy to admit it and move on.

I seem to remember back in the early 70's that our beloved hockey team was about as low as it could go. After Coach Bjorkman moved on , everybody gave the job to Ned Harkness. In fact the "reliable" GF Herald reported that Harkness had been offered the job. Then Ass't Coach Gasparini was hired and the rest is history. So don't be so quick to write Coach Herbst off yet. He came here wanting to be the next Head Coach and has turned down some D1 ass't jobs to stay here.

Rich not going on the recruiting trail has been going on for awhile. If you were deciding between UND and Northern State and their Head Coach took the time to make a visit where would you be more tempted to go. I'd say we have lost more than a few recruits faced with that scenario. I was listening to a talk show in Fargo this morning and they were going to talk to Tim Miles. It seems he was out of town "probably recruiting" the annoucer said. Glas needs to get busy if he wants to keep his job for very long.

An interesting twist to the Greg McDermott saga. It was reported in the GF Herald today that Mac got his current salary bumped up to more than $350,000 by the end of the 2008-09 season. Will that be enough to make him stay or will the big money and prestiege of a Big 10 job win out? The funds were made available fromprivate donations. It kind of reminds me of the time Dean Blais got a boat and an annuity to sweeten his deal a few years back.

It would be a huge advantage to pack the Betty, but past history shows that people (outside of the real fans) don't support post season tournaments for what ever reason. Maybe this team has generated a special bond with the community and that will change. With 3 outside teams coming in there should be no reason to have less than 3000 in attendance. One other group that fails to show up in large numbers are the students. For some reason coming up with the $5 or so for admisssion all of the sudden is hard to find. With or without a full house the Sioux should not have a problem winning this week end.

There was a nice article in Sports Illustrated last week about the Missouri Valley conference and Northern Iowa. It gives Mac a lot of credit for raising the level of play in the conference.

I only hope that the students, that want to stand for the entire game, remember their days at UND when 30 years from now they finally get season tickets for their local team after being on a waiting list for 10 years. Then when you get to your seats(that you paid $5000 for) you find the people in front of you like to stand for the whole game. Please be patient with them and tell your spouse that it is ok because we did the same thing at UND hockey games. Their is another sports arena that would love to have 2000 plus students attend and you can fill the end seats and stand and yell all you want. It is called The Betty and the men's and women's basketball teams woould love your support. Hope the Sioux come bring their A game tonight

Good question. We can host the NCC post season tournament because it is a conference tourney and not an NCAA event. I don't know about the conference being the host for the play offs and having it at a neutral site.

It is not the arena that prevents UND from hosting post season games. UND is still the host school no matter which facility is used. So until the issue is settled we are on the road in every sport.

I agree that things are about as low as they can go. I don't think Mr. Bunning will be very patient with this kind of record. With the way the women are playing ,you put a very good men's team in the mix and all of the sudden the Betty could be full. When I first saw Coach Glas give a short speech to some jr. high kids in the late 80's I thought " what ever he is selling ,I'm buying". He was that good of a motivator. It is obvious that he can't get that kind of response from his players anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if he was terminated or kept his job for one more year as Bunning has no track record here yet as to letting go of coaches whose programs are struggling

Lindahl's knee is not going to get any better this year. Playing 5 games in 10 days is too much for him. He rarely practices anymore just to get some minutes in games. Harkins also has very sore legs, too. Believed to be shin splints. 10 wins would be a major feat for this team. It has been a very difficult year when you look at the preseason roster and the potential was there for a respectable year. Then the defections and injuries hit hard and the season all of the sudden is a disaster.

Season ticketholders get some discounts(25% for first two tickets I think) depending on how much they give to the fighting sioux club. There is more info on that at the UND Alumni Ass'n web site

The info I got on Blackwell was that if they red shirted him he would get disappointed and leave. Seems to me the same thing is true in this situation. Not playing is also a way of losing interest. Word is he is not a very good defensive player and unless he could deliver 20 points per game they can't afford his man to get 15 to 20. Wills is another player whose PT will go down if and when Lindahl and Koenig get healthy. He (Wills) could definitly use a year of physical conditioning.