Teeder11

Maybe Steppes has an SIU recruit that has always dreamt of playing for a flagship university that he could flip to us!

Wondering if he struck up a good rapport with Rodgers and decided to follow him there, best of all worlds for the kid, being its closer to home. Next man up!

I think you are right that he is very very good coach. Liked what I've seen from his squad.

I think you're right on that. I have also been thoroughly impressed with Avants for as young as he is. Sky's the limit for him. That said I wish he would have went up hard to the bucket on that one play under 4 minutes to score it off the glass or draw contact instead of kicking it out to the perimeter. That was 2 pts we could have used along with the 1-2 missed goal interference calls. We're getting there, just remember how young this team is.

I don't think that should be an overriding concern, but it often is a consequence. I am not sure who is that allied with Jones, if anyone is, in this case.

Yeah, we'll see. Is it unprecedented, absent criminal or ethical violations, that a non-major (teams that need auto bids) coach has been canned after making The Dance? To your point, I think the MSU Moorhead HC is an intriguing name to keep in your hip pocket if it comes to the point where UND makes a change.

I'm just saying if UND wins the tourney and gets the autobid, then how do you fire someone like that? Not saying this is likely, but what if ... Just a little premature to know for sure that you will fire a guy without knowing how the season ends. I don't think that's too much to ask.

That's a good point.

I respectfully disagree.

However, I think the Jones' antics critique is a bit overblown and somewhat disengenuous. One team's embarrassment is another team's brash and passionate wild man with a give-a-crap attitude toward the self-annoited elite of the league. Yesterday's "incident," as an isolated case, was definitely a contrived controversy on the part of Montana's coach, IMHO. I would go so far as to contend Deciure wants to use it as fuel for the fire that he'll want his team to play with when they meet again in Missoula to end the regular season. The Missoula paper alluded to as much this morning. I think UND put that much of a scare into them, they know they'll have a lot handle in the rematch.

I don't nrcessarily disagree. I just want to wait for the end of the season to make these important decisions. A lot of basketball to be played. I never opposed Muss's canning nor did I lead the torch and pitchfork brigade to make it happen. I fancy myself a cool head when it comes to these moves, somewhere in the middle of the Fire Now crowd and the defend at all costs crowd i think it's important to take a step back when the time is right, assess the situation when the heat of the season is over and make a careful calculated and pragmatic decision for the good of the program and its student athletes. That said, I think the powers that be would be wise to have a short list of replacement candidates in mind , just in case .

The road to Reno should smooth out for a while, just need to keep improving and execute.

No, you are correct. It would take a consistent trend of wins before that kind of thing would start playing out. Kind of like what you see down at AC right now. That fan base defends its program to the hilt no matter how classless something is. We do it to with certain successful programs with a tradition of winning.

Well, I tend too think it's more team inflicted, coaching staff included, than self inflicted by any one individual to this point in the season. There is still time to keep inproving so theyre peaking in Reno. I think you're right about "celebrating " being too strong of a word but it is amazing how many things that people deem embarrassing when things are rough that they overlook when times are good. It's like this whole Jones thing is analogous or maybe a macrocosm of a given night on a SS hockey game thread. When UND is behind, it's all doom and gloom, but the moment we score to tie it up and then tack on another to go ahead, the bandwagon nearly breaks an axle for all the fans jumping back on for the trip to No. 8.

My thoughts, too!

The problem with the whole lack of supposed professionalism critique that is aimed at Jones is that it seems so relative. If he's winning, everyone loves it and celebrates it as if it's a badge of honor. But when there's blood in the water, it's called an embarrassment. I think it's really much ado about nothing, really, coming from folks with ulterior concerns, such as getting BJ out of here. I could agree with them, but I just want to see how the season plays out first before I start calling for someone's head.

I was curious about the Tyler dig, too. Very solid player at both schools, who made tough personal decisions based on family matters.

It was a last second 3 pt make to win it. I was pretty ticked off too! That one stung a bit.

You and me both. It's nerve wracking.

Let's do this, Hawks! Set yourself up nicely for Reno!

Too true .... HC takes the blame; players take the credit. I think that's how Jones likes it.

Well, chances are you'll get your wish on 1 of 2. Sounds like the football players in attendance today at the Betty were solidly behind the new nickname. I guess they're setting themselves up as the loyal opposition to the puck heads.

Oh they're out there unfortunately. On the other point-- totally agree!

I was thinking that too but on a bit of a more limited contract to see if it's a flash in the pan. The players we have now are talented. They too will have vote in how this team fares moving forward. Jones can have the greatest plans in the world on paper but if Q and company don't execute, then it's all for naught.

Bingo! This fire now talk is just ridiculous.