SportsDoc

Who buys more merchandise, fans or students? I'd bet students, like 13,000 of them any given year. Within 4 or 5 years very few students on campus will have any Sioux ties, and they will not care that there once was a UND Sioux, only what their school is then. They will be buying the new gear in boxes, as all students do. And, like it or not, it will be their school then. Sure, they will always need our $$$ as Alumni for support, especially athletic support, but they do not survive without an active vibrant student body on campus. It is also quite apparent that the current administration has no ties to the Sioux name, and will be very happy when the whole thing goes away. The sooner the better for them and the SBofHE. Case in point: there are a lot of GFC Redskin alums who hold on to the past. Ask the current students what GFC is and they will say the Knights. It's just the way it is.

Directly from the settlement agreement with the NCAA: Life's not fair ... If you want fair, go to Minot at the end of July. Would they enforce a special rule ... well the settlement creates a special rule. I doubt they put it in to ignore it. I'm sure the NCAA had very good reason to put those exact words into the settlement agreement. The best of your knowledge just isn't good enough.

To the NCAA, transitioning to a new name might be important because ... they don't want to see UND do nothing for an extended period, and use it to buy more time to gain approval from future Tribal councils and then revert to the Sioux name. Is that what the NDSBHE would do ... no, but the NCAA is a bit paranoid, and it could be why certain language is inserted. Could they go with no name for a while? Probably, as long as there was a time table for adopting a new name and logo in place.

I believe the major donor has died, so I doubt he feels anything either way.

Well, THEY did not spend any money on the settlement. it all came from private donations. No skin off their teeth. Easy call for them, actually. Would have looked better to have waited, but anyone here who hasn't seen this coming since the language in the NCAA settlement was released has been in a fantasy world. Am totally disgusted, but in no way am I surprised.

Let's say DU, CC and AA are the "No" votes (based on travel issues). One needs to be converted. If they know that, and BSU has a home for one more year, they may decide not to vote now, but delay it for the next set of meetings. By then, maybe a 12th team has emerged or one of the "No" votes has switched. Seems it would be detrimental to BSU, both for fundraising and recruiting, to have the stigma of being turned down as opposed to a delayed vote on admittance.

Maybe, think "outside the box" a little. I know there is an agreement to keep AA and Alaska in different conferences for travel purposes. But ... what if they were both in the same conference? Most likely the WCHA, thereby leaving the CCHA at 11 and able to absorb Huntsville. Both WCHA and CCHA end up with 12 teams. What about the travel, you say? Well, in the years you would play both Alaska and AA on the road, you would go up and stay the week in between up there, playing them on back to back weekends. Maybe even play a Saturday/Sunday on the front end with a Fri/Sat (or even a Thursday/Friday?) on the back end. That would still be only one trip per year to Alaska. If they became their own partner, this would leave the WCHA partners in place, except, UND would partner with Bemidji and SCSU would partner with Mankato. D-I Men's Hockey can not afford to let any programs go down! It would be the start of the end of College Hockey as we have come to know it. The sport needs to maintain if not grow, not contract.

Signed with Flyers.

Stop and think for just a minute ... which opposing defensemen give their opponents the biggest fits? Even though they have (had) defensive liabilities, that list is of College Hockey's best offensive defensemen. For example: Matt Carle. Chay Genoway. Jamie McBain. Patrick Wiercioch. Jack Johnson. Those kinds of players can beat you from defense. If they were forwards, they would actually be less dangerous. Players that can play defense and still have the skill set and vision to take over a game, offensively, are rare and extremely valuable. You don't move them up front.

Uhmm ... ... let me think about that ... ... uhmm ... ... NO!

"Lighten up, Francis."

... and, Jesse Ventura. Trivia: Question: What do Jesse Ventura and Al Franken have in common in their election wins? Answer: ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... They both beat Norm Coleman (Jesse beat another duphus, too, in a three way election). Now there's a visual I don't need, Jesse Ventura, Norm Coleman and another guy in a three way. WoW!

AZ Sioux, will you be watching at RT O'Sullivan's again? We will probably be there either Friday or Saturday for sure, maybe both! We will be in Phoenix again this year for the Playoff series. Hope my kids enjoy the tickets!

I watched the entire game tonight with my NDSU grad cousin (who is a huge Sioux hockey supporter). Just WoW! Congratulations to the Bison for advancing, first time since 1970 when Long Beach State advanced in their first year of D-I eligibility (may have already been said, but I didn't read the entire thread). Go Bison, and Go Sioux. It would be very unique if they both were in the TC at the same time. Best of luck to the Bison in the NCAA Tournament, and Sioux, bring home # 8! I think this could help point out the great similarities the two schools have, as well as the unique differences. In the end, I look at UND and NDSU as brothers to the majority of ND sports fans, and even most Alumni. I can beat you up. You can beat me up. We hate it if we lose to each other. But we don't want anyone else beating our brother up. Go Bison (except when you play the Sioux), and Go Sioux, all the time!

And you base this opinion on ... what ... some great scientific knowledge you have access to? If so, please enlighten me. I am a dentist, and I have seen first hand the permanently disfiguring results from chewing tobacco. The oral cancers from chewing are horrific. Worse, when they happen to young men whose bones are still developing (into their early 20's) the metastasis (speed at which the cancer spreads) is extremely fast and aggressive. The surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments will leave these patients disfigured, unable to speak properly, unable to taste their food or even chew normally ... for the rest of their lives! Even in cases where these patients don't get cancer, they almost always get leukoplakia ( a whitening and folding of the soft tissue) which, is and of itself, pre-cancerous. This gum "alteration" also progresses to gum disease and loss of bone support around the affected lower teeth. As it advances, it will lead to loss of teeth and affect the overall oral health of the patient, which we continue to find has significant impact on a patient's overall health. Oh, and tobacco use is extremely addictive. I have so many patients who try and try again to quit chewing (or smoking) and just can't break the habit. My advice, don't ever chew. If you do chew, quit now, before you reach the point physically and psychologically that you can't! So, in my opinion ... chewing is that bad, even worse, than many of the things that society asks young people to avoid until they are older. And even when you are older, please, please, don't do it.

When you wake up from this dream ... maybe you'll be ready to talk about the real world. But ... really ... just keep dreaming. Franken supporter, too?

Would you put him there in place of Stoa? I put Stoa on First Team and both Eidsness and Schroeder on the Second. You can't justify both Stoa and Schroeder on the First for a 5th Place Team, can you?

Sioux sweep Tech, though Tech is a solid team. DU sweeps AA. The Purple Cows to upset Bucky in three. They are a difficult team to play against. CC is hot, and I don't see UMD beating them. CC in two, as the Bulldogs continue their late season slide. SCSU should beat the Gophers this year, but they don't really think they can, so they won't. So, Thursday, the Gophers lose to the Purple Cows, which means all TC residents boycott the Final Five on Friday and Saturday, because they thought the Gophers were supposed to be automatically advanced. Friday, CC beats DU in OT and the Sioux beat the Purple Cows. Plenty of good seats available! Saturday, DU beats the Cows for third and CC beats North Dakota in OT. This puts CC, DU and UND in the NCAA's, Bucky and the Gophers left out. Hey AZ, we'll be at RT O'Sullivan's Friday, will you?

Schroeder is a great player, no doubt. Probably a top five pick in the NHL Draft this year. But, I would still take Eidsness for ROY. Statistically, against the other top four teams in the WCHA, Schroeder, with 12 games had 3-7-10 and a +1. In the 16 games vs. the lower 5 teams he had 8-17-25 and a +10. The truth for any MVP type comparison is how did you do when your team needed you most to step up and take over big games at big times. It just doesn't look like Schroeder did this year. He averaged under a point a game against the big dogs and over 1.5 PPG against the others. Minnesota was 3-8-1 in those games, after starting 2-0-1. Schroeder was 2-1-3 and +6 in those first three, then he tailed off badly. Eidsness was just solid all year long. In North Dakotas 12 games against the other top 4 teams, Eidsness had a 2.83 GAA, and a .902%. Plus he and the Sioux were 7-3-2 in those games after starting 2-2. Eidsness was 3.25 and .889 in those first four, then picked it up considerably. I take Eidsness.

OK, here's my updates. After the weekend, I would switch Genoway and Raboin around, moving Raboin to the First Team. I would delete Leinweber and Gregoire from the Rookie Team, replaced by Guentzel (CC) on D (2-11-13, +4) and Stepan (UW) as a Forward (6-17-23, +4). Leave the rest, though Stalock was unimpressive this weekend, wasn't he.

The MVP thread got me to thinking about this year's All-WCHA Teams. The media/coaches (?) select three teams and an All-Rookie team. With two games left to play, who do you all think is deserving this year? Here's mine to get the ball rolling, with the caveat that if someone steps up or falls down this weekend, I can amend this on Sunday. All my stats are WCHA games only, since that is the criteria used. First Team G - Stalock, UMD: 2.27gaa, .921%, 15-10-8 D - Testwuide, DU: 3-10-13, +15 D - Genoway, UND: 1-16-17, +2 F - Duncan, UND: 13-14-27, +8, 3 GWG F - Lasch, SCSU: 15-13-28, E, 4 GWG F - Stoa, UM: 16-17-33, +7 Second Team G - Eidsness, UND: 2.38 gaa, .909%, 16-4-4 D - McBain, UW: 6-22-28, -9 D - Raboin, SCSU: 7-17-27, +13, 2 GWG F - Schroeder, UM: 11-22-33, +8, 2 GWG F - Rau, CC: 12-15-27, +1 F - Rakhshani, DU: 11-15-26, +4 Third Team G - Cheverie, DU: 2.47 gaa, .916%, 16-8-3 D - Wiercioch, DU: 8-18-26, +6 D - Marto, UND: 6-7-13, +12 F - Sharp, UMD: 11-13-24, -2 F - Maiani, DU: 8-21-29, +6 F - Mouillierat, MSU-M: 14-11-25, -3, 2 GWG All Rookie Team G - Eidsness, UND: 2.38, .909%, 16-4-4 D - Wiercioch, DU: 8-18-26, +6 D - Leinweber, AA: 2-10-12, -3 F - Schroeder, UM: 11-22-33, +8, 2 GWG F - Gregoire, UND: 10-10-20, +4, 3 GWG F - Colborne, DU: 8-14-22, +4 MVP = Lasch, SCSU: only player in the league with 4 game winners. ROY = Eidsness, UND I think both MVP and ROY can be won or lost yet this weekend. I know McBain is an offensive machine, but he's a -9 (and he does not play for Tech or AA), so couldn't justify a First Team for him. I think someone like Roe, Gorowsky, Fairchild, Gregoire or Vandy could slip in the third team with a strong weekend. Same goes for Guentzel or Connolly on rookie team.

Not a chance.

Still looking for "None of the Above".

... and so does the East ... This just in, we have put a man on the moon. Story at 10.

This year counts towards his NCAA eligibility. He can, however, use it as his "redshirt" year. But it does count.