MplsBison

Wouldn't suprise me if all 4 dakotas ended up in the same conference.

A recent newspaper article saying as much would help your cause. Otherwise, it's nothing more than message board talk.

I can't see Pacific going to the WCC. They have things very good in the Big West. Why mess that up? But why am I even typing this? We all know you'll go to any absurd means necessary to pigeonhole Denver into the Big Sky because somehow you feel that will help UND get into the Big Sky. Not even considering the fact that a Mid Con/Gateway combo could be a better move financially for UND.

Aparantly, an odd number is best for football in the eyes of commissioners. The Gateway is at 8 now. With WKY leaving and the GFC adding NDSU and SDSU, they'll be at 9. However, I think both YSU and MSU have a possibility to leave the conference for I-A in the future. That would open up the door to the Gateway for UND and USD (assuming they don't go to the Big Sky). The Gateway would then look like this: NDSU, SDSU, UND, USD, UNI from the old NCC WIU, SIU, ISU, and ISU from the Gateway

Denver would also be a huge net gain for them as far as TV money goes. They do have an affiliation with the United Methodist Church, so it's not like they're completely godless. If the WCC can look past the religious thing, it's an obvious, huge expansion of their home TV coverage area where as Pacific is not as you cited they already have Pepperdine and Loyola in that market. UBC isn't a private school and probably wouldn't be considered.

No other western options? Uh..how about the WCC? I can see both Seattle U and Denver U going to the WCC. That would give the WCC a massive increase in TV households in their home market. Big time increase in TV money for them. Pretty sure Denver would rather be in the WCC than the Big Sky.

Can't wait for NDSU to get hockey and shut you guys up about it. Sheesh.

Usually it's a good conference. It's down this year.

See how bad the SoCon is this year, I don't even believe that App State is the #1 team in the country.

But it's ok to dislike basketball?

The rule is entirely perpetuated by the 6 BCS conferences. They would love nothing more than for DI-A to consist only of those 6 conference schools, and kick everyone else down to DI-AA. Well, frankly, it ain't going to happen. Personally, I think the rule is utter BS to begin with. And I doubt highly that a I-A school will ever be forced down to I-AA. I think a lawsuit against the NCAA would block that from happening. I think the more likely scenario is that the BCS schools will eventually get so fed up with the deal that they'll go independant of the NCAA and keep all their own money from their own tournaments and games.

USD I expect to announce the move this year. In my little fantasy pipe dream world, the 4 Dakota flagship universities would all try to stay together in the same conference, but who knows what will actually happen. I still don't know if I believe that Augi would move up. I could see that the Sioux Falls market is a pretty big, growing market and that they would try to emulate a school like Creighton. If they are going to move up, they probably should drop football. But I just don't know if I see it. Either way, I don't see a DI NCC for quite some time, if ever. NDSU and SDSU (and hopefully UND and USD) will be in the Mid Con and the rest of the schools from the old NCC I don't se emoving up.

Personally, I don't see UND in a Montana less BSC as a success, but at least it's a conference.

I think regardless if Denver, UVSC, UND, or SUU is added (SUU being the most logical choice at the moment), Montana wants to be with Boise, Idaho, Utah State, Nevada, etc. I think their fans are getting antsy and I think the administration is going to give in within a couple of years. Not sure how Montana State will react to that. I know they would want to follow UM in an ideal world. Not sure if they could afford it.

They'll be there...at least a couple more years. Then they'll probably move to I-A.

I hope UND does get into the Big Sky.

If you read the link provided, it mentions Mannausau as a UND player from I Falls.

Was killing time at the helmet project (http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/) and was looking at the old helmets of the current NCC members. I notice that UND's helmet from 1971-1985: is the same that DaveK uses for his avatar on AGS. I happen to like helmets with the "triple stripe" down the middle and overall I think this helmet looks tons better than the current one with the green shell and black facemask. Any chance they would change back in the future?

Sorry to go off topic a bit but I've always thought that the western part of US 2 should be an interstate from Duluth to Seattle. Perhaps I-98? Not that I think that would increase the growth of Grand Forks, but I still think it should be one.

The Big Sky is going to expand. Of this I have no doubt. They need at least 1 more for non football scheduling. My guess is they'll take the path of least resistance and add SUU.

If Montana and MSU left for the WAC (assuming Hawaii and Tech leave?) then what incentive is there for UND (or NDSU, SDSU, and USD, for that matter) to go to the Big Sky?

Not that it matters much, but Montana actually does not have a med school. Where is Montana going to go? It may be true that Montana fans are tired of the BSC adding former junior colleges, but so what? Fans are not the athletic directors. I don't see Montana (or MSU for that matter) being able to do anything about it.

Hypothetical for star2: Big Sky meets in Oct. and decides to add SUU to get to 10 members. What is UND's next move?

I do believe NDSU and SDSU were DI counters in 2004 because they both had a certain percentage of their scheduled games against other DI teams. I think Cal Poly got hurt because 4 of their wins were against transitional teams (Davis, NDSU, SDSU, UNC). But look at Poly's home schedule this year. 2 of their home games are against Fort Lewis and Savannah State. The other 3 are conference games (not sure how they get 3 GWFC home games this season). So yeah, it's a pretty big deal to be in the GWFC for them.

This is the way I know it to be (tell me where I'm wrong): 2006: UND is DII, they can go to the DII playoffs 2007: experimental year, UND is DII, they can go to the DII playoffs (analogous to NDSU in 2003) 2008: year 1 of transition, UND is a DI counter if they schedule a certain number of DI games (NDSU in 2004) 2009: year 2 of transition (NDSU in 2005) 2010: year 3 of transition (NDSU in 2006) 2011: year 4 of transition (NDSU in 2007) 2012: DI non core member (NDSU in 2008) 2020: DI core member (NDSU in 2016)