MplsBison

Why are you guys thinking Lacrosse? The Mid Con doesn't have Lacrosse, and doing a quick check of the Mid Con schools left after Chi State and Valpo leave, none of them have Lacrosse. In fact, looking around at other DI conferences, the Big Sky doesn't have Lacrosse and none of the BSC schools do (not even Sac State even though they have every other possible sport), the Horizon League doesn't and only Butler has Men's Lacrosse, and the Missouri Valley doens't and none of the MVC schools do. So I'm confused as to what, exactly, adding Lacrosse will do to help UND market itself to DI conferences?

We were wondering about that at Bisonville too. We also have the roll up stuff, but obviously you can't roll up the new stuff or the sand/rubber (or whatever) will fall out. I was thinking that they just laid down plywood and a tarp on top of it. But the tray system sounds like an easier set up. I think every big time football dome in America has the new style turf (Ford Field, Metrodome, Georgia Dome, RCA, Edward Jones, Alamodome, etc.), so there must be a way to do it.

Who cares? The Great West needs another member and we'd be damn pleased to have your aboard (not to mention the Nickel game $$$$$$$).

Are they thinking the new style synthetic grass turf? I know some at Bisonville (including myself) are thinking the Fargodome could use some new turf. If the Alerus gets it, the Fargodome will get it. It also seems like every DI school with a football team is getting the new style turf.

legend, I take it you're a big supporter of the DI move for UND? This is how I see things playing out in the immediate future: UND moves DI Mid Con takes IPFW, UVSC, NDSU, SDSU, and UND for a 12 team conference Great West adds UND as the sixth member.

Having a large enrollment doesn't mean much if most of your students live at home, drive to school to take classes, and then go to work. Sac State, UNO, Chicago State, etc.

The Big East will split. It's a mathematical certainty. The NCAA saves nothing by going from 66 to 65. They still have to have a play in round. Expanding the tournament to 68 and then having the play in round at all four regional sites sounds about right according to the BCS conference basketball schools. It wuold basically be the lowest four conference's autobid's playing each other for the right to play the #1 seed.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

What do you think about IPFW and UTPA's chances?

Seems like some DII schools down south are getting conference invites from DI conferences that are desparate for new members. I guess the few DI conferences that would take teams from the upper midwest are just not interested in doing that. I don't think UND will get considered until they declare DI on their own.

Maryland vs. Virginia would bring a lot of people to a stadium in Washington.

Haha. The Big Sky is not going to let any team in their conference without 60 football scholarships. Just checking SUU's website it appears that instate tuition is about $3000 and outstate tuition (about half the roster) is $10000. Pretty damn cheap. You'd think they would've been at 60 already. Nope, not buying it. You're quote is years old and they've since moved off that pie in the sky option.

Does a conference need six core members of seven core members to retain its autobid? If it's six then they would have six. If it's seven then they would be forced to add SUU. They'll be forced to. You have to have 60 football scholarships to get into the Big Sky. Denver isn't going to Big Sky. *mafia voice* FO-GET-A-BOW-DIT */mafia voice* They want the WCC and that's where they'll end up eventually. If Denver pairs up with Seattle University (former members of the WCC), that would give the WCC the lucrative Denver and Seattle markets. It's possible. I think having 60 scholarships would also allow them to play I-A payday games which they can't now because they don't count toward the the BCS. But they won't do it unless they get into the Big Sky. If that doens't happen the next couple rounds of expansion, I could see them giving up on football and dropping it.

Probably the fact that the presidents all teleconferenced their votes in: NDSU in the Big Sky for 2006.

As far as diluting the conference, if they added four bums, yeah it would dilute it. Memphis is already a top 25 team. UAB has that potential. Same with Cfla with their new on campus stadium (local talent alone would do the trick). ECU has been a top 25 team and a "giant killer" in the past. They got off track somewhat but they have a large stadium and good football following. Memphis, UAB, and Cfla all have very large markets and possible bowl games with them (Memphis Liberty, Cfla Citrus, and if Birmingham builds the new stadium that could certainly be a bowl). As far as threatening the BCS status? Uh...what? Ok, I could see that. But IMO, Notre Dame would go with the non football schools (since it would be an all catholic league) and Notre Dame is indep. in football. BCS status has nothing to do with it. CUSA has a championship game and they aren't in the BCS. It creates extra money and excitement for the fans. I see neither Denver or Southern Utah going to the Big Sky. I could only see SUU if they had 60 scholarships for football which they don't. I don't know if they could afford 60 scholarships to be honest. They might drop football and just be in the Mid Con. Denver won't join the Big Sky. They don't have football and are not going to add it (even if they played in the Broncos' stadium). They want to be in the WCC and I can see them going there with time. The Big Sky doesn't have to add another core member. They already have six. They only would in case another school decided to leave. And the only one that would is Montana. I think if NDSU, UND, and SDSU are added, Montana will be happy and stick around until UNC is a core member at least. It'd probably take them that long to fun raise enough for I-A anyway.

Why not add four and have a championship game? Cfla, UAB, Memphis, and ECU. 8 + 3 = 11. Not sure why they'd only want 11.. Maybe add U Rhode Island too? (Also from A10). Why not add three and have a championship game? UTEP, Boise, and Fresno. Sunbelt is going to be hurting a lot worse than this if CUSA loses 5 members: CUSA adds: La Tech (WAC), Ark St, North Texas, Middle Tenn., and Troy (Sun Belt). Now Sunbelt is down to 9 members and lets say WKU moves to I-A and joins the MAC and Denver joins the WCC. Now they're down to 7 members and 4 football members. They could add Texas State (Southland) and get Ark Little Rock, U New Orleans, and U South Alabama to play football. That would be 8 members and 8 football schools. The Southland now has 10 members and 6 football members. They could get UT-Arlington, UT-San Antonio, and TA&M- Corpus Christi to playfootball for 9 football members. WAC goes from 9 to 6 with the loss of Boise, Fresno, and La Tech. Now say that Hawaii becomes Ind. in football and leaves the WAC, that's down to 5. They need 4 new members: Cal Davis, Sac State, Cal Poly, and Portland State. That leaves the Big Sky with: Montana, Montana State, Idaho State, Weber State, NAU, Eastern Washington, and UNC for 7 members. Add NDSU, SDSU, and UND to get 10.

Two important points you aren't considering. 1) The Mid Con just lost two members and will be looking to take NDSU and SDSU if they're still availible. October will be too late. 2) Just because a president isn't physically there doesn't mean he/she can't vote.

And what if four presidents vote NDSU in?

There's nothing stopping any group of schools from leaving the NCAA and playing just with themselves.

NDSU needs to go to the Big Sky. Plain and simple. Accepting the Mid Con is not good enough.

The last time the Big Sky added three teams one of them dropped football and another had to be granted a waiver to drop tennis. Since then the BSC has been cautious about expanding

Relax aff. If NDSU only goes to the Big Sky, I'm sure SDSU will get into the Mid Con.

Math? Is that with them "numbers"? Since UND doesn't have a conference, isn't that a no?

It says 34% for "Yes" on mine. Is my computer broken?

Perhaps Kupp is planning on leaving soon and would rather leave the DI decision to the next president? Wouldn't that be an honorable thing to do?