Hammersmith

And NDSU did that(it was in the article). At that point, I believe NDSU was required by state law to accept the MJ bid.

I know. I was just following the direction of the thread, which was focusing on conferences or "established DI programs". It was also late, and I didn't feel like doublechecking 4-5 year old RPIs for those schedules; quick and dirty was the rule. Just to defend my Bison, Northern Illinois did win the MAC West that year(RPI around 125). I also figured the Cincinnati women couldn't be that good if the Bison beat them in 04-05, but I saw they are Big East so I threw them in. I was wrong about both as well, since they were still in C-USA at the time and had an acceptable RPI of 139.

Just for the record... Notable* year 1 wins: NDSU WBB: Cincinnati SDSU WBB: Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Wisconsin-Milwaukee Notable year 2 wins: NDSU MBB: Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Wisconsin NDSU WBB: Georgetown, Creighton, Alabama SDSU WBB: Nebraska, Colorado State, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Alabama, Colorado *In this context, notable = BCS conferences + MAC, MWC, MVC & Horizon.

wnelson@gfherald.com All Herald and Forum staff have their email addresses on the contact web page(click on their name and the address appears on the following form). Whether he answers is another question entirely.

It's been on every budget since 2003. It started as a $6M project in 2003. It was upped to $15M in 2007, and $19.5M in 2009. The BSA renovation was added to the NDUS budget in 2003 at $15M, then upped to $25.5M in 2007. Each approval can last for four years before it must be renewed. Now, there might be a seperate request needed to start raising funds for the project. I don't know if UND took that step for the previous versions of the project.

How about a couple facts. First, NDSU is not running a deficit. It might in the future, but not at this moment. The hiring freeze is precautionary, not reactionary. Where do the bulk of tuition payments come from? Answer: banks and other lenders. Who took the biggest hit last year and are slow to lend money? Banks and other lenders. Anyone else think that banks might be waiting until the last minute to transfer the student loan money in order to maximize their interest potential? Banks would never do that, right? [/sarcasm] In any case, $1.8 million is maybe two days of operating money for NDSU. Our annual budget is around $275 million, so the potential deficit is about two-thirds of one percent, and that will shrink as the late tuition money comes in. As far as the hiring freeze, it may not have any impact on the students at all. Most hirings wouldn't occur until spring anyway, and the freeze is expected to be lifted before then. At most, the searches might see their starts delayed a month. If we were in a job-hunters' market, then that would be a problem. But there are far more applicants than positions, so NDSU would still get a good group of candidates even if we're a bit late to the table. What we actually have here is one of the worst presidents ever to sit in an office. His public relations skills make that Iraqi information minister guy look like a genius. It doesn't help that the Forum has started acting like a junkie trying to score his next fix.(I'm watching Law & Order) Instead of helping it get clean, our idiot of an interim president is serving up helpings of crack with a beautiful meth and speed side dish. And the laughs just keep coming with today's story. As much as I want to, I can't completely blame the Forum for running this stuff. They're desperate to sell papers in a dying industry, and anti-NDSU stories are proven to do that. Sometimes rearranging deck chairs is all you can do before you go under.

Sorry, pet peeve of mine. NIU is not UNI. NIU is Northern Illinois University of the Mid-American Conference(Bowling Green State, Ball State, Ohio, etc). UNI is the University of Northern Iowa of the Missouri Valley Conference(Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Drake, Wichita State, etc). With both acronyms describing midwestern DI schools, it can make things confusing if someone mixes them up.

The only date that would work for an SDSU/UND game is Nov 20, and I think SDSU plans to keep that date open to heal up and prep for playoffs(many playoff likely MVFC schools choose to do that from what I understand). SDSU's two open dates are Sept 4 and 11(the Delaware contract was cancelled), and you guys are playing Idaho and NIU those weekends. Looks like a no-go.

Might be possible that USD wants to change the DakotaDome over to basketball before Thanksgiving and not change it back. I believe they've already had to play basketball games in a high school gym the last couple years because the football team wasn't finished with the DD.

Good team, but young and prone to turnovers. We almost had more turnovers(35) than points(37) in the Minnesota nightmare. The Bison led NMSU by 11 points four different times Saturday and still managed to lose. On the other hand, one of our better bench players was rusty after sitting out a few weeks with an enlarged spleen and only getting cleared to practice earlier in the week. Between our programs, we've got a surprising number of common opponents this year. We both lost to Wyoming; us by 8, you guys by 26. We beat Ball State by 8, you guys lost by 12. As mentioned, we lost to NMSU by 6, you beat them by 7. And we both have NAU coming this week. Personally, I think the Bison are a cut above the Sioux this year(especially with your injury/clearinghouse issues), but we're inconsistent enough that a hypothetical game would be a toss-up. Just my (uneducated)opinion, though.

You can double up the Bison/Sioux games. I believe both days are doubleheaders.

Fixed. This was an exhibition game for them.

That's not as outrageous as you might think. The two facilities are close to begin with, and the proposed FD arena would shrink the gap even more. A tunnel connecting the two would need to be a bit over 100 yards long. If the FD arena is built, the parking lot in that area will need to be reconfigured, so cut-and-covering that section would be easy. And the road separating the facilities is in terrible shape and needs to be rebuilt within the next decade anyway. Of course, I'm talking about a relatively small tunnel meant for team use and the movement of equipment. If you're talking about a tunnel big enough for 6,000 fans to make the trek from a football game to a basketball game at the BSA, then I see the absurdity. I do disagree with Mpls about making the BB practice facility part of the FD arena. I really can't think of a single positive for doing it that way and a whole slew of negatives. I wish the football offices had never been moved into the Fargodome, but I understand why it happened. They were originally meant to be part of the BSA renovation, but that was delayed so long that an alternative had to be found. The BSA for basketball is barely adequate, but the space under the Dacotah Field stands wasn't even close. They HAD to find a new home and quickly. After a BSA renovation, moving to the basement of the FD was the next best choice. I think there's a real value in keeping the support systems of as many sports as possible under one roof. I believe splitting up the sports would cause fragmentation among the coaches, athletes and staff. If the FB team and the BB teams each have their own training facilities that are newer and much better equipped than the rest of the sports, what message does that send? <cough>REA<cough> What about the effects of splitting your strength and conditioning staff over several buildings? Wouldn't it be better to keep them all together in one location where they can support each other and allow for greater specialization? And sharing facilities can create greater camaraderie within the family. If the football team never sees the volleyball team because they spend all their time in different facilities, what are the chances that they'll get to know each other well enough to show up at each other's games? If they all use the same facilities to work out, rehab, study, eat, etc., there's a much greater chance the teams will become friends. That doesn't mean all groups should use the same space for practice (most sports should have separate spaces to work as a team), but all the other stuff can be shared as long as it's built big enough.

That one is pretty easy. Part of the BSA remodel includes an addition for two BB practice courts on the SW corner. I think they've already moved the BB locker rooms over in preperation for the addition(MBB at least, with WBB coming soon if not already done). The addition could quickly be done first to create space for practice(it would really just be a shell with courts and hoops). As for the game facility, I have no doubt the games would be moved to the Fargodome for a single season if needed. We've also got the BBF for additional practice space or small-game space if absolutely needed. With the new seating and the full court hoops still installed, it could function in a pinch if there were a FD conflict. The court is painted for VB, but that's easy enough to fix if required. Of course the best option is still the FD addition, but who knows if that will happen within 5-7 years? As for which facility will be done first, that's still up in the air. Both schools have two options in front of them, and I don't think either school has committed to one yet. We've actually got part of the money in the bank, but your project will be cheaper. Neither school seems to have started a big fundraising push(probably because they haven't chosen which option they are going with), so that will probably be the deciding factor. If you guys go for the cheap option(renovate the old facility) and we go for the whole thing(BSA + FD arena), then yours will probably be done first. If you go for a new facility and we do a cheaper remodel of the BSA, then I think we will be the first online. If both schools go cheap or both go expensive, then I think it's a toss-up. On the low end, both schools need to raise about $15 million in a bad economy. I don't think we'll know anything until mailings go out to the respective fanbases asking for donations. edit: Thinking about it some more, I don't even know if the Fargodome would be needed for a BSA remodel. The two planned additions to the BSA are the BB practice facility and a new weight room. If those were started as soon as the ground thawed in the spring, they would probably be ready by mid-summer, if not earlier. As for the arena half of the building, there should be a 7-month window for construction without disrupting the different sports. Basketball and indoor track seasons end in March, and wrestling, basketball and indoor track begin the following November. If the amount of structual changes to that part of the building are minimized, they might be able to squeeze construction in that window(with good general- and sub-contractors). If there are any major structural changes or too many minor ones, however, then I doubt 7 months would be enough. I'm thinking it will just be a gut job with new seating, track surface, lights and sound. If they plan to move columns, bump out walls, lower the floor, etc., then all bets are off.

Yes and no. There is a rule stating at least half the FCS playoff slots must be reserved for at-large selections, but it doesn't seem to go beyond FCS football. It's in the DI Football Championship Handbook under Automatic Qualification Criteria/Process. I spot-checked a few other championship handbooks but did not see similar statements in those. Still, if there were to be an FBS playoff with more autobids than at-larges, I believe it would be the only championship like that in Division I.

Huh? Where did you get that from? The debate I got in the middle of was UND/NDSU strength of schedule. Since I think they're both playing awful football at the moment, I don't think the answer to that debate means anything. As for the return of the NDSU/UND series, I'm still against it unless FCS goes to a 12-game season or the games are scheduled so the GF games come on years with 12 games; preferably the former. I don't want 9 out of 11 games to be the same opponents every year.

The GPI is an unofficial number computed by the guys at CollegeSportingNews.com. It's not like the RPIs that are released by the NCAA and are officially used to help select teams for other playoffs. While the GPI might be a factor in selections, it's a totally unofficial one and there's no way to know how big a role it plays. Not taking sides in the NDSU/UND debate going on, just correcting the bit of misinformation.

Arrest made: UPDATED: Man, 41, arrested in Philip Gattuso murder

Nope. Don't know why. Maybe they don't participate(stupid but possible), maybe they don't have a senior with a 3.2 GPA(unlikely but possible), or maybe they don't have a player that Meierkort feels would stand up to the other requirements. (or maybe I'm wrong and there is an initial vetting process and it's mainly coincidence that USD is the only one of the four big Dakota schools not to get a semifinalist)

I haven't seen it posted here or on fightingsioux.com yet, so here it is. The William V. Campbell Trophy used to be named the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy and is given out to the football player "with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance." Tibesar is one of 154 semifinalists among FBS, FCS, DII, DIII, and NAIA student-athletes. Every school may nominate one player who is in their final year of eligibility, has at least a 3.2 GPA, has outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and has demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. I believe every nominated player makes the semifinal list, so it's not a huge honor, but still... The big cut will come when the list is narrowed to 15 finalists. Locally, Eric Decker(Minnesota), Nick Mertens(NDSU), Casey Knips(SDSU), Brian Jark(Northern St), Tobias Lemke(UMD), Marcus Greatens(Winona St), Jay Tweed(Jamestown), and Trevor Holleman(USF) are also on the semifinal list. http://www.footballfoundation.org/news.php?id=2051

If you get the digital pack and have a converter box. The FCS channels are 306-308.

The video looks incredibly bad in Fargo(CableOne ch44). It's like a bad web feed. Hope the rebroadcast tomorrow afternoon looks better.

General rule of thumb seems to be: $50,000 to bus, $75,000 to fly commercial and $100,000 to fly charter. That includes the hotel stay, meals, etc. The numbers change a little depending on distance, dates, and other stuff, but that's normally what athletic departments in our neck of the woods(ND/SD/MT) seem to say.

Trying to be neutral here(I'm an NDSU alum/fan). When NDSU moved to DI, it offered UND a 2+2 contract to continue the football games. The games would alternate between the schools with the first at NDSU(it was our turn). The contract was for two years with an automatic renewal for two more if both sides agreed(it was assumed any scholarship advantage would begin to show itself around year three). NDSU's AD sent the contract to UND's under the impression that it was going to be signed. It never was. At the time, the wacky rules to select DII playoff teams actually penalized DII teams that played DI-AA opponents. There were also hard feelings between the schools because NDSU had wanted the NCC to move up as a conference and UND wanted everyone to stay where they were. Beyond that, words were exchanged between some NDSU/UND coaches. The DII playoff rule was changed a year later, but enough damage had been done to the relationship to keep either side from offering an olive branch. Skip ahead a couple years. NDSU had finished its transition and found a new football conference home(MVFC) with eight games a year already scheduled. NDSU likes to play one FBS team a year, so that only leaves two slots open(FCS normally has an 11-game season). Meanwhile, UND reversed its decision to stay DII(new AD and outgoing Pres) and found itself in a five team football conference with seven games to schedule every year. While the UND administration has turned over completely, NDSU still has all the same people from back then and is acting very cautiously. North Dakota politics will not allow NDSU to refuse to play UND forever, but the safe bet is that NDSU will wait until UND is finished with its transition in 2012. It boils down to a "you didn't help us in our transition, we won't help you in your's." It's more than just that(there are real money issues involved), but that's how a lot of people see it. So SS people, was I fairly objective?

If you've got any suggestions, we're more than happy to hear them.