PartTime

As bad as you guys want another chance at MN, you have to take it one game at a time. Look past somebody and it will probably bite you in the %#&

I came to the same conclusion as you gentlemen when I read the article in the paper this morning. I view it as a sort of "instigating" move on their part, they would like nothing more than to get some sort of reaction out of the crowd, i.e: comment/gesture. Same thing happened in the past at one of the UND hockey games, their protesting apparently drew some comments/gestures from people and cars going by and we were reading it in the papers not long afterwards. One of their responces was......"our true colors were showing". 10,000+ at the game on Saturday, what are the chances?

Usually when I see a thread that I have little to no interest in, I glance over it and go on or just not even go into it. Yet, there are others that feel they must respond just for the sake of whatever reason. What I found interesting about it was up untill yesterday, I had heard that the long range plans were for a new 25,000+ seat stadium where Memorial stadium sits with the end zones running East & West. What they were talking about yesterday is to expand the current Memorial stadium. Is this something that will happen regardless of Alerus expansion? It was this spring or last fall (maybe even a little before that), when the subject of trying to expand the Alerus center for football was mentioned to city council president Hal Gershman, he mentioned something to the fact that if it could, before the city would pump a lot of money into the Alerus center for expansion, they would need a long term commitment from UND.

Want more butts in the seats? well, I think getting an accurate attendance count at the games would help. What was explained on SiouxSports in the past, that UND does the official attendance count and UND only has control over the bowl seating spells inaccurate attendance count to me. This issue has been discussed before I know, just my opinion on it. UND 92,96.............all good points. On items #2 & 4, I agree that it would help attendance to play at night. Games wouldn't have to be at 7 or 7:30 like hockey games, even having them at 5 or 6:00 would help. A lot of people work on Saturdays during the day. As for better marketing, that's one area that could definately use some improvement.

Not that they would want to, but if something else opened up, ie: all sports conference invite, couldn't UND leave before the 5 years? I'm sure an exit fee would be in place if that happened, but there would be an out with a price right?

Apparently this is a case of where "size does matter". Fargo is the biggest city in the state and thus, looks down on everyone else.

Benner's..............your mentioning that place just brought back memories, spend many a dollar in that store, mainly in the HO racing cars and raced them/tried them out on Benner's track they had at the store. That store was enjoyed by many a Grand Forks youth.

Gershman, however, was more concerned. "Obviously I would hope that arrangements can be made for football to stay. One of the bigger reasons for building the Alerus in the first place was for UND football," he said. I found this comment by Mr. Gershman a little humorous considering back in the days when the Alerus Center was voted on and approved, he (not long after) proposed downsizing on the arena to cut costs...............it didn't fly. One of the problems with the Alerus Center (besides the number of seats which I have commented on in previous threads) is that the design of the building doesn't leave much room for expansion. Granted, I am no engineer, but I would think trying to expand the Alerus would be a major project, either that or some pretty creative engineering. I know arguments now are that UND isn't filling the place for every game now, I agree (even though I take some issue with game attendance and how it is counted). But I truely feel going D-I, attendance will go up. If I may use NDSU as an example, D-2 they were averaging 10,000+ at the Fargodome, last year they averaged 16,000+. I'm not saying UND's attendance will jump up 6,000 people right away like NDSU's, but I believe it will jump.

NDSU fans continually throwing it in our faces about the 5,000+ attendance at the UND/Winona State playoff game is really getting old. I know why you do it, everybody does, but like I said, it's getting old. The reasons why the attendance was low for the game has been explained/covered, so there is no reason for me to do it again and just repeat/echo earlier responses.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm kind of curious as to Carr Sports presentation today and if it will address (recommend) any changes to UND's sports facilities, namely football, basketball and baseball.

I'm with you on the black pants. Green helmets, white jersey's and black pants........never did like that combo. As for the interlocking ND, well, the fact that I use it for my avatar tells you what I think of it.

I'm kinda curious, which is why I'm asking this question now and even though I'm asking it in the women's basketball thread, it's dirrected to all sports. Here's the question....................Cheerleaders. Athletes, whatever the sport, have a commitment to the team and play whenever the games are scheduled whether it be over Christmas break or spring break etc. Isn't there any kind of commitment when it comes to the cheerleaders? When school breaks come up, the cheerleaders can leave too just like the students? no commitment to the sport to which they cheer for? Not trying to make an issue of this, like I said, always been curious about it and after last nights women's basketball game, decided to ask the question.

Well, make that the second oversight then................the hockey programs from the West Regionals last year at the Ralph didn't have UND's name in it either, just North Dakota.

I totally agree, there's just two things I'd like to see changed. One, the UND band being located in the student section is a good fit, better than in that section way up in the second tier the first few years the arena opened. But, the location of the band now and the few rows that they take up, it just seems like they are spread out and have kind of an unorganized look to them. Up above the band there are two small sections that I think would suit the band well and make it look like a band section vs the few long rows that they now occupy. The open area in front of the two sections (handicap area) would serve well for the band drummers.............which brings up the problem, it is a handicap area, where do you move the handicap people? Plus, the two sections for the band, would it be enough room for the band? The other thing I'd like to see, is the band picking up the tempo a little bit on their songs. I noticed last year at the West Regionals when Minnesota's and Michigan's bands were here, the songs they played were up tempo.....................just my thoughts.

I agree, the demographics of the North end of Grand Forks has changed over the years and Grand Forks continues to grow to the South. I'm thinking the only fair way to devide the city now, is an East/West split instead of a North/South split. But! there's still the open enrollment out there, so maybe that wouldn't work either.

The statement I recieved in Jan from UND showed my donation of 1,100 and I think 900 of that was deductable...........maybe 800, but I think it was 900.

Channel 4 news at noon today was talking about the power outage in forks and how it affected 6,900 customers (give or take) and they also mentioned the Ralph and the concern because of the upcoming home series this weekend. Now this is as of noon today, not sure of the status now or if it has changed.

That last playoff game with Winona State didn't help, 5,000+. I still don't think they get an accurate attendance count at the games...........UND does the attendance count.......... UND only has control over the lower bowl..etc. To me, that doesn't equal an accurate figure. I know some on here have stated that tickets are the counter which means actual butts in the seats, but I've been to games where there were very few seats open and the attendance was announced in the low 12,000's. Just my opinion.

In regards to UND's DI transition, I have a question............In the last couple of weeks, I have heard a couple of times (once by Pat Sweeney) that UND's exploratory year was 2008. My question is this, last year when UND announced it's intention to move up to DI, wasn't it said that 2007 was going to be the exploratory year? Or are they referring to the 07/08 sports seasons? Or am I totally missing something here?

Good for him! It's not a surprise, he's a good player. Wouldn't it have been nice to have him another year at UND?

Packing the AL would be nice for this weekends game...............however, even with a packed house (13,500), the attendance count would not actually show a sellout. From another thread a month or two ago, it was stated that UND does the official attendance count at the football games and they only have control over the lower bowl seats, something like 12,270 give or take. So unless I'm missing something here and if I am, people please point it out, the actual attendance at games is more than what is ever reported.

I agree.......... to a point. Between periods, the people do flock out into the corridors and yes, it is like a big social and a lot of them are late coming back to their seats and the game is already on again. But, it's not just the season ticket holders, I've noticed it all around the rink (including the student sections). Guess the blame partly falls on the REA, with it's wide corridors, it's marble floors, great atmosphere, many vendors, bathrooms, Sioux Shop etc. A lot of things to do out there and yes, socialize too. As for the quiet crowd, I agree, all or most of the cheering does come from the student sections. Being on the student side of the arena and looking over at the other side (season ticket holder side), I suppose it does kinda look bad. My section is 115, there are some fans in the section that cheer, but a lot don't, which I'm sure is the same for a lot of the arena. Solution................I don't have one. All fans will stand up and cheer and yell during goals, great plays, wins etc. But to get or expect everybody including the older (think I fall close to this category) and elderly people to stand and chant/cheer all game right along with the students, don't think that will happen. As far as the PA announcer always starting up when the crown is doing a chant/cheer, I've noticed that too, talk about killing a moment. When the REA first opened, the select music that would be played at key moments, or a clip from a movie/show that they would show in a key situation etc, those things helped, but now, cheers/chants start up and the people are interrupted by commercials or the PA announcer talking. This definately doesn't help.

No, I say she formed her own opinion at an early age As far as the penalty at the end of the overtime against St. Cloud, as much as I would have liked to see a penalty shot awarded to the Sioux, it wasn't a clear breakaway. Penalty......yes, penalty shot.......no.

Has UND put out any specs as far as what they want in a hotel? Reason I'm asking, is that there doesn't seem to be all that much room left on the Bronson property and a hotel going in (unless maybe a highrise type) would take up a lot of the remaining room....................just curious.

hahaha Been there done that, I know the feeling.