Fifth-grade math on a napkin will tell you that UND hockey is the bigger operation measured by revenue. I realize you cashed a nice little check after the Gopher game, but UND hockey makes that in about one game.
On a national scale, I would put D-I hockey on par with D-IAA football, so I don't think it's laughable. Statewide, I think UND hockey is bigger, without a doubt.
With Bison-Gopher football, the game is a big talker in the Twin Cities media. With Sioux-Gopher hockey, the Twin Cities radio personalities come up to Grand Forks to do a live broadcast, so yes, plenty of interest.
For the most part this is true, but in the mid to late 70's, and again in the late 80's to very early 90's, I would say basketball was on a par with hockey, if not a little bigger. BTW, whoever gets to the Big Dance first in basketball, it will trump both NDSU football and UND hockey in national exposure.
This is a fourth-year transition program against an established Big Ten program with the resources that go along with that. You must not be easily impressed.
Keep an eye on Colorado State. Lubick is rumored to be retiring, and the salary slot, at a half million, makes sense for everybody. And Fort Collins is just as close to Lincoln as Fargo is. Miles' presence won't hurt, either.
I can tell you for a fact that the management of the hockey operation had the "Force" down their list quite a way in terms of desired names. The fan vote won the day, and that's pretty much it.
Okay, I had pocket 3's. Flop comes 5-3-5, I bet big, get called. Turn was a K, I bet half the pot, I get raised, I re-raise again and go all in, and get called, he had K-K. Damn.