Matt

While it's certainly accurate as it pertains to the first half, I have grown to hate it as well. To me it implies you are overmatched to begin with. Having that being the case is fine once a season maybe when you are playing well above your level, but seeing it used as much as we have this year....let's hope it is officially dead next year.

Just in case we all missed quotes like this from football season. At least this quote was from Wayne Nelson and not Jones.

I was very impressed with the Sioux defense in the first half. They were the reason the bison had such poor ball movement. I have no idea why they stunk so badly in the 2nd. Yes the bison shot better but there was an obvious difference in the play of UND also.

I tend to agree with your point about South, however I'm not ready to pass it off to laziness just yet.

I "imagine" that would have been awsome if that other 36.8% would have gone to the game. While we are at it, imagine if the NIU game would have been a 'w'. Would Kill be the gopher coach today?

I don't think that's asking too much out of the staff to land that type of recruit either.

I went to the game. It was louder than the avg reg season game. The humor is the "imagine if there were 7,000 more people there" bit. What stadium, arena, rink, ballpark, etc., anywhere couldn't we "imagine" a better atmosphere when sold out rather than missing 20% or so of its fans? It's a captain obvious statement.

There's just fewer quality 4s and 5s around.

Is there a mid major that isn't looking for qulity help in the middle?

Continuity of staff? They have lost many key assistants. One one the more prominent reasons I have read regarding ndsu's lackluster performance in the mvfc post transition is the program's inability to keep key assistants from moving to FBS. Vigen has been the mainstay and he has been a small step above Brewster over at bville. What continuity are you referring to?

All here that would personally vouch for iramurphy and his sources type aye. I will be the first. Aye

How did the entire athletic department get so young? Football, mens bb, women's bb, with the exception of perhaps hockey I keep seeing quotes from people inside and out of the athletic department leaning on youth. Someone has to step up right now. I know I have seen programs, even during transition, step up have make plays. Does anyone else have the feeling that there are too many players, not just on the women's team, waiting for someone else to step up and take control. I could also be over reacting, but there's some truth here.

I am looking forward to the bison game. This team has already played in front of much more hostile environments against better teams than what they will face in the dome, and I like the fact the game is in the dome and not the bsa. The vastness of the dome creates a more sterile environment than the bsa, and moving the bison into the dome takes them off their home court-far less comfortability knocking down shots in the dome than bsa. I'm not ready to pick an upset, but the bison loss to a very average green bay team shows me they are as prone to egg laying as anyone else. The Sioux need reminding that Woodside is gone.

In the third largest city in the state vs the first. Don't think the attendance for those events on the same night isn't an eye opener for the NDSU athletic department...and although none will acknowledge it, bruised ego for fans.

Speak in emotional terms if you like, I prefer to evaluate performances in the same manner the coaches do. When Jensen comes out of film on Monday he won't like his grade. You say he was great in the second half? Well, 30min won't cut it in Bozeman. I stand by my post.

If Jensen plays well? Are you putting tonight's performance in that category? He was under 50% completions today, missed numerous flat out wide open receivers, and the best part of his game was two 3 yard screen passes that McNorton took for 110 yards between the two plays. At a minimum Jensen will have to be a lot better than not only what he showed tonight, but better than he has showed the whole season. For that matter, the whole team will have to play better than they have played the entire year to win at MSU. So, as far as all bets being off if he plays well...as long as we are using wagering parlance...I would say that is such a long shot that all bets are most definitely on.

3+ scores? That's a lot to put in MSUs lap. They lost badly to Northern Arizona, won a 2 point game at home to Northern Colorado, and had a 3 point win at Idaho State for goodness' sake. I think MSU will win, but not by the margin you are suggesting.

I think Star mentioned what I think is the best rationale for UND accepting NDSUs offer: the Sioux FB program needs an NDSU home game to improve season ticket numbers. Admin should tie the bison game into a purchase requirement for other games, or require anything but the worst GA seating to buy season tickets in order to have the bison game included.

I didn't think you were unreasonably negative. To the contrary, in a 3 win season it is the positives that are harder to come by.

Do you think the deck has been stacked against Muss in ways that were not for Bohl or Stieg? What advantages did they have that Muss does not and how did that affect on field?

This reads like a sad blog.

You've done a good job outlining how having NDSU on the home schedule will help the program. I don't see NDSU capitulating until their need for a game supercedes their interest keeping any advantage over UND they can.

Part of the problem for Muss is the history he is working against. When the program has wins vs SUU, Davis, and UNI; they used to beat the Jacks on a regular basis; then you INCREASE the number of scholarship athletes available to him, you do have expectations that you can beat those type of teams. There were more exciting FBS wins for this program when it was D2. A signature win that everyone can get excited about is desperately needed.

From Wayne's Blog- UND coach Chris Mussman on his team

Have you read any chatter from your friends at Bville if Bohl is able to provide playoff tickets for recruits? It would seem to me that when UND has a home playoff game it would be nice to get a recruit to come to a home playoff game to experience that atmosphere. I don't know if this has been done in the D2 days or if it is prohibited by NCAA rules.