Matt

This discussion was going on in other threads as well and I find it silly. No one is obligated to root for anyone, least of all a rival. This idea that it's good for the state to cheer for NDSU in the tourney is provincial nonsense. Be careful with this though. I won't denigrate the process at all because the plan that NDSU has set and executed so effectively, I fully expect UND to do as well. Not necessarily on the same time schedule, but through the same means. I'm not gonna diminish NDSU's accomplishment now, when I will be cheering UND doing the same thing in the future.

Bison in Minneapolis v Kansas.

I'm sure that thought will keep the basketball program warm at night.

...and here we are on SS hoping someday the Sioux MBB will achieve that same reality.

What exactly is the "reality" as you see it?

Woodside has been all over ESPN radio and TV today.

It's hard to avoid. The team has several compelling story lines to tell, and the conf title game finish makes them ESPN's darlings until the next big thing comes up. And if they win a game in the tourney...

And that's with no hockey relationship to leverage.

If it has an autobid and includes football, I don't care if it is in New England.

This team grew up a lot tonight. I'm glad my prediction was wrong. I look forward to filling out my Bison/Carolina bracket.

ORU just doesn't lose at home. That's the lesson NDSU should take from this regular season because it's the home loss to SUU that killed them. Don't lose to inferior teams at home. ORU by 6.

Totally disagree. Look at the player roster. How many from Big 10 country vs Big 12? A stronger presence in those markets is a higher priority. Don't misunderstand, I think it's great to get TT on the schedule, but scheduling Big 10/MAC fits in with the bulk of the recruiting footprint. Or am I off in that analysis?

The nickname can't go fast enough. And what happened to leveraging the hockey relationships?

Shut yo mouth...

Now if they can get an opportunity for the tournament by the time they are seniors...

Your words express complete confidence. Muss is on the record saying he doesn't want a one gamer. I'm not saying the coach's opinion is a deal breaker (see maturi and brewster), but he may be creating a bad situation with his coach depending on how strongly Muss feels about it. How important is a one gamer to Faison?

What do we know about the redshirts? How good was that recruiting class? It seems like there's a lot riding on them.

I wonder how many of the fans attending Force games have attended Bison BB in the past. Some maybe, but my guess is not many. The hockey parents in my sons' league that go to Force games have never attended a Bison BB game. The Force may simply be drawing on a previously untapped market, and have the advantage of a vastly superior facility. To add that many nights out spending money and not be drawing away from another event is impressive considering the national economy.

That would help me sleep better. I keep waking in a cold sweat thinking Chicago has announced a Summit site visit.

Well, if the legislature is so concerned about making the game happen in the best interest of the state, why not subsidize the cost of the tickets? Why should only those with means be able to enjoy this rivalry on the 50 yard line? They are state institutions after all. And is the capacity of the Alerus or Fargodome really enough? Perhaps a larger outdoor statdium should be built so more people have the opportunity to enrich their lives with this game. The possibilities are endless when state government with an operating surplus gets involved.

There's already one of the bill's sponsors disavowing the legislation and public opinion is overwhelmingly against legislative involvement. Under what circumstances do you forsee political *hi* hitting the fan? If the Summit adds USD and someone else (or no one else) and the Valley does't expand, if UND is left on the outside looking in, that's the scenario I forsee trouble for NDSU in not being more of an active partner in helping UND in their transition.

These institutions are what, nearing 200 years old? If thy don't play for even another ten years, so what? That's a blip on the radar.

Don't let them treat lake sallie like their own personal toilet like the chicago river.

Saw this on the inforum site and wondered how it compares to Sioux Boosters.

Clearly, with so much public discussion on this topic in the past month, he has at least the tacit approval of the presidents that hired him. If they disagreed with anything he's been saying, they have been very quiet. Of course he does. As we saw with the Great West commish putting the kaibosh on the Sioux-Cal Poly game this year, the commisioner is well aware of scheduling of league members. Nah. Not any more than Minnesota or any other school that opts not to schedule UND (or let them in their conference for that matter) You are absolutely right here. It is all about him, that is evidenced by the silence of the Summit Presidents through the entire month. They are apparently comfortable with the way he is handling the league. Really, this is what makes this such a sticky wicket for UND. Douple clearly has more influence with his league presidents than we saw with Fullerton and the Big Sky.