WYOBISONMAN

That stuff could work to your favor if the Big Sky Presidents realize what a corner they have painted themselves into. If they pass on the UxDs, it would be a huge mistake......but given the geographic bias they might be that short sighted.

I hope they are not serious about that. A hockey arena ends are too far away from the action to allow for being a good BB facility......

Mike McFeely, Sports columnist for the Fargo Forum took a swipe at the Big Sky Conference in his recent Web Blog. McFeely examined the decision by the Big Sky to take Norther Colorado over North and South Dakota State as conference members. It is a great read that shows the stupidity by the Big Sky Conference in that decision. A quote from the blog.... No, I firmly believe the Big Sky presidents are so geographically arrogant that they would rather take a piece of crap, on-the-cheap athletic program simply because it is located in a Rocky Mountain state. Then again, what else would you expect from a conference that added two piece of crap, on-the-cheap athletic programs (Sacramento State, Portland State) because they are located in major West Coast markets? There are two entries that talk about this issue. One titled, "Nice choice, Big Sky" and one titled, "Nice choice, Big Sky (Chapter 2)" It is a good read as we move towards the possible invite of NDSU and SDSU to the Gateway.....and UND examines a move to DI http://www.areavoices.com/mcfeely/

You know......I was channel surfing and caught that remark on CSTV too. I thought I heard it wrong because my teen age son was whining in my ear at the same time and there is no way NDSU would be considering hockey. I thought nothing more of it until I saw this thread here. I can't imagine NDSU looking at another DI sport that would require a very costly facility given the fact that we have to get a decent basketball arena built. To even consider hockey at this stage of our DI transition would be foolhardy at best. Right now the focus has to be on Bison Basketball.

I didn't really like the idea of a DI NCC. I wanted to be done with games against Mankato, SCSU, etc. As for UND, it is just going to take time. No conference will give you a hard look until you are close to eligibility, except for the Great West. And the Great West isn't bad for a start. The Cali schools are great to be aligned with. If the xDSUs are offered a spot in the Gateway, they have to say yes. The autobid is too important as is the scheduling aspect that will assure great teams traveling to Fargo for home games. Who knows what the Gateway will do. They certaintly do not have to take anyone at this time. I have said it before.....no one knows what the conference situation will look like in 5 years. That is what will ultimately determing where UND goes.

It is all about MONEY. If Bohl gets the call he would be gone as the money is too great to ignore.........

This gets my vote as the nuttiest thread of 2006........

........and I am glad we took the risk when we did. For me it will be New Years celebration in Ames, IA......hopefully with a NDSU win over Iowa State on New Years Eve.......Now that is gonna be fun!!!

I think the key is to pick up recruits the big schools over look......red shirt EVERYONE so you are loaded up on young guys that can take you on the run up to eligibility and then have a solid group of seniors for year one of post season eligibility. The Bison were absolutely terrible our last year of D2, but that recruiting and redshirting really paid off. I suspect we will get better at beating name teams as we get some more depth off the bench. Despite UND's performance there is no reason that this can be built up in time for DI post season eligibility.

I think that Bisonville has worked to keep the UND/NDSU smack confined to the Smack section where it can be ignored by most of us that don't want to read it.

The biggest attendance problem that the Sioux will face in the future is the fact that he Alerus is too small. USD will be in that pickle too. A lot of us Bison fans are worried that the Fargodome may wind up being too small as well. And.......expansion of an indoor stadium is near impossible.

NDSU Basketball it big time stuff......geez.....we are playing Iowa State and have a real shot at knocking them off. I would suspect the issues with football playoffs being televised is that the NCAA does not have thier act together in selling the rights to the game.

While Montana was supportive of NDSU and the Big Sky, I can't help it but wonder if they really wanted us in the conference that the Griz rule. Perhaps the same thoughts are in the Gateway too. It really surprises me as I would think that any conference would love a good solid competitor joining rather than a doormat. I guess time will tell..... If we stay in the Great West.....I can surely live with that. I like the teams we are partnered with. It would just be nice to get the auto bid.

I-A schools won't play you until you count towards Bowl eligibility. To be a counter you have to have a minimum number of scholies for a certain period of time. I can't remember the exact criteria, but this year was the first year NDSU was a counter for Bowl eligibility. So for next year, I would be shocked to see a DI-A on your schedule.

It is good to see a coach stick by his school...........

Bigger fish that the #4 team in DI-AA?? Surely that is a joke.......

Congrats on a solid season. Going to GVSU was a tough assignment. Now for the good stuff...........next year starts the DI journey for you guys................

Holy $hit....this is even more fiction that the idea that UND is a shoo in to the Big Sky! I would be one shocked football fan if that happened. I would also be very surprised if Sac State could offer a lot more money that UND for that coching position. Sac State a real bottom feeder program........ So....pick up your spleen.....it won't happen....

An interesting clumn by Jeff Kolpak in todays Forum lays the ultimate blame for the demise of the NCC at the feet of the NCAA leaders that started to cut scholies from D2 and erode the quality of D2 football. Kolpack Column "The culprit was Walter Byers. He was the president of the NCAA in 1986 when the organization voted to reduce the maximum Division II scholarships from 45 to 40. His accomplice was Richard Schultz, the NCAA director from 1987-93, when the scholarships were reduced further. That started a slide that hasn

That was indeed my point. I think that both RT and Kupchella have a terrible lack of vision and it contributed to the demise of the NCC.

Roger Thomas is now reaping what a lack of vision on his part has created. He is a real looser as an administrator.

I would never call you hateful......just full of s&!t like the rest of us........

I am not sure Minot will go to the NSIC......The NSIC can only take so many teams, and with the NCC collapsing there are probably only 2 teams that will get in.......Maybe the rest will go to a reformulated and much weaker NCC........that will be pretty interesting to watch........

Man.........I really gotta get some of your mushrooms for my pizzas........those are REALLY strong ones!

The problem gets to be the autobids. I suspect that very soon NDSU and SDSU will be in a conference that will have a football autobid (Gateway) and we are going into the MidCon that has autobids in all other sports. If the old NCC members were to reunite it would be a long road to gaining autobids........if they ever could.