BisonMav

He didn't call IAA the big boys, he call D1-AA the big boys, whoever they are?

So smack talking me and NDSU makes Fargo a hockey town and will make hockey successful at NDSU? I didn't say anyone would have to rely on fans driving 3 hours to games. Just said I wouldn't do it. I didn't say hockey wouldn't work at NDSU. I said I didn't think Fargo was a hockey town and I would not support hockey at NDSU. NDSU had a hockey team in the 1930's, all time record vs UND is 1-0 or 2-0 or something like that. Bisonguy might have the answer to that. NDSU doesn't serve beer on campus, that is what attracts a lot of fans to college hockey games. Remember when you answer this post, I said a lot, not all.

Wasn't he a fastpitch softball player in Moorhead?

And what Fargo team did they play for. I said Howe, Sawchuk and Pronovost played for the Omaha (Knights) team, and this was a Detroit Red Wings minor league team. Hockey history, not just a random player here and there. I did mention Blake in my previous post. He was not as popular as the other athletes from other sports. In Grand Forks the story would have been different. When I said I wouldn't drive to Fargo for NDSU hockey, I was just giving my opinion as one NDSU Alum that buys season tickets. Maybe it's just the college game that I don't enjoy as much as High School, USHL, and the NHL.

I have had USHL Season tickets and NHL season tickets, regularily attend the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tourney. I get enough hockey in the Twin Cities. I will drive to Fargo for football and basketball, but not hockey. Omaha had a hockey history prior to UNO. Ever heard of Gordie Howe or Terry Sawchuk or Marcel Pronovost. They played in Omaha. Name a hockey player from Fargo from the 40's, 50's or 60's. Roger Maris made Fargo a baseball town long before the Redhawks came around. The Roger Maris Golf Tourney just celebrated 20 years. Blake left early last year because everyone was going to Mudcat Grant, Jim Marshall and Carl Eller for autographs instead. The people that would buy the hockey tickets talk baseball and football, they go to Twinsfest, attend the Twins caravans, they buy baseball and football memorabilia. There are a lot of youth and parents of youth involved in hockey in Fargo, but there is also a lot of soccer youth and parents in Fargo and around the country. Fargo is not a soccer town or a hockey town.

Which outer burb? Eden Prairie or Woodbury? I have a friend in Fargo whose house was appraised at $140,000. In Woodbury, a comparable house would be $270,000. You really have to get out of the City to compare to Fargo. Maybe like Redwing, Cannon Falls.

Fargo is just not a hockey town like GF, Omaha, Duluth, St Cloud or even Moorhead etc.

I like High School hockey in Minnesota, and it is fun to watch the local kids in High School move on and excel at the college level and some even in the pros.

If the Bison are to blame for the rivalry ending in other sports, shouldn't UND be at fault for letting the hockey rivalry end.

I guess UND fans don't have a smack board? UND fans have Smack Threads Smack Topic Being a hockey(M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A) fan and a Bison Alum, I was not in favor and would not be infavor of hockey at NDSU. I am pleased with the direction NDSU is taking. Besides it's not NDSU's fault that UND went Division I in Hockey and the Bison didn't follow.

I missed on purpose.

From today's Forum. Babich update

Sometimes it's who you know.

I didn't think Babich was available for a UND position. He still has a chance to be the next Bears DC.

You are correct, NDSU goes to UCD next year. Cal-Poly SLO comes to Fargo next year.

Some more Info on Lunde. Minnesota Basketball News had Lunde rated in the top 100 overall in Minnesota. Rivals has Lunde at #22. He had a 32 point 22 rebound game against the 6-11 center from DGF. Don't know much about the 6-11 player. Lunde has played some good competition in High School. Litchfield to name one and recently scoring 17 points against a good Hopkins team.

That we are happy about.

Fargo has had a lot offer also. The American Legion World Series, FM Redhawks, Roger Maris Golf Tourney, Roger Maris Museum, The World's Fastpitch Softball Championship is in Fargo this year, the North Stars have played exhibition games, the Timberwolves exhibition games, Virgil Hill fights, sports memorabilia shows and stores. I do like Joe DiMaggio's in Grand Forks, one of my favorite sports bars to eat at, but they do have one here in the Twin Cities.

I was surprised about Bismarck too. Bismarck IMO is the best site for the North Dakota Class B basketball tourney. Can't think of anything else that draws a big crowd like that in Bismarck.

It's probably a joke to the younger crowd, but North Dakota did exist prior to 1950. Here is a link to a short bio on Baptie. Baptie Link Satchel Paige actually played baseball for the Bismarck Barons for two years. They won a national championship, and Paige was undefeated. Willie Stargell played for the Grand Forks Chiefs. But I still like the top three of Maris, Erstad and Jackson. Just think, if Paul Presthaus had not gone to Minnesota, Jackson may have went to Minnesota. I see Presthaus son in on UND's football team.

Interesting article in SI about North Dakotan's. This is the Grand Forks Herald story on the article. I would agree that Maris is the best athlete who ever lived or played for a North Dakota Team. Great Football and Baseball player and also a good Basketball player. I would put Erstad over Jackson, because Jackson is more famous for coaching than he was as a player. I would have put Norval Baptie, from Bathgate, on the list, but no one ever heard of him after 1950. He is in the Speed Skating Hall of Fame. ND SI Link

They did have two assistants to stay, Turner Gill and Recruiting Coordinator Scott Downing. Gill would be the link to Old School Nebraska if he stays, and Downing would still be in touch with recruits such as Manke. The offense, from other new stories, will change to the West Coast Offense.

Omaha was a hockey town many years ago. Omaha Knights with Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk etc. The Lancers sold out from the beginning, and I was a season ticket holder when I lived there. Fargo doesn't have that hockey foundation that ScottM is talking about. There is a lot of kids playing hockey in Fargo, with their parents going to the games. Moorhead has a strong hockey history. The Jets and North Stars have played in Moorhead in the early 1980's and have not sold out. The North Stars also played in Fargo against the Memphis South Stars in the 1960's without many people watching. Another major issue would be an arena. I would guess that their would be more UND hockey fans that live in Fargo, at the games than there would be actual NDSU fans. USD might have a good following with a USHL team in Sioux Falls and Sioux City.

Pardon the optimism.