Bison06

I have no doubt Coach Bohl called many Minnesota high school recruits before and after the game, doesn't really mean anything.

UND gets one recruit that NDSU offered and now you are a force to reckoned with? UND doesn't have the coaching in place to EVER compete with NDSU at this point regardless of players in your system. Get a coaching staff that has the ability to win a big game and get back to me.

I used to think you were a pretty level headed poster on this and other boards, but lately you have really taken a serious turn in the LakesBison direction. To say that coach Bohl is worried about UND is beyond comprehension. What in his history would lead him to worry about UND. He has only played one game head to head with UND and then the series was discontinued. He thinks about UND about as much as Mussman thinks about NDSU, which I would assume is only when asked. I have no doubt in my mind that UND will eventually get back to being a nationally known team at the FCS level, but to say it has already happened is dilusional and any objective poster on this board knows that in the FCS world UND is a relative unknown at this point.

So when UND plays Minnesota, there are 15-20k people who would like to be at the game and can't get in. I am not saying UND hockey isn't popular, but that isn't even close to reality.

UND could not pack 30,000 into the Ralph on a regular basis or even once for that matter. That's as dilusional as NDSU fans thinking we had 30,000 in the metrodome. Like you said Hockey is popular, around here.

It's always interesting to hear the same talking points come out of UND and NDSU fans, but this one has got to go. You seem like a logical person, so you realize that UND hockey makes up the vast majority of that. NDSU doesn't even offer that sport so it only makes sense if you have an extra sport, which to UND's credit is attended quite well, that you will have a higher total attendance for the year.

Of course doing something more than once is more of an accomplishment than doing it just once. That doesn't make doing it once any less special. Northwestern has been trying for quite a long time to get into the tournament that "getting in with an auto-bid isn't that hard to do".

Is UND football not profitable?

Profitable to the NCAA maybe, I'll agree with that, I'd be interested to see the actual numbers but it seems logical. Why is it always argued about whether football or hockey is bigger in the state? What is the point? They don't even compete against each other for a fan base. I know plenty of NDSU football fans who are UND hockey fans, so why this constant dick measuring contest between the fans of these two? NDSU fans say we have more fans at each game, UND fans say well we have more total fans come to games throughout the season? It's the same as the Vikings arguing with the twins about who has more fans. Who cares, they don't compete against each other.

Honest question to you. What, other than having a school that has a great hockey team and being a hockey fan, makes you think that Division I hockey is more popular than Division I FCS football nationally?

You poopoo that like it's a no big deal thing. Getting the dance is a MAJOR accomplishment, if you weren't so blinded by NDSU hatred you would see that. So if recruiting is how you measure success during the transition, are you saying that UND has recruited to a level that you will be ready when the transition ends? From my limited time on this board I have heard a lot of complaining about your recruiting classes of late. In fact there is another thread on this board that a poster said he thinks UND had more talent 5-10 years ago than they do now.

I have followed the Sioux program for as long as I can remember and if you think that UND is on a similar path that SDSU was on you are dilusional. UND's football program is near rock bottom, the coach will be fired if not this year then next year and you will be starting over. IMO this will be a good thing. SDSU had stability during their transition with coaching and it just so happened that the recruiting they did led up to a great season the year they were eligible. NDSU's recruiting unfortunately culminated the year before they were eligible for the playoff. It's a long term race here and UND is not on a path that an objective fan would say is going to get the team to where you ultimately want to be.

I never said they are better because they went to Division I first, what I said is that if you look at what UND has done during their transition and compare it to what NDSU did in the same time frame, NDSU had more success.

21 years for NDSU 10 years for UND, who cares both are ancient history. The fact remains that NDSU is a few years ahead of UND in the transition to Division I. At this point comparing the two schools NDSU has had more success during the transition process, doesn't mean it can't change. Of course football games are played on the field and when that happens in a rivalry game anything can happen. But, I feel any objective observer of the two programs would have to say NDSU is on the right path looking forward while UND is in need of some serious changes to compete in the Big Sky let alone nationally. I've always respected UND's program and sincerely hope they can find the path back to being a successful program.

Who are the players that are felons on the current NDSU roster?

What about putting a knife to someone's throat? Drunken Shenanigans too? I am not saying NDSU hasn't had problem kids, just make sure your own house is clean before making comments like I responded to.

You really want to open up that can of worms?

It's not me making the decision to not play. I am just relaying my opinion on why it doesn't make sense for NDSU to play right now. Let me ask you this, why does UND want to play the game so badly? Could it be because of the exact opposite reason I am saying NDSU doesn't want to play the game. UND has way more to gain, evidenced by who is really pushing for this game.

What do you want me to take a poll? Or give you names of former UND players that are friends of mine? Watch the two teams, NDSU puts a better product on the field right now. In the absence of an actual game that is all we are left with. 3-8? Thanks for the reminder, if you guys want to play that game, I'll remind you that the USF loss isn't too far in the rear view mirror either.

Glad I can amuse you. Not scared, just realistic. The fact is I am confident that if NDSU played UND this year, NDSU would win. But, being a competitor I realize any time you step on the field with a quality opponent in could result in a loss. With that in mind, it doesn't make sense for NDSU to play UND any time in the near future, because a loss would eliminate NDSU being viewed as the superior program. This is the same reason Minnesota isn't happy about playing NDSU, are they scared? No. They just realize the negative press that comes with losing to a team that is viewed as inferior by the general public. Honest question for you homer, have you seen NDSU play in the last couple of years?

Maybe tanked is a harsh word, but not considering what most have come to expect from the UND program. When did NDSU have all this hype and not make the playoffs? When we went 3-8 two years ago? No hype from me, most NDSU fans knew that without a decent quarterback we would never get it done. There will always be hype surrounding the NDSU football team, not the same but similar to UND hockey. Being the premier program at a school tends to lend itself well to fans over-hyping the talent of a team. You're right it's easy to sit back and say this team would beat that team. I don't see any reason why NDSU would want to play UND right now. In the eyes of a lot of people in the area, if you aren't one of them fine, NDSU has the perception of being the superior program. This helps with recruiting, fund-raising, student interest etc. If we play again and let's say we lose, then we have lost the perception of being superior. If we win, people will still believe we are the superior program. I don't see any advantage strategically for NDSU to play this game.

Of course I remember the 3-8 season, I don't have a short memory at all. I am a very level headed fan. I have followed both programs very closely over the past decade and regardless of records any given year I am not alone in thinking NDSU has a better product right now. You may not be one of them, but I have spoken with many Sioux fans who agree with that. I think to say that NDSU doesn't want to play the game because they are scared to lose is over-simplifying the issue. The issue is NDSU has absolutely nothing to gain by playing the game. Do you agree that at this point in the history of the rivalry, UND has far more to gain by playing NDSU than vice versa?

Clever. Of course that is always a concern when you are playing a rivalry type of game, but I am honestly curious, what has UND done in the last couple of years to warrant this feeling that seems to be coming from the UND fanbase that UND would win that game. I have spoken with many level headed Sioux fans (former players) recently that say the program has tanked in the last 5 years and say the level of play at NDSU is far superior. I have always thought UND had a great program and will get back to the point where they are relevant on the national stage. I am not here to talk trash at all, I just find it interesting that you have had two of your worst seasons in the last 20 years the last two years and all of a sudden you think UND is the team to beat.

I may be wrong, but I believe that Central Michigan played a bowl game the year NDSU beat them. So, while the FBS teams NDSU has beaten haven't exactly been USC, they haven't been bottom dwellers either. I am of the opinion that it doesn't make sense for either school to schedule this game yearly. Ideally, for me anyway, this rivalry is renewed in a playoff game in the next 5 years. I think an objective person would agree NDSU has way more to lose than to gain at this point when compared with UND.

I don't think any reasonable person would argue that statement one bit. I wish I knew more about the circumstances surrounding his recruitment to NDSU, did NDSU say "Shamen is better, let's not recruit Weston" or did NDSU and UND go after him equally and he chose UND(I can't imagine anyone making that decision ) Anybody have any insight into that?