Herd

With an 11 game schedule, I wouldn't want to lock in any out of conference team every year either. I'm betting we'll see a 2 of 3 year kind of a situation (Fgo, GF, Off). When you have 8 conf games, 1 FBS, and only 2 others, you really limit your opportunities to challenging yourself against top FCS competitionally nationally if the game is every year. I don't think it will be games every year. As for und getting into the MVFC by 2012, what's your source? Yeah, I thought so.

The BSA sightlines aren't so bad. Have you ever rolled the dice on a ticket in the back of the lower deck at Williams? After hunching down for the first 5 minutes, I look the liberty of improving my seat. Now that was bad sight lines. I don't think I could find sight lines tht bad at the BSA. It's the seats (lack thereof) that are terrible at the BSA. Bison BB needs some quality seating.

Chappy's not afraid to kick ass at the legislative level either. That's a good point!

For NDSU fans, using the S word is Fargo is a no-no. Just ask any UND fan who thinks that the nickname is NDSU's problem. I don't believe, however, that NDSU fans went through the proper channels at SS to get any formal endorsement for the "firetrucks" thing. Strictly an informal reference in lue of the S word.

Joe's been kicking ass for the past 5 years, I think a bodyguard is in order.

Agreed Dan. What do you do when the kid sitting next to you in school wants to cheat off your paper so he gets the same grade as you, even though he didn't study. On top of that, he went out and partied and told you that you were stupid for studying. Do you help him out or tell him to forget it? He is your friend and neighbor afterall, but geez . . . you did a lot of work??? That's the real reason we don't have any games scheduled yet, but it won't be long.

The reasons not to play just keep stacking up. Hopefully Taylor waits a few years for the name change so we don't have to go through all of this.

Some things just police themselves, don't you think. What if the sun doesn't come up tomorrow, are you going to worry about that too.

Schools like Wisconsin don't take their stand for the hell of it. They do it because there are Indian tribes who are outspoken against the use of the nicknames, and liberal schools like Wisky jump on board in support of that stand. All I am saying, the situation at FSU is diffused. There is no Wisconsin cause at FSU anymore. The list of schools w/o tribal support is getting small. This whole thing is less of an issue today at Wisconsin for a reason.

The administration at liberal schools like Wisconsin choose a stand against playing teams with Indian mascots for two primary "public" reasons. The pressure to support the Indian tribes that are against the use of their nickname, and the pressure to support the NCAA who is against their use. There is also the money issues and conference affiliations which are real, but not something that you stand behind in a press conference. Therefore, there is no "public" reason today for Wisconsin not to play Florida St. With both NCAA support and tribe support, what message would Wisconsin be sending? If you spoke out again playing FL St, instead of supporting the Indians tribes who support the name, you'd be insulting them. Wisconsin's position toward Florida St. is consistent with both NCAA and tribe positions. Florida St. is no longer a Cause for liberal schools like Wisconsin. I don't see WI's position as hipicritical as some suggest. The tribe's position speaks for itself.

I think that you are quite presumptuous in assuming that Douple is a 1-man band. Who's requirements is the Summit League required to follow? Humm . . . would it be the NCAA? I am quite confident that Douple is in touch with the NCAA on this issue, but that would be the last thing that he could actually say and his contact with the NCAA is deep under cover. Just think of the Liability and Lawsuits if the NCAA directly mandated that a conference not add UND . . . ouch! Is he being influenced and in the know about the NCAA's feelings on the issue? You bet he is.

Let me see now . . . NDSU administrators as employees of the state have an obligation to schedule UND? But UND administrators had no such obligation? Is that what you are trying to tell me? And what stance are you referring to? NDSU doesn't have a stance. The only stance by anyone was made in a 2003 press conference up north. You are off your rocker man! I've ready some crazy stuff, but that takes it. NDSU has said that will resume competition when the time is right, there is no stance or obligation.

Please give me one good reason why Taylor should be obligated to schedule UND. The fact that he says any more than "no comment" is proof that his is a standup guy and isn't trying to avoid the issues. The guideline by the Summit has zero to do with Taylor, that is a baseless, crazy conspiracy theory. That guideline has zero to do with NDSU. He has no more obligation to schedule UND in 2009 than your administration did to schedule NDSU in 2003, regardless of the nickname issue. Where was the outcry in 2003 while your administration sat back and laughed. Write your legislators, bad mouth Taylor on message boards, dial 911 . . . whatever works for you.

Yes, I think Childress has earned another year, but the lack of a leader at QB is killing the Vikes chances of doing anything. Which one doesn't belong: Ryan, Warner, McNabb, Jackson, E.Manning, Delhomme? Clearly Jackson is not enough for the Vikings to win. He might be in a few years, but not this year.

Agreed, someone at the Herald should say, "Sorry Virg, we are not going to print your dribble." This article was not beneficial to anyone. Someday, sooner than later, even the people who write this stuff will say that the DI move was probably the right move. In the meantime, I wouldn't allow these types of editorials in my paper right now, it is just counter productive.

Happy New Year to you also!

The 2008 SDSU women are not the 2002 version you might be familiar with. You need to watch them play before you comment and compare your team to them. They have gotten significantly better from an athletic and physical standpoint the past 5 years. They remind me of physical Big 10 teams, but also have good team speed. They really out-quicked and out boarded MN, and they shoot it well from 3. I think they have a good shot at running the table in the Summit which would put them at 1 loss at tournament time, and an easy auto-bid to the field of 64. They've come a long way.

There is hope. SDSU is on the edge of a top 25 ranking. You just have to find the right recruiting formula and a coach that believes. That might be your current coach or it might not. NDSU and UND need to only to look to what is going on in Brookings. They've beaten Utah, MO, WI, OR, and IL . . . loosing only to top 10 ranked MD by 12. They are probably stronger than MN who is an upper level BT team, we'll see when they play later this year. If they keep winning, I'd expect a top 25 ranking shortly. If they stay healthy, the should have a smooth road to the NCAA tournament and have a shot at some wins there. Womens BB is one of the few DI sports where you can recruit regionally and win at the top levels as there is DI talent in the upper MW. There is hope with the right formula.

If one conference loss is "tanking" then I guess, yes we are. The road we traveled down is a 20-2 record with top 10 rankings that easily would have had us in the field of 16 the past 2 years. That is the road we have traveled. And yes, the people on this board do a lot of talking for a team coming off a loss at SELA and 2 bye weeks. If you actually played Poly you might have something to talk about, but your schedule looks like quiet would be your best policy.

For a team that's . . . A non factor for the next 4 years On back to back bye weeks With a crappy schedule, save 2-3 games Who doesn't even play the best team in your conference Who has to goto SIU in a few weeks for your woop'in You sure do a lot of talking. Good luck in SIU!

After seeing SIU yesterday, you will not win on the road in Carbondale. They are one of the most athletic FCS teams you will find, they just lost their momentum yesterday, and it's hard to recover from that on the road. I'd very much be surprised by a Sioux win on the road in Carbondale or anyone else in the MVFC. That team is a level above anyone else on your schedule.

Gee and I thought that the Summit League Basketball Tournament Champion played in the NCAA DI Champion with the top 65 teams in the nation. But I'm sure your right, they instead play for the Mid-Major National Championship, right? You're an idiot.

As a newbie and with your stregth of schedule, you will not be given any auto-love in the polls based on wins and losses. Every poll vote will be earned by how you perform against S ILL and Davis. Too bad you don't have a game against Poly, that would have helped the cause with a win.

First reason . . . you can say whatever you want about the skill level on the field, but Austin Peay and CCSU are both Division I schools, period (not DII, not DIII). The AP game will be against a team from the Ohio Valley Conf, and frankly, that's a very good thing. CCSU's conference is developing and that should be an easier game for the Bison, but they are a DI school. Don't be confused. These teams might not beat Grand Valley on the field, but then you can't either. When you say DII or lower for scholarships, that would be 36 or less . . . most even being below the 24 level, NSIC for example. I'm sure that AP is easily above the 36 level playing in the Ohio Valley. I don't know the exact number, but 40+. Second reason . . . the same reason you don't schedule Mary. With the new DI product, your fans will be more tolerant of a name they have not seen before (WI Lax) even in DIII, than with an instate team that might even be at a higher level. If your team scheduled Mary, your fans would be giving the admin an earful, you can count on that. Third Reason . . . in 2003 your school chose to do what's in its best interest, now we are choosing to do what is in our best interest, and that is diverting our attention to the MVFC. Surely Sioux fans can understand this logic. Let's face it, a und/ndsu football game would do a lot more good for und than ndsu from a DI brand standpoint, regardless of the score of the game.

I would agree. You might have a good chance at being 9-1, or running the table with a huge effort against S. Ill. and Davis. It doesn't look like Idaho St. and SE LA are projected too high in their conferences, but you never know when you go on the road. A 9-1/8-2 record will get a top 25 ranking. It would be fun to see you play Poly this year, that would be a good game, but the Davis game should also be a good battle. Yes, realistically you might be ranked, and a loss to S Ill on the road wouldn't hurt too much if you play them tough.