MafiaMan

What's your point, IowaBison? There are pluses and minuses for everything. I totally agree with what an earlier poster stated. Going DI-AA isn't going to get more kids from Oakes, Fargo South, or Watford City onto the football team at UND. It's going to result in kids from Miami, Detroit, or Chicago who aren't good enough for D-1 coming to North Dakota for football. That I think is a big minus. However, there are the obvious "prestige" reasons to want to be a D-1 school, whether it be with the big boys or DI-AA.

I concur, Frankenstein. I seem to recall another former D-II school jumping up the ladder...anyone remember Troy State? Look up their past few years...you'll see some absolute drubbings at the hands of Nebraska. And that's a recruiting selling point?

And I believe I stated some opinions on that, IowaBison.

Not until WYOBISONMAN admits that I am right!

WYOBISONMAN, Trust me, I've been in Baton Rouge. The ONLY Death Valley is the home of the Bayou Bengals. They poke fun of Clemson's version. Click on the attached link and scroll down for the picture of the stadium and some info. Tiger Stadium (91,600)

The Gopher football program plays in a joke of a stadium with absolutely ZERO atmosphere. Look me up when the Big 10 football season is over, Bisonfan1234. I'm keeping your quote for future reference when I need a good chuckle. Big 10 champs, huh? If that happens, I'll draw a red circle with a slash thru it over my Sioux tatt.

DaveK, Amen! The only bad thing about Memorial Stadium was the artificial turf. Michigan Stadium is no work of art...it's old and you are packed in like sardines on a hot summer day...or snuggled up when it's 30 degrees outside. But the atmosphere is what makes it. The Alerus Center is Grand Forks' Metrodome. Yawn.

Coming from someone with an NDSU background (my dad and my two sisters went to school there), I always rooted for NDSU its football games except when they played UND. I grew up watching the NDSU/UND game on TV and it was quite honestly, the ONLY football game that my dad would watch. That being said, I consider myself somewhat of a fan of NDSU football, despite having graduated from UND in 1992 and having the Sioux logo tattooed on my back left shoulderblade (for hockey purposes obviously). What's funny is the banter back and forth between die-hard Sioux football fans and I-bleed-green-and-yellow Bison football fans. Let's look at the facts, shall we? UND plays big-whoop-dee-doo Division II football. Having personally attended a half-dozen Michigan games at The Big House, I can honestly tell you how small-time Sioux football is. Do I support the Sioux? Yes. Did I watch them win the title a few years ago and lose a heart-breaker last year? Yes again. Does it remotely compare to seeing 107,514 fans sitting in Michigan Stadium? Not even close. On the other hand, NDSU is spouting off about how "big-time" its program is now that they're (and I use this term loosely) "Division I." Keep in mind, you're Division I-AA, folks. Again, big difference. And if you think playing "big-time" D-1 football is heading to the Metrodome for a thumping at the hands of Big 10 wanna-be Minnesota (2003-2004 Sun Bowl Champs!), you have another thing coming. Until you've seen the sea of red at Nebraska, 107,000+ at Michigan, the Horseshoe and Ohio State, USC vs UCLA, Death Valley at LSU, Florida/Georgia, or even the steam at Miami's Orange Bowl, you're still small-time. I'm glad folks in Fargo are proud of beating up Valparaiso, the school still living off of Bryce Drew's miracle basketball shot against Ole Miss several years ago. Big whoop-dee-doo number two. Now, if we're going to argue what's better, DII or D1-AA, we might as well discuss what's better, checkers or chess? It's pointless to even argue. I hope NDSU goes on to do well in D1-AA and quite honestly, I hope UND decides to move up the rest of their sports within a few years so these two schools can renew their storied rivalry. It's a shame that it had to end this season. Good luck to NDSU in D1-AA this season. It'll be interesting to see how it works out. And good luck to UND, too, obviously. Avenge the GVSU game! MafiaMan

ScottM...funny stuff...I hear it's so "Woog-esque," that David Hakstol is giving out several scholarships himself to help out the recruits!

Greyeagle, Have a seat and watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!

jloos, I stand corrected. Goon was referring to TC Transplant, not WPos. Is anyone going to the WCOH game tonite? I do have a blue USA jersey, but so do 10,000 other fans heading into tonite's game. I'm trying to make a statement. The funny part is, my buddy will be wearing his white 1980 USA jersey. Row 3, right behind the goalie as you look to the left side of your TV screen.

Goon...ease up on WPoS...he's actually pretty cool. Hey, WPoS, you goin' to the USA/Russia game tonite at Xcel? I'll be there in my red CCCP jersey.

Not to beat a dead horse with the # of NCAA titles issue, but has anyone noticed that ANOTHER team now has more titles than Minnesota? Yep...that was Denver's SIXTH last season, although the first in a long, long time. 6>5!

I've always been curious as to what happened with Travis. Last I recall, he was broadcasting games somewhere... One thing I wondered, though, was I remember back in college that he had a girlfriend who was "standing by him" throughout his ordeal. Whatever happened with that? I haven't heard any details about Travis' personal life other than the check. Anyone know?

I take that back, sorry state of hockey...my favorite Gopher "moment" would have to be 1980-2001. It's just too bad that that streak had to end.

That's pretty witty of you, sorry state of hockey...I think my favorite Gopher memory is of teary-eyed Grant Potulny weeping like a baby after getting spanked around by UMD last spring. THERE'S NO CRYING IN HOCKEY!

Apparently my scantily-clad babes aren't good enough for the "best avatar" category.

OK, Parise Freak, here's the 4-1-1. The cowbell refers to an SNL skit of "VH-1's Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult." In the video, the cowbell seems to take on a life of its own and the band members all get upset at how loud it is. The director constantly adds his two cents after the guitar players and lead singer get riled up and stop play in the video shoot. In fact, the "band" almost comes to blows with the cowbell player. Some of the director's witty one-liners: "I got a fever...for 'dat cowbell." "I'm tellin' ya...you're gonna want more cowbell." "I need more cowbell!" It might be one of those "you had to see it to appreciate it" bits, but trust me, it was a gut-buster.

That being said....1996-1997 Sioux. Picked to finish (I believe) 5th in the conference, they win the co-MacNaughton Cup along with the Gophers, defeat Goldy at the old St Paul Civic Center in the Final Five, then advance to the Frozen Four and beat CC. Michigan gets beat in what might be the biggest college hockey upset ever by BU, and NoDak wins the title after being completely dominated by BU in a 2-0 first period deficit. Truly, one of the most unexpected seasons in Sioux history. In my opinion anyways... Now, that being said...I'm tellin' ya...."you're gonna WANT more cowbell!"

I gotta fev-ah...for 'dat cowbell!

Gee, thanks Brandon. If things don't work out in Ottawa, I can always go back. Makes UND sound like the girlfriend that you dumped for that hot new chick...when that new chick doesn't pan out, you dial up the ex. Nice.

Hockeydb.com has an excellent database totalling players' college, minor, and pro careers. Here are Peter Armbrust's career totals: 1996-1997: 40 games, 10 goals, 6 assists, 26 PIM's. 1997-1998: 34 games, 4 goals, 5 assists, 20 PIM's. 1998-1999: 37 games, 6 goals, 8 assists, 42 PIM's. 1999-2000: 43 games, 1 goal, 10 assists, 33 PIM's. 2000-2001: Quad City (UHL) 53 games, 14 goals, 15 assists, 12 PIM's. 2001-2002: Quad City (UHL) 73 games, 16 goals, 15 assists, 32 PIM's. 2002-2003: South Carolina (ECHL) 72 games, 6 goals, 10 assists, 30 PIM's. Unsung player is correct. A great captain who led by the example of his hustle and work ethic on the ice as opposed to the number of pucks he put in the net.

Ahhh...good times, that 1997 Final Five. I think I've mentioned this story a time or two, but I'll do it again. Four drunk Gopher fans were sitting about three rows in front of my friend and I at that game. The rest of the section was pretty much non-committed St Cloud fans. These four clowns went thru beer like it was going out of style and each one did his share of yelling..."where the f***is North Dakota," "Sioux s**k s**t," and "Where's the sheep?...Grand Forks!" comments rained down on us all night. The whole section was pretty peeved at these guys and someone had to shut them up. Anyways, Peter's goal goes in the net and these four bozos scamper for the exits. My glee turns to revenge as I grab one of the guys by his shirt as he runs by me and I yell at him "do you know where North Dakota is now, a**hole?". The look on his face was priceless. A close second that night? Spotting two other Gopher fans wearing Jesse Bertogliat jerseys and mittens sitting in the section next to us (Jesse remembered for his 20 career points at the U of M along with his 99 PIM's)...during a quiet moment when these guys were standing up hamming it for the camera, I yelled out "Hey everyone, it's discount night on Bertogliat jerseys at Gold Country." The whole section burst into laughter and these guys suddenly realized I was talking about them. One disappointing thing about the Peter Armbrust article...how about mentioning what he's doing NOW? It's been seven years since that memorable season.

Thanks Jim and Airmail. I guess I just have to pay attention to picture sizes. I did pick several different ones...they were barely over the legal limit. As my good friend Homer Simpson would say..."DOH!".

Jim, Here's the message I got. It occurred right after I picked out a file to use as the avatar. I tried several different pics to be sure it wasn't a size problem... Sorry, an error occurred. If you are unsure on how to use a feature, or don't know why you got this error message, try looking through the help files for more information. The error returned was: You are not allowed to upload that type of file as an avatar or personal photo