the green team

Awesome update- thanks. I was wondering how our D- corp would fare against a team of this caliber.

They are the opposing announcers- what can a person really expect? The announcers aren't unlike even our own media around here- pretty much everything always comes back or is centered around the twins when it comes to stories or talk, so not all that surprising. Thanks for the update- sounds like we are fortunate to have the lead. But I'll take fortunate everyday.

As Coach Hardee said on the Coach's Show last night that Smed is their best player and it's not even close. Typically, you don't set your outside hitters up to recieve a serve and they try bait teams into serving her, and she delivers. 1000-1000 Club very impressive. Congrats to both ladies and let's get after Utah Valley on Saturday. It's a huge match to start the conference campaign.

Certainly, Saturday games are ideal. I think our conference schedule next year will allow for a few more. I hope. As noted, out of town fans on weeknights is more of a challenge and as I live directly in town, I guess I can't relate. However, I don't mind midweek games- especially as standalone games as opposed to double-headers. 7p game times usually means there done by about 9 (if we're not playing Utah Valley into 10 OT's ) if you live within roughly an hour radius- you leave at 6p for a game on a Tuesday night and are home by the time they have the weather on the late news. Not ideal, but doable. Never like weekday doubleheaders and as this year indicates double headers in general are beginning to be phased out. Which is more than all right with me.

Any word out of workouts on how the squad and the new players look? I realize they haven't had practices yet, but I have heard they do scrimmage. Has anyone actually got to see them scrimmage?

I don't disagree that she and they shouldn't be doing that, and I'm certainly not a fan of when it happens. I know one person fairly well within the system and they have always been pretty forthcoming about things with me. Alot of times it's just young people who are given the opportunities to be at the helm. They are going to make mistakes. Again, unfortunate that it happened but it's not going to ruin my day. A lot of times there is intern staff involved, college students who don't spend every second going through run throughs- making sure there are no errors- because as students they obviously spend most of their time being students. I'm just saying... I guess the biggest thing in my view is that we have got to this point. There is no denying that when football was averaging almost 10000 fans per contest until about 3 years ago, it has steadily decreased as the programs fortunes have dwindled recently. So what do you do- you turn to proven methods and make it an event--- like minor league baseball does- try to turn it into a show. Personally, it's not really necessary for me, but I understand why they chose this course of action. When a third of your crowd of 8,000 leaves at the half, you are going to try anything to try to hit on something that might just keep the person there. Because at this time, the games themselves as evidence has shown recently, has not been enough.

Are some of you people complaining about the in-game activities and pieces the ones that were going crazy when they thow plastic or rubber football's into the crowd? Or maybe your the ones that were sitting next to me that called the person who was throwing them out an *** hole for not throwing one to them. I mean come on it is a plastic or rubber football. It just goes to show you that you can make anyone or everyone happy. That's why I'm saying I'm still not particularily impressed with this team. And we had better get it together or we are going to have it handed to us at Southern Utah this coming Saturday.

Really, we're being critical of in-game stuff. WHO CARES!!! Honestly, I go to the games to enjoy the games. I think why those pieces went long is that she had too much to read in regards to the Hall of Fame inductees. I could be wrong. But that really is- neither- here nor there. Again, I honestly don't care if they have naked people with advertiser slogans running around during media timeouts or turtle races going on somewhere. I'm there for the game. Now, I bet if there was no games or media timeout fill or whatever you want to call it, people would be complaining that there isn't anything going on. My goodness I think it's apparent that we just need something to complain about. Honestly, I don't give a rip about who is doing the bits or what they are about, as long as we have a decent product on the field (a team that wins and performs) that's all that matters and in reality that will determine whether or not the fan has a good game day experience. I find it absolutely hilarious that it means that much to people.

My Prediction- 17-0 after 1 Qtr. 38-3 at the Half. 55-10 Final. My prediction & hope is that we will be running the football a lot in the 2nd half of the game-with a lot of our 2's and 3's. Keep the clock & the chains moving.

Have not seen or heard anything out at practice- but they were having a team tailgating event near the Fighting Sioux club tent before the Drake game. I asked Mitch how he's doing on my way by- since he doesn't know me from anybody, he may have responded differently, than what he does with close freinds but I said, how you feeling headin into this year Big Mitch? and he replied "feeling pretty good and really excited to go into the season feelin that way" that was the jist of the conversation. I hope that is the case Personally, I believe if they could get about 9 to 12 minutes out of him per game where he can step due to Brekke with Fouls, maybe go really big with a line-up with Mitchell floating on the perimeter, and Brekke & him inside it would really add to our interior depth. What I think we are all forgetting is that Allard has pretty much become a '4' meaning he comes in for Mitchell. With Mitchell, Brekke, Allard & Wilmer we have the potential to have decent depth inside. They all can bring something to the table. Brekke- great interior post moves. Mitchell- excellent shot blocker and lethal shooter when he's got the stroke dialed in. Allard, great motor, very good defender. Wilmer, tremendous length- and can move pretty good. I completely agree, this staff has a lot of interesting decisions to make. Also, I will be curious to see what happens to us defensively as Coach Moody, was always mentioned as the Coach that really worked and taught the defense. Defense was an area where I thought we improved a great deal last year...considering we went to primarily a man to man. Where as the previous years we had been in that 3-2 zone. There may have been some growing pains and there still is a ways to go from where I would like to see us overall defensively but I thought last year was the first sign in a while that we had it heading in the right direction in a big way.

I think it would be great that if we went into the Big Sky is head and shoulders better than everyone else in the conference. Certainly it would make life a little less stressful. But I will definitely be ok with being in the top echelon starting year one. Because if we are in that area of talent, and skill that means we should have a fair chance at grabbing a title. That's almost more than I could have hoped for coming out of this draining transition for any sport. It is unfortunate that we are losing some tremendous players but I would say that Coach Hardee certainly has gained my faith so far with what he has recruited. The names mentioned above are already becoming big contributors. Look at Husfveldt she is our setter and last year classmate Krueger was all-conference. Now Krueger can hardly get on the floor. It's very encouraging. I can't wait for some huge conference matchups between us and NAU & NC next season. Great job by the ladies so far this season, lets keep it up and get some more rings.

That's a good win. Stopped by on Friday and missed our goal- then saw their 2 to put them ahead. I had to leave before the conclusion of the game, but saw that they weren't able to draw even. Thought I may have been a bit of bad luck on Friday, so decided on other activities for Sunday. Glad it worked out.

Hey JohnBoy- The Waltons called and they want their originality back. Now back to the topic. Even though our offense to me has looked utterly putrid. I am going to be positive and say that we will score 2 offensive touchdowns in this game. 1 in each half. Unfortunately, it won't be nearly enough as we get bopped hard. Final score The Fighting Pat Hills 55 Fighting Sioux 17.

This schedule would have looked a lot better with an Iowa home game in it. Oh well.

I should qualify what I said in the above statement and say...I desperately hope I'm wrong about this program. I want to be proven wrong.

Unfortunately, last year, this year and next- is probably the most pessimistic I've ever been towards women's basketball. Wall was pretty good last year, but I just don't get a great vibe with the talent they currently have in the program right now. I really don't think were where we need to be coming out of the transition. I don't see a lot of D1 type athletes and skill on the roster. I think we would make a good D2 team with what we have and what we have coming in... but D1?not from what I've seen. They have played some very good programs the past few years (that is good, but eventually you have to show you can play against them and not just be run over by them), and I thought that would make us better in the long run, but I just don't see it translating right now. So looking at this schedule, I hope they use it to their advantage and show us fans that they will be ready when they are officially on the stage this next year.

Anyone see that finish to Michigan & Notre Dame game. Night game at the big house? It was Wacky & Wild- would have been a fun atmosphere to be a part of tho. What did you think of the throwback uni's?

Yeah, it's kind of the deal of being a low to mid major. If you want home games, your going to have to put some cringe worthy opponents on the schedule. It's got to be very difficult to get really grade A opponents in. Most of the majors may... and that's a big may- do a 2 or 3 for 1. That's tough to lock into, and you can't do too many of those. Obviously, where the better basketball will be is with a solid conference schedule in the Big Sky every year. We are going to have plenty of home games with conference foes, which will be nice. And hopefully we can get maybe 1 or possibly 2 decent mid major non conference home games a year. But unfotunately, just because we are D1 doesn't mean it's the last we'll see of the NAIA games.

Is that a 10 or 15 yard transgression, Sic? Pantone 347 of course... how could a person not remember that?

I think if we can ever get this practice facility moving, it will move us into a far different level- when it comes to recruiting athletes, because athletes are going to play in a very nice stadium on game day and be able to prepare in a great practice facility in the lead up to it.

I know I'm in the minority in saying that I liked all the new uniforms of the major schools- it's very refreshing. I liked the Maryland uniform the best. In regards to our uni's- I do agree that they do change considerably in color, once sweated in. I actually liked them when they came out of the tunnel. Thought they looked good, but as the game progressed with different shades I was less ecstatic. I once new this, now I fail to remember, but there is an official green for the UND Athletics- it's a number - what number that is I don't recall. I'm sure someone knows this, but I'm drawing a blank. But the one thing I do remember about researching this many years ago is that the green is a bit brighter than some of the apparel that is available out there. There is a lot of Sioux apparrel out there that to me- seems too dark. Too much like the NDSU green. I don't much like it. I like our green to be far more distinctive than theirs.

Actually, I have a feeling that a lot of FCS schools would love our facilities. Which Louisiana schools did we play? I heard those were just aweful places... but I'm not here to get into a pissing match. The one example I do want to pass along that applies to my point that the fans are a big factor--occurred tonight at the Betty. I admit, I'm glad we have the Betty- in fact grateful, but I-- who go to a lot of basketball games, don't think it's a great venue for UND basketball. I've said that before, however the reason it was fun to be at the Betty tonight for Volleyball is because the fans were spectacular. It was fun, I didn't need video boards, I don't need logos- I need a absolutely dedicated to the cause fan base. We could have played in the Pit of Despair (Princess Bride) for all I care, but as long as we had an active student body, along with regular fans, loud, boisterous and having a good time- that's all I need. That can make any facility feel like home.

Sorry I don't see the Alerus that way. Most multipurpose venues will have a sterile feel. But it's the fans that make the impact of the atmosphere. I believe the problem is that our fan base has gotten so spoiled with it's facilities that they have lazily grown accustomed to cheer or look to video boards to be entertained or when to cheer and be rowdy. Really, it boils down to the fan- the experience is what you make it...if you're into the game- your going to have a great time if you're just going to just sit there like a tree stump- then I guess you most likely will not have a good time...but then what will? I will say that our TEAM better start playing a little better- like scoring more than 1 offensive touchdown against a non scholarship D1 would help too. The point is I think the Football facility question is far more complex than "sterile & boring"- Unless you were talking about our offense.

This call's for a play on an Allen Iverson press conference... "We're talkin about planning, not taking action....not taking action. Man we talkin bout planning. We talking about planning man- not taking action but planning man." This is honestly what certain people are now getting into a tizzy about? That the SBoHE and UND have implemented a process to plan for the retirement of the nickname...if indeed the law is rescinded. Am I getting this. Al Carlson, you sir are a beauty. Just when you think that your craziness is going to be put on double snooze for the time being, you come right out with more crazy. I frankly love him, he makes me laugh so hard so often. I would honestly be disappointed if he were not to come out with some zinger every 2 to 4 days. Al, bud...I hate to tell you this- but to prepare to have one's ducks in a row before what is possibly going to be one of the most significant changes within our favorite institutions history is really quite logical and on top of that- somewhat- dare I say, responsible. Wow, your just too much.

That "too far from campus" argument really grates on me. As I have actually done this because I was curious. The walk to The Ralph as opposed to the walk to the Alerus from Wilkerson was only 5 minutes and change shorter of a walk. Really? It's that big of deal? You've got to be kidding me. Honestly, if the students choose not to use the shuttles and walk, it really is not that bad of a walk. I've seen longer "tradition walks" where teams walk through the crowd on their way to the arena at big institutions(slight exageration-used for effect) Secondly, there is a student portion of parking now, at the Alerus. What more do the students want. They didn't come very often when we were at Memorial, except for an occasional Bison game. The reality is our student body in many ways is very lethargic when it comes to effectively supporting anything. Just calling it like I see it. The Alerus being too far away is such a copout argument by the student body who for most of those that live in the dorms- live within shouting distance of Wilkerson. They can make it. They just choose not to.