SooToo

Some real, honest mental health issues there to be sure. On another recent sports-blog thread, one of the posters in question claimed The Forum is "out to get" NDSU, while the other labeled Sioux fans on this board "a dangerous threatening group."

In fact I would guess a large majority of UND fans are ready to move on. While there always will be die-hards, I think most fans -- though they celebrate the nickname -- are weary of the battle, understand the implications and are ready to respectfully retire the nickname and, with reservations, transition to the future. I've never understood the "nickname>>>university" crowd.

Here's hopin' with ya......

The currency of the day over at Bisonville: Rampant paranoia and wild-eyed speculation posing as "a couple of facts." The Bison faithful can't comprehend that Joe Chapman's say-anything, hide-the-numbers, in-your-face style brought a jump in enrollment (tuition waivers?) and research dollars (federal earmarks?) but perhaps at a significant cost in terms of good will. SBoHE members and legislators (UND grads, of course) wonder about cost overruns at the new president's home. The downtown businesses community, as reported in the "anti-NDSU" Forum, is offended by SU's decision to open a bookstore downtown in direct competition with private business. (Needed to cash flow excess space leased downtown?) And now income is falling below projections, perhaps because the university is giving away the store (nearly twice the tuition waivers as UND) to buy growth in graduate enrollment. My own speculation is that we haven't seen the last of the bad news out of NDSU, and Hanson, at the urging of SBoHE administration, is trying to build good will by taking a transparent, cautious approach before the next shoe drops. But this isn't good enough for many of the Bison faithful, who long for more of Ol' Joe's style and are ripping on Hanson at every turn. Not everyone is buying into it, though. As one Bisonville poster wrote recently, "bull$%!# and bluster aren't going to cut it this time."

Wasn't it just six or nine months ago that Faison was talking about a rehab of the Old Ralph as the top option for attaining an indoor facility? I wonder what the change in plan says about the success of "pre-campaign" fund-raising efforts...

I don't know the policy at UND but I believe the children of NDSU employees get/can qualify for full or partial tuition waivers as well. Could run into some pretty significant numbers. I never worry about the NDSU athletic budget; they've always got it covered -- to the penny.

He may be the poster boy for obnoxious fan behavior -- or maybe unmet mental health needs -- but LakesBison has friends. You need to do a little review of some of the classless, anti-UND comments posted here, on newspaper blogs and at Bison fan sites; they don't all originate with this nut case. Shawn O's got it pegged.

Based on ....

Seems we have something of an epidemic recently of new, ultra-critical "Sious fans." Good thing they "got over" us and moved on years ago.

Per Marlin Lee at Wisconsin Sports Network, UND now showing interest in Homestead DE John Laihinen (6'3", 240). He reports a walk-on offer from Indiana but no other FBS/FCS offers. Names to 2009 1st team defense by Wisconsin High School Coaches. Oh and don't blame Nick Mertens; I fear he suffered from "average" coaching after he left high school.

Always a possibility. He was D-coordinator at FBS Wyoming last year, and SU could have been a one-year option while he pursued other jobs. However, seems a bit unsual to me that he would have been on the road recruiting for NDSU a few days before his departure. No one seems to have heard anything about another job and Breske apparently is unavailable. How many coordinators/assistants have "resigned" at NDSU in just that past two years -- four? five? Someone failing to accept the ultimate responsibility for failure there? Oh and for the Bisonville faithful who love this one, Bohl apparently is out of town and unavailable for comment.

Never listed as an offer but previously on our "interest" list, Justin Sinz of Edgar, WI, apparently has verballed to Purdue, per Marvin Lee at WSN. Apparently that makes 15 Wisconsin FB players going Big Ten. On the "Don't Count Your Chickens" front, I believe Marvin also reported recently that LB Cameron Botticelli has dropped his verbal "commitment" to Ill. State in favor of a walk-on invite from Wisconsin. I presume this could be a big weekend for player visits at UND. Info?

Maybe a first step toward detente in this version of the "cold war."

Today's Herald also carries the AP Minnesota All-State Team which includes several 1st-team players previously listed as possible UND recruiting targets, including OL Walker, DB Daryl Brown (Wayzata) and LB Gabe Mezzenga (Totino-Grace). I wonder if there are any players from either list who could provide some help at WR. Always need local/area recruits, and I see both Pioneer-Press and AP list Davidson and OL Steve Widner (Sr., Stephen-Argyle) on their second teams. The AP also includes OL Andrew Muer (Sr., Perham) on its second team. Anyone know anything about these kids?

Agree that UND, before the DI move at least, seem to produce a new go-to guy every year, usually an upper classmen who seems to have solidified his blocking skills and learned the finer points of running good routes. It would be great if a bigger guy, like Daggett, could fill that role next year, but I wonder if the defensive speed at FCS nullifies that pattern. Agree also that Davis would look good as a receiver. He didn't seem to have the strength to run in traffic but he looked elusive when he got out with a little space. As I recall, he was supposed to have good hands when he came in. I forgot about Townsend. I've heard coaches say he was going to be a "good one" at receiver. I was pretty impressed with his HS quarterbacking as well. I believe he ran a spread offense of some variation in high school. He was named the offensive MVP at Minnesota's All State/All Star/Whatever game last summer after he threw and ran for a ton of yards. I suppose his ultimate position could change depending on future recruiting/retention.

Saw some traffic at Bisonville on OPE reports. I believe they were doing some comparison of football-only revenue vs expenses within the MVFC. Some of the schools, including SIU, reported some significant deficits (which, I presume at SIU, is covered by basketball income). They do an excellent job of budgeting at the AC: Every year revenue seems to match expenses down to the dollar!

Would love to get some insight from anyone who has any on the progress of the freshman class. I think the linebackers are the most interesting group in the class. Mussman talked early about pulling the redshirt on Bennett, and Goodman was heavily recruited out of Californina. I believe Finley was a Rivals "two star" recruit despite playing only a couple years of high school ball. IFIRC he's got good speed. Jay Nelson, who's a RS freshman, was talked up by Mussman earlier and certainly brings a lot of size to the position. A lot of potential in that group. The most worrisome position to me is WR. Obviously, Bamba has talent but we didn't seem to have much else to go to, especially later in the year. Mussman has spoken well of Chris Anderson in the past, but he's frequently been injured and had very few catches this year, IFRC. Teams appeared to have decided they could use tight man coverage and jam our receivers on the line, and I don't think we had many receivers who could defeat that coverage. Hopefully, Hardin and Roach have something to contribute, but I wouldn't mind seeing a quality JUCO WR in the recruiting class.

^^This.

And it probably should be noted, for anyone who wasn't aware, that Mussman reportedly was asked to go with Lennon to be O-coordinator at SIU but opted for the head coaching job at UND.

Totally. And might I add, if a new council declines to offer support and refuses a tribal "referendum" vote, it's time to move on immedately.

I understand it's difficult to see with all that pent-up bitterness but come on, Tony, take off the blinders. The original budgets, as I recall, were for $900,000 for construction costs and $100,000 for furnishings at both schools. By your accounting, we've got 8.8 percent over budget vs 80 percent. Accuse UND of poor budgeting if you will, although I doubt an 8.8% overage is uncommon in construction. But what is 80%? Clearly Joe Chapman, as per the norm, thumbed his nose at the SBoHE and did whatever he pleased. The board now will fall in behind him. That's the kind of arrogance that keeps the county known as "Imperial Cass." Your VP for Finance had a classic answer a couple of weeks ago when this came up. One of the causes, he said, was that they hadn't decided on a house design before the budget was determined. . Aside from willful disregard for direction, why does anyone care how much private money ol' Joe spends for his estate? Probably because the state will pick up the tab for maintenance in perpetuity. The Ralph? As I recall, UND was required to privately fund all upkeep before the state would accept the building.

Got 'bitches'?

Sometimes it takes time for players to blossom, but I think that example of depth-chart progression fell into the category of what you might call "sand-bagging".