mizzou/sioux

As of the moment about midway through the game it looks like Northern Colorado is up 6-1 over Chicago State.

This is it when all is said and done: "The Big Sky invited UND while the MVFC did not."

Excellent analysis. A good deal of thought put into it. Will be interesting to see how things play out down the road.

There is mounting evidence that there is perhaps a greater degree of parity in Division I hockey than there has ever been before. Look at all the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA that have been defeated by No. 4 seeds. As a general rule, that did not happen decades ago. And, just as a matter of comparison, how long did Michigan go without a national title under the direction of coach Red Berenson (I'm not criticizing Red--I think he's one of the great college hockey coaches of all time)? Didn't Michigan win a title in the mid-60s and then go all the way up until the mid-90s or so before winning another title, and then a second title shortly after that? Should Berenson have been fired sometime in the interim? Come on. Note also Minnesota coach Don Lucia's comments about the parity and the competition getting stiff. I know, I know: There's a deep unrest in Gopherland for the same reason. Let's be realistic: I don't think at this point firing Hakstol is the answer we are looking for. As I recall in the semifinal game with Michigan the year Minnesota-Duluth won the title, the pipes were the Michigan goalie's best friend in that game. There are a lot of fine Division I hockey programs out there. Just because Hak hasn't yet been the head coach of a national champion is no reason to fire him. It seems that this is turning into a "what have you done for me lately" bitch. Have people forgotten the late sports writer Grantland Rice's admonition something to the effect that it's not that one wins or loses, but it's how they played the game. As for the Kelly Green and White men's hockey teams collectively under Hakstol, oh, how they played the game. As for me, I'm very proud of the way UND has played the game.

According to the Fergus Falls (Minn.) Daily Journal, UND and NFL great Errol Mann has died at the age of 71 at his home in Missoula, Montana.

SDSU won the second game of the twinbill 8-4.

Oops, make that in the middle of the fifth, it's SDSU 6, UND 4.

After four and one-half inches of Game 2 it's SDSU 6, UND 4.

South Dakota State rallies from behind to edge UND 8-7; second game coming up.

Inning ends on a foul out; it's 4-0 after two and a half innings.

Another base hit drives in another run and it's 4-0 UND in the top of the third.

Still top of the third, two outs, but UND has upped its lead to 3-0 with a runner on third. Game stats available by going to SDSU women's softball website. In two previous meetings this spring (at Ames, Iowa) UND defeated SDSU in both games.

UND leads South Dakota State 1-0 in the top of the third with the bases loaded; second game scheduled to follow in a game being played at Sioux Falls as a non-conference affair.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Idaho have problems filling the Kibbie Dome (aka Kibbles 'n Bits, according to my nephew, a University of Idaho graduate) at Moscow, Idaho? I think Idaho has problems fulfilling that average 15,000 so-called required average attendance figure. My guess is that if the conference is viewed as overall stable by the NCAA there could be some things which could be tweaked for the good of the whole.

Hambone, I think you are absolutely right. Quite a number of years ago, as I recall, there was a mild effort to link together UND, NDSU, USD, SDSU, Montana, Montana State, Idaho and Idaho State in an eight-team conference. I imagine increased travel costs played a role in those decisions as well. For the most part the NCC then was more compact and with all the tradition it had going for it, the idea died for lack of support one way or another. I think we're going to have to see how more of this shakes out. We need to see more about what happens with our participation in the Big Sky. I do think we belong in the same conference as Montana and Montana State. However, let's not be hasty. I agree that UNI is unlikely to leave the Missouri Valley.

In defense of former AD Roger Thomas, the UND president at the time, Charles Kupchella, I believe, experienced the transition from a lower division school to an upper division at Southeast Missouri State at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. From what I understand, Dr. Kupchella had serious doubts about SEMO's transition and thus hesitated about making the transition at UND, not that his hesitancy was necessarily a bad thing. Furthermore, Thomas did a wonderful job in resuscitating the football program from the depths in the mid-1980s. People often forget that. We also know a lot more now about the transitioning process--a lot more than we knew way back when. People often forget UND was in the process of adding Division I women's hockey--an expensive sport to add considering Title IX requirements--about the time some NDSU proponents were pushing for Division I status in all sports. The two schools were being faced with differing financial considerations at the time. Was it right for UND to go the way of women's hockey in lieu of upgrading and going to Division I in tandem with NDSU? I believe the answer, especially in view of UND's brilliant showing in the women's NCAA tourney just completed, validates this decision to the nth degree. I also, by the way, think NDSU did the right thing in moving up when it did. Two differing decisions based on what was best for each school at that particular time. I firmly believe Roger Thomas was being a loyal trooper to the overall UND administration at the time and in no way deserves to be stigmatized as he has been for so many years by some vocal advocates of the school to the south. NDSU did what was best at the time for that school; UND looked to its own interests. Both were right for what they did in the ensuing time frame. And I think in the longterm this will be borne out, nattering nabobs of negativism notwithstanding.

Congratulations to a thrilling, never-to-be-forgotten season for the Sioux ladies. It took the Gophers the equivalent of nearly two full games (all but about a minute and a little change) to finally edge the Sioux 3-2. What an unforgettable season. Congrats to the Gopher ladies as well for winning the national championship.

I note with great interest that the NCAA basketball committee perhaps is not as worried if four teams from the same conference make the Final Four. For with a glance at the brackets of the Sweet 16 one can readily see it's now possible for Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana all to earn spots in the Final Four.

Perhaps on paper the Gophers are better than UND at every position. All I can say as a Sioux fan is that both goalies played extremely well under pressurized conditions; so, for that matter, did players on both rosters. As it is, the game was a minute and change from being two complete hockey games. What an outstanding performance by both teams; give credit where credit is due. I hope the Gophers go on to win it all. I am a UND graduate but live in Minnesota. Still, the loss stings, much in the same manner the 1979 men's loss to Minnesota in the national championship game still stings. Nevertheless, two of the best college hockey games (men's and/or women's) ever played in my book. I will forever think of them as companion games, and for the moment consider them separately as the best men's game as well as the best women's game ever played. Just my two cents worth. These were two games truly for the ages.

All thimgs considered, this has been a terrific season for UND men's basketball. The transition as times has been brutal, but now I think we are beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. To finish third in the Big Sky behind such traditional powers as Montana and Weber State in the inaugural Big Sky season is nothing to sneeze at. We are making progress. It's always nice to dream, and who knows? It's probably up to the gods. Kudos for an overall uplifting season to give us hope.

UNO loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to score; UND wins Game 1 of the doubleheader 5-3.

In the first game of a twinbill at Omaha, UND leads Nebraska-Omaha 5-3 in the top of the ninth with runners on first and second. Stats are available from UNO site. Game 2 to follow at approximately 1 p.m. Another game scheduled for tomorrow.

Believe it or not, a long time ago (sometime in the 1970s, I think) it was suggested those same eight universities should get together to form a conference. I'm not certain how seriously close it came into being. I think there was concern about expanded travel costs. I think most of the schools at the time where content with where they were at the time, so nothing much came of it except a lot of speculation. Perhaps someone else out there has more specifics on the situation.

Generally agree that both the Big Sky and the Summit are at the moment one-bid leagues. In any given year the Big Sky could have a higher conference rating than the Summit and vice-versa. At the moment Big Sky seems to have quite an advantage regarding TV contracts as such, thus arguably better overall exposure. In a logical world UND and NDSU should be in the same conference. Yet, one could also argue the benefits of the two schools being in different conferences. For example, I think Texas A&M is going to benefit by being in a different conference than its archrival Texas. Likewise, Florida and Florida State as well as South Carolina and Clemson. I think we're simply going to have to wait a bit to see how everything shakes out. Let's not push the panic button. For the most part as I understand it, UND is at the moment generally happy where it is. And I think NDSU for its part is happy to be where it is. Too bad we don't have a "magic mirror" on the wall to really see who is the fairest in the land.

Agree the playoffs should be very exciting this year. Bison have a very stout defense that has a way of stifling the opposition. Bison looked most impressive in Dakota Marker game against SDSU. Would not be surprised to see an NDSU-SDSU rematch somewhere along the way. In any event, would like to see the FCS title won again by a team from west of the Mississippi River. But it isn't going to be easy.