breakin face

A bigger deal is a leader of an athletic program going on a statewide campaign saying he needs home playoff games to compete, that's a guy I'm sure recruits will rally around playing for...that'll be used by opponents recruiting against us just as much as the sanctions would have been. I want a coach who believes he can win championships no matter the circumstances and a university that stands for what's right. If that's the minority in this world we've fallen a lot more than I've thought.

The celebratory nature on this board is down right appalling. I understand what the university would have been through had the name stuck, however over the last three years for the first time in the our university's history it wasn't in honor of the tribes. It became a a political football, a pawn in the quest for conference exclusion, a page-turner for the Grand Forks Herald, and one more example of the overbearing NCAA bullying its member oblivious of its own hypocrisies. The logo allowed me to see the inept nature of our educational leadership in this state, who completely mishandled this situation ever since the 'hostile and abusive' mandate was announced. It's a shame to see our leaders waited to get involved until they had some stake in the game. Tim O'Keefe is being heralded as a martyr at this point, if we would have laid this scenario at three years ago 90% of you would be calling for his head. The only threat in the sanctioning was the loss of the Big Sky, which don't get me wrong is a tremendous threat to our olympic sports (football included). The fact that Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and South Dakota State wouldn't schedule us has no bearing on the success our athletic department whatsoever. Hell we have played NDSU less than a handful of times in most sports and 0 times in football since the move to D1, what are the chances we would play any of those schools within the next decade anyhow? We'll play as many games against Minnesota and Wisconsin in post season competition as we would have at the Ralph ever again anyway. I realize the name is retired and for all intensive purposes will be for good at this point. It would take a complete culture shift in many places Standing Rock, SBoHE, UND'S Leadership (all of which of lost any confidence in throughout this debacle). What was done at the polls yesterday is the equivalent of pulling the plug on a loved one, who by no fault of their own or what they stood for, became too burdened by what was going on around it. Please let's shift the tone from gloating to respecting the tradition that expired last night. Many of you are calling this a bitter sweet moment, Take a second to think about how the villain shifted from the NCAA to Standing Rock to Tom Douple to the SBoHE to Robert Kelley to Logo Supporters and how the issue changed from Tribal Support/feelings to conference inclusion and bureaucratic greed. To retire the name for the reasons we did is far from a time to celebrate, had it been to a tribal vote I would at least respect it. This moment is a hell of a lot more bitter than it is sweet.

Maybe a better question is will this change produce more goals or injuries? If the answer is injuries (any stoppage in play) is it really a change worth making?

This has nothing to do with the sight of blood for me. I realize the NHL won't get cages, but the reasoning for it has nothing to do with safety. That's my entire argument, that its a gimmick change to pander to the CHL battle rather than this perceived safety benefit they're preaching. it's not safer, show me data that proves otherwise other than peer-pressured tough guy complexes. You all may be singing a different tune when our star player is getting stitched up with 2 minutes left in a national championship game due to an errant stick.

Four avoidable facial injuries in tonight's Stanley Cup game. Checked from behind face first into the boards, 4 minute minor high sticking, referee ran over by an opposing player, and a puck to Steven Gionta's face. Coming to an NCAA rink near you....pathetic.

The face shield argument is a laughable and completely forgoes any logic. My car has a lot more blind spots then a motorcycle would have and I'm sure i'd be twice as careful on a motorcycle however that doesn't stop the drunk texting and driving person from hitting me and causing me far more serious harm because I'm with far less protection and at more risk for serious injury. One aspect of this argument that is often forgotten is how the facemask allows the helmets to be on tighter as the chin guard is to cup the face. Half shields do not have this mechanism thus allowing them to wear their chin strap around their belly button for comfort leaving their helmet unsecured. When you take the check the helmet moves and leaves you that much more susceptible to brain trauma off the ice/boards/glass This is strictly a short-term machismo move initiated by coaches to get rid of one perceived advantage the CHL claims to have. Recruitment is super-seeding player safety which is really too bad. The only reason this exists is because the NHL has to market it's players, in my honest opinion that is the only real reason they didn't go to full blown cages years ago. And yes I have played/coached hockey for over 25 years.

I was driving down 42nd Street today when I noticed a big 'Go Kings' graphic on the Alerus Center video board. I know Greene still trains here in the summers, but with Parise and Zajac being the opponents it seemed odd that the Alerus Center would be so biased. Does anyone have any information about why this is on the board?

So the sky isn't falling? It seems like Fullerton doesn't see us on the chopping block quite like some would lead you to believe.

Just curious as to why San Diego State was left off the NCAA's initial sweep of Native American nicknames and imagery. Has there ever been a statement provided by the NCAA or was there prior approval of the name by the tribe?

Just thought this should get revisited. It was posted around a year ago, looking at it one year later have we seen any improvements?

There aren't 10 reasons why he's responsible, there is only one clear reason. He created a game that is the red-headed step child at this university. Getting this particular step child into an auto-bid conference has taken priority over maintaining the greatest logo in all of sports. If basketball was never created by Mr. Naismith our university would not be in this particular situation, the judgment would not have been rushed and the Standing Rock tribe ultimately would have passed a resolution allowing the use of the nickname by November 30, 2010.

I have an education, I use punctuation and capital letters while forming complete sentences. You should try it.

I blame the sport, not the team.

I have always disliked this sport, the SBoHE's decision Thursday has given me one more reason. Their pointless rush to put this sport in an "auto-bid" conference has ruined a logo and tradition I have grown up with and loved. Why pander to a sport in which games can be won because a team elects to foul the opponent so they can't attempt a three pointer? Why pander to a sport where the last two minutes of the game take longer than the entire first half? Why pander to a sport notoriously known as pumpkin pushing? Why pander to a sport that has never brought a fraction of the income or recognition hockey and football have to the university? I don't get it, I'll continue to to bad mouth basketball and everything it stands for everywhere I go. In my opinion, it is the catalyst for the retirement of the greatest logo in sports. Why? So we can play IPFW instead of Mayville. Big f****** deal. Going 2-20 in the Summit or 4-16 in the Great West has the same relevancy in the grand scheme of things.

Mussman could care less, the Summit League does not offer a football league. Our top two money generators do not see any benefit from being in the Summit. I hate to say this and will probably regret it later, but 90% of the FIGHTING SIOUX fans across the nation would rather see every sport but hockey cut than this nickname change. It really makes me wonder why we're bending over backwards to accommodate basketball, baseball, soccer, track, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. The combined attendance, revenue, and recognition these sports bring to the university all pale in comparison to Men's Hockey. A protest needs to happen, we can't allow eight politicians to destroy the reputation the university has built for the Sioux tribes of North Dakota and this institution.

Pardon my french but why in sam lickity are the playoffs starting the same date we have a regular season game? Doesn't make sense to this cat. I'm going to have to break the NCAA's face!!!!!!!!!!

Any pics of these black mofo's?

Is that a true statement or is there some sarcasm? I figured it would be flipped around.

It does now we will see how Sioux nation responds, will the attendance improve or will it stay mediocre despite the banner win for this program, I hope they come out in droves and its my face being broken.

I don't want to be the stick in the mud, but I'm going to break a little face here on the naysayers. I am a little she-grinned at the way my character has been defamed throughout this topic. I am a football fan of UND, in no way do I want to see this program suffer. What you guys are failing to realize is that the competition for recruits at this level is far more intense than it was when we were beating the NDSU's and SDSU's in the D2 days. There isn't enough local depth to build our team from around here which means we'll need to go out of the region and battle even more 1-AA schools for recruits. I feel like this is a more realistic threat to our program than I'm being given credit for. In the end this is a board intended to stir emotions and promote conversation sorry for providing the contrarian viewpoint. Faces broken right by my faith in the board...

I hate to come in here breaking face like this but speaking as a long time UND fan I feel this move to Division 1 will cripple our football program. I'm not saying we'll get to an Idaho State level but I wouldn't be suprised to see 4-7, 5-6 type records for the years to come. Let's look at the facts, recruiting is taking a major hit in this transition. Why would a football player choose to come to a school that blatantly supports hockey over football when he can go one hour down the road to NDSU where football is "God"? If the recruiting isn't up to snuff the wins aren't going to follow. I may be seeing this far too pessimistically but what would draw football recruits to UND right now? Is it the lack of playoff eligibility, the 7500 person crowds, the losses to NAIA schools, the Alerus Center? Personally I don't see us as an attractive football school right now, for our sake I hope I'm wrong but until then pick up the pieces.......of your broken face!!!!!!!

ZAJAC'S UNDEFEATED STREAK ENDS TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

At least our football team can still beat NAIA schools! Oh wait....

It's time to break that miniscule face of yours Ant. The puck went from Trupp's glove to the goalie's stick before Trupp was able to play it with his stick, ergo the faceoff is moved to the opposing end since it was played on net with the hand. FACE BROKEN!!!!!!

It's time to break face..... Long story short nobody gives a rip about the opponents on this home schedule. If these games meant anything in the grand scheme of things students may turn out but in all actuality they don't. UND drew well against South Dakota a long time NCC rival and familiar team to the student base. The move to division 1 is ultimately going to flounder our program into mediocrity unless Faison can come up with a more enticing home schedule. NDSU, SDSU, and USD are all able to draw well throughout the transition because football is "the" sport at their school. I see this pattern developing over the next couple years football will continue to get back burner-ed by the student population causing recruits to see half empty venues and electing to go elsewhere to play. I foresee the next decade being a rough one for Fighting Sioux football. Pick up the pieces....of yo face!