jdub27

Interesting theory/thought process and some pretty decent designs. I don't disagree that it will be tough for SME (or whoever else would have got the contract) to come up with something, that is just a given but I'm not really following the part where a firm just does something like this "just because" and then releases. I'm also pretty curious on where you are getting the 73% disapproval figure from.

So your issue is that boys hockey plays a game at 10am, something they have done in the past despite your insistence that they haven't? And the REA, home of UND hockey, is going to give their own team a little priority, despite clearing it with all parties and is somehow going to cause the tournament to be moved permanently to Fargo?

The scheduling has nothing to do with it, I've already pointed that out. It's cheaper to hold in Fargo but attendance is worse. The NDHSAA is aware of all possibilities when they schedule and that includes UND athletics having priority of the REA, which was the purpose of the gift. If you disagree, Jody Hodgson and his bosses (the REA Foundation, which Ralph's wife and daughter sit on) would be the ones to take it up with. Them you bring up Title IX concerns in Duluth but would prefer UND unfairly moves the women's hockey games to somewhere else so you can sleep in an extra hour or two.

Guess what, there will still be the same amount of fans at state hockey and without the added cost of UND having to pay to rent the Purpur for two or three games like 2011.

Never before noon? Try again. The boys have at least twice the previous 5 tournaments and the girls have every year. Thursday, February 26th, 2015 - 11:00 a.m. Bismarck High/Dickson - Veterans Arena (girls) Thursday, February 20th, 2014 - 11:00 a.m. Bismarck/Mandan - Olympic Arena (girls) Thursday, February 21st, 2013 - 11:00 a.m. West Fargo/Williston - Olympic Arena (girls) Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 - 10:00 a.m. Bismarck High/Fargo Davies - Ralph Engelstad Arena (boys), Fargo South/Williston - Olympic Arena (girls) Thursday, February 24th, 2011 - 11:00 a.m. Bismarck Century/GF Central - Ralph Engelstad Arena (boys), West Fargo/Williston - Olympic Arena (girls) The first round on the boys side is set up exactly like 2012. The girls side starts an hour later and plays at the Purpur (why that is, I don't know). How exactly is that becoming progressively more of an inconvenience when its the same as it has been before? I'm well aware of what is going on in Duluth. I can't find the game you're talking about and it didn't happen in the last three seasons (if you could point me to it, that'd be great). There is also no mention of the scheduling of men's and women's hockey in the lawsuit your citing, though there is a laundry list of things. Is your whole point that the women are getting to play at the REA because its unfair to make them play somewhere else? If so, I'd agree, so I'm not sure why the impact on the NDHSAA (which is minimal) is an issue. That is still a huge jump to claim that its the first step to getting night games over the men.

But it isn't new and they have played games that early before (and its happened many times if you look past the first round). On top of that, this exact scenario happened in 2012 except for the NDHS girls used the Olympic instead of the Purpur. UND women had WCHA 1st round games that were played in the afternoon in between the two sessions of hockey. Kind of throws a wrench in whatever point you're trying to make? As for what's going on in Duluth, it wasn't in the last 3 years that they provide on their site, so you'll have fill me in on the year. But then it would pre-date any lawsuit, so I'm not sure how that would be relevant?

Its like they didn't want to the play the state hockey games on different size rinks or something. Again, the 10am time is no different than any other sport, it was approved by the NDHSAA and is only an issue to those who don't want to get up a little earlier in the morning. I guess I'm not following you on the Duluth comparison, however I their schedule doesn't show a single home game in the last 3 years that the men have played an afternoon game. I put the chance that it would happen in Grand Forks (strictly because of women's hockey) right around 0%.

Both UND and NDSU football almost exclusively practice on the kind of field (grass/turf) and either indoor or outdoor, as close to game conditions as much as they can during the week. As for hockey, if it doesn't matter, I'm confused why the men's team exclusively practices in the Olympic arena before heading to CC or St. Cloud. The UND men's team works with the NCHC to make sure they are out of town for state hockey when it's going to be held in Grand Forks. As for playing Saturday/Sunday, what is the answer for a potential game 3? I seem to remember the exact opposite reaction in 2011 about how ridiculous it was when the women's team played their playoff series at the Purpur. The REA was built to serve the student athletes of UND first and everything else second. Feel free to ask the GM or staff where the priorities are and where they received that directive from. The 10am complaint is pretty weak when you look at any of the other NDHS sports. Volleyball had consolation games starting at 10am, Class A has a consolation game that started at 9:30, Football had a game start at 9:10am. Early morning games aren't something new and they aren't limited to hockey. Sounds like a lot of pointless whining. You think having a 10am game (which almost all other NDHS sports do) is somehow jeopardizing the tournament being in Grand Forks. Wow. Please, pass your concerns on to Jody Hodgson, who is almost definitely the one who made the final call on this, and let us know what he says.

But it was coordinated, someone is just pissy they have to get up earlier. Don't hear this outage when football is played in the early morning at the fargodome.

End of next season (2016-2017).

I'd actually be surprised if there were any that made a profit, though with how accounting works in college athletics, who knows what that actual definition is. My only point is adding on the cost of the buyout of a coach to what is already a money pit at UND is a bad idea, two years would be even worse. Having to go into the last year of a contract with no extension would send a pretty clear message.

Because I really can't think that there is actually any women's hockey who would pay a buyout nor do I think throwing another 6 figures at the women's hockey team is a good idea regardless of how they are doing, I believe that as it sits right now, 2016-2017 is Idalski's final year under his most recent contract extension.

So are you insinuating that the culture has been dependent on an inanimate object all this time? Seems to me you're selling the program short by claiming "Sioux hockey" and its success was somehow attributed to a logo (which has been changed multiple times) or a nickname rather than the time and effort countless players and staff have put in over the last how many decades. While I get what you're trying to say about the idea of "Sioux hockey", you would have to also claim to believe that if UND had remained the Flickertails or picked some other nickname instead of Sioux (before being changed to Fighting Sioux), the program would have been less successful.

I'd tell you that you're wrong but you would know that if you looked at student-athletes that aren't men's hockey players. But that might prevent you from being able to play the victim card since you are being "shamed" so that's understandably inconvenient. Also, I'm not sure how most of the student-athletes could even be all about the Sioux name since I'm pretty sure there isn't a single one left on campus who wore the Sioux name/logo in competition.

I actually like Drick inbounding because of his height and he's a good passer. Short of that, he shouldn't be touching the ball in that situation. Probably safe to guess Geno was rattled from missing the previous free throws but if that is the case, pull yourself, don't give the ball to someone who's a bad free throw shooter. Wonder if UNC wasn't even planning on fouling until Drick got the ball. It becomes a no brainer for them at that point.

Probably a good thing because it is not an exaggeration to say the magazine is 50% ads. Obviously that's how they are able to offer free circulation and as of now, it seems to be working for them.

Ugh, that was terrible. Felt somewhat close at 14-7 halfway through the second until MSU scored to make it 21-7. Still wasn't too bad but then MSU scored 3 TD's in the last 3 1/2 minutes of the half to make it 42-7. Added another TD 5 minutes into the 3rd as the cherry on top. Playmakers and the Tavern were filling up well before the game was over.

With UND currently doing more and more production in house (and possibly more in the future?), hopefully they start adding these things back again because I believe the interest will be there.

Fair enough, my apologies for projecting the wrong opinion.

Do you feel better now?

I think we're on the same page, athletics is the proverbial "front-door" to the University, spend time and money on promoting it across the board (there should be a little extra of both with the nickname saga winding down). In no way am I saying that should fans be coming up with the main marketing ideas/themes/etc. My point is more related to feedback on what they are doing or could tweak/improve. Wasn't there quite a few people who e-mailed them a few years ago to bring back yard signs and they've continued to release them ever since? Again, small but simple example and much more effective than complaining on a message board (though we all know that an eye is kept on this board by multiple people within UND and athletics). As for the NDSU spring game, that's a combination of demand from winning and NBC willing to spend the resources on something they are maybe breaking even on. I do know that there were people contacting both NDSU and NBC wanting it shown. Was it ultimate decider of it getting done? Doubtful, but guessing it didn't hurt.

Without even taking into consideration the huge difference in FargoU folks here vs. UND people on bisonville the last time I read the collective group think-only, the actual amusing thing is the NDSU trolls who spend time to sign up and post on a UND site trying to continuously claim that UND isn't relevant and not seeing the irony in what they are doing.

He was trying to be a prick about it. I'll just lay his argument out since it is obvious where he's going: All student have to pay the activity fees regardless, yet if students want to go to men's hockey games they have to pay even more. It is "unfair" to those who don't buy the tickets, since they are still contributing to fund athletics but not getting the perk of men's hockey games. It's a dumb argument but it is the one he's trying to make. There is a premium on men's hockey tickets, it is what it is and it has been that way since the new REA opened up. However, even excluding men's hockey, UND still offers more athletic events for students to attend free of charge compared to NDSU. Considering NDSU athletics was shot down hard on their attempt to raise student fees (0 for, 7 against, 2 abstaining, 1 absent), I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happened with football tickets in Fargo.

Agree across the board. My point all along has been that I know the athletic/marketing department is continuously trying to improve and they know there has been deficiencies. If people have ideas, pass them on. They have been very receptive in the past to ideas from outside sources on what is working or what can be improved since those are the people they are trying to reach. I've done it in the past and will do so in the future. Somehow that equates to being content with the status quo yet complaining on a message board and not offering any input to the people who are responsible for making improvements is supposedly the correct way to go about getting change. It's not the job or responsibility of anyone here, but we all want UND to continue to succeed. Taking a little ownership in helping that out, when many are already doing so monetarily, is really easy to do and can go a long way. A great example is @UNDColorado asking if the spring game will be webcast, letting them know there is interest in people outside the region seeing it. All it took was a simple tweet.

Unfortunately it is going to take more than one game (or a couple games) to get the casual fan back. UND can market until they are green in the face, winning games and making the playoffs will be the biggest driver behind increasing attendance. That doesn't mean they have a free pass and shouldn't put forth any effort into doing what they can to help attract the casual fan, but the product on the field is the tool that will be the main driver.