UNDvince97-01

ok, in my opinion there is NO way that the BSA is better than the Hyslop. While i will agree that both are basically crap facilities, Hyslop has a way better atmosphere and coziness to it. i've seen quite a few UND-NDSU games in the BSA and there is absolutely NO atmosphere there when compared to Hyslop. When the crowd gets going at the Hyslop, it can be very loud and home-friendly. When UND finishes their new addition to REA, they will have the nicest facility in the NCC, and possibly the nation. To compare Newman Field to Kraft isnt really feasible, Newman is just way better. I think that the Alerus and Fargo Dome are pretty close. Both have their ups and downs. Aesthetically, Fargo Dome probably looks nicer because there isnt any tin showing. But again, when Fargo is not full(it never is unless against UND)there can be a huge void left in there, and it can seem kind of empty. I think the Alerus is perfect as far as size, because it doesnt look or sound as empty as it may seem. Go Sioux!!!

attendance figures had NO bearing on the decision to have UND host this weekend. the only thing that really mattered was the SOS index. the NCAA wants to keep consistent with their selection criteria throughout the playoffs. the fact that UNA had played 1-AA Jacksonville St., who is a good team, and then played a provisional D2 team (not yet in D2), really hurt their SOS in the long run. so, YES it was predecided, based on SOS index. it just proves how much sense it doesnt make to play a D1-AA team when you are in D2. first NDSU over Montana, and UNA over Jacksonville. both are very quality wins on the road against good D1-AA programs. both eventually ended up hurting these teams in the long run. is it starting to sink in now? we should NOT play NDSU anymore precisely because of these reasons. you could argue, however that UNA should host based on record, but that also can be fought because of regional seeding and SOS, which are before overall record in the criteria of deciding where to have a playoff game. dang it, another drive from minneapolis to GF. i am so sick of making that haul. it will be the 7th time this year for me. but, it is definitely worth it. i'll be there with bells on. looking forward to seeing you all there. GO SIOUX!!

ideally yes, we would all hope that that is the case. but it always doesnt happen like that, and if we were to lose 2 or 3 games in any given year, and not make the playoffs because we played 1-AA NDSU, that would be a tragedy. it could also affect whether or not we host playoff games if we were to lose.

Verk62, nobody on here is a "whimp" for saying that we shouldn't play NDSU. i cant see how you dont realize that it just doesn't make sense to play them right now. Win or lose, it would hurt our SOS index every year for the playoff selection criteria. would you want UND to be in the same boat as NDSU was in for the playoffs this year? i wouldnt want that. and that is the possibility you would face EVERY year for playing them. Yes the rivalry means alot to me too. Especially because i grew up in GF watching those games since i was 7 years old. i know the rivalry is important, and it CAN continue. it's just that it has to occur when both schools are D1-AA, which i think will eventually happen. until they are both in the same division, i think the rivalry should be on a temporary hiatus.

I think the sioux defense should be fine this time around. They dont have Craig Riendeau playing cornerback in this year's game. He got beat twice against Winona St. for TD's. That was the worst game of his career. Hopefully the 2 corners this year will be better against the Winona WR's. It will definitely be a tough game, Winona is a very good FB team. GO SIOUX!!!!

not that it really matters, bust just FYI. the 2001 team only got behind badly against 1 team. that was @ SCSU. they eventually came back and won that game. albeit it wasnt like the comebacks that UND has had this year, it was still a very impressive comeback against a good team in crappy conditions. just FYI, that's all.

Huskies, I was at the game last Saturday at Selke Field also. I saw some bison fans trying to run down the bleachers to the sidelines to go confront the refs on the field but they left before the fans could get there. What calls they could have possibly been mad at regarding the outcome of the game, I have no idea. Also another classy bison fan had seen me with a bunch of sioux fans in the stands, and decided to stare me down after the game was over. At first I pretended to not see that he was hawking at me. But after a few times of looking back and forth, I stared back at him. He then said, and I quote "Good luck against Crookston in the future!" I did nothing to instigate it, and he felt he had to tell me off because the bison had lost. I replied by telling him that we will keep scheduling easier competition, while NDSU schedules all the tough games, and UND will continue to beat NDSU, win NCC titles, and go to the playoffs(and host them). Honestly, the schedule looks great on paper, but it probably hurt them in the long run. Who cares who you schedule if you cant make it through the conference season, beat UND, and make the playoffs? I'll take the home playoff games and NCC titles, ahead of scheduling Montana every day. My point is, when it came time for that bison fan to say something to me, all he could say was something in regards to scheduling, and Crookston, who we will no longer play. I realize that all bison fans are not like that, and this post is not directed towards all bison fans. Some of them just need think before they speak, and so do UND fans. I actually had a very good conversation with a few bison fans at the game. They were very down to earth people and I enjoyed speaking with them.

I was at the game, and i thought that the officiating was the worst i have seen all year. Two pass interference calls were absolutely terrible. One of them was definitely an uncatchable ball on a quick slant, and the other was an even worse call on Hoffschneider. The one that they should have called on Hoffschneider, didnt get called in the south endzone towards UNO's sideline. As a former player, it has been evident to me from day one of competeing, to today, watching as a fan, that the officials in the NCC have no idea on how to make calls on pass interference. D-backs are at a huge diasadvantage with the way the refs interpret their calls. I will be the first to admit when there is a legit PI call. The refs really need to trained better to make these calls. I do agree that it is a tough call to make in the first place, but man, it was bad. All that being said, the defense played horrible, and they really need to pick it up next week. I dont think there will be any motivation issues for the D, because the defensive coaching staff and Lennon, were VERY disappointed with the outing by the D. Players were also upset by their performance. I also have to give credit to Kammrad and Krause. They are PLAYERS. Both of them made huge plays against a good defense throughout the entire game. We could all question some coaching decisions at any time in any game. Unless you are under the pressure and the gun to make those decisions yourself, during the heat of the battle, you dont really understand how difficult it can be. No coaches are perfect, and even the best can make a mistake occasionally. I think we should all remember that. We have a VERY good coaching staff, that has been together for quite a while. It is very refreshing to see a bunch of guys that actually truly care about UND, and arent just there to use it as a stepping stone to go elsewhere. A good majority of them are either from ND, or played football at UND. We are very lucky to have that.

Rink Rat, If you are referring to my post, I know. Yes Bowenkamp has trouble hitting the open receiver at times. So does Joe Wilson, and every other QB in the conference. I watched Stauss miss a few open receivers also this weekend. My point was that it wasn't a no-brainer, that's all.

Does everybody see my point now as to why the decision to start him against SDSU last week wasn't a no-brainer? I think that experience in the game and the rivalry definitely helped him on Saturday. Both QB's are very capable of performing at any time. Nothing ever flashy, just getting the job done.

I think the team that owns the Nickel Series best record should be able to keep the trophy. Or wait, I mean the team that owns the all-time series should keep it. My bad, in either of those instances UND would be able to keep it. Check the records, they dont lie. Nickel Series Wins UND - 32 NDSU - 29 All-Time Series Wins UND - 61 NDSU - 45 3 Ties I actually got that off the Turd Burglars web site. Just a little fun, that's all.

UND 92, 96 Do not even pay attention to that rambling idiot, bison1234. He obviously just registered on this message board to talk smack for this week, as evidenced by his only posting 4 times. he is just trying to piss everyone off. Hey bison1234, why dont you take notes on how to talk football in a humane way, like bisonguy, tony, and some other bison fans on here. At least they have some interesting insight and intelligent comments. I think it should be a very good game. NDSU has to be the favorite because of their victories over Montana and UNO. They have played a tougher schedule, as opposed to UND's. However, as much of a cliche as it may sound, you CAN throw out all the stats and books for this game every year. I can't wait for the game to be a much better game than the "yawner" that took place last year in the Fargodome.

Just listened to the game. Oh my god is all I have to say. What a game!!!! Eddie Schultz just makes situations like that even better. Bring on the bison and the battle for the Nickel Trophy.

LOL, funny stuff sicatoka

UND 92,96 you have made very good points also, and i can't really argue with them. realize that i am a big joe wilson supporter, and i hope the best for him. he deserves his shot. also realize that bowenkamp had some success last year on the road in the NCC. a good example would be when he threw for 515 against augie last year at howard wood field. i am just saying that i dont think it's a no-brainer to start wilson. if they did start him, i would definitely think it was warranted. i think it's a tough call for the coaching staff.

Bisonguy, yes Klosterman was the holder when he played, as was Tony Stein before him. I think it's a good thing just in case something happens on the snap or hold. If something does happen, then you have your QB able to make the throw on a botched attempt. Who does NDSU have as their holder?

I was at the game this weekend, and it was a great comeback led by Joe Wilson. He has been there for 6 years, and it has finally paid off. He deserves all the credit in the world, and I couldn't be more proud of him. It looked as though he had been a 3 year starter leading his team down the field. All that being said, I wouldn't be so fast in naming him the starter next week. You have to realize that the situation he came into last week, was a "no lose" situation. If he led them back, he was going to look like the savior, and if he didnt, then he wasn't supposed to. Also realize that this was a home game, that helps ease the nerves alot more too. This week they are travelling to Brookings to play in one of the most intimidating venues in the NCC. SDSU also has a very good football team. This situation reminds me alot of the 1999 team that went in to SDSU at 7-0 and a #4 ranking in Coach Lennon's first season. They had just come off beating UNC at home and feeling very good about themselves, but then they went to SDSU and got beat by an obviously inferior team and Josh Ranek on Hobo Days. This will be a hostile environment to have a QB start his first game. John Bowenkamp has been struggling, but he has experience on the road in the NCC games. It is a whole different ballgame on the road in the NCC. It would be a shame to ruin Wilson's confidence by starting him in that kind of situation. You could argue that both QB's should start, I think. I just don't see it as being a no-brainer. Let's just hope that whoever starts does a good job leading thier team in a very tough NCC road game.

Everyone in disagreement of my earlier post is missing the point. Yes, the loss to Mesa St. was very disappointing. I am disappointed myself. Yes, the non-conference scheduling of late has been subpar. This is not because of a lack of effort however. UND has tried numerous times to get good teams for non-conference games. It has failed for a number of reasons including money issues, travel issues, and just because teams fear going to UND and NCC schools in general because of the quality of football. Another ridiculous reason includes one team requesting UND to buy turf shoes for them because their team didnt have any because they always play on grass. There are a lot of variables that go into scheduling non-conference games that are very difficult to negotiate. As a UND alum, I too want to see the best results possible in all sports. Competeing for conference and national championships are the reasons you play the games. I grew up in Grand Forks watching UND football stink in the late 80's, but I still was a faithful fan. Fans of college athletics should be proud of their teams in the good and bad, wins and losses. If you have any loyalty towards your team, you will always do this. It seems as though sometimes people try to compare college athletics to pro sports. College athletes are at school to gain an education, first and foremost. Anyone who says otherwise is ignorant. They are not professional athletes. Yes, they are getting paid to attend school on scholarship. But it is not all they do, and they are not doing it in a "professional" sense of the word. I also pay money to attend UND athletic events. I do it because I love to follow my former university, not because I DEMAND wins for my money. That should be left for the ranks of professional sports. In the small state of ND, and the smaller city of Grand Forks, UND is all we have to support. We dont have any professional teams, and I think this is why people sometimes get caught up in things like this. I hope the UND football team comes back strong to win the NCC and ultimately, the national championship. That is their goal every year, as it should be. Just always try to remember what Division 2 college athletics is all about, and support your team the way you are suppose to. Please do not take this personal, as it is not an attack on any one person. I am just trying to tell everybody how it is. I could argue this forever, but I will leave it at that.

OK, everybody needs to settle down a little. Yes, it was a bad loss for the team, and if they were to play them again tomorrow, they would probably win. Turnovers proved to be the end of them. To those people that are already writing off UND for the season and the playoffs: have some faith and pride in your UND football program. Some people are on here remind me of vikings fans. If you are already jumping off the wagon after 2 games, good riddance, and stay off. I cant stand people that dont know how to endure one tough loss. You know what, they may lose every game the rest of the season, who knows? Even if that happens, I will still support them. I guarantee if they were to win out for the rest of the regular season, the same people that are jumping off the wagon will jump right back on. That is complete BS!! One loss is not the end of the season, especially this early. I feel that the loss in 2001 to UNO proved to be the spark that UND needed to win the title. The team felt defeat once, and didnt want to feel it again. This ended up being a motivator in the long run. Sometimes you learn the most while enduring losses. I know UND will come back strong in the upcoming weeks. A proud UND Alum

UND 92,96 you are right about there being 6 teams from the midwest in the top 25 poll, none of them being UND, while UND is #4 in the midwest power rankings. The other people that vote on that poll dont see the midwest region teams or pay attention to the midwest games like Harlin does. Jeff Harlin is "The" midwest bastion of football knowledge, and he takes alot of pride in his job. I totally respect his opinions of d2 football, especially in the midwest. Frankly, I am not surprised that UND wasnt in the top 25, especially after coming off a 5-6 season. However, I knew Jeff would still take them seriously, and that one bad year would not affect how he sees the UND program and their coaching staff. To be honest, I really dont care about the national polls when compared to the regional polls. All that matters at the end of the season is how you fare in the region polls. Jeff does a very good job with his columns, and I think that a 4th rank in the region is not a farce. He is the most credible source of information in the midwest, in my opinion. I know that YOU arent saying that is a farce, but that's just my take.

Jeff Harlin of D2football.com has picked UND to finish second in the NCC behind conference favorite SCSU. He also has them in the 4th spot for the playoffs in the Midwest in November. I think I agree with his picks for the conference and for the playoffs. I think that if they get on a roll, they could end up finishing 8-2, which would be good enough for the playoffs I hope. We'll have to wait and see, of course, but I just think anytime you a defense with our scheme and coaches, you are going to have a chance at winning. Hopefully they come through. I can't wait till football season and the first UND game.

All indications from the coaching staff are that Desautel has alot of potential. Physically, he could definitely be a great player at safety. The toughest part though will be mentally for him, especially in the sioux "D". He has come along a little slowly with the mental part of the game (making checks, making correct reads, etc) but that is expected for every safety in the system. As far as comparing him with Kelly Howe, it's way too early to tell. Physically, yes you could compare him with Howe because of their frames, but mentally, it's not even close to comparable. Kelly was a field general on the field, knew the defense in and out, and had alot of other intangibles he brought to the table, not to mention his natural ability to just flat out make plays. Give Desautel some time- which he will get this year - to develop, and we will see a much improved player by next fall. Most of the learning happens in the first year of eligibility. Playing behind Stratton, Bransted, and Gagner will be a blessing in disguise for him this year. He has great potential.

I'm sorry but, if UND finishes with 1 loss, and NDSU finishes with 3, UND should go. However, if NDSU beats UND, and NDSU has 2 losses, and UND has 1, then maybe you have a case that NDSU should go. You know what, though? All of this is just pure speculation, and i am sick of talking about it. Everything will be settled on the field soon. God, i can't wait until football season!!

Bison Kent, you are right, sometimes UND does schedule pansies for non-conference games. One reason is that teams just dont want to come to UND unless the money is PERFECT. another reason is to stay healthy in non-conference so that they can whoop NDSU's butt during conference play. which, they have been doing since the early 90's consistently. if your starters are out in the second quarter, then there is less likeliness for injury. but it is a double-edged sword because you arent getting "quality" games and opponents early, which effects how you play down the road, and can effect your ranking in the region at the end of the year.