siouxfan512

This is downright hilarious! I have to agree, in what world would 100% of the voters for Sundogs shift to another name and 100% of the voters for NS and Fighting Hawks shift to another? And what is driving these momentous shifts? I'm not disagreeing with your final percentages, those are plausible, but your means of getting there ...... ? ? ?

Just kidding, not too bad considering he is a walk on with no real game experience at this level. Fortunately, he has a strong defense in front of him, and some pretty potent scoring. I think he knows he role ... to bridge the gap until the top two are back. Great opportunity for the guy.

good enough

You don't see that changing if UND was ranked top 10 annually? Or winning championships like NDSU? Or making the NCAA Basketball tourney?

Really nice when these places have free webcasts

Well then you have taken a closer look at it than I have. Either way, they are 4-0 and have beat some good teams. I wouldn't call us the team to beat right now either. We played well, but we need to solidify that goalie spot. Nothing against Hrnkiw, but Cam and Matej should be the guys on the ice. Really looking forward to seeing Tomek. I don't expect him to be a brick wall right away, but he should definitely be competitive right away. Cam is still pretty unseasoned, but has shown a few flashes. It will get better. We have been pretty pampered with good goal-tending over past 10 years.

Which is fair. They are looking like the team to beat right now. Only reason we stayed number is because we were already ahead of them, and we haven't lost a game yet. Its so early, but as much as we enjoy being #1, it would probably mean a lot to their program and fans to hit that mark.

Wow, just checked out the Griz Forum, and most people are picking UND to win. One person said it won't even be within three scores. I get that they are pretty frustrated over there, but its not like they are playing a dominant team. Even if we were- 6-1, our team has still been suspect to big plays. I still think UND has a good shot, and this will likely be another close game for the Sioux/Nodaks

Disagree with this. Their basketball team gets plenty of support. Not the same level of attention as a back to back to back to back nation champion program; but isn't that to be expected? As for the women's sports .... this holds true everywhere. Not meant to be sexist, but in general men's sports get more attention and interest across the board. I for one am just not interested in the women's sports. Its not that I don't want to be, but I guess I can only dedicate so much of my time to watching sports, and the men's teams are more interesting to me. I guess, I don't understand the football or basketball fans that seem to despise hockey, and I don't get the hockey fans that seem to think other sports are just a joke.

I haven't heard of anyone getting two Qualtrics emails yet. Unless maybe they are utilizing an uninterested family or friend's email?

I get what you are saying, but as long as Hockey is the only program that is WINNING .... CONSISTENTLY. That is the way it will be. Look at Bison football, it has always been their big sport, but what has happened their in the past five years? I have been to their tailgating a few times. Every time is is bigger. I was there this weekend, and it has gotten HUGE! Not because they just have interested alumni, it is because they win. They have die hard fans at tailgating, that didn't even go to school there. Programs will get attention based on success. That is really the end of it. This holds true almost anywhere. Why has football attendance gone down hill over the last 10 years? We have been terrible. Bubba is trying to turn that around. Do that, and they will continue to get more attention and more support. Simply having a team in a specific sport is not enough to garner attention. Success is key. That is not my personal opinion, that is the way it is. I would love to see Football and Basketball get more attention, but they need to earn it.

I'm not sold on your reasoning. Go Fighting Nodaks!

I get not liking Nodak, and I get not being happy that we haven't heard from athletes outside of hockey. But is that really the hockey team's fault? or the people voting? Even this website hasn't really promoted other voices? Are the football players tweeting their picks and reasoning? I don't know, but if they are then SS.com could put that in their live twitter feed as well. I like UND Football, Basketball and Hockey. But hockey does have the largest influence, purely based on numbers. That's a fact. The hockey team typically seems to be the most outspoken on these issues as well (coaches and players). Are they not supposed to state their views? Football and Basketball could do the same. I just don't get the hate on the hockey team for getting the most attention. I would personally like them all to get the same level of attention, fans and viewship, but that happens because of program success. Hockey dominates UND, and barring a major decline in our success, and a major increase in a different sport that will not change. Ideally all sports become competitive, and all will get more coverage.

exactly. It really doesn't matter, other than it is fun to be #1

Lets try it a different way. Say Nodak, Say Canucks .... doesn't sounds so stupid Say UND Nodaks, Say Vancouver Canucks .... still doesn't sounds so stupid Say Sundogs ..... NO DON'T University of North Dakota Nodak, may sounds a little goofy, but people would get used to it, or just call them North Dakota. Really, I think anything will sound good, and I'll probably just say Sioux anyway, like I always have. Regardless, if it is Nodaks, they should consider using Fighting Nodaks to sound more appealing.

I would agree with this in several cases, but for MOST voters, The order of this particular vote won't matter, unless they were undecided at the time of opening their email and link. I think 99.99999% of voters in this vote, already had their minds made up prior to see any random order. That being said, I think this is a standard practice for places like qualtrics to avoid accusations and criticism about trying to sway a vote.

Yep, either Studrud needs to figure out the passing game or he won't last long. Not sure how mobile or accurate Heidlebaugh is? Is he really the next guy, or with the next guy being coming up in the next recruiting class?

So does UND maintain the top spot with a tie and a win? Omaha has been really hot.

exactly. easier said than done, but its their job to get it done. Too bad they blew such a great oppotunity. Hopefully they come out strong in MT.

Did you register before 10/1? I had not been receiving emails from UND because I was on the Do Not Email list. When I call, they fixed that, but they also told me that being on the Do Not Email list would NOT affect who received the email from Qualtrics. That email was going out to everyone in their system that had a confirmed email address.

It really is pretty heartbreaking. Considering we had such a nice start, and were really outperforming expectations. This team is so close to being 6-1, but the fact that we are not, just shows there is still a gap between where we are and where we need to be. Expectations will be even higher next season, but I could also see the Big Sky being a stronger conference next year. Seems like kind of a down year for a few teams.

On the Qualtrics site, Nodaks was listed first for me. Must be random

Definitely going to be interesting to see if Nodaks got enough momentum in this last week to overturn the Roughriders option.

I think most people are on the same page, that none of these are ideal. I just put in for Nodaks and my wife is doing the same. I could live with Roughriders or Fighting Hawks.

Well you beat me to the punch by like 3 minutes. I made a straw poll thread too. oh well. I'll post my vote, once I have made it. Probably going to be Nodaks for me and probably the same for my wife. We'll see if that changes.