johnson
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Posts posted by johnson
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I do understand that neither side NEEDS the game. I also get that some on both sides do not WANT the game. That aside, I have always thought it was laughable when ndsu said they had "moved on" with new "rivalries" with SDSU and Minnesota. Make a contrived trophy to replace the nickel, and playing Minnesota a few times doesn't make new rivalries. You have to have history and tradition in rivalries, proximity, and a special kind of "dislike" for each other to make it unique.
I agree that the rivalry will never go away. However, a bit of a rift is forming between NDSU and UNI. It is nowhere near the NDSU v. UND rivalry but I think in a few more years the NDSU v. UNI rivalry will be up there as well. With Chris Klieman leaving UNI for NDSU that only has intesified things. Farley has even mentioned his hate for NDSU this year.
Some may laugh at SDSU being a rival but since the move up it has become more important to fans and players. Before the transition the Bunny's were just another game to me and that continued on into the transition. Once SDSU went on three game winning streak against NDSU it changed things for me. I still don't consider it a dog fight type rivalry but it is one of those games that I consider a must win for the program every year now.
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EDIT: You could even look at the vb game played at NDSU last fall as another example. NDSU has owned UND in volleyball yet it was a sold out fieldhouse with the NDSU band playing and lots of Sioux fans in attendance...I was one of them.
NDSU sells out quite a few VB games. The Bentson-Bunker isn't very big.
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You really have no right to call a respected poster on here out on their sources when you make statements like "I'm 100% sure so and so didn't get and offer from NDSU" based on newspaper clippings and drivel from Hallstrom, Kolpack, and the rest of the Bison Propaganda team's statements. You are the last person on this board who should call anyone's statement BS.
Mitch Sutton didn't receive an offer from NDSU. Call and ask him yourself.
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I would say what I told you before," don't get your info from a blog". There is nothing I said about Chapman that hasn't turned out to be accurate. I stated I had obtained information from a former NDSU student. Some people on this board know who that is, but I won't share that with some character from a rival school who has too much time on their hands. I obviously have no reason to trust you,. There is nothing anyone with UND ties would be able to say about the Chapman issue that you would believe and it is a dead issue. I don't need to site a source to you. I have sited the source to a few that would not betray that trust. I suggested alternate ways for you to get the same info. The meetings and the information between the state universities and the SBoHE is public information. Call a SBoHE member and ask them the details of the financial mess Chapman left. Do some research kid. You may need to get out of Johnson Hall. This stuff isn't CIA intelligence.
I don't claim to be anyone other than an old guy called Iramurphy with an interest in UND and UND athletics and I am OK with that. Most people don't use their names on these blogs so we don't have to put up with insults from someone miles away who can hide in cyber space. I don't go on rival blogs and get bent out of shape with what they or you might say about UND, the FB team, the hockey team ,the BB teams, the former AD's or the former presidents. Again I will remind you this blog was about UND moving to the Big Sky. You have managed to focus now on me and past posts. I would suggest you PC me with that crap so this blog can stay on subject. No one else cares about Iramurphy, Chapman or what the heck Ade Sponberg and the AC was doing in the 1970's
Quit with the BS stories and I'll quit calling you out. You started in with the John Q. Paulsen story in this thread and I called BS. If you didn't want it you shouldn't have started it.
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Good lord, you spent a lot of time on this for nothing. Read my posts carefully. I never said I knew an" NDSU student" who had inside info. I do know a "former NDSU student" who knows details of the Chapman scandal. I beleive I also suggested that anyone who felt Chapman was being picked on and that the media and the devil did him in, make an appointment and get the information from Dick Hanson rather than this or any other blog. .Having said that, Chapman is gone and I understand that the new guy is sharp and should do a good job for NDSU. I said I didn't know what NDSU was doing at the time frame you referenced, but UND did not apply to the Big Sky and get turned down. Though subtle, those differences change the message. I don't think anyone here cares what NDSU was doing in the 1970's.
You have a point in that Sanford gave more money than I thought they would and sooner than I thought they would. In May of last year the donation that was discussed then went to the YMCA and some of the Sanford officials did indeed have concerns about the Chapman mess. There is also a $10,000,000 donation to UND on the table that I thought would have been done by now but likely will not be done until after the legislature does their budgeting.
My comments intitially were to comment that I think the Big Sky move is a great move for UND and NDSU did what they thought they needed to do at the time. I believe the Big Sky is a more attractive choice for UND and for future recruits.
You pretend to be an insider with all kinds of contacts when you don't know squat is my point. You make up stories and when you get called on it you have a bad habit of trying to cover one story up with a new and more elaborate story. If you have information like you claim to always have please name a source or provide a link. You can't provide either because they don't exist. Until you can site a source you are nothing but full of hot air. The Chapman story is old news, we now know what he was. It is very easy to cover your story by trying to pull the call Dr. Hanson if you don't believe me card. What shall we ask him? A anonymous person on a message board calling themselves iramurphy has some info that i was wondering if you could verify? Get real, you know nothing but the stories you read in the media and then spin it into something bigger in your head and pass it off as real solid inside information.
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Really don't care what you believe. I spoke with John,( I used to work for him) and he certainly said that and I countered with "we aren't very good this year". I told him he needed to push NDSU to resume the rivalry and he agreed and said he was trying but couldn't get "those guys" to agree. Those guys included Taylor. He reminded me that I and one of my partners sent him a dozen black roses when UND broke their 12 game winning streak against NDSU and we had a good laugh. There are very loyal NDSU alumni and fans who are smart enough to see what Chapman did and the mess he made. I don't believe you are one of them. I would never betray a friend so I wouldn't discuss where I learned things about the Chapman mess but it is all information available to you if you put your beer down and make the effort. I suggested you go talk to Dick Hanson. I don't know him but my guess is that he has put that mess behind him. Try looking into leases for buildings that NDSU has for buildings that still sit empty. The Chapman issue is over and NDSU wll recover. A UND grad gave your school $1 million to build a home and another more than that to finance the business building. You ought to do the same.
A couple of other corrections. The Big Sky is a good fit but does not cover all sports. It doesn't have baseball and I don't think( but I can't remember for sure) swimming. I never "claimed I knew a student who had an in with the NDSU administratioon". When you accuse someone of something you need to keep your facts straight. I don't hang out with students, I simply passed on information available to the public through the open meetings and information open to the public about the financial mess Chapman left at NDSU. I also never said Hanson covered up anything and in fact he did a good job. Chapman and his lackeys did the cover-up. I also said Hanson should have been given a shot at the presidency. He would have done a good job and he will do a great job with Bemidji State.
UND did not apply to the Big Sky in 1978. I was still on staff at that time. I can't speak for what NDSU did then but I believe there were discussions in the media and within the institutions. There is a big difference between that and applying and getting turned down. The NCC was still a very good conference at that time.
you telling us about the deficit
my response
telling us about the student with the information
"My source is a former NDSU student who doesn't disclose any confidential info but knows the details of the problems with Chapman."
my response
The info on the Big Sky move in 1978 came from Kolpacks book. Didn't verify the info just took it as fact:
From Bison Football: Three Decades of Excellence, page 103 (edited for space):
The big news in early 1978 was a report that the two North Dakota universities were interested in joining the Big Sky Conference.
NDSU and the University of North Dakota got into the conversation after the Big Sky Conference voted to move up from Division II in the NCAA to Division I-AA. The conference created a committee to study future expansion.
Talk of the Bison and Sioux leaving the NCC got a boost when Northern Iowa announced that it was dropping out of the NCC to join the Mid-Continent Athletic Association.
North Dakota, NDSU, Nevada-Reno and Portland (Ore.) State were interested in Big Sky membership. Reno and Portland were independent.
When Norther Iowa left the North Central, the Bison and the Sioux lost an ally for a strong football program. There was some doubt if the NCC was willing to support a program that could challenge for the national Division II championship.
"My coaches remind me that all five of our losses in the last two years were to schools with a more liberal scholarship program," said Ade Sponberg, Bison athletic director.
North Dakota and North Dakota State were prepared to act together if there was a move to another league. One of the questions facing both schools was the cost of moving up to Division I-AA.
...Officials at North Dakota State and North Dakota let the Big Sky know in early May that they were interested in joinging the Division I-AA conference - if the Big Sky was interested in them.
The word came on May 23. Nevada-Reno was asked at a meeting of league presidents to join the Big Sky conference. That shut out the Bison and the Sioux.
"They weren't ready to handle a 10-game schedule," said Sponberg, who attended the Big Sky meeting with Fred Walsh, the NDSU institutional representative. "Weber State has a lucrative non-conference basketball schedule and Boise State is sitting the same way in football. They didn't want to give that up.
"We're not discouraged because we lost. We gave it our best shot. It's hard to say what the future holds. But it's (expansion in the Big Sky) not a dead issue."
You are correct that Baseball has been left out in the cold. Your swimming team is already in a solid conference. I meant all major sports are covered. Sorry for the confusion.
edit: I do believe you told us that you were attending Sanford meetings and asking about the potential donation to NDSU's BSA. Your response was that there wasn't going to be any donation. $10,000,000 later I say you were wrong about that one too.
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UND and NDSU couldn't schedule a game with Roger Thomas and Taylor as the ADs, NDSU fans said it was Thomas' fault. They couldn't schedule a game when Tom Bunning and Taylor were the ADs, NDSU fans said it was Bunning's fault. Now they can't schedule a game with Faison and Taylor and NDSU fans say it's Faison's fault. I see 2 constants, Taylor is part of the negotiations, and NDSU fans blame UND.
Joel Heitkamp had Taylor and Bunning on his radio show to have Bunning tell Taylor UND finally wanted to play again after NDSU was four years into their transition. Bunning expected Taylor to just say OK. Taylor already had been finding eleven games to play and they were selling tickets. If I was sitting in that chair behind that mic I would have said no too. After the way Thomas had handled the move I don't think the first discussion for renewing the rivalry should have been held on Joel Heitkamp's show. Then Faison comes in and decides to call Forum Comm. to tell NDSU "We're ready to play, so lets play." before he even called Taylor discuss the possibility of a game.
Now to UND fans that type of negotiating might seem professional. But to me and many other NDSU fans that is bush league negotiating. UND is starting to have attendance issues and up until the BSC announcement the FB scheduling has been a nightmare. Instead of taking an every other year offer to get the game going again Faison refuses and schedules more D2 games and draws 6,000 fans. Taylor schedules an FCS cupcake from the east coast and sells 18,000 tickets. Explain to me why Taylor should give into Faison's demand of an annual game when Taylor wants an FBS, FCS cupcake, and a bigger FCS school (Montana, Montana St., etc.). Taylor has made an offer that is for a home and home and works best for NDSU at this time. Now that UND is in the BSC the annual game might not actually work. The BSC and MVFC set the conference schedules and both schools aren't going to give up a guaranteed FBS money game. Open dates are going to become an issue now and I for one don't want to have the exact same schedule year after year which is exactly what will happen if an annual game is played right now.
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And is it really needed by UND?
an extra 4-6,000 fans every other year for one game at UND?
Percent wise of fans attending sporting events at their perspective colleges UND would have less to gain.
Up until UND joined the Big Sky they needed all the help they could get with the FB schedule.
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I agree the game will eventually happen................................it will happen exactly 2 football seasons after Gene Taylor leaves NDSU. It is funny how the only time Taylor has went to the newspapers to point out that he "contacted" North Dakota about a game was when it was for a date that UND has had publicly scheduled with and FBS oppenent for well over a year. What happened to being "sensitive" to the Summit League's stance on scheduling North Daktota?
And it could happen two season after Faison leaves. I know UND fans feel Taylor is to blame. Well guess what NDSU fans think Faison is to blame. I guess that means both AD's are to blame. Taylor called to see if a date could work. AD's can move games around sometimes to get an open date that works. That wasn't the case with the 2011 schedule. I guess big bad Gene Taylor shouldn't have called at all.
UND has the nickname and logo issue resolved. That was the issue with the Summit and scheduling UND.
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If we only have one non-conference game in such a scenario then I'd prefer it be NDSU. There is a lot of talk about the SD schools but I can tell you that as a former player games the build up for games against USD and SDSU was a lot more like the build up for games against Mankato and St. Cloud than it ever was for a game against NDSU. NDSU hates to admit but they need the rivalry game just as much as we do. The game elevated interest in the fans of both programs and judging by the 8,000 empty seat you'll see in Fargo tomorrow they could use that kind of interest.
With the playoff game tomorrow NDSU will break an all-time season attendance record. I don't think they need it as much as you believe. I think it would be great to see it again soon but it isn't needed by NDSU.
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Big Sky is a great conference. That is the conference UND, NDSU, USD, and SDSU should have joined back when we also should all have gove D1AA. We are going to a conference with trips to great spots in Montana, California, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. Conference has great tradition and has had success in FB and BB. Nothing wrong wtith Summit but their FB conference was more attractive. Wouldn't be surprised in the other Dakota teams make the move in the future. The "old NCC' was a great conference and had great success.
I think Sioux fans are very happy with the conference. Should be attractive for recruiting. We need to move it up to the next level. $$$ support, fans in the stands, marketing, media coverage, entertainment at events and connection with the students, GF community and region.
Talked to John Q Paulsen last week. He made sure he told me he didn't think UND was any good but when I told him he needed to get the rivalry going again he agreed and said he had been trying but Taylor and Bohl don't want to. Too bad. They would likely have had the upper hand lately (especially this year). They might have made a dent on the big advantage UND has over them over the years in FB. If they wait too long it will be back to the norm with UND dominating again.
I believe UND and NDSU applied to the Big Sky in 1978 but were turned down.
The BSC is a good fit for UND right now. It covers all sports and is in the same region that Mussman has been focusing a lot of his recruiting on lately.
I don't believe that John would say something like that at all. Your story reminds me of the time you claimed that you knew a student who had an in with the NDSU administration. I am still waiting for that big story to break about the huge deficit that Hanson was covering up.
Taylor made an offer to start up the rivalry again and Faison countered. I think now that UND is in the BSC most will understand why Taylor didn't want a annual game yet. Gene just called Faison last month to see if he could make a game work for next year to fill Georgia Southerns date. Neither one could get a open date to work. The process has started and the game will eventually happen. The legislature won't have to get involved.
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The two AD's have been talking. That to me shows signs of progress. Gene Taylor called Faison last month when Georgia Southern bought out of thier contract with NDSU for 2011. UND doesn't share an open date with NDSU so it wasn't scheduled. It will eventually happen just like the other sports that are already scheduled. I don't think this is a good time to force a game on both schools. UND is just getting into the BSC and they need time to figure out what their schedule will look like. It would be pretty foolish to force a game right now.
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What Bohl did to Mertens was absolutely shameful. 95% of NDSU's shortcomings the last two seasons were directly attributable to Bohl but he let a 22 year kid take the fall in order to save his own ass. Bohl demonstrated a complete lack of character that should serve as a lesson to any future recruit who considers playing for him.
Bohl had his hands tied as well. Mitch Brekke and Ryan Parsons quit the team after Bohl named Mertens the #1 QB after spring camp in 2008. I will put the blame on Bohl for not recruiting a QB for 2 or 3 years but I don't think NDSU felt that it was going to be an issue. Mertens was the starter with Brekke and Parsons as backups. Mohler was coming in that fall and everything looked to be in order. After Brekke and Parsons left Bohl was left scrambling to find a QB at the beginning of the summer. QB's were few and far between at that point and Troy Jackson was signed from a JUCO in CA. Recruiting wasn't what it should've been and Polasek was named the new recruiting coordinator after the 2008 recruiting class. Mertens struggled and Bohl didn't have another option at QB. They had to protect him because if Mertens would've went down there wasn't anyone ready to take over. Between coaches only puttiing in minimal effort before moving on to something better, kids leaving the program, kids getting into trouble and a lack of leadership it all hit the fan. Bohl is ultimately responsible for his team but Mertens didn't perform to expectations either. Six NDSU seniors from 2008 had a look from the NFL. NDSU was picked to win the conference. The talent was there in 2008 the game just didn't slow down for Mertens. 2009 was a disaster that can't be put solely on one individual. Too many selfish people on the team and they had to be removed. That didn't help Mertens one bit.
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I thought NDSU used all their pitchforks and torches a few years ago when they ran Nick Mertens out of town for not living up to expectations?
Mertens is a stand up guy. A perfect storm hit while he was at the helm with arrests, dismissals, coaching changes, etc. etc. Mertens kept his nose clean and worked his butt off in the classroom and on the field. Unfortunately I don't think he was able to showcase all of his talents and what he was limited to wasn't working for him. The kid is a wiz when it comes to academics. As a NDSU fan I have nothing but respect for Mertens and I think that can be said for many fellow fans. Emotions get the best of people at times. I would be willing to bet that a lot of the people who were ripping him the past few years would have a different view of him today.
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Hawaii is in a major bind. When fuel costs were lower, they probably could have gone independent in football, but with their other programs in the Big West.
Now, they really need conference football games to fill the schedule.
When the WAC lost UTEP, SMU, Tulsa, and Rice seven or eight years ago, all the sportswriters were declaring the WAC dead. In the 90's, when the MWC 8 left the WAC16, the whole sports wold declared the WAC dead. When Arizona and Arizona St left the WAC 30 some years ago, the whole sports world declared the WAC dead. The WAC always reinvents itself.
The major issue for UND is having a plan for a 15,000 seat capacity stadium in which we have to play more than half our games.
Seven years ago, NDSU made the move and didn't have a conference.
An FBS conference is available. The only ingredient missing is a 15,000 seat stadium, which means a funds must be quickly raised. An indoor practice facility is the first step, but either an addition to the Alerus or a Memorial Stadium renovation to 15,000+ is needed. FAU and FIU didn't have facilities for years that met FBS standards, yet the NCAA didn't kick them out. As long as UND has plans and is working on them, the NCAA's precedence has shown it doesn't care.
We need to think about this from an historic standpoint. When the WAC fills up again with schools, will they then go looking or North Dakota five or ten years from now? No. This is our shot.
Every school that the WAC is looking at - with the possible exception of Texas schools - are in states with major budget crisis. UND and North Dakota are in better financial shape than comparably any time in our history.
We have to recruit Texas and California for FCS recruits anyway: why not make that full commitment?
While SDSU can probably make a leap to FBS much later in the future, their budget of only $10 mill is very low for all the sports they offer even at the FCS level. USD's budget is even low compared to the low rent district of the Big Sky. Those two schools would be more than happy in the MVFC.
That said, one of the beauties of a new WAC is the ability to control costs, even at the FBS level. A major expense of FBS at most schools is paying coaches high six or even seven figures. If coaches salaries are controlled like at Sunbelt levels in a new WAC, it is affordable.
It was mentioned this spring when all the conference speculation was flying around that in order for NDSU to be relatively competitive in the FBS the school would have to raise approx. $7 million more a year. That didn't include the 22 more scholarships needed to reach the 85 allowed for football. If things really hit the fan I could see NDSU making the move but I believe they want to make the move the right way when the money and support is there. I don't think NDSU is ready to go and ask the state for $7 million more a year for athletics. I think the best thing for UND right now would be to look at the Big Sky if/when some of those schools make the move and then build from there.
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Any idea on how much it would cost a school like NDSU, or anyother school to launch a network? Also, if they did decide to launch a network, will someone like Fox College Sports automatically pick them up or is there more to it than just purchasing the equipment and telling FCS "here we are and we're ready to go national with our sports programs"???
I believe NDSU is in the process of getting a network on TV. There has been talks of FSN North possibly picking up some NDSU games and also an odd mention of a few local cable companies interested in working with NDSU. A while back there was also talk of the MVFC looking at larger regional network providers. Haven't heard much lately though. The Fargodome is installing new lighting this summer to be able to broadcast in HD. At the spring game this year the four screens would flash BSN which I assumed stood for Bison Sports Network. The ND NBC network has been a good starting point for NDSU. It is getting their product out to every home in ND. NDSU has a long ways to go and I think that they are very aware of where UND is at right now and they are working hard trying to catch up. Fox College Sports is a good network to be working with and I hope NDSU will soon have a provider with that reach. However, I think that the local market needs the most attention right now. After NDSU can get a solid footing then they can focus on finding a national provider such as FCS.
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It is pretty easy to see the amount over budget at UND for that home vs the huge amount the Chapman's put the NDSU home over budget isn't even close. The Chapmans arrogant attitude and the demands for change at NDSU were a big part of the problem. That didn't occur at UND. At UND Kelly and his wife weren't the cause of the cost over runs. Had the cost overruns at NDSU been similar we wouldn't be having this discussion.
I don't think there will be a $30,000,000 donation or anywhere near that to NDSU from Sanford Health and I doubt Denny Sanford has any interest in NDSU. I understood he was a Gopher fan. . I think Sanford Merit Care will establish a relationship to provide sports medicine support to NDSU athletics. The future relationship with NDSU is because of the location of Merit Care headquarters and I believe the Sanford CEO is related to Pat Simmers who either is or was one of the athletic dept fundraisers. There is some rethinking going on about whether or not to get into bed with NDSU until this mess is cleaned up. Sanford is also having discussions with UND and has picked up sponsorship of the UND Siouxperswing Golf outings this year. The interest in UND is to establish a similar relationship with the Med School they have with USD and possibly facilitate the relationship between the two schools. Sanford uses their Sports Med/Ortho Depts as an effective marketing tool. There is pressure to back off enthusiatic support for NDSU atheltics beyond what they will do for other area schools. The CEO may intervene based on his family relationship. It will not go over well with most MC employees.
Mercil was pissed before the new radio contract.
I would refer you to members of the SBoHE and or Dick Hanson to verify the financials woes I have referred to. I would not depend on a blog to get reliable info and there is nothing I can say that will convince the die hard fan. Best to get the info from those who you won't doubt. My source is a former NDSU student who doesn't disclose any confidential info but knows the details of the problems with Chapman. He was also smart enough to note Chapman's lack of honesty and lack of integrity years ago. I suspect review of the SBoHE meeting minutes might also be helpful. Two former Chancellors, a former interim chancellor and the attorney general of N,Dak. all exposed Chapman for what he was. Too bad no one would pay attention. Would have saved NDSU a lot of embarassment and money.
Nobody can deny that the House at NDSU was grossly over budget. The Chapman's did indeed go overboard but that doesn't minimize the fact that UND was also guilty. There is a good possibility that we wouldn't be having this discussion if things had not become so far out of control but there has been a history of deceit from all corners of the NDUS going as far back as decade. Someone was bound to slip up bad enough to attract attention from the SBoHE. Chapman obviously was arrogant enough to think that this all would go unchecked. Many people refused to believe that the Chapman's would ever do something like this. If you ever walked the campus and saw Joe and talked to him you wouldn't have believed some of the things that were said either. He was a completely different person around the students and donors. Joel Hietkamp was telling everyone he could about Joe's arrogance since day 1 on air. I think denial set in and until this all came to light a lot of people didn't think it was possible.
The Sanford deal has been kept very quiet from both sides. We do know that Sanford Health didn't deny that they were talking to NDSU. I believe within the discussion before of whether T. Denny is involved or Sanford alone was donating it was brought up that T. Denny was talking with the U of Minn about donating $35 million to the new football stadium but then pulled the plug after he couldn't get naming rights. As far as the dollar amount NDSU is looking for Hammersmith mentioned the $8 million already raised while they were trying the first time and Dr. Hanson mentioned that $29 million now had been raised during his interview at Bemidji State. I will agree that $30 million doesn't appear to be what is needed. There was a rumor floating around well before Hanson's interview that the money had already been raised for the BSA but were still working on $4-$5 million to fund the new track and BB/SB facility. How much of that is true we do not know because no one is saying a thing. T. Denny has been very generous with his money and has donated to many schools and charities in the area and it would only make sense for him to try to build a relationship with UND as well. A larger donation to NDSU would in theory make more sense right now since Sanford is trying to win over Fargo since they announced the merger. With the news of a possible donation to the Urban Plains Center as well it does appear that this could indeed be what is happening.
Many of us were well aware of Marcil's attitude before the Radio FM contract. I was trying to state that the radio move didn't help matters by any means. Some started noticing small things not too long after NDSU started fishing around for a new radio contract three years ago.
As far as the financial side goes I have a hard time believing that Hanson wouldn't bring up a $11 million deficit but run to the press about the shortfall. Forgive me if I don't feel that a former student is someone reliable enough. Yes, major red flags were raised about how Chapman was handling NDSU's business and many were in major denial but if a former student has information such as this then I am pretty confident that enough other people who need to know would know also. Something like that would have come to light by now. Dr. Hanson was hoping for the job full time and I have serious doubts that he would try to hide something like this. I would think that Hanson wouldn't want to have been tied to that in anyway just like the shortfall etc. etc.
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The problem at NDSU is not the mansion. It is the movement of funds to the atheltic dept or other Chapman projects that he wasn't authorized to move unrestricted funds to. The house at NDSU isn't his major problem but the stories coming out about Chapman and "the missus" made changes and pushed projects which increased costs demonstrates he arrogance his problem is the $11,000,000 deficit and the depletion of the reserves and how Chapman got the school to that point. One of Mercil's friends told me yesterday Mercil is not happy at all. He donated $1,000,000 to help build a home on campus for their president and Chapman fouled it up.
I think everyone at NDSU has known for quite some time that Mercil isn't happy. That isn't breaking news. I'm sure NDSU leaving WDAY for Radio FM didn't help either. However, last time I checked UND also went over budget on their mansion that Mercil donated money to build. The Chapman's obviously let their project get way out of control and made a mess of things but both Universities fouled up Mercil's $1 million dollar donation for new houses not just NDSU. I have to ask if you can direct me to a link or source about the $11 million deficit and depleted reserves because I haven't been able to find any info out there other than what you have been repeating. I haven't been able to locate any info about the Athletic Department either. All I have been able to find is the info about the foundation and the BSA. I think if any of this were to be true Dr. Hanson would've brought it to the table with everything else he found. I would also like to ask what response was given at the Sanford meeting in regards to the possible donation to NDSU?
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I will be attending meetings at Sanford Health this week. I was told Sanford-Merit Care is not making a $30,000,000 donation to NDSU by one of the administrators who should know. I will raise this very issue and voice a strong protest to the organization. We have been told that Sanford-Merit Care will be cutting benefits to physicians and maybe salaries to some physicians in the organization. I will tell you most of us will have a problem if the organization would waste that much money for NDSU athletics at the expense of physicians.
It is unclear if Sanford Health is going to be the sole donor or if Denny Sanford himself will be donating or both. We do know thanks to Dick Hanson at his Bemidji interview that NDSU has $29 million already raised. I am interested in what response you get at the meetings. Please let us know what info you can get if any.
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Just remember that the U of Minn almost jumped in bed with this guy too and backed out for some reason. He ended up donating some money for the new TCF stadium I think, but there was a lot of concern up front when he was trying to be the big cheese on that project. The guy has some stink on him.
I haven't read too much about the guy. I hope for NDSU's sake there isn't a problem.
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.... about 10 million bucks. End of story.
Honestly, when will SU supporters give up the comical gyrations attempting to explain "what Sanford has proposed for NDSU" and "the new direction they are going to take." This isn't about some grand alliance Sanford Health is proposing; this is about money to rebuild the BSA. Nothing more. Gene Taylor has been begging potential corporate donors -- someone, anyone -- to provide the bucks for this project and he stumbled on a winner when Denny Sanford, the credit card millionaire, came to town and gobbled up Meritcare. Good for Gene, and good for NDSU. It takes cash to get facilities projects completed, and this avenue is a ton better than Plan A, which was to soak taxpayers for half the cost of a basketball palace.
The SU-Sanford dealings are common knowledge. Innovis neither could nor would plunk down a $10 million donation. Taylor, to his credit, informed Innovis the AC would end the relationship no later than 2014. And Innovis decided it didn't want to play the patsy -- and continue to pay the price -- until Sanford/SU pulled the rug.
Want to know the details of the "new direction?" Check whatever arrangement Sanford has with USD and you probably have your answer. <Yawn.>
The donation that Sanford is going to "plunk" down is about $30 million. It is not just for basketball. There is talk of an addition onto the west side of the building to house NDSU's training facilities with Sanford Health and of course the indoor track/softball/baseball facility to be built where the tennis courts currently sit. It first started as a BSA renovation but has evolved into much more. NDSU is looking at a $34-$35 million dollar total upgrade of facilities. When NDSU was first looking at adding onto the Fargodome the city agreed to spending $15 million of money that is in the dome's reserve fund and NDSU had to pony up the other $15 million. Yes, those reserves came from a sales tax to help pay for the dome and that was taken off the table after the Chapman fiasco. Like I said before when all the details are released it will make more sense. The complete project details have been kept pretty quiet so far. The public doesn't know exactly what is being discussed. Innovis can't offer the kind of money that Sanford is willing to fund. Sanford is willing to come in and spend money in the community to show they are not just coming in to take over Meritcare. Sanford is talking with the Urban Plains Center also to help move their arena to the next stage of construction. This isn't about a greedy AD as much as it is about getting NDSU where it needs to be for the future and Innovis can't help them.
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Really Danno, Gene just ended a 50 year relationship for a check that isn't even written yet.
The Sanford deal is further along than most people think. NDSU/Sanford are doing a good job at keeping tight lipped on this deal until everything has been covered and discussed. What Sanford has proposed for NDSU and their athletic training facility has left Innovis out in the cold. Innovis would like to still be working with NDSU but can't compete with what is being proposed. Times have changed and NDSU's needs are different than what they were a decade ago as well as UND's. I believe that once all of the plans are released many will understand the reasoning behind the new direction they are going to take. 50 years is a long time and it is a shame it had to end the way it did. Taylor was on the Innovis board and I would be willing to bet that they were approached when NDSU was looking for a corporate donor for the new arena right away. I doubt Innovis was left in the dark as to what was happening. Innovis saw the writing on the wall and chose to end their relationship with NDSU before the news of the Sanford deal is released.
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Until the Bismarck Civic Center was built, the Fieldhouse (as Hyslop was formerly called) was the basketball mecca of North Dakota. Because it's size was so much larger than any other facility, making the State Tournament and playing in the then- 7000 seat Fieldhouse was by far the ultimate high school athletic experience and was a palace by college standards. Grand Forks not only had great college and high school teams in the 60's and early 70's, but was the cultural center for North Dakota basketball for two decades. Names like Phil Jackson, Bill Fitch, Jimmie Rodgers, Glen Hansen, Reed Monson were all-time historical BB greats in the state and all were in GF within a few short years.
Maybe lacrosse will be the next wave.
Hyslop was very nice in its day. The Municipal Auditorium in Minot was a great venue also. I remember quite a few class B tournaments there. It wasn't quite what Hyslop was but when you come from a small town with a gym just big enough to fit a court inside of it both of those venues were amazing to play in.
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You wanna make any bets about there being any upsets during the next couple days of the tournament? If there is I'll make a bet with you about which game will lead off Sportcenter, the upset game of the NCAA tournament or any hockey or baseball game you choose.
My point was your never going to get the kids to be better than a bottom 20 team in the NCAA without a chance to play in the tournament.
It will also be hard finding a conference for your football team if you can't find a conference that sponsors all sports. The MVFC wouldn't even consider the XDSU's until they were in a conference for all other sports. Independents have a hard time making ends meet minus Notre Dame. Without a conference your athletic teams could struggle and money could become extremely tight. But like it has been stated before teams are constantly on the move. UND is stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Either drop the name and risk upsetting donors or keep the name and wait for this to play out and hope that a conference is looking for a member when the dust settles. I think a low major conference like the Summit will always be looking. You just might have to wait a few years for something to come around and if you think that the athletic department can afford to continue on as an independant for a few years then maybe the nickname fight should continue. Mega dollars have already been spent on keeping the nickname it would make sense to continue on until the final deadline.
Big Sky Football Schedules 2011-2015
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I would have to go back and look but I have been turned away a few times for tickets the past couple of years. I believe their season average is close to the Fieldhouse capacity. You have me curious now I'll have to go and take a look.