Ole in MSP

I am not a Midco customer, I cannot be, but I am a Directv and Fox customer. We are trying to appeal to UND to work with these people to get this back to at least the coverage we had the last few years. At a time when this FB program is really starting to blossom, we lose TV coverage in an area of the upper midwest where we have large alumni presence. That is a great marketing and recruiting strategy.

I really do not want to watch the Big Sky game of the week, I want to watch UND each week. I had a package that had like 205 channels that is no longer marketed and today switched to get this game on 687 to a similar package with 203 channels. But, Directv also said I needed to get the sports package, maybe not for 239-1, but for 687 and 683. It was too late to check if I could get 239-1 without the sports package as I wanted to get the game on. Again, these gyrations are a pain compared to how good we had it. I guess the Alums outside of ND will not see a lot more UND football unless Midco and Fox get their act together for next season. Hard to believe with all the alums in Minnesota and Wi there is not more effort to get this done. Once the fans are gone, it is tough to get them back as witnessed by the empty seats again today.

All of this is understandable, but when the Directv guide says the game is on channel 239-1 and channels 687 and 683 you expect it to be there, without having to spend the first half of the game trying to figure out how you are going to get them. Ultimately as I said in another post, I had to change my Directv package and add sports package at higher cost to get the same thing for one game that I had the last several years. Very frustrating. Anyway, enjoyed that ending, wish I could have seen the first half.

Sorry, I tried that earlier thinking I was home free to watch it there. It did not come in on that channel until I changed the contract package I had for the last many years and had to add the sports package for another $13 a month. In addition, the game today is the only UND game on this year so it is expensive for one game. Can't Midco work out something with Root and with Fox to get these games on in the upper midwest region where there are so many alums?

The America One is a streaming site only right? It works, not today, but it works. It is not the same as a Directv Fox College Sports experience which we had all last year. The Midco contract needs to get updated to include Fox Sports somewhere in the region. Realize the market UND is not now telecasting into for FB, all of southern Mn, Wisc etc. This is still a recruiting area with huge numbers of Alumni who do not want to sit in a bar all day Saturday to watch.

Sorry, but last year with the package for DTV I had I could watch virtually every game. Now I have to change my DTV package and add a sports package for another $13 a month to watch what, one FB game? Sorry, but the contract with the BSC has left those of us in the MSP and Western Wisconsin unable to watch UND FB this year.

Do we have any RB's other than a tiny Miller and a sick Sutton? Miller up the gut on 3rd and 3, absurd.

I can get it with a $13 sports pack per month, but I need to change my whole DTV package in order to get the game today. Plus no coverage on American One Big sky network on line. What a bunch of $%^&*(). Guess I will listen to it, but this is really crap Mr. Hajdu!!!!!

Game is supposed to be on channel 239-1 Directv FREE! Need to subsrcibe to get these two, another ridiculous move by our PR dept. not having game in Midwest on DTV.

Yes, I live in the TC and went to the games in '73-74 when we played them statistically even in '73 when Upchurch was the only difference. I would love to see UND play them again. I would be overjoyed to see UND beat them as NDSU and USD did. The Gopher fans are fickle and will only support a winner. As I get older the number of opptys for this to happen in my lifetime get slimmer, but I keep hoping. This year the offense is good enough to do it, but the defense would be a serious problem as is well known. Beating the Gophers is the best thing for all the Dakota teams to enjoy because it is so satisfying and they take it so hard.

The hockey relationship with the Gophers probably is a negative in scheduling a FB game. First it was the nickname issue, though Maturi would have overlooked that if the Board of Regents would have ok'd, but the overall vibes with the hockey programs are not positive with the hockey community in the MSP area. At best the situation is neutral on playing UND in FB based on the hockey situation. A lot of UND fans would show up for a FB game especially playing early in the season at TCF. UM is taking a lot of heat about dropping UNC, but a game against UND might be a financial wash and gain some valuable or invaluable publicity, depending on how it goes. The Gophers program is better now than when NDSU and USD beat them, but not much. Still, UND would have to improve considerably to realistically have a chance to upset them.

If you overlook the obvious lack of discipline that Meirkort had with his teams at USD, he was the best coach USD has had in years. He beat Minnesota and he had UND beat until his guys got cute and beat UND the 2 years before if memory serves correctly. His teams played well at several FBS venues and he had a great recruiting record. Too bad about his departure, but if he were still at USD I would bet they would upset the Bison this weekend. I thought the guy was a hell of a coach. Not impressed with some of the issues that arose, and he had his negatives, but he had USD play some great games.

Big Dance? Big Question= Can Jones coach??? Can Huff be a team player? Can they shoot FT's at 60%? Will any of the new Big Guys be able to play? Lots of questions. Season could be memorable OR it could be forgettable. Time will tell, but I think there are still unanswered questions about this program. I hope the result is the best UND MBB season in many years, but there are a lot of unknowns.

I thought that back during best Lennon and DII years that UND recruited FB athletes in general and had a philosophy to put the very best athletes on defense. The result was top notch defenses. Do I recall correctly, can anyone support that or refute it? I may be generalizing too much.

Didn't you enjoy watching the Gophers vs MSU or St Cloud against UNH on Directv last night? UND TV coverage this year has really suffered for both FB and Hockey. Too bad.

Agreed, nice to run a clean program with kids who have integrity and will be future model citizens, but also would like to see some signature wins etc. as well. I think both are achievable.

Here is an interesting tidbit. NAU beat UNLV at Las Vegas by 3. So did the Gophers, by 3 in OT. So if you can compare, and I know you cannot, if UND plays well and does beat NAU in GF, on the road for NAU, then UND should be able to claim they would beat the Gophers. Not that that is a major accomplishment, but it does indicate some level of performance. To be perfectly honest, if UND beats NAU it will be a major upset based on recent performances, but it is possible. I started the season as a real believer, but the injury to Hanson and the performance of the Defense has put me in a real negative mood about this team. I hope it changes, but I am not a Muss fan and I hope the kids prove me and the critics wrong. I would love to see this FB program succeed.

This program has had 5 years to get ready for this. Considering how good EWU may be, I think Muss has to finish at 500 or better this year and with a favorable home schedule next year he must win 7 or more and either make the playoffs or be very close. Anything less and it is time to move on and find a new guy. Tolerating mediocrity while the UDDER school continues to excel will not sit well with me or any other alumni.

Jackson dropped the ball true, but Marcus has to learn some "touch" on the ball. Every pass does not need to penetrate a brick wall. Later in the game he had a guy wide open on the far side and overthrew him by 7 yards. I think that is what Muss saw early, Marcus seems to get so much adrenaline going that he just overthrows it too often. I think had Jackson caught that ball the early complexion of the game would have changed dramatically. Again, throw a catchable ball is just as important as fitting it in there when the guy is wide open.

Can anyone refresh my memory, did Mussman get a contract extension recently? I admire his enthusiasm, but his teams seem to be immature and unprepared far too often. EWU is talented, but UND has made numerous mistakes in this game. It should probably be more like 24-17. If the D can hold them to 7 the rest of the way we may have a chance, but I doubt they can do it. Continue to play like this and we may be well below .500 by year end.

UND is playing their patented "Swiss cheese" defense again tonight. Looks like the same sort of plan on the kickoff team!

You forgot that Taylor and his ego are scared to death of playing UND in FB cuz he could lose, again, and that would set the Bison program back 10 years.

We look like Crookston State. What a $%^&* defense. Muss better come up with something soon or this could get embarassing.

Gophers started reading the MSP newspapers again about bowl games etc. Happens all the time when they have a team that is mediocre or better. Been going on for 40+ years. Big Ten just sucks period.

Meierkort was a very good coach, he had his problems, but USD will definitely suffer without him.