Ole in MSP

In spite of whomever was the best or worst team in the Dakotas that year, the loss by UND to SFU was probably the most embarassing loss in school history. It fits well with the losses by UM to NDSU and USD with Mason and Brewster at the helm. Whether Mussman can erase that loss with future success remains to be seen, but undoubtedly it is a scar on his resume in my book along with an embarassing performance at Idaho and a very poor performance at SDSU last year. The games at NIU and TT were moral victories to an extent, but perhaps those teams overlooked UND like UND overlooked SFU. The game is one of emotion. As coaching goes, performance can be impacted by rhetoric or game plan. I am still unconvinced that Mussman is the guy to lead this program to the level it needs to be. I will give him two more years. Looking for a really good year this year with perhaps one major upset. If not, then maybe a coaching change is in order.

I personally am not a big fan (yet) of lacrosse, BUT it is probably the fastest growing HS sport in Minnesota especially the metro area. It certainly deserves a serious look by UND in the very near future.

Don't be so arrogant. Losing UW and or UM from UND's schedule would definitely be a negative in midwest sports exposure. As a 50+ year Sioux hockey fan I would hate to see us lose these rivalries over a nickname. Let's move on and quickly. This has taken enough time and money. It is time to get on with life in the 21st century. FB and other sports need this also. Sorry to offend those of you who insist on beating this dead subject, but the time has come to move on.

Or maybe even neighboring Minnesota. I happened to drive by a suburban St Paul Middle School the other day and saw close to 50 kids outside for a Phy Ed. class and they were all decked out with LaCrosse gear and having a ball. Amazing how popular it is getting. Neighbor kid is home from Dayton U for the summer and is out in the cul de sac playing "catch" with his HS buddies using their lacrosse "sticks"? I agree, drop SB and Baseball and invest the money elsewhere.

As I have said before since I live in the Twin Cities I have a personal interest in seeing UND play midwest schools. I want to see them play at least one midwest FBS program a year i.e. at Minnesota (drop the Sioux name, it is time to move on), ISU/Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Mizzou, KU/KSU, Nebraska etc. much what NDSU, SDSU, and USD have begun to do. In addition play up either East or West, play the MAC schools, play anyone, but limit ourselves to one DII or downplay a year or less. North Dakota in spite of the climate is becoming a stronger economic and employment opportunity. It is way past time to move the whole athletic program forward, not just hockey.

I see a number of Bison shirts here in the Twin Cities. Not a statistical samply by any means, but the vast majority are on overweight younger women. Rarely see a guy with Bison gear on here. Again, not statistically significant, just casual observation.

Watching the Today Show this morning on NBC national audience. Teenage kid in front row of the crowd behind Al Roker with a Sioux shirt. Lots of fans out there getting exposure. Go Sioux!

Agreed that TT and NIU were good games. Had to cancel plans to attend the NIU game at the last minute. TT is a long trip. Fresno is a great program, but not going to generate much press for UND unless the Sioux win. True, NDSU has played some patsies, but KSU has had their moments in the last 10 years under Snyder and I think he is back. Wyoming is a FCS team masquerading as BCS and probably should move back to FCS. Playing Black Hills does nothing for anybody. Would be better off playing Minot State or Mary. Here in the MSP market ISU, KSU, Iowa, UW, KU, Mizzou, UMinn etc. are regional and close enough for alums to drive to games. Fresno, San Diego, etc. not so much. Do you recall the number of Bison fans at the Metrodome when they beat the Gophers? I thought that was great and would like to see UND in that position or elsewhere in the midwest area. One last note, KSU must have scared Jose Moeller right out of NDSU, he is leaving per the Herald. Interesting.

KSU had some really good years under Bill Snyder/Schneider(sp) a few years ago and I understand he is back(?) Manhattan sucks, true. Used to be a dry county, still? For recruiting purposes, not far from KC and a relatively easy drive for road fans. Still, not a bad opportunity for some midwest exposure for the Bison. Will UND's exposure in San Diego, Fresno, Idaho, and Laramie be front page news in the Midwest or East, not hardly. In the West, maybe. How many UND fans are going to those games? Get your reservations early.

Saw this theme of supporing other sports as well as your post on "community" about the Bison trying to schedule the Huskers. Several points: 1) People(alums, locals, students) all need to get onto this multisport support if they can reasonably afford it and get to GF for games as well as any road events. 2) These same "people" need to realize that even though hockey has been the identifying sport for UND to date, going forward as a D1 school, the national and regional media and general public will be far more impressed by other sports success like FB, MBB, and WBB. Not to say that hockey should be diminished, but UND fans, especially hockey fans, need to realize that the prestige of the school from an athletic standpoint will be based on also supporting these other offerings. With limited entertainment dollars, getting that could be a factor in the future of UND athletics and leads me to 3) Why O why does Faison APPEAR to lose out on the OOC FB scheduling front? Is this a name thing? Is it a support thing? Is it a ego thing? NDSU scheduling at KSU is pretty great, Nebraska would be even greater. Why can't UND arrange similar games, KU BB not withstanding? Someone needs to get some answers and soon because the other Dakota schools are moving forward quickly as bonafide D1 programs in all sports. Is UND falling behind?

I have been as critical as anyone of Faison and the Sioux FB schedules. The only reason he could be so conservative in his scheduling now with the BSC schedule locked up is he feels he can do better than the regional universities. That may be short sighted or maybe he can pull off some real surprises. Optimistically lets hope he can pull off some big name games. Otherwise not scheduling these 4 former NCC opponents could backfire for years. I hear he has been working to schedule Wisconsin for some time. Playing the Big 10 is going to get tougher and tougher with Nebraska in the fold as well as those Big 10 schools looking to upgrade their NC schedules. Time will tell, but as critical of Faison as I have been, he has pulled off the BSC entry and just maybe he has more to show us.

The "old" Northern League, when GF had the Chiefs as Class A minor league farm clubs for the Pirates and Indians did not start until Memorial Day and as I recall had the playoffs pretty much complete in very early September. Used to go to the games as a kid and "froze" even in June. There is a reason that most good college BB teams are from the southern and western states. Weather, period.

Not wanting to be a negative Nelly, as some on here always think I am, but given the level of play last year and the deficiencies at WR and QB, UND would have to improve dramatically at those positions with very young talent to beat the Bison. It just is not realistic right now. Frankly I was really embarassed by the Sioux performances last year against USD, and against SDSU and Idaho. Even more so than getting ambushed by Sioux Falls as that was damn poor preparation. NDSU beat MSU badly on the road and almost beat the ultimate national champion. UND has a program that is improving quickly, but we have to be honest with ourselves that NDSU has done an excellent job in the transition to FCS football and right now would win 4 out of 5 times. A couple years from now hopefully it would be 50/50. Even though KU and Minnesota were weak programs at the time, beating them has to be recognized as well done. Until UND gets over than hump or we are in the FCS playoffs we do not have much to say.

I love the game of BB, but even when I lived in GF I was always amazed that UND fielded a BB team with the ugly weather usually in Spring usually into early June. My vote would be to end the program and use the finances elsewhere.

Why is this SU discussion on this website? Go home.

Sober up!

Agree. Not a fan of NDSU or some of their fans either, but by and large they would be the best fit for the BSC and for UND. An eastern/northern division of 7 with UND, NDSU, UM, MSU, UNC, and perhaps ISU and EWU and an southern/western division of CP, PSU, Weber, NAU, SUU, UCD, and Sac State seems like a nice conference too me with an oppty for a championship game if two teams would not be likely for the FCS playoffs. Also might be conducive to move up to FBS later. Am I repeating something some else has proposed earlier. If so, sorry.

It would also be interesting to compare UND to like schools in FCS that play D1 hockey i.e. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont etc. There may be others too.

I agree. I grew up with the NDSU rivalry and for 40 years thought it was the greatest thing in college FB. As time goes on and they do not play my interest wanes and especially now that UND has found a home and schedule it may be time to move on and create a new identity. I do think any possible games against USD should take priority however, much like the Mizzou vs KU rivalry or the UW vs U Minn contests. NDSU will always be a nemesis of some sort and I have been an advocate to play again, but obviously they feel they have moved on and so should UND. Too bad, but I think both have solid plans in place for future success. A playoff game down the road? Wow, wouldn't that be an event!

Just saw this on the site at 2:45 CDT. Great news! Cannot complain about this at all. Fit a FBS game in once a year (or the Bison) and I am happy. Funny, I was on the Big Sky website just this morning looking for info (nothing on UND or FB at all then) and this happens 3 hours later. Amazing! Probably going to pick up some frequent flier miles out west. Now we only have to suffer thru 2011's schedule. Where do you guys find the Wyoming, Bob Morris, and Valpo games listed, Wiki? PS Glad I am so popular!

Was at UND the same time as Phil. Over the years I thought he would be a really great alumni asset. As time goes on I realize that he has not loved UND like most alums do. Not sure why, but he has not developed a warm spot in his heart for his alma mater and it began long before the Sioux name controversy. He is just what I would call a strange personality, maybe that is what makes him so successful as a coach.

I have only been there once, but the Alerus is a nice facility that unfortunately should have been built with seating in the endzones and a total of 15000 or more. This discussion would not happen had that been done. Also, the decision to seat only 3000 at the Betty was very short sighted, should have been 6000.

I think the more appropriate approach is to realize that playing college baseball in GF without an indoor stadium prior to May 15th is pretty futile. Years ago when GF was a farm club for the Pirates and Indians they did not start the season until late May or early June realizing the weather was always going to be a factor at this latitude. UND would be better served, nothing against the dedicated current players, to look hard at how the funding for BB could be redistributed. The SB and BB teams have shown to be great student athletes, but the burden of the weather and the travel they endure makes these programs unsustainable at a competitive level in D1.

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. This is why this program needs to win, increase its exposure in the midwest, and play up to the big midwest universities. My money is sitting and waiting for this opportunity, but I am not getting any younger. I want UND to play big schools in the midwest now, not 10 years from now.

You are right. I have not been happy with Sioux FB during the transition and I am pretty sure that I am not alone based on attendance and results on the field. Of the 4 Dakota schools UND was the top program at the time each one announced their move to D1, since then UND has dropped to the bottom of the 4. Does that make you happy?