ShilohSioux

Then I'm assuming they are not planning on adding a 14th/12th member at this time, or splitting into divisions for football then? With 13 teams, is the Big Sky still guaranteed only one post-season football playoff spot?

What I was referring to here was that, with a 13-team conference, there's no guarantee we'll get both of the Montana schools on our schedule each year, or if we'll get one of them at home each season. That's why it would be nice if they'd add one more team, so they'd split into divisions. Every division scenario would place us with Montana and MSU, meaning annual games with each -- likely one at home and one away.

Plus @San Diego State (the "other" SDSU) Central Arkansas @USD (if we can keep that one on the schedule after they join the MVFC) Hopefully we get one of the Montana schools home each year.

Even with Summit membership, NDSU played Mayville and Valley this year. SDSU played Mayville and SW Minnesota State. These are in addition to the "exhibition" games that typically start a season.

Playing NDSU, USD and possibly SDSU and UNI annually would be great from a fan's and attendance perspective. However, I wonder if we'll be able to play all those non-conference games if the Big Sky is going to a 20-game conference schedule, as was rumoured. That only leaves 8 non-conference games. Yes, there's room, but generally don't they like to play a couple of easy games to warm up -- Mayville, Valley, Minot, etc... And perhaps a Holiday tournament?

Yes, I know. It was a (lame) attempt to cover my error -- note embarrassed smiley face.

Well, 2012 is next year.

Could be. Here's comparisons for the past decade, which includes "the last few years of NCC play and DI transition years." Will be interesting to see what happens next year with supposedly 20 BSC games -- none of them doubleheaders. Men/Women 2009-10 – 1,919 / 1,938 2008-09 – 1,623 / 2,027 2007-08 – 1,865 / 1,900 2006-07 – 2,188 / 2,048 2005-06 – 2,279 / 2,230 2004-05 – 2,791 / 2,313 2003-04 – 2,550 / 2,387 2002-03 – 3,423 / 2,566 2001-02 – 3,857 / 2,843 2000-01 – 2,987 / 2,539 1999-00 – 2,933 / 2,546

80. Drake NDSU's 2011 non-league opponents: 104. Lafayette 112. St. Francis

Agree, men's numbers should go up when we join the Big Sky, particularly if we're competitive and in the top tier. I gotta believe the doubleheaders benefit the women more than the men, although as a basketball fan and father to two basketball-playing daughters I find the women's team right now and in recent years as entertaining as the men's team. I wonder what will happen to the women's numbers without the doubleheaders. Hopefully they will be a contender most years and those numbers will remain or increase without sharing the gate with the men.

The women are outdrawing the men (again) according to Great West Conference website. Women's Attendance: North Dakota 1,699 South Dakota 812 Utah Valley 494 Houston Baptist 369 Chicago State 330 NJIT 255 Texas – Pan American 254 Men's Attendance: Utah Valley 1,894 North Dakota 1,485 Chicago State 1,299 South Dakota 1,118 Texas – Pan American 775 Houston Baptist 751 NJIT 384 Here's how we're doing against Big Sky teams so far this year. Important to note BSC does not play doubleheaders like we do in the Great West. Women's Attendance – Big Sky Teams Montana 2,917 North Dakota 1,699 Montana State 1,350 Weber State 1,001 Idaho State 990 Northern Colorado 958 Eastern Washington 888 Portland State 640 Northern Arizona 319 Sacramento State 219

Here's how we'd stack up in the Big Sky, although I believe playing in the BSC alone will cause attendance to rise somewhat. Winning there would help even more. Men's Attendance – Big Sky Teams Weber State 5,878 Montana 3,890 Montana State 2,870 Northern Colorado 1,999 Idaho State 1,832 North Dakota 1,485 Eastern Washington 1,056 Portland State 932 Northern Arizona 659 Sacramento State 624

Women are outdrawing the men so far according to Great West Conference website. With most remaining games doubleheaders, where attendance will count the same for both squads, it looks like the women likely will outdraw the men this year: Women's Attendance: North Dakota 1,699 South Dakota 812 Utah Valley 494 Houston Baptist 369 Chicago State 330 NJIT 255 Texas – Pan American 254 Men's Attendance: Utah Valley 1,894 North Dakota 1,485 Chicago State 1,299 South Dakota 1,118 Texas – Pan American 775 Houston Baptist 751 NJIT 384

Defending Big Sky champion Montana State's 2011 schedule is out: One FBS game, one Division II newby, and one FCS team. Sept 1 @ University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT SEPT 10 UC DAVIS BOZEMAN, MT SEPT 17 MINOT STATE BOZEMAN, MT Sept 24 *@ Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA OCT 1 *SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY BOZEMAN, MT Oct 8 * @ Portland State University Portland, OR OCT 15 * * NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY BOZEMAN, MT Oct 23 * @ Northern Colorado University Greeley, CO OCT 29 * IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY BOZEMAN, MT Nov 5 * @ Weber State University Bozeman, MT NOV 12 OPEN NOV 19 * UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA BOZEMAN, MT

Looks like 57-percent for the 1999-2002 cohort (latest numbers). That's compared to 33-percent nationally for college men's hockey players. I think overall graduation rates for entering UND freshmen are around 55-60 percent so this is comparable to overall student body. http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/nH8egsr2009Div2/494.pdf http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/nH8einst2009Div2/494.pdf

They weren't random numbers but my read on what I'm reading on these forums and hearing out there. Not saying they are accurate, and they should be adjusted by the knowledgeable people on this forum, but they aren't just "thrown out there" or a "guess" either.

A poll doesn't necesarily reflect what might be selected. I wasn't interested in the most popular choice among those of us on this forum, but what we think might be selected in the end. The odds above were meant as a starting point for discussion. Feel free to adjust them.

There's another thread to suggest and debate names. I started this one to see what people thought the odds were for some of the more likely candidates, or the ones that were most commonly tossed around on the other threads. I agree there are a lot of options so if you have others than those listed above, would you mind posting the odds you think exist for selecting it. Looks like we have these to add to the list above: Norse North Stars Force of the North Just plain ol' North Dakota with no mascot From above: Spirit 5:2 RoughRiders 3:1 Cavalry 5:1 Force of the North 7:1 Aviators/Pilots 8:1 Nodaks 10:1 Nokotas 10:1 Mustangs 10:1 Rangers 20:1 Warriors 50:1 Suhaki 1,000,000:1

Trying to make sure I'm following all the blogs. What have I missed? · UND Sports Information · Sioux Sports Talk (SiouxSports.com) · Tom's Take (Grand Forks Herald) · Wayne's World (Grand Forks Herald) · Sioux Football Insider Plus the seasonal player blogs like this one: http://www.fightings...DB_OEM_ID=13500

What do you place the odds? Better than RoughRiders?

Was wondering what the Vegas odds would be on some of the proposed new names that have a better chance. Assuming the Legislature isn't able to force the NCAA and university administration to keep the Sioux name, how about these for a starting point: RoughRiders 3:1 Cavalry 5:1 Aviators/Pilots 8:1 Nodaks 10:1 Nokotas 10:1 Mustangs 10:1 Rangers 20:1 Warriors 50:1

Coyote Fan, how do you assess your chances next year in the Summit? Selfishly, I wish you were hanging around the Great West one more year with us. (I think if Sioux fans were to pick a team to cheer for in the Summit, it would be USD).

I think the original question was what is the #1 followed sports team in North Dakota. I think most of us (including us who are only mild hockey fans) can agree it's the Fighting Sioux hockey program. No question. Same with which team or program has the most visibility in the Upper Midwest and nationally (although I don't think too many people out West or down South know UND has a hockey team, but they do in "hockey country"). If the question moves to "what is the favorite sport in North Dakota?" that becomes trickier. I would guess both football and basketball trump hockey when you look at the entire state. Many more grow up playing those sports and cheering on their high school teams than they do hockey. And there's a reason why Minot State, Dickinson State, Mayville State, Valley State, Jamestown, Mary and NDSU all have football and basketball teams, but not hockey. Just my opinion though, based on observations and anecdotes....no stats to back it up.

Yep, attendance does reflect this. North Dakota 1999

I'm wondering, if we remain an outlier in the Big Sky, with no travel partner, if we could host games on Friday-Saturday. Teams would be coming our way for only one game so travel between Grand Forks and another town wouldn't be an issue.