fightingsioux4life

I just voted Roughriders.

It starts at 8am CT on Monday. So another 12 hours until the polls open.

Btw, how would you know my views on Bernie Sanders? I don't think I have brought him up on this forum. Just curious.

I have heard that tired old line so many times I don't even flinch anymore.

The fact that you are trying to make this about me proves I struck a nerve. Therefore, I did my job.

Which is another reason not to vote for it.

....and the fact those two names are just not all that good. Marketing wasn't as sophisticated back in the 1930's and 40's as it is today.

The Fighting Sioux Hardliners can't have "UND/North Dakota". So they are latching onto the next best thing....Nodaks. It is so bland, so unimaginative, that maybe (just maybe) the Fighting Sioux name will live on as an "unofficial" nickname. After all, the NCAA would be powerless to do anything about it, right? Their double-secret wet dream, of course, is to reinstate the Fighting Sioux name and logo and live with the sanctions that would accompany them. After all, hockey doesn't have to host regionals to be successful in the playoffs and none of the other sports ever have or ever will matter. But they know that isn't going to happen, so they have settled on their third choice and that seems to be Nodaks. That is the real motive for voting Nodaks. Any questions?

But the editorial board endorsed Sundogs, so there is dissention even within the walls of the Heraldo. I think it is safe to say that no name will receive 50%+1 in the initial round of voting and that this will go to a run-off.

On the eve of this historic and critical election, here are my final critiques of each name on the ballot, in my order of preference: 1) Roughriders: Connected to North Dakota. Unique within the realm of the NCAA. Marketable. Many good logo ideas. Rolls off the tongue (Riders, Ridas, etc.). Should stand the test of time. Those are my reasons for making this my first choice on the initial ballot. And I couldn't care less if a high school in Grand Forks uses it or not. 2) North Stars (or Stars): Would mesh nicely with our school colors. Unique within the realm of the NCAA. Marketable. Has a nice "northern" theme that meshes nicely with our state and our geography. Should stand the test of time. And I couldn't care less if it's Minnesota's official state motto; how many people are even aware of that? And so what if it pi$$es off Minnesotans who don't like us? That's actually a fringe benefit with this choice. It could also be shortened to "Stars" to make it roll off the tongue better. 3) Fighting Hawks: "Fighting" adjective at the front suggests fierceness and competitiveness. Marketable. Should stand the test of time. Many good logo ideas. Not unique within the NCAA at all, but I think we could differentiate it enough to make it ours. 4) Nodaks: Where do I begin? Plain, dull, bland, was used before and then discarded. Very few logo ideas, not very marketable. Does not roll off the tongue at all. Will likely not stand the test of time anymore than "Maroon and Grey" did for Grand Forks Central. Is probably a clandestine attempt to remain "UND/North Dakota" after that option was not included on the ballot. Which, in the minds of the Fighting Sioux hardliners is the next best thing to reinstating the Fighting Sioux name and logo and living with the sanctions that would accompany them. Many, many reasons to dislike this choice. But it still isn't as bad as..... 5) Sundogs: And now we have reached the bottom of the barrel. Where do I begin? Was the choice of the radical, on-campus PC group B.R.I.D.G.E.S. (we could stop there, but this is way too easy). Is also the choice of the larger PC community (just open up the editorial pages of the Heraldo if you doubt this). Is lame, milk toast and cartoonish. Is based on a weather phenomenon, which usually doesn't work very well. Will probably leave us with the friendly family dog as the logo/mascot (no offense meant to animal lovers and pet owners, I am both). Will not likely stand the test of time as it will have way too many detractors. So there is my critique of the ballot options. Whatever you support, get out and vote.

Nodaks is not going to win. I will say it right now....it will not finish in the top two. The top two will be Roughriders (which is a popular choice despite all the brazen attempts to slander it) and Fighting Hawks (because of the "Fighting", not because of the "Hawks"). And I could live with either of those. I am voting Roughriders....the Climax-Fisher Rule notwithstanding.

What? I didn't know William Marcil was a communist?

Wait...I thought NDSU was supposed to run the table from now on and do it quite easily.....oops, I guess not. I guess that Rose Bowl match-up with (insert any big-time FBS team) will have to wait a few (hundred) more years, huh?

I wouldn't even call the first class a real recruiting class; the coaches had only a couple of months to put it together. Let's call it one and one-half recruiting classes.

I think Dennis is just kissing up to the Republican-sucking Forum Communications. I guess a guy has to be able to feed his family, right?

Now, let's not jump to conclusions. We'll get there, it just will take time.

Careful, you'll get called out by iramurphy like I was.

No, no, no! Have you forgotten already? NDSU is swimming in cash (like Scrooge McDuck) and can do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Never, ever doubt the infallibility of the Imperial Cass-Clay County media conglomerates. They know all and see all.

I think Maine has had some lean years recently, so I can understand them being excited with a tie against us. It's not much different than with us and our football program right now, just looking for some light at the end of the tunnel.

In the 1st quarter when we muffed that punt, one of their guys grabbed the ball, sprinted to the 5 yard line and then moonwalked in. The ball was moved back to where ISU recovered it, but that punk is fortunate he didn't get a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on that.

Haha....you must have me confused with someone else. I haven't had an "October meltdown" for several years now. My meltdowns happen if we start laying eggs down the home stretch to the playoffs or in the NCHC playoffs because you need to be playing your best hockey during that point of the season. This is one game in October. If this was to happen in February or March, then I would have some concerns. These freshmen have some terrific upside to them.

It's one game in early October. Not worth being upset over.

Well, Brad Schlossman has educated us on that pretty well, right?