fightingsioux4life

I don't think a kid has to go straight to the NHL right out of college to justify leaving early, but I think they should be close enough to the big leagues so that they get called up once or twice during their first AHL season. That keeps you on the radar of the organization and you won't get pushed aside by prospects that are coming after you that look more NHL ready and get the call-ups you could have gotten. I think Bochenski leaving early was a mistake; he has been up and down (mostly down) in his career and hasn't stuck with any NHL club for long. These kids have a short window to get called up and establish themselves in the NHL and once they get "too old", they will be pushed aside by front offices and be stuck in the minors until they retire. And that really is a shame. As for this argument that it's good to leave early because you get more games against better players and will develop quicker, that really sounds like an argument for the Major Junior route and not an argument for leaving after one or two years of college hockey. If kids don't like the idea of playing fewer games for no money, they shouldn't have chosen the college route in the first place. UND has a proven track record for developing talent for the next level and I think Nelson would have benefited from at least one more year of that. And I do think it will be harder than he and some of the posters on here think it will be. But, that aside, I do wish him well.

If "Prime Minister" Al Carlson hadn't introduced this in the Legislature in the first place, the name would have been retired by now. That is a fact you cannot spin your way out of because of what some UND coaches and supporters did or did not do. I do think it was a mistake for Hakstol and Roebuck to come out and push this law, but the Legislature could have done the intelligent thing and voted it down. They did not. They demonstrated a total lack of leadership and responsibility to the State and the institutions that we all support thru our tax dollars. I think it's time that we make it clear to current Legislators that they run the risk of becoming FORMER Legislators if they don't do what it takes to save UND from this black hole.

The truth hurts, doesn't it son?!?! Go back to Bisonville and revel in our problems there; don't pollute this forum with your "it's your own fault" garbage.

You think "Prime Minister" Al Carlson wouldn't have stuck his nose in this if the SBoHE wasn't the one calling the shots? He would have done it just to feed his ego and possibly set up a run for state-wide office in the future.

BULL CRAP! Let me make it crystal clear for you, since you support the Ag College in North Dakota. The UND Alumni Association was officially NEUTRAL during the whole nickname debate. I get the Alumni Association magazine and it was explained in there that the Alumni Association didn't want to take a stand on it because the issue was divisive for UND alumni. Tim O'Keefe did come out and say he wish he had spoken out against the nickname law sooner, but that doesn't make the entire institution responsible for what has happened. Individuals e-mailed Legislators and told them to vote for this asinine law. The Legislators, instead of looking at the facts in this case, crapped their pants and voted for it. UND officials are ready and willing to drop the name and logo and move on, but since UND is not a private school, they cannot do whatever they want. Bottom Line: This whole episode is the fault of "Prime Minister" Al Carlson and his minions in the Legislature (I think one of the most backwater institutions in the United States). The fact that you and other supporters of Ag Tech are supporting and defending him speaks volumes about the true motives of all the UND haters on Bisonville. And it's ugly to listen to.

Then I think it's time to put pressure on these people for the upcoming 2012 elections. Make it clearly known that if Legislators support keeping the name and logo at all costs, they will not get your vote. Period. And I think it's time for a recall of "Prime Minister" Al Carlson. He is causing great harm to one of the greatest institutions in North Dakota and he needs to pay the price for it.

This is pure nonsense and hogwash and you know it. UND's "lack of control" is the same "lack of control" that denied NDSU another tuition increase. The SBoHE is in charge of UND, NDSU and 9 other institutions. If they tell UND to keep using the name and logo because "Prime Minister" Al Carlson's asinine law says so, then that is what they are forced to do. And the petitions are NOT being coordinated by Kelley, Faison or anyone else (O'Keefe) affiliated with UND. Nice try with the spin, but you fail. I shouldn't expect anything less from an NDSU backer.

My apologies. I am just a loose cannon right now. This is without question the WORST ruling this court has EVER handed down.

But keeping the name and logo at all costs would be expensive for UND as well. And if "Prime Minister" Al Carlson overplays his hand on this, it could backfire even with people that support the name. I would not lose any sleep over that.

Yes indeed. These are dark times for the Empire.

Go read the Sioux Nickname forum. That makes the Nelson decision look like small potatoes.

Pot-Kettle-Black. Those who can't, teach.

Really? How much money do you want to put down on that? And while we are waiting, the FB program will be decimated by bad recruiting and scheduling. There won't be much left to salvage. But it's "a small price to pay", so I should just shut up, right? Guess again.

The ND Supreme Court has revealed today just how spineless they really are. They are going to wait until the June primary vote so that if the "repeal the repeal" effort is voted down, they don't have to rule on the law and tick people off in the process. I think they also are worried about setting a precedent for future relations between the SBoHE and the ND Legislature. Well boys, that's part of your job and you can't handle it you should step down and let someone else take over.

According to the nickname-at-all-costs crowd, it's "a small price to pay". Unless the ND Supreme Court acts before July 1st, 2012, we'll all find out just how big a price this is going to be.

I don't think adding one more line on the June ballot will make it much more expensive, but I get your point.

This isn't the fault of the SBoHE; it's the fault of the ND Supreme Court for not issuing a ruling on an urgent matter that impacts an important state institution. If they are that easily confused, they shouldn't be on the Court in the first place.

In that case, NDSU can give up a portion of their budget to pay for the consequences.

Kelley and Faison, with the backing of the NDSBoHE, MUST contact Doug Fullerton and every single member school of the Big Sky Conference and assure them that this ruling is NOT the final word on the matter. They MUST reassure them that the ND Supreme Court can be persuaded to strike this law down. The clock is ticking on this and time is running out.

Horsecrap! It IS their job to determine if the law is unconstitutional; otherwise why have a Supreme Court at all?!?! If the law is unconstitutional, there is no reason to have a vote on repealing the repeal of the law since the law shouldn't have been inacted in the first place! This is pure genuflecting to Al Carlson. Nice job guys.

They are bowing to "Prime Minister" Al Carlson and his cronies in the Legislature. And if they think they can win a war with the NCAA and the Big Sky Conference, they are insane.

Today is the day that UND athletics had its execution date set. Looks like we'll be playing Sioux Falls College in football in the future. Time to mount an education campaign for North Dakotans who think the sanctions are "a small price to pay" because they are not.

This was the first season that Nelson really dominated at times with his combination of size and speed. Once he starts skating with the professionals, he'll be going up against bigger and stronger athletes than he is used to. I hope he makes the adjustment sooner than 2-3 years, but I have my doubts. Nelson is not another Toews or Parise and I think he's in for a nasty surprise.