nodak651

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UND also doesn't have a facility for locker rooms or coaches offices like they do for women's soccer. Doesn't have the money to build them either.

Few hundred thousand more in expenses/losses, and probably more, though. Summit League schools just don't have the resources for investments like that. Fenton would also get laughed out of the room if he said he was bringing the Summit up to FBS football, because right now, there literally isn't a path. The WAC/ASun is already backtracking on similar comments that they've made. I agree that Summit Football (and potentially hockey) may be necessary at some point, but I don't think the Iron is hot enough to strike, especially if the goal is to attract MVC schools. They just plain are not interested.. they won't even need to take a second to think about it. Summit Basketball would need to be much closer to the level of the MVC. As the Summit improves, I think it will get there, as it's likely the MVC regresses a bit at the same time. St. Thomas also needs time to adjust it's non FB budgets to the D1 level and they need to finish building (and fundraising for) their new arena. Fenton also needs to get the new media deal put together and he needs time to let his new media strategy develop (whatever it is), in order to make the league more attractive for it's next deal and potential expansion down the road. I think when the soon to be announced media deal is set to expire is when he will start pushing for FB, if he does go that route, because he will be able to use the leagues track record with their new TV deal and the potential for adding FB to the mix to negotiate the next deal/expansion. Fenton IS also of a similar mindset as you in regard to adding sports, by the way. Have you heard this interview? He basically says as much. Now just isn't the time yet, especially because so much is up in the air when it comes to the structure of D1 athletics as a whole and the future viability of single sport conferences.

Are we that soft? The tweet wasn't even that bad... lol. Not even CLOSE to as low as ASU's antics after their win in Vegas! Should have been giving us a heartfelt thanks for the opportunity and instead they rubbed our nose in their one off win. To be honest, I would have been disappointed in the Gophers if they didn't acknowledge the circumstances of their presence in Fargo, which they did in that tweet as a direct response to how we handled the Holy Cross game, as mentioned by mafiaman. It's all we really have these days to keep a little bit of the rivalry going.. Anyone remember when Lucia wanted to put the rivalry on ice because it was too "intense", or whatever it was that he said? Would hate to go back to that mindset... BORING!!!

Berry has what, at least a couple more years? If things don't improve, I've got eyes on Rick Zombo if he can surprise people for a couple more years down at Lindenwood. Listen to him on any podcast that he goes on... exactly what is needed here.

Near the beginning of his tenure, just like Berry, but I'm referring more-so to the culture of each coaches' teams. Sure Berry could win another title, but I think any pretty much any current NCAA D1 coach could do what he's done so far, with the roster he inherited and with the facilities, tradition, and fan base that UND has to offer. Huge built in advantage. Berry's teams have no personality.. missing the grit that makes UND hockey what it is. Feel like the team is filled with a bunch of Joe Mauer/Ryan Suter types, if you know what I mean.

Tibbits seems like the type of player that Sather has thus far failed to recruit. Someone that can handle the ball with speed and drive the net and cause fouls. If we want to be a team that shoots the three, we need some guys who can do this becuase he can drive and dish it for some great looks from three. Not saying Tibbits is a D1 talent or not, but his style of play is exactly what we need. Someone like Crandall or WIU's scorer. Doesn't have to be THAT good, but that same skill set is badly needed and I can't think of anyone that Sather's had that fits that mold. BJ is too tall and doesn't handle the ball well enough, but would complement someone like this greatly.

It is. It pisses off alumni and donors at schools that cut the programs, it creates title 9 issues, and swimming facilities were huge investments which will still need to be maintained at schools that field the sport. LAX and Wrestling would add millions to athletic budgets of Summit schools, and that would hurt basketball, because the money needed to operate these programs has to come from somewhere - any additional investment should be going into basketball rather than non revenue sports. A Summit League with better basketball (and a highly profitable post season tournament) is what would keep teams from jumping to the MVC/A10. If anything, if we can improve investment in basketball, it could help us to poach select MVC FB schools down the road. Basketball is the main reason schools leave or are invited to different conferences.. Also, the Summit League being OK with DU's sports offerings is likely the only reason they're in the conference. Nice talking with you.

Berry = Lucia

k. good discussion.

Chaves said on his podcast when he first got here that he was planning to have softball play a bunch of games there moving forward. That obviously hasn't happened, but does anyone know the details why? Because he was legitimately excited about this... Does the Alerus charge too much for rent? It seems that NDSU has a way better deal with the Fargodome/Fargo than UND has with the Alerus Center. Probably because the Fargodome was built on NDSU's land... but given that the Alerus Center is City Owned, I think everyone would agree that the entire community would benefit from the Alerus being converted into a softball configuration a few times each spring, right? Would love to see Brandon B. work with UND and the Alerus to get a deal put together (because Chaves clearly isn't one to get anything done).

What do you imagine the upside is in UND Soccer, assuming all things work out perfectly? What I think would happen is we would probably suck, because the program would have poor facilities and it would be under funded. The cost of the program would also erode the budgets of other underfunded Summit sports, and the extra games during the fall would further stretch the time of our athletic department staff, who already have crazy busy fall schedules having to host so many home matches for FB, Basketball, Womens Soccer, Volleyball, Hockey, etc., Where do you see the upside? Seriously curious. Does it make money? What is attendance? How much ticket revenue? Also, can you explain why you think existing league schools would think your changes cause the Summit League to be more desirable? SDSU and NDSU would have to leave the Big Twelve for wrestling. Denver would have to leave the Big East for Lax. In place would be a Summit League conference with a bunch of start up programs? Wouldn't it be better to encourage schools to take the million per year hypothetical Lax budget and put it towards improving basketball? Seriously curious about your thought process and would love to know WHY you think your proposed moves make sense.

Pretty sure it's 100k per sport. Not sure where I read that. Maybe old conference bylaws that were in place when UND joined the conf.

Absolute gold. LOL

Commissioner doesn't have the abilities you think he does. Your plan would prob give reason for DU to bolt, if anything.

The only part of your post that my comment was in response to was the "most insufferable fan base" part. Having a passionate fan base isn't a sin.. agreed. Maybe karma is a better word. A fan base that is unhappy about 7 Frozen Fours in 11 years (i.e. actually wants the coach fired) is, no doubt, insufferable, though. Add to that the nickname voting crap, Sioux Forever, and the people who !@#$ on other UND sports...

There's also a middle ground between doing nothing and NIL collectives. UND is missing out on NIL opportunities that can be mutually beneficial to both players and UND - No reason the Ralph/UND isn't selling shirts or jerseys with both UNDs logo and current player names/numbers.

This is my #1 issue. Team as a whole has been soft and and doesn't seem to have the same passion as Hak's teams. Reminds me more of the Lucia Gopher teams in that respect.

Seems perfect for our offense.

If we're being honest here, our fanbase is probably more insufferable. It seemed that most of the fan base wanted Hak fired after all... this is prob what we deserve.

No offense, but what's the significance of that tweet? What's your point? Person seems like a clown based on their profile pic. Why bring it here?

Kind of surprising since it was all above board... right?

If UND is gonna stick with the NODAK name and continue to use it, they need to drop the diagonal crap on all of the merchandise. Looks absolutely terrible if it isn't on a hockey jersey. Develop a legit script logo for it like Pitt has and go with it. Can still be the Fighting Hawks, just as Pitt is the Panthers. Would potentially help people move on. As it is, UND is selling a bunch of crap Nodak merch and it just feels like an afterthought. Do it right, and mix it in on other jerseys as an alternate.

This is good news because Fanatics has already started working with college fb and bb teams on nil jersey customization.

Doesn't have anything to do with politics, but this past summer Alerus made it's biggest acquisition to date, in phoenix. https://www.alerus.com/newsroom/alerus-completes-acquisition-of-metro-phoenix-bank/ Love how they seem to target snow birds.