updm002

In the omaha paper our star columnist discussed how UND is studying going D1 and he predicted that UND is probably gone and may be followed by usd. That will force uno to do something. Tom Shatel is too big time to come to much UNO stuff but he knows everybody around here who has inside info. So the odds are that he is getting this from good sources. It will be interesting to see what happens but I tend to think UNO's short term future is in the Miaa and longer term we may go d1 when we get more funding in place.

About 10 years ago I called Behrns radio show and asked him if playing UND provided more motivation to him since I assume he was terminated from position there. The normal jovial Behrns got defensive and basically wouldn't really acknowledge that he got fired. I didn't know if he got fired but just figured he did bc of the progressively worse record he had there over five years. Even today you will never hear our anouncer ever pose that question to him about whether being fired from UND adds extra motivation to his preparation. Did behrns actually get fired or was he allowed to resign under pressure. Either way he lost his job and apparently it still must be painful to the guy almost 20 years later. Prediction - Mavs will make the playoffs and win one home game before being bounced. Too many defensive breakdowns to go very far.

I was wondering which of the four choices are in the best shape after a couple of years of change. I would say that UNC is in the best shape since they found a good league and seem to be in a desireable location to at least be fairly successful at a low level of d1. NOt sure about the level of support they have but at least they have a league. As for the other 3 choices thus far I would put NDSU in 2nd place bc while they don't have a league they seem to have more funding and better facilities in place to be successful and have nice support. No league though and really don't look like they are that close to league membership either. I would put sdsu and the ncc as tied with both having lots of issues to work thru. Sdsu has to find a league and improve facilites and while their fanatics think the mid continent is on the horizon I am not sure of that at all. They don't really fit the mid cont profile and that league could just as easily decide to expand (if they expand at all) southward instead of north. If the ncc can get an 8th school (which isn't assured) and get the 2 washington schools then I would move them ahead of sdsu. For now a tie and maybe the ncc a little behind sdsu in terms of outlook but I will call it a tie. 1. UNC 2. NDSU 3. sdsu and ncc

I am thrilled that the 2 washington schools are coming aboard. It is a nice short term solution to the numbers issue. Hopefully it will buy the ncc some time before a couple of midwest schools step up. One school that is really upgrading a lot and may be a candidate in the future is sioux falls university. Theyare an naia power, they are really upgrading their facilities and they are committed to winning. They would be great rivals for augie. I lived in Seattle for a time and went to a lot of Seattle pacific basketball games and know something about their league which is pretty good for everything but fb. If I were the univ president of the 4 schools that have fb I think I would look to go down to naia in fb alone or just disband fb altogether. The rewards for those schools just don't seem worth the costs. I do know Kentucky Wesleyan plays naia fb and competes in their other sports at d2 so it can be done. I am glad the washington schools are coming aboard but just don't see what the rewards are for them versus the heavy financial cost. I will be very interested to see what humbolt and western oregon do after the 2 washington schools leave. If people think we have troubles just imagine what those two schools are going thru.

I know it is costly for the ncc schools but imagine what it is going to cost the two washington schools. Does anyone know where they get the money to do that kind of travel?

I have been to the scsu new stadium which is really nice. Couldn't they add a few thousand seats in the 2 endzones if they decided to expand. My one suggestion to scsu is to turn the sound from the PA guy down. My ears were ringing after that game.

I plan to come up to Grand Forks for the UNO-UND fb game in October. Since I am going to be there on Oct28th I would like to go the hockey game against Denver that night. I have no idea about how to get tickets but I suspect it is like going to a Husker fb game when they are good. Tix are avail. but you pay way over face value. How much more over face value am I going to have to pay and what is the best way to get tickets - at the door from scalpers or on the internet? Thanks for the info.

I too miss my d2fb.com but am still am awe of bill steinke. The last time I checked that dude posts on avg 9 times a DAY on d2fb.comand many of those posts are highly detailed and researched. Either that guy has the best job in America or else his wife and kids are virtually ignored all week or more likely he is some lonely guy who sits in his house all day looking forward to his only enjoyment of the year when he goes out and sees his beloved Mules play the likes of Rolla and Adams St. Steinke is the Man!!!

There was an article recently in your paper about the above 2 schools becoming affiliate fb members. What do people up there think about it. I think it is probably the best solution for our scheduling problems we currently have but in no way would this be an ideal solution.

I have been a huge uno fan in fb,basketball, softball and soccer the last 15 years and yesterday was the first time I had heard UND had won 23 (yes - 23!!) straight ncc swimming championships before yesterday. That is incredible. I really am not that interested in swimming and don't know much about it but why is UND so good in swimming and does anybody care about it up there. Incredible streak. I don't normally associate ND with great swimmers

I hear RT is going to work out of GF. If the league main office is in a converted motel room in SF,SD where will he be working out of in GF? His garage?

The other candidate is currently a STUDENT getting his PHD in something. Can't believe that a guy like that is a finalist for the ncc commish job when he is currently unemployed. ON the other hand they anounced the 2 finalists at least a month ago and have never hired anyone. That tells me they aren't too impressed with either candidate if they are waiting that long. If RT gets the job is he going to move the league office from its current hotel room to one up in ND?

I was at the uno game and you have to hand it to the sioux. Part of our loss was our own doing of missing too many ft's and letting you have too many offensive rebounds. But you played with a lot of poise and handled a lot of defensive pressure that other schools earlier this year were not able to. I think we will come up there and get some revenge (at least I hope so) this coming weekend but you have a really nice team.

congrats to UND for a great victory over michigan tech. You have shown over the past five years you can win the big ones. I am convinced that UNO Mavs are more talented yet we are at home where we deserve to be and you are playing. I am absolutely convinced if we traded coaches we would be still playing and you would be at home. Pat Behrns has done a good job in Omaha but we have never been able to get over the top with the guy even though we often have the most talent in the league and we usually have more team speed than you do. I hope the NCC wins another title.

Anybody who goes to scsu for the game saturday be sure to bring some ear plugs. I went to scsu earlier this year and their PA system is jacked up to a level that is incredible. I couldn't talk to my neighbor when that guy was screaming into the microphone. It was incredible. Great venue albeit small. Also, anyone who hasn't been to scsu before has to go see their old field (selke) which is about 3/4 mile from the new one. It is an interesting piece of americana and it is unlike any stadium I have ever seen. Looks like it belongs in Leavenworth Federal Prison.