Sandram

Sorry about my attempt to link to a newspaper article about Dr. Potts going to N. Dakota. Don't know what went wrong. As for Dr. Potts going to N. Dakota, you are actually getting a very high quality individual to be the Chancellor of your university system. He was a controversial figure at times at UNA, but he always had the well-being of the university at heart. His problems arose primarily due to an antagonistic relationship with some members of the faculty who felt more resources should have gone to academics (teachers salaries). To his credit, he implemented systems to improve communications and involved university employees in budget decisions. As for the Lion habitat and some of the other improvements made at UNA, they came from donors who stipulated their money for specific projects. Either use it for the designated purpose, or lose the money. All this came at a time when the state was cutting funding for all education. The perception was created that Potts was spending money on unnecessary things while cutting back on academics. He has been a great university president and the N. Dakota university system will benefit from his leadership. Best of luck and may our universities meet again on the gridiron! Sandram

Ok - UND may have won the football game vs. UNA in December and treated our fans poorly, but at what cost? UNA's revenge will be the new North Dakota Univ. system Chancellor, Dr. Robert Potts, the president of UNA! You may have won the battle, but we won the war!! Lots of luck!! http://siouxsports.com/forums/index.php?act=Post&CODE=00&f=5

Just got back from the game - and what a game! Congratulations to the Sioux on a great season. Don't think I've seen a better defensive struggle. Obviously the game hinged on one play (fumble and return). Don't know if it showed on TV (haven't watch the tape yet), but the hitting by both team was unbelievable. A GREAT Div II championship game!

You know what? You're right. It was an earlier start than I thought - I just checked with the highest of authorities -- my wife - who is ALWAYS right! It was dark when we left the game - but this time of year that's normal. (I'm old, I get confused easily!)I can remember some games in past years started as early as 11 a.m. Well, the rain has stopped in Florence, although I see a few blothes on the radar to the west. I'm headed out the door on the way to the game. Go Sioux!!

Once you've been in the south for more than 10 years, your blood thins out. Anything below 55 deg. with wind is "braving the elements". I paid my dues when I was younger - several winters in Buffalo with 100 plus inches of snow a year. Wouldn't go back north for anything - except summer!

Last years game started at 3:00 pm as well. It was a beautiful day but did get a little nippy after the sun went down. I was on the Laker (sunny) side. Today's game will be raw but at least it appears no rain will fall during the game. Things are clearing out just to the west of us. A great day for football!!

I am definitely a UNA fan, but I am also a big fan of Div II football. While I would love to go to Braly stadium today to watch my beloved Lions, I am also looking forward to braving the elements (rain, 38 deg, and I noticed the wind just started blowing!) to watch a very intriguing match-up of a great championship game two years ago. Go Sioux!!

Hall wins Harlon Hill trophy. Maybe the fact that he was the Div. II leader in passing effeciency as well as leading his team farther into the playoffs was a factor. This is a small consolation to not being in the big game tomorrow. I'll be there in the rain and all cheering for the Fightin' Sioux!!!! Go UNA!! Go Sioux!!!

I have lived almost half of life south of the Mason-Dixon line and the other half north (and as Yogi Berra might say "the third half right on the line"). I grew up in the north and am ridiculed by my southern brethren to this day for referring to carbonated beverages as "pop". Around here, all beverages are "coke" - there's orange coke, clear coke, and coke coke. It's funny how living in an area for so long rubs off on you - I have actually found myself saying I was "fixn'" to do something. Someone else has already pointed this out, but from one who has lived many places in my life - it is correct that we in "fly-over country" are all pretty much alike (accents excluded). It's when you get around those big city folks that you see the real negative side to what you might term "hospitality". 'preciate your comments, riverman. Sandram

Couldn't agree with you more, smoggy! I'm always in favor of having the end of the season turn out just like this to show how silly the BCS is and how much sense a playoff system would make. USC loses one road game in, what was it, 3 OT's and is not playing for the so-called "championship". I really hope they beat Michigan just so there will be two "national champions". With a playoff system, there will then be arguments about who got screwed out of being in the play-offs, but it is so much more exciting and fair than some computers deciding it. BTW, don't you love the way they add rules to the BCS "formula" every year to address the latest controvery - just to make it worse. I think it's called the "law of unintended consequences"!! Sandram

I've already posted my congratulations to UND on another string of messages on this message board and will do so one more time. Again, I've been a UNA fan for over 20 years and seen great wins and heartbreaking losses. Of course yesterday's loss will go down as a major disappointment. But I'm still extremely proud of our team, the season they had, the excitement they gave the fans, and the way they conducted themselves through-out the season. As for the national anthem - there was absolutely no intent by the UNA team to show disrepect to UND or your fans. For whatever reason, coach Hudspeth brings his team onto the field at the last minute. Sometimes it's before the anthem and sometimes after. At UNA home games, the anthem is played about 10 minutes before kick-off and neither team is on the field. As for airlines - someone already posted the fact that Florence is about 60 miles from Huntsville, 2 1/2 hr drive from Memphis, 2 hr from Nashville and Birmingham, and 4 1/2 hr from Atlanta. I always look at all the possibilites when flying - but usually flying from one small market area to another is tough on rates. Again - congratulations to UND on a great win - no excuses or bad feelings by this UNA fan - it was decided fair and square ON THE FIELD! - unlike the spectacle I see unfolding today by the "big boys" of Div I!! Good luck - and GO SIOUX!! (I'll be the one in Section B West stands cheering for "Y'all"!!! Sandram P.S. I continue to pray for Dru, her family, and your community. Some things are more important than football. PEACE

As a UNA fan, of course I'm disappointed we didn't win the game. However, my congratulations to UND on a tremendous win! No sour grapes here about not playing at home or anything else - you guys won on the field and deserve to be in the championship game. Welcome, again, to Florence - I'll see you at the game Saturday and I will be cheering you guys on. Hope it's a great game and also hope you have safe trip to Florence and a good time while you're here!! Again - congratulations and I continue to pray for Dru, her family, and all of you who have been trying to find her. Go Sioux!!! Sandram

Read in the Florence newspaper today that the feed from the North Dakota station will air on a local station. They have invited a local broadcaster (J.D. Byers - a former UNA placekicker) to join the broadcast team to provide a neutral broadcast. First UNA football game to be on TV since 2000 season. Great for us UNA fans who don't want to shell out over $1000 airfare to fly to Grand Forks. Thanks to the North Dakota broadcasts for making this happen. No matter who wins the game, it's great to have it on TV! Go Lions - Good Luck UND! Sandram

And to think that this UNA fan actually sat on the GVSU side (I was the only sober one) and cheered for Anes, Kircus, and the rest!! Some gratitude - but I do understand. If UNA makes it, it will be a sell-out of over 15,000.

You're right - a lot about how the NCAA does things don't make sense. However, no matter where the game is played, at least we're deciding things on the field and not in a computer war! Someone on this board mentioned having games on a neutral site - esp. the championship game. I will admit when UNA gets to the championship game, this is a HUGE advantage and admitly not fair. But until someone comes along and outbids Florence, it's going to stay here. We've has some problems in the past getting local people to attend the game - which is a shame. I, personally, have always enjoyed the game and excitement the fans from both schools bring to it. Sandram

I have no knowledge of UND's SOS - however, I can comment on UNA's. The only out of conference games were against Jax St. (Div I-AA playoff team) and a clearly inferior Stillman College. The other 9 games were in the Gulf South Conference. Although the Div II polls are not used by the selection committee, you can look at the final poll to get an idea of the strength of this conference. Valdosta St. was #1 for most of the year until UNA beat them at Valdosta St. Southern Arkansas was in the top 20 all year with only losses to Valdosta St. and twice to UNA - once in regular season and once in playoffs. Beyond that, Delta St. only lost to Valdosta St. but somehow did not make the playoffs (still don't understand taking Southern Arkansas over them into the playoffs). The rest of UNA's GSC schedule was routine - can't really judge how Central Arkansas, for instance, would compare to other teams. As for UND's size - I would agree with whoever said large teams do tend to do well in the playoffs. I have watched very big teams win the championship game - Northern Colorado, UND in 2001, Northwest Missouri St., Pittsburg St. come to mind. I predict a close, high energy game on Saturday. Of course I'm rooting for UNA, but wish both teams the best! Sandram

By the way, while I'm on this board, I want to let all UND fans and the entire Grand Forks community know that at least this UNA fan is praying for Dru, her family, friends, and all those helping to look for her. It's been heartbreaking to listen to the news reports. Sandram

I'm a UNA fan and just wanted to explain the "logic" as to why UND was selected to host the semi-final game. UND played 10 Div II games this year with a 9-1 record. UNA played 9 Div II games with a 9-0 record. UNA played a "provisional" Div II opponent (Stillman College) and also a Div I-AA team (Jacksonville St.) at Jacksonville St. and won that game. Jacksonville St. went on to win the Ohio Valley Conference and make the Div I-AA playoffs. However, the two non Div II games do not count. The fact that UND and UNA both won 9 Div. II games is all that matters. The deciding factor was UND played more Div II opponents as was rewarded for that. The committee is trying to get more teams to schedule within the division instead of going to other divisions for extra games. The polls, how many home games a playoff team has, the fact the championship game is in Florence - none of that matters. It's all ok - a decision had to be made. At least this Lion fan is looking forward to visiting Grand Forks and playing in an indoor stadium. If UND wins, I look forward to hosting you guys back in Florence the following week. Here's to good comptetion and deciding the national championship on the field and NOT in the polls! Best of luck to both teams! Sandram