SiouxVolley

Reno or Billings probably win, as they have "neutral" courts.

Vegas has all their arenas full with other conference tournaments, so no casino there bid.

Agree about Courtney Place. Also Fraase from Shanley will likely be a significant freshman contributor.

Brueggeman moved from San Antonio to Eden Prairie - see posts 101 and 102 of this thread.

UND and Grand Forks didn't feel the other schools would go for it. Sounds like Billings put in an aggressive bid.

Locales that have put in bids: Billings Greeley/Loveland Missoula Spokane/Cheney Ogden Flagstaff Reno Some have put in for both M/W tournaments. Others for just one. From Billings Gazette and Montana Standard (Butte)

Bison trolls said be was a DII talent Butt. butt tbey been here to rebuke Bohl!

UND is almost at 57% male now, higher than even NDSU. Title IX usually requires proportionality. Guess with developing the Petr Engr and Aerospace programs, the male enrollment is rising. NDSU illegally bought a nursing school in Bismarck, so that partially explains the increased female enrollment there. NDSU doesn't use proportionality, but rather interest and aptitudes, one of the few schools that do it. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Bring on buffalo equestrian team or women's wrestling squad there. USD is at 62% female which makes Title IX very difficult for compliance with a football team.

Guess UND is no longer recruiting the Jacobsen twins from Key West?

Softball isn't mandatory, but Montana is adding it. Only waiting on Montana St and EWU.

Isn't your dad president of a Jamestown company? Since there's not many, would it be Farmer's Union? At least you know were your bread is buttered. Perhaps he's in an entirely different field, like the State Mental Hospital?

The best explanation for falling oil prices was driven home by this Israeli paper: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/188905#.VLQlqJt0zIU The Shia's and Sunni's are in effective war in the gulf with proxies. Iran getting nuclear weapons would make Saudi and the other Gulf States spend $500 billion to get their own nuclear weapons. The price of oil started dropping two weeks after Iran pulled out of nuclear talks. The Saudi's and the other Gulf States want Iran to sign on a non-proliferation treaty. The Russian's are a big Iranian nuclear supplier and Syrian ally, so hurting the Russians is just a side benefit to the Gulf States. The cost to their treasuries to the Saudi's and Gulf States would be even bigger if they delay putting the kibosh of Iran's economy. The Iranians are really hurting now, just like the Venezuelans and Nigerians. Cuba relied on Venezuela's oil money before. Cuba had to reach out to the US now, because there was no money from Russia or Venezuela. The US and Canadian Financial Press have been slow to understand the game the Gulf States have been playing here, but their finally getting it: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/12/27/nevermind-u-s-shale-saudi-arabias-oil-power-play-targets-irans-economy/

ND oil is as low as $32 / barrel once transportation costs are figured in. Most oil companies are hedge at around $90 / barrel til December. Watch out below if the price in less then that later in the year. Rig counts will drop massively. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/09/bakken-oil-breakeven-kemp-idUSL6N0UO1Z520150109 Crosby is really feeling a slowdown right now. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/11/us-northdakota-oil-idUSKBN0KK0IU20150111

Wrong again!! Florida A&M has won the FCS championship and their from the MEAC. A&M has also tried to move to FBS but failed due to money.

We'd be no different that Bowling Green and Ball State. But its a very tall task. We have to get to a level higher than Idaho's performance now. It can be done with the right people in high places.

Thanks again for that tidbit. Meshes perfectly with the timeline that Idaho and Montana and Fullerton wants.

The SBoHE will be presented with a dilemma: either approve FBS for UND in the Big Sky, or UND will be kicked out. with UNC, SUU etc The state government didn't kick when the nickname was presented in the same manner by the Big Sky. NDSU has been offered by the Big Sky. The state and bison backers won't have any leg to stand on.

The Big Sky will have a study in 2016. It won't be UND specific unless Kelley wants one. It won't be until 2018 that an FBS transition begins. 2019 when the attendance requirements must be met.

Someday there will be PAC12, ACC, MAC and probably SEC hockey conferences in addition to the B1G. Hockey in FBS conferences can then break away, like some are saying there will for basketball, What does UND Hockey do then? Granted, that's probably 20 years or more out, but the longer one delays FBS, the more of a mountain there is to climb.

So nodak651, Oxbox, and MafiaMan all insist any talk of FBS is crazy. I guess they all think Fullerton should be fired too for talking like that. He sees a bigger picture than you. But I'm crazy. 2016 can't get here soon enough.

Hockey knows it has to attach itself to an FBS program, otherwise hockey can be left out of a higher NCAA level. As simple as that. It is in hockey's best interest to be at a higher football level than we are now. Why would UND make an issue about losing control of Memorial, when it doesn't make them any money now, but could in the future when the REA Trust is given to them? The same approvals would be required from the state when the REA trust acquired a long-term lease on the Bronson property. If another major donation becomes available or if its financed by the REA, it would likely be a trust ownership no matter where it is coming from..

2016 is the year the Big Sky will make noise to go FBS, after the 2015 season when Idaho is notified that they won't be in the Sun Belt after 2017. Get it right. I guess all the hockey predictions you make should be front page news here? After all, you know everything about UND sports and can't imagine anything but hockey making waves, right. VB and WBB are cleaning up in recruiting against NDSU and it isn't even close. Shanks is a game changer for UND men's basketball. His defensive presence is a major reason why UND could keep it close last night. Marshall Bjorkman and Taylor Braun were an insider outside tandem for NDSU, that if anyone was paying attention, should have made the NCAA's, as they did in their last year. If UND gets another chess piece to go with Shanks, an NCAA bid should be in the cards. So if I'm not right on the Big Sky and UND beginning talking about FBS in 2016, I will resign my posting privileges here. But in return, if I am correct, you have to refrain from any posting on non-hockey forums. You don't much offer anything to football and basketball forum anyway except negative banter. Man up. Its like you're a cardinal of Siouxsports.com and I've committed the unforgivable sin of having aspirations for non-hockey sports!

With Shanks in the middle, Hooker and Crandall at guard positions, and with the commits UND has got coming in, UND will got to the NCAAs within three years. Almost certainly not this year, but there are some real building blocks on this team that we didn't have before. Yeah, Huff & Co made it to the finals of the Big Sky the last couple of years, but it never felt like the dance was inevitable. With the talent aboard and coming aboard, it is now inevitable - with coaching - that Shank's class will see the NCAA's.

The REA bonded the Betty and there are still paying for it. For Memorial, they could lease the land much like they have a long-term lease on the Bronson property where the Ralph is.

The REA has the capability to bond, as has been talked about numerous times. New offices and workout rooms for Phase II do not create a sustaining basis for cash flow. A new stadium does, with tickets, advertising, and concessions. UND just needs to get to 18,000 at Memorial, or get city approval to expand the Alerus to 15,000, which would likely be much more expensive and politically difficult to pull off.