SiouxVolley

Please come or watch Tonight vs EWU &00 Satuday, 12:00 Noon vs Portland St Sat could decide the Big Sky Championship

In the past, the moderators had promised a section to each sport that attains 1000 in attendance. Women's hockey reached that milestone two seasons ago and its time volleyball emerges from other sports and gains its own section.

UND is significantly underrated or the RPI is assigning UND a significant home court advantage. NDSU has an advantage in that last years ratings have an effect until the last game. Also, UND played horribly in the MTSU tournament - as they hadn't jelled as a team. Must have lost their composure as they could have won vs MTSU, UAB, and Austin Peay. Pioske has emerged as a star since that time. The USD game was part of the Tulane trip, so they were travel weary. USD had trouble with NDSU, so they can not be that good. Think Hardee is somewhat concerned about future years, so he's balanced playing Sr/JR (Ulrich, Kreuger) with better freshman sophomore who initially made more mistakes (Pioske, Thompson, Hart) If UND had won at least three games vs UAB, Austin Peay, MTSU, and USD, their rating would have been higher. The good thing is the Big Sky Championship is all the matters for this team. NAU and PSU are the real challengers for the BIg Sky crown that have not been faced yet.

Brick by brick, a solid program is being built. UND has a ways to go yet to be a national power. But that's the goal - be a premier team in the mid-major ranks.

Naturally that statement brought out bison fans that said you couldn't be so sure. I don't get second guessed nearly so much on national realignment board, but am targeted by all kinds of bison fans. When FCS playoff are done, we'll see a lot more action on FCS to FBS moves.

Hit .500 for the match! Rarely done. Very good crowd. If we average 1300 for the rest or the games, we should average 1300 or more and be among the top 30 or 40 programs in attendance. N Iowa, Wichita St, and Creighton do that, and that helps recruiting to maintain the top 25 ranking. Road game matches vs UNC and Sac St. This was fun but be prepared to higher level opponents.

Please show up for the game vs NDSU tomorrow night. If we can approach 3000 fans, there a good chance UND can average 1500 fans and be in the top 25 in attendance. It would pay dividends in recruiting and even in possible NCAA bids.

NMSU athletics football is not the its only program. NMSU basketball and other programs are decent.

Kelley and Faisson haven't made a decision? Or the coach they have in mind is not available until the end of the season?

A good HS team should beat the bison. Crush them when their down.

Go after Bobby Petrino if you going that route ...

BYU hates the idea of joining a conference with Utah State. BYU fought against Utah St from gaining membership in the old days. Gonzaga and Wichita St may have interest as MWC non-football members to fill out Hawaii football-only slot.

Bisonvile has it wrong again (and never is right). When Valpo and Chicago St were in the Summit, I said that NDSU / SDSU would not get invited. When Valpo left and Chicago St was evicted, I said NDSU and SDSU were locks because the then MidCon was desparate. NDSU fans could not believe they were locks and said I was an idiot. Turns out they were.

No. Idaho St, N Colo, and Portland St are expected to be top teams. Last year, UND lost both matches to ISU, so Saturday's match could be one of the more critical matches this season.

27-27 28-27 Match pt UND 29-27 3-0 sweep by UND.

Conference rumors: JMU to CUSA or possible MAC. JMU has an invite somewhere. CUSA board is buzzing. NDSU not a candidate for CUSA or the MAC. UTEP to MWC? Maybe BYU follow?

Leading third set, 20-19.

UND took first set against Weber St, 25-22. Leads in second, 15-9. Won second set, 25-19.

The FBS schools will be in one pool and the nobodies will be in another pool with no stipend for athletes. That what the proposal says. Non-BCS schools have much more political power that FCS schools, so there won't be a political outcry when FBS trys to control its own future.

An FBS / FCS split may occur by next year so there is time. Keep in mind that the FBS side, no matter how weak the conference, will gain the option of offering a stipend, which mid-major basketball conferences will be unable to do. The FBS side will have overall benefits within the NCAA structure, no matter if it the weakest FBS conference. Just the perception of playing at the highest level will matter. The Big 5 have decided to bring along the rest of the FBS (it still needs the games, playing them considerably raises the Big 5 record and ensures the majority of the Big 5 have enough home games and a winning record). The Big Ten would have an average losing record if it couldn't play the MAC. The Big 5 throws a bone to the other FBS conferences, offering them enhanced standing which will strengthen the rest of all their programs relative to FCS and non-football leagues. Its a brilliant move by the Big 5, as they won;t be a political backlash. The lowest level league in FBS, even if new, will have enormous advantages in perception in recruiting for non-football athletes.

So your brilliance is saying Ill State and N Iowa will turn down the MAC, but will choose to stay in an MVC that is weaker with no NCAA entry to FBS. With Creighton gone and Wichita St likely to leave, MVC basketball will not be the same. Mo St has a standing offer from the Sun Belt. Somehow the basketball schools are going to accept Youngtown St, W Ill, and the Dakota 3 to strengthen a basketball conference? The MVC has no options for FBS and will not recruit nearly as well for basketball by not being in the highest division. The whole FBS / FCS split is the deathknell to the MVC : football has to flee in order to be FBS as the MVC has no future path to FBS.

The WAC still can invite FCS teams to FBS. The WAC invites Big Sky teams en masse and the Big Sky invites WAC teams so you have a swap. Rename the conferences and you have a FBS Big Sky and a non-football WAC - just takes a payment to the WAC for it to happen. Easier said then done, but entirely possible and legal.

A school can not move to FBS until it receives a conference invite. That is the dilemma.

The Big Sky has a number of schools where FBS is the long range plan: Portland St (new stadium) Sac St Montana Montana St Two from the WAC Idaho N Mexico St (possibly stay in Sun Belt) Two affiliates that could move Cal Poly UCDavis Four stretches UND NAU Weber St EWU There are rules preventing a conference moving up to FBS, but the Big Sky can claim that it has heirs rights to the WAC FBS status. The MVC, Colonial, OVC,and Southland teams that want FBS can still make FBS by jumping conferences, like EKU, JMU, and Delaware will likely do.

Sat near a bunch of Griz fans durings the game. Mostly reminded me a Wisco hockey fans that were looking for a good time and party atmosphere. Only a few mimicked the inferiority complex of most of the Bison fans. Expecting the Cats fans to be good natured - unlike the what you see from Fargo where every so called misstep is remembered for years (witness MSU buyout of the NDSU game which is remembered by NDSU in terms of death where the mafia don takes vengance.)