Mama Sue

Support Bubba, first. If he needs to make coaching changes, he will in good time. Recognize that culture is the most important thing to change and also the most difficult. Depth needs to be addressed. Like I said, some culture issues will iron themselves out if a qualified replacement is at your back door. Get a positive community momentum behind the team in 2018. I read thearticke about praise given coaches and GAs going into the library and other places handing out tickets and motivating students to come to the home games. Honestly, I looked at this as desperate, not positive. Maybe I am getting too old, but what does that say about student interest? Quit worrying about NDSU and focus on UND....take high road with their Mogen David 20/20 Whine Club. i am not a judge of all these finer points of football but I sure like the info on recruits....Bubba must be doung something right.... injuries suck, all sports and all levels.

Program depth me you work hard because there is someone to take your place and you would be riding the pines... show up on time, clean, practice/play hard.... after depth other things will turn around

Family member recruited for Sioux....one of the positions mentioned as key and not enough depth... therecwere TWELVEin that position(s)..... our thoughts... will he ever be on the field? that was depth and it showed on the field.... everyone listened, attended practice, and gave 100% becausecsomeone just as qualified, or almost, would take your place

This is the best!!! Glad to hear Bubba has support..

I totally agree. Bubba needs the total support of those above him...the drug testing is simple ( 125 players....10% tested every week, randomly chosen by last digit or two digits of your SS#). The hard part is the enforcement of the policy and that is where it can not be over ridden .... stand out player, key game...and if you do not think that happens check out the Blue Earth HS (MN )championship football team in MN newspapers....Pot stays in your system 30 days...smoke a joint and it will show ( excuse: I traveled to Colorado where it is legal???)... coke and heroin in your urine 3 days,...,,meth I can't remember but you can bet anyone using knows this better than me These answers are easy until you are the one having to enforce the policy. I agree big boy stuff and no Mogen David 20/20 wine club if results are positive...GO SIOUX

Well, either way Bubba will probably swing the baseball bat AFTER people above him on the food chain get everything squared away. Too big and too many variables for Bubba to do it alone. Not sure how many, or if, football players are involved...this is painful for coaching staff who work for the players to do their best. Clean up culture first, then better things will follow. These are VERY difficult issues to resolve. Like I said, in health care I know just how much support you would get. Issues surrounding drugs, alcohol, mental illness/mental disability, and HIV status are the most protected information of any. I read the article about the drug bust in a major paper in MN. Sad and definitely NOT what UND stands for, in my book. GO SIOUX!!

I think you are right on...culture FIRST and the rest will follow... I can about imagine the conversations... August Bubba: I am a little worried about some issues with some players. AD: Let me know September Bubba: These issues are really affecting the team and our ability to play. I would like this dealt with. Could we meet. (probably in an email or two to CYA) AD: no response probably x2 end of September, Bubba's door open, 5 minutes before a team meeting, AD walks by, "What did you want to talk about?" October Bubba seriously considers going over the hear of AD because he realizes this is NOT so simple...legal issues, $$$ scholarship issues, media issues, parent issues, donors, recruiting, et al AD says he knows nothing, no record of issues he announces retirement (the school did not if I have that right) November Bubba has no one above him to help with these complicated issues...he consistently take the high road publicly....thank you Bubba He goes up the food chain....answer is.....let the new AD handle this....just tread water until then Sorry guys, I have dealt with VERY sensitive issues professionally....I guarantee you that most hospitals do not have policies for impaired workers....it is almost considered harassment if you ask an employee for a UDS (urine drug screen). You have to probably have TWO people seeing someone doing a line of coke because God help the one employee that sees it and tries to do something (also includes falsifying or changing a medical record). And there is NOT a policy to follow when a nurse comes to you and tells you a co-worker is planning to go home and hang herself on a Saturday night at 9 pm. These issues are VERY complicated and require many hours of guidance and protocol from more than a head coach. Bubba did not have any help from what I see. I do not mean to pick on the AD but, that is just the way management is in today's society. I retired at 62; sure could see why he is retiring at 67. So a good housecleaning of players who are turning the culture into a not so positive image and emphasize positive leadership by coaches. Not sure if I could comment in anyone being fired.... I can not even think how tough it is being a head coach and having to stomach all of this....in todays' society is it keep your mouth shut, do not report anything, and make sure everyone feels good about the job he/she does even if it is sub-standard. Bubba coached some of the players from the D2 Championship team, I wonder what the comparison would be to today's culture on the team.... THANKS BUBBA FOR STICKING THIS OUT AND GOOD LUCK IN 2018 "Tackled by a host of Fighting Sioux players." Go Sioux!

gfhockey: your point of view never ceases to amaze me

I don't know the technical side of the game but you are spot on about injuries and depth....great point. Recruits ARE reading this and their parents. I mean from an admin standpoint, what could Bubba change and announce today? He is out on a limb, pretty much alone. The AD is on cruise control until 12/31/17; he will make no decisions for Bubba. There are public issues like injuries but who knows how many private issues? These are real headaches. I know some of Bubba's family and they all have integrity, a lot. SO is winning more important than integrity? Can you have both? Teams do when they have their eye on the prize and support underclassmen. If the only goal is to win, then something else will suffer. I am a little to philosophical but we need to support our coach now more than ever.

Love the video...love it

You are 100% right but not having an AD or a new AD could break it. The coaches need to pull together....

Doing random drug screens, if they were done, is a BIG problem and Bubba needs support ABOVE him to handle it. Once that behavior is allowed, or not corrected with a firm fist, other problems will follow (have they already?). Complacency needs to be eliminated and everyone needs to be firm and on the same page. I agree with geaux_sioux but that is a steep hill to climb and with no AD, or a new one, it will be hard. Good luck to Bubba. He needs our support....

Year 4 of Bubba ball... I really thought this would be turned around but there seems to be off-field issues that need to be taken care of. I wanted to hear "And tackled by the whole Sioux defense" this year. I hope whatever needs to be done in the off season gets done. Hope the coaches can turn this around. Years ago we had a young person apply for a public administration position. People voiced concerns about no experience. My response was if you hire someone with 15 years of experience, but could lack the innate skills to do the job, in 5 years you will have a person with 20 years of experience. If you hire someone with minimal experience, but the innate skills to do the job, in 5 years you will have a darn good employee. Maybe we need to re-focus but I sure don't have suggestions. Too bad this ended on a rather sour note... GO UND

I loved Kill...Gophers lost a lot when he resigned.

"Opinions are great but when someone's child is being belittled by a posser, that's where I draw the line. (Yes, I understand they are under scholarship, doesn't matter). Pick on the coaches all you want but keep your distance saying something around their wives or mothers." Ditto Even trashing coaches get old. There are reasons for the calls and coaching decisions. I don't always get the finer points of football and many know more than I do but continued, overt criticism pulls down the whole program. This is year 4 of Bubba ball and I thought there would be a major change by now. There are reasons not known to us if that has not happened. So, maybe we take a deep breath and focus on the next game. Then people in decision-making positions will need to make decisions. Family should never be part of this.

Sorry, I have been on both sides of this type of process. A search firm is just a place to put blame 3 to 5 years down the road. People are paid, appointed, or elected to do this! These firms cost lots of money. I mean, a vacancy is barely announced publicly and they are knocking at your door. Not sure these laws are "enforceable" and would be very costly to try it.....plus anyone making that type of accusation is basically black balled. It takes a big name/group to try this. Need someone with a good work ethic to interview prospects and then the "gonadal fortitude" to follow through! Has anyone mentioned a FEMALE AD, just asking!

Well that's a new one...great visual in my mind!

Let's get going... I hope they don't hire a search group.....people are getting paid and/or were appointed to make these decisions....there have probably been behind the scenes verbal offers or at least "contacts" to see who is interested...

Wow, based on this definition I have been in MANY forums!!! Love the quote.

I often think this about elected officials.....but the wives don't come to the meetings.... where would you look then?

Some interesting visitors in town today...just saying there could be some interest for the AD brewing!!

My mother always said, "Where there's smoke; there is fire." Interesting...who will fill those shoes?

WEll, I don't hate anybody but I am damn ticked I can't watch a good hockey game on TV.

The quality of UND health care programs, all of them, speaks for itself. Just talking to am alum, who I have known for a long time. Did not know she went to UND for PT. The 'immediate family" has 5/6 alum and all their children, now high school age, are coming to UND for campus visits. Enough said!

Mama Sue here...have not signed in for a while but read the papers....Sioux looking up BUT, royally ticked that the Gopher-Sioux ( no name change for me) hockey game is not televised....now I know the reason, from the highest source, but still. What goes? I am trying to get this on-line video going but can't get it. So, not a happy camper. I would have done some search for a bar playing the game and driven there....just sayn' Good Luck tomorrow