Travis Merten

[gfhockey]

WDAZ reported that travis merten is going to play for the sioux. He picked the sioux over numerous d2 colleges and NDSU.

[UND Fan]

WDAZ reported that travis merten is going to play for the sioux. He picked the sioux over numerous d2 colleges and NDSU.

That is great news for a lot of reasons: 1) He is a very talented player who should contribute a great deal immediately, 2) it would have been difficult to lose him to SU as a walk-on and 3) it may help in the recruiting of ND kids in the future. There are supposed to be 2-3 talented underclassmen in the state who will be able to play DI ball.

[Siouxmama]

That is great news for a lot of reasons: 1) He is a very talented player who should contribute a great deal immediately, 2) it would have been difficult to lose him to SU as a walk-on and 3) it may help in the recruiting of ND kids in the future. There are supposed to be 2-3 talented underclassmen in the state who will be able to play DI ball.

Not to mention that his ENTIRE family is pro-NDSU! For those of you that are not familiar with the Mertens family from Devils Lake, there are many.

Welcome to UND Travis. Now I can really get into some debates with your uncles!

[Siouxmama]

Just for the record, it's Mertens.

[UND92,96]

Not to mention that his ENTIRE family is pro-NDSU! For those of you that are not familiar with the Mertens family from Devils Lake, there are many.

Welcome to UND Travis. Now I can really get into some debates with your uncles!

Was that the case even before cousin Nick from EGF went to NDSU?

[Siouxmama]

Was that the case even before cousin Nick from EGF went to NDSU?

Yes. They have always been NDSU. I think a couple of Travis and Nicks uncles played football, and maybe basketball for NDSU.

OK. EDIT: Uncles JT (70's) and Rusty (80's) (Nicks Dad) played football at SU.

[captsioux]

I'm not sold on Mertens. I have watched him a hand full of times this year and wasn't all that impressed with him. He was kind of an ehh player. The guard( Ola I cant spell his name off of the top of my head) and center (Velpo Lalovich) on his team were more impressive to me than Mertens. This is just my opinion I would rather see und get the guard because he reminds me of Youmans

[bincitysioux]

Mertens is another nice pick up for UND, he is a talented player. However, unless something has changed, the coaching staff has said that they only planned on bringing one JUCO this off season. I had hoped that that would be an athletic and big power forward or center that could contribute right away in the post, something that is a glaring need on this team.

[GeauxSioux]

Sioux basketball land Mertens

The 6-foot-5 All-America junior college player signed a letter of intent with UND on Monday, a signing that gives the Sioux an impact player who also was recruited by Division I schools North Dakota State, Montana State and Weber State.

Ultimately, Mertens said he chose UND over NDSU.

Welcome Travis.

And for you Bin....

Mertens becomes the fifth player to sign with the Sioux this month. UND, which finished 15-15 last season, isn’t done recruiting yet, and hopes to sign one or two more players.

[UND92,96]

Mertens is another nice pick up for UND, he is a talented player. However, unless something has changed, the coaching staff has said that they only planned on bringing one JUCO this off season. I had hoped that that would be an athletic and big power forward or center that could contribute right away in the post, something that is a glaring need on this team.

I tend to agree, although my understanding is that red-shirt Pat Mitchell is very good and will contribute a lot this season.

[dakotadan]

Sioux basketball land Mertens

The 6-foot-5 All-America junior college player signed a letter of intent with UND on Monday, a signing that gives the Sioux an impact player who also was recruited by Division I schools North Dakota State, Montana State and Weber State.

Ultimately, Mertens said he chose UND over NDSU.

The Herald better be careful and learn from the Forum's mistakes...

Tension with UND remains

That was the day some folks inside the Bison athletic department got their undergarments in a bundle because this newspaper reported that Fargo North basketball player Jordan May chose, and we quote the headline,

[UND92,96]

Sioux basketball land Mertens

The Herald better be careful and learn from the Forum's mistakes...

Tension with UND remains

I'm sure we're going to be reminded ad nauseum that NDSU didn't have any available scholarship for Mertens, although I believe there was some talk of him red-shirting next year there, and getting a scholarship the following year (ditto for May). I think we're all well aware of how scholarship availability can impact recruiting. It's certainly played a role in football, i.e. 36 vs. 63 scholarships.

[GeauxSioux]

Nice bit of editing by the Forum....

He said he also considered Montana State, Weber State and North Dakota State, and ultimately

Mertens, a Devils Lake native, averaged nearly 20 points and 11 rebounds last season.

I thought sentences usually ended with punctuation.

Compared to the same piece in the Herald...

The 6-foot-5 All-America junior college player signed a letter of intent with UND on Monday, a signing that gives the Sioux an impact player who also was recruited by Division I schools North Dakota State, Montana State and Weber State.

Ultimately, Mertens said he chose UND over NDSU.

I guess the Forum didn't want someone in north Fargo getting upset. Edited April 30, 2008 by GeauxSioux

[Bison Dan]

Nice bit of editing by the Forum....I thought sentences usually ended with punctuation.

Compared to the same piece in the Herald...I guess the Forum didn't someone in north Fargo getting upset.

You can always give a scholarships to kids that we want to walk on. I hope it remains that way.

[sultan]

Channel 4/11 television sports didn't go with the Mertens story either. And of course Steve Hallstrom and WDAY in Fargo didn't go with the story either. The Forum didn't go with Wayne Nelson's article either. Wayne's story was cut way down. I suppose they didn't like the headline of Mertens choosing the Sioux over the Bison. They all must of caught way too much crap last week about their coverage of the Jordan May signing. It is sort of sad. Mertens deserved the acknowledgement. KBRR had a nice story on the signing though. Kudos to them.

[SooToo]

Channel 4/11 television sports didn't go with the Mertens story either. And of course Steve Hallstrom and WDAY in Fargo didn't go with the story either. The Forum didn't go with Wayne Nelson's article either. Wayne's story was cut way down. I suppose they didn't like the headline of Mertens choosing the Sioux over the Bison. They all must of caught way too much crap last week about their coverage of the Jordan May signing. It is sort of sad. Mertens deserved the acknowledgement. KBRR had a nice story on the signing though. Kudos to them.

I believe, at least with the television folks, it was a time thing; only a few, precious minutes for a sports broadcast and just not enough time remaining after the exhaustive coverage of Bison football seniors who didn't get drafted or obtain a free-agent contract. Stay tuned; series could go on all week.

[Bison Dan]

I believe, at least with the television folks, it was a time thing; only a few, precious minutes for a sports broadcast and just not enough time remaining after the exhaustive coverage of Bison football seniors who didn't get drafted or obtain a free-agent contract. Stay tuned; series could go on all week.

Maybe they were scratching there heads over someone up North not getting any phone calls?

[coach daddy]

Maybe they were scratching there heads over someone up North not getting any phone calls?

Congrats on post #600. Too bad they aren't all at Bisonville where they scratch something other than their heads!!

[UND-1]

Maybe they were scratching there heads over someone up North not getting any phone calls?

Or how the #1 player in the draft at his position didn't even get signed as a UDFA and only got a 'tryout'? Steve Hallstrom is on suicide watch right now. All we heard is how he was lock to get drafted, maybe even in the 4-5 round. Hmmm.

Especially weird when a player from UND at the same position got the same 'tryout'.

[SooToo]

Maybe they were scratching there heads over someone up North not getting any phone calls?

No knock on Dragosavich (sp?), Dan. No dishonor in not getting a call from the NFL. Just the musings of one of the thousands of Sioux fans stuck with sports coverage from Bisonville.

[sultan]

The ironic part of the whole media situation is that I think the signing of Mertens was actually a bigger story than the signing of Jordan May. The signing of May brought a lot of media attention and yet the signing of Mertens brought almost no media attention. I think some of the previous responders are right. When a recruit chose UND over NDSU it was worthy of attention. When it happened again within a week that was just to much. People from NDSU called to complain about the way the story read in the signing of May last week. That complaining must of scared the media to basically not cover the signing of Mertens. I wonder what the coverage of the story would have been like if he had signed with NDSU. I have a feeling it would of been totally different. Interesting!!!!!

[mnbison]

The ironic part of the whole media situation is that I think the signing of Mertens was actually a bigger story than the signing of Jordan May. The signing of May brought a lot of media attention and yet the signing of Mertens brought almost no media attention. I think some of the previous responders are right. When a recruit chose UND over NDSU it was worthy of attention. When it happened again within a week that was just to much. People from NDSU called to complain about the way the story read in the signing of May last week. That complaining must of scared the media to basically not cover the signing of Mertens. I wonder what the coverage of the story would have been like if he had signed with NDSU. I have a feeling it would of been totally different. Interesting!!!!!

That's a good question Sultan. I don't really remember The Forum covering walk ons in the past but I could be wrong. Did Montana State offer him a scholarship or was he asked to walk on there too? Good luck to Travis, I hope his two years at UND are good ones.

[sultan]

Over the years the Forum has listed walk ons in their newspaper. They just got done listing walk ons for the Bison football team. I will stand behind what I said. Since NDSU was going up against Montana St., Weber ST. and yes the Sioux, I have a feeling they would have had a story about Mertens coming to NDSU. I guess we won't know since he chose UND over NDSU.

[Bison Dan]

Over the years the Forum has listed walk ons in their newspaper. They just got done listing walk ons for the Bison football team. I will stand behind what I said. Since NDSU was going up against Montana St., Weber ST. and yes the Sioux, I have a feeling they would have had a story about Mertens coming to NDSU. I guess we won't know since he chose UND over NDSU.

Did I miss it or didn't the herald cover Mertens signing? The reason the Forum gave May's the coverage is he's from Fargo. If Mertens would have went to NDSU it would have been covered more by the Forum because it's NDSU. I can't help it that the sports media in gf sucks and coverage of UND is poor. Did you catch the KX4 special on our spring game?

[mnbison]

Over the years the Forum has listed walk ons in their newspaper. They just got done listing walk ons for the Bison football team. I will stand behind what I said. Since NDSU was going up against Montana St., Weber ST. and yes the Sioux, I have a feeling they would have had a story about Mertens coming to NDSU. I guess we won't know since he chose UND over NDSU.

You are right Sultan, we will never know and I guess it really doesn't matter much too be honest. He'll receive a good education at UND and he'll get to continue playing basketball on a full scholarship. So did he receive scholarship offers from Weber St and Montana St.? Or was UND the only DI school to offer him? Just for the record, from what I've heard, I think Travis can play, so that is not a slam against him, just an honest question.

You are right, The Forum did list the football players, but I don't recall an article on the walk ons. The list also came out on signing day, not a few weeks after. But I agree, they probably would have had a paragraph or two on a basketball walk on.

You are right in your last sentence, he did chose UND over NDSU and again best of luck to him. But to compare offers is kind of like comparing apples and oranges.