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POLL: Should UND-NDSU Resume the Football Series?


ShilohSioux

  

220 members have voted

  1. 1. Should UND and NDSU Resume the Football Series?

    • Yes, play the game annually
      129
    • On occassion, but not annually
      43
    • No, we've gone our separate ways so let's focus on building new rivalries
      48


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What happened to Fargo University (FU) on Saturday is exactly why the game won't happen - the team with the most talent doesn't always win. They can't take the chance on the only sport they have bragging rights to falling to UND - it's what drove them out of the NCC.

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What happened to Fargo University (FU) on Saturday is exactly why the game won't happen - the team with the most talent doesn't always win. They can't take the chance on the only sport they have bragging rights to falling to UND - it's what drove them out of the NCC.

In that case, FU had better hope they never draw UND in the playoffs. If they were to lose, there would be people jumping off bridges down there. :ohmy:

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What happened to Fargo University (FU) on Saturday is exactly why the game won't happen - the team with the most talent doesn't always win. They can't take the chance on the only sport they have bragging rights to falling to UND - it's what drove them out of the NCC.

What a stupid comment

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What happened to Fargo University (FU) on Saturday is exactly why the game won't happen - the team with the most talent doesn't always win. They can't take the chance on the only sport they have bragging rights to falling to UND - it's what drove them out of the NCC.

Whatever their (the ac and bunnies) reasons were, is anyone prepared to argue they made the wrong choice? I can't help but wonder if this program wouldn't be better off today had they made the decision then, rather than wait.
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Whatever their (the ac and bunnies) reasons were, is anyone prepared to argue they made the wrong choice? I can't help but wonder if this program wouldn't be better off today had they made the decision then, rather than wait.

NDSU had way better timing with the transition than UND

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It's not a stupid comment, it's an accurate comment. If NDSU had continued winning the annual Nickel Trophy game from 1993 on they would not have been looking for something to give them the upper hand on UND and the old NCC as we once knew it would probably still exist. NDSU. SDSU, USD, and UND would all likely still be D2 if UND hadn't started beating NDSU on an annual basis.

That may have made them feel better about themselves, but the ac had trouble with lots of NCC teams at that time. Baumann and Heckendorf at St Cloud, Jamie Pass at Mankato, Behrns' Omaha teams, McGuffy and UNCs back to back titles...there was a lot more than UND pushing them out.
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It's not a stupid comment, it's an accurate comment. If NDSU had continued winning the annual Nickel Trophy game from 1993 oey would not have been looking for something to give them the upper hand on UND and the old NCC as we once knew it would probably still exist. NDSU. SDSU, USD, and UND would all likely still be D2 if UND hadn't started beating NDSU on an annual basis.

It's about National championchips not the Nickel trophy. They left because of the Nickel trophy......... right :crazy:

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What happened to Fargo University (FU) on Saturday is exactly why the game won't happen - the team with the most talent doesn't always win. They can't take the chance on the only sport they have bragging rights to falling to UND - it's what drove them out of the NCC.

You're right the team with the most talent doesn't always win but a team with no defense will never beat a good team

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Whatever their (the ac and bunnies) reasons were, is anyone prepared to argue they made the wrong choice? I can't help but wonder if this program wouldn't be better off today had they made the decision then, rather than wait.

Good point. I was in college at the time so I didn't think about these things, but I have wondered why UND and USD didn't move up at the same time? It seemed to be fairly obvious that d2 was quickly becoming watered down, and that is not a place for the big Dakota schools.

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Good point. I was in college at the time so I didn't think about these things, but I have wondered why UND and USD didn't move up at the same time? It seemed to be fairly obvious that d2 was quickly becoming watered down, and that is not a place for the big Dakota schools.

USD wasn't ready financially. It is the smallest of the 4 Dakota schools. UND was in the middle of a lot of issues. The flood of 1997 caused a lot of problems that they were trying to get through. If you look back you can see that enrollment took a significant drop right after the flood and took a while to recover. The flood also caused questions about what kind of finances would be available for UND to pay for the move. Most people in Grand Forks were affected financially by the flood and it took a few years to find out what kind of resources might be available. Plus the athletic department was in the middle of opening both the Ralph and the Alerus Center. There wasn't a clear home conference for the sports. And there was a lot of doubts about the viability of all 4 schools moving up at the same time. Would there be enough athletes, especially in the region, to fill up rosters? Would there be enough fans and money to support the move? NDSU and SDSU were in a better position and they took the leap of faith. UND and USD took a little more time to get their ducks in a row.
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I suppose you're right, the Sioux were not the only NCC team they were having a hard time competing with but they were the one that losing to most bruised their fragile egos. But you have opened my eyes enough to amend my previous comment : I think that if NDSU had continued to win the annual Nickel Trophy game and continued winning national championships at the D2 level they never would have run for cover to their safe place in I-AA.

How is FCS a safe place? Oh thats right a championship makes it safe.

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USD wasn't ready financially. It is the smallest of the 4 Dakota schools. UND was in the middle of a lot of issues. The flood of 1997 caused a lot of problems that they were trying to get through. If you look back you can see that enrollment took a significant drop right after the flood and took a while to recover. The flood also caused questions about what kind of finances would be available for UND to pay for the move. Most people in Grand Forks were affected financially by the flood and it took a few years to find out what kind of resources might be available. Plus the athletic department was in the middle of opening both the Ralph and the Alerus Center. There wasn't a clear home conference for the sports. And there was a lot of doubts about the viability of all 4 schools moving up at the same time. Would there be enough athletes, especially in the region, to fill up rosters? Would there be enough fans and money to support the move? NDSU and SDSU were in a better position and they took the leap of faith. UND and USD took a little more time to get their ducks in a row.

At the time the hockey people were all opposed to it because it would have bled off needed funds and a move up would overshadow their D1 program. The basketball people didn't seem to have the heart to venture into the world of D1 recruiting, and Rog Thomas correctly foresaw the end of the North Central Conference if schools started moving up and wanted to prevent it.

At this point, it's no use worrying about what might have been.

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It's not a stupid comment, it's an accurate comment. If NDSU had continued winning the annual Nickel Trophy game from 1993 on they would not have been looking for something to give them the upper hand on UND and the old NCC as we once knew it would probably still exist. NDSU. SDSU, USD, and UND would all likely still be D2 if UND hadn't started beating NDSU on an annual basis.

I suppose you're right, the Sioux were not the only NCC team they were having a hard time competing with but they were the one that losing to most bruised their fragile egos. But you have opened my eyes enough to amend my previous comment : I think that if NDSU had continued to win the annual Nickel Trophy game and continued winning national championships at the D2 level they never would have run for cover to their safe place in I-AA.

Seems to me you are not thinking enough buddy. Didn't NDSU and SDSU also apprently mention to USD and UND that they wouldn't mind some company in moving up? NDSU's king sport, football, was being held back by the lack of scholarships.

If they cut scholarships from hockey to make it more competitive for the smaller schools, and there was a higher league for UND to join to play with the type of budget that UND was appropriate, do you think that they wouldn't have at least considered it?

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Seems to me you are not thinking enough buddy. Didn't NDSU and SDSU also apprently mention to USD and UND that they wouldn't mind some company in moving up? NDSU's king sport, football, was being held back by the lack of scholarships.

If they cut scholarships from hockey to make it more competitive for the smaller schools, and there was a higher league for UND to join to play with the type of budget that UND was appropriate, do you think that they wouldn't have at least considered it?

That is probably the best take on the sitution that I have heard.................

NDSU and SDSU did go before the NCC and ask the conference to move up to DI en masse. But they had to know that only a handful of those members could realistcally even entertain the idea.

However, I do think the fact that the success that North Dakota hockey had in the late 90's and early 2000's, the buzz around the construction of REA, and the fact that Sioux football and women's basketball had basically overtaken Fargo competetively in the state, and therefore overshadowed FU, played a small part in their decision. Outside of women's basketball, Fargo didn't do much from about 1992 until 2006, give or take. I think they felt the need to do something to create a buzz and get those Teamakers donations rolling in.

It was a good move.

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