Conference Realignments - Take 2

[JohnboyND7]

The only thing we can do is be ready for what is best for US when the time comes. I think SiouxFan is right in that 10 years time FCS football may be an equivilant to what DII football is now. I just get the feeling that FCS is not the final solution. Any thoughts?

FCS football will never be what DII is now. DII trashed all the scholarships. They wouldn't do that to FCS. But if they for some reason did, NDSU would again be forced to find a new home for football, and that home would be in a higher division. I'm guessing UND would wait a few years to see NDSU be successful before jumping up.

If FCS gets to the point of being a pathetic shell of its former self, the Big Sky will get hit hard too with Montana and Montana State bailing. I hope everything gets worked out and NDSU/UND, and any other school who has some dreams of being at a level they can compete at, can find a steady safe home.

[MplsBison]

The Summitt should/would/could call on St Cloud St, Morningside, Augustana, or UM-D? Someone call up Roger Thomas and get the old NCC back!!!!

Omaha dropped football to join the Summit and promote DI hockey and bball, so I don't see why schools like St Cloud, Mankato and Duluth couldn't do something similar. All have decent sized markets, especially Duluth and St Cloud. Although I seem to recall recently that St Cloud defeated a proposal to drop football.

[UNDColorado]

FCS football will never be what DII is now. DII trashed all the scholarships. They wouldn't do that to FCS. But if they for some reason did, NDSU would again be forced to find a new home for football, and that home would be in a higher division. I'm guessing UND would wait a few years to see NDSU be successful before jumping up.

If FCS gets to the point of being a pathetic shell of its former self, the Big Sky will get hit hard too with Montana and Montana State bailing. I hope everything gets worked out and NDSU/UND, and any other school who has some dreams of being at a level they can compete at, can find a steady safe home.

At this point that is all I am looking for. I keep hearing rumors of all sorts of FCS schools looking to move up (basically the ones we would want to play) and I just don't want to be left behind again. I like FCS but not sure what it will look like in 10 years.

[Siouxperfan7]

In regards to NDSU joining the Big Sky: The Big Sky Conference to NDSU is like the girl you first fell in love with in high school. Really attractive right away, couldn't stop talking about her. For a long time you talked about how great she was and how you wanted to be with her. You asker her out a few times but she consistently rejected you. When the girl told you she didn't like you, you went on to a different girl (Summit). You have been with the new girl for a few years and you are fully commited to her. But then you see your classmate (UND), you you can't stand, start dating your initial cursh (Big Sky). You really don't think anything of it because you are with your new girl who likes you and accepts you. But then your new girl starts to put on some weight (USD, Neb-Omaha) and doesn't look that attractive than they used too. But you don't do anything becasue you have conviced yourself you are happy. Then a couple years later after you have settled down with your (Summit) girl, you see your buddy with the (Big Sky) girl that you initially wanted and she is looking really good. In a way your are a little jealous. You see your buddy going on all sorts of great dates (Sacramento, Missoula, Boseman) and you are stuck going to dive restaurants for dates (Brookings, Vermillion). Buy somehow you convince yourself that you never really wanted that girl and you are happy with yours. So for the rest of your life you (NDSU) will tell everyone that you see that your overweight, missing teeth, poorly aged love of your life is the one you want to be with instead of your buddy's (UND) supermodel wife that you initially wanted so bad.

And a side note, your buddy has a great looking child (Hockey) that excells in everything he does, makes the honor roll, and is consistently doing great things year in and year out. Your buddy is very proud of his kid. But instead of respecting that, you decide yo rip on the kid at ever chance you get, telling him he is underachieving all the time, even though you don't even have a kid (Hockey).

[goyotes]

Any then your buddy hung up on keeping his nickname, which offends the rest of the family, goes through an ugly divorce.

[jodcon]

Any then your buddy hung up on keeping his nickname, which offends the rest of the family, goes through an ugly divorce.

And, sadly, for some that is an acceptable conclusion.

And the rest of us would not live Happily Ever After.

[JohnboyND7]

In regards to NDSU joining the Big Sky: The Big Sky Conference to NDSU is like the girl you first fell in love with in high school. Really attractive right away, couldn't stop talking about her. For a long time you talked about how great she was and how you wanted to be with her. You asker her out a few times but she consistently rejected you. When the girl told you she didn't like you, you went on to a different girl (Summit). You have been with the new girl for a few years and you are fully commited to her. But then you see your classmate (UND), you you can't stand, start dating your initial cursh (Big Sky). You really don't think anything of it because you are with your new girl who likes you and accepts you. But then your new girl starts to put on some weight (USD, Neb-Omaha) and doesn't look that attractive than they used too. But you don't do anything becasue you have conviced yourself you are happy. Then a couple years later after you have settled down with your (Summit) girl, you see your buddy with the (Big Sky) girl that you initially wanted and she is looking really good. In a way your are a little jealous. You see your buddy going on all sorts of great dates (Sacramento, Missoula, Boseman) and you are stuck going to dive restaurants for dates (Brookings, Vermillion). Buy somehow you convince yourself that you never really wanted that girl and you are happy with yours. So for the rest of your life you (NDSU) will tell everyone that you see that your overweight, missing teeth, poorly aged love of your life is the one you want to be with instead of your buddy's (UND) supermodel wife that you initially wanted so bad.

And a side note, your buddy has a great looking child (Hockey) that excells in everything he does, makes the honor roll, and is consistently doing great things year in and year out. Your buddy is very proud of his kid. But instead of respecting that, you decide yo rip on the kid at ever chance you get, telling him he is underachieving all the time, even though you don't even have a kid (Hockey).

You sir, made little-no sense. I'd say NDSU has a kid (football? 9 titles). The Sky is a fine conference, if NDSU wasn't in the Valley/Summit, they'd be in the Sky by now. I for one, enjoy the Valley a lot. The Summit as well. I enjoy being able to get in the car and go watch some games. UND benefitted from going D-1 at a time that the Sky really was looking at expansion. This is obvious by looking at the schools that are going to the Big Sky next year. But hey, tell yourself whatever you have to.

Have fun with the nickname stuff. I hear popcorn speculation has prices continuing to rise for awhile longer. Oh, and tell Hakstol thanks, won a bit of cash on his "honor roll" kid this weekend.

[bincitysioux]

The Summit is losing their marquee member in Oral Roberts. Shortly thereafter, they could potentially lose their marquee-member-by-default in Oakland. This is great news, I hope it happens.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not giddy about this scenario because I wish any ill-will toward NDSU. I do however wish for the maximum amount of ill-will professionally for Tom Douple.

[dakotadan]

Mountain West - CUSA merger not likely to happen. Looks like they will settle for a scheduling agreement in football.

http://collegesportsinfo.com/2012/03/26/no-all-sports-merger-for-cusamountain/

[bincitysioux]

Mountain West - CUSA merger not likely to happen. Looks like they will settle for a scheduling agreement in football.

http://collegesports...r-cusamountain/

* Mountain West expansion:

The MWC is down to 7 all-sport members, with Hawaii as the 8th football only. It is likely that Utah St. and San Jose St. are added to the MWC for a total of 9 all-sport members with 10 for football. Air Force is still a flight risk to join the Big East now that Navy will be joining (2015), which could bring the numbers to 8/9…which would still work. The MWC will likely remain at 9/10 to ensure they have room for Boise St. and San Diego St. should the Big East move fail to work long term.

That should take a bit of pressure off of Montana and/or Montana St. moving to FBS in the near term.

Idaho would be left on an island.........................

[FSSD]

You sir, made little-no sense. I'd say NDSU has a kid (football? 9 titles). The Sky is a fine conference, if NDSU wasn't in the Valley/Summit, they'd be in the Sky by now. I for one, enjoy the Valley a lot. The Summit as well. I enjoy being able to get in the car and go watch some games. UND benefitted from going D-1 at a time that the Sky really was looking at expansion. This is obvious by looking at the schools that are going to the Big Sky next year. But hey, tell yourself whatever you have to.

Have fun with the nickname stuff. I hear popcorn speculation has prices continuing to rise for awhile longer. Oh, and tell Hakstol thanks, won a bit of cash on his "honor roll" kid this weekend.

Seriouly, we still have USD and NDSU fans trolling the UND boards. You guys are funny.. I thought you guys moved on already. Best of luck with the Summit and congrats on the new arena in SF to play in.. I hope it helps the Summit make a major league step in the right direction.

NDSU Congrats on the FCS win this year.. just one note - one big difference is that one schol is stepping up to play the best the other is playing among peers.

Just a reminder UND national championships games where against Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan St (2), Boston College, Boston University and N. Michigan.

NDSU - Central State, N. Alabama, USD, Indiana (PA), Portland St and Sam Houston St. The other are polls...

Again, best of luck to the Big Dakota 3 - hey Johnny how many basketball games did you travel to this year. UND and SDSU?

[JohnboyND7]

Seriouly, we still have USD and NDSU fans trolling the UND boards. You guys are funny.. I thought you guys moved on already. Best of luck with the Summit and congrats on the new arena in SF to play in.. I hope it helps the Summit make a major league step in the right direction.

NDSU Congrats on the FCS win this year.. just one note - one big difference is that one schol is stepping up to play the best the other is playing among peers.

Just a reminder UND national championships games where against Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan St (2), Boston College, Boston University and N. Michigan.

NDSU - Central State, N. Alabama, USD, Indiana (PA), Portland St and Sam Houston St. The other are polls...

Again, best of luck to the Big Dakota 3 - hey Johnny how many basketball games did you travel to this year. UND and SDSU?

Very poorly put together post, but a post anyway,

I have never said I have "moved on." I enjoy when NDSU and UND play against each other in competition, and all the smack talk that goes along with it. I don't really see the point in smacking the Summit for basketball. SDSU gave Baylor a pretty good game. Montana got absolutely demolished by Wisconsin. Neither league is exactly awesome.

That is great that UND has had success in hockey. Those are some big-name schools on your list. Newsflash, they aren't big-name schools because they are good at hockey. I notice that when you list the teams UND plays in hockey, you forget to list Bemidji State, St. Cloud St., Duluth, Mankato, Colorado College, and a host of other D-2 or D-3 nobodies. If hockey was nationally big, such as football, and all the big names put teams on the ice, you know darn well that UND would be irrelevant. UND is very good at a sport that is not big outside of a few areas (Northeast, Michigan, Minnesota). It is not stepping up to "play the big boys" when 30-some of the 60 or so teams are D-2 and D-3. Say UND was dominating basketball, baseball, or football, I'd say well done! But hockey...is a different animal to compare things to considering very few division 1 programs play it.

Football, is more difficult to be good at. Always has been, always will be, and to those bigger schools you listed, always will be more important. Ask Michigan fans what they love most? Bringing home a football title. Wisconsin more known for the Kohl Center? or Camp Randall? Who is the most famous athlete from Boston College and most loved? Doug Flutie. Competing against a significantly larger playing field makes for a tough time. Competing against the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, etc. in football is not possible for a school in our area. They have coaches who make more money than our entire football budget has for a season. The fact that Boise State was able to successfully build a team that can occasionally compete with the best teams is impressive, but not everyone can be so fortunate as they have been. So NDSU competes against the likes of Northern Iowa, Montana, Montana St., SDSU, Georgia Southern, etc. because that is how the system is.

If you feel the need to smack on the FCS system, maybe you should contact your school administration and ask them to return to Division 2. After all, you seem to care more about hockey. Moving up to Division I about destroyed the University of Northern Colorado's program. Or pull a Nebraska-Omaha and totally drop football, after all, what is the point of playing football if you can't play against Alabama and LSU?

This year, now that you ask, I chose not to go to the SDSU game on the road, NDSU's team really faded after Christmas and I didn't feel like wasting money to go see SDSU beat us. I made the trip up to Grand Forks for the basketball game. However, for football, I was able to travel to the SDSU game, and the Minnesota game. This season I will be able to hit up the Colorado State game, the UNI game, and USD game. That means 3 road trips and none of them will be too terribly long.

[darell1976]

This year, now that you ask, I chose not to go to the SDSU game on the road, NDSU's team really faded after Christmas the UND game and I didn't feel like wasting money to go see SDSU beat us. I made the trip up to Grand Forks for the basketball game. However, for football, I was able to travel to the SDSU game, and the Minnesota game. This season I will be able to hit up the Colorado State game, the UNI game, and USD game. That means 3 road trips and none of them will be too terribly long.

FIFY....NDSU was 13-4 until their trip to Grand Forks...4-10 after they came home from Grand Forks.

[MplsBison]

The Summit is losing their marquee member in Oral Roberts. Shortly thereafter, they could potentially lose their marquee-member-by-default in Oakland. This is great news, I hope it happens.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not giddy about this scenario because I wish any ill-will toward NDSU. I do however wish for the maximum amount of ill-will professionally for Tom Douple.

So if Douple gets fired, you're ok with the Summit doing well?

[MplsBison]

That should take a bit of pressure off of Montana and/or Montana St. moving to FBS in the near term.

Idaho would be left on an island.........................

Interesting, thanks. Though I don't know if I trust CSinfo as a source - but at least his thoughts seem reasonable.

Also, I don't buy for a second that Boise and San Diego St are going to make good on their move to the Big East football conference. It's beyond brainless for them to move when they know full well that the Big East is going to lose its auto bid to the big time bowls. They need to stay in the MWC and fight the good fight for access to better bowls in that conference.

Maybe SD St still goes to the Big West to save money on non-football travel costs. MWC shouldn't have a problem with that, with Hawaii already doing the Big West thing.

[Siouxperfan7]

You sir, made little-no sense. I'd say NDSU has a kid (football? 9 titles). The Sky is a fine conference, if NDSU wasn't in the Valley/Summit, they'd be in the Sky by now. I for one, enjoy the Valley a lot. The Summit as well. I enjoy being able to get in the car and go watch some games. UND benefitted from going D-1 at a time that the Sky really was looking at expansion. This is obvious by looking at the schools that are going to the Big Sky next year. But hey, tell yourself whatever you have to.

Have fun with the nickname stuff. I hear popcorn speculation has prices continuing to rise for awhile longer. Oh, and tell Hakstol thanks, won a bit of cash on his "honor roll" kid this weekend.

But how many trips did you make to Summit cities for sports like basketball? You said you "enjoyed getting in the car to watch some games." Tell us, where in the Summit League did you go? Did you road trip to Fort Wayne, IN? Tulsa, OK? Kansas City, MO? That is what all these Bison fans keep telling us...that the travel in the Summit is so much better and that they are able to go to road games? Well....where have you been?

[JohnboyND7]

But how many trips did you make to Summit cities for sports like basketball? You said you "enjoyed getting in the car to watch some games." Tell us, where in the Summit League did you go? Did you road trip to Fort Wayne, IN? Tulsa, OK? Kansas City, MO? That is what all these Bison fans keep telling us...that the travel in the Summit is so much better and that they are able to go to road games? Well....where have you been?

Brookings, now Vermillion and Omaha(if the team is doing well), Tulsa is out of the equation now.

If, and only if, the Bison are having a good season, I can drive to games. I have only taken the time to go to Brookings, but with USD and Omaha joining up, if the team is good, I'll make an effort to go watch. I should have phrased it differently, and pointed out that my getting in the car to watch games, I also was including the MVFC football games as well. I tend to look at the Summit/MVFC as the same thing even though they are seperate.

[Risky]

Bison fans can talk all they want about how nice it is to go to road games in the Summit. The reality of it is that most Bison fans might go to 1 or 2 road games in the Summit A lot of their fans might go to only 1 game and a lot of their fans won't go to any road games. That defense of the Summit league is just a smoke screen. The most exciting thing about the league that you are in is the type of home games that your schedule provides. The same goes for the football league you are in. At this point I can't wait for the Big Sky.

[UNDColorado]

Bison fans can talk all they want about how nice it is to go to road games in the Summit. The reality of it is that most Bison fans might go to 1 or 2 road games in the Summit A lot of their fans might go to only 1 game and a lot of their fans won't go to any road games. That defense of the Summit league is just a smoke screen. The most exciting thing about the league that you are in is the type of home games that your schedule provides. The same goes for the football league you are in. At this point I can't wait for the Big Sky.

Good point; just another empty excuse! On the other hand I enjoyed driving up to Greeley from Denver last year to watch the boys play Northern Colorado, and I will do the same this year when we visit again. The attendance for that game was a sad 3,000; at least 500 were Sioux fans and many I met lived in Colorado. My point is it will be pretty hard for Nodak UND fans to go to many away Big Sky games (other than Montana and M State as it would be well worth the 10 hour drive) but it is sure nice for Alumni out west in places like Denver, Utah, Cali, etc.

[fightingsioux4life]

You sir, made little-no sense. I'd say NDSU has a kid (football? 9 titles). The Sky is a fine conference, if NDSU wasn't in the Valley/Summit, they'd be in the Sky by now. I for one, enjoy the Valley a lot. The Summit as well. I enjoy being able to get in the car and go watch some games. UND benefitted from going D-1 at a time that the Sky really was looking at expansion. This is obvious by looking at the schools that are going to the Big Sky next year. But hey, tell yourself whatever you have to.

Have fun with the nickname stuff. I hear popcorn speculation has prices continuing to rise for awhile longer. Oh, and tell Hakstol thanks, won a bit of cash on his "honor roll" kid this weekend.

The truth hurts, doesn't it? Enjoy life in a hodge-podge conference full of schools with no better place to go and we'll enjoy life in a top-notch conference with schools that (with a few exceptions) are the big attraction in their respective towns. And enjoy our problems with the nickname while you can; that will be resolved during the next year or so. After that, we'll gladly whip your butt in football, basketball and whatever else you sponsor.

[Bison Dan]

Bison fans can talk all they want about how nice it is to go to road games in the Summit. The reality of it is that most Bison fans might go to 1 or 2 road games in the Summit A lot of their fans might go to only 1 game and a lot of their fans won't go to any road games. That defense of the Summit league is just a smoke screen. The most exciting thing about the league that you are in is the type of home games that your schedule provides. The same goes for the football league you are in. At this point I can't wait for the Big Sky.

BS - Easy to pick on the summit league but what about MVFC? I've been to all but Youngstown and SIU. The first year at UNI we had over 3000 fans which annoyed the locals big time. We get a larger following for SDSU fb and bb is good too. We have a alumni tent at every away FB game. You must have your head in the sand if you don't know how well NDSU travels. Ask MN or Frisco, TX. Nothing more fun than to tailgate at a away game and then beat them up.

[Risky]

In the near future when UND is playing at Frisco we will travel well to. UND is known for traveling well to. You better get your head out of the sand too.

[JohnboyND7]

The truth hurts, doesn't it? Enjoy life in a hodge-podge conference full of schools with no better place to go and we'll enjoy life in a top-notch conference with schools that (with a few exceptions) are the big attraction in their respective towns. And enjoy our problems with the nickname while you can; that will be resolved during the next year or so. After that, we'll gladly whip your butt in football, basketball and whatever else you sponsor.

The Valley and the Big Sky are pretty comparable for football.

Greeley? NoCol football sounds like a big show in town.

Missoula? Great football tradition and great venue.

Northern Arizona? Sounds a little far away, doubt many fans will trek out there.

Southern Utah? Anything outside of BYU, Utah, and Utah State is irrelevant in Utah.

Weber State? Also in Utah right?

Bozeman? Great venue and a solid program.

I listed the top teams and some of the other ones right there. Thats great if they are "the show" in town. https://admin.xosn.com/pdf8/673802.pdf?SPSID=43210&SPID=3829&KEY=ESZIGVSSFOSGQWY.20100223160142&DB_ACCOUNT_TYPE=AGENT&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=9700

This is the stats for 2009. The year NDSU went 3-8. The Big Sky, with all their BIGTIME teams, averaged fewer fans per game despite having Montana leading the nation in attendence and even in having more home games, had fewer total fans come through the gates. Sounds like the Valley sure blows compared to the Sky.

In the near future when UND is playing at Frisco we will travel well to. UND is known for traveling well to. You better get your head out of the sand too.

Near future? UND known for travelling well? Hmm...The "X" had I believe 11-12,000 people there this weekend for Minnesota Vs. UND. The X holds a lot more than 11 or 12,000. If you people aren't even willing to drive to Minneapolis for a hockey game...to go to the FROZEN FOUR...against your RIVAL..why should anyone think any of you would go to Texas for a championship game? UND doesn't travel well for football and you know in your heart that if UND made it to Frisco, that they would be more in line with the Delaware/EWU game of 2011. Accept it and move on.

[fightingsioux4life]

The Valley and the Big Sky are pretty comparable for football.

Greeley? NoCol football sounds like a big show in town.

Missoula? Great football tradition and great venue.

Northern Arizona? Sounds a little far away, doubt many fans will trek out there.

Southern Utah? Anything outside of BYU, Utah, and Utah State is irrelevant in Utah.

Weber State? Also in Utah right?

Bozeman? Great venue and a solid program.

I listed the top teams and some of the other ones right there. Thats great if they are "the show" in town. https://admin.xosn.c...&DB_OEM_ID=9700

This is the stats for 2009. The year NDSU went 3-8. The Big Sky, with all their BIGTIME teams, averaged fewer fans per game despite having Montana leading the nation in attendence and even in having more home games, had fewer total fans come through the gates. Sounds like the Valley sure blows compared to the Sky.

Near future? UND known for travelling well? Hmm...The "X" had I believe 11-12,000 people there this weekend for Minnesota Vs. UND. The X holds a lot more than 11 or 12,000. If you people aren't even willing to drive to Minneapolis for a hockey game...to go to the FROZEN FOUR...against your RIVAL..why should anyone think any of you would go to Texas for a championship game? UND doesn't travel well for football and you know in your heart that if UND made it to Frisco, that they would be more in line with the Delaware/EWU game of 2011. Accept it and move on.

This weekend wasn't the Frozen Four, it was the WEST REGIONAL. I really think Bison fans should stick with their Scummit League Basketball Programs and quit trying to analyze NCAA Hockey attendance figures.

And speaking of "moving on", isn't that what NDSU did about 8 years ago. And yet, you are still here. It all makes you go hmmmmmmm.

[Siouxperfan7]

This just in...Mankato, Augustana, and Morningside are looking to join the Summit!!!!

www.thesummitisthenewhomeofthencc.com