The Big Sky Concern

[zonadub]

Maybe, just maybe Faison knew the South Dakota Board of Regents was not going to approve the exit fee for the Coyotes to get out of the Summit. If that was the case, was Faison jumping the gun or being proactive? If the Big Sky presidents knew that USD was not going to be joining the league along with UND, would they have pulled the offer? Maybe Faison accepted the offer early for a good reason.

The MVFC has never been receptive to UND, and I really wonder where the idea came from that there is a gentleman's agreement not to leave a team without a conference. I also wonder where the idea is coming from that UND can just go to the Summit. If I remember correctly, Douple & Faison had a bit of a contentious media exchange last year and there may be a bridge to rebuild before the Summit would consider UND. Plus, the Summit has already come out publicly with the position that the nickname issue must be resolved first.

[petey23]

They are like the same people who think JOE BIDEN has something to say. She is what stupid people think a smart person sounds like.

Fixed your mindless drivel.

[kvinbe]

It is now time for UND's coaches to begin speaking out on this issue. It is still very disturbing to me that our very own hockey coach was a driving force behind getting the legislation passed in the first place. How could he have not considered what it would do to the other sports teams on campus and UND as a whole? It's time for people like him to now eat some humble pie, man-up, and do the right thing. He needs to speak publicly about the importance of retiring the name and logo. The effort needs to be unified at this point, and the hockey program needs to get out there and publicly support the retiring of the name and logo. It is shocking to me that our hockey coach can lobby for Minnesota and Wisconsin to continue to schedule UND when just a short time ago he was sending out emails in a last-minute effort to save the name and logo. It was shockingly self-serving and shockingly short-sighted. And now it's as though this is all coming as a surprise to him. Unbelievabe!! Hakstol is always talking about the importance of character in his players. It's now time that he showed some character on this issue in a very public way!!

[tnt]

Like I said it could be the Big Sky that jumped the gun. Ultimately Faison's legacy will be how UND comes out of the deal on both conferences. If the NCHC doesn't grow the sport and keep UND a top 4 program in college hockey then the move could deter from that legacy. If UND stays in the Big Sky and prospers, then his legacy could be positive. Time will tell.

[Teeder11]

Don't know that the MVFC wasn't an option. If they would have worked with USD and made clear that the two were a package deal to go to one conference or the other there might have been some movement with the Summit working to secure a few more schools with the possible departure of a few. As far as the Spirit Campaign, I said it was a good thing, but even after people were speculating wildly on new football stadiums and such, they continued with the more awesome than the Ralph talk. I know few people who weren't a little disappointed in the way they went about trying to get people to donate more money.

You keep mis-paraphrasing a statement made by Peter Johnson, UND spokesman, the day before the $300 million public campaign was launched. He never said it was going to be bigger than Ralph's gift. He said it was going to be one of the biggest announcements in his time at UND, which spans more than 20 years. He said it in the spirit of trying to generate excitement for a worthy cause, but in Grand Forks, where people have gotten spoiled in recent years by amazingly extravagant gifts falling out of the sky, some in the public took Peter's little teaser and ran with it and it became a game of "telephone" getting grander and grander as it passed from one person to the next.

[tnt]

You keep mis-paraphrasing a statement made by Peter Johnson, UND spokesman, the day before the $300 million public campaign was launched. He never said it was going to be bigger than Ralph's gift. He said it was going to be one of the biggest announcements in his time at UND, which spans more than 20 years. He said it in the spirit of trying to generate excitement for a worthy cause, but in Grand Forks, where people have gotten spoiled in recent years by amazingly extravagant gifts falling out of the sky, some in the public took Peter's little teaser and ran with it and it became a game of "telephone" getting grander and grander as it passed from one person to the next.

Obviously, we did misunderstand him, but it wasn't just a few people who were overexpecting from that statement.

[MAIDEN]

FCS is the new D2, I loved in the NCC (even Morningside) and it didn't cost big $$$ to play at Memorial. Richmond, Saint Francis, Presbyterian are "D1" as well???....pull your head out of your A and do the math, it's D2 and will always be no matter what the NCAA tells you. The Bison were not in consideration for the Fiesta Bowl. Be the Sioux and we will have no problems playing Maine, New Hampshire, BC, Miami OH, Western Michigan, Vermont, Harvard, Kansas, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Fresno State........

[JohnboyND7]

FCS is the new D2, I loved in the NCC (even Morningside) and it didn't cost big $$$ to play at Memorial. Richmond, Saint Francis, Presbyterian are "D1" as well???....pull your head out of your A and do the math, it's D2 and will always be no matter what the NCAA tells you. The Bison were not in consideration for the Fiesta Bowl. Be the Sioux and we will have no problems playing Maine, New Hampshire, BC, Miami OH, Western Michigan, Vermont, Harvard, Kansas, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Fresno State........

The FCS is not the new DII. Look at the Bison team that won the championship this year. This year would have wiped the floor with any D-II championship team. As would almost any FCS champion. The money invested into it is a lot different. If it was the same, why is Northern Colorado doing terrible? Could a D-II NDSU have competed with Minnesota? No. Switch your name. Avoid issues.

Assuming you are right( your not by the way) that FCS is the new D-II, then shouldn't UND do everything they can to keep up with the other "D-II" schools? Do you want all UND athletics to lag behind NDSU, USD, and SDSU? FBS football, the good schools that is, are strange. No school in this area can compete in a nationwide sport.

[MAIDEN]

Mankato, Duluth, SCSU are now D3. Comes down to the NCAA poor leadership protecting the NCC D2. Teams were forced to "move up" or "be pulled down" with less scholarships. If you can't play in the the top league, you are D-2. The Sioux Football team is D2.

[Blackheart]

You keep mis-paraphrasing a statement made by Peter Johnson, UND spokesman, the day before the $300 million public campaign was launched. He never said it was going to be bigger than Ralph's gift. He said it was going to be one of the biggest announcements in his time at UND, which spans more than 20 years. He said it in the spirit of trying to generate excitement for a worthy cause, but in Grand Forks, where people have gotten spoiled in recent years by amazingly extravagant gifts falling out of the sky, some in the public took Peter's little teaser and ran with it and it became a game of "telephone" getting grander and grander as it passed from one person to the next.

As head of the Fighting Sioux's public relations department, he sure has had a lot of rookie statements lately...hard to forget the whole "hunting down" and "scrubbing" of the Sioux nickname...

[MAIDEN]

I think you are right, the attempt to "stomp" out the Fighting Sioux was a marketing 101 mistake. OK, stop using the name, but don't tell be the PC police. It will only result in backlash. Better not say or thing Fighting Sioux or Freddy Krueger (maybe Jason) will visit you in your dreams.

[Goon]

Mankato, Duluth, SCSU are now D3. Comes down to the NCAA poor leadership protecting the NCC D2. Teams were forced to "move up" or "be pulled down" with less scholarships. If you can't play in the the top league, you are D-2. The Sioux Football team is D2.

They are Divsion II...

[MAIDEN]

Ok, what number is between 1 and 2? 1.5 when you cannot play for the top spot? It's marketing, like 1-A verses 1-AA. 2 comes after 1. D-2 is the third tier. FCS-D1 is so that people don't feel bad that they will never be considered for the top spot. Example see Boise State.

[JohnboyND7]

Ok, what number is between 1 and 2? 1.5 when you cannot play for the top spot? It's marketing, like 1-A verses 1-AA. 2 comes after 1. D-2 is the third tier. FCS-D1 is so that people don't feel bad that they will never be considered for the top spot. Example see Boise State.

I-AA has more scholarships than D2 had during the D-II hayday (for me, its the 80's, i wonder why ). While you may be on to something, that the scholarship level drawdown of D II may make FCS seem like I-AA, its not. The NDSU team now, from what multiple 80's football players have said, would destroy them. Division 1 schools can recruit better players. Part of life. Is it FBS? No. But the best FCS teams can compete. Why was NDSU rated #32 in the final poll? Because they could beat a lot of FBS teams. Most of them in fact probably. Heck, maybe even a couple of the top 25 teams with how good the defense is. Do you think that a D-II defense has ever been as talented as this 2011 Bison team? Not trying to draw attention to my school here but come on!

D-II was better back in the day.....but FCS is significantly better than D-II ever was. If it wasn't, why did UND decide to move up? For volleyball? No. For golf? No. UND moved up for basketball and football. Because FCS and D-I basketball are worth moving up for. The competition, the level of play, and the financial gains were worth it. If you are going to say FCS football isn't really D-I then I can make an equally compelling argument that D-I hockey isn't really D-I because half the schools are D-II and D-III.

Just be happy that if the nickname situation subsides(it somehow could), that UND has landed in a very solid conference and it isn't worth sacrificing the conference for the sake of keeping some nickname. If the Bison had to revert back to the Aggies so that our "flagship" sport could survive as well as the rest of our teams, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I suggest you do the same.

[Oxbow6]

It is now time for UND's coaches to begin speaking out on this issue. It is still very disturbing to me that our very own hockey coach was a driving force behind getting the legislation passed in the first place. How could he have not considered what it would do to the other sports teams on campus and UND as a whole? It's time for people like him to now eat some humble pie, man-up, and do the right thing. He needs to speak publicly about the importance of retiring the name and logo. The effort needs to be unified at this point, and the hockey program needs to get out there and publicly support the retiring of the name and logo. It is shocking to me that our hockey coach can lobby for Minnesota and Wisconsin to continue to schedule UND when just a short time ago he was sending out emails in a last-minute effort to save the name and logo. It was shockingly self-serving and shockingly short-sighted. And now it's as though this is all coming as a surprise to him. Unbelievabe!! Hakstol is always talking about the importance of character in his players. It's now time that he showed some character on this issue in a very public way!!

First of all is the "k" silent in your SS.com handle? My 6 year old daughter is learning that now in kindergarten. Second, after reading your post, your accusations, assertions and finger pointing are at about the level of a 6 year old.

Hak was the driving force to get legislation passed on the nickname? He has had a very strong opinion but that accusation is absurd. He has a long history at UND and an affinity for the name, but I can tell you only like freedom of speech when it fits your opinion. I would not say by Hak letting it be known about how he felt on the nickname issue was self-serving or short-sighted. And as far as character...seriously?

You want Hak to lead the charge now because you think he was the front man to begin with...pathetic. Least Hak had the stones to voice an opinion early on as to how he felt about the nicename and potentially losing it unlike our pesident or AD at any point in this fiasco.

[fightingsioux4life]

It goes far beyond that. He stated in another post that he would rather have a minor league team known as the Fighting Sioux play at the Ralph than give up the nickname.

I've come to the conclusion that it is pointless to argue with those that consider the REA their church, the Fighting Sioux logo their cross, and Ralph Engelstad their prophet.

When I read things like athletic "martyrdom" being an acceptable outcome in this situation, I serious believe there are a few that post here that could use a thorough mental health evaluation.

You forgot one, http://www.sayanythingblog.com is their "Bible". The eternal words of Rob Port just CANNOT be questioned.

[MoSiouxFan]

Fixed your mindless drivel.

Much better, not to mention more accurate.

[iramurphy]

I don't think so. There is an unwritten rule basically that if a team needs a conference it is their duty to take them in.

That is Minnesota High School League policy not the NCAA.

[The Sicatoka]

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa have "if you're on the NCAA naughty moniker list we won't play you" policies.

Nothing is stopping others schools, be they DI, DII, DIII, (all NCAA) from doing the same.

South Dakota State has made such noise.

Others will follow, especially if it puts them in the good graces of the NCAA.

[watchmaker49]

Fixed your mindless drivel.

Thanks for proving my point for me.

[darell1976]

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa have "if you're on the NCAA naughty moniker list we won't play you" policies.

Nothing is stopping others schools, be they DI, DII, DIII, (all NCAA) from doing the same.

South Dakota State has made such noise.

Others will follow, especially if it puts them in the good graces of the NCAA.

It shocked me when SDSU came out and said we will back out of the football game in 2013 if they stay on the list...If a former NCC member says this what is keeping USD, NDSU, UNC from doing this. Could you imagine if UNC said we won't play you and yet they are our "traveling buddy". Just retire the name and be on everyone's good list.

[petey23]

Thanks for proving my point for me.

No Problem. Thanks for confirming what I already suspected.

[MoSiouxFan]

No Problem. Thanks for confirming what I already suspected.

+1

[ScottM]

A conference won't expel another member?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-14/big-east-conference-expels-west-virginia-in-mountaineers-move-to-big-12.html

Granted the facts are different, but when there's money to be made or lost, you can bet the gloves will come off.

[bincitysioux]

A conference won't expel another member?

http://www.bloomberg...-to-big-12.html

Granted the facts are different, but when there's money to be made or lost, you can bet the gloves will come off.

Let's not forget about our friends at Denver either, a major geographic outlier in the Sun Belt Conference...............................

Denver being forced out of Sun Belt Conference