Great West banner?

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but I'm sitting here at the Alerus and I just noticed there is no banner to commemorate the 2011 Great West co-championship. I know it wasn't a 'real' conference, and it was a split crown, but does anyone know if there is one that is either hanging somewhere or on the way? Maybe it was sent to the AD in Fargo by mistake?

[westsidesioux]

Ialways loved the end of that post!!

[darell1976]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but I'm sitting here at the Alerus and I just noticed there is no banner to commemorate the 2011 Great West co-championship. I know it wasn't a 'real' conference, and it was a split crown, but does anyone know if there is one that is either hanging somewhere or on the way? Maybe it was sent to the AD in Fargo by mistake?

I noticed that to when I was at the Portland State game. I am surprised its not up.

[westsidesioux]

Are you really surprised? Unfortunately, football is a 2nd rate sport in Grand Forks. Plans for what center ice at the Ralph probably superceded and planning related to the football team. The crowd last night wasn't even 10K!? I guarantee you that the exhibition game with Manitoba will sell out. The football team has been, for the most part, a fun product to watch this season! That place should have been packed for a game of the calliber of Cal Poly. I'm telling you all right now, the Montana game won't sell out because GF doesn't care. What a shame.

[CMSioux]

Last year (a transition year with a poor schedule) we would have ranked 59th in FCS, right behind Sam Houston State.

I am not ready to say Grand Forks doesn't care about UND football. It is true that hockey (and the money it takes to attend the games) is a choice that many other cities the size of Grand Forks don't have, plus it is an expensive choice so something has to give for some people's budgets, but obviously 7-8,000 have chosen football (9,500 less 1,000 - 1,500 students) .

If we move up to around 9,500 - last year that would have put us at 39th. Not making excuses just saying sometimes people have to make choices because of finances.

[Dustin]

There also are no Great West Banners in BESC for the 2011 Volleyball team, or 2011-12 MBB team.

[tjamz]

They sent the banner to Fargo by mistake (I kid... I kid...)

[iramurphy]

UND needs to upgrade a number of things. Those Great West banners should already be up for all sports earned. Not that expensive, no excuse. I was also disappointed with the crowd. Cal Poly is a very good team and UND has a lot of weapons and has been fun to watch. The crowd was still a factor a couple of times. CP had a couple of fals starts and had to call a time out. Students hung around for second half this time.

Up to atheltic department to make sure the place is filling up. Give discount tickets to HS students and Air Base personnel. Do some sort of promotion for competition between fraternities/sororities/ dorms. Have Faison and coaches met with Greek council and Dorm council leaders. If not get on it. Have coaches and players do Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions club meetings etc. Need to get the students re-engaged. Students and fans like to see themselves on the big screen. Get it done. Camera angles need to be improved. Need to have score updates from Big Sky, Big Ten, top 25 and area teams on scorebaord periodically. Faison doesn't need to do it all but he needs to take resopsibility and get it done.

[fightingsioux4life]

UND needs to upgrade a number of things. Those Great West banners should already be up for all sports earned. Not that expensive, no excuse. I was also disappointed with the crowd. Cal Poly is a very good team and UND has a lot of weapons and has been fun to watch. The crowd was still a factor a couple of times. CP had a couple of fals starts and had to call a time out. Students hung around for second half this time.

Up to atheltic department to make sure the place is filling up. Give discount tickets to HS students and Air Base personnel. Do some sort of promotion for competition between fraternities/sororities/ dorms. Have Faison and coaches met with Greek council and Dorm council leaders. If not get on it. Have coaches and players do Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions club meetings etc. Need to get the students re-engaged. Students and fans like to see themselves on the big screen. Get it done. Camera angles need to be improved. Need to have score updates from Big Sky, Big Ten, top 25 and area teams on scorebaord periodically. Faison doesn't need to do it all but he needs to take resopsibility and get it done.

I agree with you 100%. Of course, now that you have dared to mention this in public, you will now hear from all the Debbie Downers on this forum that will tell you that it's not "feasible" to implement these things. Or that the ROI (Return on Investment) isn't good enough to justify the expense. Or that men's hockey is #1 on campus, so everything else will automatically fail, which means it isn't worth the effort. Or that we should abide by the "reality check" Cal-Poly gave us on Saturday and lower our expectations and standards for the program (I did not like Tom Miller's "Sunday Sermon" in yesterday's Heraldo).

We moved up to Division I in all sports, so now we must start ACTING like a Division I athletic department. No more excuses about how this and that isn't "feasible". Just get it done. The old "hockey only" model won't work anymore. It's put up or shut up time.

[the green team]

Yes let's fill it up- but it was certainly the biggest game held at Alerus in a long time- and yet the students didn't pick up their full allotment of tickets. Secondly, I know they've reached out to all UND organizations because when I go to boosters and visit, those are the type of questions I ask from the department. The only issue I have with anything I mentioned above is the let's run a discount for this or a discount for that. I can't help it if my nephew (wife's side not mine) and his fraternity buddies don't ever go. It sounds as if its there loss.

In running a business- do you feel your product is of value? If you do, why should you discount it all the time? That makes no sense. What is with the constant capitulation to give things away that have value for free or greatly reduced prices? People have plenty of chances to get exposed to UND football without giving discounts on tickets. They can see it on TV, and say "that looks fun.... why don't we go check that out", it could be as simple as one student leaning over to another before the start of class and saying "are you going to the game on Saturday- you should." Ticket prices- and trust me I know because I had to buy some walk-ups for the in-laws who were in town this weekend- tickets are not at all expensive. I'm sorry it makes no sense to discount. If you want a true discount buy season tickets, they are at a ridiculously low rate. Sometimes the fans or potential fans have got to figure it out for themselves. You can't hold their hands for every little thing.

As it's always easy to direct why the game wasn't sold out at the Alerus Center, on the Athletics Department, I'm going to go a different direction and actually compliment them. If the Tailgate Village was initially envisioned to be a bustling area of activity on game day, then that's just what they got with it, this past Saturday. It was just amazing out there. Great job- it was awesome in that area. Which reminds me about the conversation I had with a person from another program in the Big Sky recently. Their words not mine "UND does just about everything better in regards to marketing, gameday development etc already when compared to it's Big Sky brethren." Again their words not mine. Can UND constantly improve? Yes, but I don't see a complete an utter failure of the department that some of you seem to.

Regarding the banners, when I go to boosters I will ask someone from the Athletics Department about that next time I see them. Maybe there is a logical explanation. One never knows until you ask. But it is a good question, and from what I've found no one from within athletics has ever not been good enough to answer those type of questions before. And it is a good question. But I would be surprised that it's some grand conspiracy.

[fightingsioux4life]

Yes let's fill it up- but it was certainly the biggest game held at Alerus in a long time- and yet the students didn't pick up their full allotment of tickets. Secondly, I know they've reached out to all UND organizations because when I go to boosters and visit, those are the type of questions I ask from the department. The only issue I have with anything I mentioned above is the let's run a discount for this or a discount for that. I can't help it if my nephew (wife's side not mine) and his fraternity buddies don't ever go. It sounds as if its there loss.

In running a business- do you feel your product is of value? If you do, why should you discount it all the time? That makes no sense. What is with the constant capitulation to give things away that have value for free or greatly reduced prices? People have plenty of chances to get exposed to UND football without giving discounts on tickets. They can see it on TV, and say "that looks fun.... why don't we go check that out", it could be as simple as one student leaning over to another before the start of class and saying "are you going to the game on Saturday- you should." Ticket prices- and trust me I know because I had to buy some walk-ups for the in-laws who were in town this weekend- tickets are not at all expensive. I'm sorry it makes no sense to discount. If you want a true discount buy season tickets, they are at a ridiculously low rate. Sometimes the fans or potential fans have got to figure it out for themselves. You can't hold their hands for every little thing.

As it's always easy to direct why the game wasn't sold out at the Alerus Center, on the Athletics Department, I'm going to go a different direction and actually compliment them. If the Tailgate Village was initially envisioned to be a bustling area of activity on game day, then that's just what they got with it, this past Saturday. It was just amazing out there. Great job- it was awesome in that area. Which reminds me about the conversation I had with a person from another program in the Big Sky recently. Their words not mine "UND does just about everything better in regards to marketing, gameday development etc already when compared to it's Big Sky brethren." Again their words not mine. Can UND constantly improve? Yes, but I don't see a complete an utter failure of the department that some of you seem to.

Regarding the banners, when I go to boosters I will ask someone from the Athletics Department about that next time I see them. Maybe there is a logical explanation. One never knows until you ask. But it is a good question, and from what I've found no one from within athletics has ever not been good enough to answer those type of questions before. And it is a good question. But I would be surprised that it's some grand conspiracy.

The fact is, UND football is still being treated as the red-headed stepchild of the atheltic department. There have been some improvements, and those improvements are appreciated. But we were promised a "massive" advertising campaign in the month before the season started and it was pretty much the same old same old. I do think the attendance this year has been better than some people think, but whether we can keep it rolling remains to be seen. This is the sport most responsible for our move up and it should be promoted as the #2 sport on campus. We can win national titles in this sport. We can build a bigger fan base with this sport; the potential upside is tremendous. It can become a very big Fall attraction in Grand Forks and the region. The "triple-header" weekends when hockey and football are in town at the same time can and should be promoted together. Perhaps some family ticket specials can be promoted for all three games so that both sports feed off each other. These are the things that will promote the sport to potential new fans. Once they are hooked, we won't have to "hold their hands".

[the green team]

The fact is, UND football is still being treated as the red-headed stepchild of the atheltic department. There have been some improvements, and those improvements are appreciated. But we were promised a "massive" advertising campaign in the month before the season started and it was pretty much the same old same old. I do think the attendance this year has been better than some people think, but whether we can keep it rolling remains to be seen. This is the sport most responsible for our move up and it should be promoted as the #2 sport on campus. We can win national titles in this sport. We can build a bigger fan base with this sport; the potential upside is tremendous. It can become a very big Fall attraction in Grand Forks and the region. The "triple-header" weekends when hockey and football are in town at the same time can and should be promoted together. Perhaps some family ticket specials can be promoted for all three games so that both sports feed off each other. These are the things that will promote the sport to potential new fans. Once they are hooked, we won't have to "hold their hands".

Maybe you and I have a different understanding of what constitutes a "major" marketing campaign is. What is it that you exactly have in mind? Because when I turn on the tv or a radio, I've seen ads, I've heard spots. They have a Coach's show where it's far more interactive and they are now giving away tickets for events. What other things do they need to do, marketing wise, that would appease you?

[the green team]

Also, in regards to the red headed step child reference- I don't see it. Especially, in regards to football- maybe the basketballs might have an argument in that, but even then, I'm not so sure. In fact I feel they have continue to try more and more avenues in getting things going for football. As it's been shown, hockey pretty much takes care of itself. It has always appeared to me that the emphasis has been on football. If what you are saying is correct then...everyone in athletics is dense because evidently...according to you -they fail to realize this.

Wow, well I must say, my eyes have been opened- it's clear no one over in athletics has any idea what they are doing (sarcasm).

[fightingsioux4life]

Also, in regards to the red headed step child reference- I don't see it. Especially, in regards to football- maybe the basketballs might have an argument in that, but even then, I'm not so sure. In fact I feel they have continue to try more and more avenues in getting things going for football. As it's been shown, hockey pretty much takes care of itself. It has always appeared to me that the emphasis has been on football. If what you are saying is correct then...everyone in athletics is dense because evidently...according to you -they fail to realize this.

Wow, well I must say, my eyes have been opened- it's clear no one over in athletics has any idea what they are doing (sarcasm).

That's good, you have a sense of humor.

The fact is, our marketing and promotions are still too much like the NCC era. But I will never convince everyone of that.

[jdub27]

That's good, you have a sense of humor.

The fact is, our marketing and promotions are still too much like the NCC era. But I will never convince everyone of that.

I've been critical of them in the past but believed they have stepped up. Just curious on your response to the first of the green team's post:

Maybe you and I have a different understanding of what constitutes a "major" marketing campaign is. What is it that you exactly have in mind? Because when I turn on the tv or a radio, I've seen ads, I've heard spots. They have a Coach's show where it's far more interactive and they are now giving away tickets for events. What other things do they need to do, marketing wise, that would appease you?

[fightingsioux4life]

I've been critical of them in the past but believed they have stepped up. Just curious on your response to the first of the green team's post:

I didn't really notice a big uptick in advertising this year; maybe I was listening to and watching the wrong radio/TV stations. I guess after years of neglect, I am still a little bit skeptical of the commitment to the football program. There have been improvements and they are good steps forward.

One of my concerns is if we start having success and our coaches start getting looked at by other schools, will we dig into the bank and pay them to keep them or will we just let them go like we did Dale Lennon? I realize that the athletic department was in chaos during that time, but it is a concern for the not-so-distant future.

[UND Fan]

One of my concerns is if we start having success and our coaches start getting looked at by other schools, will we dig into the bank and pay them to keep them or will we just let them go like we did Dale Lennon? I realize that the athletic department was in chaos during that time, but it is a concern for the not-so-distant future.

I would be pleased if we had this concern any time in the not-too-distant future. If/when it occurs, I an confident Faison will handle the situation accordingly.

[geaux_sioux]

I didn't really notice a big uptick in advertising this year; maybe I was listening to and watching the wrong radio/TV stations. I guess after years of neglect, I am still a little bit skeptical of the commitment to the football program. There have been improvements and they are good steps forward.

One of my concerns is if we start having success and our coaches start getting looked at by other schools, will we dig into the bank and pay them to keep them or will we just let them go like we did Dale Lennon? I realize that the athletic department was in chaos during that time, but it is a concern for the not-so-distant future.

Speaking of, can anyone remind me what players Lennon took with him to SIU?

[UND92,96]

Speaking of, can anyone remind me what players Lennon took with him to SIU?

Kyle Cavil is the only one I can recall. He had committed to UND prior to Lennon's departure, then de-committed and signed with SIU.

[geaux_sioux]

Kyle Cavil is the only one I can recall. He had committed to UND prior to Lennon's departure, then de-committed and signed with SIU.

That's it? Some people make it seem like Lennon took the good china with him when he left.

[UND92,96]

That's it? Some people make it seem like Lennon took the good china with him when he left.

There were a number of de-commits that season, but they mostly didn't follow Lennon as far as I can recall. IMO, besides Lennon himself, the biggest loss was assistant coach Eric Schmidt.

[tjbison]

That's it? Some people make it seem like Lennon took the good china with him when he left.

If he did, they ain't playing so well, after Kills guys graduated they have not been good. They were a perennial top 25 team, now they look to be replacing Indiana St as the bad team. Lennon has not done well and they are calling for his head, it would not shock me to see him gone after this year if they don't stay above .500

[UND92,96]

If he did, they ain't playing so well, after Kills guys graduated they have not been good. They were a perennial top 25 team, now they look to be replacing Indiana St as the bad team. Lennon has not done well and they are calling for his head, it would not shock me to see him gone after this year if they don't stay above .500

Personally, I think Kill may be a bit overrated. For one, he didn't do anything great as a dII coach. Secondly, I believe much of the talent at SIU when he was there had been recruited by his predecessor. Ditto at NIU. I don't pretend to know why things haven't gone well for Lennon the past few years, but he didn't all of a sudden forget how to coach. Maybe it just isn't the right fit. It happens to very good coaches at all levels of football.

[tjbison]

Personally, I think Kill may be a bit overrated. For one, he didn't do anything great as a dII coach. Secondly, I believe much of the talent at SIU when he was there had been recruited by his predecessor. Ditto at NIU. I don't pretend to know why things haven't gone well for Lennon the past few years, but he didn't all of a sudden forget how to coach. Maybe it just isn't the right fit. It happens to very good coaches at all levels of football.

I agree, but pretty hard to discount what Kill did at siu, Lennon just hasn't been able to sustain, maybe another program would do him good. Valley is a power running grind it out conference, Lennon has not had luck I think he would be a great BSC coach that tends to air it out more just my opinion

[UND92,96]

I agree, but pretty hard to discount what Kill did at siu, Lennon just hasn't been able to sustain, maybe another program would do him good. Valley is a power running grind it out conference, Lennon has not had luck I think he would be a great BSC coach that tends to air it out more just my opinion

I think power rushing and defense suit Lennon fine. The question I've always had is whether it may be problematic from a recruiting standpoint to take a bunch of coaches from the Dakota's, and have them recruiting well outside of their traditional areas. Some can adapt quickly to a new area, such as Luke Schleusner knocking it out of the park in Illinois last year, but maybe for others it's a bigger challenge? I just can't believe it's an X's and O's problem for Lennon, Bubba, DeBoer, etc.