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Kennedy vs. Engelstad Foundation: GF herald feature


jdub27

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On 5/9/2018 at 10:08 PM, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Maybe the Engelstads have outlived their usefulness. A one-trick (albeit a big one) pony with perpetual sour grapes about the Sioux. Maybe they're insufferable, which is why the negotiations went south?

Or maybe Kennedy is an arrogant dick.

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REA was intended to be a gift that would benefit the University of North Dakota.  And that has definitely been the case.  But you can't deny that the REA has greatly benefited from UND holding their events there, mainly hockey.  I think we would all be shocked if we knew the amount of money the Ralph was bringing in every year.  The Ralph exists because of UND hockey.  Engelstad Foundation built a world class stadium and UND hockey brings in the fans to pack the place out.  Both parties need to realize that they benefit each other.  Put stupid personal issues aside and do what is best for bothe the University and the Engelstad Foundation. 

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12 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Allow me to give everyone here a snapshot of the big picture with regard to REA, its relationship to UND and the very real and serious consequences of this issue:

  • Imagine that the contract split the revenues 50-50 between UND and REA starting in 2001. Imagine the extra revenues that would have resulted from that more equitable contract.
  • Now imagine all the coaches salaries that we could have increased during the critical transition period from D-II to D-I.
  • Imagine the coaches we could have retained with those extra revenues (Hint: I am talking about Dale Lennon).
  • Imagine the assistant coaches we could have retained instead of losing them to lateral moves to teams in our own freaking conference (which happened to MBB just last week).
  • Imagine Phase II of the HPC under construction or at least close to its fundraising goals instead of being a twinkle in our eyes.
  • Imagine all the championships we could have won because we had more money to invest in FB and WBB. WBB made it to the D-II national title game in Rochester, MN in March 2001. REA opened in October 2001. FB won the D-II national title on December 8th, 2001. After that point, FB and WBB had very good bordering on great teams, but couldn't quite get over the hump. This also was a time of six figure deficits in the athletic department, which Kupchella ordered solved IMMEDIATELY! Imagine what those extra revenues from REA could have done for both aforementioned programs? Gene Roebuck may have padded his legacy with 2 to 3 more national titles and UND FB might have been Grand Valley State instead of Runner-Up/Second-Fiddle/Stepping Stone U. The fact that all of this happened after REA opened makes me think it is more than a coincidence.

And now the consequences become even more important today with regard to.......

  • NDSU's increasing (and sickening) advantage in athletics fundraising, athletics success and national profile. The more they win, the smaller and more insignificant we look. This has to change soon, or we we will become "that other school in North Dakota" (just typing that makes me ill). More revenues will be crucial in preventing that.
  • The reality of FCOA as a permanent part of intercollegiate athletics. We cannot simply conclude that it is not "feasible" to fund FCOA and resolve to do "more with less". That is a one-way ticket straight to permanent mediocrity. We will learn what it was like to be Morningside for all those years in the old NCC. More revenues will be crucial to meeting these needs.
  • Our move from the Big Sky to the Summit League and MVFC. If our programs fall flat on their faces early and often in our new leagues, it will make our problems worse and harder to overcome. More revenue can help us establish a solid foundation for the future.
  • The possible upcoming CFB shake-up with regard to divisional realignment and scholarship limits. If there is another division added to CFB (a G5 division split off of the P5), we will want to position ourselves to be in that new division, not stuck in the old (and further watered-down) FCS. More revenues will be crucial to making it happen.

A more equitable REA contract would help make these problems easier to overcome and solve. Unfortunately, some people care more about soothing the hurt feelings of a rich heiress who lives in Las Vegas, NV and has admitted she doesn't care all that much about UND. I oppose that messianic "cult of personality" thinking and support doing something about this problem because I love UND, I cherish UND and I want a bright future for UND.

The contract is a joke. It is wrong. It must be fixed. And it must be fixed NOW.

(drops mic)

(exits stage right)

Forgive me if I am wrong but didn't Lennon leave due to not liking the AD?

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28 minutes ago, siouxkid12 said:

Forgive me if I am wrong but didn't Lennon leave due to not liking the AD?

There were many reasons he left. And no, it wasn't all about $$$$$. It was a lack of commitment to the program and the student-athletes in the program. We could have retained him if we gave him a decent bump in pay and promised him we would do more to promote and support what he was trying to do.

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2 minutes ago, RobPort said:

For what it's worth, the Herald's reporting on the feud is what prompted my open records request, which I put in yesterday. The university turned it around promptly which, to their credit, they typically do.

And because it was information they wanted to be public....

Not meaning to offend, as it's more a commentary on media today, but it's disappointing that it takes a blog to get the full story because of the local paper's agenda.

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5 minutes ago, RobPort said:

For what it's worth, the Herald's reporting on the feud is what prompted my open records request, which I put in yesterday. The university turned it around promptly which, to their credit, they typically do.

Great job in reporting this it seems that the Herald could have done this in the first place.

My take.

If our student athletes are to snowflake hurt that they at "demoralized" by walking over the "Fighting Hawks" wordmark and then only seeing the branding wordmark at center court.

DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YA WHERE THE GOOD LORD SPLIT YA!!!    I'm sure they may find a safespace somewhere at the University of Hurt Feelings or the campus of  Whiningbitch College.  

This is basically like being invited into another persons house to live and then demanding they paint the walls the color they like. No appreciation. They can play in Hyslop.

This is a process that can not be muscled 

I believe Kennedy has blown this way out of proportion, the demands of financial harm are far fetched at best.

At this point in time Kennedy has to have some understanding that if he calls out this fight he is not going to win. Five years from now.......maybe. But he wont be here then anyway.

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9 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

And because it was information they wanted to be public....

Not meaning to offend, as it's more a commentary on media today, but it's disappointing that it takes a blog to get the full story because of the local paper's agenda.

I don't think it's just that they may have wanted it to be public. I've made a lot of public records requests to  UND over the years, usually working with Peter Johnson. He's always done a fine job by me. And I say that as someone who has no problem being critical of the universities.

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This whole process makes me want to change donations from the Champions Club to the REA Foundation.

18 minutes ago, RobPort said:

For what it's worth, the Herald's reporting on the feud is what prompted my open records request, which I put in yesterday. The university turned it around promptly which, to their credit, they typically do.

Rob,

Did you ever put in a records request about the 7 or 8 proposed logos that SME submitted to the university prior to selection of this one?

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1 minute ago, UNDBIZ said:

Just to be clear, the Betty was not a gift to UND from the Engelstad Foundation.  UND is paying the bond for that building through the REA revenue share.

Would it have happened without the Engelstad blessing? Or would UND have had to pay much much more for a standalone arena ans support staff?  Is that not taken into account?

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Just now, southpaw said:

It's actually nothing like that. Especially with a contract that says the REA is supposed to operate with the best interests on UND involved. 

I find it hilariously hypocritical that you call the people who actually play for the teams represented by the logo Snowflakes.  It is apparent you're a child in this situation and are crying because it's not what you want. 

The president of the university has made it an official position that the student athletes are "Demoralized" by not seeing a logo at center court.   Childish doesn't begin to describe that label he himself has applied.

I give less than two craps about the logo at center court, it matters little really, Its the principle of how the president is going about pissing off large numbers of donors AND the big BIG donors in the process.

DONT PISS OF THE DONOR BASE.   Basically the first line on a President's job description.

 

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