Division 1: Not so fast

[JBB]

PS - If FargoDome is so 'prestigious', why is the lighting so terrible? The endzones are dark and the lights are at angles such that they shine in your eyes if you are sitting in box seating. Is Fargo going to 'progressively' fix that any time soon? I'm not trying to be malicious here. I do believe lighting there is a problem.... the learned one (sorry couldnt remember how to spell your name)

I think you'll find that when watching the game from that level you should be wearing a hat. Make sure the brim is facing forward. I do and its great. The lighting on the field is perfect. The Winona players felt the Fabulous Fargo Dome was the better football venue. Of course there were twice as many fans at the Prestigious Fargo Dome too.

Fortunately we dont have to have Roger Thomas wearing a green wig sitting with "the kids" in front of the boxes so he can show them how to have a "good time" without standing up and blocking the view of the "most important customers."

Ps. the 75 mile radius gets into the Fargo Metropolitan Statistical area, a population center of 150,000 or more. More proof that Grand Forks cant get by without Fargo.

[The Sicatoka]

Gopher, Badger, Wolverine, Spartan and BC Eagles are among the 13 true D1 programs playing.

By saying that, you're admitting that the 16 IAA's playing D-I hockey are D-I pretenders (not true).

Thus, by your statement, IAAs are D-I pretenders.

Gotcha.

[PCM]

JBB, you seem to think that NDSU is dog and UND is the tail. In fact, I think the opposite is true. After UND eclipsed NDSU as a premier power in Division II football and womens basketball, the Bison suddenly became interested in hockey. When that proved infeasible, NDSU's attention turned toward moving up to D1AA.

The truth is, NDSU/Fargo can't stand being second best to UND/Grand Forks. They envy the attention that UND gets from the seven D1 NCAA hockey championships and all the players UND puts in the NHL. They can't stand that fact that not only did Grand Forks build a facility that competes with the Fargodome, but went an order of magnitude better by building one of the world's finest hockey arenas.

You can spin it any way you want, but the truth is, NDSU would rather be an also-ran in another division than play second fiddle to UND.

[bisonguy]

A couple random responses:

The NDSU v. Maine game sold over 17,000 tickets with a week left.

(quote)... its diffuclt to take "D1 Hockey" seriously as a D1 sport.

I hope a Gopher, Badger, Wolverine, Spartan, or BC Eagles fan didn't hear that. "Shredded" would be the best you could hope for. (end quote)

FOOTBALL ATTENDANCE:

School games total att. avg. att.

Minnesota 6 258,419 43,070

Wisconsin 7 545,983 77,998

Michigan 6 659,447 109,908

Michigan St. 6 442,292 73,715

Boston College 6 255,838 42,640

HOCKEY ATTENDANCE:

School games total att. avg. att.

Minnesota 18 172,122 9,562

Wisconsin 20 230,330 11,517

Michigan 21 134,365 6,398

Michigan St. 21 137,550 6,550

Boston College17 93,012 5,471

I'd say that they take football a little more seriously than hockey at the above mentioned schools.

[The Sicatoka]

Serious you say?

Saturday, October 6, 2001:

Michigan at Michigan State --> Attendance 74,554.

That was nearly a 1000 more than Michigan State's average FB attendance for the season.

And it was a hockey game.

Game recap: http://www.uscollegehockey.com/recaps/2001...0/06/um-msu.php

Game box score:

http://www.uscollegehockey.com/box/index.p...me=msu&gender=m

Now tell me again about who takes what seriously.

[PCM]

I'd say that they take football a little more seriously than hockey at the above mentioned schools.

Wow. Football stadiums have more seating capacity than hockey arenas. Who would have guessed?

[bisonguy]

Sicatoka,

That was a ONE TIME EVENT(i.e. big hoopla). If hockey could support that many fans on a continuous basis, they'd build arenas that big. That's still 30,000+ less than Michigan AVERAGES for FB.

[choyt3]

If DI hockey is so irrelevant, why do all the conversations regarding NDSU's move up include the eventuality of hockey at NDSU (including JBB's)?

You guys come on this website to spout off and expect to NOT be called on it? The address that you typed to get here was not www.streamyellow.com

Is there not someone at that "prestigious and superior" school that has the intellectual capabilities to create a message board where you can puff up the Bizon and slobber all over each other?

This whole conversation is getting pretty tired since the implications of NDSU's decision won't really be seen by the public for two years. Lots can change before then.

[jimdahl]

Is there not someone at that "prestigious and superior" school that has the intellectual capabilities to create a message board where you can puff up the Bizon and slobber all over each other?

In fact, the recent surge in visits from our NDSU friends are because of posts on their new message board urging fans to come over here.

The location of that new board is:

http://www.bisonville.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

[dagies]

Sicatoka,

That was a ONE TIME EVENT(i.e. big hoopla). If hockey could support that many fans on a continuous basis, they'd build arenas that big. That's still 30,000+ less than Michigan AVERAGES for FB.

Sorry, it gets a little hard to see a hockey game in a football sized stadium. Just doesn't work that well

.

[jimdahl]

That was a ONE TIME EVENT(i.e. big hoopla). If hockey could support that many fans on a continuous basis, they'd build arenas that big. That's still 30,000+ less than Michigan AVERAGES for FB.

There's really not much of an argument here -- of course footall is higher attendance than hockey. True in pros, true in college, indisputable.

The reality in North Dakota, though, is that hockey is a VERY close second. Compare UND hockey to NDSU/UND basketball and there's no comparison. That's precisely why NDSU will attempt to add D-I hockey as soon as they've absorbed the other costs of moving to D-I. It's a big draw in N.D. In the meantime, however, some NDSU fans will continue to bash hockey because it's a clear area of revenue/attendance/D-I national championships success for UND.

[bisonguy]

Clayton,

Don't you like to hear an opinion from a different perspective? We welcome other opinions on the boards at Bisonville.com and BisonInsider.com, but unfortunately until JimDahl started posting all UND opinions were a bunch of troll garbage. Here's an example:

guess who waasted wiona last year? SIoux

by the way- central washington is is d-1AA acording to d-1.com.

also, y do u spend ur whole life on this site?

siox have won more then 11 championchips

they ahve won 4 or 5 gilrs b-ball

8 hockey

1 football

2 mens b-bnall

Even if JBB is a little rough on UND, he doesn't post garbage like that here.

Hey Jim,

We even directed the Sioux fan quoted above to this site. You can thank us later.

[jimdahl]

Hey Jim,

We even directed the Sioux fan quoted above to this site. You can thank us later.

But he seemed so much happier with you guys. Are you sure you don't want to keep him?

[choyt3]

Clayton,

Don't you like to hear an opinion from a different perspective? We welcome other opinions on the boards at Bisonville.com and BisonInsider.com, but unfortunately until JimDahl started posting all UND opinions were a bunch of troll garbage. Here's an example:

guess who waasted wiona last year? SIoux

by the way- central washington is is d-1AA acording to d-1.com.

also, y do u spend ur whole life on this site?

siox have won more then 11 championchips

they ahve won 4 or 5 gilrs b-ball

8 hockey

1 football

2 mens b-bnall

Even if JBB is a little rough on UND, he doesn't post garbage like that here.

Hey Jim,

We even directed the Sioux fan quoted above to this site. You can thank us later.

Opinions are fine, but what I'm saying is that continuing to try and change the opinions of people on this board is pointless.

All of this 'my school is better than your school and my town is better than your town' is complete bunk. I think that went out somewhere back in junior high. Like Jim said above, no matter what anyone thinks, Fargo is still the largest city in the middle of no where. Big deal. Like people anywhere else in the US could give a rip.

I know it wasn't you, but when JBB starts a post off by saying UND's president is against going D-I because he's racist, that is completely asinine. Not jibberish like the guest over there, but it is garbage none-the-less.

As for the "Sioux fan" posting on the Bison boards, it's tough to be too sophisticated and dignified when you are 12. Bring the wee one on over here. I'm sure it won't take some of the regulars long to make the goof crawl in a hole.

[bisonguy]

Clayton,

You have to take JBB for what he is, a Bison fan that does not care for UND.

He does have immense knowledge of NCC football, though. As for myself, first and foremost, I'm a Bison fan. If NDSU is not in the playoffs, I'll cheer for and support UND(made it to the PSU and UCD playoff games), followed by anyone from the NCC, then the Midwest region, after that, my interest is lost.

Jim,

I agree with you about the hockey issue. Fargo has the support for hockey, but not the facilities. Maybe if the Fargo Park District and Mr. Englestad could have come to terms, things would be different.

[PCM]

Bisonguy,

I'm with you. I'll cheer on NDSU if UND or one other NCC school to the south that shall remain nameless isn't in the playoffs.

Thanks you for your support!

[Riverman]

jbb, We could take you more serious if you used upper case letters.

I noticed fargo and ndsu are always upper case but Grand Forks and UND are not why is that?

Bisonguy I won't mention pro players from D1 hockey that make the pro teams compared to D2 football ratio that make the pro league.

[Riverman]

Clayton,

Don't you like to hear an opinion from a different perspective? We welcome other opinions on the boards at Bisonville.com and BisonInsider.com, but unfortunately until JimDahl started posting all UND opinions were a bunch of troll garbage. Here's an example:

guess who waasted wiona last year? SIoux

by the way- central washington is is d-1AA acording to d-1.com.

also, y do u spend ur whole life on this site?

siox have won more then 11 championchips

they ahve won 4 or 5 gilrs b-ball

8 hockey

1 football

2 mens b-bnall

How can you be sure this is a Sioux fan?After all a good Sioux fan knows that we have only 7 D1 National Championships.

[bisonguy]

He claimed to be Ryan Bakken's (GF Herald) son.

[The Sicatoka]

bisonguy: Like I said before, you took that bait?

At least the miscapitalization can be explained away in a child.

A little adversarial respect would be nice. I've tried to maintain that.

PS - Wisconsin was looking to do a Gopher/Badger game at Camp-Randall and break that UM/MSU number. Of course, there were rumors of a UM/MSU rematch at The Big House also. (And of course the UM/MSU number was 30k under Michigan's average. Spartan Stadium ain't The Big House.)

[The Sicatoka]

bisonguy:

I found the post where "someone" claimed to be Bakken's son.

Ryan Bakken isn't the Herald sports editor as that post claims. (I believe it is Kevin Fee.) That post appears to be a pure troll.

You need to borrow a pliers to get that hook out of the corner of your mouth?

[The Sicatoka]

How are you going to keep Dale Lennon here when Sac State comes calling?

History:

Dale Lennon was hired by Roger Thomas to be his defensive coordinator. Terry Wanless was the UND AD at that time.

Wanless is now at Sacramento State*.

Thomas is now the AD.

And Lennon was hired by Thomas to be the head FB coach.

I'm not sure how you think there's this great Wanless/Lennon tie. The tie is Thomas/Lennon and Lennon is a UND alumnus.

PS - Dale Lennon has a ring that he could show Babich so he'd know what one looks like, if you'd like. I mean outright conference title. Were you thinking of something else?

*Sacramento State just had (2001-2002) their best IAA season yet.

FB: 2-9

MBB: 9-18

WBB: On a 30+ game losing streak.

[star2city]

September 26, 2002

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA ANNOUNCES DECISION ON DIVISION I AA TODAY

Excerpts:

"... the decision was based on USD

[jimdahl]

Here's their release:

http://www.usd.edu/urelations/news/archive...eptember24.html

I have to wonder how much they'll think it's worth saving the NCC and traditional rivalries if UND and SDSU jump with UNC and NDSU?

Of course, their athletic budget is only $3m (the release states) and Vermillion is only about 10,000 people.

[Riverman]

I think we should lend a hand to USD so they can sit next to UND on

the fence as we watch NDSU-UNC and see what happens.