UND moving up?

[dakotadan]

I don't mind Bison fans adding their opinion over here as long as it is productive points and not just trash talk. If you go check out bisonville.com, their message boards are full of annoying sioux fans who do nothing but spit pointless babble on their site. It is also full of bison fans obsessed with UND who cannot say anything about UND that isn't as closed minded as they can be. As long as bison fans are fairly respectful and are honestly here to discuss UND athletics, all I can say is thanks for another viewpoint.

[MafiaMan]

Coming from someone with an NDSU background (my dad and my two sisters went to school there), I always rooted for NDSU its football games except when they played UND. I grew up watching the NDSU/UND game on TV and it was quite honestly, the ONLY football game that my dad would watch. That being said, I consider myself somewhat of a fan of NDSU football, despite having graduated from UND in 1992 and having the Sioux logo tattooed on my back left shoulderblade (for hockey purposes obviously). What's funny is the banter back and forth between die-hard Sioux football fans and I-bleed-green-and-yellow Bison football fans.

Let's look at the facts, shall we?

UND plays big-whoop-dee-doo Division II football. Having personally attended a half-dozen Michigan games at The Big House, I can honestly tell you how small-time Sioux football is. Do I support the Sioux? Yes. Did I watch them win the title a few years ago and lose a heart-breaker last year? Yes again. Does it remotely compare to seeing 107,514 fans sitting in Michigan Stadium? Not even close.

On the other hand, NDSU is spouting off about how "big-time" its program is now that they're (and I use this term loosely) "Division I." Keep in mind, you're Division I-AA, folks. Again, big difference. And if you think playing "big-time" D-1 football is heading to the Metrodome for a thumping at the hands of Big 10 wanna-be Minnesota (2003-2004 Sun Bowl Champs!), you have another thing coming. Until you've seen the sea of red at Nebraska, 107,000+ at Michigan, the Horseshoe and Ohio State, USC vs UCLA, Death Valley at LSU, Florida/Georgia, or even the steam at Miami's Orange Bowl, you're still small-time. I'm glad folks in Fargo are proud of beating up Valparaiso, the school still living off of Bryce Drew's miracle basketball shot against Ole Miss several years ago. Big whoop-dee-doo number two.

Now, if we're going to argue what's better, DII or D1-AA, we might as well discuss what's better, checkers or chess? It's pointless to even argue. I hope NDSU goes on to do well in D1-AA and quite honestly, I hope UND decides to move up the rest of their sports within a few years so these two schools can renew their storied rivalry. It's a shame that it had to end this season.

Good luck to NDSU in D1-AA this season. It'll be interesting to see how it works out. And good luck to UND, too, obviously. Avenge the GVSU game!

MafiaMan

[IowaBison]

i agree dakotaboy, but there has been at least a somewhat organized attempt to attend the smack against UND at bisonville this week, what can i say, a lot of fans on both are going through withdrawl

i've been trying to keep my relatively on topic, but have taken and received a couple of jabs on this string which i have taken in stride

[Bisonfan1234]

Big 10 wanna-be Minnesota

Gophs = 2004 Big 10 champs and NDSU opponent in 2005.

[WYOBISONMAN]

A couple of points....first...Death Valley is at Clemson, not LSU. Second, this seems to be a very UND centered topic that had FINALLY gotten of the smack track and is a legit discussion. And....the UND board is a reasonable place for it.

[MafiaMan]

The Gopher football program plays in a joke of a stadium with absolutely ZERO atmosphere. Look me up when the Big 10 football season is over, Bisonfan1234. I'm keeping your quote for future reference when I need a good chuckle. Big 10 champs, huh? If that happens, I'll draw a red circle with a slash thru it over my Sioux tatt.

[MafiaMan]

WYOBISONMAN,

Trust me, I've been in Baton Rouge. The ONLY Death Valley is the home of the Bayou Bengals. They poke fun of Clemson's version. Click on the attached link and scroll down for the picture of the stadium and some info.

Tiger Stadium (91,600)

[SIOUXTX]

my goodness, someone shows interest in your teams and you get upset about it?

i've been involved with most of this string, which i would describe as interesting, thought provoking and UND CENTERED!,

i'd imagine most UND fans who've actually stuck to the issue of UND moving DI would agree, even if we've had differing opinions on what might be happening

have the few guys who just started saying Bison fans go home even read any of this, or did you just recognize that we enjoy NDSU athletics and decide that we have no place here?

The problem IowaBison is that you constantly talk about NDSU. You keep saying your posts are thought provoking and UND centered,but 40% of your posts you specifically mention NDSU. A larger percentage of your posts mention NDSU, Bison or you reference what your university is doing.

Besides the fact on a earlier post you called us "Sue" fans which is an obvious below the belt shot.

Then you have BFD123.......and his NDSU opponent in 2005 comment. We don't care what you are doing.

[IowaBison]

when ever i mentioned ndsu it was either with respect to UND or in response to a question about our team, read the posts again

yes, i admit to taking a couple of shots, but took some myself

could we please get this string back to the issue of UND moving up?

[MafiaMan]

Not until WYOBISONMAN admits that I am right!

[Supertrex]

Then you have BFD123.......and his NDSU opponent in 2005 comment. We don't care what you are doing.

I care about this game...I want to know the date so I can be sure to what the Bison receive the old Valpo treatment....

[IowaBison]

hold on there mafiaman,

we're posting about UND moving up, not lsu and clemson sharing a stadium nickname

let's get back on topic

[MafiaMan]

And I believe I stated some opinions on that, IowaBison.

[bigmrg74]

Gophs = 2004 Big 10 champs and NDSU opponent in 2005.

What have you been smokin' again BF1234? No way do the Gophers win the Big Ten! Michigan State, Perdue or Penn State are more likely to beat out Michigan and/or Ohio state for the Big Ten Title. Isn't that a game where the Gophers are paying NDSU to play them? That useally means they are going to get whooped on fiercely. Think somewhere in the range of 45+ to 7 perhaps. Getting beat like that doesn't help recuitment at all.

[SiouxFan48]

I think it's kinda funny to read this post. Especially the parts where UND and NDSU fans argue about whatever they argue about................I currently live in Fargo........I have a family member playing for the Sioux right now.........Ive watched him play there since 2001..........So yes Im a Fighting Sioux Fan~ We also both grew up watching the NDSU Bison.........Obviously the past years Ive rooted for the Sioux...............I think its great that NDSU went DV 1aa........I think the state of North dakota needs that...............I'm also glad UND has not moved up to DV 1aa....and i really hope they dont.........so players like my brother who has played since 2001 in 2 national championship games and is currently a starter get a chance to go to a program like UND..............In 5 years from now when we look through the roster at NDSU....I will garantee you dont see many familiar names of players.....Fargo Souths.,..West fargos...etc etc there wont be many players from them schools playing there..........Theres a few players from North dakota each year with D 1 capability....so i would hope UND would remain D2....which i understand prolly wont happen...........

I would have to say also that I am a huge UND fan obviously cause of having a bro playing right now.....But when NDSU wasnt playing UND these past years I was chearing for them also..............I think NDSU has a great football team....I also think UND has a great team......So instead of arguing about whatever why not support both teams....There both from the State we live in and there both very successfull teams...........and i will truly miss the NDSU-UND game.....i wish they would have played this year in Fargo .....i understand why they don't play...but i think it would have been a competeive fun game to watch no matter what team won.................

so i wish Both teams the best of luck this year and years to come............

[IowaBison]

you did, but no need to hold up the string until wyobison admits his mistake

[MafiaMan]

I concur, Frankenstein. I seem to recall another former D-II school jumping up the ladder...anyone remember Troy State? Look up their past few years...you'll see some absolute drubbings at the hands of Nebraska. And that's a recruiting selling point?

[IowaBison]

this would be a great topic for a bison message board

[MafiaMan]

What's your point, IowaBison? There are pluses and minuses for everything. I totally agree with what an earlier poster stated. Going DI-AA isn't going to get more kids from Oakes, Fargo South, or Watford City onto the football team at UND. It's going to result in kids from Miami, Detroit, or Chicago who aren't good enough for D-1 coming to North Dakota for football. That I think is a big minus. However, there are the obvious "prestige" reasons to want to be a D-1 school, whether it be with the big boys or DI-AA.

[IowaBison]

i feel like we're getting ready to bash the bison, which i don't have a problem with, let's do it at bisonville

if i misunderstood, and i do that quite often while on message boards, you may have been commenting on the position that UND will be in if/when they move to DI

to speak generally, i believe that 'money games' can be great things for DIAA football teams, look at McNeese State who gets crushed by Nebraska takes its half a million dollars home, builds a program and beats up on other opponents in its division, i would fully expect UND to do the same if/when they move up, being a fan of a former rival, i won't say a word if UND gets beat 62 by K-State, that's how DIAA works,

i would expect UND to take that $400,000 grand home and put it to good use in their athletic department paying for scholarships and maintaining your facilities

[MafiaMan]

And that's where I have a problem with going big-time. It's not about being competitive in a D-II or DI-AA conference, it's about getting your a** whooped once or twice a season so the athletic department can rake in some big bucks. THERE is the problem with college sports these days.

[IowaBison]

that's why i'm conflicted about UND moving up

you have to pick moderately successful DI, which I think UND would be

or fill up your arenas with championship banners from now until the end of time

[dakotadan]

I wouldn't mind seeing UND play minnesota in some games. We would make some money, get publicity in a bigger market, and even if we did get spanked we would just return the favor in hockey

[IowaBison]

that's a really good idea, especially given the current number of students who are from the cities, a proportion which will only grow with time, and the number of graduates/fans down there

[MafiaMan]

How many fans would truly show up to see UND get beat 77-0 by Minnesota? My guess is not many.