Media Stories on the Sioux Name

[Knickball2]

I like basketball, I play basketball, my men's league basketball teams are very dominant in Grand Forks. I simply do not see the Summit League

as the absolute goal. I've never been on a pair of ice skates, but living in Grand Forks one is exposed to the best hockey in the country year in and

year out. Not only Fignting Sioux hockey, but Rider hockey, Knights hockey, Green Wave hockey, and also, Warrior hockey and Ram hockey. I also go

to Sioux basketball games on a regular basis, so I am quite aware of the sorry state of the men's basketball program at this point in history, now the women's

team is at least respectable, but the men, really. So I don't see the rush to get into the vaunted Summit...

[homer]

I like basketball, I play basketball, my men's league basketball teams are very dominant in Grand Forks. I simply do not see the Summit League

as the absolute goal. I've never been on a pair of ice skates, but living in Grand Forks one is exposed to the best hockey in the country year in and

year out. Not only Fignting Sioux hockey, but Rider hockey, Knights hockey, Green Wave hockey, and also, Warrior hockey and Ram hockey. I also go

to Sioux basketball games on a regular basis, so I am quite aware of the sorry state of the men's basketball program at this point in history, now the women's

team is at least respectable, but the men, really. So I don't see the rush to get into the vaunted Summit...

The rush is pretty simple. Walk into any living room of any high school player in the country and tell him that he will have no chance to play in the NCAA tournament and watch his reaction.

Than walk in and tell him he will have a chance to play in it if he wins his conference championship and watch his reaction.

If we continue to play in this Great West with no chance at the NCAA tournament we won't get the kids we need to turn that "sorry state of mens basketball" around. The Summit will at least give us a chance. Its really not fair to ask Coach Jones to fix Fighting Sioux basketball but not put him on a level playing field recruiting the type of athletes we need to fix it. The NCAA tournament is what kids that play basketball dream of playing in.

[xI Hammer Ix]

One of the better, pro-Summit arguments I've seen in a while (i don't pay much attention to this thread). UND will never compete at the same level as Duke or North Carolina, but maybe down the road we could be a semi regular showing in the tournament. Maybe, even steal a game in the tournament every once and a while.

[MplsBison]

One of the better, pro-Summit arguments I've seen in a while (i don't pay much attention to this thread). UND will never compete at the same level as Duke or North Carolina, but maybe down the road we could be a semi regular showing in the tournament. Maybe, even steal a game in the tournament every once and a while.

But the hockey fans claim that the nickname and "80 years of tradition" are being thrown away just so that basketball can get into the Summit.

It's a worthless, emotionally based argument, but it's what's being parroted at the hockey watercoolers.

[homer]

But the hockey fans claim that the nickname and "80 years of tradition" are being thrown away just so that basketball can get into the Summit.

It's a worthless, emotionally based argument, but it's what's being parroted at the hockey watercoolers.

It is emotional Mpls. You don't really have a dog in the fight so its real easy for you to write what you want. I honestly don't read your comments cause your writing without fully understanding it.

I completely understand it from both sides and I know that everyone has their own stance on the issue. I also understand how poor our basketball teams where this year but I'm realistic and only expect it to get worse until something is figured out. Not much a coach can do when he's got the deck stacked against him recruiting. I used to be all for the name and wanted to keep it at all costs. My view has changed as I started to understand how it is affecting all sports.

[xI Hammer Ix]

But the hockey fans claim that the nickname and "80 years of tradition" are being thrown away just so that basketball can get into the Summit.

It's a worthless, emotionally based argument, but it's what's being parroted at the hockey watercoolers.

I've flip flopped my views on the topic enough. I see both sides of the argument. Right now, I'm at the point where, whatever happens, happens. I admit I'd watch UND if they were in the basketball tournament, most of the game anyway. However, I don't ever see myself driving 3.5 hours to Grand Forks to watch basketball as I do for hockey, but that's me. I obviously support mainly hockey, and the nickname. I would be upset at losing the nickname and I feel it would not be the same for any of the sports. To me the nickname is tied to the university, and not just one sports team. While it is important to me that the name is kept, I realize that there are more important things to worry about. Emotions make us human, what are we without them? Wouldn't it be nice to have the best of both worlds? Who knows, maybe it will be kept, none of us can see the future.

[mksioux]

But the hockey fans claim that the nickname and "80 years of tradition" are being thrown away just so that basketball can get into the Summit.

It's a worthless, emotionally based argument, but it's what's being parroted at the hockey watercoolers.

Just remember, it would not be an argument, emotional or otherwise, if Tom Douple had not needlessly interjected himself squarely into the middle of it.

[tho0505]

One of the better, pro-Summit arguments I've seen in a while (i don't pay much attention to this thread). UND will never compete at the same level as Duke or North Carolina, but maybe down the road we could be a semi regular showing in the tournament. Maybe, even steal a game in the tournament every once and a while.

Grand Forks is not a basketball town and NEVER will be. Of course I'd watch UND if they were playing in the tourney one year as an 13th seed. The passion isn't there for basketball, nor do the students support it that much anyways. I now live in Spokane, where Gonzaga has grown to a powerhouse in basketball. The city feeds off of basketball, only because they don't have really anything else to follow. They sell out every game. UND with a couple good years, will never reach this level, because they wont get the support from the community like Gonzaga has. At UND, hockey rules. So forget the Summit, the Summit wants us we have good sports. We'll get in in a year or so, but lets see if we can save the name in the meantime.

[choyt3]

Grand Forks is not a basketball town and NEVER will be. Of course I'd watch UND if they were playing in the tourney one year as an 13th seed. The passion isn't there for basketball, nor do the students support it that much anyways. I now live in Spokane, where Gonzaga has grown to a powerhouse in basketball. The city feeds off of basketball, only because they don't have really anything else to follow. They sell out every game. UND with a couple good years, will never reach this level, because they wont get the support from the community like Gonzaga has. At UND, hockey rules. So forget the Summit, the Summit wants us we have good sports. We'll get in in a year or so, but lets see if we can save the name in the meantime.

Thought the Chiefs drew a capacity attendance 15 years or so ago. Has that changed?

I watched many a game when Babcock was the coach. The atmosphere had a big-time feel back then, similar to what we see every week at UND.

[xI Hammer Ix]

Grand Forks is not a basketball town and NEVER will be. Of course I'd watch UND if they were playing in the tourney one year as an 13th seed. The passion isn't there for basketball, nor do the students support it that much anyways. I now live in Spokane, where Gonzaga has grown to a powerhouse in basketball. The city feeds off of basketball, only because they don't have really anything else to follow. They sell out every game. UND with a couple good years, will never reach this level, because they wont get the support from the community like Gonzaga has. At UND, hockey rules. So forget the Summit, the Summit wants us we have good sports. We'll get in in a year or so, but lets see if we can save the name in the meantime.

I was just thinking that if UND became a semi-regular tournament team, possibly more people would attend the games, and the student support would grow, that's all. If the success is there people will follow. There is room for two sports in town, it's not like Grand Forks is exactly the most "happening" town in the country with tons to do on a given night.

I attended UND from 2005-2009, and when I was there all other "major" sports (except hockey) didn't get much press, thus not going to very many other games. I think I went to maybe every other football game, 1 guy's basketball, 1 woman's basketball and 1 volleyball game, while attending every single hockey game except for the fall 2009 semester. So I agree that hockey runs Grand Forks and UND, and most likely always will. Not too many schools are powerhouse in more than one sport. However, a tournament appearance or two would help either team quite a bit. Who knows maybe I all wrong. Either way we're getting a head of ourselves, gotta get into the league first which means sorting out the nickname. One step at a time.

[Sioux-per Villain]

The rush is pretty simple. Walk into any living room of any high school player in the country and tell him that he will have no chance to play in the NCAA tournament and watch his reaction.

Than walk in and tell him he will have a chance to get his ass kicked in the first round if he wins his conference championship and watch his reaction.

fixed your post

[homer]

fixed your post

You wanna make any bets about there being any upsets during the next couple days of the tournament? If there is I'll make a bet with you about which game will lead off Sportcenter, the upset game of the NCAA tournament or any hockey or baseball game you choose.

My point was your never going to get the kids to be better than a bottom 20 team in the NCAA without a chance to play in the tournament.

[UND92,96]

Grand Forks is not a basketball town and NEVER will be. Of course I'd watch UND if they were playing in the tourney one year as an 13th seed. The passion isn't there for basketball, nor do the students support it that much anyways. I now live in Spokane, where Gonzaga has grown to a powerhouse in basketball. The city feeds off of basketball, only because they don't have really anything else to follow. They sell out every game. UND with a couple good years, will never reach this level, because they wont get the support from the community like Gonzaga has. At UND, hockey rules. So forget the Summit, the Summit wants us we have good sports. We'll get in in a year or so, but lets see if we can save the name in the meantime.

This point has been made a number of times by other people, but there was a time not so long ago when men's basketball was huge at UND--the early 1990's. That happened to coincide with a very down period for UND hockey, but I don't think that fact alone contributed all that much to the popularity of UND basketball. It was a great product, and 3,000 to 5,000 people consistently filled Hyslop. Can that kind of interest occur again? I don't see why not.

[johnson]

You wanna make any bets about there being any upsets during the next couple days of the tournament? If there is I'll make a bet with you about which game will lead off Sportcenter, the upset game of the NCAA tournament or any hockey or baseball game you choose.

My point was your never going to get the kids to be better than a bottom 20 team in the NCAA without a chance to play in the tournament.

It will also be hard finding a conference for your football team if you can't find a conference that sponsors all sports. The MVFC wouldn't even consider the XDSU's until they were in a conference for all other sports. Independents have a hard time making ends meet minus Notre Dame. Without a conference your athletic teams could struggle and money could become extremely tight. But like it has been stated before teams are constantly on the move. UND is stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Either drop the name and risk upsetting donors or keep the name and wait for this to play out and hope that a conference is looking for a member when the dust settles. I think a low major conference like the Summit will always be looking. You just might have to wait a few years for something to come around and if you think that the athletic department can afford to continue on as an independant for a few years then maybe the nickname fight should continue. Mega dollars have already been spent on keeping the nickname it would make sense to continue on until the final deadline.

[darell1976]

I see that #16 seeds are 0-100 against a #1 team....wouldn't it be awesome to have UND be the first to defeat a #1 seed. I would like to see UND in the Summit but only on the NCAA timeline NOT the SBoHE timeline.

[tho0505]

Thought the Chiefs drew a capacity attendance 15 years or so ago. Has that changed?

I watched many a game when Babcock was the coach. The atmosphere had a big-time feel back then, similar to what we see every week at UND.

They do, last game i went to there was around 10k and that was against Tri-Cities, their big rival. For a city of 200k+ thats not too hard to fill up. Sioux basketball with the students won't ever get close to the support of Sioux hockey. The key to this whole discussion is the SIOUX name. I don't want to see us give up our tradition for a momentary decision to join the summit. We'll get into the Summit next year, lets worry about that after an actual decision is made on the name and we given the tribes fair shot at keeping the name.

[gjw007]

Grand Forks is not a basketball town and NEVER will be. Of course I'd watch UND if they were playing in the tourney one year as an 13th seed. The passion isn't there for basketball, nor do the students support it that much anyways. I now live in Spokane, where Gonzaga has grown to a powerhouse in basketball. The city feeds off of basketball, only because they don't have really anything else to follow. They sell out every game. UND with a couple good years, will never reach this level, because they wont get the support from the community like Gonzaga has. At UND, hockey rules. So forget the Summit, the Summit wants us we have good sports. We'll get in in a year or so, but lets see if we can save the name in the meantime.

I find this somewhat entertaining as when I attended UND during the 70s, hockey during the Rube Bjorkman years was not as popular as basketball or football. It was hard to get into a basketball but no thought was necessary to see a hockey game, if wanted to go, you just showed up and there was always seats. I believe it has something to do with winning and everyone is attracted to a winner rather than a loser. Of course, the WCHA consisted of Michigan, Michigan State, and Notre Dame during that time period as well as the Colorado schools, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

[star2city]

I find this somewhat entertaining as when I attended UND during the 70s, hockey during the Rube Bjorkman years was not as popular as basketball or football. It was hard to get into a basketball but no thought was necessary to see a hockey game, if wanted to go, you just showed up and there was always seats. I believe it has something to do with winning and everyone is attracted to a winner rather than a loser. Of course, the WCHA consisted of Michigan, Michigan State, and Notre Dame during that time period as well as the Colorado schools, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Until the Bismarck Civic Center was built, the Fieldhouse (as Hyslop was formerly called) was the basketball mecca of North Dakota. Because it's size was so much larger than any other facility, making the State Tournament and playing in the then- 7000 seat Fieldhouse was by far the ultimate high school athletic experience and was a palace by college standards. Grand Forks not only had great college and high school teams in the 60's and early 70's, but was the cultural center for North Dakota basketball for two decades. Names like Phil Jackson, Bill Fitch, Jimmie Rodgers, Glen Hansen, Reed Monson were all-time historical BB greats in the state and all were in GF within a few short years.

Maybe lacrosse will be the next wave.

[johnson]

Until the Bismarck Civic Center was built, the Fieldhouse (as Hyslop was formerly called) was the basketball mecca of North Dakota. Because it's size was so much larger than any other facility, making the State Tournament and playing in the then- 7000 seat Fieldhouse was by far the ultimate high school athletic experience and was a palace by college standards. Grand Forks not only had great college and high school teams in the 60's and early 70's, but was the cultural center for North Dakota basketball for two decades. Names like Phil Jackson, Bill Fitch, Jimmie Rodgers, Glen Hansen, Reed Monson were all-time historical BB greats in the state and all were in GF within a few short years.

Maybe lacrosse will be the next wave.

Hyslop was very nice in its day. The Municipal Auditorium in Minot was a great venue also. I remember quite a few class B tournaments there. It wasn't quite what Hyslop was but when you come from a small town with a gym just big enough to fit a court inside of it both of those venues were amazing to play in.

[MplsBison]

If UND basketball started winning and started playing games in the Ralph, there's no reason it couldn't be just as popular in Grand Forks.

[Fetch]

you mean the Betty

Bison breath do you really know anything about GF ?

I can't see many new schools really competeing in D1 BB

MooU had one guy who was exceptional

& I didn't even know about him until being at the Final Five & watched some of it on tv in the Hotel

[MplsBison]

you mean the Betty

Bison breath do you really know anything about GF ?

I can't see many new schools really competeing in D1 BB

MooU had one guy who was exceptional

& I didn't even know about him until being at the Final Five & watched some of it on tv in the Hotel

No, I mean the Ralph. Obviously it's way too big for UND's average crowd now, but if that many people can come watch UND hockey then there is no reason that many people can't go to watch UND bball if they started winning and against big name teams.

[Fetch]

what Big Name teams ?

[tho0505]

what Big Name teams ?

We would for surely land North Carolina, Duke, MSU, and Kentucky. In fact I think Coach K already called once to get a game against us....

[Blackburn87]

In Kentucky, March Madness is the real deal. People plan their day around UK Basketball, both personally and professionally.

I could get behind Sioux Basketball, even though I'm much more of a hockey fan at heart. Basketball in North Dakota will never reach the fever pitch it does in Kentucky, but I still believe we can have it both ways: Keep the name, build the program. I also don't think the Summit is the end-all, be-all venue for us to achieve it.

For whatever it's worth, I'd trade March Madness in Kentucky for post-season UND Fighting Sioux Hockey i North Dakota any day of the week. That's just me.