MidCon Conference Decision on Tuesday

[Riverman]

Did this become the new ndsu/bison board??

Congrats to ndsu.

I as well as the next guy like a great debate but d1 in fargo you need to calm down.

MplsBison has an oppinion just like the rest of us and doesn't need to be "called out" just because

you might not like what he has to say.

Sorry Jim, I yield the captain's chair.

[aff]

Aff:

Don't deceive yourself into believing the MidCon has any degree of stability to it.

Oakland wants in the Horizon, and received strong consideration when Valpo got in

IUPUI, when it gets its new on-campus arena, will be a strong candidate for the Horizon and would be a shoe-in if Butler leaves

Western Illinois, which is in the talking stages of a new arena, want in the Mo Valley with its Gateway brethren

UMKC wants in the Mo Valley

ORU wants in the Mo Valley - article just this week on that

Centenary wants in the Southland - if Texas St goes DIA, they would be a candidate

SUU wants in the Big Sky

Everybody wants out and only the desperate want in. Not exactly a recipe for stability (or for keeping an autobid).

Yeah, I'm aware of the stability issue, but turn that around and think about it. The midcon CAN'T lose, what, two more schools in for awhile here, or the autobid is gone. What does that say about the chances of UND's admission for the next couple of years? If there are enough schools leaving that UND will be a shoe-in, then there is no point in even joining seeing as how there will be no autobid for the conference.

But for all of the conspiracy theories coming up here, the only school I can see leaving would be SUU for the big sky, which would help the school monumentally with travel. The mo valley isn't expanding in the near future, until the big east breaks up, which will be awhile despite what some think. Centenary has been turned down twice for the southland, but I think most schools would love to see them go if it didn't endanger the autobid. Likewise the horizon isn't going to be expanding until they need to. If they wanted oakland, now would have been the time to take them.

I think the conference is more or less stable for awhile, although not because its members are happy, but because they can't go anywhere else.

[bincitysioux]

12 is better than 10 for the Mid-Con because it doesn't sponsor football and because there are strength in numbers. I am happy for NDSU that they got in, and I hope that UND gets in down the road. But the Mid-Con is a historically unstable conference, that is a fact. After 25 years of existence, there are now 15 former members of the Mid-Con. So on average there is turnover in that conferene in just a little under every 2 years. So based on that, I don't think it is a stretch to speculate that the Mid-Con will indeed expand again in the near future.

[The Sicatoka]

10? 12?

I say 12 with a caveat: Only 11 playing football.

Why?

12 for BB means:

- six pairs of travel partners

- 22 regular season games

But only 11 playing FB means:

- 10 games in conference

- 5 home, 5 road

There isn't much non-conference game room in that schedule, but it sure would be easy to plan travel expenses year to year.

[DI IN FARGO]

Did this become the new ndsu/bison board??

Congrats to ndsu.

I as well as the next guy like a great debate but d1 in fargo you need to calm down.

MplsBison has an oppinion just like the rest of us and doesn't need to be "called out" just because

you might not like what he has to say.

Sorry Jim, I yield the captain's chair.

Maybe you think its classy to call for a schools removal from a conference when that school has been a member of the conference for a long time and your not even it it yet. If you do that's fine but its classless to say it and I would expect better from a Bison fan. You can sit there and honestly tell me you think its ok when your not a member of a conderence to call for the ouster of a school who worse yet has a vote in your fate in acceptance to that conference? Wow if you think that good luck.

[Rick]

I really hope there are some other options out there besides the Mid-Con when UND makes the move. It

[Bigdog42]

I really hope there are some other options out there besides the Mid-Con when UND makes the move. It

[Shawn-O]

What everyone is going to find out is DIAA isn't any better than the NCC was.

I guess we'll find out in Cedar Falls on September 9. That will be a great measuring stick. My opinion, I think you're dead wrong, and UNI will handle the Sioux with relative ease.

[Hansel]

Hell I remember a USD football team losing to Montana by 2 touchdowns in Montana about 7 years ago. USD finishes 8th in the NCC that year and Montana is in the championshop game.

peace

Montana 45, USD 13, 9-4-99

Montana lost in the first round of the playoffs, USD was 4-7, 6th in the then ten team NCC

your memory might be a little off

[IowaBison]

Great point Rick!

I was talking about the same thing yesterday with another alum. The Mid-Con is DIAA which everyone wants to be DIAA but the conference would have a real hard time competing with the NCC of 5 years ago. You take the NCC from 1990 - 2002-03, when UNC left, and put it up against the Mid-Con, those NCC teams go over .500 against the Mid-Con teams.

What everyone is going to find out is DIAA isn't any better than the NCC was. Hell I remember a USD football team losing to Montana by 2 touchdowns in Montana about 7 years ago. USD finishes 8th in the NCC that year and Montana is in the championshop game.

Both universities know their athletes can compete at the next level but the sad thing is we will have to go to some dirt bag conference and work our way up.

peace

The Mid-Con is a DI conference, not DIAA. (?) Even if they sponsored football, which they don't, the label would be incorrect.

Mid-Con basketball is significantly better than the NCC, IMO. They can lure kids with the promise of the tournament and playing ball at home (ie Detroit, Kansas City, Indianapolis,....)

But apparently your posting about football, a sport they don't even sponsor..........

[IowaBison]

I really hope there are some other options out there besides the Mid-Con when UND makes the move. It

[Bigdog42]

Montana 45, USD 13, 9-4-99

Montana lost in the first round of the playoffs, USD was 4-7, 6th in the then ten team NCC

your memory might be a little off

it was a 14-7 late in the game and then USD fell apart

[Bison Dan]

I really hope there are some other options out there besides the Mid-Con when UND makes the move. It

[jimdahl]

Then why is UND trying so hard to move up? If the Mid-Con isn't up to your standards which conference will take a lone DI independent from northern ND?

Moving or not isn't really Rick's decision (unless Rick is a pseudonym for Dr. K) I'd estimate about a third of the fans here think UND shouldn't be reclassifying.

It's not my decision either, but I share his apprehension about shooting for MidCon (as I did when NDSU was reclassifying). One potentially mitigating change is that instead of moving alone, there are now at least 3 former NCC schools in play, which is a lot closer to the "move the top of the NCC" model a lot of us hoped for a few years ago. Playing old rivals NDSU/SDSU/USD(?) but replacing Augustana with the likes of Oral Roberts is a lot more attractive than replacing traditional opponents NDSU/SDSU with the likes of Oral Roberts.

Disclaimer-- I pick on Oral Roberts despite them being a good, well-known school, because they are distinctly not a traditional opponent of UND so would have little mindshare among Sioux fans. I have no doubt they would feel the same way about us.

[Bigdog42]

Geez, is there any UND people in here or is it just stinkin Bison!!

[Hansel]

it was a 14-7 late in the game and then USD fell apart

not that it matters but....

Box Score (Final)

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score

----------------- -- -- -- -- -----

South Dakota....... 7 3 3 0 - 13

Montana............. 13 14 9 9 - 45

[Bigdog42]

not that it matters but....

Box Score (Final)

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score

----------------- -- -- -- -- -----

South Dakota....... 7 3 3 0 - 13

Montana............. 13 14 9 9 - 45

you are correct hansel.....bad memory!

[Bison Dan]

you are correct hansel.....bad memory!

UND 17

usd 10

[Bigdog42]

UND 17

usd 10

I know we won that game, we also won a share of the conference title with UNC.

NDSU took 3rd

[aff]

I don't buy the strength in numbers argument at all. If the mid con stays at 10 and loses a couple, guess what? UND/USD/ExNCC will all be right there waiting. Where are they going to go? The Big Sky? Don't think so. The Mo. Valley? Nope. The Big 10? They will be waiting right there. The conference didn't want to expand this last time, until IT HAD to, and that was at 9 I believe. I don't think there is going to be any hurry for the conference to move beyond 10. I need to see a financial reason before I understand why they would.

Believe it or not, the oral roberts, IUPUI, IPFW etc will want OOC (made locally or for body bag money) games before they are roped into another trip to the dakotas, unless they have to expand.

I also wanted to through out there this question. How will UND show a basketball conference in D-I its commitment to basketball? Hockey really isn't going to be helping you with the midcon, because the conference will assume that hockey will be the main focus in the winter, and not basketball, like it is with all conference members. Does that sound like an attractive member to you from a basketball perspective?

[biff]

Man, rather than tearing down the Mid-Con, you guys should be looking at it as an opportunity. For NDSU it's a conferene where they can compete and have a shot at autobids and national tournaments. For UND, they'd have 2 votes of support if the league decided to expand (assuming the SU's are admitted). I think in time the Dakota schools would have success and be prominent members. It's your ticket to not getting run over in DI, and face it, without major changes in the Big Sky, they're not going to come calling. If you're taking the plunge in DI you've gotta start somewhere.

[WYOBISONMAN]

Man, rather than tearing down the Mid-Con, you guys should be looking at it as an opportunity. For NDSU it's a conferene where they can compete and have a shot at autobids and national tournaments. For UND, they'd have 2 votes of support if the league decided to expand (assuming the SU's are admitted). I think in time the Dakota schools would have success and be prominent members. It's your ticket to not getting run over in DI, and face it, without major changes in the Big Sky, they're not going to come calling. If you're taking the plunge in DI you've gotta start somewhere.

I AGREE 100%!

[bincitysioux]

I AGREE 100%!

I also agree! And I think that the majority of Sioux fans realize that this is a good thing for NDSU, and also in the long run for UND. This stabilizes the Great West, and the Mid-Con is a very "fluid" DI conference that undergoes alot of turnover. So chances are pretty favorable that in a 3-4 years when UND is a DI "counter", and with two members within driving distance of GF, that the Mid-Con will really be a viable conference option for UND.

On the other hand, however, before NDSU fans get high & mighty with UND fans for "tearing down" the Mid-Con, remember that as little as six weeks ago, and for the last 3 years, the Mid-Con was affectionately referred to by many Bison fans as the fat chick that NDSU might end up going home with because the hot-chick (Big Sky) was looking elsewhere.

[IowaBison]

On the other hand, however, before NDSU fans get high & mighty with UND fans for "tearing down" the Mid-Con, remember that as little as six weeks ago, and for the last 3 years, the Mid-Con was affectionately referred to by many Bison fans as the fat chick that NDSU might end up going home with because the hot-chick (Big Sky) was looking elsewhere.

What are you talking about, bincity? They still do it today.

Given the instability of the Mid-Con, UND, especially with a partner in the Northern Great Plains, will be a top candidate for membership. And unless Oregon and California fall into the Pacific in the next five years, the Mid-Con won't be a viable conference, it will be the viable conference.

[WYOBISONMAN]

I was the one that refered to the MidCon as the "Fat Chick"........but hey.......if ya gotta get laid by the Fat Chick......it's better than NO chick.......

And I still say the MidCon is not as desirable as the Big Sky, but you have to go with whom ever give you the invite......and in this case it is the MidCon and it will be a great home for the Bison......for now......The GWFC and no autobid does hurt however.

The big plus with the MidCon is that with Valpo leaving, the autobid to the Big Dance is more up for grabs than ever. NDSU should be able to put a program together that will challenge for that slot immediately......and that is truely a great thing!