Neat Alumni Moment Today...

[SiouxPride0303]

I've been in Chicago since last August working on my Masters degree. As far as I know, I am the only person from NoDak to be currently attending the school and when people (new profs, bartenders, bouncers, waiters, train people) find out I'm a born and raised NoDak, I get a whole slew of comments. Geez thats so far away, man what do you people do there, are you from FARGO?, is there a lot of drugs there because that must be the only thing for people to do so they dont go crazy......Sigh..it gets old..and while I dont hate Chicago as much as I did last year, I really cant wait to get away from here. So for a long time I felt completely out of my element as I didnt know a soul in this area and basically had to start from scratch in many ways. I know, I know, a lot of people from NoDak live here and not everybody is ignorant, but there are 9 million people in the metro...anyways....

Anyhow, long ramble to get what happened today. It was raining today so I threw on my Sioux hat and fleece before leaving for the City. I was walking in the Loop to get lunch and there was a line of business men with umbrellas walking down the street. I noticed them because they were so unusual looking in the manner that they were lined up and they were pretty good looking men as well. Well one of them noticed ME and he was really looking at my hat..he stopped in his tracks to take a look. I thought it was a bit weird at first (anything is weird in this town) and kept going but he stopped me and asked if I was from North Dakota.

So yes, I was ecstatic that people arent totally ridiculous here and we started talking for about 2 minutes about the Sioux and UND. Come to find out, he played football for UND in the 70's (74-79 I believe) and he is originally from Wahpeton. He was about 50 years old I suppose if my math is correct. But unfortunately I never got his name before he high fived me and shouted Go Sioux! At any rate, I was excited because City people ignore each other around here and it was completely random chance this guy and I met up.

I really am proud to be a UND alum and Sioux fan community when I get the chance to meet fellow alumni and have that common bond even though 25 years seperated he and I.

[HockeyMom]

That's not nerdy that's kinda cool. When we were in Cancun last winter another guest at our resort noticed one of our Sioux shirts.....he was originally from the east coast, played football at UND, and was back on the east coast.

[Sioux-cia]

One of my favorite things to do when I'm home, Chicago, is have lunch downtown during a work day. I always ask for a window seat. The best looking men in the country are in Chicago. I love a good view when I'm enjoying a good meal.

We went to the United Center between Frozen Four games. I wore my Sioux jersey. A guy yelled out, GO NOTRE DAME, I looked around before I realized he was looking at me.

[mikeypat15]

Just go to a blackhawk game wearing a sioux jersey. Last year I sat three rows from a guy wearing a Denver jersey, and we traded little jabs through out the whole game it was a blast. The jerseys you'll see at a blackhawk game and the looks you get are incredible. So many wondered if it was a new blackhawk jersey. I was lucky i got to see the sioux vs. blue jackets after the bochenski trade, so it was brandon vs. blais. Kinda brought a different feeling seeing Blais in the NHL.

[SiouxPride0303]

I will be at LOTS of Blackhawks games because I can get a ticket for 8 bucks...hooraay for student discounts. I usually wear my Sioux hat and/or my Sudbury Wolves jersey (OHL) which was a gift from my CanadiEn boyfriend (Sudbury Ontario is his hometown). I get funky looks for that jersey but I love it.

And Sioux-Cia, I luurrrvve the "Georgios" (the suits walking around) in the Loop. Most of them are 15-25 years older than me, but I dont care...

[Siouxmama]

One of my favorite things to do when I'm home, Chicago, is have lunch downtown during a work day. I always ask for a window seat. The best looking men in the country are in Chicago. I love a good view when I'm enjoying a good meal.

We went to the United Center between Frozen Four games. I wore my Sioux jersey. A guy yelled out, GO NOTRE DAME, I looked around before I realized he was looking at me.

They have cowboys there???

[HockeyMom]

I was at Red Rocks in Colorado for the Sheryl Crow concert last night, and when we walked up to the entrance- the one guy that was sitting there played football for the Sioux in the 70's. He had a whole herd of Sioux people with him. It was pretty cool. Not really something I expected to see way out in Denver.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

I am not an alumni (maybe someday...) but last winter I was in Denver and went to a Colorado Avs game. I wore a green (away) Sioux jersey and waiting to leave at the end someone hollered "Go Sioux" or something to that effect. It's pretty cool that North Dakota fans make their pressence known to one another.

[HockeyMom]

I also ran down and talked to the chic in the front row wearing a Sioux Football sweatshirt...

*hides*

[bincitysioux]

This isn't a "meeting alumni" story, but last January I was on the island of Curaco just off the coast of Venezuela. I was obviously wearing my "UND Hockey: 7 Times National Champion" hat, and a guy came up to me and said in a heavy Boston accent, "Your squad gonna have a good team this year"? I looked up and saw his BC hat and said "of course". He said "yeah, the Sioux always give us fits!". UND is worldwide, whether it be alumni, fans, or just people that know about us (who we give fits! ).

[SiouxPride0303]

When I ride the commuter train around here, I always manage to have the same train guys in my car. One of the trainmen and I started chatting yesterday and he asked if I was a "cheesehead." I said no, I'm from North Dakota and he started talking about the Sioux and the nickname stuff. He talked about how his old high school was named the Redmen but had to be changed to Red Hawks because of the controversy. And he explained it to be because they had bright shiny red jackets and the crowd started chanting Red Men over and over so it just stuck. We also talked about the Illini. It was interesting.

Long story short, he knew about the Sioux even though he didnt seem to have any ties to the U. Oh and he doesnt like Wisco or their student section...which is never a bad thing.