The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Obviously I follow the men and women very closely. Trust me the Coyote Men are done and have very little chance to advance past the first round of the regional because even if they make it they will play Northern or Winona and get smoked.

The USD Women are for real. I realise that the NCC is only a 7 team conference but ya have to be good to go 12-0 through it. To sweep UND is always a good feat. There is one big similarity and one big differerence between the two teams. They both returned all their players from the previous season. The difference is that the USD Women all got to be better basketball players in the off season. The USD Men rested on their laurels and didn't get better at all. In actuality the USD Mens have been playing like they want their season to end. No fire. The USD Men are used to playing lazy and can't put together more than 1 good game in a row. They can barely put together more than one good half in a row. The USD Women play their tails off almost all the time. The reason for their success is a combination of experience and just having a huge heart and competitive drive. The USD Women are much better this year.

The USD Women should be the host for the regional regardless of how they do this weekend in the conference tourney. Whoever the #8 seed is will not have a very good chance. Right now that is Augie and USD beat them by 40 just a week ago. The 4-5 vs #1 matchup will be alot tougher as more than likely that will be the worst seeded team between UND, Concordia St. Paul and Fort Lewis. They are all very good teams with no more than 3 losses each. It will be a tough road for whoever makes it out of the NC regional but USD has got to be the favorite right now and on a 24 game winning streak.

[jackmd]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Obviously I follow the men and women very closely. Trust me the Coyote Men are done and have very little chance to advance past the first round of the regional because even if they make it they will play Northern or Winona and get smoked.

The USD Women are for real. I realise that the NCC is only a 7 team conference but ya have to be good to go 12-0 through it. To sweep UND is always a good feat. There is one big similarity and one big differerence between the two teams. They both returned all their players from the previous season. The difference is that the USD Women all got to be better basketball players in the off season. The USD Men rested on their laurels and didn't get better at all. In actuality the USD Mens have been playing like they want their season to end. No fire. The USD Men are used to playing lazy and can't put together more than 1 good game in a row. They can barely put together more than one good half in a row. The USD Women play their tails off almost all the time. The reason for their success is a combination of experience and just having a huge heart and competitive drive. The USD Women are much better this year.

The USD Women should be the host for the regional regardless of how they do this weekend in the conference tourney. Whoever the #8 seed is will not have a very good chance. Right now that is Augie and USD beat them by 40 just a week ago. The 4-5 vs #1 matchup will be alot tougher as more than likely that will be the worst seeded team between UND, Concordia St. Paul and Fort Lewis. They are all very good teams with no more than 3 losses each. It will be a tough road for whoever makes it out of the NC regional but USD has got to be the favorite right now and on a 24 game winning streak.

For the women, looks like Concordia is decent again, no idea about RMAC teams but they were never a factor in the past. UND will be tough to beat again but in Vermillion the yotes have a great chance. I'll be pulling for the yotes, they've earned my respect (thats hard to say).

For the men, looks like Northern and Winona are in, Ft. Lewis is in, Augie, MSUM, and UNO are in. No idea who else from the RMAC might get in. I don't think they'll take 5 NCC teams. If there was/is an upset in the RMAC tourney USD might be out. If they get in it will be as a 7 or 8 seed out in Winona. I don't have any respect for the USD men. I'll be pulling for Matt and MSUM.

[Jack4Life]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I see UND beat Augie today. If UND wins the NCC, will that affect Udot's chances?

[boxerboy]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

You would have better luck telling me a Norwegian joke. LOL

Now that's funny

[JackJD]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Not smack, just noting the following interview/story from the Vermillion Plain Talk Newspaper of 3/6/08 re: USD AD Nielsen commenting on the move to D1.

"Joel Nielsen knows there are some in the Vermillion community who questioned The University of South Dakota's decision last year to move from NCAA Division II to Division I-AA for football and Division I for all other sports.
Nielsen, the university's athletic director, hopes local citizens see the change as more than just a progressive move for the USD...."

http://www.plaintalk.net/stories/030...80306041.shtml

Okay, back to smack.

[CatchEmAll]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Apparenltly, according to that article, the main benefit of going DI for udot is that people will know where Vermillion, SD is. That is if they give a rats ass and feel like googling it.

[JimmyJack]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Apparenltly, according to that article, the main benefit of going DI for udot is that people will know where Vermillion, SD is. That is if they give a rats ass and feel like googling it.

I was born in Vermillion. I have spent my entire life trying to live that down. As a honest-to-goodness Vermillion native, someone who took his first breath there, I can say this: It's a dump.

While I'm on the subject: That article is ridiculous. If anyone in Vermillion imagines that D1 athletics is going to bring economic development the way Nielsen suggests (people will see USD play, they'll Google Vermillion and magically decide to do business there) they're dreaming. Here's what it does. Yes, it raises the profile of your university. But that's only the beginning of your work. You have to create the infrastructure to turn your campus into an economic development engine for the region. The higher profile will help bring research dollars into that process, but it takes the right people and the right kinds of research to create opportunity. The notion that you just throw your team out there and hope somebody decides to locate a business in your town is just about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

If their strategy is just to lose lots of games to major conference schools so somebody might, someday notice Vermillion exists and drop some cash there, it's going to be a long wait. Sounds like typical USD strategy, though. In other words: No strategy.

[Jack4Life]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

Apparenltly, according to that article, the main benefit of going DI for udot is that people will know where Vermillion, SD is. That is if they give a rats ass and feel like googling it.

About the only reason they might google it is if they are coming to watch a game and need a map how to get there and look for a motel room.

[SiouxFallsJack]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

About the only reason they might google it is if they are coming to watch a game and need a map how to get there and look for a motel room.

I didn't know Vermillion had motel rooms, must have made improvements since my last visit.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I guess I looked at it as sales speech. 90% (or more) is fluff that makes the target (people of USD & Vermillion) feel good about what he is selling. I also remember hearing about how extra research dollars turns into new jobs for SDSU and South Dakota when we began the transition, however, I do not recall anyone stating the connection in the same manner as Nielsen. That is where I would put the difference.

But then, does it really matter? Its USD.

[Jack4Life]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

I didn't know Vermillion had motel rooms, must have made improvements since my last visit.

Notice I said room (singular) and not plural...Maybe I should have said "book the motel room".

[Jacked_Up]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

The Plain Talk article never mentions SDSU, which is an obvious snub. Nielsen and/or the writer make it sound like USD is blazing some kind of brave new trail for the state. Actually, they're just following someone else's path. It's fine for Nielsen and USD to be enthused about moving up. They ought to be enthused. But they also should give credit where credit it due. They are venturing into territory that's already been explored. They're playing follow the leader.

[Nidaros]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

The Plain Talk article never mentions SDSU, which is an obvious snub. Nielsen and/or the writer make it sound like USD is blazing some kind of brave new trail for the state. Actually, they're just following someone else's path. It's fine for Nielsen and USD to be enthused about moving up. They ought to be enthused. But they also should give credit where credit it due. They are venturing into territory that's already been explored. They're playing follow the leader.

Why is Nielsen sounding off in the Plain talk? Seems to me Fred Oien has worked more quietly about the move to D1. I am sure Fred ran into a great deal of resistence locally. Its nice that at least two of the SDSU corporate sponsors are local, namely First Bank and Trust and Daktronics. The rest of the business community has been supportive maybe on lesser level. In Vermillion, we dont hear about local corporate sponsorships in Vermillion period. Why not? I suppose one the business and industrial community is smaller and less interested than they are in Brookings. USD is going to have to work very hard to get their corporate sponsorships. They will have to come from Sioux Falls or Sioux City. That is not an easy task.

[EQguy]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

The business of the 2008 season, though, remains one of the athletic department's most persistent issues. The school's non-counter status for 2008, coupled with the recent success of the program at the Division II level, has made playing the Coyotes next year a tough sell.

I swear to God this is from the Argus not the Volante. I am not sure what anyone is smoking over there but they really did print this.

[BTownJack]

Re: The Official USD to D-I Smack Thread

From an article in today's argus about USD 2008 football schedule:

The moving and shaking of the University of South Dakota’s 2008 football schedule continues – with several games locked down, but not locked down tight. In the school’s first year outside the North Central Conference and Division II, athletic director Joel Nielsen said USD has 10 opponents secured, although the dates for many of those games are still being discussed.

USD will play NCAA Division II Missouri-Rolla at home on Oct. 11 for homecoming. The Coyotes will also play North Dakota at home this season on Nov. 22, according to UND. USD will bring in three NAIA schools to the DakotaDome, although the dates have not been confirmed.

On the road, USD will play Great West Conference opponents Southern Utah and CalPoly, but will not begin playing Cal-Davis, the other Great West school, until 2009.

Additionally, USD will face FCS schools Southeast Louisiana, Montana State and Northern Iowa on the road.

Nielsen is still trying to get another game to fill an expected gap in the schedule later in the season.