The real reason USD is moving to D-I

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Watch the name-calling, folks.

My bad, Mr. Chief Moderator. My gut feeling about the intelligence of this particular poster got the best of me. It has been changed!

[filbert]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Watch the name-calling, folks.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

If thats the case on a new arena than half the current Summit League teams should be kicked out of the conference if they don't build a new arena. That very gaudy average attandance number sure suggests that all the schools need an arena that hold 8,000 plus. Maybe they could fill it up to 25% of capacity.

We're talking about playing basketball in a basketball facility, stupid. Not playing basketball on a football field. Most teams in Division I level would prefer a basketball arena.

But, what the heck...USD can keep its current multi-purpose facility as long as it wants, as far as I'm concerned, as long as I don't have to go down and sit out in the middle of a football field to watch a basketball game.

[joeboo22]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

If thats the case on a new arena than half the current Summit League teams should be kicked out of the conference if they don't build a new arena. That very gaudy average attandance number sure suggests that all the schools need an arena that hold 8,000 plus. Maybe they could fill it up to 25% of capacity.

huh? It was 2 points. Most basketball conferences prefer if you have your own arena for scheduling purposes. The rest was about football.

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

I could see USD getting into the Summit if they build a new arena and the Summit needs a team or two to maintain its automatic bid but the Gateway unless they absolutely need a team I don't think they would go after a dead horse in USD. USD has stuck million into a facility that most believe holds 8,500 and even if it does hold 11,000 (which I know doesn't) it would still not be big enough for a Gateway conference team.
Gateway Conference Stadium Facts
UNI-- 16,000 Dome
IllinoisSU-- 15,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
IndianaSU--- 12,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
MSU--- 16,300 Outdoor Artificial Grass
SIU--- 17,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
WIU---15,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
YSU---20,600 Outdoor Artificial Grass (Spin Turf)
SDSU---15,000 Outdoor Natural Grass (renovation/new stadium in plans)
NDSU--- 18,000 Dome

USD--- 10,000*Dome
UND--- 12,300 Dome

*--- Max and believed to be in the 8,500 range

If thats the case on a new arena than half the current Summit League teams should be kicked out of the conference if they don't build a new arena. That very gaudy average attandance number sure suggests that all the schools need an arena that hold 8,000 plus. Maybe they could fill it up to 25% of capacity.

[joeboo22]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

I also realized that USD doesn't have a media guide on there website. They do have an 11 page Prospectus. D2football.com says there stadium holds 10,000 but it also says UND's holds 13,500 when UND's media guide says its 12,300

[joeboo22]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

I could see USD getting into the Summit if they build a new arena and the Summit needs a team or two to maintain its automatic bid but the Gateway unless they absolutely need a team I don't think they would go after a dead horse in USD. USD has stuck million into a facility that most believe holds 8,500 and even if it does hold 11,000 (which I know doesn't) it would still not be big enough for a Gateway conference team.
Gateway Conference Stadium Facts
UNI-- 16,000 Dome
IllinoisSU-- 15,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
IndianaSU--- 12,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
MSU--- 16,300 Outdoor Artificial Grass
SIU--- 17,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
WIU---15,000 Outdoor Artificial Grass
YSU---20,600 Outdoor Artificial Grass (Spin Turf)
SDSU---15,000 Outdoor Natural Grass (renovation/new stadium in plans)
NDSU--- 18,000 Dome

USD--- 10,000*Dome
UND--- 12,300 Dome

*--- Max and believed to be in the 8,500 range

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Some historical facts in the form of direct quotes from five years ago, when USD leaders publicly announced that the school would remain in Division II rather than move up to Division I.
Track coach Dave Gottsleben, a member of the futures committee: "USD is primarily about academics. For this institution, putting that kind of emphasis on athletics would be a case of the tail wagging the dog. It would not be a good move for us athletically, academically or financially."
Athletic director Kelly Higgins: "We're at the top of the pack of Division II but we'd be at the bottom if we moved up."
Women's basketball coach Chad Lavin: "It's pretty basic stuff. A school that moves up to Division IAA for football and Division I for everything else is telling all of its programs other than football that they'll never compete for a national championship ever again."
Acting president Donald Dahlin: "We thought it was important to say where our focus was at this time. In addition, we felt it was important to the NCC that, with all the things going on right now, that we stand up and say we're staying in the conference."
Football coach John Austin: "There would be some positive things involved in moving to Division I. But there are a whole lot more benefits to be derived from staying at Division II."

Nice job JackedUp...I remember reading just about everyone of those quotes at the time. Nice research...gets you my rep points for the evening!

[Nidaros]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Topic drift here, but I seen a little burb in the Argus this morning, where the UND AD says the finding the resources for the move to D1 with a overworked staff is the problem, and maybe it is. Its always convenient to shoot the messenger.

So it at both UND and USD there are starting to surface many challenges ahead of them both, what does it say about Summit membership as a slam? As the one line in the Tom Cruise movie stated " Show me the Money!" might be applicable to both UND and USD. These factors mentoned by Jack#1fan are real in my mind, and they both got their work cut out for them. So being the Harvard of the pairie will not impress the Summit officals, but budgets and facilities and what have you will.

[filbert]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Golly . . . one little light-hearted comment about a news story about coyotes and wolves wanders over towards a review the whole sorry story of the demise of the NCC.

That'll teach me to try good-humored USD smack . . .

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

When the whole D-1 thing started up 7-8-9+ years ago, all of the AD's new what was happening in the NCC and that eventually UNC and NDSU would make the jump. Given the watering down of D-2, our AD had the foresight to study what our options were and put SDSU in a place to make the right decision at the right time.

All of these other quotes were "grandstanding by the USD Admin. and AD Staff. All "spinmeisters" which is part of their job! They all knew this day was coming and that they would probably have to go D-1. IT WAS THE LEAST OF SEVERAL EVILS FOR USD!!! I hope they catch the breaks they need, but to say this was their plan all along? Umm, no chance! Their plan is simply to offer all the free red Kool Aid their loyal fans can drink. Problem is, after so much of a single type of Kool Aid you get tired of it. My suggestion is to try the "Bunny Blue" Kool Aid! Very refreshing!

SUPERBUNNY

[Jacked_Up]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Some historical facts in the form of direct quotes from five years ago, when USD leaders publicly announced that the school would remain in Division II rather than move up to Division I.
Track coach Dave Gottsleben, a member of the futures committee: "USD is primarily about academics. For this institution, putting that kind of emphasis on athletics would be a case of the tail wagging the dog. It would not be a good move for us athletically, academically or financially."
Athletic director Kelly Higgins: "We're at the top of the pack of Division II but we'd be at the bottom if we moved up."
Women's basketball coach Chad Lavin: "It's pretty basic stuff. A school that moves up to Division IAA for football and Division I for everything else is telling all of its programs other than football that they'll never compete for a national championship ever again."
Acting president Donald Dahlin: "We thought it was important to say where our focus was at this time. In addition, we felt it was important to the NCC that, with all the things going on right now, that we stand up and say we're staying in the conference."
Football coach John Austin: "There would be some positive things involved in moving to Division I. But there are a whole lot more benefits to be derived from staying at Division II."

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Didn't Pres. Abbott state that USD was going to be the "Princeton of the Prairie" and stay at DII when SDSU announced its move to D1? That doesn't sound like a real vision into the future at the D1 level.

Indeed he did, and they made a big to-do about it, in fact. Coyotefan doesn't have a clue as to what went on behind the scenes during that year, and shows his/her lack of knowledge in this area with the crazy statements posted on this issue. Since the four schools with D-1 hockey vowed they weren't going to make the move, USD pitched in with that coalition in vowing to stay in Division II and used the "emphasis on education" as if you couldn't move and emphasize education as SDSU did. If they really thought UND wouldn't go (I'm sure they worried about it plenty), they were pretty naive. There was no way the Sioux were going to let NDSU get ahead of them (I had quite a discussion with their president at the time, and he was digging in his heels. Now he's cooling his heels as he leaves at the end of the year.)

[Jack4Life]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

Didn't Pres. Abbott state that USD was going to be the "Princeton of the Prairie" and stay at DII when SDSU announced its move to D1? That doesn't sound like a real vision into the future at the D1 level.

[JackJD]

Re: The real reason USD is moving to D-I

..So no one can truley say with certainty that USD was forced to go to D1 because their intentions were to go the whole time even before SDSU decided to go....

I had not heard before that USD had intentions of going to DI before SDSU decided to go. It probably makes no difference now because the fact is, SDSU did it years before USD made the announcement. Even so, I am curious, Coyote_Fan: what is your support for the assertion that USD had intentions to go to DI "even before SDSU decided to go?" I do not recall hearing or reading about such intention. If your statement is true, I'd like to know that. For now, I think I have to assume you're taking some liberty with the facts. [Did you perhaps mean to suggest that when SDSU and NDSU were telling the NCC the Jackrabbits and Bison were considering going to DI, USD said it would too but decided not to because the NCC as a group didn't make the move? Part of your post suggests that to be your view of the situation.]