Gateway Conference

[02stater]

Re: Gateway Conference

02Stater,

I am going to ask you flat out. Are you a UND fan? If you are that is fine, Sioux fans are welcome here. The only thing that concerns me is from time to time you seem to imply that you went to SDSU.

Going back a re-reading your posts you talk about UND a lot and the one post that really made me wonder (besides that last few) was this one . . .

[quote author=02stater link=1158858648/30#39 date=1158962240]
Speaking of attendance, it seems as though attendance is up over NCC days, and student participation much improved. In my day, we showed up for the first quarter and left to get drunk after that.

Even when SDSU has had horrific football, what self-respecting Jackrabbit fan would leave before the Pride has played?

So let us know are you a Rabbit or a Sioux? It is fine to be either. It is however wrong to be one while pretending to be the other.




Go State!





[/quote]

I'm an '02 State grad. In fact, wore my bunny shirt today. My sister was a Sioux athlete so I've had occasion to attend UND sporting events and other functions in the past, and admire their athletic dept. Of course, it helps to have had a big spending casino magnet dumping money into the program, and the snowball effect of of the hockey program, something I wouldn't mind State having (the casino magnet, that is, Larsen Arena isn't quite the Ralph), but we don't so we'll have to make due. At any rate, I see a lot of posts on here that seem to discount UND, lumping them in with USD, when there is a big difference in the schools, and UND ain't USD.

I was at State for five years and was a regular at Basketball games and semi-regular for football for the first three, but my friends and I gradually lost interest, especially in football. After moving back to the area a couple years ago, I've regained interest and attended my first games since my undergrad days. I was skeptical of the D-I move, but have gradually warmed to the idea. And watching DII implode, have been much more supportive. After a couple years of graduate school, I'll finally be in a position to donate some money to the alma mater, including the athletic dept. My biggest complaint with the move was that we'd lose nearby rivals. It baffles me when some say they don't care if we ever play USD. As if a game against IUPUI will make Frost electric like it was vs. USD in '97 with 10,000 people in the building? I think adding the Us to our schedule, and particularly the conferences could only be a good thing. But like I said, I have my doubts about USDs ability to do so, and worry about what adding UND to the mix will do to a regional makeup. Thats all.

[Haldersham]

Re: Gateway Conference

[quote author=89rabbit link=1158947230/30#43 date=1159480780]02Stater,

I am going to ask you flat out.  Are you a UND fan?  If you are that is fine, Sioux fans are welcome here.  The only thing that concerns me is from time to time you seem to imply that you went to SDSU.

Going back a re-reading your posts you talk about UND a lot and the one post that really made me wonder (besides that last few) was this one .  .  .

[quote author=02stater link=1158858648/30#39 date=1158962240]
Speaking of attendance, it seems as though attendance is up over NCC days, and student participation much improved. In my day, we showed up for the first quarter and left to get drunk after that.  

Even when SDSU has had horrific football, what self-respecting Jackrabbit fan would leave before the Pride has played?

So let us know are you a Rabbit or a Sioux?  It is fine to be either.  It is however wrong to be one while pretending to be the other.




Go State!  





[/quote]

I'm an '02 State grad.  In fact, wore my bunny shirt today.  My sister was a Sioux athlete so I've had occasion to attend UND sporting events and other functions in the past, and admire their athletic dept.  Of course, it helps to have had a big spending casino magnet dumping money into the program, and the snowball effect of of the hockey program, something I wouldn't mind State having (the casino magnet, that is, Larsen Arena isn't quite the Ralph), but we don't so we'll have to make due.  At any rate, I see a lot of posts on here that seem to discount UND, lumping them in with USD, when there is a big difference in the schools, and UND ain't USD.

I was at State for five years and was a regular at Basketball games and semi-regular for football for the first three, but my friends and I gradually lost interest, especially in football.  After moving back to the area a couple years ago, I've regained interest and attended my first games since my undergrad days.  I was skeptical of the D-I move, but have gradually warmed to the idea.  And watching DII implode, have been much more supportive.  After a couple years of graduate school, I'll finally be in a position to donate some money to the alma mater, including the athletic dept.  My biggest complaint with the move was that we'd lose nearby rivals.  It baffles me when some say they don't care if we ever play USD.  As if a game against IUPUI will make Frost electric like it was vs. USD in '97 with 10,000 people in the building?  I think adding the Us to our schedule, and particularly the conferences could only be a good thing.  But like I said, I have my doubts about USDs ability to do so, and worry about what adding UND to the mix will do to a regional makeup.  Thats all.  [/quote]

When did your sister play for UND? Also the casino magnate is no longer among the living. I believe UND is having so much fun dealing with Ralphy's estate that they wish they were dealing with the U Of Colorado mascot instead.  ;D The Mascot's name is Ralphy too.

Where do you hail from? If you say some town in South Dakota then I will really question that as there have not been any South Dakota women on the UND roster for a long time if ever. Now NDSU, thats is different. They have had several including the sister of back up QB Ryan Berry from Watertown.

I really doubt some of this rumor talk about the Big Sky being so interested in UND. How can they be interested when UND does not know if they are coming or going from D2 to D1.

[bisonguy]

Re: Gateway Conference

[quote author=SUPERBUNNY link=1158947230/30#30 date=1159461803]The Gateway is absolutely the way to go for both SDSU and NDSU if we are lucky enough to get an invite.  A stable conference with 4 home and 4 away games is ideal.  Plus, it's very well respected in D-IAA.

USD/UND aren't even a blip on any conferences radar at the moment.  I get the impression that our neighbors think that if they announce they are moving up, the conferences will come to them with open arms.  It was a challenge for SDSU/NDSU and they have a lot more to offer than USD/UND.  I just don't think that they grasp how much harder it will be for USD to make the jump compared to SDSU.  Facilities, Stff, Scholarships, or just flat $$$$$$$$$$$$.  They are behind in every regard and don't have near the alumni base to draw on to raise the funds.

Once again, good luck to the 'Yotes but it is going to be a brutal struggle.

SUPERBUNNY  

There seems to be some misconception about UND.  UND has announced that they will be moving up.  No speculation about that.  I wouldn't take them so lightly, either, as they arguably have a stronger athletic program right now than SDSU has in terms funding and facilities, if not on the field, which is at least debatable.  USD is another story.  I think they are danged if they do, danged if they don't move right now.  Can't afford to move up, can't afford not to lest they be left behind in athletics and academics.  SDSU definately garners the headlines these days.  

The scenario I fear with UND moving up is that the Big Sky will once again come calling.  If you recall, about the same time the Mid-Con news started to heat up, the Big Sky began to make some murmers about expansion, and even sought out UND, wondering what their intentions were/are.  Although NDSU is now, or will be, a Mid-Con member, it is my understanding that either xDSU school could leave with a $500,000 buyout.  NDSU and UND would make good traveling partners for those western schools, both have airports to fly directly into rather than boarding a bus for a Brookings or Vermillion, and both have decent midsized market towns.  I wouldn't doubt that at the time, if UND had announced that they would reclassify, UND and NDSU would have gotten bids, and left SDSU in the cold.  

I wouldn't see any problem with adding both xSDs, assuming our little sisters to the south make the move, to either conference we are in.  It doesn't hurt to have schools that can be identified geographically by name in the league, and I think regionally, would make  all four schools more attractive in future conference reshufflings.  Besides, I think a game against either xSD would be a whole lot more interesting than a game against Oakland.  
[/quote]


The Big Sky sent out requests for interest/intention to over 20 schools. UND was not unique in that aspect.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Gateway Conference

02Stater,
I would go even further than Filbert as to how much back peddle room UND has left in regards to making the move. In addition to stating that they were going to study it for one year before making the switch, their president indicated that it would only go if the financial situation was clearly positive. Since then, but obviously known to the president at the time, their department has finished a year with a deficit and reports have projected this year a deficit of upto $800K. Forcasted budgets can be manipulated by many things, one of which can be architect & site studies for new facilities that get capitalized when the projects actually begin, HOWEVER, several UND officials have made it known that they are NOT committed if the money doesn't work.

This being said, I would be really surprised if they did not make the move, but I would not be shocked.

[West_River_Jack]

Re: Gateway Conference

It looks like there is substantial opposition in Bowling Green against Western Kentucky moving to Division 1-A:

UPDATE: Faculty votes in opposition to I-A move
Michael Casagrande
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: Breaking News
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A week after University Senate members bashed Western's proposed move to Division I-A football, the faculty voted against the plan in a referendum.

In results released Friday afternoon, the 269 voting faculty members showed their disapproval with a 176-93 vote against a divisional move. There were 482 full-time faculty members who did not participate in the voting.

The voters responded to the question, "Given the information you currently have, would you endorse a move to Division I-A Football?"

Read the whole article at

http://www.wkuherald.com/media/stora....wkuherald.com

They should be notifying the Gateway soon stating their intentions.  And if they move up our speculation and anticipation can run wild again.  What a year!

[West_River_Jack]

Re: Gateway Conference

. . . and the administration responds

http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/4290122.html

1-AA MOVE STILL BEING PONDERED
9:09 PM Oct 2, 2006
Ryan Dearbone


Its was a vote both Western president Gary Ransdell and Athletic Director Wood Selig say they completely understand.
"I can certainly understand how some may not feel inclined for us to move 1-a as a result of the impact it may have in their minds financially."
notes Selig.
Ransdell says,"When you have students and faculty, staff and alumni, fans and parents and so many different constituencies that have interest in given topics, every decision does not please all of those constituencies equally."
Monday afternoon at the Board of Regents meeting, Ransdell again presented the 1-AA proposal to the Regents.
In his speech, he noted that Western is only one of two schools in the nation along with Villanova, that are members of a 1-A conference but play 1-AA football.
He said that the due to the academic strength of WKU, the timing may be right for such a move.
Click on the link (above) to read the entire article.

[filbert]

Re: Gateway Conference

Western Kentucky recommends to their Board of Regents a move to I-A:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...53/1002/SPORTS

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- As expected, Western Kentucky University's executive committee recommended yesterday to take a proposal to upgrade its football program to Division I-A to the university's board of regents next month.

The board will vote Nov. 2 on going to the highest level of NCAA football. If approved, the Hilltoppers could be playing I-A football as a member of the Sun Belt Conference as soon as 2009.

(Hat tip to the Bisonville board's user Greenie)

[bisonbacker]

Re: Gateway Conference

[quote author=SUPERBUNNY link=1158947230/30#30 date=1159461803]The Gateway is absolutely the way to go for both SDSU and NDSU if we are lucky enough to get an invite.  A stable conference with 4 home and 4 away games is ideal.  Plus, it's very well respected in D-IAA.

USD/UND aren't even a blip on any conferences radar at the moment.  I get the impression that our neighbors think that if they announce they are moving up, the conferences will come to them with open arms.  It was a challenge for SDSU/NDSU and they have a lot more to offer than USD/UND.  I just don't think that they grasp how much harder it will be for USD to make the jump compared to SDSU.  Facilities, Stff, Scholarships, or just flat $$$$$$$$$$$$.  They are behind in every regard and don't have near the alumni base to draw on to raise the funds.

Once again, good luck to the 'Yotes but it is going to be a brutal struggle.

SUPERBUNNY  

There seems to be some misconception about UND.  UND has announced that they will be moving up.  No speculation about that.  I wouldn't take them so lightly, either, as they arguably have a stronger athletic program right now than SDSU has in terms funding and facilities, if not on the field, which is at least debatable.  USD is another story.  I think they are danged if they do, danged if they don't move right now.  Can't afford to move up, can't afford not to lest they be left behind in athletics and academics.  SDSU definately garners the headlines these days.  

The scenario I fear with UND moving up is that the Big Sky will once again come calling.  If you recall, about the same time the Mid-Con news started to heat up, the Big Sky began to make some murmers about expansion, and even sought out UND, wondering what their intentions were/are.  Although NDSU is now, or will be, a Mid-Con member, it is my understanding that either xDSU school could leave with a $500,000 buyout.  NDSU and UND would make good traveling partners for those western schools, both have airports to fly directly into rather than boarding a bus for a Brookings or Vermillion, and both have decent midsized market towns. I wouldn't doubt that at the time, if UND had announced that they would reclassify, UND and NDSU would have gotten bids, and left SDSU in the cold.  

I wouldn't see any problem with adding both xSDs, assuming our little sisters to the south make the move, to either conference we are in.  It doesn't hurt to have schools that can be identified geographically by name in the league, and I think regionally, would make  all four schools more attractive in future conference reshufflings.  Besides, I think a game against either xSD would be a whole lot more interesting than a game against Oakland.  
[/quote]

First of all GF does have an airport but its not in town and the cities the BSC are in don't have a carrier that fly's to GF or vise versa. I don't see anything happening with und and the BSC at all. Even if I was wrong on that which I don't think I am any team from the BSC that would have to play in that tin shed would have to fly to Fargo and bus to GF becuase of the carrier issue. Now that being the case why the hell would they take the whioux and not NDSU? It isn't going to happen. They would take one look at Fargo and NDSU and say what the hell are we doing going to GF to play in that tin shed? Your other point about the market size and being able to support a DI school let me just say this. It's only a matter of time that the air base in GF is going to be a thing of the past it will happen and everyone in ND knows it. Minot will maintain thier base and Fargo is losing the Hooligan's jet fighters and downsizing as well. But GF is not a growing city. It is stagnant and that doesn't bode well for DI aspirations.