Ripple Effect

[Notorious]

I put this here, as I didn't think a post about und should go in the "Division I/FSC Topic"...

Anyway, do you think the whole nickname deal could have a negative effect on the already poor quality of the und sports programs?...will this just pile more on an athletic program that already is challenged severely?...hurt morale....hurt recruiting....send them spiraling downward.....

Or, will this provide something to rally around?

This is a serious questions, btw....

[Bison bison]

I think there will be challenges, but one's that can be overcome with strong leadership.

Do they have that leadership? I don't know.

These are times where one proves one's mettle.

A lot of folks/institutions thrive during times like this.

[Tatanka]

The answer to your question all boils down to one word:

Leadership.

With strong leadership, this event can turn out to be a positive in the long run (a "rallying cry" as you put it).

Anything less, quite frankly, and they're in a world of hurt, especially if you believe there's more than the vocal few who are blaming the demise of the nickname on basketball, the Summit League, any other non-hockey sport, etc. Seriously. Would you want to go there and deal with that shit, on top of the sub-340 RPI? Generally, no.

Edit: I see NDB2's post above and agree 100%

[Grizzled]

I think it will end up being a positive for their sports. What kid is ever going to go to a school when its not elgible for post season play because of being in a made up conference. They will now be in a legit conference where winning the postseason will allow for a post season berth. This will only help recruiting.

Don't believe that UND hasn't been preparing for this. All the comments you read about people pulling money and blah, blah, blah are a small minority or just random people talking. I know a few people who give a lot of money to UND athletics and the school in general and there has been communication. No one knew this was going to happen the way it did yesterday but UND was prepared for when it was going to happen.

There will be bumps along the way, especially early but in the end it will be a positive. UND fans I work with know that long term it will be one less distraction to deal with down the road. That being said I will be standing by watching because the next few months will be entertaining.

[Bison55]

It seems we have seen this type of behavior before. NDSU went D1 and all we heard from up North was negativity about how the GWFC was a garbage conference, and und was breaking ties with NDSU.

A few years later, und is trying to get into a conference and now people are calling the Summit a garbage conference and making negative statements about native americans.

Every time something doesn't go their way, they lash out and throw everyone around them under the bus. They blame the whole world and statements come out that they can't take back. When they did it to NDSU it wasn't seen on a national level. I think what they say and do in the next several months will be more visible to people outside the region, and probably hurt their programs.

[tjbison]

I put this here, as I didn't think a post about und should go in the "Division I/FSC Topic"...

Anyway, do you think the whole nickname deal could have a negative effect on the already poor quality of the und sports programs?...will this just pile more on an athletic program that already is challenged severely?...hurt morale....hurt recruiting....send them spiraling downward.....

Or, will this provide something to rally around?

This is a serious questions, btw....


Reality is most of the kids UND is recruiting ALL sports have zero ties to UND nor knew anything previous about the nickname, so I doubt much will happen as far as recruiting, now for the diehard alum they may hold back donations which is stupid as this is the most critical time donors and alum need to support their university

[Bison bison]

The answer to your question all boils down to one word:

Leadership.

With strong leadership, this event can turn out to be a positive in the long run (a "rallying cry" as you put it).

Anything less, quite frankly, and they're in a world of hurt, especially if you believe there's more than the vocal few who are blaming the demise of the nickname on basketball, the Summit League, any other non-hockey sport, etc. Seriously. Would you want to go there and deal with that shit, on top of the sub-340 RPI? Generally, no.

Edit: I see NDB2's post above and agree 100%

Great minds think a like.

[Notorious]

Great minds think a like.

Sharing a brain doesn't count...

[aces1180]

If you are not watching the press conference, you should be...It's great.

The coaches are bitching like little kids!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/pages/live

[Tatanka]

the press conference is great, more Typical delusion!

First guy- "my focus will 100% turn toward our players, our alums, the university, and most importantly our program" - .....um so where was your focus before if it wasn't on these things?
Second guy- " the whole state of ND is sue country"- ......um really?

Third guy- "explaining to our children why we have to change (our name) is difficult" - um, yeah I am sure 4 year olds across Grand Forks are all asking their daddy's why und had to change their nick name

I believe it's been said best: a few square miles of prairie surrounded by reality.

[TheBisonator]

the press conference is great, more Typical delusion!

First guy- "my focus will 100% turn toward our players, our alums, the university, and most importantly our program" - .....um so where was your focus before if it wasn't on these things?
Second guy- " the whole state of ND is sue country"- ......um really?

Third guy- "explaining to our children why we have to change (our name) is difficult" - um, yeah I am sure 4 year olds across Grand Forks are all asking their daddy's why und had to change their nick name

The statewide radio ratings for Bison Football games on fall Saturdays tell a different story.

[bisonatrix]

The answer to your question all boils down to one word:

Leadership.

With strong leadership, this event can turn out to be a positive in the long run (a "rallying cry" as you put it).

Anything less, quite frankly, and they're in a world of hurt, especially if you believe there's more than the vocal few who are blaming the demise of the nickname on basketball, the Summit League, any other non-hockey sport, etc. Seriously. Would you want to go there and deal with that shit, on top of the sub-340 RPI? Generally, no.

Edit: I see NDB2's post above and agree 100%

You hit the nail on the head. if anything, it should be something that helps them. it was, after all, preventing them from entering a real conference. sorry, but aint no high school kid anywhere who is going to go to a school where their never eligible to play for a postseason tournament. that comment Roebuck made about wanting the logo over the league is astoundingly stupid. even if they think they're better than the summit or had a shot at the Big Sky, nobody was going to touch them until the logo thing got resolved. and yet they think kids would rather not go to a school that is eligible to make postseason tournaments just so they can play as the "Fighting Sioux"? LMAO!!!!!

its no coincidence that the two coaches there who spoke out prominently against the change (Roebuck & Hakstol) are guys who were head coaches when Thomas & Kupchella flipped the bird at NDSU and stayed D2. same line of thinking, same backward idea. seems like the people brought in after Thomas & Kupchella at least see reality when it comes to the logo, but as they keeping talking about how a minority cost them their precious logo (again, LMFAO!), another minority could just as well turn this into a disaster.

[mgbison]

are und fans/coaches/players that retarded that they didn't know this was coming. it should have happened 3 years ago. f'ing morons. How much state money/time was wasted on this stupid issue. I would say a bigger concern for their fanbase would be that their men's bball team is horrible and they lost the only athletic guy they had on their football team (bamba).