Big Sky Conference Presentation by NDSU?

[BisonInTexas]

Did NDSU make a presentation to the Big Sky Conference as Taylor stated earlier this year? Anyone know how it went or did it not happen at all?

Craig

[BisonInTexas]

Just received word from a source that no presentation was made to the Big Sky this fall. He thinks Chapman is still working it behind the scenes, however.

Finding a conference is going to be tough. There is still a lot of time however. I think the most likely (but not most desired) may be forming a new conference, but this will be tough as well if SDSU gets voted down by the BoR this week.

Didn't Taylor state at the D1 announcement that if NDSU didn't have a conference affiliation by next fall he should be run out of town?

Craig

[tony]

Yeah, he sure did. It kind of makes me think that they have a fall-back position, the Mid-continent or some other no-football conference.

I think that NDSU would want to find out about SDSU before approaching the Big Sky.

[BisonInTexas]

Yeah, he sure did. It kind of makes me think that they have a fall-back position, the Mid-continent or some other no-football conference.

I think that NDSU would want to find out about SDSU before approaching the Big Sky.

I agree that SDSU is an important ally in any conference negotiations. It makes you wonder what Taylor was thinking when he announced that NDSU would be presenting at the Big Sky Conference meeting in October. I am surprised he hasn't been called out on this statement by the press.

Craig

[Guest]

Even if the Board Of Regents votes down SDSU proposal to move up, its not going to mean the death of this issue. There are many Augie and USD fans contacting Denny Everson, President of the SDSU Alumni Association as the article in the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan states. The dont realize how things are organized at SDSU. The Alumni Association is purely a social ogranizatin. It maintains mailing addresses, organizations pregame tailgates etc and has a council that meets four times a year. I was on that council for a couple of years. We did not do a whole lot so these USD and Augie fans are barking up a tree thinking that 48,000 SDSU alums will listen. The ALumni Assoication does not collect dues nor does it do much fund raising. There is another organization called the SDSU Foundation and that is made up of movers and shakers who have given big time bucks. The foundation and alumni assoication work together had have mutual members.

The Board of Regents has four memebers who terms expire in January 2003. Most of the current members are Janklow appointees and have ties to USD. This the big reason SDSU move may get shot down. The Governor Elect is Mike Rounds, is a SDSU ALUM and was a Jackrabbit baseball pitcher once upon a time. I know he was asked three or four years ago about what he thought about SDSU moving to D1. I was told by a reliable source that he was in favor of the move. So 2003 once Rounds is Governor Rounds and new appointments to the B of D, the proposal could be re-introduced to the B of R for consideration. I dont think the B Of R will be able to kill it for good. They may slow the train but will not be able to derail it.
After January Janklow and his cronies will be Washington DC and not in Pierre South Dakota. Heaven help us.

[BisonInTexas]

Even if the Board Of Regents votes down SDSU proposal to move up, its not going to mean the death of this issue. There are many Augie and USD fans contacting Denny Everson, President of the SDSU Alumni Association as the article in the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan states. *The dont realize how things are organized at SDSU. *The Alumni Association is purely a social ogranizatin. It maintains mailing addresses, organizations pregame tailgates etc and has a council that meets four times a year. I was on that council for a couple of years. We did not do a whole lot so these USD and Augie fans are barking up a tree thinking that 48,000 SDSU alums will listen. *The ALumni Assoication does not collect dues nor does it do much fund raising. There is another organization called the SDSU Foundation and that is made up of movers and shakers who have given big time bucks. The foundation and alumni assoication work together had have mutual members. *

The Board of Regents has four memebers who terms expire in January 2003. *Most of the current members are Janklow appointees and have ties to USD. This the big reason SDSU move may get shot down. The Governor Elect is Mike Rounds, is a SDSU ALUM and was a Jackrabbit baseball pitcher once upon a time. I know he was asked three or four years ago about what he thought about SDSU moving to D1. I was told by a reliable source that he was in favor of the move. *So 2003 once Rounds is Governor Rounds and new appointments to the B of D, the proposal could be re-introduced to the B of R for consideration. *I dont think the B Of R will be able to kill it for good. They may slow the train but will not be able to derail it.
After January Janklow and his cronies will be Washington DC and not in Pierre South Dakota. Heaven help us.

I hope it works out for SDSU, be it now or later. I guess this begs the question: Can a later B of R revoke SDSU's DI status after it has been okayed?

I imagine there are some safeguards in place to prevent this, otherwise it would be hard to get acceptance in any conference if you couldn't guarantee that sometime in the future a bunch of USD alums on the B of R tell SDSU to move back to DII just so they can play USD again.

Craig

[Guest]

The way the Board of Regents works in South Dakota and I dont know much other than this is that the eight members are appointed by the Elected Governor. Governor Elect Rounds, I suppose could ask for resignations of all eight on inaugration day, but thats not likely. They do serve at the gov's pleasure and checking those terms that expire in 2003, some would probably vote to allow SDSU to move forward. So new appointments may not help. I think after what happen at public forum in Sioux Falls, the approval could possibly come. The SDSU Foundation made some interesting comments, like for instance they plan to raise 9 million for athletics. The endowed monies for scholarships now total 5.5 million with an announcement that a donor recently deceased had given SDSU 2.7 million for athletics scholarships. The amount endowed would yield about $225,000 per year just from earnings assuming a 5% return. At about 8000 per year for a full ride would fund nearly 30 scholarships with out a ticket sold or a request for a check from a booster. I think SDSU Adminstration and Foundation made a good presentation and how those with ties to USD accept that will be the key to the decision.

We have a very good former basketball coach, Jim Marking who is really negative on this issue and he a great guy. I dont understand his negativity.

Could the regents recind their decision if was approved and subsequently reconsidered? The answer to that is probably in their bylaws. I dont think they would be it pressure from USD or Northern. There is no money being requested from the Legislature. USD got 4 million for the roof on the DaKota Dome and a lot of SDSU folks would remind the B of D of that. USD like UND has the business, law and medicine school but does not have the power in state government that UND has. There are differences in that sense.

I dont think that USD could come up with a valid reason to recind a prior decision, especially since the money has been raised by the SDSU Foundation and the move is sucessful. Finding a conference will be the next issue if approval is granted next week.

I am hopeful from the public forum that they may just decide that the B of D since no money is being requested, will conclude that they don't have a dog in this hunt and give it approval. President Miller by the Argus Leader made some very hopeful comments about the academics being in great shape and that she saw athletics as a way to build academics. The B of D, no matter how USD red their blood may be have to appear non-partisian. The movers and shakers in the foundation and on campus are finally speaking their piece on this issue and I think they will not be afraid to be critical of the B Of D voting this down on the loyality to USD. The funny part that I have noticed is that many USD alums are envious of SDSU for being progressive on other issues. So if an approval is made, then USD may find them selves looking in the mirror and rethinking every thing.

[JBB]

Your last comment about the USD feelings seems to be right on. I have no doubt, especially after listening to the und fans that they are feeling much the same way. Now than Lennon is looking for work as a D1AA coach, and has been quoted as saying he is very disappointed about the und D1 postition, it wouldnt suprise me a bit to see them on the band wagon next summer. If SDSU makes the move your probably right about usd reconsidering too. I hope neither school does.

[BisonInTexas]

Your last comment about the USD feelings seems to be right on. I have no doubt, especially after listening to the und fans that they are feeling much the same way. Now than Lennon is looking for work as a D1AA coach, and has been quoted as saying he is very disappointed about the und D1 postition, it wouldnt suprise me a bit to see them on the band wagon next summer. If SDSU makes the move your probably right about usd reconsidering too. I hope neither school does.

I think UND will move up, but if they want to announce by next year, they had better start doing their studies now (Carr report, etc.). I think it will be after 2005 before they finally get moving. It will take a couple of years with a schedule full of Crookstons, Northern States, Bemidji and the like to set in before they see the light (as well as the reduction in scholarships that will probably be ratified by DII in the not so distant future).

Craig

[The_Sicatoka]

BisonInTexas:

I'm not looking to argue but let me ask:

Would it be worth the money for UND to do the studies at this point? They'll say: Mission, Market (aka Money), Plan, Conference. They can look at NDSU's and SDSU's and see the issues and concerns from similar situations both in a larger and smaller metro area.

If they made such a move, they'd probably come out with a long epiphany about how the landscape has rapidly changed (by pointing to the NCAA 2003 DII resolution by the RMAC to look at scholarship levels) to align themselves with Dr. Kupchella's position paper (from back in February) and then just announce the move.

The hidden benefit? They'd still have the $100k that NDSU and SDSU each spent on Carr and CSL reports. ;D

Like I've said, patience. This will all play out. I figured the 2004 look at divisions by the NCAA would trigger it. The 2003 resolution by the RMAC just may be the trigger. We'll see.

PS - None of this solves the binding issue for all: Conference.