Great story in the Argus Leader
Looks like the Argus Leader is finally getting on board with SDSU's move to D-I! 8)
http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Saturdayfeature.shtml
Welcome to a brand-new world, SDSU
Chris Solari
Argus Leader
published: 7/3/2004
Move to higher class should help state get noticed more
I ate a decent sandwich at Subway in Brookings earlier this week. A 6-inch turkey sub on Monterey Cheddar bread, garnished with a smattering of pickles, lettuce and grated Parmesan cheese, topped off with a dollop of vinegar and oil.
I guess it was an adequate lunch. Solid, standard fare. Certainly not what I would call a Division I meal, though.
Of course, Subway is a non-threatening, familiar restaurant wherever you go. That comfort is what keeps people coming back.
In that respect, Brookings didn't look any different Wednesday than it did Thursday despite gearing up for its 125th birthday celebration this weekend. The beers at Jim's Tap and Cubby's didn't get any colder, the grub at Nick's Hamburger Shop and The Ram didn't get any tastier. Most everything stayed the same.
Yet there did seem to be a new buzz around town. Nick's was especially crowded. Downtown parking spots were crammed. Frost Arena was filled with young girls dribbling and shooting at a summer basketball camp.
That last spot was the epicenter of this vibe. Those kids were playing basketball on the campus of the first Division I school ever in South Dakota. Those girls' futures are some of the main reasons for the move.
If you believe Darwin, South Dakota State's official move to Division I on Thursday is akin to humans beginning to walk upright. And I'm pretty sure modern man had more than his share of stumbles between his initial steps and first marathon.
Tuesday held a little of both around Brookings. Football player Anthony Robinson was arraigned for allegedly being caught with 14 pounds of marijuana that he intended to sell. Across town on campus, the Jackrabbit family was planning a news conference to trumpet the hiring of Olympian Rod DeHaven as the new cross country and track coach.
On the eve of the move to Division I, those two things are as big-time as you can get - hiring a coach with experience at the highest levels, and having an athlete busted for allegedly doling out a lot of highs.
Many inside the state don't realize the difference between Division I and II, but the rest of the country does. Stray from the bounds of the North Central Conference, still among the pinnacle of Division II leagues, and you'll find that few casual sports fans know - or care - about D-II. It says a lot that South Dakota was the only state in the U.S. without a Division I program until this week.
And it's a pretty certain statement those same fans don't know about South Dakota State. Yet. What the move to Division I will do, though, is increase the visibility of both SDSU and the entire state. There is no reason that the other schools in lesser divisions - D-II and NAIA - shouldn't reap benefits from having the state known nationally for something other than Tom Daschle, Mount Rushmore and Sturgis.
For area fans, it just adds a new attraction. There may come a day when sports nuts here will have to choose between going to an Augustana-University of South Dakota men's basketball game in Sioux Falls, or making a trip north to see the Jackrabbits play someone such as Iowa or Kansas. Options for entertainment are never bad.
And neither are options for food. The next time I'm in Brookings, I think I'll try to find the best prime rib in town. Because nothing, to me, says Division I like a juicy steak. . . .
My favorite lines were "Many inside the state don't realize the difference between Division I and II, but the rest of the country does. Stray from the bounds of the North Central Conference, still among the pinnacle of Division II leagues, and you'll find that few casual sports fans know - or care - about D-II. It says a lot that South Dakota was the only state in the U.S. without a Division I program until this week." and "There may come a day when sports nuts here will have to choose between going to an Augustana-University of South Dakota men's basketball game in Sioux Falls, or making a trip north to see the Jackrabbits play someone such as Iowa or Kansas.". Great press for our move to D-I! 8)
Go State! ;D
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