Northern Colorado

BleedsBlue&Gold · Post by **BleedsBlue&Gold** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:19 pm

The missoula news made is sound like Norther Colo is going to be added to the Big Sky in the upcoming week. They made note the the UNC AD is going to be available for a press conference immediatly following the vote.

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:30 pm

BleedsBlue&Gold wrote:The missoula news made is sound like Norther Colo is going to be added to the Big Sky in the upcoming week. They made note the the UNC AD is going to be available for a press conference immediatly following the vote.

Very cool. I'm glad one of our old rivals is making it back into our conference again. Congrats UNC fans and welcome aboard! NDSU/SDSU should be next.

WYCAT · Post by **WYCAT** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:36 pm

For selfish reasons I am thrilled about this addition. Only 2 1/2 hours from home for me. I agree about the Dakota schools Cardiac.

mquast53000 · Post by **mquast53000** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:38 pm

I would love to see the Dakota schools added, but I am not holding my breath to see that happen. As long as Sac & Portland are in the conference they will do all they can to keep them out. Hey UNC is way better then Northridge though!

raincat · Post by **raincat** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:05 pm

If facilities matter, I'll never understand how Northridge became a BSC member. I went to a night game there in 1998 and could not believe the "stadium". To their credit, they had plans for a brand new facility on the table, comparable to what we have, but it was voted down and therefore, so was football. mquast53000 did you play in that one or were you injured? I remember it was a really good game. We won something like 31-25.

GoBears · Post by **GoBears** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:04 am

Hey everyone! Cool site! I am thrilled that UNC will now be in the Big Sky. I believe there will be a press conference on Tuesday with our AD Jay Hinrichs. I am not exactly certain of the time. I don't think you'll be disapointed with us. The students recently voted to raise their student fees in order to upgrade our facilities. Our football stadium is small, it holds about 8,500 and our b-ball complex is getting a major upgrade in which it desperatly needs. That should be done by '06 when we become members. I look foward to our competetion togethor through the years!

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:30 am

As an older Bobcat fan, it's hard to express myself as to the great feeling I have to see ya'll back in the same conference as us. It's been too many years and I hope you have some political influence to get the three Dakota schools in with us. Can't stand seeing our kids have to fly to Sacramento, Portland or Phoenix (and then bus up to Flagstaff more often than flying into Flagstaff, which can get pretty hairy at times).

BleedsBlue&Gold · Post by **BleedsBlue&Gold** » Wed May 18, 2005 9:06 am

there in. Congrats UNC.

grizzh8r · Post by **grizzh8r** » Wed May 18, 2005 7:23 pm

From closed topic:

longhorn 22 wrote:Northern Colorado is now in the Big Sky. Good move in my opinion.

Not as good as some moves, according to Dean Alexander, Terry Micheals, and Dave Vischer (sp?) of the Sports Nuts. I listened to them (AM 1090, KBOZ, 12:00 PM, weekdays) yesterday and they pretty much agreed that NDSU would have been the best choice. NDSU has great facilities and a huge fan base (in Fargo), according to Dean.

I still don't understand why we can't dump Suck State and PissU for both NDSU and SDSU, and also get Southern Utah. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we're getting more schools into the BSC, but it boggles the mind why they only chose one University (UNC), not pairing it up with another.

My idea would be to pair up the following schools for traveling (BBall, VBall, etc.), after, of course, booting SSU and PSU:

EWU & ISU
WSU & UNC
NAU & SU
MSU & UM
SDSU & NDSU

If you look at the pairings geographically speaking, they make sense. They all make much more sense than the SSU/NAU pairing we have now. The only one that is a stretch is WSU & UNC, but still not terrible.

BTW, NDSU is in Fargo, and SDSU is in Brookings. UNC is in Greeley, and SU is in Cedar City (not far from Flagstaff), for those of you not familiar with these schools.

My $0.02...

BobcatLionFan · Post by **BobcatLionFan** » Thu May 19, 2005 10:02 am

When the Griz go Div I A, then there will be more room for NDSU and possibly SDSU. (With their attendance levels, there is no reason to stay Div I AA).

I'm sure being playoff eligible and how it effects the other teams in the BSC went into the consideration. Seems to me someone made a very good point on this awhile ago.

Post by **kmax** » Thu May 19, 2005 11:04 am

grizzh8r wrote:
I still don't understand why we can't dump Suck State and PissU for both NDSU and SDSU, and also get Southern Utah. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we're getting more schools into the BSC, but it boggles the mind why they only chose one University (UNC), not pairing it up with another.

Okay, I didn't want to rewrite my answer to this question so below is the response I gave a couple months ago. For that one, people were bitching because it was Fullerton's fault we were going for UNC and not the Dakota's, thus the Fullerton references, but the gist of the answer is still the same.

From my post at http://www.bobcatnation.com/bobcatboard ... php?t=1600

kmax wrote: Okay, not that I am a big fan of fullerton either, but as has been said before, unfortunately there is a very good set of reasons the Dakota's would not get invited right now.

The sky needs to have 7 playoff eligible, core institutions to retain it's autobid to the NCAA Bball tourneys and all the revenue sharing that goes along with it. Portland State and Sac State both strongly object to the Dakota schools on account of supposed(it is debatable) travel costs. So say the rest of the league decides the Dakota's are going to be invited. PSU and CSUS decided to bolt for the Great West/Big West. That leaves the Sky with only 6 core institutions that are playoff eligible and have now lost their autobid and related money.

Now, I don't know if this is what is happening or if other schools really wanted the Dakotas, but in essence, it doesn't matter how much the other schools want the Dakota's or even whether or not Fullerton does because PSU and CSUS could effectively hold them hostage over this point. If the Dakota's where a year or two further along in their Div. I reclassification this would not be the case. Perhaps in another year or two as CSUS possibly moves on to other conference affiliations the Dakota's could be in the picture again if they haven't already snagged a conference.

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Thu May 19, 2005 11:29 am

Thank you KMAX. We need UNC as an insurance policy and they bring a great deal to the conference. We just have to be a little more patient and all the schools in our region will align with decent geographical travel--again finally.

raincat · Post by **raincat** » Thu May 19, 2005 11:58 am

I don't believe Portland State has the fan base or financials to move to 1A. It's hard enough for someone like Idaho with Wazzu across the street and Boise State down stream to find the support and money needed to survive in 1A. But PSU has two Pac 10 schools within jogging distance. And considering PSU is a "downtown" and commuter type institution in a relatively small city, it's unlikely the needed support is there. After nearly 10 years at 1AA they have failed to win a conference championship and I can't recall them ever in the playoffs. So PSU should be very happy to be an ongoing contender in the BSC. I'd be less surprised if EWU looked to make the move to 1A and that definately won't be happening anytime soon.
SacState....California is more likely to disband football at S-State than move them up to 1A.

Post by **kmax** » Thu May 19, 2005 12:18 pm

raincat wrote:I don't believe Portland State has the fan base or financials to move to 1A. It's hard enough for someone like Idaho with Wazzu across the street and Boise State down stream to find the support and money needed to survive in 1A. But PSU has two Pac 10 schools within jogging distance. And considering PSU is a "downtown" and commuter type institution in a relatively small city, it's unlikely the needed support is there. After nearly 10 years at 1AA they have failed to win a conference championship and I can't recall them ever in the playoffs. So PSU should be very happy to be an ongoing contender in the BSC. I'd be less surprised if EWU looked to make the move to 1A and that definately won't be happening anytime soon.
SacState....California is more likely to disband football at S-State than move them up to 1A.

I don't disagree with you on PSU as they wouldn't make it at I-A, however Sac State has put some renewed emphasis on sports. With that huge amount of money they just got for their athetic complex(can't remember exactly who it was from, an NBA owner or something I think) don't be so sure they aren't angling for something higher.

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Thu May 19, 2005 1:08 pm

I think Alex Spanos just gave Sacramento 20 million with specific instructions as to where the money would be spent. Improved training facilities and an upgrade to their football stadium is part of what I read--I think it's on their web site.

MSU01 · Post by **MSU01** » Thu May 19, 2005 2:50 pm

Spanos is also paying for a new basketball arena...so they can have their 1,000 people in a nice new arena now.

I agree with others...I'd rather see the Dakota schools in the league and Sac and/or PSU out than the current configuration.

BelgradeBobcat · Post by **BelgradeBobcat** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:25 pm

UNC is a good addition to the league-not a great addition, but certainly a good one. Their proximity to Denver, and their intermountain location makes them a fun road trip and a logical Big Sky member.

I see them being a lot like Eastern Washington. Because they're in Colorado and near Denver, they'll have a lot of athletes available to them, therefore they'll be very competitive, but they'll always struggle for fan support in the shadow of CSU, CU, Wyoming, and even Air Force. Much the way EWU is in WSU, UW, and Gonzaga's shadow.

mquast53000 · Post by **mquast53000** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:31 pm

I could see UNC having a lineup of transfers from UC, CSU and maybe even Air Force. That alone could make them a good FB school. Now the other sports they might have a little trouble competing in…

Post by **kmax** » Thu May 19, 2005 5:12 pm

BelgradeBobcat wrote:UNC is a good addition to the league-not a great addition, but certainly a good one. Their proximity to Denver, and their intermountain location makes them a fun road trip and a logical Big Sky member.

I see them being a lot like Eastern Washington. Because they're in Colorado and near Denver, they'll have a lot of athletes available to them, therefore they'll be very competitive, but they'll always struggle for fan support in the shadow of CSU, CU, Wyoming, and even Air Force. Much the way EWU is in WSU, UW, and Gonzaga's shadow.

I agree completely BB, good summary.

grizzh8r · Post by **grizzh8r** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:18 pm

Thanks kmax. I am now enlightened. 7 teams needed to get autobids and $$. BTW, what is it with the number 7 (i.e., 7 dwarves, etc.)?

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