Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

[simple as a $3 bill]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Are UMD coaches and past players the only ones capable of having any optimism about the Bulldog program?

Seems like a lot of venom being spewed my way just for having a positive outlook on a team that isn't one of the handful usually mentioned here.

Yeah, how dare you.

[MrAugustana]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Non-coaches and non-former players absolutely can get excited about Duluth; I just think the Bulldogs will have to win over those non-Duluth fans with some higher level success.

I'm actually starting to second-guess myself on this. As I thought about it, I don't know that anyone on here gets particularly "excited" about teams other than their own. If anything, I think a lot of us drive each other to like other teams substantially less than they otherwise would.

To clarify, I can recognize and respect that Moorhead will probably be good in the future, particularly while Walthall's at the helm. But I don't ever "get excited" about Moorhead, and I never support Moorhead in anything I say, post, etc. Same goes for other schools that have had success recently. Frankly, and I know this is petty, but there are programs I dislike more because of fans on these boards, which is a bummer, since I know that also means there are people who probably don't like Augie's program simply because of stuff some of us Augie fans post, myself included (even when some of it is clearly intended as joking).

On the flip side, I generally haven't cared about a handful of programs that don't have any real/consistent representation on the basketball side (Duluth, Bemidji, U-Mary, etc.) and then there are programs I actually like more (like Wayne State), because I like wscsuperfan and some of the other Wayne fans generally tend to focus their criticism on Wayne's recent success (or lack thereof) without being jerks toward other programs. But I don't necessarily "get excited" about those programs. It's more that they exist and I'm aware of their existence.

So if your hope is that non-Duluth fans are going to get on here and start hyping/talking up the Bulldogs, like I said before, I think Duluth needs to earn some respect via the win/loss column before they're going to get much praise from anyone besides coaches, former players, and optimistic Duluth fans. Thus far they haven't earned much outside respect, even if you and others feel like the future is bright.

But again, I appreciate your excitement and I hope you stay active if you can handle the growing pains of Duluth getting to a respectable position in the NSIC standings. Augie had to deal with plenty of snark and "they can't win the big games" posts before our 2014-2016 stretch, and I'm sure if we aren't winning at a high level in the future, it won't be long before we start getting hit with that stuff again. Of course, my hope is that we never have to deal with that again. :)

[northernhooper]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

So if your hope is that non-Duluth fans are going to get on here and start hyping/talking up the Bulldogs, like I said before, I think Duluth needs to earn some respect via the win/loss column before they're going to get much praise from anyone besides coaches, former players, and optimistic Duluth fans. Thus far they haven't earned much outside respect, even if you and others feel like the future is bright.

I think you missed my point entirely. First there was a joke thrown asking if this is the UMD head coach positing, then another about a past Bulldog player.

My question was a snarky way of asking if the posters here think it's impossible for UMD to have any fans outside of its own coaches and players. Not sure it was deserving of having a novel written in response.

[MrAugustana]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

I think you missed my point entirely. First there was a joke thrown asking if this is the UMD head coach positing, then another about a past Bulldog player.

My question was a snarky way of asking if the posters here think it's impossible for UMD to have any fans outside of its own coaches and player. Not sure it was deserving of having a novel written in response.

In my world, everything is deserving of having a novel written in response. Sorry for bothering you. I will be sure to join my fellow Augie fans in taking shots at Bowen and the Bulldogs. :)

[wsuguy87]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Great coverage by WSU athletics and WDN on David Zellman going into the HOF this weekend. Also great job by WSU men's basketball and his former teammate on staff congratulating him.

What a joke of a program and coaching staff. Swallow some pride and recognize a teammate for what he was. You can tweet and retweet all day long but can't do anything for this guy?

And people in Winona wonder why the program is so bad.

Hey when is the 2008 10 year reunion? Last year in the paper the coach said he would do a better job of communicating and getting it going earlier for this one. Well season starts in less than 3 weeks but nothing on the calendar. The leadership across the board is just impeccable.

How is West Texas looking this year? Oh top 25 and has the top recruit that WSU wanted last year? Stay hot WSU. Stay hot

Man, your axe must be really sharp by now. Keep grinding it away.

Disclaimer: This is not me supporting anything that's been done relating to honoring the national championship teams. I think it's been handled poorly. I just feel like the team could win another national title and you would find a way to call them terrible and awful.

[wsuguy87]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

No I'm not the UMD coach. But Bowen was brought in to replicate the success he had at BSU and he now has a roster that's free of holdovers from the transition period.

It takes a while to put a new, more exciting system in place. The benefit of going through this tough rebuild will start showing very soon. UMD, with all its resources, shouldn't be looking up at schools half its size -- and won't be much longer.

I was pretty excited to see a UMD fan on here talking hoops and you had me until you went down that road. One of the many great things about the NSIC (in hoops especially) is that small schools can compete quite well against the "resources" of the big dogs. UMD should be better at basketball, but it has little to do with all the money they supposedly have.

[Guest69]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Luck or clutch? Most of the guys who generated that "luck" are back again this year.

"A real man makes his own luck" - Billy Zane, Titanic.

While I believe this is somewhat true -- I am willing to acknowledge Bruggeman's remarkable record in finishing games -- you cant fully expect to win 85% of games decided by one possession. If you want hop on the Skip Bayless Bandwagon of Clutch Genes, go right ahead. I am saying that maybe a three earlier in the game doesn't fall and instead of a one-point lead, you're down by two heading into the final minute of the game and it plays out the exact same way it did in a win. The moment a basket is made is arbitrary because a "clutch" player needs the opportunity to be clutch. Look at USF's record last year in those games decided by one possession, which was 2-8 with two losses to SMSU coming by a total of three points. Pretty sure they had good looks at the end of each of those games against SMSU, too.

[northernhooper]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

I was pretty excited to see a UMD fan on here talking hoops and you had me until you went down that road. One of the many great things about the NSIC (in hoops especially) is that small schools can compete quite well against the "resources" of the big dogs. UMD should be better at basketball, but it has little to do with all the money they supposedly have.

I didn't mean it as a slight to other schools around the league and was trying to say that UMD has no excuse to be in the basement.

[fanofnsic]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Man, your axe must be really sharp by now. Keep grinding it away.

Disclaimer: This is not me supporting anything that's been done relating to honoring the national championship teams. I think it's been handled poorly. I just feel like the team could win another national title and you would find a way to call them terrible and awful.

I don't see anything wrong with it. Why does the AD keep getting a free pass? No one ever calls him out asking what the hell is going on. Why is Eisner getting a free pass? He has an alumni base of former players that he doesn't support one bit. The program is awful, the leadership is awful. It takes a lot to build up a program and this one tumbled within 4 years to a bottom to middle NSIC program. It hasn't been like this since the late 80s and early 90s.

[laker]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Women's preseason poll:

[laker]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

[laker]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

[laker]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

Overall Points North Division Points
1. MSU Moorhead (10) 213 1. MSU Moorhead (5) 47
2. Northern State (4) 209 2. Northern State (3) 45
3. Augustana (2) 200 3. University of Mary 34
4. Wayne State 182 4. Minnesota Duluth 32
5. Winona State 152 5. St. Cloud State 26
6. Concordia-St. Paul 140 6. Bemidji State 15
7. Minnesota State 132 7. Minnesota Crookston 13
8. Minnesota Duluth 126 8. Minot State 12
9. University of Mary 125 South Division Points
10. Sioux Falls 123 1. Augustana (5) 47
11. St. Cloud State 91 2. Wayne State (3) 44
12. Southwest MN St 58 3. Winona State 33
13. Minnesota Crookston 51 4. Concordia-St. Paul 29
14. Bemidji State 43 Minnesota State 29
15. Upper Iowa 39 6. Sioux Falls 20
16. Minot State 36 7. Southwest MN St 14
first place votes in ( ) 8. Upper Iowa 8

[laker]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

For those of you anticipating the men's preaseason guesses- so am I. Post them when they come on line if you get them before me.

[Stanger86]

Re: Way-Too-Early 2017-18 NSIC Predictions

It takes a lot to build up a program and this one tumbled within 4 years to a bottom to middle NSIC program. It hasn't been like this since the late 80s and early 90s.

I've said this before and I'll say it again....the biggest thing that gave WSU top status was recruiting and wins. Once that started to fall off, I saw a drop-off coming from a mile away (or more accurately, 235 miles away). I didn't see the sustainability. I ranked facilities at/near the bottom of the NSIC almost 15 years ago when I first started following games. This was two years before the first title. Not only that, but the team was 17-12 and could only average 652 fans per game? It got a little better the next year (1,147), but immediately after that last title, the attendance immediately plummeted quite a bit. During that title run, the packed gym was a big draw for the recruiting (in addition to playing for titles). In the years that followed though, that slowly dissipated, and the championships were the biggest lure for recruits. But as more time passed since the titles and no changes were made to McCown, the overall product at WSU became a shell of its former self. Even when "upgrades" were made, they looked like they were done on the very cheap, and not much thought went into them. I actually thought some of those "upgrades" made the facilities even worse. The Leaf thing was obviously rock bottom, but I thought things had been trending that way for awhile. The upgrades I've seen of McCown from afar are a big improvement and were sorely needed.

Those are just one NSIC fan's observations from a distance. I think it's been a decade since I've been there, but I saw the environment both before the run and when it was at its peak, and I've seen games online from there since.