Fullerton Statement on South Dakota

[TexasTerror]

Just received this statement. Will share a link from the Big Sky web site when I get it...

“Obviously we are disappointed that the University of South Dakota is not joining us, but we understand the decision and we wish them the best of luck. We knew all along that this was a possibility. When making a decision of this magnitude, there are many constituents throughout a state that have a say in these matters.

“The last two months have been an exciting time for the Big Sky Conference. We’ve added Cal Poly and UC Davis to our football fold, and the University of North Dakota and Southern Utah as full members. Our league presidents chose to be aggressive during this time of conference affiliation upheaval. We have solidified and strengthened the Big Sky Conference. We have a vision of what we can be in the West, and that hasn’t changed.”

UPDATE - Link - http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2010/11/4/GEN_1104100828.aspx

[darell1976]

Just received this statement. Will share a link from the Big Sky web site when I get it...

“Obviously we are disappointed that the University of South Dakota is not joining us, but we understand the decision and we wish them the best of luck. We knew all along that this was a possibility. When making a decision of this magnitude, there are many constituents throughout a state that have a say in these matters.

“The last two months have been an exciting time for the Big Sky Conference. We’ve added Cal Poly and UC Davis to our football fold, and the University of North Dakota and Southern Utah as full members. Our league presidents chose to be aggressive during this time of conference affiliation upheaval. We have solidified and strengthened the Big Sky Conference. We have a vision of what we can be in the West, and that hasn’t changed.”

UPDATE - Link - http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2010/11/4/GEN_1104100828.aspx

Wanna share exactly when?? How about all USD needs is approval from the SDBOR, how about we signed them on as traveling partners with UND. No you liar you didn't know this or else you would have shared that with UND. If UND knew the MVFC was opening its door there would be a different outcome of events.

[PantherRob82]

Wanna share exactly when?? How about all USD needs is approval from the SDBOR, how about we signed them on as traveling partners with UND. No you liar you didn't know this or else you would have shared that with UND. If UND knew the MVFC was opening its door there would be a different outcome of events.

Dude, you need to take your meds. You're acting like someone killed your family. Both schools did what was best for them, and you both have conference homes. xrolleyesx

[darell1976]

Dude, you need to take your meds. You're acting like someone killed your family. Both schools did what was best for them, and you both have conference homes. xrolleyesx

But that damn Coyote did kill my family.xlolx I guess its a little jealousy and a little decite mixed in there. UND's ultimate goal was to find a conference home but with the other 3 Dakota schools but now we are in a conference with Montana and come 2012 when all our games count its time to earn their respect as they give us none.

[TexasTerror]

Wanna share exactly when?? How about all USD needs is approval from the SDBOR, how about we signed them on as traveling partners with UND. No you liar you didn't know this or else you would have shared that with UND. If UND knew the MVFC was opening its door there would be a different outcome of events.

Problem lies in the fact that UND and USD are not working together like their co-horts at NDSU/SDSU did.

The MVFC did not want to have to take Southern Utah for any reasons (see Summit League football) and 11 teams is awkward, so the MVFC only wanted one, if they were going to expand. All worked out when UND got committed to the Big Sky...

UND needs to hope that Youngstown State leaves the MVFC so they can jump right back in...

[darell1976]

Problem lies in the fact that UND and USD are not working together like their co-horts at NDSU/SDSU did.

The MVFC did not want to have to take Southern Utah for any reasons (see Summit League football) and 11 teams is awkward, so the MVFC only wanted one, if they were going to expand. All worked out when UND got committed to the Big Sky...

UND needs to hope that Youngstown State leaves the MVFC so they can jump right back in...

Thats another thing. If UND has success in the BSC do they want to go? Or if the Montana's bolt could the XDSU's and USD go to the BSC? I suppose a lot could happen between now and 2012 when our new conference play starts.

[PantherRob82]

Thats another thing. If UND has success in the BSC do they want to go? Or if the Montana's bolt could the XDSU's and USD go to the BSC? I suppose a lot could happen between now and 2012 when our new conference play starts.

Agreed. I don't think anything is done yet.

I don't see YSU leaving the MVFC, but I also don't see USD, SDSU, and NDSU bolting for the Big Sky. UND joining us in the future is not hard to grasp. UND would be the best option if YSU left, but we may just stay at 9 if that happened.

[TexasTerror]

Thats another thing. If UND has success in the BSC do they want to go? Or if the Montana's bolt could the XDSU's and USD go to the BSC? I suppose a lot could happen between now and 2012 when our new conference play starts.
Finances make things happen. If UND can save money while restoring rivalries with programs like USD, SDSU and NDSU - they will...


I don't see YSU leaving the MVFC, but I also don't see USD, SDSU, and NDSU bolting for the Big Sky. UND joining us in the future is not hard to grasp. UND would be the best option if YSU left, but we may just stay at 9 if that happened.

Nine is a good number, because everyone can play eight conference games (four home, four away). I believe the SDSU AD said in his recently completed online chat the same thing with 10 teams - that they'd maintain eight conference games.

[darell1976]

Finances make things happen. If UND can save money while restoring rivalries with programs like USD, SDSU and NDSU - they will...



Nine is a good number, because everyone can play eight conference games (four home, four away). I believe the SDSU AD said in his recently completed online chat the same thing with 10 teams - that they'd maintain eight conference games.

NDSU's AD said Tuesday night on WDAY radio that UND is now going to be in the same boat as NDSU 8 conference games a FBS game and 2 OOC games that an every year game with NDSU was not going to be possible. Maybe UND can get on a 3 year rotation where we play USD in 2013, then SDSU in 2014, then NDSU 2015 on the road, then play them at home the next 3 years. Just to get the rivalry going until we can all be reunited.

[kab]

don't worry about what jean taylor thinks. he is the biggest ahole in the fcs. usd is now a close second to this ahole. UND can do without the sheep shearers from ndac

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

don't worry about what jean taylor thinks. he is the biggest ahole in the fcs. usd is now a close second to this ahole. UND can do without the sheep shearers from ndac


Nice statement pal......

GT is a very good AD. Stick to what you know best.....NOT MUCH!!

[Gil Dobie]

don't worry about what jean taylor thinks. he is the biggest ahole in the fcs. usd is now a close second to this ahole. UND can do without the sheep shearers from ndac

Mr Taylor offered UND a 4 year home and home when NDSU began the transition to DI, who turned down the deal?

[LeeshaJo]

I for one as an SDSU fan am ecstatic to see USD join the MVFC... for two main reasons... 1. I live 30 miles from Vermillion and this means I will get to see the Jacks play close to home rather than a 2.5 hour drive every home game... and 2. I don't have to listen to the USD guys in the newsroom b&M that SDSU kept them out of the valley and now they have to fly to timbukto for every game...lol win win for me...

BTW... how is USD taking the valley over BSC any different than UND taking BSC over the Summit? You chose your league, go win in it and prove that you were the school who made the correct choice... USD will have to do the same... bring on the games....

[MplsBison]

Wow! I honestly thought that USD was going to the Big Sky.

I'm glad USD will be in the Summit and MVFC - I just wish UND would've got that same opportunity.


But my feeling is that it took UND leaving and the threat of USD leaving to finally open things up in the MVFC. Without that MVFC membership, neither UND or USD could afford to go to the Summit without a home for football.


Now I have to wonder with USD not going to the Big Sky, what if Montana and Montana St leave for the WAC? That means UND's travel partner is now Northern Colorado and next closest teams after that are Idaho St and Weber St. Very far from ideal for UND.

[darell1976]

I for one as an SDSU fan am ecstatic to see USD join the MVFC... for two main reasons... 1. I live 30 miles from Vermillion and this means I will get to see the Jacks play close to home rather than a 2.5 hour drive every home game... and 2. I don't have to listen to the USD guys in the newsroom b&M that SDSU kept them out of the valley and now they have to fly to timbukto for every game...lol win win for me...

BTW... how is USD taking the valley over BSC any different than UND taking BSC over the Summit? You chose your league, go win in it and prove that you were the school who made the correct choice... USD will have to do the same... bring on the games....

USD going to the Valley meant a home for their football team. UND taking the Summit over the BSC meant a home in the Indy league for their football team. UND was NOT going into the Valley either way. They wanted only USD not UND.

[LeeshaJo]

USD going to the Valley meant a home for their football team. UND taking the Summit over the BSC meant a home in the Indy league for their football team. UND was NOT going into the Valley either way. They wanted only USD not UND.

My point was it was pretty much understood that UND was going to the Summit League, all they had to do was sign the papers that would have been in hand after Monday's visit... Sound familiar?

[darell1976]

My point was it was pretty much understood that UND was going to the Summit League, all they had to do was sign the papers that would have been in hand after Monday's visit... Sound familiar?

But that would have left UND football without a conference. UND's 2 options Indy football/SL or BSC in everything.

[LeeshaJo]

But that would have left UND football without a conference. UND's 2 options Indy football/SL or BSC in everything.

I am not denying that, or even denying that for UND, they took the best option on the table... What I am saying is that in my mind — and trust me as a SDSU fan, I am always looking for honest and fair ways to dig about the U — What USD did to the Big Sky is exactly what UND did to the Summit League. Both leagues had "Understood" deals and were fully expected to join as soon as the paper work was done. Had the SL visit been a week earlier and the Big Sky invite came when you officially had the SL paperwork in your president's office to join, your school would have done exactly what USD did and taken the best option for your school, which was the Big Sky. I just find it very ironic all the UND fans saying what the U did was dirty and underhand when essentially, your's did the EXACT same thing a week earlier.

[darell1976]

I am not denying that, or even denying that for UND, they took the best option on the table... What I am saying is that in my mind — and trust me as a SDSU fan, I am always looking for honest and fair ways to dig about the U — What USD did to the Big Sky is exactly what UND did to the Summit League. Both leagues had "Understood" deals and were fully expected to join as soon as the paper work was done. Had the SL visit been a week earlier and the Big Sky invite came when you officially had the SL paperwork in your president's office to join, your school would have done exactly what USD did and taken the best option for your school, which was the Big Sky. I just find it very ironic all the UND fans saying what the U did was dirty and underhand when essentially, your's did the EXACT same thing a week earlier.

What they did and what we did are same and different. UND and USD was told no MVFC expansion. Okay fast forward to a couple weeks ago. UND cancelled its Summit visit when the BSC said we will offer you all sports invitation. (with all sports why would we need the Summit). So UND accepted. SUU dumped the Summit and joined as well. USD said we are dumping the Summit and joining the BSC. We have everything signed except we need to go through 1 channel the SDBOR. And in 8 hrs all of a sudden Commish Patty and Summit Commish Douple struck a deal and made USD stay in the Summit and offered them an invite into the MVFC. Now how come UND didn't have that opportunity? Simple UND was NEVER an option to join the MVFC. They wanted USD all along. MVFC schools did not want 11 teams but some agreed to 10 teams and USD was going to be team 10 and UND team 11. Well without team 11 an option due to schools objecting to that, that left USD joining the MVFC, and UND in the BSC with SUU. What UND did and what USD did were different NOT exact.

[BelgradeBobcat]

I am not denying that, or even denying that for UND, they took the best option on the table... What I am saying is that in my mind — and trust me as a SDSU fan, I am always looking for honest and fair ways to dig about the U — What USD did to the Big Sky is exactly what UND did to the Summit League. Both leagues had "Understood" deals and were fully expected to join as soon as the paper work was done. Had the SL visit been a week earlier and the Big Sky invite came when you officially had the SL paperwork in your president's office to join, your school would have done exactly what USD did and taken the best option for your school, which was the Big Sky. I just find it very ironic all the UND fans saying what the U did was dirty and underhand when essentially, your's did the EXACT same thing a week earlier.

The villain in the story (if there has to be one) from the Big Sky/UND perspective is the MVFC Commissioner. It is certainly not USD. Can you imagine the fall out if it went public that USD had an offer from the MVFC but went to the Big Sky anyway? Considering they were already in the Summit League, their rival is in the Summit/MVFC, they share the same media market, and the Summit basketball tournament-among other things-they had to take the MVFC. To do otherwise would have been political suicide for the President, AD, and Board of Regents.

Until the Big Sky came along offering-in full public view-a life boat for the USD football program, the MVFC was more than happy to let USD twist in the wind. If they thought USD and UND were a package deal why was USD already in the Summit and UND not? The MVFC could have offered USD months ago but they didn't care until the Big Sky came along. USD (and those MVFC members who really wanted USD in their league with them) owes Doug Fullerton and the Big Sky a huge dept of gratitude.

Some say Fullerton should have insisted on the UXD's as a package deal, or UND should have kept quiet about their acceptance of the Big Sky invite until USD had also signed on. I suppose I'm naive, but I have a problem with mafia like tactics in conference decisions. First off, there is no such thing as a package deal. Schools may choose to work together, but they are always independent agents-moreso when they're not even from the same state. These are public universities. Whatever they do in these matters must be done out in the open. So I think all the second guessing is wrong. Both UND and USD made the best decision for their institution. From the recent press accounts, especially the story out of Terre Haute that's been floating around these message boards, it sounds like USD barely made it in and only after some scheduling concessions to Indiana State and Southern Illinois. North Dakota had no chance so they had to go to the Big Sky-which I'm very happy about by the way.

[JBB]

An every year game with NDSU was not going to be possible. Maybe UND can get on a 3 year rotation where we play USD in 2013, then SDSU in 2014, then NDSU 2015 on the road, then play them at home the next 3 years. Just to get the rivalry going until we can all be reunited.

I dont think that will work. I think NDSU is looking for single game contracts in Fargo for a reasonable price, no strings attached.

Of course, a 2 for 1 home/home scheduled over 15 years or so with a reasonable buy-out might be good?

Otherwise, great idea!

Fullerton said some interesting things last night too. He was making the point that athletics can leverage the universities core mission. He cited Boise State and how its working so well for them. No question the Montana folks are admiring that strategy. I think there was ample evidence in his discussion that Montana could leave for the WAC.

[LakesBison]

karma karma karma.

und hasnt beaten NDSU in 1 recruit battle in minnesota/wisc in the LAST 5 YEARS, they had to go west, plain and simple.

usd got very lucky, and their $500,000K summit buyout kept them from leaving, not anything else.

und will never get into the MVFC, because NO ONE wants an administration & fanbase of abusive,hostile and arrogent people.

[PantherRob82]

und will never get into the MVFC, because NO ONE wants an administration & fanbase of abusive,hostile and arrogent people.

Wait, how did the Bison get in then? :D

[darell1976]

Wait, how did the Bison get in then? :D

SDSU begged the league to admit them.xlolx

[LakesBison]

NDSU got in, because their program, facitilites, history and fanbase that will travel.

NDSU will be leaving FCS as soon as the WAC offers, unless the Miss Valley lets us into their basketball league with our new arena.

[NDB]

But that would have left UND football without a conference. UND's 2 options Indy football/SL or BSC in everything.

UND has a football team?

[darell1976]

UND has a football team?

Yep and that nice Nickel Trophy that went in beating that team you claim to have.

[gjw007]

I am not denying that, or even denying that for UND, they took the best option on the table... What I am saying is that in my mind — and trust me as a SDSU fan, I am always looking for honest and fair ways to dig about the U — What USD did to the Big Sky is exactly what UND did to the Summit League. Both leagues had "Understood" deals and were fully expected to join as soon as the paper work was done. Had the SL visit been a week earlier and the Big Sky invite came when you officially had the SL paperwork in your president's office to join, your school would have done exactly what USD did and taken the best option for your school, which was the Big Sky. I just find it very ironic all the UND fans saying what the U did was dirty and underhand when essentially, your's did the EXACT same thing a week earlier.

Not quite the same but similiar. If Fullerton is to be believed, the papers were signed and waiting for USD's final signature whereas UND was awaiting a site visit from the Summit but canceled it. It was expected that UND would get the invite as an offer to the conference had came from every site visit done by the Summit that I know of. UND never signed any paperwork to join the Summit, unlike USD which had signed papers with the Big Sky. Similiar paths but UND was not as far down the road to join the Summit as USD was with the Big Sky. It is hard to see that UND didn't play above board. It would have been dirty if UND had signed with the Big Sky but then went ahead with having the Summit visit UND wasting its time. It would have been dirty also if the Summit visit were a week earlier and UND signed with them to join the conference and then spurned them to join the Big Sky. What UND and USD did were not exactly the same thing no matter how it is tried to be spun. There is also a difference between being given a choice to join two conference and accepting one only to then spurn it. I believe that UND would have accepted a Summit/MVFC offer if given but none ever was but football independence was never going to be allowed when a football conference did offer it a home.

OF course, it is hard for some to see that the MVFC was above board as it kept saying it was not going to expand, at least according to the reports, and then offered a membership to the conference after a university commits to another conference. It could have pulled a Big Ten, have 11 teams, each playing an 8 game league schedule if it chose. It did not choose to do so. Some had stated that it was a defensive move on the part of the MVFC as it was felt that NDSU and SDSU would be pulled away from the MVFC to join the Big Sky leaving it with a 6 member league. There probably is some truth in that as any one team then leaving the MVFC would leave it hurting.

[Big Al]

The villain in the story (if there has to be one) from the Big Sky/UND perspective is the MVFC Commissioner.

I disagree -- if Fullerton had kept his mouth shut on adding UND until he had USD signed up, I suspect we'd be looking at 2 Dakota schools in the Big Sky right now. There was no reason to announce SUU & UND on the same day.

The smart move would have been to keep mum on the Dakotas until they're both signed up -- lock, stock & barrel.

In short, no villains -- just one bad poker player (Fullerton).

[darell1976]

I disagree -- if Fullerton had kept his mouth shut on adding UND until he had USD signed up, I suspect we'd be looking at 2 Dakota schools in the Big Sky right now. There was no reason to announce SUU & UND on the same day.

The smart move would have been to keep mum on the Dakotas until they're both signed up -- lock, stock & barrel.

In short, no villains -- just one bad poker player (Fullerton).

So does this guy have a history of jumping the gun and making a mess on everything?

[MplsBison]

I disagree -- if Fullerton had kept his mouth shut on adding UND until he had USD signed up, I suspect we'd be looking at 2 Dakota schools in the Big Sky right now. There was no reason to announce SUU & UND on the same day.

The smart move would have been to keep mum on the Dakotas until they're both signed up -- lock, stock & barrel.

In short, no villains -- just one bad poker player (Fullerton).

On the other hand, maybe he thought that announcing UND had joined with SUU would be the impetus USD needed to get their act in gear? Like "hurry up guys!".