November 26, 2025 • 51 mins
This week, Bill and Alex welcome back UND Deputy Athletics Director/COO Erik Martinson to discuss his recent appointment to the NCAA DI Men’s Hockey Rules Subcommittee (1:22). Then, the conversation shifts to UND Football’s playoff berth, UND Hockey’s final three series before the holiday break, Jadyn Keeler’s All-American performance at the NCAA XC Championships, and much more (16:55). Finally, the beautiful game takes over the B-Side, as there’s sadness on Merseyside and White Hart Lane – but so, so much joy in Dublin (33:15).
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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we do sports, and this is the Bill Shapes Podcast.
(00:21):
Welcome to a Thanksgiving edition of the Bill Shaves Podcast.
We're taping this on the Tuesday before Turkey Day, the
twenty fifth of November. Alex Heinder Bill Shaves a special guest,
a special guest who you are very familiar with that
we're going to bring on in just a second. First off,
of course, Bill, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm doing great, Alex. Yeah, we're always thankful on this pod.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We always oh so much to be thankful for.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Absolutely, yes, So we're excited. Obviously we'll get into a
few of the things that are going on at und
but and you know, obviously we're thankful for those things
as we discuss those later. But I look forward to
getting our guests a little bit because you know, honestly,
this kind of slipped through a little bit, but I
think I know we have so many fans that are
(01:08):
interested in this, how should I say deep dive of hockey,
So you know it'll be interesting conversation.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
I'm looking forward to that. Yes, it's a lovely sees
bill to what we're going to be chatting about. For
the first half of this episode. We have a guest
who is on for the second time this season. We
had him on at the end of September episode one
eighty if you want to go back and check that out,
when North Dakota Hockey was invited and accepted an invitation
to the Friendship for in Belfast. He's back now to
(01:38):
talk about more hockey related things because he's that this
is the world that he lives in. He's the University
of North Dakota deputy athletic director. He's Eric Martinson. Second
time this year, Eric, maybe like seventh time overall in
the eight years of this podcast. Maybe I was going
to go back and look in the roodecks and I
ran out of time. But we appreciate you being back
to talk all things hockey Rules Committee this time around.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Guys, thanks for having me. I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
So we mentioned again. Eric Martinsen was formerly the chair
of the NCAA Hockey Rules Committee, and and just got
off that committee last year. Just when he thought he
was out, they pull him back in. And now because
this is something new, now you're you're a part of
this committee which previously was dealing with D one, D
three men's and women's hockey. One rulebook for all four
(02:24):
now though there's been a bit of a change, and
you get to help craft some of the specific things
for just d onsman hockey. Correct.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Yeah, I think it's a cool opportunity to you know,
with the new governance structure within Division one and the
Oversight Committee really kind of taking on a new role.
You know, the rule the Rules Committee is now a
subcommittee of the Oversight Committee for Division one men's hockey,
So that gives us an opportunity to really formulate a
subcommittee that's really focused on Division one men's where like
(02:55):
you said, before, the last time I was on the
rules Committee, we had a lot broader picture of who
we needed to to make sure that we were, you know,
having rules and creating rules and really having thought processes
for the men women, Division one and Division three. So
with this kind of new focus, I think it gives
us a lot a lot more stringent opportunity to really
(03:17):
focus in on on what it means for us and
what we can do. And I think that opens up
a lot of things, you know when you talk about
technology and uh, the ability to do certain things, the
closer it can be to the NHL and to kind
of the next level of hockey or pro hockey. So yeah,
I mean, it's it's each each conference is going to
have a representative on this subcommittee, uh that will again
(03:42):
report to the oversight Committee and then and then they'll
help us out on making final determinations.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
But I'm really excited it. It can't be. It's it's
coming at the right time.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
I think hockey is is truly growing, you know, with
more membership and and just more eyes and and really
you know, being as as competitive as it is, uh,
you know, with you know the CHL and all those
different pieces. There's there's things that we can look at
the rule book and say, hey, does that make sense
for Division one men's. It might not make sense for
Division three men's or Division three women's or Division one women,
(04:13):
but it might make sense for Division one men where
that was a lot harder to try to get through
in the room when we have the committee that was
before that was the makeup of all of those with
now the makeup of the six conferences.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's gonna be a fun conversation. We're really looking forward
to it.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So Eric, rewind the clock. So the last iteration of
what was going on with rules every other year was
a rule change. So when you were last on the committee,
not this past year, but the year before, it was
a rule commit rule change. Here, how many meetings did
you have down in Florida? I mean, just for perspective,
(04:52):
just just just give, just give those numbers, and I
think that might enlighten some folks on kind of the
navigation you had you kind of go through.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Yeah, we we met with every conference and essentially every
team that was down in Florida for Division three men
and women, Division one men and women. So we met
in a specific room and have the same deck and
discussed on what we were trying to do from a
rule change. And you can imagine the amount of opinions
and thoughts and and well.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
What about this, well what about this?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Well that doesn't make sense for us, We can't afford this,
and no school will do this. You got to worry
about the have and have nots. You know, we really
had to kind of think what was best for the
game and the collective group. So yeah, we we we
had a lot of meetings that that went through that.
So again, with this change in governance structure, we'll only
be meeting with six conferences and the coaches within those conferences,
(05:47):
which I think we'll give us a more you know,
direct focus on what we need to do.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
You know, something I'm thinking about too is, I know
there's six conferences that obviously we have a few independents too,
how do they fold in to just a voice out there?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah, we try to talk to them as much as possible.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
I think they do kind of they're able to kind
of come in because of the their officiating crews are
are from different conferences, so I do think they're in
those rooms for those conversations. But but yeah, we definitely
want their voice as well.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
So other than conversation with the member institutions and the conferences,
where do you start as you're trying to dig get
into side what makes sense for D one men's hockey
as you try and craft not not from scratch, but
really trap craft this rule. But kind of for the
first time for this specific group.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Yeah, I think if you were starting on day zero,
I've never been in it before, I think.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I think it would be pretty overwhelming.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
But you know, I've been lucky enough to be in
that in that room for four years already.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I know, you know my book that's that's highlighted and
and and gone through.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
I know, there's just there's things that jump out at
you that you're just like, hey, that doesn't make sense,
or hey, we need to really push the envelope here.
I think we were financially constrained on some of the conversations,
you know, with within again the collective group, that we
can maybe be a little bit more open to when
it comes again to technology and and different pieces. Really
talk about video replay, you know, the NHL and and
(07:12):
some of these pro leagues are a good example of
what can be done or what should be done, you know,
and those are the things we're gonna have to to
talk through.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So and you mentioned it, Eric, Obviously, it's given the
pool of players that are now available in college hockey,
it's it's gonna If it's not today, it will be tomorrow.
But I think it's right now today. The most pre
eminent UH league, the developmental League for the NHL. So,
(07:42):
so where does that fit from a professional standpoint? As
far as almost putting rule books side by side and
try to think, you know what, if we're really preparing
players for the next level, this might make sense.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yeah, I think you know, you hit it, you know,
right on that that And again I don't want to
speak for the I know what my opinions are, and
and we're just gonna, you know, just start to meet
as this newly formed committee. So again don't want to
speak for the committee, but my opinions are like, yeah,
if we're if we're trying to develop our our student
athletes for for pro hockey and for the NHL, I
(08:15):
think our book and our standard and and the rules
within that need to be more aligned with the NHL
rule book where you know, before it it was harder
to do when you know there's certain you know, Division III,
like doesn't sometimes have you know certain things or the
technology or the the video review or the ability to
(08:35):
you know, rely on really talented individuals from the officiating standpoint,
or you know, it makes it harder in certain venues
versus others. So I think our intent, my my going
approach will be to try to align the you know,
the NHL rule book with the NCAA rule book, but
also keeping you know, safety and in the student athlete experience, uh,
(08:56):
paramount and in front of all conversations. But I think
that's it's gonna be a good move for us to
to try.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
To do that.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
When do you think this will be rolled out? Is
this something that you feel like the committee will have
a new rule book in place for next season or
is this more of a longer term attack plan. I
think both.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I do think we have a lot of work to do,
but again I don't I don't know for sure yet
because we're we're just having our first initial meetings right now,
because it's so new to us. But I do know,
you know, in talking too enough coaches around the league
and within the n c double A that the need
and the want is probably sooner than later to try
(09:36):
to you know, evolve this into into what we can.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
So I think you'll see changes. I think you'll see changes, uh,
you know, whenever we can.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I know, you know, Eric mentioned the new structure, and
I only someone that I guess is really a policy
wonk or something would be you know, caring about the structure.
But I think what the new structure, I think on
it's most macro level, is to try to get sports
to be a little bit more nimble than they had
been before. And you know, because before there was a
(10:08):
oversight committee that overseas saw a whole host of school
sports and it was really hard to navigate that. So
now I think you're going to have a rules committee,
a championship committee, and an oversight committee that can kind
of really speak to maybe what is pressing at that
point in time.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Yeah, to specific to Division one men's hockey, And I
think that's the important thing. They can try to do
what's best for them.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
And I think that's a it's.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
A good route to take, and I think it's one
that's been applauded by US and and other you know,
peer institutions that you know, this is this is a
good move and a good step in.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
The right direction to kind of have that focus.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Eric, What does it mean to you to get asked
to be a part of this because you really were
pulled back into this they said we need Derek Martinson
on this committee. What does that mean to you personally?
Speaker 3 (10:54):
It's pretty special. It's pretty special.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
I mean, I want to do whatever is best for
our university and for our athletics department, and to be
on a on the national level, I think it's just
so important to be in those conversations, to be in
those rooms, to have you know, relationships and connections across
the country. I've learned from Bill, you know, the bigger
network you can have across the country. You never know
when you know, you just need to pick up the
(11:17):
phone and call somebody and they're going to pick up
because you've made you know, those relationships. And I think
that's that's a really big deal because you don't know
when you're gonna need somebody. You don't know when you're
going to you know, call them or need something from them.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
And just to be in that.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
Room and to talk to talk hockey is is pretty cool,
to talk any of our sports that we have. It's
pretty cool on the national level, and uh yeah, that's
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yeah, I think the oversight too for the for the
n HC. Obviously we've we're in a pretty uh special
league that's you know, has done some amazing things, uh
since its existence, and uh, you know, we we try
to fancy ourselves to try to lead uh college hockey.
So to have Eric in those rooms and helping you know,
the rest most of us kind of go forward is
(12:02):
really good for the University of North Dakota. If we
flip a little bit off off of that. I know
you you again in your COO role here in the department,
just just mention anything that might come to the top
of your head right now. I know we've had some
pretty decent attendance in football this year. Uh, you know,
the Alayer Center's done a great job. But go anywhere
you want, facilities, whatever you want to say.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yeah, I just think, uh, you know, we've we've kind
of opened up quite a few uh quite a few
facilities in the last year and a lot of construction.
And I just can't think, you know, our fan base enough,
our gracious donors, the city of Grand Forks, just everyone
that's been involved, you know, to see this, you know,
to open them is one thing, and to really operationalize
and see things come to light as another one. And
it's been it's been awesome. I mean, to have a
(12:47):
new netting system, to have you know, different groups in
our pollard, to start talking about track meets next year,
and you know, we just we just named Uh, we
just have a we have a name now for the
Grand Forks softball team that's going to be coming next summers.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
As they're called the Spitfires.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
You know, just to see things come to life and
really have activity that I know that it's it's truly
a special part of the university. It's it's part of
the unity leads, right, It's a it's affinity, it's it's
what does community mean to everybody else? And how do
we do what's best for the student athlete but also
for the community. And I think we're doing that with
with all those things. So just trying to figure it
(13:22):
all out, uh has been uh has been fun and
it's been a challenge, but it's been it's been great
to do. So, you know, between the construction and and
really the facility piece, but then just seeing teams, you know,
the momentum and the excitement around you know, our programs,
to to see cross country win that championship and football
to be able to do what they do and and
(13:44):
you know, the attendance we had, I think it was
like eleven six that we had averaged attendance this here,
which is just tremendous. We've tried different things with I
think rate of from one hundred percent capacity, think we're
like nineteenth in the country. Like, it's just unbelievable. Over
sixty nine thousand people coming to our games throughout the year.
(14:07):
It's just been remarkable, and it's something that we don't
take lightly. Like we got to keep pushing the envelope
to see how do we get people to come back,
how do we continue to push for student attendance and
retention and all those things we don't take lightly. And
we're going to keep trying to figure out what we
can do from a game atmosphere and other pieces to
(14:27):
really try to keep growing, keep growing, and keep the
progress and the momentum going well.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
It certainly has been a great season, a great year
for the University of North Kote Athletics. Eric, and we're
proud of you, certainly in the work that you've done
to help make some of those things happen. We wish
you the best of luck now is you get to
dig back into the weeds, put your referee stripes back
on and shy and help craft this new rule book
for D one's Benzaki, thanks for joining us day, buddy,
best of luck and happy Thanksgiving.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Happy Thanksgiving guys, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
There, Thanks as always to Eric Martinsen for joining the
show this week. He's got a big job ahead of him.
He and the rest of that committee again trying to
figure out what makes the most sense to keep D
one men's hockey moving forward. But what an awesome opportunity
both for him and for the sport to be able
to focus really on what's best without having to worry
so much about other essentially other sports that are sort
(15:18):
of within the broader landscape of college hockey.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Really cool, agreed, Alex. And those year end meetings are
always coupled with all the conferences going down to Florida
at year's end, and then there's kind of a coach's
convention afterwards. And so he stayed around, you know, two
years ago and I think the number was around sixty
(15:41):
meetings he ended up having with that slide deck, And
you know, so now instead of going from sixty to
say six, is a little bit different, and not that
you're going to get consensus, but you know, you're just
not going to have to navigate the waters of like
he said, some schools had certain levels of technology, some
(16:01):
have you know, certain level of resources, some don't own
their buildings, and there's just a lot of other things
that you got to consider and think about. So I
think this will be a positive for Division one hockey,
I really really do. And I think, as he said,
it can align itself a little bit more with the
professional leagues and that that should help the game as well.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I think, like you said, you were dealing with such
a big base from those four different areas a D one,
D three men's, women's and you kind of had to
go to the lowest common denominator on a lot of
those things to make for some things, for sure, for something,
not not for everything, but for some things. And now
I think the opportunity to be able to move beyond that,
(16:43):
to help align closer with the pros, you can look
up instead of sort of looking down. I guess from
a D one men's perspective, it's a cool opportunity, and
nobody better to help lead that charts Really excited for
malready for this chance.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yeah, that's really good, really good, good, good for him,
good for you and d.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Just because we're talking about hockey, the University of North
god And men's hockey team had an exhibition game this
past week probably a good call, not just to have
a buy in the middle of the first half of
the season. I think Dan Jackson talked about the importance
of keeping momentum going. We saw them defeat the national
team six to one. The UA teams of course with
the national team development program. And now they get this
home and home with Bimigi State, a team that's leading
(17:18):
the CCHA, another really good test before they go back
into the NCCHC through the holiday break.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Yeah, it's you know, all the weekends. We always say
that they're all important for a variety of reasons, for
different reasons, right, I mean, and this one is incredibly
important be Mitchi's playing really good hockey. And so I
think i've you know, for Danes speak here, you know,
the last couple of days, and you know, we know
(17:44):
what we're gonna get from them. And but the question
for us is, you know, can we keep building as
a as a as a team, and and you know,
I think that game against the US, you just never
know what you're going to get at times. But I
would say that it was good for a variety of
reasons to be able to play all three goalies each
a period, which was great and I think there's some guys,
(18:07):
you know, Alex, it's just been tough to crack the lineup,
But we know they're going to be in the lineup
at some point, and I mean we know for sure.
You know that that Mercy Hurst two games in early
January is there's a good chance that a number of
our guys may not be here in Grand Forks. And
if that's the case, then you know you're going to
(18:30):
have to test the depth of your roster. So that
was good to get them on the ice.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
It felt like everybody that was called into action was
ready for the opportunity. Got like Ian Engel that hadn't
played since the Manitoba Exhibition came out and he's checking
guys into the boards and making plays, and like you
can just tell, like these guys are ready for the opportunity.
I think they've practiced extremely hard with that expectation that
I've got to be ready with my numbers to be ready,
and you would expect them to be come the start
(18:54):
of January. But some big games of course between now
and then, Yeah, home and Home with Bimigi coming up
this weekends and then it's NCHD play at Saint Cloud
and then home against Omaha for the second time this season.
Another series against the Mavericks in a little over a
month and a half. So unique. Now, with this odd
number of teams in the NCC, you're not seeing everybody twice,
and you are seeing this team twice in the first half.
(19:16):
Challenging finish to the first half.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Well, Alex, remember right, last year we played Omaha once
and it was like towards the end of the year.
I don't think we saw them all year. So it
was just it just it's just weird how it goes.
But yeah, you're right, like all of a sudden, we're
going to see them again.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Mm hmmmmm.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
So good stuff for North Dakota. Good opportunity again. They
are still leading, well, I should say they were leading
the NCC then they took a week off and then
if everybody's so tight, it's so early. But the last
time North Dakota was in conference play, if they were
leading the conference, they're number six in the country. They've
won four or five. Great opportunity against the good Dimidgi
State team to keep improving that non conference resume, which
is so key when you look ahead to NPI and
(19:54):
all those things. So that's hockey in the middle of
their season. Football obviously is moving into the postseason, and
that's the big news this week around you and the athletics. Obviously,
a tough overtime loss to a really desperate South Dakota
State team at home to finish out the regular season
that put North Dakota at seven and five. A lot
of people felt like they're going to be end but
they might be on the bubble and ended up being
(20:15):
not so much the case. They were very much firmly
in the playoffs thanks to their strong strength of schedule,
the best in the country, five wins in the Valley,
et cetera. You get to go now to beautiful Cookville,
Tennessee to take on Tennessee Tech, who's the number sixteam
in the country. You talk about opportunity, fantastic opportunity for
Eric Schmidd and company now as the season begins a
(20:37):
new this weekend in the FCS playoffs.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Yeah, it's exciting for sure, Alex to get into a
tournament like this. Everyone's zero and zero and so whatever
has happened is completely in the rear view mirror. I mean,
take those you know, take those lessons that you learned
throughout the year, but now it really is a new season.
Very very cliche, but it is. And so I know
(21:02):
our guys are excited for the opportunity. And what's neat
about it. What we just said about our hockey team
playing Bimidgie is really the same thing now where the
Valley gets to go out and play other conferences. And
you know, we saw at the beginning of the year
in the non conference schedule, I think the Valley did
a really really good job in that portion of it.
(21:25):
So now we're in the postseason portion of it, we'll
see how the teams do. Now you can kind of
wear your your Valley hat and your un D hat together.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Six Valley teams then again, tying the record that the
Valley has set a couple of times for most teams
in the tournament at one time. Tennessee Tech is obviously
not a team that I think people around here will
be very familiar with. It's their first postseason appearance in
over a decade. But they are eleven and one OVC
Big South champs. Their only loss is to Kentucky. What
(21:55):
do you know about Tennessee Tech? But I'll put you
on the spot.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah, really good question. I knew their previous athletic director
for a long time. I don't he's no longer there
right now, gentleman Casey Fox took over. He was in
Bozeman with Leon Costello, so he's just taken over. And uh,
I know coach Wilder had come from an old dominion
(22:20):
and so he did a nice job at ODU and
uh and then had taken some time off between that
particular job. He was there about a decade at ODU
and now is in his second season at Tennessee Tech.
And uh, yeah, I've watched him play a number of
times this year, and they're explosive, they score a lot
of points, and you know, they've got a dangerous quarterback.
(22:43):
He actually transferred from Eastern Washington and so you know
he's a little bit dual thready to some degree. And
so we'll see. You know, we've seen a lot this year,
so you know, I and we've been a lot of places,
and so I think it ends up coming down to
(23:04):
and I'm sure Tech is going to say the same thing.
It's how we how we prepare this week and how
we play on Saturday. I think that's it in a nutshell,
And I think our guys are excited about it. And
you know, I couldn't imagine leaving the Aleris Center on Saturday.
It must have been really, really difficult. And certainly I
can tell you it was difficult from Afar and uh.
(23:24):
But you know, then you just you put your body
of work in front of folks and you see what transpires,
and you know around the nation that day, you know
a few things I think broke right for the Valley
and so and I think you just need to look
at the strength of the conference, and the Valley has
(23:48):
a Sagarin rating that is greater than two FBS conferences.
And so, you know, obviously, I think all of these
teams will be prepared from the from the schedule that
they've played. But got to do it on a Saturday.
You know, you kick it off on a Saturday. You
got to do it on a Saturday.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Then North Dakota happy they have the chance that they
have the opportunity that they've earned this weekend to go
on the road. It's a noon kickoff Central Time on
ESPN plus. If you want to make the trip the
flight the drive cookfills right between Nashville and Knoxville in
Central Tennessee beautiful this time of year, so a fun
little Thanksgiving John to go support the Fighting Hawks against
the Golden Eagles. Very simple, now win or go home. Right,
(24:30):
This is knockout football as its finest in the FCS postseason,
and North Dakota has a chip and a chair and
that's all you could ask for. So best of luck
to Eric Smitten company this weekend.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
This tournament always never fails, and it's a It'll be
exciting and there'll be some great games on Saturday, and
we're excited about flying down to play in Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeh should be fantastic. North Dakota Tennessee Tech. Be sure
to tune in on Saturday twelve o'clock Central time. Cross
country wrapped up their national championship this past weekend in Columbia, Missouri.
Program first for the University of North Dakota Jaden Keeler,
finishing twenty sixth, she becomes the first All American and
un d's cross country D one history. She was only
(25:11):
the third University of North Dakota runner to make it
to nationals. Like it's hard to get out of the
regional and make it to the national competition, She's going
up against the best of the best of the best
in the nation and she makes All American. Just what
can you say about her? I mean, this phenomenal, historical
season that finishes on another high.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Yeah, I mean you just have to read you know,
her bio, which you better have a long time because
there's just that there's a lot to it. There's a
lot of bullets in her bio. And so she said,
just a phenomenal year and she's you know what I
so appreciated in every comment that she had was always
(25:51):
about team too. She wanted the team success and obviously
she was a great part of that because she was
anchoring down, you know, the number one slot all year
and she just took it to another level. It felt
like this year and it felt like even each subsequent race,
you know, she just really did an amazing things. So yeah,
(26:12):
to have an All American I think is just phenomenal
for us. And kudos to Tom Scott and everything that
he's done and obviously coach Arrencamp directing that program. So
it's exciting for und no doubt.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Tom has spoken so much this year about how Jaden
her success in recent years, certainly on the track and
now in cross country that has helped in recruiting efforts
where athletes have seen, hey, this girl was able to
go to Grand Forks and do this, I want to
come and be a part of that. And obviously Jaden
is such a phenomenal ambassador for what University of Northcote
athletics and the university itself is all about. But when
(26:48):
you have these type of successes on the back of
some pretty good performances in recent years for North Dakota's team,
and it culminates with a team championship at the Summer League,
the men again finishing second, it's not just the women
get Both the men and the women at had great successes.
You can't undervalue I think what an athlete like that
can do for your program and for your university. She's
(27:10):
again the best in program history. Pretty special to see
that take place in real time, and.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Alex, it goes to show that, you know, every place
could be the right fit for somebody, especially when you're
trying to get reps and you're trying to develop yourself.
And like you said, you know, I obviously she could
have ran other places, I mean to some degree, but
(27:35):
for her development and for what was going on she
felt like, you know, this was the best place for
and you can say that about a lot of other places.
And we have other student athletes that I think feel
the same way. And you know, that's what we try
to provide. A good experience, a good environment, good coaching,
great academic institution, and I think it can set you
up for the rest of your life.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Yeah, I would agree with that. Yeah, congrats again to
Jaden Keeler again all a mayor for women's cross country.
Here in twenty twenty five, the Windsor sports scene just
starting to pick up men's and women's soups both underway,
both going to sunny climbs and men going out to
Hawaii the women in the US Virgin Islands for the
Paradise Jam. Not a bad time to be able to
(28:18):
go to places like that get some team bonding in
a beautiful place for both the men and the women.
This week.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Yeah, it seems like that's sort of a basketball thing.
You know, you take the Thanksgiving tournaments that occur, and
I think it's important for our teams to do those
types of things. It's a big deal from a recruiting
standpoint as well. Recruiting and retention I'll be honest with you,
and so so yeah, I'm excited for them. You know,
(28:43):
heavy travel for sure, and you know, especially on the
men's side. But they they've got one more after that,
they come back stateside and play Idaho and then they've
got a few games here in Grand Forks and so
that'll be really really helpful. So they're kind of on
a back end of a really difficult travel schedule right now.
(29:04):
And unfortunately, hey, we've all been there. They had some
travel you know issues yesterday because there was fog when
they got done with their game with Western Illinois and
so they had to you know, pivot, and you know,
you just we've all been through travel stuff. But sometimes
it's harder with a group. What at the end of
the day, they figure it out because what Alex, I
(29:25):
think the great ones adjust.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
The great ones adjust fog, no fog, whatever you find
a way.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Fog fog, Allen, it's good.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
It's a lot easier to have those conversations after a win,
by the way, and Paul Stanthoran company got one in
McComb over Western Illinois. Same thing with Dennis Hutter. Congrats
to das first win for him as head coach. Of
the swomen's program, but twenty point went over Wyoming, a
good Wyoming team, So good to see both the programs
start to get a little bit of traction here midway
through non conference.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Those two teams, I mean, this is not to be
a negative at all, complete work in probably. I mean
it were trying to figure out the rosters, trying to
figure out the roles. I mean that they're fitting parts
in right now. So it's it's it'll be fascinating. Both
these teams will be fascinated to see what they look
(30:12):
like in February.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Yeah, I think that's a great way to view it.
So if you're a fan, of course of hoops. As
you mentioned, both the men and the women will be
home for at least one part of the Big Skuy
some of the challenge coming up the first week of December,
and then a number of home games coming up during
the twelfth month of the year. So good opportunity to
see those teams as they finish out non conference with
some of the play looming right at the new year.
(30:34):
One of their note from around U and D athletics,
you have to make a tough decision on volleyball. The
volleyball team finishing seven and twenty this year, the university
and Jesse Tupac agreeing to mutually part ways at the
end of his contract, now four seasons in. I'll just
talk about that decision.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Yeah, you know, his contract was coming to a conclusion,
so you know, unfortunately, I just don't think we were getting,
you know, the success level that we would we were
hoping at that point. And I think, you know, I
wish him and Kristin nothing but the best as they
move forward, and you know, we'll be back into search
mode and try to get someone in here that can
(31:09):
elevate the program and get back into the mix and
fight for a Semmate League championship.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Yeah, great people. I mean I think that was the
one thing if you knew Jesse and Kristin like awesome,
awesome people who just love the game. And like you said,
there were some bright moments, but just not that level
that you're looking for and that this university has gotten
used to with their volleyball programs not that long ago.
So best of luck in that search and you get
best of luck to those two as they move on
to new opportunities. But anything else going on from a
(31:35):
un d NCAA perspective you want to touch on before
we flip over.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
No busy week, as you might imagine when you're lucky
enough to make it into the FCS playoffs and you
do not have a top eight seed and it gives
you a buy just a lot of moving parts. So
when that announcement was made on Sunday, you know our
staff is we're scurrying around here making sure that we're
(32:00):
moving you know, a good group from from X place
to why place? So so it but you know what
would want it no other way.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
On that note, I know Chad Krthauser is a part
of that process. Of course. I got to see Chad
on the sidelines pregame on Saturday. I don't know if
there's anybody in the world who loves FCS playoff football
more than Chad. Like he was just the game hasn't
even killed. It were like two hours before kickoff and
he's already like going through, Hey, I'm looking at this
game today. I've got my eye on this game. I'm
(32:30):
excited about this. What I think if we could do this,
Like he's just he's so enthusiastic about it. I just
love that. What a great resource to have a guy
that's lived it and knows it so well and is
so passionate about it. This is this is his Christmas.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It is it is, And you know, there's there's nothing
better than a you know, a one and done tournament
that it's just there's just gonna be you know, we
talked about highs and lows, right, there's gonna be highs
and there's gonna be lows. And but you know, the opportunity,
just the opportunity to get in and be zero and
zero and have a shot is really exciting. And I
(33:06):
saw our guys on Sunday and they're pretty jazzed though,
So it.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Was good as they should be. Yeah, well, best of
luck again playoffs special special to be a part of
that group. Flipping over to the B side, you mentioned
hihs and lows, our soccer clubs are currently in a
bit of a low phase right now, a low EBB
for tom Hotspur and Liverpool Football Club. On the plus side,
at least our players aren't fighting each other on the
(33:32):
pitch bill although maybe they should because that led to
a victory for Everton earlier this week.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
We will see, yes, So it's a touch base on
our two teams right now, one more expected than the other.
I think the Liverpool one. It's coming off a pretty
much a wired wire deal last year winning the Premier League,
and now you've kind of fast forward into this year,
(33:59):
had a tough situation, lost, lost a couple of players,
but literally lost a player for an unfortunate tragic accident,
and you know, there's just every year is its own, right, Alex.
I mean, they're just struggling right now. It's amazing. They've
lost six out of seven in.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
The prem six out of seven in the league. They're
eleventh place in the table I think now maybe twelve
and the Everton just jumped them yesterday with that victory.
So it is just confusing. Like losing the City three
nothing is one thing. Losing to Nottingham Forest at home
three nothing like. That's that's interesting's that's that's one we
don't see very often. So they just have this weird
(34:37):
dynamic now of this kind of expensive team that has
all of these new expensive pieces that are not playing
very well. And I think Slot is trying to figure
out what do I do, Like, what is our best lineup?
How do I try and put the best players out
there who have deserved the spot when really there are
a lot of guys you they probably need to drop,
(34:59):
but they don't really have. It's so bizarre to say,
because they spent four hundred and fifty million dollars this
offseason on players like that's start there, but they don't
really have another center back they can put out there
to replace Ibrahimo Kanata who's not playing well. They don't
really have another. They don't obviously feel good about their
fullback options to the point where they don't feel like
(35:20):
they need to move Dominic Sabaslider right back, and they
for whatever reason, they don't trust Ony Robertson anymore at
left back. Like they are just all these different things
that have just combined and to make this a really
difficult season. But as you said, though, you know, we
had nothing but flowers and roses and sweetness the year before,
(35:40):
so maybe we were due for a little bit of pain.
And it's it's all good. That's sports. You're not gonna
win every time.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
But as Eric said, on the A side, you know,
we're continuing to try to push the envelope and see
what's next, because you don't know what's going to come
around the corner and you know, no one could have
ever imagine six months ago, you know, Arnie Slott, their
head coach, would be in this situation. It's just it's
really interesting how life goes. But what was more interesting?
(36:11):
And Alex kind of teased it and I saw something
for the first time I've ever seen and I couldn't
believe it. Now. Having said that, when they went back
eventually to the studio, Robbie Earl just looked at it like, Oh, yeah,
that happens. Doesn't happen often, but that happens. So apparently
it's a thing. But I didn't know it was a thing, Alex,
(36:31):
what was the thing?
Speaker 1 (36:33):
So the thing again? Everton playing Manchester United adult Trafford yesterday.
Early in the game, it was like ten minutes into
the game, there was just a little missed assignment at
the back end and the Everton defense Brune Fernandez gets
a shot away that does not go in, like Sales
over the crossbar or whatever, and Adrisagana Gay he was
one of the better defensive midfielders in the EPL, just
(36:55):
he and Michael Keene, one of the starting center backs,
just start barking at each other and all of a
sudden like nose to nose and addriss Agana Gay basically
slaps Keen across the face like kind of it wasn't
a punk closed fist punch, but smacks him in the
face right across the cheek and draws a straight red
for a teammate on seam made altercation and Jordan Pickford
(37:19):
had to get involved, like they're they're trying to hold
these guys back from each other. And again, this is
twelve minutes into this match, and so everyting go down
a man, and yet they proceed to go and win
the match one though. That's that's that's you talk about
a tough weekends for Ribbon Amram, just the United. You
can't even beat a team that's beating each other up.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
They're beating each other up, and they're they're playing with
one last sum and they're playing with us. It was
it was wild. I had never seen I didn't realize
that could be a thing, and I guess it is,
and it would seem you know, and you're right looking
at the replay, it wasn't someone getting cold cocked, but
I mean it was, but it was definitely a direct
(37:59):
hit to the contact to the head, which they obviously
take extremely serious, which they should. Could you have maybe
made a decision to give him a yellow and then
maybe the manager takes them out. I mean, it just
felt like that was really harsh where they go down
a man at this point. But I guess, don't hit
your team, don't hit.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Anybody, don't hit your teammate, but don't hit your teammate.
Let's start there. The Athletic FC's newsletter, which I get,
they said a couple eight pieces every week they had
a little breakdown of some of the greatest team on
team fights or we've ever had recently. So there was
one in two thousand and five between two Newcastle players
where one of the guys got taken to court and
(38:40):
both guys got shown a red card, and apparently there
was also one in nineteen ninety four in the Scottish
League where there was a massive brawl and one of
the players got a fourteen match ban. Wow, so this
isn't it's not unprecedented. Yeah, it's been a little while
since we've had one of these.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
This was for it's been hot minute.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Yeah, it's been a hot minute. The listeners again. Bill
actually called me yesterday seconds after this happened and said,
did you just see what I just saw? Like that's it,
just you don't see it. You just don't see it.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
So so help me with this one. If we rewind
the Newcastle one, they went down two.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Men, they went down too man, they went down too many.
Don't think they won that one. Don't think they won
that much.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
I hate I've seen a team play with nine players before.
It didn't end well with that team either. All right,
So so last thing I have on the B side
before we thank everybody and hopefully they have a great thanksgiving.
Two words you ready, and then you need to react.
Oh boy, Troy Parrott.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
I thought Sonny Gray was gonna be what was out
of your mind?
Speaker 2 (39:45):
No, no, no, no, Sonny Gray is thirty six. I
hope he does okay, and I think he makes thirty
six million dollars. So there's that.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
That's there.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
There is that.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yes, Yes, Troy Parrot, Ireland legend, Troy Parrot. Quite the week.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Tell the listeners where you were, Alex and what you did?
I mean it was just phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Yeah, very cool. So last week I had to miss
the U and the Arizona State Hockey Series because I
got called up to go do some international soccer for Fox.
So I'm in the La studios with the US soccer
legend Kobe Jones calling these YUEFA European qualifiers. And we
had gotten to do Kazakhstan Belgium on Saturday morning, which
was a great match, actually ended up being a one
(40:25):
one draw with Belgium needing to win to qualify. Surprisingly
very exciting, and so we're thinking, well, that might be
as good as it gets. Like that was really fun.
But Sunday morning we had Ireland against Hungary and this
is the last match of qualification. Ireland needs to win
to secure a playoff spot for the World Cups. Hungary
can advance with the draw winner draw, they will move.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
On and it's in Budapest. But it's even prior to that,
Ireland had to upset a Portugal team.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Yes, if you want to go back to Thursday. Yet,
going into the break, we were under the impression that
the Kazakhstan Belgium match is gonna matter no matter what.
The Hungary Ireland match might have been a dead rubber,
like there was a there was a window there where
if Portugal beats Ireland like they should have, Portugal very good,
top ten in the world. Ireland, you know, plucky, not
(41:17):
favored against Christiano Ronaldo in Portugal. But Ireland needed to
get a result against Portugal and then then it wouldn't
really matter. But we expected Hungary to probably beat Armenia,
so that it was going to be Ireland We're going
to be eliminated. Hungary was already going to be in
second place with probably nothing to play for, so it
went from that extreme. But then Ireland and up beating
Portugal thanks to two goals from Troy Parrott and Christiano
(41:39):
Ronaldo getting a red card, but that's an aside.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
So all of a.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Sudden, now Ireland have an opportunity going into Sunday where
they have to win, but if they win, they would
move on to the World Cup playoff. And this is
an Ireland team that's not been to the World Cup
since two thousand and two. They've not been to a
major championship for over a decade and now they have
to go on the road and Budapet not a very
nice place to go play. The seventy thousand people all
(42:03):
cheering vociferously against you, and Hungary's good. We were just
talking about Liverpool two players from Liverpool. Probably their best
player this season is the Hungarian captain Dominic Sabasly. They
have a lot of world class players and they go
up one nothing right off the bat, Ireland equalizes, Troy
Pirad gets a penalty, so it's one one and then
Hungary scored this ridiculous goal from outside of the box
(42:23):
with a great goal too, is incredible.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
What are you gonna do? Like, that's one of those.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
You applaud, you say, nice job, I unstoppable. So Ireland
now need two goals or else they are going out
like it's curtains essentially, and Hungry, you know, begins to
just kind of control the game, manage the game, and
Ireland get one back in the eightieth minute, Pairrot again
gets his second of the game. So now it's two too,
(42:52):
and now it's a one goal. Now you're one goal away,
and they just start throwing the kitchen sink at Hungry
and the Hungarian goalkeeper makes a couple of good saves,
even the iron goal keep because they're gotting Nat on
the break because everybody's forward Quevey and Kelleher the former
Liverpool goalkeeper, he has to make a couple of stops
it goes into stoppage time in the sixth minute of
extra time. They were only supposed to play five. The
(43:12):
clock just sticks over to the sixth minute. The goalies
up at the halfway line, launches it forward. One of
the Irish defenders wins a header. Troy Parrott is there
to basically toll Polk it past the diving Hungarian goalkeeper
to win it at the death to send Ireland to
the World Cup playoff. And I got a chance to
be on the call for that, and you know, proceeded
(43:33):
to lose my mind because it was, well.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Your call was fantastic and you know, for those of
the you that haven't heard it, certainly you can look
it up. It was great and Alex and Kobe do
a great job, they really do. So it was a
lot of fun. Now the PostScript to this, to some
degree is give give the four one one on what
Troy Parrott had said prior to that, like at the
(43:57):
post game, and then what happened after that.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, so on Thursday after Troy scored again. Troy Troy's
twenty three years old. He's from Dublin. He was a
Tottenham Hotspur youth player, taught him and signed him. He
was supposedly gonna be kind of the next thing. The
next big thing is a seventeen year old kid, and
it doesn't always work that way. And so he went
on loans to championship teams and even League one teams
in England and then had to go on loan to
(44:21):
the Dutch league and then he permanently signs for a
Dutch team and that's been so good for him. Like
he's been in the goals this season for azed Alkamar,
which is kind of like a upper third. It's not
one of the big ones in Holland, but one of
the better teams traditionally in Holland. He's had a great season.
He scores two in the win against Portugal. They interview
him after that match and he's basically in tears. You're like,
(44:42):
this is just the greatest night in my life. And
then fast forward four days and he scores a hat
trick to send his team to the World Cup playoffs,
and now he's like full on sobbing in the postgame
interview and has this incredible line to say, I just
love where I'm from. I'm so proud to be from
Ireland's and it just really neat to see someone like
that have this incredible you don't want to say redemption
(45:04):
story because he's only twenty three, but to for the
last six years he was the great hope of this
country and couldn't live up to those expectations and then
he does it in this incredible five goal over two
game performance to give his team and his country this
incredible opportunity to go to the World Cup. That's what
sports is all about. That's what the international break is
all about.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Bill, it is and again I oh you wish. Yeah,
I'm happy for you. I'm not happy for for any
of us that have to kind of go through it.
But at the end of the day, the call was excellent,
was really really good. So definitely tune in on that.
But after Troy Parrott's scores, that's what you need to know.
That's what sports is. I mean, he just was on
(45:43):
the ground, I mean almost inconsolable, I mean, and it
just amazing. Really. Now, now the Hungarians on the other side,
holy cow, I mean, talk about right highs lows, I mean,
talk about the depths. I mean, they started, as they
like to do in soccer, start to whistle to basically say,
hey man, this match is over. Blow the whistle. Blow
(46:04):
the whistle, this match is over. They were whistling for
like two minutes.
Speaker 1 (46:07):
I think, yeah, bay in for the whistle and they
didn't get it. Yeah, that was the epitome of thrill
of victory, agony of defeat. Those images and after the
match too, like just stunned against sixty seven thousand people
in the National Stadium of Hungary, other than the little
section of Irish supporters in the upper deck, I mean,
(46:28):
just complete stunned silence, and you felt for those guys
like who were this close. Hungary had been to the
World Cup in forty years. Nineteen eighty six was the
last time Hungary had been there and they were that close.
So you feel gutted for them. But it's just that's again,
that is the beauty and the heartbreak that comes with
sports sometimes.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
So here as we close, as we closed the B
Side and we close for Thanksgiving week, here's what our
promise will be to our listeners as we turn the
page eventually into twenty six is the B Side will
be a little bit of a one stop shop for
a for World Cup. World Cup as it comes to
the United States, will get you all primed on a
(47:10):
very macro level. We won't go that deep, but very
macro level. So that'll be in twenty six.
Speaker 1 (47:17):
I love it. It's incredible, less than two hundred days
bill draw. The draw is next week draws, which is crazy.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
Yeah, where where's the draw? Where's the draw?
Speaker 1 (47:26):
It's in DC, in Washington, DC?
Speaker 2 (47:28):
Okay, and then and again is it very much for
for folks that don't know this. They kind of put
teams in pots, if you will, right, like, so based
on their I'll call it their rankings or where they're from, right,
because the United States gets to be drawn out of
the top pot.
Speaker 1 (47:45):
Right, correct? Yeah, the US, Canada, Mexico is the hosts
are in Pot one with the nine other I shouldn't
say the nine other, with the nine best teams in
the world. Normally, the US would not be in Pot one.
The US would be a Pot two or a pot
but they're in Pot one, and then the next twelve
best teams are in Pot two. The next twelve best
teams after that are Pot three, and then the other
(48:06):
twelve plus these playoff there's the Intercontinental Playoffs and these
UEFA Playoffs, which are coming in March. So there'll be
some spots that'll just be like Intercontinental playoff winner A,
we'll get this spot. Yeah, UA playoff winner B gets
your spot. But that's how it broke. So basically in
every group, and there will be twelve different groups now
at this World Cup, twelve groups of four teams, you
(48:27):
will have essentially one, you know, one pot eight team,
one great team in the top twelve, one you know
kind of second to your team, one third two team,
and one fourth tier team. That's how it works.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's it's kind of like if
you had a force and in golf, like with an A, B, C,
and D.
Speaker 1 (48:42):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
Yeah, So I mean, but that's that's happening. And what
in two weeks did you say?
Speaker 1 (48:48):
And to December the fifth? Friday, December the fifth, so
not this coming for the Friday after Black Friday in Washington,
TZ on Fox. So fun to see who the US
will get and what that looks like. They should get
a pretty favorable drap as they'll avoid the nine best
teams in the world based on the pot that they're in.
So we'll see again. It's crazy. Well, Cup starts June
the eleventh.
Speaker 2 (49:06):
All right, Final final final one. As you talked about Liverpool,
who do you have here the next is it today
or tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (49:13):
Champions League PS PSV speaking of teams from Hollins Yeah,
PSB Einthoven will be the opponent coming up on Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (49:20):
Can we can we exchange ps teams? We have PSG,
you have PSG.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Yeah, champion, that'll.
Speaker 2 (49:26):
Be that'll be fascinating, that'll be awesome.
Speaker 1 (49:30):
You can keep them. Well, we'll take on the Dutch
ps you can help.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
We get to go to Paris. Wonderful. Good luck with that, Bill, Yeah,
I really appreciate it. Yeah, that's gonna be great. Well, Hey,
I appreciate you, Alex, and I want to make sure
that you and your family and all of our listeners
have a great, great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Oh and then yeah, and same thing for you, Bill. Yeah,
thankful for you and the Schafsklan. We hope it's a
great Thanksgiving. Again. Enjoy just time together, Be thankful for
the opportunity, hopefully to spend time with your loved ones,
and then be thankful for you great weekend to celebrate
football and sport and things that bring you together. Right,
it's the community aspect of sports that really come out
this time of year, and we hope you can enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (50:09):
Yeah, and I just just the last thing if you've
hung on this long. We're going to take one extra
week between recordings, so I think the next time we're
going to record is December fifteenth. So it's maybe not
necessarily on the same cadence that we normally do, but just.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
FYI, yeah, I love it awesome. Well I'm between now
and then. We hope that you can enjoy a wonderful weekend.
Big thanks as always to Build Shaves, of course, the
namesake of this podcast, for his good work. Big thanks
to Eric Martinsen for coming on as well. Props again
to Alex Soccer Johnson and Polly Ralston top of the table,
Paul Ralston with his arsenal gunners still leading the way.
We're thankful for those guys, certainly to get this podcast
(50:45):
out to you, and we're thankful for you the listeners
for tuning in, for caring about University of North Dakota
athletics and maybe the other shenanigans that we get up
to on this podcast. We appreciate you, and we wish
you a great Thanksgiving and we'll talk to you soon.
A step in the prosecuted sect in Parster, in the
(51:05):
postal stingst in the proputting hosts
You're listening to the Bill Shaves Podcast, presented by mid
Coast Sports. Give the gift of live sports this holiday
season with mid Coast Sports Plus, your home for the
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we do sports, and this is the Bill Shapes Podcast.
(00:21):
Welcome to a Thanksgiving edition of the Bill Shaves Podcast.
We're taping this on the Tuesday before Turkey Day, the
twenty fifth of November. Alex Heinder Bill Shaves a special guest,
a special guest who you are very familiar with that
we're going to bring on in just a second. First off,
of course, Bill, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm doing great, Alex. Yeah, we're always thankful on this pod.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We always oh so much to be thankful for.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Absolutely, yes, So we're excited. Obviously we'll get into a
few of the things that are going on at und
but and you know, obviously we're thankful for those things
as we discuss those later. But I look forward to
getting our guests a little bit because you know, honestly,
this kind of slipped through a little bit, but I
think I know we have so many fans that are
(01:08):
interested in this, how should I say deep dive of hockey,
So you know it'll be interesting conversation.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
I'm looking forward to that. Yes, it's a lovely sees
bill to what we're going to be chatting about. For
the first half of this episode. We have a guest
who is on for the second time this season. We
had him on at the end of September episode one
eighty if you want to go back and check that out,
when North Dakota Hockey was invited and accepted an invitation
to the Friendship for in Belfast. He's back now to
(01:38):
talk about more hockey related things because he's that this
is the world that he lives in. He's the University
of North Dakota deputy athletic director. He's Eric Martinson. Second
time this year, Eric, maybe like seventh time overall in
the eight years of this podcast. Maybe I was going
to go back and look in the roodecks and I
ran out of time. But we appreciate you being back
to talk all things hockey Rules Committee this time around.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Guys, thanks for having me. I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
So we mentioned again. Eric Martinsen was formerly the chair
of the NCAA Hockey Rules Committee, and and just got
off that committee last year. Just when he thought he
was out, they pull him back in. And now because
this is something new, now you're you're a part of
this committee which previously was dealing with D one, D
three men's and women's hockey. One rulebook for all four
(02:24):
now though there's been a bit of a change, and
you get to help craft some of the specific things
for just d onsman hockey. Correct.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Yeah, I think it's a cool opportunity to you know,
with the new governance structure within Division one and the
Oversight Committee really kind of taking on a new role.
You know, the rule the Rules Committee is now a
subcommittee of the Oversight Committee for Division one men's hockey,
So that gives us an opportunity to really formulate a
subcommittee that's really focused on Division one men's where like
(02:55):
you said, before, the last time I was on the
rules Committee, we had a lot broader picture of who
we needed to to make sure that we were, you know,
having rules and creating rules and really having thought processes
for the men women, Division one and Division three. So
with this kind of new focus, I think it gives
us a lot a lot more stringent opportunity to really
(03:17):
focus in on on what it means for us and
what we can do. And I think that opens up
a lot of things, you know when you talk about
technology and uh, the ability to do certain things, the
closer it can be to the NHL and to kind
of the next level of hockey or pro hockey. So yeah,
I mean, it's it's each each conference is going to
have a representative on this subcommittee, uh that will again
(03:42):
report to the oversight Committee and then and then they'll
help us out on making final determinations.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
But I'm really excited it. It can't be. It's it's
coming at the right time.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
I think hockey is is truly growing, you know, with
more membership and and just more eyes and and really
you know, being as as competitive as it is, uh,
you know, with you know the CHL and all those
different pieces. There's there's things that we can look at
the rule book and say, hey, does that make sense
for Division one men's. It might not make sense for
Division three men's or Division three women's or Division one women,
(04:13):
but it might make sense for Division one men where
that was a lot harder to try to get through
in the room when we have the committee that was
before that was the makeup of all of those with
now the makeup of the six conferences.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's gonna be a fun conversation. We're really looking forward
to it.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So Eric, rewind the clock. So the last iteration of
what was going on with rules every other year was
a rule change. So when you were last on the committee,
not this past year, but the year before, it was
a rule commit rule change. Here, how many meetings did
you have down in Florida? I mean, just for perspective,
(04:52):
just just just give, just give those numbers, and I
think that might enlighten some folks on kind of the
navigation you had you kind of go through.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Yeah, we we met with every conference and essentially every
team that was down in Florida for Division three men
and women, Division one men and women. So we met
in a specific room and have the same deck and
discussed on what we were trying to do from a
rule change. And you can imagine the amount of opinions
and thoughts and and well.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
What about this, well what about this?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Well that doesn't make sense for us, We can't afford this,
and no school will do this. You got to worry
about the have and have nots. You know, we really
had to kind of think what was best for the
game and the collective group. So yeah, we we we
had a lot of meetings that that went through that.
So again, with this change in governance structure, we'll only
be meeting with six conferences and the coaches within those conferences,
(05:47):
which I think we'll give us a more you know,
direct focus on what we need to do.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
You know, something I'm thinking about too is, I know
there's six conferences that obviously we have a few independents too,
how do they fold in to just a voice out there?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah, we try to talk to them as much as possible.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
I think they do kind of they're able to kind
of come in because of the their officiating crews are
are from different conferences, so I do think they're in
those rooms for those conversations. But but yeah, we definitely
want their voice as well.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
So other than conversation with the member institutions and the conferences,
where do you start as you're trying to dig get
into side what makes sense for D one men's hockey
as you try and craft not not from scratch, but
really trap craft this rule. But kind of for the
first time for this specific group.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Yeah, I think if you were starting on day zero,
I've never been in it before, I think.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I think it would be pretty overwhelming.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
But you know, I've been lucky enough to be in
that in that room for four years already.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I know, you know my book that's that's highlighted and
and and gone through.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
I know, there's just there's things that jump out at
you that you're just like, hey, that doesn't make sense,
or hey, we need to really push the envelope here.
I think we were financially constrained on some of the conversations,
you know, with within again the collective group, that we
can maybe be a little bit more open to when
it comes again to technology and and different pieces. Really
talk about video replay, you know, the NHL and and
(07:12):
some of these pro leagues are a good example of
what can be done or what should be done, you know,
and those are the things we're gonna have to to
talk through.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So and you mentioned it, Eric, Obviously, it's given the
pool of players that are now available in college hockey,
it's it's gonna If it's not today, it will be tomorrow.
But I think it's right now today. The most pre
eminent UH league, the developmental League for the NHL. So,
(07:42):
so where does that fit from a professional standpoint? As
far as almost putting rule books side by side and
try to think, you know what, if we're really preparing
players for the next level, this might make sense.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yeah, I think you know, you hit it, you know,
right on that that And again I don't want to
speak for the I know what my opinions are, and
and we're just gonna, you know, just start to meet
as this newly formed committee. So again don't want to
speak for the committee, but my opinions are like, yeah,
if we're if we're trying to develop our our student
athletes for for pro hockey and for the NHL, I
(08:15):
think our book and our standard and and the rules
within that need to be more aligned with the NHL
rule book where you know, before it it was harder
to do when you know there's certain you know, Division III,
like doesn't sometimes have you know certain things or the
technology or the the video review or the ability to
(08:35):
you know, rely on really talented individuals from the officiating standpoint,
or you know, it makes it harder in certain venues
versus others. So I think our intent, my my going
approach will be to try to align the you know,
the NHL rule book with the NCAA rule book, but
also keeping you know, safety and in the student athlete experience, uh,
(08:56):
paramount and in front of all conversations. But I think
that's it's gonna be a good move for us to
to try.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
To do that.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
When do you think this will be rolled out? Is
this something that you feel like the committee will have
a new rule book in place for next season or
is this more of a longer term attack plan. I
think both.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I do think we have a lot of work to do,
but again I don't I don't know for sure yet
because we're we're just having our first initial meetings right now,
because it's so new to us. But I do know,
you know, in talking too enough coaches around the league
and within the n c double A that the need
and the want is probably sooner than later to try
(09:36):
to you know, evolve this into into what we can.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
So I think you'll see changes. I think you'll see changes, uh,
you know, whenever we can.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I know, you know, Eric mentioned the new structure, and
I only someone that I guess is really a policy
wonk or something would be you know, caring about the structure.
But I think what the new structure, I think on
it's most macro level, is to try to get sports
to be a little bit more nimble than they had
been before. And you know, because before there was a
(10:08):
oversight committee that overseas saw a whole host of school
sports and it was really hard to navigate that. So
now I think you're going to have a rules committee,
a championship committee, and an oversight committee that can kind
of really speak to maybe what is pressing at that
point in time.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Yeah, to specific to Division one men's hockey, And I
think that's the important thing. They can try to do
what's best for them.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
And I think that's a it's.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
A good route to take, and I think it's one
that's been applauded by US and and other you know,
peer institutions that you know, this is this is a
good move and a good step in.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
The right direction to kind of have that focus.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Eric, What does it mean to you to get asked
to be a part of this because you really were
pulled back into this they said we need Derek Martinson
on this committee. What does that mean to you personally?
Speaker 3 (10:54):
It's pretty special. It's pretty special.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
I mean, I want to do whatever is best for
our university and for our athletics department, and to be
on a on the national level, I think it's just
so important to be in those conversations, to be in
those rooms, to have you know, relationships and connections across
the country. I've learned from Bill, you know, the bigger
network you can have across the country. You never know
when you know, you just need to pick up the
(11:17):
phone and call somebody and they're going to pick up
because you've made you know, those relationships. And I think
that's that's a really big deal because you don't know
when you're gonna need somebody. You don't know when you're
going to you know, call them or need something from them.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
And just to be in that.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
Room and to talk to talk hockey is is pretty cool,
to talk any of our sports that we have. It's
pretty cool on the national level, and uh yeah, that's
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yeah, I think the oversight too for the for the
n HC. Obviously we've we're in a pretty uh special
league that's you know, has done some amazing things, uh
since its existence, and uh, you know, we we try
to fancy ourselves to try to lead uh college hockey.
So to have Eric in those rooms and helping you know,
the rest most of us kind of go forward is
(12:02):
really good for the University of North Dakota. If we
flip a little bit off off of that. I know
you you again in your COO role here in the department,
just just mention anything that might come to the top
of your head right now. I know we've had some
pretty decent attendance in football this year. Uh, you know,
the Alayer Center's done a great job. But go anywhere
you want, facilities, whatever you want to say.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yeah, I just think, uh, you know, we've we've kind
of opened up quite a few uh quite a few
facilities in the last year and a lot of construction.
And I just can't think, you know, our fan base enough,
our gracious donors, the city of Grand Forks, just everyone
that's been involved, you know, to see this, you know,
to open them is one thing, and to really operationalize
and see things come to light as another one. And
it's been it's been awesome. I mean, to have a
(12:47):
new netting system, to have you know, different groups in
our pollard, to start talking about track meets next year,
and you know, we just we just named Uh, we
just have a we have a name now for the
Grand Forks softball team that's going to be coming next summers.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
As they're called the Spitfires.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
You know, just to see things come to life and
really have activity that I know that it's it's truly
a special part of the university. It's it's part of
the unity leads, right, It's a it's affinity, it's it's
what does community mean to everybody else? And how do
we do what's best for the student athlete but also
for the community. And I think we're doing that with
with all those things. So just trying to figure it
(13:22):
all out, uh has been uh has been fun and
it's been a challenge, but it's been it's been great
to do. So, you know, between the construction and and
really the facility piece, but then just seeing teams, you know,
the momentum and the excitement around you know, our programs,
to to see cross country win that championship and football
to be able to do what they do and and
(13:44):
you know, the attendance we had, I think it was
like eleven six that we had averaged attendance this here,
which is just tremendous. We've tried different things with I
think rate of from one hundred percent capacity, think we're
like nineteenth in the country. Like, it's just unbelievable. Over
sixty nine thousand people coming to our games throughout the year.
(14:07):
It's just been remarkable, and it's something that we don't
take lightly. Like we got to keep pushing the envelope
to see how do we get people to come back,
how do we continue to push for student attendance and
retention and all those things we don't take lightly. And
we're going to keep trying to figure out what we
can do from a game atmosphere and other pieces to
(14:27):
really try to keep growing, keep growing, and keep the
progress and the momentum going well.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
It certainly has been a great season, a great year
for the University of North Kote Athletics. Eric, and we're
proud of you, certainly in the work that you've done
to help make some of those things happen. We wish
you the best of luck now is you get to
dig back into the weeds, put your referee stripes back
on and shy and help craft this new rule book
for D one's Benzaki, thanks for joining us day, buddy,
best of luck and happy Thanksgiving.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Happy Thanksgiving guys, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
There, Thanks as always to Eric Martinsen for joining the
show this week. He's got a big job ahead of him.
He and the rest of that committee again trying to
figure out what makes the most sense to keep D
one men's hockey moving forward. But what an awesome opportunity
both for him and for the sport to be able
to focus really on what's best without having to worry
so much about other essentially other sports that are sort
(15:18):
of within the broader landscape of college hockey.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Really cool, agreed, Alex. And those year end meetings are
always coupled with all the conferences going down to Florida
at year's end, and then there's kind of a coach's
convention afterwards. And so he stayed around, you know, two
years ago and I think the number was around sixty
(15:41):
meetings he ended up having with that slide deck, And
you know, so now instead of going from sixty to
say six, is a little bit different, and not that
you're going to get consensus, but you know, you're just
not going to have to navigate the waters of like
he said, some schools had certain levels of technology, some
(16:01):
have you know, certain level of resources, some don't own
their buildings, and there's just a lot of other things
that you got to consider and think about. So I
think this will be a positive for Division one hockey,
I really really do. And I think, as he said,
it can align itself a little bit more with the
professional leagues and that that should help the game as well.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I think, like you said, you were dealing with such
a big base from those four different areas a D one,
D three men's, women's and you kind of had to
go to the lowest common denominator on a lot of
those things to make for some things, for sure, for something,
not not for everything, but for some things. And now
I think the opportunity to be able to move beyond that,
(16:43):
to help align closer with the pros, you can look
up instead of sort of looking down. I guess from
a D one men's perspective, it's a cool opportunity, and
nobody better to help lead that charts Really excited for
malready for this chance.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yeah, that's really good, really good, good, good for him,
good for you and d.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Just because we're talking about hockey, the University of North
god And men's hockey team had an exhibition game this
past week probably a good call, not just to have
a buy in the middle of the first half of
the season. I think Dan Jackson talked about the importance
of keeping momentum going. We saw them defeat the national
team six to one. The UA teams of course with
the national team development program. And now they get this
home and home with Bimigi State, a team that's leading
(17:18):
the CCHA, another really good test before they go back
into the NCCHC through the holiday break.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Yeah, it's you know, all the weekends. We always say
that they're all important for a variety of reasons, for
different reasons, right, I mean, and this one is incredibly
important be Mitchi's playing really good hockey. And so I
think i've you know, for Danes speak here, you know,
the last couple of days, and you know, we know
(17:44):
what we're gonna get from them. And but the question
for us is, you know, can we keep building as
a as a as a team, and and you know,
I think that game against the US, you just never
know what you're going to get at times. But I
would say that it was good for a variety of
reasons to be able to play all three goalies each
a period, which was great and I think there's some guys,
(18:07):
you know, Alex, it's just been tough to crack the lineup,
But we know they're going to be in the lineup
at some point, and I mean we know for sure.
You know that that Mercy Hurst two games in early
January is there's a good chance that a number of
our guys may not be here in Grand Forks. And
if that's the case, then you know you're going to
(18:30):
have to test the depth of your roster. So that
was good to get them on the ice.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
It felt like everybody that was called into action was
ready for the opportunity. Got like Ian Engel that hadn't
played since the Manitoba Exhibition came out and he's checking
guys into the boards and making plays, and like you
can just tell, like these guys are ready for the opportunity.
I think they've practiced extremely hard with that expectation that
I've got to be ready with my numbers to be ready,
and you would expect them to be come the start
(18:54):
of January. But some big games of course between now
and then, Yeah, home and Home with Bimigi coming up
this weekends and then it's NCHD play at Saint Cloud
and then home against Omaha for the second time this season.
Another series against the Mavericks in a little over a
month and a half. So unique. Now, with this odd
number of teams in the NCC, you're not seeing everybody twice,
and you are seeing this team twice in the first half.
(19:16):
Challenging finish to the first half.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Well, Alex, remember right, last year we played Omaha once
and it was like towards the end of the year.
I don't think we saw them all year. So it
was just it just it's just weird how it goes.
But yeah, you're right, like all of a sudden, we're
going to see them again.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Mm hmmmmm.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
So good stuff for North Dakota. Good opportunity again. They
are still leading, well, I should say they were leading
the NCC then they took a week off and then
if everybody's so tight, it's so early. But the last
time North Dakota was in conference play, if they were
leading the conference, they're number six in the country. They've
won four or five. Great opportunity against the good Dimidgi
State team to keep improving that non conference resume, which
is so key when you look ahead to NPI and
(19:54):
all those things. So that's hockey in the middle of
their season. Football obviously is moving into the postseason, and
that's the big news this week around you and the athletics. Obviously,
a tough overtime loss to a really desperate South Dakota
State team at home to finish out the regular season
that put North Dakota at seven and five. A lot
of people felt like they're going to be end but
they might be on the bubble and ended up being
(20:15):
not so much the case. They were very much firmly
in the playoffs thanks to their strong strength of schedule,
the best in the country, five wins in the Valley,
et cetera. You get to go now to beautiful Cookville,
Tennessee to take on Tennessee Tech, who's the number sixteam
in the country. You talk about opportunity, fantastic opportunity for
Eric Schmidd and company now as the season begins a
(20:37):
new this weekend in the FCS playoffs.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Yeah, it's exciting for sure, Alex to get into a
tournament like this. Everyone's zero and zero and so whatever
has happened is completely in the rear view mirror. I mean,
take those you know, take those lessons that you learned
throughout the year, but now it really is a new season.
Very very cliche, but it is. And so I know
(21:02):
our guys are excited for the opportunity. And what's neat
about it. What we just said about our hockey team
playing Bimidgie is really the same thing now where the
Valley gets to go out and play other conferences. And
you know, we saw at the beginning of the year
in the non conference schedule, I think the Valley did
a really really good job in that portion of it.
(21:25):
So now we're in the postseason portion of it, we'll
see how the teams do. Now you can kind of
wear your your Valley hat and your un D hat together.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Six Valley teams then again, tying the record that the
Valley has set a couple of times for most teams
in the tournament at one time. Tennessee Tech is obviously
not a team that I think people around here will
be very familiar with. It's their first postseason appearance in
over a decade. But they are eleven and one OVC
Big South champs. Their only loss is to Kentucky. What
(21:55):
do you know about Tennessee Tech? But I'll put you
on the spot.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah, really good question. I knew their previous athletic director
for a long time. I don't he's no longer there
right now, gentleman Casey Fox took over. He was in
Bozeman with Leon Costello, so he's just taken over. And uh,
I know coach Wilder had come from an old dominion
(22:20):
and so he did a nice job at ODU and
uh and then had taken some time off between that
particular job. He was there about a decade at ODU
and now is in his second season at Tennessee Tech.
And uh, yeah, I've watched him play a number of
times this year, and they're explosive, they score a lot
of points, and you know, they've got a dangerous quarterback.
(22:43):
He actually transferred from Eastern Washington and so you know
he's a little bit dual thready to some degree. And
so we'll see. You know, we've seen a lot this year,
so you know, I and we've been a lot of places,
and so I think it ends up coming down to
(23:04):
and I'm sure Tech is going to say the same thing.
It's how we how we prepare this week and how
we play on Saturday. I think that's it in a nutshell,
And I think our guys are excited about it. And
you know, I couldn't imagine leaving the Aleris Center on Saturday.
It must have been really, really difficult. And certainly I
can tell you it was difficult from Afar and uh.
(23:24):
But you know, then you just you put your body
of work in front of folks and you see what transpires,
and you know around the nation that day, you know
a few things I think broke right for the Valley
and so and I think you just need to look
at the strength of the conference, and the Valley has
(23:48):
a Sagarin rating that is greater than two FBS conferences.
And so, you know, obviously, I think all of these
teams will be prepared from the from the schedule that
they've played. But got to do it on a Saturday.
You know, you kick it off on a Saturday. You
got to do it on a Saturday.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Then North Dakota happy they have the chance that they
have the opportunity that they've earned this weekend to go
on the road. It's a noon kickoff Central Time on
ESPN plus. If you want to make the trip the
flight the drive cookfills right between Nashville and Knoxville in
Central Tennessee beautiful this time of year, so a fun
little Thanksgiving John to go support the Fighting Hawks against
the Golden Eagles. Very simple, now win or go home. Right,
(24:30):
This is knockout football as its finest in the FCS postseason,
and North Dakota has a chip and a chair and
that's all you could ask for. So best of luck
to Eric Smitten company this weekend.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
This tournament always never fails, and it's a It'll be
exciting and there'll be some great games on Saturday, and
we're excited about flying down to play in Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeh should be fantastic. North Dakota Tennessee Tech. Be sure
to tune in on Saturday twelve o'clock Central time. Cross
country wrapped up their national championship this past weekend in Columbia, Missouri.
Program first for the University of North Dakota Jaden Keeler,
finishing twenty sixth, she becomes the first All American and
un d's cross country D one history. She was only
(25:11):
the third University of North Dakota runner to make it
to nationals. Like it's hard to get out of the
regional and make it to the national competition, She's going
up against the best of the best of the best
in the nation and she makes All American. Just what
can you say about her? I mean, this phenomenal, historical
season that finishes on another high.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Yeah, I mean you just have to read you know,
her bio, which you better have a long time because
there's just that there's a lot to it. There's a
lot of bullets in her bio. And so she said,
just a phenomenal year and she's you know what I
so appreciated in every comment that she had was always
(25:51):
about team too. She wanted the team success and obviously
she was a great part of that because she was
anchoring down, you know, the number one slot all year
and she just took it to another level. It felt
like this year and it felt like even each subsequent race,
you know, she just really did an amazing things. So yeah,
(26:12):
to have an All American I think is just phenomenal
for us. And kudos to Tom Scott and everything that
he's done and obviously coach Arrencamp directing that program. So
it's exciting for und no doubt.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Tom has spoken so much this year about how Jaden
her success in recent years, certainly on the track and
now in cross country that has helped in recruiting efforts
where athletes have seen, hey, this girl was able to
go to Grand Forks and do this, I want to
come and be a part of that. And obviously Jaden
is such a phenomenal ambassador for what University of Northcote
athletics and the university itself is all about. But when
(26:48):
you have these type of successes on the back of
some pretty good performances in recent years for North Dakota's team,
and it culminates with a team championship at the Summer League,
the men again finishing second, it's not just the women
get Both the men and the women at had great successes.
You can't undervalue I think what an athlete like that
can do for your program and for your university. She's
(27:10):
again the best in program history. Pretty special to see
that take place in real time, and.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Alex, it goes to show that, you know, every place
could be the right fit for somebody, especially when you're
trying to get reps and you're trying to develop yourself.
And like you said, you know, I obviously she could
have ran other places, I mean to some degree, but
(27:35):
for her development and for what was going on she
felt like, you know, this was the best place for
and you can say that about a lot of other places.
And we have other student athletes that I think feel
the same way. And you know, that's what we try
to provide. A good experience, a good environment, good coaching,
great academic institution, and I think it can set you
up for the rest of your life.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Yeah, I would agree with that. Yeah, congrats again to
Jaden Keeler again all a mayor for women's cross country.
Here in twenty twenty five, the Windsor sports scene just
starting to pick up men's and women's soups both underway,
both going to sunny climbs and men going out to
Hawaii the women in the US Virgin Islands for the
Paradise Jam. Not a bad time to be able to
(28:18):
go to places like that get some team bonding in
a beautiful place for both the men and the women.
This week.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Yeah, it seems like that's sort of a basketball thing.
You know, you take the Thanksgiving tournaments that occur, and
I think it's important for our teams to do those
types of things. It's a big deal from a recruiting
standpoint as well. Recruiting and retention I'll be honest with you,
and so so yeah, I'm excited for them. You know,
(28:43):
heavy travel for sure, and you know, especially on the
men's side. But they they've got one more after that,
they come back stateside and play Idaho and then they've
got a few games here in Grand Forks and so
that'll be really really helpful. So they're kind of on
a back end of a really difficult travel schedule right now.
(29:04):
And unfortunately, hey, we've all been there. They had some
travel you know issues yesterday because there was fog when
they got done with their game with Western Illinois and
so they had to you know, pivot, and you know,
you just we've all been through travel stuff. But sometimes
it's harder with a group. What at the end of
the day, they figure it out because what Alex, I
(29:25):
think the great ones adjust.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
The great ones adjust fog, no fog, whatever you find
a way.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Fog fog, Allen, it's good.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
It's a lot easier to have those conversations after a win,
by the way, and Paul Stanthoran company got one in
McComb over Western Illinois. Same thing with Dennis Hutter. Congrats
to das first win for him as head coach. Of
the swomen's program, but twenty point went over Wyoming, a
good Wyoming team, So good to see both the programs
start to get a little bit of traction here midway
through non conference.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Those two teams, I mean, this is not to be
a negative at all, complete work in probably. I mean
it were trying to figure out the rosters, trying to
figure out the roles. I mean that they're fitting parts
in right now. So it's it's it'll be fascinating. Both
these teams will be fascinated to see what they look
(30:12):
like in February.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Yeah, I think that's a great way to view it.
So if you're a fan, of course of hoops. As
you mentioned, both the men and the women will be
home for at least one part of the Big Skuy
some of the challenge coming up the first week of December,
and then a number of home games coming up during
the twelfth month of the year. So good opportunity to
see those teams as they finish out non conference with
some of the play looming right at the new year.
(30:34):
One of their note from around U and D athletics,
you have to make a tough decision on volleyball. The
volleyball team finishing seven and twenty this year, the university
and Jesse Tupac agreeing to mutually part ways at the
end of his contract, now four seasons in. I'll just
talk about that decision.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Yeah, you know, his contract was coming to a conclusion,
so you know, unfortunately, I just don't think we were getting,
you know, the success level that we would we were
hoping at that point. And I think, you know, I
wish him and Kristin nothing but the best as they
move forward, and you know, we'll be back into search
mode and try to get someone in here that can
(31:09):
elevate the program and get back into the mix and
fight for a Semmate League championship.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Yeah, great people. I mean I think that was the
one thing if you knew Jesse and Kristin like awesome,
awesome people who just love the game. And like you said,
there were some bright moments, but just not that level
that you're looking for and that this university has gotten
used to with their volleyball programs not that long ago.
So best of luck in that search and you get
best of luck to those two as they move on
to new opportunities. But anything else going on from a
(31:35):
un d NCAA perspective you want to touch on before
we flip over.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
No busy week, as you might imagine when you're lucky
enough to make it into the FCS playoffs and you
do not have a top eight seed and it gives
you a buy just a lot of moving parts. So
when that announcement was made on Sunday, you know our
staff is we're scurrying around here making sure that we're
(32:00):
moving you know, a good group from from X place
to why place? So so it but you know what
would want it no other way.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
On that note, I know Chad Krthauser is a part
of that process. Of course. I got to see Chad
on the sidelines pregame on Saturday. I don't know if
there's anybody in the world who loves FCS playoff football
more than Chad. Like he was just the game hasn't
even killed. It were like two hours before kickoff and
he's already like going through, Hey, I'm looking at this
game today. I've got my eye on this game. I'm
(32:30):
excited about this. What I think if we could do this,
Like he's just he's so enthusiastic about it. I just
love that. What a great resource to have a guy
that's lived it and knows it so well and is
so passionate about it. This is this is his Christmas.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It is it is, And you know, there's there's nothing
better than a you know, a one and done tournament
that it's just there's just gonna be you know, we
talked about highs and lows, right, there's gonna be highs
and there's gonna be lows. And but you know, the opportunity,
just the opportunity to get in and be zero and
zero and have a shot is really exciting. And I
(33:06):
saw our guys on Sunday and they're pretty jazzed though,
So it.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Was good as they should be. Yeah, well, best of
luck again playoffs special special to be a part of
that group. Flipping over to the B side, you mentioned
hihs and lows, our soccer clubs are currently in a
bit of a low phase right now, a low EBB
for tom Hotspur and Liverpool Football Club. On the plus side,
at least our players aren't fighting each other on the
(33:32):
pitch bill although maybe they should because that led to
a victory for Everton earlier this week.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
We will see, yes, So it's a touch base on
our two teams right now, one more expected than the other.
I think the Liverpool one. It's coming off a pretty
much a wired wire deal last year winning the Premier League,
and now you've kind of fast forward into this year,
(33:59):
had a tough situation, lost, lost a couple of players,
but literally lost a player for an unfortunate tragic accident,
and you know, there's just every year is its own, right, Alex.
I mean, they're just struggling right now. It's amazing. They've
lost six out of seven in.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
The prem six out of seven in the league. They're
eleventh place in the table I think now maybe twelve
and the Everton just jumped them yesterday with that victory.
So it is just confusing. Like losing the City three
nothing is one thing. Losing to Nottingham Forest at home
three nothing like. That's that's interesting's that's that's one we
don't see very often. So they just have this weird
(34:37):
dynamic now of this kind of expensive team that has
all of these new expensive pieces that are not playing
very well. And I think Slot is trying to figure
out what do I do, Like, what is our best lineup?
How do I try and put the best players out
there who have deserved the spot when really there are
a lot of guys you they probably need to drop,
(34:59):
but they don't really have. It's so bizarre to say,
because they spent four hundred and fifty million dollars this
offseason on players like that's start there, but they don't
really have another center back they can put out there
to replace Ibrahimo Kanata who's not playing well. They don't
really have another. They don't obviously feel good about their
fullback options to the point where they don't feel like
(35:20):
they need to move Dominic Sabaslider right back, and they
for whatever reason, they don't trust Ony Robertson anymore at
left back. Like they are just all these different things
that have just combined and to make this a really
difficult season. But as you said, though, you know, we
had nothing but flowers and roses and sweetness the year before,
(35:40):
so maybe we were due for a little bit of pain.
And it's it's all good. That's sports. You're not gonna
win every time.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
But as Eric said, on the A side, you know,
we're continuing to try to push the envelope and see
what's next, because you don't know what's going to come
around the corner and you know, no one could have
ever imagine six months ago, you know, Arnie Slott, their
head coach, would be in this situation. It's just it's
really interesting how life goes. But what was more interesting?
(36:11):
And Alex kind of teased it and I saw something
for the first time I've ever seen and I couldn't
believe it. Now. Having said that, when they went back
eventually to the studio, Robbie Earl just looked at it like, Oh, yeah,
that happens. Doesn't happen often, but that happens. So apparently
it's a thing. But I didn't know it was a thing, Alex,
(36:31):
what was the thing?
Speaker 1 (36:33):
So the thing again? Everton playing Manchester United adult Trafford yesterday.
Early in the game, it was like ten minutes into
the game, there was just a little missed assignment at
the back end and the Everton defense Brune Fernandez gets
a shot away that does not go in, like Sales
over the crossbar or whatever, and Adrisagana Gay he was
one of the better defensive midfielders in the EPL, just
(36:55):
he and Michael Keene, one of the starting center backs,
just start barking at each other and all of a
sudden like nose to nose and addriss Agana Gay basically
slaps Keen across the face like kind of it wasn't
a punk closed fist punch, but smacks him in the
face right across the cheek and draws a straight red
for a teammate on seam made altercation and Jordan Pickford
(37:19):
had to get involved, like they're they're trying to hold
these guys back from each other. And again, this is
twelve minutes into this match, and so everyting go down
a man, and yet they proceed to go and win
the match one though. That's that's that's you talk about
a tough weekends for Ribbon Amram, just the United. You
can't even beat a team that's beating each other up.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
They're beating each other up, and they're they're playing with
one last sum and they're playing with us. It was
it was wild. I had never seen I didn't realize
that could be a thing, and I guess it is,
and it would seem you know, and you're right looking
at the replay, it wasn't someone getting cold cocked, but
I mean it was, but it was definitely a direct
(37:59):
hit to the contact to the head, which they obviously
take extremely serious, which they should. Could you have maybe
made a decision to give him a yellow and then
maybe the manager takes them out. I mean, it just
felt like that was really harsh where they go down
a man at this point. But I guess, don't hit
your team, don't hit.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Anybody, don't hit your teammate, but don't hit your teammate.
Let's start there. The Athletic FC's newsletter, which I get,
they said a couple eight pieces every week they had
a little breakdown of some of the greatest team on
team fights or we've ever had recently. So there was
one in two thousand and five between two Newcastle players
where one of the guys got taken to court and
(38:40):
both guys got shown a red card, and apparently there
was also one in nineteen ninety four in the Scottish
League where there was a massive brawl and one of
the players got a fourteen match ban. Wow, so this
isn't it's not unprecedented. Yeah, it's been a little while
since we've had one of these.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
This was for it's been hot minute.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Yeah, it's been a hot minute. The listeners again. Bill
actually called me yesterday seconds after this happened and said,
did you just see what I just saw? Like that's it,
just you don't see it. You just don't see it.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
So so help me with this one. If we rewind
the Newcastle one, they went down two.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Men, they went down too man, they went down too many.
Don't think they won that one. Don't think they won
that much.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
I hate I've seen a team play with nine players before.
It didn't end well with that team either. All right,
So so last thing I have on the B side
before we thank everybody and hopefully they have a great thanksgiving.
Two words you ready, and then you need to react.
Oh boy, Troy Parrott.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
I thought Sonny Gray was gonna be what was out
of your mind?
Speaker 2 (39:45):
No, no, no, no, Sonny Gray is thirty six. I
hope he does okay, and I think he makes thirty
six million dollars. So there's that.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
That's there.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
There is that.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yes, Yes, Troy Parrot, Ireland legend, Troy Parrot. Quite the week.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Tell the listeners where you were, Alex and what you did?
I mean it was just phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Yeah, very cool. So last week I had to miss
the U and the Arizona State Hockey Series because I
got called up to go do some international soccer for Fox.
So I'm in the La studios with the US soccer
legend Kobe Jones calling these YUEFA European qualifiers. And we
had gotten to do Kazakhstan Belgium on Saturday morning, which
was a great match, actually ended up being a one
(40:25):
one draw with Belgium needing to win to qualify. Surprisingly
very exciting, and so we're thinking, well, that might be
as good as it gets. Like that was really fun.
But Sunday morning we had Ireland against Hungary and this
is the last match of qualification. Ireland needs to win
to secure a playoff spot for the World Cups. Hungary
can advance with the draw winner draw, they will move.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
On and it's in Budapest. But it's even prior to that,
Ireland had to upset a Portugal team.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Yes, if you want to go back to Thursday. Yet,
going into the break, we were under the impression that
the Kazakhstan Belgium match is gonna matter no matter what.
The Hungary Ireland match might have been a dead rubber,
like there was a there was a window there where
if Portugal beats Ireland like they should have, Portugal very good,
top ten in the world. Ireland, you know, plucky, not
(41:17):
favored against Christiano Ronaldo in Portugal. But Ireland needed to
get a result against Portugal and then then it wouldn't
really matter. But we expected Hungary to probably beat Armenia,
so that it was going to be Ireland We're going
to be eliminated. Hungary was already going to be in
second place with probably nothing to play for, so it
went from that extreme. But then Ireland and up beating
Portugal thanks to two goals from Troy Parrott and Christiano
(41:39):
Ronaldo getting a red card, but that's an aside.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
So all of a.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Sudden, now Ireland have an opportunity going into Sunday where
they have to win, but if they win, they would
move on to the World Cup playoff. And this is
an Ireland team that's not been to the World Cup
since two thousand and two. They've not been to a
major championship for over a decade and now they have
to go on the road and Budapet not a very
nice place to go play. The seventy thousand people all
(42:03):
cheering vociferously against you, and Hungary's good. We were just
talking about Liverpool two players from Liverpool. Probably their best
player this season is the Hungarian captain Dominic Sabasly. They
have a lot of world class players and they go
up one nothing right off the bat, Ireland equalizes, Troy
Pirad gets a penalty, so it's one one and then
Hungary scored this ridiculous goal from outside of the box
(42:23):
with a great goal too, is incredible.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
What are you gonna do? Like, that's one of those.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
You applaud, you say, nice job, I unstoppable. So Ireland
now need two goals or else they are going out
like it's curtains essentially, and Hungry, you know, begins to
just kind of control the game, manage the game, and
Ireland get one back in the eightieth minute, Pairrot again
gets his second of the game. So now it's two too,
(42:52):
and now it's a one goal. Now you're one goal away,
and they just start throwing the kitchen sink at Hungry
and the Hungarian goalkeeper makes a couple of good saves,
even the iron goal keep because they're gotting Nat on
the break because everybody's forward Quevey and Kelleher the former
Liverpool goalkeeper, he has to make a couple of stops
it goes into stoppage time in the sixth minute of
extra time. They were only supposed to play five. The
(43:12):
clock just sticks over to the sixth minute. The goalies
up at the halfway line, launches it forward. One of
the Irish defenders wins a header. Troy Parrott is there
to basically toll Polk it past the diving Hungarian goalkeeper
to win it at the death to send Ireland to
the World Cup playoff. And I got a chance to
be on the call for that, and you know, proceeded
(43:33):
to lose my mind because it was, well.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Your call was fantastic and you know, for those of
the you that haven't heard it, certainly you can look
it up. It was great and Alex and Kobe do
a great job, they really do. So it was a
lot of fun. Now the PostScript to this, to some
degree is give give the four one one on what
Troy Parrott had said prior to that, like at the
(43:57):
post game, and then what happened after that.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, so on Thursday after Troy scored again. Troy Troy's
twenty three years old. He's from Dublin. He was a
Tottenham Hotspur youth player, taught him and signed him. He
was supposedly gonna be kind of the next thing. The
next big thing is a seventeen year old kid, and
it doesn't always work that way. And so he went
on loans to championship teams and even League one teams
in England and then had to go on loan to
(44:21):
the Dutch league and then he permanently signs for a
Dutch team and that's been so good for him. Like
he's been in the goals this season for azed Alkamar,
which is kind of like a upper third. It's not
one of the big ones in Holland, but one of
the better teams traditionally in Holland. He's had a great season.
He scores two in the win against Portugal. They interview
him after that match and he's basically in tears. You're like,
(44:42):
this is just the greatest night in my life. And
then fast forward four days and he scores a hat
trick to send his team to the World Cup playoffs,
and now he's like full on sobbing in the postgame
interview and has this incredible line to say, I just
love where I'm from. I'm so proud to be from
Ireland's and it just really neat to see someone like
that have this incredible you don't want to say redemption
(45:04):
story because he's only twenty three, but to for the
last six years he was the great hope of this
country and couldn't live up to those expectations and then
he does it in this incredible five goal over two
game performance to give his team and his country this
incredible opportunity to go to the World Cup. That's what
sports is all about. That's what the international break is
all about.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Bill, it is and again I oh you wish. Yeah,
I'm happy for you. I'm not happy for for any
of us that have to kind of go through it.
But at the end of the day, the call was excellent,
was really really good. So definitely tune in on that.
But after Troy Parrott's scores, that's what you need to know.
That's what sports is. I mean, he just was on
(45:43):
the ground, I mean almost inconsolable, I mean, and it
just amazing. Really. Now, now the Hungarians on the other side,
holy cow, I mean, talk about right highs lows, I mean,
talk about the depths. I mean, they started, as they
like to do in soccer, start to whistle to basically say,
hey man, this match is over. Blow the whistle. Blow
(46:04):
the whistle, this match is over. They were whistling for
like two minutes.
Speaker 1 (46:07):
I think, yeah, bay in for the whistle and they
didn't get it. Yeah, that was the epitome of thrill
of victory, agony of defeat. Those images and after the
match too, like just stunned against sixty seven thousand people
in the National Stadium of Hungary, other than the little
section of Irish supporters in the upper deck, I mean,
(46:28):
just complete stunned silence, and you felt for those guys
like who were this close. Hungary had been to the
World Cup in forty years. Nineteen eighty six was the
last time Hungary had been there and they were that close.
So you feel gutted for them. But it's just that's again,
that is the beauty and the heartbreak that comes with
sports sometimes.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
So here as we close, as we closed the B
Side and we close for Thanksgiving week, here's what our
promise will be to our listeners as we turn the
page eventually into twenty six is the B Side will
be a little bit of a one stop shop for
a for World Cup. World Cup as it comes to
the United States, will get you all primed on a
(47:10):
very macro level. We won't go that deep, but very
macro level. So that'll be in twenty six.
Speaker 1 (47:17):
I love it. It's incredible, less than two hundred days
bill draw. The draw is next week draws, which is crazy.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
Yeah, where where's the draw? Where's the draw?
Speaker 1 (47:26):
It's in DC, in Washington, DC?
Speaker 2 (47:28):
Okay, and then and again is it very much for
for folks that don't know this. They kind of put
teams in pots, if you will, right, like, so based
on their I'll call it their rankings or where they're from, right,
because the United States gets to be drawn out of
the top pot.
Speaker 1 (47:45):
Right, correct? Yeah, the US, Canada, Mexico is the hosts
are in Pot one with the nine other I shouldn't
say the nine other, with the nine best teams in
the world. Normally, the US would not be in Pot one.
The US would be a Pot two or a pot
but they're in Pot one, and then the next twelve
best teams are in Pot two. The next twelve best
teams after that are Pot three, and then the other
(48:06):
twelve plus these playoff there's the Intercontinental Playoffs and these
UEFA Playoffs, which are coming in March. So there'll be
some spots that'll just be like Intercontinental playoff winner A,
we'll get this spot. Yeah, UA playoff winner B gets
your spot. But that's how it broke. So basically in
every group, and there will be twelve different groups now
at this World Cup, twelve groups of four teams, you
(48:27):
will have essentially one, you know, one pot eight team,
one great team in the top twelve, one you know
kind of second to your team, one third two team,
and one fourth tier team. That's how it works.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's it's kind of like if
you had a force and in golf, like with an A, B, C,
and D.
Speaker 1 (48:42):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
Yeah, So I mean, but that's that's happening. And what
in two weeks did you say?
Speaker 1 (48:48):
And to December the fifth? Friday, December the fifth, so
not this coming for the Friday after Black Friday in Washington,
TZ on Fox. So fun to see who the US
will get and what that looks like. They should get
a pretty favorable drap as they'll avoid the nine best
teams in the world based on the pot that they're in.
So we'll see again. It's crazy. Well, Cup starts June
the eleventh.
Speaker 2 (49:06):
All right, Final final final one. As you talked about Liverpool,
who do you have here the next is it today
or tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (49:13):
Champions League PS PSV speaking of teams from Hollins Yeah,
PSB Einthoven will be the opponent coming up on Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (49:20):
Can we can we exchange ps teams? We have PSG,
you have PSG.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Yeah, champion, that'll.
Speaker 2 (49:26):
Be that'll be fascinating, that'll be awesome.
Speaker 1 (49:30):
You can keep them. Well, we'll take on the Dutch
ps you can help.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
We get to go to Paris. Wonderful. Good luck with that, Bill, Yeah,
I really appreciate it. Yeah, that's gonna be great. Well, Hey,
I appreciate you, Alex, and I want to make sure
that you and your family and all of our listeners
have a great, great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Oh and then yeah, and same thing for you, Bill. Yeah,
thankful for you and the Schafsklan. We hope it's a
great Thanksgiving. Again. Enjoy just time together, Be thankful for
the opportunity, hopefully to spend time with your loved ones,
and then be thankful for you great weekend to celebrate
football and sport and things that bring you together. Right,
it's the community aspect of sports that really come out
this time of year, and we hope you can enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (50:09):
Yeah, and I just just the last thing if you've
hung on this long. We're going to take one extra
week between recordings, so I think the next time we're
going to record is December fifteenth. So it's maybe not
necessarily on the same cadence that we normally do, but just.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
FYI, yeah, I love it awesome. Well I'm between now
and then. We hope that you can enjoy a wonderful weekend.
Big thanks as always to Build Shaves, of course, the
namesake of this podcast, for his good work. Big thanks
to Eric Martinsen for coming on as well. Props again
to Alex Soccer Johnson and Polly Ralston top of the table,
Paul Ralston with his arsenal gunners still leading the way.
We're thankful for those guys, certainly to get this podcast
(50:45):
out to you, and we're thankful for you the listeners
for tuning in, for caring about University of North Dakota
athletics and maybe the other shenanigans that we get up
to on this podcast. We appreciate you, and we wish
you a great Thanksgiving and we'll talk to you soon.
A step in the prosecuted sect in Parster, in the
(51:05):
postal stingst in the proputting hosts
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