Time For People to Relax
Apparently UND Athletic Tom Bunning has upset a few of Societies hypersensitive people with his enthusiasm he shows towards Sioux sports. Last weekend UND athletic director was photographed sieving the Gopher Goaltender in Marriucci arena. In fact the some of the sports Blogs was all up in arms about it. I have no idea what people are so up in arms about.
Former Fighting Sioux Heraldo sports writer weighed in with his view of the situation.
Bakken's View
www.insidecollegehockey.com has a photograph of UND Athletic Director Tom Buning doing the "sieve" chant/arm chop in last weekend's series at the University of Minnesota. He was joining in with the crowd after a Sioux goal. The online photographer returned to the press box and said he couldn't believe what he just saw.
Neither can I. This is embarrassing. Buning is not a frat boy; he is the school's AD. He needs to show some decorum and dignity at games. This isn't the first time that he's acted improperly. In Milwaukee at the Frozen Four, he embarrassed several Sioux fans sitting around him by standing up and screaming at the officials. It's one thing for Joe Six-pack to do this; it's something else for your leading athletics department official to act so sophomoreish.
Tom is a nice guy, but he acts too much like a fan and not enough like a leader at times. While we're at it, he needs to stop his pushup act at football games, too. It was fun at the beginning. But the body language of the Sioux coaches and players suggest they're tired of it. The attention should be on the game, not an administrator who tries to horn in on the attention by looking at the big screen to see if his pushups are being shown.
So who's in position to tell him to knock it off?
What is the big deal?
Come Ryan lighten up a bit, have we really become that thinned skinned that we can’t have a little fun at sporting event? So what if he is the AD of the University of North Dakota? So he was screaming at the officials. I just think some are getting way to worked up about nothing in particular.
I think some of the other people that were concerned about it might have been experiencing what I call sour grapes for the Sioux running Minnesota out of their own building. In fact I am happy we don’t have some stuffed suit for an athletic director. I have had the pleasure of Meeting Tom Bunning a couple of times and have to say that the guy is awesome, a real breath of fresh air. I can’t fault Bunning for his actions. Bunning has been known to do pushups after touchdowns at Sioux football games as well as leading cheers during hockey games at Ralph Englestad Arena.
INCH’s take on the Photo
INCH
SAY WHAT?
From the So Sioux Me Dept.: There’s nothing wrong with a little good-natured ribbing of the opposing goalie after he allows a goal, right? With that in mind, INCH’s double-secret Mariucci Cam caught North Dakota athletics director Tom Buning directing the traditional “sieve” chant (complete with Bob Dole-esque, right-handed, pen-gripping, pointing gesture) at a Minnesota net minder. Memo to Gopher and Sioux fans: We’re just the messengers. Now talk amongst yourselves
I believe that is probably the probably the most entertaining point I have read on the issue to date.
Hmm...just another Sioux fan with no class! :)
ReplyDeleteHmm...just another Sioux fan with no class! :)
ReplyDeleteI think the article you were referring to was written by Virg Foss not my Ryan Bakken.
ReplyDeleteAside from that minor point (except maybe to those two writers) I agree with you.
Opps, I get the two mixed up.
ReplyDeleteWho cares it is a small town Division two football program with an obnoxious AD. There are more important problems to deal with like underage players breaking the drinking law.
ReplyDelete