If there is one thing I love, it's NDSU Bison athletics.

If there is one thing I hate, it's NDSU Bison fans.

The arrogance is tangible in this town.  Ever since the move to Division 1AA, the fans have gotten absolutely absurd.

It started in football.  NDSU started off with a very weak Division 1AA schedule, mopping up the lowest of the low.  Valpariso State and Random Direction Illinois Tech, with the Minnesota Golden Gophers being the only real game, and even then that was debatable at the time.  Steve Walker and Tyler Rohl became folk heroes.  We rose to number 1 in the rankings.  Yet, we were not eligible for the playoffs yet. 

Then we were eligible, after the long wait.  The idiots were already claiming victory and asking when playoff tickets would be available for purchase.  As far as they were concerned, we were the 1AA champions already.  I actually had someone ask me, after the first game NDSU played that year, "How many championships does NDSU have to win before they force them to move up to Division 1A?"  As if they had just won their fifth straight or something.  Some people actually wondered out loud on sports radio about NDSU's chances of getting into a BCS bowl game.

And so NDSU finally plays the big boy schools of the division.  A record barely over .500 knocks them out of playoff contention, and finally everyone shuts up.  Even up to the last game, everyone thought that as long as they made the playoffs, the championship was ours. 

Then, of course, there's the draft talk.  "Where's Steve Walker going to be drafted?"  Newsflash:  NO PLAYER AT NDSU WILL BE DRAFTED.  I'm sorry, but Steve Walker, while incredibly accurate, has no arm strength.  NONE.  Tyler Rohl is not an NFL caliber running back.  I wish they were prospects, that would be great, but be realistic here. 

Basketball has been a big deal for NDSU lately, and rightfully so.  The Bison have had four players starting for the past four years:  Lucas Moorman, Mike Nelson, Brett Winkelman, and, most notably, Ben Woodside.

Ben Woodside is undoubtedly the greatest basketball player NDSU has ever had.  This is not even debatable.  With his leadership, this team beat Marquette, beat Wisconsin when they were number three in the nation, and now put them into the NCAA Tournament against Kansas.  We've seen them on national television, on Sportscenter highlights, hell they even had a ten minute segment on ABC where a camera crew followed them around after winning the Summit League title.  Coach Saul Phillips has been on just about every sports talk show on the radio it seems.

It stops there, though.  I appreciate what this team accomplished.  They brought this university fame and prestige.  However, THEY WILL NOT BEAT KANSAS.  And you know what else?  That is perfectly OK.  They got to the tournament, they got national attention, they made people aware of NDSU.  That's what they set out to accomplish.  Mission successful.

And NO, BEN WOODSIDE IS NOT GOING TO THE NBA.  I wish he was, but he isn't.  Sure, if he was three inches taller, but if he was three inches taller he would have been recruited by Big Ten schools.  I'm sorry, but if Drew Neitzel got next to no NBA attention, there's no way that Ben Woodside will make it.  They are practically the same player.  Expect to see Ben starting for some team in Greece next season.

Of all the players we have, Winkelman is the most complete and ready NBA product.  He also won't get drafted, but he has a better shot than Woodside.  And, for the record, the player with the most NBA potential on our team isn't even graduating this year.  Michael Tveidt (Tweet) has the best chance of being drafted in two years.  If he can fill out his lanky 6'7" frame a little more, he can get some attention.  The guy plays amazing defense and has a decent jump shot, both of which will only improve in the next two years.  His skill set is similar to the last player to get drafted out of the Summit League, George Hill out of IUPUI. 

Will Tveidt get drafted?  No, probably not.

Stop overhyping what NDSU will accomplish and how good our players are.  I want great things for this institution just as much as the rest of you, but I try to remain somewhat objective and realistic.  All this grand-standing, stupid-question-asking, hybolistic "We are the greatest sports team ever" BS just needs to stop.  I swear, NDSU fans would match up our football team with USC, our basketball team with UConn, and claim we'd win by 40 in both games.  Sorry buddy, this ain't Mayville State anymore. 

StretPharmacist is a lot like the Undertaker:  A gimmick that should have never gotten over, but was taken to unbelievable heights.  Also, he is constantly injured.