When you're finished reading this column, you might think that I have too much time on my hands.

That is not the case. The truth of the matter is I need to get a life.

My source of entertainment this past Friday night was to turn on the Golden Girls and fire up my computer. I looked at all the football rosters in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and included Dakota Athletic Conference schools Dickinson State, Jamestown College and Minot State.

I'm a big name buff. I like to look at all the different names on rosters. What you will be reading will be the most useless information you could ever ask for, but it's a nice break from game stats and play-by-play breakdowns.

Let's start with the most common names to mankind " Smith, Johnson and Jones. Of all the rosters I scanned there were 16 Johnsons, six Joneses and five Smiths.

Some of the players shared names with our favorite animals, or at least the spellings looked similar: Thomas Parrott (Northern State), Travis Frogge (NSU), Tyler Bair (Southwest Minnesota State), Mike Lamb (Upper Iowa), Nick Leppard (UI), Tremane Wren (UI), Eric Swan (Winona State University), Matt Finch (WSU), Shane Roach (Concordia-St. Paul), Trent Lyons (Minnesota-Crookston), Derek Beadle (Dickinson State), Michael Fox (Minot State), Zach Wolf (Jamestown College), Brad Wolf (SMSU), Ryan Wolfe (UI), Damon Wolfe (Minnesota State-Moorhead).

If you're looking to book a hotel on your next vacation, call Sam Hyatt from UM-C.

Dinner time? Let's look at the foods, or spices, that are offered: Tye Dill (SMSU), Berlon Curry (SMSU), Peter Burger (UM-C) and Shawn Frank (JC).

Dwayne Crocker (UI) probably has some good recipes.

You'll probably want to watch Nate Hacker (SMSU) when logging onto your computer.

Doug Hazen (NSU grad assistant) and Kendall Hazen (Dickinson State) aren't listed on the Hazen Bison's roster. Jeremy Beulah (NSU) and Nate Beulah (NSU) are Wolves and not Miners. Pete Stanton (Dickinson State) doesn't coach the Wildcats.

Here are some guys who could take up second occupations: Josh Carpenter (NSU), Bruce Carpenter (WSU offensive coordinator), Keith Mayer (NSU), Eric Dockter (SMSU), Tyler Fischer (SMSU), Dennis Fisher (Wayne State College), Cole Fischer (WSC), Kyle Sitter (UI), Mike Slaughter (UI), Nick Miner (WSU) and Seth Forster (Dickinson State) and Jesse Laber (U-Mary). Mayer of NSU would probably want to make friends with Jesse Vote of JC.

These guys probably wouldn't earn a lot with their second job: Teddy Walker (U-Mary), Seth Rohde (SMSU), Kyle Rider (SMSU), Martel Pope (Minot State), Marcus Prince (MSU).

If gas prices got you in a whirlwind, consider carpooling with these guys: Lloyd Ford (U-Mary), Jake Vann (C-SP) and Joe Ford (MSU).

These guys share names with famous people: Tommy Sawyer (WSU), Tom Sawyer (WSU head coach) and Julius Caesar (MSU). Tony Hill of WSU shares the same name as a former Dallas Cowboys receiver.

Here are some names that are just fun or that can create interesting headlines: Erik Kruse (U-Mary), Martel Bankhead (U-Mary), Charles Cheeks (U-Mary), Ryan Card (NSU), Brandt Payne (NSU), Arabin Lightfoot (NSU), D.J. Speed (UI), P.J. Gunn (UI), Tyler Gurney (NSU), Dalton Outlaw (C-SP), Raldy Romero (UM-C), and Mickey Polley (C-SP).

These are names that you won't find on your average roster: Bayland Rippenkroeger (U-Mary), Xavier McGowan (U-Mary), Rett Thibodeaux (U-Mary), Tavis Ve'e (NSU), Duy Huynh (C-SP), Hayden Vavra (C-SP), Kazim Walji (C-SP), Orien Facion (C-SP), Tanner Dobberschutz (C-SP), Emery Palm-Richie (UM-C), Boaz Moise (UM-C), Shelton Derisma (UM-C), Steadman Mathis Jr. (DSU), Trampus Haskvitz (DSU), Maishon Holdbrooks (C-SP) and Lico Sifuentes (DSU).

Did I catch you with too much time on your hands?

(Cindy Peterson is a Tribune sportswriter).