Been in a basketball mode for the last couple of weeks; but still keeping an eye on the 2013 football schedule; where teams are dropping like flies by the day; by my count(which is unofficial; but like to think I keep it pretty up to date) there are 5 schools that have September 7th open; while 9 have September 14th available. Spoke to Gene Taylor today about an update on the 11th game; he told me they are talking to one school that initially said no; but then upped the money and this school was re-evaluating the offer. Taylor declined to tell me what school this was; only to say it was an East Coast FCS school. He added that options are dwindling and said a 6th road game is definitely in play as well. Stay tuned there.
Bison Sports Arena
Had a couple posters ask about where the BSA renovation project stands; asked Taylor about this as well; many of you know that April 2013 was a date thrown out by NDSU; Taylor told me that that date was to have the money in place; NOT to have a shovel in the ground. With the snow it be pretty hard to break ground as it is. The money needs to be in place so then NDSU can go to the State Board of Higher Ed and get approval for the project; then they can begin; with a goal of June or July to start everything up. I did ask as well about hosting a game in the CBI; he said they were approached about doing so and would entertain that possibility if the Bison were to defeat Western Michigan on Wednesday night. For those that missed it; Wyoming defeated Lehigh 67-66 on a buzzer beating 3 point shot; so if NDSU wins they’ll get a rematch with the Cowboys; who beat the Bison in the 1st round of the CBI last year.
I’ll be back tomorrow night with either a video or normal post about the big press conference coming as Butler; Xavier and Creighton announce they’re leaving their respective leagues for the new look Big East; college basketball as we know it about to look a lot different!
So are we on target to reaching the amount needed to get approval or not? Is it a realistic chance to happen or we going to continue playing in the the dump that is the BSA???
The remaining east coast teams that have oped dates are as follows (according to what I have seen):
9/7
Duquesne (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Wagner (Staten Island, New York)
Morth State (Baltimore, Maryland)
9/14
Liberty (Lynchburg, Virginia)
Robert Morris (Moon Township, Pennsylvania)
Bucknell (Lewisburg, Pennsylvania)
Georgetown (Washington DC)
Marist (Poughkeepsie, Ney York)
Morgan State (Baltimore, Maryland)
There is a rumor that Liberty will be playing Morgan State on the 14th. I have no way to say if it is accurate.
Just some info for discussion.
Duquesne is also open on 9/14 and I have seen.
As far as the date goes, put me in the camp that would rather the 6th home game be on Sept 14. That gives the team and traveling fans a week off after what will no doubt be a blow out, pull-out all the stops weekend in Kansas for everyone. Don’t know if they’ll get a W, but they will put up a darn good fight and fans who make it down there will have a huge party.
As far as scheduling goes in general: any talk of not having a 6th home game horse manure. Fans, especially season ticket holders and tailgaters, deserve it. The school badly needs the revenue that regular season home games bring, as well.
It just pisses me off that we’re going to be paying some non-scholarship/low-scholarship east coast team that supposedly plays “Division I” football to come to Fargo for a butt whipping! I guarantee you the best Northern Sun schools play just as good of football, would bring just as many fans and would accept much less money.
But they don’t count the same in the playoff committee’s eyes as “real wins”. It’s hogwash.
Yes, it may be hogwash, but it is what it is. How about the NSIC going to D I ? Problem solved…..
I believe Iowa State and Alabama both have open dates during this time. Make it worth Iowa States time double ticket prices and give them half the gate. For those who want us to go FBS this is what will have to happen as long as the capacity is what it is. I like cherry by the way.
oooo, ‘Bama or ISU!!!!!!!!!
How cool would that be?
Thanks Dom I appreciate you keeping us up to date on the Football scheduling, the BSA renovation and the shifting of teams to different conferences in college sports. The Bison will be affected by all these moves sooner or later.
Go Bison!
PS – Dom do you think there is any chance that if the Bison host a CBI game they would put it in the Fargodome?
I see this all playing out in the next month- Creighton leaves the MVC. A few weeks later, the MVC announces the Bison as the team filling the spot in the conference. At the same press conference, Gene Taylor announces all the money for the SHAC has been raised. No reason Gene can’t get this done for us. We have a top 100 athletic program, Gene needs to start selling that.
Bison03 it isn’t going to happen and if they were looking in the Summit they wouldn’t look at NDSU 1st. They don’t care about football success so they would look at SDSU who has been to the Big Dance two years in a row and have a great basketball facility in Frost Arena. They are adding a $30 million dollar track, football and athletic training center. Bison have to get the BSA done and get to the Dance a couple times or no one will be courting them. Go Bison!
Bison03…. lay off the koolaid. The mvc will NOT happen (as much as i wish that it would).
This BSA stuff is getting old! lets quit talking about it. Its very sad that NDSU cant get the funding for it… have you seen what Sioux Falls is building!
I hear you Old School!
The city of Sioux Falls is building it, not some local university. The city of Fargo should’ve went forward with the dome addition years ago for BB but instead NDSU had to move forward with the BSA reno.
The city of Fargo owes NDSU a new stadium. Plain and simple. If not for all the “other college graduates” who have to come here to find work we would have it. Both the city of Fargo and state of North Dakota should be funding both a new basketball areana and football stadium for NDSU putting North Dakota on the map.
You need a new map. North Dakota has been on them since 1889.
OMG thats Funny. But we were left out one year in the Rand Mcnally Atlas one year.
Who’s on the koolaid. If Fargo had not stepped up to the plate in the early 90′s you would not have the Fargo Dome and without the Dome D1 football may not have happened along with all the concerts/events that it brought to the area. It opened the gates for other venues in the state because the other cities had to compete. I helped with the petition drive and to get 60% of the citzens to go along is not a easy as you may think. This time it is up to the state to step to the plate even though Fargo could approve another sales tax but it may be harder this time around.
Gene Taylor spotted on Flight from Denver to Fargo? Either meeting with Mountain West, Big Sky or Applying for CSU AD job?
Dom- do some digging
or he could be on a sking trip.
Maybe Birdie needs to be bird-dogged.
Hey birdie, he was probably connecting from arizona where they have lots of donors who might kick in to build a new basketball arena. Lets win in bball then build it.
I don’t understand why a conference would not want to invite a school that already is in its conference even if it is just football. It not like NDSU is terrible in basketball I think NDSU has represented MVC very well in football and should be the first school considered, unless they feel our ultimate goal is FBS which then I would not blame them for looking elsewhere. We just need to understand what our limits are or make the decision to go FBS and move on.
MVFC =/= MVC in any way.
When is Saul going to go on a rant about how heartbroken he is when NDSU doesn’t get invited to the MVC? Sounds like a lot of potential heartbreak for Mr. Phillips with no NIT bid, no MWC and the BSA upgrade stalling.
Going to OT vs #129 RPI team. Clearly NDSU deserved an NIT bid.
Look at the home record of WMU. And the game was at their place. The Bison almost did it, but the team from the MAC was 1 point better tonight on their home court.
And we were 1 point worse. Saul can be tough talker all he wants, but he needs to win these games and quit whining about a non invite to NIT. Basketball sucks.
In a tournament, I’ll take the home court advantage over RPI any day.
I just can’t believe they haven’t raised the last $2 million for the BSA. That’s inexcusable from a school, alumni, and fan support side!
Zero big basketball wins in 5+ years outside woodys last second shot. Before that beat Wisc Marquette. This group of juniors should of had more success than this