My Holiday Off-the Wall Contribution

[CaBisonFan]

Surprise...another off-the-wall thread from me. Please check out this link if you want a little more detail. http://www.areavoices.com/cabisonfan/ And while you're at it...check out gabe's BisonNation blog. There's a link on my blog.

Idea

1. Start planning a new stadium. Call it 'Erhardt Stadium' or 'Chapman Stadium.' In an ideal financial world, with a few very large contributors, make it a retractable roof so that the team and fans can experience outdoor football again. If not affordable...still make it a state-of-the-art 'outdoor' stadium. Bring Bison football back outside again. (Has anyone noticed that the Bison have lost their last two games in the elements...SDSU & Montana State?)

2. Over the next 5 to 10 years begin the groundwork for a DI conference in all sports. SDSU, NDSU, Iowa, Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Missouri.

With a conference like this...a stadium of 35-45 thousand would be needed...minimum. If the big donations could be found, make the retractable stadium adaptable for baseball. Definitely make it a football stadium, with football sightlines. The reason being that if our baseball team is going to play DI baseball...give them a chance to play at home and to start real practice in January.

Why? Because I think that Fargo and NDSU are capable of being like the schools I've mentioned. Think big for the future. Kick butt in the FCS for 10-12 years...then move up.

Potential for unreal games in Fargo...and fabulous road trips. It's a pipedream, very likely.

[onbison09]

Have you played the lottery lately? Not knocking you for having fun but your odds are probably about as good there.

[CaBisonFan]

Have you played the lottery lately? Not knocking you for having fun but your odds are probably about as good there.

I dream about winning the lottery. I'm dreaming about this.

After touring the Ralph a couple of summers ago...I thought to myself..."self, this is a little outlandish." If the best hockey arena in the world can be built in Grand Forks...well...

[Jdubs21]

I dream about winning the lottery. I'm dreaming about this.

After touring the Ralph a couple of summers ago...I thought to myself..."self, this is a little outlandish." If the best hockey arena in the world can be built in Grand Forks...well...

haha perfectly said

[02Bison]

Surprise...another off-the-wall thread from me. Please check out this link if you want a little more detail. http://www.areavoices.com/cabisonfan/ And while you're at it...check out gabe's BisonNation blog. There's a link on my blog.

Idea.....



Move to Vegas, open some casinos, and when you make your millions you can get this done. And don't forget to hint at being sympathetic to Nazism......

[TheDoctor]

Move to Vegas, open some casinos, and when you make your millions you can get this done. And don't forget to hint at being sympathetic to Nazism......

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: ;)

[McBison]

The Ralph is nice, but it is still just a hockey arena. I think people get caught up in the $100M price tag. I was up there a couple weekends ago for the UMD game and was not blown away by anything. It is very nice, but it is still a hockey arena.

As long as we are dreaming about a 40K stadium with a retractable roof, I want tailgating to start on Fridays @ 5 :cheers:

[4mcruenomore]

40,000 seat outdoor stadium should be called Dacotah Bentrim Field, IMO. Note the spelling of Dacotah, lots of "fans" can't seem to spell it right on this site, anyways.
This stadium idea, mine anyways, also includes us being in the WAC, might as well go big if you are gonna go, right?

[SirHinn]

The Ralph is nice, but it is still just a hockey arena. I think people get caught up in the $100M price tag. I was up there a couple weekends ago for the UMD game and was not blown away by anything. It is very nice, but it is still a hockey arena.

As long as we are dreaming about a 40K stadium with a retractable roof, I want tailgating to start on Fridays @ 5 :cheers:

It's definately not just a hockey areana. It is easily a nice basketball or volleyball arena if needed and also an awesome place for concerts. If you weren't blown away by some of the details put in, no arena would blow you away then.

[Jdubs21]

yeah i agree...in the millions of hockey arena's in the world it is in the top 3....dont knock the ralph just cuz of bitterness to the university it belongs to...you know damn well if that was the bisons arena u would say its the best damn arena on the planet....haha

[McBison]

I guess my point is somewhat mute, because I just do not think it is all that great. I have not been to many hockey arenas so I am not one to judge, but if it is one of the top three in the world, the Excel Energy Center has to be in the top two.

[fargocyclone]

I guess my point is somewhat mute, because I just do not think it is all that great. I have not been to many hockey arenas so I am not one to judge, but if it is one of the top three in the world, the Excel Energy Center has to be in the top two.

Well, McLovin, it sounds like you just don't like hockey, not the arena itself.

I love that movie by the way! Nice avatar!

[McBison]

You are probably very close to the truth cyclone. Hockey is not my thing, but I try to catch games when I can. I just have a hard time believing that the Ralph is the best hockey complex in the world. If the criterion for grading hockey arenas is marble in the pisser, I would have to say it definitely gets an A.:hide:

[B. b. bison]

" ... the university it belongs to* ... "


* Some restrictions apply

Fixed it for you ;)

[CaBisonFan]

Move to Vegas, open some casinos, and when you make your millions you can get this done. And don't forget to hint at being sympathetic to Nazism......

That's about all that I could think of when I toured the Ralph. I wasn't envious...but I wanted to chuck at the Ralph.

[CaBisonFan]

40,000 seat outdoor stadium should be called Dacotah Bentrim Field, IMO. Note the spelling of Dacotah, lots of "fans" can't seem to spell it right on this site, anyways.
This stadium idea, mine anyways, also includes us being in the WAC, might as well go big if you are gonna go, right?

The WAC would be just fine too. We need to do what Cal Davis is doing. They're getting ready for the next step with their stadium.

[CaBisonFan]

You are probably very close to the truth cyclone. Hockey is not my thing, but I try to catch games when I can. I just have a hard time believing that the Ralph is the best hockey complex in the world. If the criterion for grading hockey arenas is marble in the pisser, I would have to say it definitely gets an A.:hide:

I guess when I think of the Ralph, I think of the kinds of material that were used. Nothing but the best...from around the world. It is beyond being a hockey arena in that sense. I see your side of it too. A hockey arena, is a hockey arena, is...

[CaBisonFan]

I guess my point is somewhat mute, because I just do not think it is all that great. I have not been to many hockey arenas so I am not one to judge, but if it is one of the top three in the world, the Excel Energy Center has to be in the top two.

I've been to Staples and the Pond in Anaheim. They're both very, very nice...and very functional...but they didn't put marble up just to have marble. They didn't put in Laker blue leather seats for every fan...etc. Don't need it either.

But it was Ralph's money...so who was to argue?

[McBison]

I hear everything you’re speaking Cabison, and agree with it all. Sometimes it pays to just be frank, and I probably should have from the beginning. I think all the expensive materials are very nice, and make the place feel special. BUT. I still have a hard time believing that leather and marble make the Ralph the best hockey arena in the world. To me, that’s like saying the best air plane in the world is the one that Mr. Trump owns because it has a gold sink and toilet. At this point I am even annoying myself. Too much bitching, not enough Bison FB.

[WYOBISONMAN]

The bottom line is that the Ralph is a great facility and it is a credit to the entire State of North Dakota that it is there. North Dakota will never have pro sports to put us on the map, so what the hell is wrong with both NDSU and UND developing to facilities and top programs...........as long as the Bison stay ahead in the BB and Football race....

Seriously, the Ralph is an incredible faciltiy to have in North Dakota and it helps boost the economy of that part of the state. Just as the Fargodome is one of the top FCS venues in the country.

[BigBison]

Where would we put a 40,000 seat stadium? The air port really blocks alot of good open area.

[mebisonII]

Where would we put a 40,000 seat stadium? The air port really blocks alot of good open area.

Move the airport to the other side of the interstate and use the old one for tailgating, southern-style (i.e. starting on Wednesday). :p

[Mr_Meanor]

I have to admit the Ralph is a really nice arena but it is not even close to the best. I would say it is the most extravagant arena out there but not the best. There is no doubt that the facility is top notch and has all the bells and whistles. However, there are many arena's out there with better sight lines. And being a fan that is the number one priority for me. I would much rather go to a game at the Excel or Mariuicci for that matter. It could have been the best arena in the world if they would have paid a little more attention to the fan aspect of the design instead of just throwing money at things that make the building pretty.

[NDSUstudent]

The Ralph is nice but it is too stuck up for me. All the suites and fancy seats have sucked the college atmosphere right out of the place. Give me Marucci or the Barn anyday over that place. I don't go to a sporting event to be awed by how great the arena is, I go to watch a game in a fun atmosphere.

[WYOBISONMAN]

Excel is a rocking place. I really enjoy hitting a Wild game when I am in St. Paul!

[onbison09]

The only time the fans at the Ralph cheer is when there's a goal, a big hit, or the scoreboard tells them to. (remind you of anywhere??) I've been there and no doubt it's nice but I'd rather go to a game at the Kohl Center in Madison where the fans cheer on every bounce of the puck.

[CaBisonFan]

40,000 seat outdoor stadium should be called Dacotah Bentrim Field, IMO. Note the spelling of Dacotah, lots of "fans" can't seem to spell it right on this site, anyways.
This stadium idea, mine anyways, also includes us being in the WAC, might as well go big if you are gonna go, right?

Yeah...I was thinking that the old stadium wasn't Dakota Field. Couldn't remember the spelling though. Thanks.

[CaBisonFan]

The bottom line is that the Ralph is a great facility and it is a credit to the entire State of North Dakota that it is there. North Dakota will never have pro sports to put us on the map, so what the hell is wrong with both NDSU and UND developing to facilities and top programs...........as long as the Bison stay ahead in the BB and Football race....

Seriously, the Ralph is an incredible faciltiy to have in North Dakota and it helps boost the economy of that part of the state. Just as the Fargodome is one of the top FCS venues in the country.

I agree...and I've been an advocate of people letting down their UND guard, and supporting the Sioux in their DI Hockey ventures...and I don't think that NDSU should try to duplicate the program. On the other side of the coin, the people of the state should support SU's desire to run their flagship program (football) at its highest level, with tremendous financial and moral support. This is my justification, in part, for wanting the Bison to eventually move up to DI in football. It's a long ways away, but the planning and dreaming has to begin at some point. I look at the Boise State model and think..."we could do something like that."

We really need to get out of the 'envy' game with UND and just do our thing.

[CaBisonFan]

The Ralph is nice but it is too stuck up for me. All the suites and fancy seats have sucked the college atmosphere right out of the place. Give me Marucci or the Barn anyday over that place. I don't go to a sporting event to be awed by how great the arena is, I go to watch a game in a fun atmosphere.

Hey...I don't want to pile on the anti-UND wagon right now. Not in the mood at all. But when I first drove by the Ralph someone pointed it out and I thought that it looked like some type of foreign palace...as in non-athletic. Then when I toured it, it didn't have a 'hockey' feel to it. But if the fans there love it, then who am I to really know...or say?

Down where I live, to me, the best sports facility of the modern era is the Staples center. It's totally beautiful, roomy, and out-of-this-world comfortable in the hallways, concessions, etc. But it still has the feel of an athletic arena. Whereas the Pond is more like a living room. I've been to two games at the Rose Bowl to see UCLA play, and that's awesome. Old, but awesome. And Pauley Pavilion is still a great basketball arena full of tradition.

I love the Barn for basketball. Even though it's outdated in many ways, when the house is full and rockin', it simply doesn't get any better from my viewpoint.

[CaBisonFan]

Where would we put a 40,000 seat stadium? The air port really blocks alot of good open area.

By the Hillsboro beet plant would be a good spot. Just kidding.

What's in the area by the BSC and the old Dacotah Field? Has it been pretty well developed? Your question is a good one. I'm an advocate of an on-campus football stadium, but I really don't know where that kind of space would be.

How about on the west side of the interstate somewhere? Is there some significant open space there?

[sambini]

Build it by Chubs. Tear down a few houses etc...

[CaBisonFan]

Build it by Chubs. Tear down a few houses etc...

Where's Chubs at...roughly?

How you doin' sambini?

[sambini]

Good Ca Bison. Chubs is south on University drive.