Clean up Dakotah Field Practice Field!

[HerdBot]

When you walk by Dacotah Field, the new turf looks great but why don't they spend a few bucks and clean the place up? The bleachers need some paint. It just needs some TLC. It saddens me to see the place we won 8 National Championships at just sitting there and not upkept.

[roadwarrior]

I think you mean the old Dacotah Field!

[HerdBot]

I think you mean the old Dacotah Field!

Can't believe I missed that one. I corrected it.

[tjbison]

Can't believe I missed that one. I corrected it.

Shame on you thats 5 lashings!!!



:D

[roadwarrior]

For your punishment gabe: grab a brush and paint those bleachers!

[TheBisonator]

We don't need that grandstand anymore. Just demolish the thing. It's of no use to us.

Looking forward to all the neg rep.

[Bison"FANatic"]

I have to agree with you Bisonator. With a piece of ones history you either take care of it or tear it down. It looks like the choice has been made to not keep it up so it should be torn down and the space made use of somehow. If nothing has used the bleachers for this many years, well it may be time to take them down. The demo might actually be figured into the BSA renovation, I don't know.

[TheBisonator]

I have to agree with you Bisonator. With a piece of ones history you either take care of it or tear it down. It looks like the choice has been made to not keep it up so it should be torn down and the space made use of somehow. If nothing has used the bleachers for this many years, well it may be time to take them down. The demo might actually be figured into the BSA renovation, I don't know.

Thanks. I know for a fact that the only thing that grandstand has been used for since 2005 is for people to sit on the splintered benches while watching intramural games, lacrosse, cricket, etc. The underbelly of those stands are literally rotting away from lack of use. They've been locked up for years. They could just demolish the thing and build a small set of bleachers in its place. And don't get me started on the old scoreboard. Its abandonment was mentioned in a recent Bison Media Blog piece.

[TbonZach]

I know for a fact that the only thing that grandstand has been used for since 2005 is for people to sit on the splintered benches while watching intramural games, lacrosse, cricket, etc.

And being a makeshift shelter belt for marching band rehearsal. :p

[Facts]

First post here. Anyways, the space under the old bleachers at Dacotah Field are now being used as the base of operations for the campus grounds crew. They just moved in this year. That said, I agree...paint would be nice.

[56BISON73]

Thanks. I know for a fact that the only thing that grandstand has been used for since 2005 is for people to sit on the splintered benches while watching intramural games, lacrosse, cricket, etc. The underbelly of those stands are literally rotting away from lack of use. They've been locked up for years. They could just demolish the thing and build a small set of bleachers in its place. And don't get me started on the old scoreboard. Its abandonment was mentioned in a recent Bison Media Blog piece.

I went in the old locker room last year and it appeared they were using it for storage.

[HooliganBison]

I wonder how many students get MIP's in the dorms a year. I think a good punishment for them is to help restore the bleachers.

[HerdBot]

I have to agree with you Bisonator. With a piece of ones history you either take care of it or tear it down. It looks like the choice has been made to not keep it up so it should be torn down and the space made use of somehow. If nothing has used the bleachers for this many years, well it may be time to take them down. The demo might actually be figured into the BSA renovation, I don't know.

Part of running a first class program is to have a first class practice facility. We already spend 400K on the field turf so why not shell out a few bucks to paint the bleachers and fix them. It's historic and it should be enhanced. Not left to rot. Do we really want to tear down the original grandstand that have been there since 1910 and to put up some mickey mouse bleachers. That will not impress recruits.

If it's part of the BSA renovation I'm cool with it but at the rate we're raising money, the BSA will be done in, what, 2020? I would hope they would at least try to preserve the grand stand.

[Hammersmith]

Here's the problem as I see it. Under the athletic facilities master plan, the grandstands were to be torn down to make room for two artificial turf practice fields running north/south. That's why no money was spent on maintaining them in the past; why throw money into something you plan to tear down? When the decision was made to go ahead with returfing* the existing field, there wasn't enough money to tear down the grandstands and prep the site for two fields. The cheap way was to just move the existing field 20 yards west and call it good. And that brings up the important question: Has the master plan changed or is the current field just a temporary fix? If it's temporary, why throw money into something that will still be torn down anyway? Sure it's ugly and falling apart, but is it even worth putting one dollar into something when that dollar would be better served in another project?

My guess is the mid range plan is to renovate the BSA and then tear down the stands and redo the fields when the current turf reaches the last third of its life(7-10 years) unless one of us wins the lottery and becomes NDSU's sugar daddy. Around that same time, the soccer fields will be moved to the current FB grass practice fields and a small grandstand will be built there. In the long term, I think the plan is to use the Dacotah site for an indoor practice facility that connects to the BSA. That's just a guess, but it's a logical one. Of course, we're about $50MM away from even thinking about that.


*it's a word if I say it is ;)

[HerdBot]

Here's the problem as I see it. Under the athletic facilities master plan, the grandstands were to be torn down to make room for two artificial turf practice fields running north/south. That's why no money was spent on maintaining them in the past; why throw money into something you plan to tear down? When the decision was made to go ahead with returfing* the existing field, there wasn't enough money to tear down the grandstands and prep the site for two fields. The cheap way was to just move the existing field 20 yards west and call it good. And that brings up the important question: Has the master plan changed or is the current field just a temporary fix? If it's temporary, why throw money into something that will still be torn down anyway? Sure it's ugly and falling apart, but is it even worth putting one dollar into something when that dollar would be better served in another project?

My guess is the mid range plan is to renovate the BSA and then tear down the stands and redo the fields when the current turf reaches the last third of its life(7-10 years) unless one of us wins the lottery and becomes NDSU's sugar daddy. Around that same time, the soccer fields will be moved to the current FB grass practice fields and a small grandstand will be built there. In the long term, I think the plan is to use the Dacotah site for an indoor practice facility that connects to the BSA. That's just a guess, but it's a logical one. Of course, we're about $50MM away from even thinking about that.


*it's a word if I say it is ;)

If its a 7-10 year plan we need to clean the place up because it gives a bad impression to the next 7-10 recruiting classes. It also diminishes the 8 national championdhips. Do we want the next 7 - 10. years of potential recruit thinking "this I the dump that we won all those championships at?" I think that sends a bad message.

[TheBisonator]

If its a 7-10 year plan we need to clean the place up because it gives a bad impression to the next 7-10 recruiting classes. It also diminishes the 8 national championdhips. Do we want the next 7 - 10. years of potential recruit thinking "this I the dump that we won all those championships at?" I think that sends a bad message.

I can tell you from first hand experience knowing all the players from 2003 to about last year that they have definitely had that impression. Several players I talked to in the past didn't even realize there used to be a huge 9,000-seat grandstand on the south sideline which was then the main side. The assumption recently among recruits has been that we used to play in a small, shitty stadium. They're wrong about the small part.

[HerdBot]

I can tell you from first hand experience knowing all the players from 2003 to about last year that they have definitely had that impression. Several players I talked to in the past didn't even realize there used to be a huge 9,000-seat grandstand on the south sideline which was then the main side. The assumption recently among recruits has been that we used to play in a small, shitty stadium. They're wrong about the small part.

The irony is that it used to be one of the best d2 stadiums in the country and it was actually used as a recruiting tool. How about putting up a wood sign with a picture of the packed stadium paying tribute to the championships. Its the respectable thing to do.

[sambini]

Ive heard it will come down. Lead paint and other things need to be removed.

[56BISON73]

I can tell you from first hand experience knowing all the players from 2003 to about last year that they have definitely had that impression. Several players I talked to in the past didn't even realize there used to be a huge 9,000-seat grandstand on the south sideline which was then the main side. The assumption recently among recruits has been that we used to play in a small, shitty stadium. They're wrong about the small part.

It wasnt shitty in its day. Just becuise it didnt have a concourse with multiple food vendors to quell your appetite doesnt mean it was a shitty stadium.

[TransAmBison]

Earned a little neg rep from me for the shitty stadium comment. The boy holds little regard for history. Don't get me wrong, I've met Bisonator on a number of occasions and I like the guy, but I don't go for his views on Dacotah Field.

[NDSUFan_Sav]

he never said it was a shitty stadium...that's what recruits were saying to him being we don't have the south grandstand that was the majority of the seating and with that not there and just the one side the recruits are only thinking that we use to play with just those stands and that is all. That's how I took his comment, maybe I'm wrong.

[TransAmBison]

he never said it was a shitty stadium...that's what recruits were saying to him being we don't have the south grandstand that was the majority of the seating and with that not there and just the one side the recruits are only thinking that we use to play with just those stands and that is all. That's how I took his comment, maybe I'm wrong.
Reread it...he was attempting to be clever.

[GradBison]

I'm having a hard time finding pictures of Dacotah field before the South grandstand was torn down. If anyone has a link or can post some pictures, I'd appreciate it.

[roadwarrior]

I think there is a pic in the football media guide.

[TheBisonator]

Wow, thanks for the red chiclet threats guys, all of you!! You just can't understand that there's a Bison fan out there that doesn't want to see a modern ruin laying on the campus of the university that he paid tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to in order to get a degree from, criticizing a sign of embarrassment on this campus from people under the age of 25 more than anything. It's fine if you all cherished that place in the 80's or 70's or whatever. The truth of the matter is that for what NDSU is today, at the dawn of the 2010's (The 2010's!!! it's almost 2010, and have you looked at that thing lately??!! That thing exists in the year 2010??), that place does not belong here anymore. Throw arrows of fire at me for wanting an athletic sector of campus that students of NDSU can take some pride in. Put a plaque there, anything. I don't care. Just demolish it. It's better to look at a headstone than a maggot-ridden cadaver, don't you think?? Can you not all agree on that??

[GOB1SON]

Sometimes, when I close my eyes and dream a dream, I see the underbelly of those old bleachers completely renovated into a bar and grill. Someplace to have a beer and burger on game day.

The structure stays the same. Bleachers over the top for the practice facility, etc... But underneath is the Bison Club (or something like that).

Now don't make fun of me. It is just a dream, but it would be cool.

[TransAmBison]

Wow, thanks for the red chiclet threats guys, all of you!! You just can't understand that there's a Bison fan out there that doesn't want to see a modern ruin laying on the campus of the university that he paid tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to in order to get a degree from, criticizing a sign of embarrassment on this campus from people under the age of 25 more than anything. It's fine if you all cherished that place in the 80's or 70's or whatever. The truth of the matter is that for what NDSU is today, at the dawn of the 2010's (The 2010's!!! it's almost 2010, and have you looked at that thing lately??!! That thing exists in the year 2010??), that place does not belong here anymore. Throw arrows of fire at me for wanting an athletic sector of campus that students of NDSU can take some pride in. Put a plaque there, anything. I don't care. Just demolish it. It's better to look at a headstone than a maggot-ridden cadaver, don't you think?? Can you not all agree on that??
This I understand and can agree with to a point, but not the crap you spewed earlier.

[TheBisonator]

Sometimes, when I close my eyes and dream a dream, I see the underbelly of those old bleachers completely renovated into a bar and grill. Someplace to have a beer and burger on game day.

The structure stays the same. Bleachers over the top for the practice facility, etc... But underneath is the Bison Club (or something like that).

Now don't make fun of me. It is just a dream, but it would be cool.

That would be a good idea in my opinion. Perhaps a sports bar independently owned from NDSU that pays NDSU rent money, or something like that. Then at least you could replace the benches and repaint the seating area. Would be a great pre and post-game hangout. Use the cadaver for science rather than letting the wolves pick at it.

[HerdBot]

Wow, thanks for the red chiclet threats guys, all of you!! You just can't understand that there's a Bison fan out there that doesn't want to see a modern ruin laying on the campus of the university that he paid tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to in order to get a degree from, criticizing a sign of embarrassment on this campus from people under the age of 25 more than anything. It's fine if you all cherished that place in the 80's or 70's or whatever. The truth of the matter is that for what NDSU is today, at the dawn of the 2010's (The 2010's!!! it's almost 2010, and have you looked at that thing lately??!! That thing exists in the year 2010??), that place does not belong here anymore. Throw arrows of fire at me for wanting an athletic sector of campus that students of NDSU can take some pride in. Put a plaque there, anything. I don't care. Just demolish it. It's better to look at a headstone than a maggot-ridden cadaver, don't you think?? Can you not all agree on that??

I see your point but Dacotah Field was one of the top D2 facilities in the nation and it has potential to be one of the top D1-AA practice facilities in the nation. All we need to do is paint the thing and do some minor repairs. Fix the scoreboard. Do something cool with the old locker room. Make some sort of museum or display out of it. Class it up a bit. Put up some sort of marker so people 25 and under can actually appreciate it for what it is.

It would probably cost MORE to tear the grandstand down and put up some half assed mickey mouse looking bleachers. Plus we lose a classic brick grandstand that has the potential to be very classy looking. By tearing it down and doing a cheap replacement, the practice field actually looks more embarrassing.

Think about downtown Fargo... many of these buildings were total dumps and instead of tearing them down they remodeled.

But I do agree that "as is" it does nothing.

This is off topic but I think they need to make the Fargodome actually feel like the home of the Bison and do more for atmosphere. I've posted over and over that we should put the National Championship banners in a spot that they can actually be seen. It's more embarrassing that you can walk into the dome and not have a clue about the teams tradition. Why do we not have our Great West Championship Banner?

Also the backside of the dome looks like crap. There are no signs or anything green and yellow.

[HerdBot]

Sometimes, when I close my eyes and dream a dream, I see the underbelly of those old bleachers completely renovated into a bar and grill. Someplace to have a beer and burger on game day.

The structure stays the same. Bleachers over the top for the practice facility, etc... But underneath is the Bison Club (or something like that).

Now don't make fun of me. It is just a dream, but it would be cool.

That is a good idea.

How about a Bison Museum? They could put old black and white photos in frames. Old game balls. Old helmets. Play old game tapes. Old lockers. Class the place up. It could be a cross between the Roger Maris display at West Acres and the Maury Wills museum at Newman.

[HerdBot]

I'm having a hard time finding pictures of Dacotah field before the South grandstand was torn down. If anyone has a link or can post some pictures, I'd appreciate it.

http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=1565729

It's on the plaque they were selling. You have to click the pic and zoom in.

[Bisonguy]

I see your point but Dacotah Field was one of the top D2 facilities in the nation and it has potential to be one of the top D1-AA practice facilities in the nation. All we need to do is paint the thing and do some minor repairs. Fix the scoreboard. Do something cool with the old locker room. Make some sort of museum or display out of it. Class it up a bit. Put up some sort of marker so people 25 and under can actually appreciate it for what it is.

It would probably cost MORE to tear the grandstand down and put up some half assed mickey mouse looking bleachers. Plus we lose a classic brick grandstand that has the potential to be very classy looking. By tearing it down and doing a cheap replacement, the practice field actually looks more embarrassing.

Think about downtown Fargo... many of these buildings were total dumps and instead of tearing them down they remodeled.

But I do agree that "as is" it does nothing.

This is off topic but I think they need to make the Fargodome actually feel like the home of the Bison and do more for atmosphere. I've posted over and over that we should put the National Championship banners in a spot that they can actually be seen. It's more embarrassing that you can walk into the dome and not have a clue about the teams tradition. Why do we not have our Great West Championship Banner?

Also the backside of the dome looks like crap. There are no signs or anything green and yellow.

If they just paint it, the stands will probably fall down. The paint chips have paint chips. I walked the bleachers last year when they started the new turf install, and it would take a MAJOR sandblasting (or dry ice blasting) to make the stands look decent. I swear the current paint that's falling off has at least 20 layers and is about a 1/2 inch thick.

[HerdBot]

If they just paint it, the stands will probably fall down. The paint chips have paint chips. I walked the bleachers last year when they started the new turf install, and it would take a MAJOR sandblasting (or dry ice blasting) to make the stands look decent. I swear the current paint that's falling off has at least 20 layers and is about a 1/2 inch thick.

I'm sure it's thick but we've taken on tougher projects than that. If they don't fix it I'm going to show up one of these weekends with a sandblaster and do it myself. Of course I'll probably get arrested so I'll pass.

[4mcruenomore]

OK, can someone spell it right? Someone give this guy a break and spell the title of the thread right, I can't stand it. Edit?

[GradBison]

Not too many pictures available, I'd really love to see the facade of the South Grandstand, and there gotta be some color pictures there no?

The best I found in the media guide, thanks Road.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3839567593_558b31f94c_o.jpg

[roadwarrior]

The facade of the south stands was nothing special. Red brick on the lower 3 feet or so, and white metal covering the rest of it. The south stands were purchased in 1972 from Fenway Park where they were used as temporary seating when using the field for football. They were not much more than scaffolding and wood planks. They were a huge improvement over the stands that were on the south side prior to that. The seating in the lower section were standard metal folding chairs not even fastened down and in the upper section were wooden bleachers. The "temporary" design of the whole setup made it easy for the crowd to pound its feet on the loosely fastened wood planks and make a lot of noise.

For those that don't know, the lower section now sits on the west side of the outdoor track/soccer field. The upper section sits on the east side.

[GradBison]

Thanks so much for the info Road.

In light of this.... I think I like Memorial Stadium in GF better. :hide:
I was up there early this week and thought the grandstand looked impressive. :hide: :hide: :hide:

[lcbison]

Thanks so much for the info Road.

In light of this.... I think I like Memorial Stadium in GF better. :hide:
I was up there early this week and thought the grandstand looked impressive. :hide: :hide: :hide:


Agree, but mainly cause they still use Memorial on a regular basis. Watch any newscast of Sioux Football practice and they are usually on Memorial. This is mainly because the "Aurora" is so far from campus, so its their only option to practice on turf.

They also got new turf in there after the flood of '97, so that was more motivation to keep it up. Finally, They left Memorial in 2000, 8 years after we left Dacotah.

[TheBisonator]

Agree, but mainly cause they still use Memorial on a regular basis. Watch any newscast of Sioux Football practice and they are usually on Memorial. This is mainly because the "Aurora" is so far from campus, so its their only option to practice on turf.

They also got new turf in there after the flood of '97, so that was more motivation to keep it up. Finally, They left Memorial in 2000, 8 years after we left Dacotah.

Also, Memorial is still being used by their Track/Field teams.

[MHDBisonfan]

The facade of the south stands was nothing special. Red brick on the lower 3 feet or so, and white metal covering the rest of it. The south stands were purchased in 1972 from Fenway Park where they were used as temporary seating when using the field for football. They were not much more than scaffolding and wood planks. They were a huge improvement over the stands that were on the south side prior to that. The seating in the lower section were standard metal folding chairs not even fastened down and in the upper section were wooden bleachers. The "temporary" design of the whole setup made it easy for the crowd to pound its feet on the loosely fastened wood planks and make a lot of noise.

For those that don't know, the lower section now sits on the west side of the outdoor track/soccer field. The upper section sits on the east side.

One of my all time best memories of that place...man, people just went crazy doing that on big third down plays, etc. Do that now in the dome, and you'd end up with a couple of shinsplints! DF rocked baby! :nod:

[roadwarrior]

In light of this.... I think I like Memorial Stadium in GF better. :hide:

Dacotah Field had indoor restroom facilities on both sides of the field. You cannot say the same thing for the place up north.

[Gully]

The facade of the south stands was nothing special. Red brick on the lower 3 feet or so, and white metal covering the rest of it. The south stands were purchased in 1972 from Fenway Park where they were used as temporary seating when using the field for football. They were not much more than scaffolding and wood planks. They were a huge improvement over the stands that were on the south side prior to that. The seating in the lower section were standard metal folding chairs not even fastened down and in the upper section were wooden bleachers. The "temporary" design of the whole setup made it easy for the crowd to pound its feet on the loosely fastened wood planks and make a lot of noise.

For those that don't know, the lower section now sits on the west side of the outdoor track/soccer field. The upper section sits on the east side.

Yep, rather than stomping up and down we used to kick our heels backward into the board that covered part of the gap between the board you sat on and the board your feet rested on.

[99Bison]

Yep, rather than stomping up and down we used to kick our heels backward into the board that covered part of the gap between the board you sat on and the board your feet rested on.

Yes, this was great!

[4mcruenomore]

I just love the "cold" element. Bring up a UC Davis, Cal Poly, Griz, whoever, when the wind is blowing -20 windchill and we have a power running game. We play on too much of a neutral field now IMO.

[Facts]

I just love the "cold" element. Bring up a UC Davis, Cal Poly, Griz, whoever, when the wind is blowing -20 windchill and we have a power running game. We play on too much of a neutral field now IMO.

True, but the FFD wouldn't be neutral if our fans would cheer more consistently.

[56BISON73]

True, but the FFD wouldn't be neutral if our fans would cheer more consistently.

Oh not this again:banghead:

[NDSUstudent]

True, but the FFD wouldn't be neutral if our fans would cheer more consistently.

And even more so if they all wore yellow. ;)

[Bisonguy]

Oh not this again:banghead:


PL- we all know you're intimidated by a yellow t-shirt. :D ;)

[56BISON73]

PL- we all know you're intimidated by a yellow t-shirt. :D ;)

Thats why I dont like to wear yellow because I then scare myself:D

[met1990]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I think it's incredible that Lamar Gordon was recruited to NDSU and played his entire career with his locker room based at Dacotah Field. I'm as big a Dacotah Field fan as you can find, but the fact the team was based out of that facility until a couple of years ago is unreal.

[4mcruenomore]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I think it's incredible that Lamar Gordon was recruited to NDSU and played his entire career with his locker room based at Dacotah Field. I'm as big a Dacotah Field fan as you can find, but the fact the team was based out of that facility until a couple of years ago is unreal.

Same shit for the new BB stadium at the dome, they didn't accomodate for lockerrooms. Jesus, we have some genius's running this stuff.