Official Countdown Thread!!

[Bisonguy]

Only 80 days until the Spring Game (April 23rd)!!!

220 days until the first game currently on the schedule (Sept. 10th)!!!!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Junior]

How about daily Bison trivia this year? I know I could use some education. ;) ;)

[Bisonfan1]

Spring game is not far away, that is the good news, the bad news is, it is the same day as the NFL draft again. That is too bad, as I think there would probably be a much larger crowd at the spring game. If I recall, there were alot of NFL draft parties at local pubs in Fargo last year. I was told that there is a small window to get so many practices and the spring game in each spring. Thoughts ? I know my priority list is the spring game over the NFL draft, however would sure like to be able to watch the draft on Saturday.

[BisonCountry]

Do any radio stations cover the draft? Ultimate scenario would be to watch Bison & listen to the draft IMHO.

[jjbluecw]

I am sure ESPN radio will be having live draft coverage.

[Bison_Dan]

Why can't we watch the NFL draft on the tron's, the spring game in our seats while having a beer? ;D ;D

[insane_ponderer]

we have had this problem for years because we always have a huge draft day party (its usually nice enough to bbq). What we generally do is whoever has late picks in the first round is usually safe but we have people on the phones just in case.

When i went two years ago i got a phone call from the guys back at the apt saying that buffalo had drafted willis mcgahee in the late first round. lol and i thought they were just kidding...

[Bisonfan1]

I should have mentioned as G-City Bison Fan did, as there are alot of house parties for the NFL draft, it is just a huge event for alot of people (football fans) that could be at the spring game. We listened to the draft as we tailgated for the spring game on the radio, It is much funner to watch though. Until someone explains it better, couldnt practice start a week later so the spring game could be the following week after the draft? To me the spring game which is free, is an excellant opportunity to introduce more people to Bison Football that may potentially come to the fall games.

[BisonCountry]

Why can't we watch the NFL draft on the tron's, the spring game in our seats while having a beer? * ;D ;D

My bad...that would be the ULTIMATE Scenario. 8)

[BisonCountry]

I should have mentioned as G-City Bison Fan did, as there are alot of house parties for the NFL draft, it is just a huge event for alot of people (football fans) that could be at the spring game. We listened to the draft as we tailgated for the spring game on the radio, It is much funner to watch though. Until someone explains it better, couldnt practice start a week later so the spring game could be the following week after the draft? To me the spring game which is free, is an excellant opportunity to introduce more people to Bison Football that may potentially come to the fall games.

Do you know if there is a schedule out for Spring Practices? I haven't been able to find one. I found the following rules from the NCAA by-laws. It requires the 15 practice sessions be done within 29 consecutive days. I'm assuming NDSU wouldn't want to push the Spring game back a week as that may interfere with Final's week.

b) Spring Practice. [I-A/I-AA] Fifteen postseason practice sessions [including intrasquad scrimmages and the spring game permitted in Bylaw 17.11.5.2-(a)] are permissible. An institution is not required to count as one of its 15 designated days any day during which countable athletically related activities are limited solely to required conditioning activities and/or review of game film. Practice sessions must meet the following conditions: (Revised: 6/21/01)

(1) All practice sessions are conducted within a period of 29 consecutive calendar days, omitting vacation and examination days officially announced on the institution's calendar and days during which the institution is closed due to inclement weather.

(2) Any such practice sessions held during vacation days may not be of longer duration than those normally held when academic classes are in session.

(3) Only 12 of the practice sessions may involve contact, and such contact shall not occur prior to the third practice session.

(4) The noncontact practice sessions may involve headgear as the only piece of protective equipment.

(5) Of the 12 permissible contact sessions, eight sessions may involve tackling, and no more than three of the eight tackling sessions may be devoted primarily (greater than 50 percent of practice time) to 11-on-11 scrimmages.

(6) Tackling shall be prohibited in four of the 12 contact sessions. An institution has the discretion to determine the practice activities (other than tackling) that may occur during the four contact nontackling sessions as well as the protective equipment to be worn by the student-athletes.

(7) If an institution conducts a "spring game" per Bylaw 17.11.5.2-(a), the game shall be counted as one of the three sessions that can be devoted primarily to 11-on-11 scrimmages.

(8 ) The amount of time that a student-athlete may be involved in such postseason countable athletically related activities shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per day and 20 hours per week. (Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90, 1/10/91, 1/10/92, 1/11/94, 1/13/98 )

[Bisonfan1]

Thank you BisonCountry, that sheds some light on the picture. Spring practice starts March 30th, I have not seen a schedule anywhere either. I dont know when finals week is either, but that is another thing I had not thought about. After reading that I now know what they mean by a small window to get the practices and game in. There must be some main reason to the madness of scheduling during the NFL draft, as Im sure NDSU is aware that event is going to keep people from coming to the spring game.

[IowaBison]

finals week is the 9th through the 13th.

[greenandgold01]

The NCAA really limits spring practice now.

I wonder if they'll eventually get rid of it.

[insane_ponderer]

another thing i forgot to mention is that the spring game is usually a very good judge of how well the season is going to go, the last three years i have went were all fairly accurate indicators of the positives and negatives to expect during the season.

[Bisonguy]

Why can't we watch the NFL draft on the tron's, the spring game in our seats while having a beer? * ;D ;D

No Alcohol at University events. :'(

I really wish they could have the Spring Game not fall on the same weekend as the draft. The crowds definitely would be bigger.

I know Bisonfan1 will probably be tailgating, but for those that aren't, I strongly recommend taking in the dinner before the game. Great food from Outback for only $10 (and lots of it- appetizers, chicken, ribs, baked potato, salad, soda, and cheesecake- try getting that much food at Outback for $10 at the restaurant:o) , some rah-rah speeches from the coaches, all money goes to charity, and the opportunity to see Phil Hansen break three plastic forks while eating.

[Bisonguy]

74 days until the Spring Game!

214 days until the first currently scheduled game!

[Gamehunter]

sweet, Im there!

Serioulsy, I have never been so into football untill this year when I got to see the Bison play. It used to be that I couldn't care less about a game.

I am definatly dragging a bunch of friends to the spring game. I'm sure they don't have anything better to do.

[Bisonguy]

67 days until the Spring Game!

207 days until the first currently scheduled game!!

Useless non-Bison trivia that I saw on a calendar today:

What sport is credited with creating the term "second-string"?

[greenandgold01]

67 days until the Spring Game!

207 days until the first currently scheduled game!!

Useless non-Bison trivia that I saw on a calendar today:

What sport is credited with creating the term "second-string"?

Underwater basket weaving.

[Junior]

Archery

[Bisonguy]

Archery



Junior wins the grand prize of knowing he is correct!!!

[Junior]

I can't in good conscience accept this award because I cheated and asked jeeves. :-[

[Gamehunter]

So you guys need to expain this stuff to me. How does the spring game work? I presume it is something like a 10 on 10 or 11 on 11 scrimage? What decided the teams? Do redshirts get to play?

[thundar94]

number 1 offense plays the number 1 defense, number 2 offense plays the number 2 defense. number 1 offense and number 2 offense are on opposite sides, obviously, and same for defense. 11 on 11.

[BisonCountry]

number 1 offense plays the number 1 defense, number 2 offense plays the number 2 defense. number 1 offense and number 2 offense are on opposite sides, obviously, and same for defense. 11 on 11.

I believe this is something that changed when Bohl arrived. In prior years I think the coaching staff drafted teams. Not sure if it's #1O vs. #1D.

[roadwarrior]

All of the redshirts get to play - that's one of the best reasons to watch the game. I remember seeing Steffes for the first time 2 years ago in the spring game and then seeing Walker for the first time last spring.

Bohl has made the spring game more like a real game. The major difference is that the clock runs continuous and the quarters are shorter. Their is also a full referee crew working the game.

[Bisonguy]

All of the redshirts get to play - that's one of the best reasons to watch the game. *I remember seeing Steffes for the first time 2 years ago in the spring game and then seeing Walker for the first time last spring.

Bohl has made the spring game more like a real game. *The major difference is that the clock runs continuous and the quarters are shorter. *Their is also a full referee crew working the game.

I thought it was still 15 minute quarters, just the clock ran continuously. ???


Don't forget the charity luncheon before the game. Only $10 gets you twice, maybe even three times as much, great food from Outback as you would get from the restaurant. Plus, speeches from the coaches, and all proceeds go to charity.