Bison Football Saturdays with Dad

[GRAFTONBISON]

My father was one of the original TeamMakers. He was a major donor to the BSA and a contractor at the Dacotah Field project. I remember going to the games and cheering for the Bison in the 60's and on. On more than one occasion I remember wearing plastic sheeting while watching the Bison play. We didn't miss any home games. He was a pretty proud guy when I walked on and came out of the tunnel wearing Bison green. When he retired in 1986 and moved to 'Bama' I took over his tickets and kept the tradition going.

Since he retired I have been very fortunate to get him to come back in August each year which has usually made it possible to catch a game (the highlight of his trip). We went to Ames, Kansas, and Lafayette among others. He watches or listens to all the games on gobison or now espn3. He is one of the biggest Bison fans ever.

He went back to 'Bama' after the Lafayette game & wasn't feeling so hot. After some tests he was told he had Kidney cancer. They thought it wouldn't be a problem to treat. But they did further testing and found more. The day before the GSU game he had a Doctor's appt that didn't go well. He was told that he had cancer in the liver and it was too big to operate. So the doc told him, "to enjoy himself". He was scheduled to fly through Dallas on the 10th of Jan to visit my sister in Honolulu. The first thing I did was call my dad after the game and ask him if he wanted to go to the National Championship game. The answer was an emphatic "yes".

I will be going south on Thursday morning with 2 of da brothers and da daughter. We will partake in the ORU BB game on Thurs and meet up with dad on Friday. We will be sitting in sec 103 row 29 and wearing an assortment of green & yellow.

I want to thank the Bison Team and Coaches for allowing us this opportunity to enjoy one more Bison Football Saturday with Dad.

GO BISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, does this post put things into the proper perspective.

Here's to creating another weekend of memories you will never forget!!


I think this is a perfect example that we should all enjoy the ride this weekend as we don't know when the next time this opportunity will present itself again. After all it has been 21 years since the last National Championship Game.


GO BISON!!!!

[17>1]

My father was one of the original TeamMakers. He was a major donor to the BSA and a contractor at the Dacotah Field project. I remember going to the games and cheering for the Bison in the 60's and on. On more than one occasion I remember wearing plastic sheeting while watching the Bison play. We didn't miss any home games. He was a pretty proud guy when I walked on and came out of the tunnel wearing Bison green. When he retired in 1986 and moved to 'Bama' I took over his tickets and kept the tradition going.

Since he retired I have been very fortunate to get him to come back in August each year which has usually made it possible to catch a game (the highlight of his trip). We went to Ames, Kansas, and Lafayette among others. He watches or listens to all the games on gobison or now espn3. He is one of the biggest Bison fans ever.

He went back to 'Bama' after the Lafayette game & wasn't feeling so hot. After some tests he was told he had Kidney cancer. They thought it wouldn't be a problem to treat. But they did further testing and found more. The day before the GSU game he had a Doctor's appt that didn't go well. He was told that he had cancer in the liver and it was too big to operate. So the doc told him, "to enjoy himself". He was scheduled to fly through Dallas on the 10th of Jan to visit my sister in Honolulu. The first thing I did was call my dad after the game and ask him if he wanted to go to the National Championship game. The answer was an emphatic "yes".

I will be going south on Thursday morning with 2 of da brothers and da daughter. We will partake in the ORU BB game on Thurs and meet up with dad on Friday. We will be sitting in sec 103 row 29 and wearing an assortment of green & yellow.

I want to thank the Bison Team and Coaches for allowing us this opportunity to enjoy one more Bison Football Saturday with Dad.

GO BISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing. What a tremendous oppurtunity for him to spend some of his final days cheering on his favorite team in the National Championship. I have an amazing bond with my father. I can't imagine how I'll react to his passing when that day comes, but I don't think it will go as well as I handled losing my mother. They say that the relationship between a father and his son is something special. Go Bison!!!

[CaBisonFan]

This opportunity will come several times in the next decade or two. The program has been rebuilt, and it will remain intact because of its importance to the state & region. The Bison Brand has increased in value for recruits. We will compete with UNI for prominence in the conference, and we will do very well.

This takes nothing away from the experience that Da Bison wrote about. It's totally awesome...and it's one of the best posts that I've ever seen on bisonville.

What I'm saying is this...we can relax & enjoy because we'll be back. On Saturday there are two options...win...or lose. But I guarantee this...the Bison will play their hearts out to the wire.

There are many ways to win. This group of players will win. They won't pull a Vikings 'no-show in the Super Bowl.' The Bison simply don't know how to do something that stupid.

[17>1]

This opportunity will come several times in the next decade or two. The program has been rebuilt, and it will remain intact because of its importance to the state & region. The Bison Brand has increased in value for recruits. We will compete with UNI for prominence in the conference, and we will do very well.

This takes nothing away from the experience that Da Bison wrote about. It's totally awesome...and it's one of the best posts that I've ever seen on bisonville.

What I'm saying is this...we can relax & enjoy because we'll be back. On Saturday there are two options...win...or lose. But I guarantee this...the Bison will play their hearts out to the wire.

There are many ways to win. This group of players will win. They won't pull a Vikings 'no-show in the Super Bowl.' The Bison simply don't know how to do something that stupid.

Ca, no offense intended, but this post just seems a little out of place in this thread. People have shared memories they have about loved ones lost or memories of days gone by that they were able to share with family. And how those memories and our love for all things Bison can tie us together and sort of create a bond. I know you didn't mean any disrespect to Da Bison, as you pointed out. But assuring him and everyone else that the Bison will have many more oppurtunities like this in the next decade or two is irrelevant to the subject matter at hand. His father may never get another chance to watch the Bison play for a title. I think the direction of his post allowed us some insight on him being able to spend his final days watching Bison football, this weekend, not next year or the year after that, with his dad.

On a side note, I know you're as fired up as the rest of us. Go Bison!!!

[tjamz]

Awesome posts by all who shared. Brought a few tears to my eyes as my own father was admitted to the hospital last friday. He had lost a lot of blood due to a colonoscopy where he had 4 polyps removed. He was taken to a local hospital in Rugby who then transferred him to Minot. Fortunately it was nothing major, and he's now out of the hospital, but it scared the hell out of me. He is not a big football fan, but he and I have grown into great friends as I have grown older and wiser (even though I thought I knew a lot more 18 years ago) and have become ice fishing buddies. I never stopped to think about it until I read this thread just now, but I'm sure when he passes away (hopefully not for many years) I won't be able to look at a frozen lake the same without remembering everything that was great about him and how we shared our love for ice fishing.

Thanks for sharing.

[Da Bison]

photo 33.jpg

Dads Last Game

He had an absolute blast in Frisco

He met up with some old friends and made a few new ones.

Dad was staying with us in Fargo and undergoing cancer treatment at Roger Maris.
He was having a great time re-watching the Bison games from last year. Couldn't wait to see them.
I walked in on Monday night and he was watching the Bison UWGB Basketball game. Had a hard time staying awake, but watched the win. We were going to watch the Ga Southern game next. He was a Bison to the core.

He passed away Wednesday morning peacefully in his sleep. Too soon, but he didn't suffer.

Thanks for the memories Dad!!

[MNLonghorn10]

prayers. i'm sorry about the loss..


i'm glad your dad got to see ndsu go out on top, in person.

[EndZoneQB]

I missed this thread when I was on my hiatus from the YSU game to after the championship win(hey, it worked right??).

My dad is also responsible for getting me into Bison athletics. Lost him about 4 years ago now on 6/1, and the running joke since the Fargodome was "Hey, home playoff game this year maybe!" Unfortunately, the two of us never got to see one together, even tho we did travel to a few away games over the years, but never missed a home game(unless I had a game, etc). It definitely was a catalyst for our relationship all the way until the very end...his chemo hurt his hands so bad, he couldn't even clap right at the end, but he was still there. The first game of 08, we brought his favorite sweatshirt and hat and placed it on his seat. And not that it's an excuse, but my "incident" at our home playoff game, I assume, was partly driven by my emotions/excitement for finally being able to take in a home playoff game after all these years of my dad and I talking about it. I wish he could have seen the championship run, he would have been a bigger fan(and partier) than me, I can guarantee that much. I also wish he could have shared in the fun we have at the Frisco Cruiser...I know he could have never imagined him or I having a tailgate rig, or for that matter, tailgating being as big as it is today.

Great times!

[tony]

photo 33.jpg

Dads Last Game

He had an absolute blast in Frisco

He met up with some old friends and made a few new ones.

Dad was staying with us in Fargo and undergoing cancer treatment at Roger Maris.
He was having a great time re-watching the Bison games from last year. Couldn't wait to see them.
I walked in on Monday night and he was watching the Bison UWGB Basketball game. Had a hard time staying awake, but watched the win. We were going to watch the Ga Southern game next. He was a Bison to the core.

He passed away Wednesday morning peacefully in his sleep. Too soon, but he didn't suffer.

Thanks for the memories Dad!!

Sorry for your loss, Da Bison.

[SamsRams]

What an emotional thread......from sad to happy to family its all here. reminds a bit of my first thread!

I really love how Da Bison was able to enjoy Frisco with his dad! It gives me goosebumps just thinking if my dad was still alive and I was able to go to Frisco with him. I remember the first time I thought my dad was the coolest guy in the world. it was bison game day and it was the first game I can remember going to. Swarms of people walking to Dacotah Field and no parking spot in site, but he just rolled up to the front gate right in front of the BSA and they opened those gates like the starting QB just arrived and moved everyone else out of the way.
Without his Bison spirit I know I wouldnt be a tenth of the Bison fan I am today.

Thanks to all those dads who gave us Bison spirit and thanks to the current dads teaching their kids what Bison Pride means!!