Re: What game/season hooked you on Bison football?
Sorry in advance as this may suck a little fun out of this thread, but it shows how important Bison football has been to me and my dad. My dad took me to my first Bison game in 1990 (Cal Poly playoff game). My parents were divorced, and anytime the Bison played on Dad's weekend, we'd go. Sometime in elementary school, my mom and I moved to Winnipeg. I started playing hockey and didn't see my dad as much, but he'd still take me to Bison games when I'd come to Fargo. One game (I think it was a night game in 1994 or so), NDSU gave out evergreen saplings, and I planted mine in the backyard in Canada. My Bison tree was still there the last time I went up to a Jets game. That tree meant a lot to me as it represented something that I did with my hero, my dad.
Once I started playing hockey, we didn't get to go to many games together. We had a bit of a falling out as I was a young man who knew everything, and we didn't talk a whole lot. That all changed one wonderful Saturday when I had an extra ticket. A few beers in the tailgate lot, some honest conversation, and a beatdown of Youngstown State later, and we patched things right up.
After that, we didn't miss another game together (whether at the Dome or watching on TV). We had the best relationship a father and son could ask for, until he passed away unexpectedly the night before the 2017 opener (only 59 years old). It really bothers me that our last game was that JMU game in the Dome, so the title game gave me a little closure.
That was also my first trip to Frisco. I traveled alone to Frisco, sort of a pilgrimage my dad and I always said we would do (but never did). It was a very emotional trip. Friday night, I joined Honeybooboo and Pyro's crew. They made me like I'd been part of their group for years. I don't know if they had any clue how much shit was going through my head on that trip, but I guess they do now! That weekend really helped me to cope and move forward. Thanks to you guys and your group.
Again, I am sorry as I sorta sucked the fun out of this, but it was nice to get this out. I may be a sloppy mess, and I might delete this later, but for now here it is. I live in Louisville now, and my whole house is Bison. I met some amazing friends (NDSU alums) down here at watch parties. Would dad and I have patched things up without Bison football? I'd like to think so, but it's really hard to say. At any rate, Bison football opened that door for my dad and I, and introduced me to some amazing people from across the country. Not sure of the exact moment it happened, but all of the above, and I got hooked on NDSU football for life.
Co-founder of the Bluegrass Bison crew, Kev’s bag holder.