Is it me or....

[Bison101]

I just got back from eating out at Buffalo Wild wings and it seems like their needs to be a new Basketball arena out by the Dome. Just West of the dome by the tree row would be a perfect place for it. Having a 7000-8000 seat arena for basketball along with Newman and the Dome, would put us right up there for having some of the finest on campus facilitys in the nation. I know we have many needs like a an indoor practice facilty for Football and a mini Newman field for the Softball girls, but the glaring fact that we need a arena out by the dome just glares at me.

[kchats]

We don't need a new field for the softball team. They just built a four softball diamond complex in 1997 that is home to the softball team. It is a part of Ellig Sports Complex and is supposed to be very nice (I moved away in 1990 and have not seen it). I know many great things were said about the track and the soccer fields. I even faintly remember hearing great things about the softball fields.

http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.d...p;ATCLID=69835

[Bison101]

I went to the USD softball game last weekend and was not pleased at all with the facility. It was definetly not D1 caliber! The field was nice and in good shape but the bleachers were a couple of aluminum bleachers that were strapped together with hand rails *made of unpainted rotting *2x4's. I promise you that my highschool had a better softball facilty than that. Hopefully it is in the plans to eventually build them a stadium that has permanent seating for about 500 in a permanent brick grandstand with a press box and locker rooms for players with some sort of mini clubhouse that the players can call home. Right now the players dress at Bentson Bunker fieldhouse and drive over for games. On top of that they play with a chain link backstop that is not in the best shape, just like the Beer Softball leagues do!

I know its not on top of the list of things to do, but it would be nice to give the girls a facility to call home that is D1 caliber. Especially since it is one of the few sports that we may be able to compete nationally in.

I digress though, I believe a no vote is in order for a downtown arena.

[kchats]

Have you seen other softball facilities? *Missouri State University's isn't any better than the Bison's.

[Bison101]

I'm not smart enough to post pictures but here are some links to pictures of our "peer" institutions Softball Stadiums. I couldn't find the link to Creighton's stadium but they have a nice one as well.

Wichita State
http://www.goshockers.com/wilkins.aspx

Minnesota
http://www.gophersports.com/faciliti...ecowlesstadium

Anyways, you get the idea. Hopefully we can build something similar someday.

Wisconsin
http://www.uwbadgers.com/facilities/...ond/index.aspx

[kchats]

The NDSU softball diamond is one of the top playing fields in the Upper Midwest. The field is surrounded by a permanent fence and warning track. Dimensions are 200 feet down the left-field line, 210 feet to center field and 205 feet down the right-field line. The dugouts are enclosed and covered, and a press box is situated above the first-base bench. There is an electronic scoreboard located above the right-center field fence and a full-sized infield tarp is available.

This is what is written about the NDSU softball field on www.gobison.com. I don't think they agree with you.

[Bison101]

What are they going to say? How it sucks in comparisons to our peer institutions? I don't think so!

[bisononce]

While it is nice to dream and plan for class A facilities, our administration needs to do better on maintenance, cleanup and fixup NOW. If the softball bleachers are fastened by rotting 2X4s, replace with new and then PAINT 'EM. If the backstop is askew, replace it. Police the grounds for any litter after the game. This observer saw a group of "national" students enjoying a game of lacrosse on the Dakotah Field surface last Saturday. In front of them were mounds of debris piled in the tunnel entrances. :P We can do better. Don't we have starving students who need part-time jobs - cleaning, painting, picking up?