to bring some excitement back to Bengal football. Maybe I should ask... could some type of endorsement or promotion from Merrill Hoge, Mike Machurek, Dave Kragthorpe, J. Allen, Dirk Koetter bring some fan support and excitement back to the football program? If not from a former Bengal football personality, then who could bring back the bounce in the steps of the Bengal faithful?
-
Hi Guest,
We've updated the site to combine all the forums that were part of the Big Sky Fans Network into one location. This will make it easier to navigate and participate in all the discussions for each school without having to have multiple accounts, etc. We are still working out some tweaks but please let us know if you notice anything.
With the migration, in some circumstances, your username could have been merged with one of your other usernames from the other forums. If this is the case, you can request to change your username in your account details page of your profile. -
Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!
-
Guest, do want an ad free experience on BigSkyFans.com among other benefits? Upgrade your account today!
Simply click your profile name > account upgrades > BigSky Club > choose between the year long subscription (two free months) or month to month
Thanks for the continued support. Cheers!
Who will it take
- Thread starter spazdog1
- Start date
bengalcub
Active member
Spaz, not to over simplify things, but wins or the excitement of competitive football will bring the bounce back. I think right now, most folks see this team as a 2-3 game winner this fall. Five straight losing seasons and the the potential for six in a row are fueling the lack of interest in the program.
Pocatello has always came out for winning football. Heck, they even get behind teams that play .500 ball. If they play good football and win 5-6 games this year, the interest will start to come back.
Now, before someone starts (not saying you Spaz)to rip me--this is the reality of the situation. That does not mean that I do not love and support Idaho State and the football program. It just is what it is right now.
Pocatello has always came out for winning football. Heck, they even get behind teams that play .500 ball. If they play good football and win 5-6 games this year, the interest will start to come back.
Now, before someone starts (not saying you Spaz)to rip me--this is the reality of the situation. That does not mean that I do not love and support Idaho State and the football program. It just is what it is right now.
I think Cub is right on the money....however, Jared and Marvin Lewis and those guys are all doing the behind the scenes-type work to get Bengal Football on the map so to speak, with the folks that can help and make a difference. There is a lot of love out there for the program. Plus, we should have a couple of really exciting things to mention here that will bring some more pride to the ol' program.
ISUSID
ISUSID
An outdoor stadium. It could be done cheaper than renovating the Holt. Look what it did for both Montana and Montana State. IMO, many of the things that make Holt unappealing for fans cannot be fixed, these include: unnatural lighting, poor sight lines, and industrial looking building materials.
That said... win and you will get fans anywhere.
That said... win and you will get fans anywhere.
boisebengal
Active member
I don't know about that, Bio. Paul Bubb used to say that if the dome were to be built from scratch today, then it would cost around $80 million. Although I think that the price tag for a new outdoor stadium would be at least $30 or $40 million or so. If we were to renovate the dome to bring it up to code, then the cost would be about $20 million, which would make the dome last for another 40-50 years. And the needed improvements would include things such as reinforcing the roof structure, reinforcing the foundation, reattaching the seating risers, replacing or repairing the roof, replacing the seating, repairing the heating and A/C unit, replacing the turf, improving the sound system, and improving the restroom and concession areas.
Cub, I appreciate your candidness. I promise that I won't rip anyone. In most cases, winning will put some butts in the seats. But with ISU, I'm not so sure anymore. I sense a large amount of apathy in the community. Granted, I don't live in Pocatello but I am in town several times each month. Last month, I spoke to a relatively large group of people (30-35 people) in Pocatello. One guy, who knows that I live in the Boise area asked me about the Bronco's upcoming season. There were a number of people waiting for my response. I told him that I thought the Broncos would have another good year. I went on to tell them that they heard it from me first (mark your calendars - June 12) that ISU would end the season in the middle of the Big Sky with a .500 record or so. I told them that I liked the Bengals' chances this year and that this is the year that they turn the corner. I don't think a single individual heard or maybe I should say seemed to care about that. Not one.
Again, maybe the record over the past several years have numbed the community as a whole. I don't know.
Again, maybe the record over the past several years have numbed the community as a whole. I don't know.
Spaz, you have to admit, it's EASY being a Bronco fan. A Bengal fan? That takes courage. :lol:
I'll take this one step further, I think the success of BSU has made it that much harder to be a Bengal fan. IMO, ISU is losing fans to the television when it goes head to head with BSU. Does that mean ISU fans want to see BSU lose? Not me... some of you, yes.
By the way, I still contend that Holt was the worst thing to ever happen to ISU.
I'll take this one step further, I think the success of BSU has made it that much harder to be a Bengal fan. IMO, ISU is losing fans to the television when it goes head to head with BSU. Does that mean ISU fans want to see BSU lose? Not me... some of you, yes.
By the way, I still contend that Holt was the worst thing to ever happen to ISU.
bengalcub
Active member
Spaz you a good man, pimping the Bengals on business. I hope that you are correct in your win predictions.
Bio, you are spot on with ISU losing fans to BSU. When I moved to Boise, I absolutely hated the Broncos. Now, they are my second favorite college team--distant of course to ISU, but nonetheless on the radar. Boise carries so many games on TV, so they are very easy for fans to track. It is easy for folks to jump on the bandwagon of the Broncos. I hate seeing people wearing blue and orange acting like they have been fans for life, when in fact, they joined the fold after the Fiesta Bowl victory. With that said, I would take all the bandwagon folks that I could get in the Bengal program, so I suppose I am a hypocrite.
Building Holt Arena was a huge accomplishment for Idaho State. I think it was a great thing for the time and I am glad they did it. What happened though was that Idaho State got content and felt that they had the answer to all the questions of facilities. So in fact, the comfort of having Holt as a facility has crippled Idaho State in a major way. With that said, I think you can win Big Sky Titles in Pocatello with the facilities that they have, but it will never happen on a consistent basis.
I remember arguing with Knothole about this very issue all the time. But the truth is, Knothole was probably more correct on this than anything than I will ever be. The ISU football program will die without facility changes. Now, I am not saying that massive upgrades at Holt Arena would not help a ton--in fact it may work. But, they need an outdoor practice facility and a major face-lift to Holt Arena to help recruiting and to make it more friendly for the fans.
I often have visions of Davis Field, build a parking garage and shuttle fans in from the parking lots at Holt Arena and Reed Gym if need be. Throw in wood bleachers, build a nice press box--get a few score boards, build concession stands and pissers and play some football.
Bio, you are spot on with ISU losing fans to BSU. When I moved to Boise, I absolutely hated the Broncos. Now, they are my second favorite college team--distant of course to ISU, but nonetheless on the radar. Boise carries so many games on TV, so they are very easy for fans to track. It is easy for folks to jump on the bandwagon of the Broncos. I hate seeing people wearing blue and orange acting like they have been fans for life, when in fact, they joined the fold after the Fiesta Bowl victory. With that said, I would take all the bandwagon folks that I could get in the Bengal program, so I suppose I am a hypocrite.
Building Holt Arena was a huge accomplishment for Idaho State. I think it was a great thing for the time and I am glad they did it. What happened though was that Idaho State got content and felt that they had the answer to all the questions of facilities. So in fact, the comfort of having Holt as a facility has crippled Idaho State in a major way. With that said, I think you can win Big Sky Titles in Pocatello with the facilities that they have, but it will never happen on a consistent basis.
I remember arguing with Knothole about this very issue all the time. But the truth is, Knothole was probably more correct on this than anything than I will ever be. The ISU football program will die without facility changes. Now, I am not saying that massive upgrades at Holt Arena would not help a ton--in fact it may work. But, they need an outdoor practice facility and a major face-lift to Holt Arena to help recruiting and to make it more friendly for the fans.
I often have visions of Davis Field, build a parking garage and shuttle fans in from the parking lots at Holt Arena and Reed Gym if need be. Throw in wood bleachers, build a nice press box--get a few score boards, build concession stands and pissers and play some football.
In my view, there were two critical mistakes made in ISU athletics, and they both tied together: hiring Irv Cross as athletic director and not raising any money for facilities upgrades during the Centennial Campaign. Irv was totally irrelevant as an AD. And when Bowen chose not to include athletics in the Centennial Campaign, which raised over $100 million (including over $30 M for the Performing Arts Center), the reason he gave was that Irv failed to come forward with a plan for facilities or a list of needs.
That would have been the perfect time to remodel Holt and/or construct a new office/athletes complex: the economy was booming yet the massive inflation we saw in construction costs had not yet hit.
People ask me all the time why Montana has become such a dominant force in the Big Sky, particularly in football. The biggest reason is this: they took advantage of the departure of Boise State, Idaho and Nevada -- the three best programs, year-in and year-out, in the league, and filled the gap. Whether it was brilliant planning or just dumb luck, they started work on Washington Griz Stadium and hired the perfect coach for his time. They started winning, were playing exciting, wide-open football, and had the beginnings of nice facilities. Things just snowballed from there. More winning, nicer facilities, better players, more money, more fans, etc.
Holt Arena is an outdated facility, yes, but not for the reasons many people think. Sure, it's not a great fan-friendly facility, but as Highland and Poky fans show every fall, people will still come to games there if they are motivated. The reason the Dome is outdated now is because the coach's offices and player facilities are so awful. I cringe thinking about trying to entice a recruit to Idaho State when they walk into those tiny, cluttered coaches' offices, or those sterile, ugly lockerrooms. If ISU ever gets to the point of identifying $5 M or so, it needs to plow that money directly into a coaches office/ players dressing room/lounge complex that ties into Holt. Oh, and a new football practice field -- the current one is a torn ACL looking for a place to happen.
The fans will continue to be uncomfortable with limited restrooms and concession stands, but they'll still come if ISU improves its recruiting and gets competitive again. But that will be difficult to achieve until the "showcase areas" for recruits are upgraded.
That would have been the perfect time to remodel Holt and/or construct a new office/athletes complex: the economy was booming yet the massive inflation we saw in construction costs had not yet hit.
People ask me all the time why Montana has become such a dominant force in the Big Sky, particularly in football. The biggest reason is this: they took advantage of the departure of Boise State, Idaho and Nevada -- the three best programs, year-in and year-out, in the league, and filled the gap. Whether it was brilliant planning or just dumb luck, they started work on Washington Griz Stadium and hired the perfect coach for his time. They started winning, were playing exciting, wide-open football, and had the beginnings of nice facilities. Things just snowballed from there. More winning, nicer facilities, better players, more money, more fans, etc.
Holt Arena is an outdated facility, yes, but not for the reasons many people think. Sure, it's not a great fan-friendly facility, but as Highland and Poky fans show every fall, people will still come to games there if they are motivated. The reason the Dome is outdated now is because the coach's offices and player facilities are so awful. I cringe thinking about trying to entice a recruit to Idaho State when they walk into those tiny, cluttered coaches' offices, or those sterile, ugly lockerrooms. If ISU ever gets to the point of identifying $5 M or so, it needs to plow that money directly into a coaches office/ players dressing room/lounge complex that ties into Holt. Oh, and a new football practice field -- the current one is a torn ACL looking for a place to happen.
The fans will continue to be uncomfortable with limited restrooms and concession stands, but they'll still come if ISU improves its recruiting and gets competitive again. But that will be difficult to achieve until the "showcase areas" for recruits are upgraded.
bengalcub said:
Winning Big Sky titles in Holt? Sure, that will be 10 years from now when Montana and Montana State have left the conference. IMO, ISU will die a slow death and eventually drop football if they don't get out of Holt. Instead, the dolts in the Athletic Department want to throw good money after bad, just to get Holt slightly better than it used to be almost 40 years ago. IMO, Holt needs a well placed match and good insurance. :roll:
I wish Bubb had brought this with him from UMaine, it was completed shortly before he arrived.
http://goblackbears.cstv.com/facilities/main-morse.html
Old Skool Cat
Active member
I came down to the Holt for the first time ever last season when my MSU Bobcats took on your Bengals. My first impression was that it wasn't the worst facility I have ever seen, and could be pretty cool with small makeovers. Here's what I would do:
1) New field. Bring in some fieldturf and get rid of that god-awful concrete floor you have.
2) New scoreboard. Get a cool one with hi-def replays.
3) Concessions area needs updating; area is just too small and right in the way of traffic trying to get into the stadium.
Sure there is the issue with the dug-out sidelines and sometimes not being able to see action taking place on the field right on the sidelines, but that issue can be addressed. Like a few others have said, win some ballgames and people will come regardless of the stadium. At last year's Bobcat/Bengal game, Bobcat fans probably made up a third of the entire attendance!
1) New field. Bring in some fieldturf and get rid of that god-awful concrete floor you have.
2) New scoreboard. Get a cool one with hi-def replays.
3) Concessions area needs updating; area is just too small and right in the way of traffic trying to get into the stadium.
Sure there is the issue with the dug-out sidelines and sometimes not being able to see action taking place on the field right on the sidelines, but that issue can be addressed. Like a few others have said, win some ballgames and people will come regardless of the stadium. At last year's Bobcat/Bengal game, Bobcat fans probably made up a third of the entire attendance!