Norwood Teague: “I’d love to play North Dakota State"

[BleedGopher]

per the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead:

“It is primarily television pressuring and wanting the Big Ten to provide games that are (Football Bowl Subdivision) versus FBS teams,” Teague said Tuesday at the Gopher Road Trip’s Moorhead stop at the Courtyard by Marriot. “That’s understandable. They pay us a lot of money, and it’s just the desire of television that they want us to do that. That was their message to the Big Ten.”

After just finishing his first full year as the Gophers athletic director, Teague is trying to be a team player with his new conference.

“I’d love to play North Dakota State,” Teague said. “But I have to be a good member of the Big Ten and go along with what we’re doing.”

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/403521/group/homepage/

Go Gophers!!

 

[AO54]

Hopefully this means more top 50 programs on the schedule as that is about where NDSU would be if they were FBS. San Jose is the only team this year fitting that criteria.

 

[Eagan]

I wish he felt the same way about North Carolina.

 

[JoeDirt]

I wish he felt the same way about North Carolina.

 

[spermophilus]

Hopefully this means more top 50 programs on the schedule as that is about where NDSU would be if they were FBS. San Jose is the only team this year fitting that criteria.

Laughable.

Woody was being p.c. to the local media. I was at the luncheon - I doubt whether Teague could have been more insincere tonally. Rightfully so and good for him.

 

[e.bigelow]

Laughable.

Woody was being p.c. to the local media. I was at the luncheon - I doubt whether Teague could have been more insincere tonally. Rightfully so and good for him.

+ 1,000,000. Couldn't agree more!

 

[skauma]

I am from Minnesota, but currently live in NoDak. Fans here are obsessed with the Gophers, and after their recent victory over the Gophers, they are even more obsessed with playing them again. I think they should play again. The Gophers do have something to prove against them, and it will make the NoDak fan base shut up if the Gophers put an ass whooping on them. NDSU is not a program to laugh at, but I think the teams should play again to put the story to rest. It is humorous to me living here though, that playing the Gophers, or the victory over the Gophers a few years back, is a bigger deal to them than winning the FCS championship. They view a game against the Gophers, as a bigger deal than a championship game. I try to explain to these fans how pathetic that is, but they care much more about playing an FBS team, than they do about winning a championship.

 

[Cobra]

I am from Minnesota, but currently live in NoDak. Fans here are obsessed with the Gophers, and after their recent victory over the Gophers, they are even more obsessed with playing them again. I think they should play again. The Gophers do have something to prove against them, and it will make the NoDak fan base shut up if the Gophers put an ass whooping on them. NDSU is not a program to laugh at, but I think the teams should play again to put the story to rest. It is humorous to me living here though, that playing the Gophers, or the victory over the Gophers a few years back, is a bigger deal to them than winning the FCS championship. They view a game against the Gophers, as a bigger deal than a championship game. I try to explain to these fans how pathetic that is, but they care much more about playing an FBS team, than they do about winning a championship.

So folks from the state of West Minnesota are obsessed with the Gophers?
COOL!!!!
;^)

 

[GopherRock]

No, no, no, no, no.

 

[HopherGole]

It would be a terrible idea to play NDSU prior to conference play. Could you imagine how that would impact the rest of our season with an early loss to an FCS team? (I guess we can because it's happened NDSU, USD, etc.)

We can't afford the risk.

 

[Maximus]

We can't afford the risk.

Much less riskier to schedule TCU.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Much less riskier to schedule TCU.

Not sure if you are being sarcastic, but I think scheduling TCU is much less risky. Out of conference games don't affect our conference standings, but they affect the pollsters who rank teams. If we play NDSU, we might lose, which is really embarassing, we might lose a close one, which is a little embarassing, and we might blow them out, in which case no one would be impressed and we would have done what we were supposed to. If we play a stronger program like TCU, getting blown out is embarassing, losing is disappointing, and a win of any kind is a strong start to the season.

So, from a risk perspective, I think there are a lot more ways to hurt ourselves against NDSU than against TCU.

 

[everybody knows my name]

I am from Minnesota, but currently live in NoDak. Fans here are obsessed with the Gophers, and after their recent victory over the Gophers, they are even more obsessed with playing them again. I think they should play again. The Gophers do have something to prove against them, and it will make the NoDak fan base shut up if the Gophers put an ass whooping on them. NDSU is not a program to laugh at, but I think the teams should play again to put the story to rest. It is humorous to me living here though, that playing the Gophers, or the victory over the Gophers a few years back, is a bigger deal to them than winning the FCS championship. They view a game against the Gophers, as a bigger deal than a championship game. I try to explain to these fans how pathetic that is, but they care much more about playing an FBS team, than they do about winning a championship.

I've been saying this for a while. Gopher fans have little clue as to how important Bison football is to North Dakotans and NW Minnesotans. I'm relieved to have moved out of Fargo this past winter, but I moved 25 miles into Minnesota to a town with a great football tradition that never sends anyone to the Gophers; their players aspire to be Bison.

Trapped up in Bison country as I am, I would love to see the Gophers play NDSU one more time, whip their ugly green and yellow tails, and then call it quits forever.

 

[AO54]

Not sure if you are being sarcastic, but I think scheduling TCU is much less risky. Out of conference games don't affect our conference standings, but they affect the pollsters who rank teams. If we play NDSU, we might lose, which is really embarassing, we might lose a close one, which is a little embarassing, and we might blow them out, in which case no one would be impressed and we would have done what we were supposed to. If we play a stronger program like TCU, getting blown out is embarassing, losing is disappointing, and a win of any kind is a strong start to the season.

So, from a risk perspective, I think there are a lot more ways to hurt ourselves against NDSU than against TCU.

Is this football or ballet? This is a risk taking game. The badgers nearly lost to 5-6 Northern Iowa last year and still went to the rose bowl. The year Appalachian state beat Michigan, the Wolverines started the conference season 6-0 and beat Florida in the capital one bowl.

The pollsters are not stupid. They know how bad New Mexico State, UNLV, Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State, Kent State and Ohio are. North Dakota State is better than all of those schools. Losing is disappointing to any of those schools if you expect to be a top 25 team.

 

[DLguy]

I could care less if we play NDSU. We would kick the crap out of them no matter what, so I am not worried. But I would rather not hear a year of "we are gonna beat you guys, look out" from that annoying fanbase.

 

[spermophilus]

Is this football or ballet? This is a risk taking game. The badgers nearly lost to 5-6 Northern Iowa last year and still went to the rose bowl. The year Appalachian state beat Michigan, the Wolverines started the conference season 6-0 and beat Florida in the capital one bowl.

The pollsters are not stupid. They know how bad New Mexico State, UNLV, Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State, Kent State and Ohio are. North Dakota State is better than all of those schools. Losing is disappointing to any of those schools if you expect to be a top 25 team.

Not a chance.

 

[Jike Spingleton]

The pollsters are not stupid. They know how bad New Mexico State, UNLV, Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State, Kent State and Ohio are. North Dakota State is better than all of those schools. Losing is disappointing to any of those schools if you expect to be a top 25 team.

The pollsters are so stupid, they had Kent State ranked #18 in the country at the end of the regular season last year.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

The only reasons to play an FCS school are money and an easy win. If you're not getting an easy win, why bother? It's a no-win situation. The analogy I use is the poor kid on the high school wrestling team whose opponent on the other team is the tomboy with a huge chip on her shoulder, who's out to prove that she's better than the boys. If that kid wins, BFD. If he loses, he might as well transfer...out of state.

 

[Gopherpride13]

What a lose lose situation to play them. Here's what ndsu fans say: "well if we play the gophs and lose, no big deal we are supposed to lose to a team like that, if we win then we can claim we are better and should be a member of the BT." Just how the fans operate over there. Truly one of the worst fan bases I've been in contact with.

 

[AO54]

The only reasons to play an FCS school are money and an easy win. If you're not getting an easy win, why bother? It's a no-win situation.

There is a difference between the typical FCS school (Western Illinois) and North Dakota State. If all you wanted was easy wins, why are we playing in the Big Ten? Why bother showing up to the games? You're excited to go because you could lose and pride is on the line.

Can we at least agree that we'd much rather play NDSU than play New Mexico State, UNLV or Western Illinois? Those games are all, "if you win, you were supposed to and why didn't you win by more, and if you lose-you're no longer worth watching the rest of the year".

What a lose lose situation to play them. Here's what ndsu fans say: "well if we play the gophs and lose, no big deal we are supposed to lose to a team like that, if we win then we can claim we are better and should be a member of the BT." Just how the fans operate over there. Truly one of the worst fan bases I've been in contact with.

That may have been the case 5 years ago, but lately they expect to beat a team like the U is currently and would be very disappointed to lose. The FBS games they've played the last 3 years have not been their toughest opponent.

 

[dpodoll68]

a town with a great football tradition that never sends anyone to the Gophers; their players aspire to be Bison.

Never "sends" anyone to the Gophers? Good one. What you meant is that their players are never chosen to play for the Gophers. A football player has never chosen a full ride to NDAC over a full ride to the Gophers. Ever. Never ever ever. And it will never happen. You can go tell your buddies on BisonGloryHole that too.

"Aspiring" to go to a glorified JuCo to play JV football isn't exactly something to be proud of.

 

[Omega015]

Can we at least agree that we'd much rather play NDSU than play New Mexico State, UNLV or Western Illinois? Those games are all, "if you win, you were supposed to and why didn't you win by more, and if you lose-you're no longer worth watching the rest of the year".

I don't agree with this at all. The only reason to play NDSU over any other FCS school is to let our horrible fans dump tickets for over face value.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Hopefully this means more top 50 programs on the schedule as that is about where NDSU would be if they were FBS. San Jose is the only team this year fitting that criteria.

are you high? NDSU would not beat a top half FBS team.

 

[Formo]

I've been saying this for a while. Gopher fans have little clue as to how important Bison football is to North Dakotans and NW Minnesotans. I'm relieved to have moved out of Fargo this past winter, but I moved 25 miles into Minnesota to a town with a great football tradition that never sends anyone to the Gophers; their players aspire to be Bison.

Trapped up in Bison country as I am, I would love to see the Gophers play NDSU one more time, whip their ugly green and yellow tails, and then call it quits forever.

This.

 

[AO54]

are you high? NDSU would not beat a top half FBS team.

Where would you put them? They handled the FBS team they played last year and were ranked by the Sagarin and Massey computers in the top 50 at the end of last year. The real point is that they're better than the majority of non-conference opponents the gophers have scheduled the in the next few years. I don't see how losing to New Mexico State is less damaging than losing to North Dakota State. You're not going to lose recruits to the Bison as long as you're in the Big Ten and they aren't, and you'll instantly be just as irrelevant with a loss to New Mexico State.

 

[everybody knows my name]

Never "sends" anyone to the Gophers? Good one. What you meant is that their players are never chosen to play for the Gophers. A football player has never chosen a full ride to NDAC over a full ride to the Gophers. Ever. Never ever ever. And it will never happen. You can go tell your buddies on BisonGloryHole that too.

"Aspiring" to go to a glorified JuCo to play JV football isn't exactly something to be proud of.

It's typical of you, Pedoodle, to miss the point of a post because you found some semantic mote to gripe about.

The point is, for those of us too dense to cipher it out, that in a big portion of northwest Minnesota, kids don't even aspire to play for the U. Their dreams revolve around wearing a vomit colored uniform and playing football in a glorified basketball arena in an ugly little cow town the next state over.

If it makes you feel better, I can rewrite my post:

"...I moved 25 miles into Minnesota to a town with a great football tradition that never sees any of its kids play for the Gophers; their players aspire to be Bison."

BTW, it's also typical of you to accuse me of being a Bison fan. I don't know how or when you got that bug up your a$$, but I'm a Minnesota kid, grew up in Robbinsdale, been a Gophers fan for thirty years.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Where would you put them? They handled the FBS team they played last year and were ranked by the Sagarin and Massey computers in the top 50 at the end of last year. The real point is that they're better than the majority of non-conference opponents the gophers have scheduled the in the next few years. I don't see how losing to New Mexico State is less damaging than losing to North Dakota State. You're not going to lose recruits to the Bison as long as you're in the Big Ten and they aren't, and you'll instantly be just as irrelevant with a loss to New Mexico State.

I understand your point and I agree with you.

However, the year that NDSU beat us, we were one of the worst teams in the country. We had a possession at the end of the fourth quarter to tie it and threw a pic 6 making the game appear much less close than it really was. I wouldn't put NDSU any higher than 75 in the FBS on their best day.

 

[dpodoll68]

Pedoodle

Your name calling is just so gosh-darn clever.

The point is, for those of us too dense to cipher it out, that in a big portion of northwest Minnesota, kids don't even aspire to play for the U. Their dreams revolve around wearing a vomit colored uniform and playing football in a glorified basketball arena in an ugly little cow town the next state over.

I don't believe this for a second. Sorry. And, again, playing JV football for a barely-accredited "university" is a pretty sorry state of affairs to have.

If it makes you feel better, I can rewrite my post:

"...I moved 25 miles into Minnesota to a town with a great football tradition that never sees any of its kids play for the Gophers; their players aspire to be Bison."

Rewrite it any way you want. I have a tough time believing that a "big" portion, or any notable portion whatsoever, of Minnesota kids have their life's dream as suiting up for NDAC. Simply do not believe it. And if this exceedingly unlikely scenario has any merit whatsoever, I would teach those kids to create some aspirations worth having.

BTW, it's also typical of you to accuse me of being a Bison fan. I don't know how or when you got that bug up your a$$, but I'm a Minnesota kid, grew up in Robbinsdale, been a Gophers fan for thirty years.

You sure talk about NDAC and Fargo a lot (on a Gophers message board) for being such a big Gophers fan. I grew up in South Dakota and lived my entire life there until I matriculated at this great University. I don't sit and talk about SDSU or USD on this Gopher fan board.

I will grant you that at least it's relevant this time, unlike posting about your sister's best friend's cousin's stepbrother who once scored a touchdown playing 9-man football in podunkville NoDak.

 

[everybody knows my name]

I have a tough time believing that a "big" portion, or any notable portion whatsoever, of Minnesota kids have their life's dream as suiting up for NDAC. Simply do not believe it. And if this exceedingly unlikely scenario has any merit whatsoever, I would teach those kids to create some aspirations worth having.

This is the only part of your post worthy of comment.

I've lived up here from '97 to '00 and again from '03 till now. I watch the local news, I read the local paper, and I socialize with the locals. Tell me not to believe my own eyes, I don't care. People up here, including Minnesotans within about 50 miles of the North Dakota border, couldn't care less about the U of M. They follow the Bison like Bostonians follow the Red Sox. For them it's about three things: first, proximity - they're far closer to NDSU than to the U. Second, recent success - they've seen NDSU win conference titles, national titles, and bragging rights against Minnesota. Third, their friends, families, and neighbors attended NDSU and not Minnesota.

I think I'll believe my eyes.

 

[Fuzzy Rumpton]

Maybe if the kid wants to be a hometown hero he'd stay and play at NDSU, but any kid hoping to play in the NFL knows that he has a better chance playing in a BCS conference. Even if it were between Kansas and NDSU, I'd be willing to bet the player would choose Kansas. Hell even the championship game was shown on the second choice channel from ESPN, while the Gophers bowl game was on the main channel.