Put Fouts into perspective

mdmeangreen · August 16, 2005

Here is what stadiums in our former conference looks like. Before we diss Fouts I think we should respect where we came from and how far we've come since. The grass is always greener folks...

Bearkats stadium

NT80 · August 16, 2005

Nicholls State Edited August 16, 2005 by NT80

VideoEagle · August 16, 2005

Here is what stadiums in our former conference looks like. Before we diss Fouts I think we should respect where we came from and how far we've come since. The grass is always greener folks...
That was during the 80's when we virtually dropped football!
Look at some of our OTHER former conference mates like Louisville and Memphis. We were on the same level as them back in the 70's, but let ourselves collapse.

mdmeangreen · August 16, 2005

First, let me say, My God, Nichols State IS a glorified large HS stadium!!!

Second, VideoEagle is 100% correct- thank you for the insight!!!

NT91 · August 16, 2005

Sam Houston State looks like Grapevine highs park.

NT91 · August 16, 2005

I have always liked the Northwestern State Demons park.

PlummMeanGreen · August 16, 2005

Fouts was built in the 1950's and should have been replaced about the time we built the Murchsion Performing Arts Center. The MPAC took the place of the College of Music's Main Auditorium on Ave. C which was also built in the 1950's as I recall reading in Dr. Jim Rodger's "The Story of North Texas)."

IMO, we are behind on football facilities because we spent way too many years kidding ourselves about the use of Texas Stadium as some semblance of a home base. We are just now correcting the error of our ways on that. If those of you who have been around these parts a few years will recall, Texas Stadium wasn't even a good home base for SMU.

We need to see expanded fan support this year so we can start building a good base of fans to take across I35-E to our new football stadium. I think that new facility will convince some of our toughest alummus critics in the Metroplex that NT expects to be a player in NCAA D1-A. Fouts Field is not a bad temporary home for us until we finish a new stadium, but to many NT Exes, it is still a symbol (and negative perception-creator) that we just need to put in NT's history book.

GMG!

Edited August 16, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

FirefightnRick · August 16, 2005

Here's what I would like to know: How many college stadiums can even come close to matching the distance between the front row seat at the 50 yard line and the edge of the playing surface that Fouts(90 feet/30 yards) currently has?

THINK ABOUT THAT: The best seat in the house(or at least what is usually consdidered the best seat) is NINETY FEET from the field!....And your eye level is "jersey name" level at best.

Also, what is the exact degree of angle of of the seats in Fouts and is there another college stadium out there with a lower one?

I mean, if we are looking for something unique to hang our marketing hats on, then why not promote the stadium with the greatest chance to host the next national pumpkin chunkin contest in like they show on the Discovery Channel? Make it a challenge? I doubt there's another college stadium out there that could nearly take their entire 120 yard playing surface and spin it perpendicular(Fouts playing surface would run East/West instead of North/South) and it fit between the 50 yard line front row seats? The corners of the endzones might touch, but it could be done at Fouts with very little construction work with the seats. That is how damn far the person with the supposedly BEST seat in the house is from the field, and he/she couldn't see anything other than the back of the players standing on the sideline and plays that go to the right or left of the 30's. Sitting anywhere down low at Fouts, thus sitting closest to the action to watch a game is like trying to spot the third sandbar from the beach? Crazy!

Rick

Edited August 16, 2005 by FirefightnRick

Cowtown · August 16, 2005

It is quite amazing.

In fact the distance from the corner endzone sections (SS & HH) is about equadistant to the center of the field as the same seat in E or N.

Here's what I would like to know: How many college stadiums can even come close to matching the distance between the front row seat at the 50 yard line and the edge of the playing surface that Fouts(90 feet/30 yards) currently has?
THINK ABOUT THAT: The best seat in the house(or at least what is usually consdidered the best seat) is NINETY FEET from the field!....And your eye level is "jersey name" level at best.
Also, what is the exact degree of angle of of the seats in Fouts and is there another college stadium out there with a lower one?
I mean, if we are looking for something unique to hang our marketing hats on, then why not promote the stadium with the greatest chance to host the next national pumpkin chunkin contest in like they show on the Discovery Channel? Make it a challenge? I doubt there's another college stadium out there that could nearly take their entire 120 yard playing surface and spin it perpendicular(Fouts playing surface would run East/West instead of North/South) and it fit between the 50 yard line front row seats? The corners of the endzones might touch, but it could be done at Fouts with very little construction work with the seats. That is how damn far the person with the supposedly BEST seat in the house is from the field, and he/she couldn't see anything other than the back of the players standing on the sideline and plays that go to the right or left of the 30's. Sitting anywhere down low at Fouts, thus sitting closest to the action to watch a game is like trying to spot the third sandbar from the beach? Crazy!
Rick
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untbowler · August 16, 2005

Having watched several games at Bowers Stadium and I can tell you that the sightlines are a hell of alot better than Fouts, plus it is a small I-AA stadium.

Nice little stadium though.

UNTLifer · August 16, 2005

Stephen F. Austin

Southwest Texas State

Huff · August 16, 2005

Rick, there are a lot of stadiums around that have tracks between the stands and the field. Texas and Texas A&M are two that had tracks but later removed the tracks. If you will look at the one in Austin you can see in one end zone that the first seats are WAY back there because a track was once there. Kansas has that situation if I remember right. I'm sure that others can give other examples. When those were build, that was the way it was done. When we get our new stadium I hope they will build a track facility somewhere else so that our first row of seats can be closer. I also hope that the first row of seats will be slightly elevated so that there are better views for anyone who wants to sit in the front row.

Cowtown · August 16, 2005

Yes, but most fields with a track have the seats butted up to the track, Fouts has a nice extra buffer between the track and the stands, and the fact that Fouts is oval, as Rick pointed out, you could spin the field around and run it north south...but wouldnt that be a trick, a rotating field, kinda like reunion tower...at last the futuristic genius of Fouts is reveiled...The Rotating Field!

Rick, there are a lot of stadiums around that have tracks between the stands and the field. Texas and Texas A&M are two that had tracks but later removed the tracks. If you will look at the one in Austin you can see in one end zone that the first seats are WAY back there because a track was once there. Kansas has that situation if I remember right. I'm sure that others can give other examples. When those were build, that was the way it was done. When we get our new stadium I hope they will build a track facility somewhere else so that our first row of seats can be closer. I also hope that the first row of seats will be slightly elevated so that there are better views for anyone who wants to sit in the front row.
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SilverEagle · August 16, 2005

All you needed to do was watch our spring scrimmage at the new Denton HS stadium to know what great sight lines are like.

Arkstfan · August 16, 2005

For the bizzare check out Richmond Stadium.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...niversity.shtml

The plan apparently was for a circular stadium and they finished half of it. Then they built the new section.

Seating chart

http://richmondspiders.collegesports.com/f...es-stadium.html

PlummMeanGreen · August 16, 2005

NT's Isheed Khoury once kicked a 53 yard field goal in the Richmond Stadium during the Fry era.

Edited August 16, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

FirefightnRick · August 17, 2005

Rick, there are a lot of stadiums around that have tracks between the stands and the field. Texas and Texas A&M are two that had tracks but later removed the tracks. If you will look at the one in Austin you can see in one end zone that the first seats are WAY back there because a track was once there. Kansas has that situation if I remember right. I'm sure that others can give other examples. When those were build, that was the way it was done. When we get our new stadium I hope they will build a track facility somewhere else so that our first row of seats can be closer. I also hope that the first row of seats will be slightly elevated so that there are better views for anyone who wants to sit in the front row.

I understand that other stadiums have tracks, and I have been to both Kyle and Memorial, before and since they removed their tracks. Neither of them came close to having the distance from the 50 yard line seat to the edge of the field, let alone have such a low angled sightline. Not even close. Fouts' 90 feet of space between seat and field even includes the long jump pit between the seats and the track. I would guess there is 10 to 12 yards between railing and track. I have never seen that before in any other stadium. And what makes it worse is the front row seat is very close to the ground and the crown of the entire surface begins at that point so that your nearly looking up at the players standing on the sideline. No way you can see the field of play, which is why no one sits there during a game.

Rick

Edited August 17, 2005 by FirefightnRick

keith · August 17, 2005

And what makes it worse is the front row seat is very close to the ground and the crown of the entire surface begins at that point so that your nearly looking up at the players standing on the sideline. No way you can see the field of play, which is why no one sits there during a game.
Rick
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Maybe we should hand out those periscope mirrors or something to anyone who sits in the first 5-10 rows.....that would be funny to see.

Keith

letsgiveacheer · August 17, 2005

While my memory is fading through the corridor of years, I don't think that is the same Richmond stadium that Fry's boys played in the late 70s. I was at that game, and if I recall, the UR stadium was even smaller and built of wood.

I invited my parents to the game and my Dad, a William and Mary grad, showed up in his W&M outfit. As they are the arch-rivals of Richmond, I believe he was more excited in seeing the Spiders getting their behinds kicked than the many North Texas fans at that game.

SilverEagle · August 17, 2005

[i believe he was more excited in seeing the Spiders getting their behinds kicked than the many North Texas fans at that game.

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stebo · August 17, 2005

We played Richmond one time during the Fry era - beat the hell out of them. They are the same Richmond that William and Mary fans hate. They were both in the Southern Conference together for years. In fact, the year that we beat Richmond (our one and only meeting from what I can tell) - was their first year as an Indy, leaving that Southern Conference. They dangled in Indy land, just like North Texas until 1983 - when they were forcibilly removed from IA ball by the NCAA. I am guessing that they have been playinh IAA ever since but Howell's site only keeps stats on IA teams.

letsgiveacheer · August 17, 2005

This was a shock to me as well. North Texas was on a role and the visitors stands, even though small, were full. Sitting next to me were two NT grads who were investment bankers from New York, a school teacher from Maryland was sitting below me, etc. It was really great to see and when our team ran on the field, they were the most surprised of all as the cheers went up from the stands.

I have always had a little therory that alumni who live so close to Denton tend to take North Texas for granted. When you are away from campus, I believe you really appreciate what a great and unique institution North Texas is.