OT: Only one endzone to be used for NU/UI
November 19th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
It really is amazing no one saw this coming but it seems like a good solution. I think they are avoiding red zone possessions where you get passes in the corners and back of the endzone where that wall would be a problem. Any significant turnover return would probably be fine since the back of the endzone wouldn't come into play.
It will be very weird to see each offense going the same direction all game.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
would beg to differ.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:22 PM ^
Agreed.
And to be fair, at halftime the fans from the West endzone should have to switch seats with the fans from the East endzone.
It's too bad they made such a giant cluster of this event. Way to go planning committee!
November 19th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
Incidentally, I like your avatar
November 19th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^
I'm beginning to think they didn't plan this out very well. Their approximate thought process, "Let's make sure the field fits in as tight as possible. We don't want any of that space going to waste."
Followed by, "What's that about player safety? Don't worry, they were pads don't they?"
/s
November 19th, 2010 at 11:50 AM ^
Da Bears actually played several seasons at Wrigley! It was back in the 1960's. I remember that some pretty good Bears teams, featuring Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, played games at Wrigley. Did they change some part of the configuration there? Or did the NFL just not care so much back then?
November 19th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
so it must have been easier for them to stop. :)
November 19th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
November 19th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
Probably for the best, but man this whole thing has become such an embarrassing debacle.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^
This is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen in college football planning. Whoever lead this planning from each side should be fired. Its ridiculous and both athletic departments should be embarrassed. I'd be flipping out if Michigan were involved in this joke of a situation.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:09 PM ^
I would not want that level of incompetence working for me or my school.
It's just plain sad.
November 19th, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
Too bad no one knew the level of incompetence within our compliance department before it was too late.
FU compliance department and Alex Herron...
November 19th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
You do know that the definition of an "embarrassing debacle" is when YOU or someone you care about screws up badly. I think this falls more into the category of hillarious FUBAR.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
I wonder if the brainiacs who came up with this whole thing are still employed??
November 19th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^
Reese Bobby had a hand in it.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
+1 for the avatar. Miss him something terrible.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
i'll be all-time QB!
November 19th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
Ha! Awesome. I forgot that phrase. All time q.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
They should just make it like middle school when we only had half a court to play basketball on with takebacks. Those were the days.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
This is a joke. They should move the game to soilder field. The bears won't be playing sunday.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^
They should make each yard 2.8 feet. That would add to the back of the end zone a total of . . . Mathlete? Little help here?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^
They could just use 1/2 of the field and play 7-on-7 instead.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^
This makes playing a basketball game on the deck of an aircraft carrier look like a model of conservative prudence.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^
This makes that stupid bowl in SF (Poinsettia) where the 2 teams share a sideline seem like a cool idea.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^
It might even be worse:
As a result of a coin toss held by the conference office Friday morning, Illinois will occupy the west team bench in the first half and Northwestern will occupy the west team bench in the second half and for all overtime periods.
The teams have to switch which side of the field they stand on? What a joke.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^
have to switch something I guess. At least the coaches get to share each other's spittle on the microphones for the headsets.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^
they're also sharing sideline space. they talk about the "west team bench" (which they will switch at halftime) and east / west endzones, i think that means they'll be on the same side.
didn't the lions and their opponents share sidelines when they played at tiger stadium? or was it when the bears played in milwaukee in the 70s?
November 19th, 2010 at 12:16 PM ^
It was Milwaukee where they shared the same sideline. I'm pretty sure that continued all the way up until they stopped playing games in Milwaukee after the 1994 season.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^
(can't edit the original, for some reason)
yes. the packers in milwaukee, not the bears. obviously.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:55 AM ^
November 19th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
Big Ten commissioner James E. Delany said in the statement. "Both Illinois and Northwestern did significant due diligence over the past 18 months, but after seeing the actual layout of the field, all parties felt that it was appropriate to adjust the rules to further enhance the safety of our student-athletes. Wrigley Field is one of the most historic venues in the country, and playing the Illinois-Northwestern game at this facility will provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for student-athletes, coaches and fans."
I'll say. It's a once-in-a-lifetime clusterfuck. Like, say, the Chicago Cubs. Another in the century-long comedy of errors that is Northwestern football and Wrigley Field. Personally, I think that they should put a couple of kegs on the field, get the players to go shirts-and-skins, and play 7-on-7 flag football. Northwestern football fans are unlikely to know the difference. Illinois fans are unlikely to care. Cubs fans will be happy to see some guys finally making some decent throws.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:31 PM ^
Costanza's "opposite" rule would have worked instead of 18 months of "due dilligence."
November 19th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
What I think is interesting is that neither team will be at an advantage or disadvantage due to the wind, particularly in the kicking game. Plus, with both teams on the same sideline this is going to look like a weird pick-up game but with better equipment.
November 20th, 2010 at 12:37 AM ^
It's not indoors.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
No decorating.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
Is it "4-Mississippi" on the rush, too? One blitz every four downs?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^
Two completions for a first down
November 19th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^
And no QB sneaks.
November 19th, 2010 at 3:38 PM ^
I think I would have to hope this rule doesn't catch on. We'd be screwed
November 19th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
...from darth delaney's statement:
"Both Illinois and Northwestern did significant due diligence over the past 18 months,"
really, jim? do you really believe that? really?
this had better show up in "this week in schadenfreude," that's all i have to say.
November 19th, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
Damn computer...
November 19th, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
They did plenty of due diligence. They confirmed the neutral site game would pay more than a home game AND someone told them a field would fit--after all, it fit 60 years ago or whenever a game was last played there.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
...for when he has to throw off.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
Landmines and fire pits to the field a la Mutant League Football
November 19th, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^
what a great game that was. Shoving guys off into space after the whistle, trick plays featuring real bombs, and of course killing the ref after he's been bribed by the other team. Now I've got to go dig that game out.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
The fans in the east endzone are going to be treated like the UM fans in the prison-high school seating bleachers at Purdue.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
Now this has become truly odd! This venu was obviously a bad idea, and it makes the Big Ten look awful for allowing it.