OT: Only one endzone to be used for NU/UI
November 19th, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^
I think the other endzone is more dangerous with that railing being just off the back right of the endzone. Player and fan injuries could ensue.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
The setup allows players to score a touchdown and complete the famed Wrigley Leap in one continuous motion.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^
I cant believe people arent seeing this for what it is. This is the NCAA's answer to the NHL's "you pickem" All Star game promotion. Delany saw all the positive press hockey was getting for using schoolyard techniques for a modern game and wanted some of that for himself.
So obvious really.
November 19th, 2010 at 2:37 PM ^
This should not be any sort of surprise in the least. Someone had to saw, "let's play a game at Wrigley" and somebody else had to, I mean had to, say "ok, this is what it would look like, are you cool with this fit?". It would defy logic if that discussion did not take place. It would be like your builder finishing your house and then asking if it is ok that your living room now extends into your neighbor's garage so he could keep the square footage shown on the plan.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^
Are they going to do "laces or spaces" to determine who gets the ball first and who gets first pick?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
Once you've delved into "loser walks" rules, is that really such a bad idea?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
I call all-time quarterback. Is the rush going to be on three Mississippis or five?
November 19th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^
Call your own penalties as well?
November 19th, 2010 at 12:06 PM ^
I don't know, but I do know that they're requiring blitzing guys to yell out "BLITZ" before they cross the line of scrimmage.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Yeah but they only get one blitz per a set of downs
November 19th, 2010 at 12:22 PM ^
Ah, the days of backyard football. Thanks for the laughs this morning guys. I can remember all that vividly.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:32 PM ^
Do they have to count to "five apple" before they can blitz?
November 19th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^
We're counting apples, not Mississippis.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
to Evanston. This is becoming a bad joke.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
were you saying something?
I was a little distracted just then.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
It's never a good sign when fears of an embarassing field situation causes you to consider moving a game TO Evanston.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^
Hey Nice Avatar. What's that article of clothing on her upper back??
November 19th, 2010 at 9:48 PM ^
Me likes!!!
November 19th, 2010 at 11:30 AM ^
I Randy Mossed the neighbor kid Timmy for the game winning TD. Man was this a good idea!
November 19th, 2010 at 11:30 AM ^
That makes it a little better but still. There shouldn't be a risk like this anyways.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:30 AM ^
did NOT think this out well at all. Why didn't they just put the field like it was back in the day when they did it? It looks like they switched the orientation of the field
November 19th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^
With the added seats over the years, bringing the fans closer to the foul lines, it would have been just as tight a fit to do it that way (i.e., when the Bears played at Wrigley).
This is a colossal fuck-up on the part of all parties involved in planning this debacle. I suppose you have to give them some credit for realizing this today, and not, say, tomorrow, 15 minutes before kickoff. Actually, no, no credit is deserved. This is just an all-around fucking disaster .
November 19th, 2010 at 11:30 AM ^
Uhhhh... am I missing something? How the hell would that work?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
Yeah, literally every time possession is changed, they will need to switch to the other side of the field. It just seems like more work than anything.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
How does a pick 6 work? Run to the 50 and turn around and come back? That would at least be comical.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
That's what I was thinking...
November 19th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
...that we'll see one of those highlights that will live forever in college football, where a guy picks up a fumble and returns it the wrong way?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
Roy Riegels hopes those chances are good.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^
He thinks the same as Roy Riegals
November 19th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
A pick six or a punt return are not really concerns for running all the way out of the back of the endzone and hitting the wall. Basically they will just do like they do when the quarter ends, but do it on every change of possession.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
for a free detector trial
November 19th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
Why do you think players run all those shuttle drills in practice?
Specifically to prepare for an instance in which administrative idiocy has nullified half the field.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:49 AM ^
There's not much danger in you running full steam into the back of the end zone on a pick six, so no you'd just run to the dangerzone in that instance.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:02 PM ^
Edit: this should be played whenever a team is heading in the wrong direction.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:27 PM ^
since there will be fans literally in the east endzone in folding chairs.
Now, Granny might get trucked, but that's a risk that just has to be taken.
November 19th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^
If it's an airball,then you can just put it right back up and run into the house.
Are they playing "Make It, Take It" rules?
November 19th, 2010 at 12:08 PM ^
It could be like in video games where when you get a pick there is a slight pause while the screen flips. Only this way they pause and then position everyone exactly how they are on the other side of the field.
This could work.
November 19th, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
You were not all the way to the 40!
November 19th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
Offensive possessions will all just go in the same direction. Fumble and interception returns are fine to use the Endzone of Death since they don't use the back of the endzone in any way.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^
is so named because Nick Sheridan visited it so often
November 19th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
Wow. I'm glad this all was planned out so well in, you know, advance.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
What are you talking about?!?!?! It was planned out perfectly:
Priority #1: $ for Wrigley
Priority #2: $ for N'Western and Illinois
Priority #3: $ for the City of Chicago
Priority #4: $ for the buisinesses in Wrigleyville
Priority #5: Integrity for the NCAA and Big 10
Priority #6: Football
November 19th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
Agree with your analysis of the thought process. Somewhere along the line, the basic background work wasn't done ..."hmmm it's been a long time since FB has been played there and with all of our rules about distances and separation I wonder how we should configure the field inside the stadium. Let's get a set of plans, a ruler, and do some drawings and see if it is even doable."
This is not a proud moment for Northwestern, Illinois or the Big Ten bureaucracy...basically no one checked! Everyone assumed someone else had done the background work.
Would this be a "legal" game by the rules of FB? If the field isn't regulation for play - and this sort of swapping back and forth seem very irregular, would the game count? Have there been HS or other college games where one part of the field was crappy (e.g. standing water) and so both teams played towards the opposite end. Anyone know of any other examples of this?
November 19th, 2010 at 11:23 PM ^
The closest I can come to answering that question is Rule 1-2-8-b: "Any markers or obstructions within the playing enclosure but outside the limit lines constituting a hazard shall be reported to game management by the referee. Final determination of corrective action shall be the responsibility of game management." That last sentence almost gives a blank check to "game management" (the Big Ten office) to come up with a solution.
In the end, though, that's pretty weak. There are several game rules that will be violated during this game, and the rule book states that "game conduct rules" (including allowing teams to choose their direction after the coin flip, and mandating switching sides at the end of a quarter) may not be altered. I think that if I were an official assigned to the game, I would try very hard to decline the assignment. It's a lose-lose situation.
Both teams have a very good argument that this isn't a "real" NCAA football game, because the officials have been instructed not to follow the NCAA football rules.
You ask how this happened. It's obvious--somebody measured the field and said, "no problem--we have 120 yards. That's all we need."
November 19th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
OMG this is beyond funny. I'm going to be at the game on Saturday but rest assured the NU game is going to getting DVR'd in my house. WTF are they going to do on turnovers? Blow the whistle mid-play or just have everyone turn around once they hit the 50?
Sounds like a halfcourt basketball game to me.