By - Joshua A. Swanson

In October 1962, the Russians placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, only 90 miles from the southeastern coast of the United States. The event, well-known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, was the hottest moment of the Cold War. For 13 days, the world sat on edge, and on the brink of nuclear disaster. As a proud history major and alum of North Dakota State, and certified PhD Bison homer, my brain often finds parallels and historical examples to draw lessons from.

After being burned by advisers during the Bay of Pigs incident, President John F. Kennedy learned his lesson. During this tense standoff with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, JFK formed a special committee called the "Executive Committee," or EXCOMM, to advise him during these momentous 13 days.

If it worked for JFK, it's good enough for me. I've assembled my own EXCOMM of sorts with eight of the most knowledgeable Bison fans that I know. This SWAN-COMM will act as a sounding board for this website and my show. That, friends, is listener interaction taken to a whole other level!

You can join the SWAN-COMM and chime in with your thoughts by hitting me up on Twitter @swany8 or texting 35270 during the show on Saturday mornings from 8:00-9:00a.

I asked the SWAN-COMM the following question getting ready for this week's season opener against Cal Poly --- what do you want to see from North Dakota State in this week's game, and what are the big stories that you're following. Six of them answered.

1. The Music Man: "I'm excited to see Greg Menard and Jabril Cox play together and get after the quarterback as well as how we utilize the incredible talent we have in our backfield."

2. Mr. Tailgating: "I'm looking forward to giving fans that don't normally get an opportunity to see a game my tickets. I'm going to tailgate like a champ, listen to the first half on the road, and the second half on the pontoon."

3. Selling It: "Hoping to see our backup QBs in the second half if we get a big lead."

4. Tecmo Legend: "What receiver(s) will step up and be a reliable target beyond Darrius (Shepherd)."

5. The Rookie: "I'm pumped to see the new tight ends we redshirted last year - [Noah] Gindorff and [Josh] Babicz."

6. Old Ball Coach: "How dominant will our front seven be on defense. Minimal rushing yards and can we get pressure with just four [defensive] rushers. Offensive side of the ball I want to see zero dumb penalties, and great pass protection. Not worried about running the ball but they need to keep it on the ground 55-60 percent of the time."

As you can obviously see, I've assembled an excellent SWAN-COMM. You can join the committee and let me know what you think on Twitter @swany8, or text 35270 this Saturday morning from 8:00-9:00a.

Is anyone else excited for Saturday?!

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By - Joshua A. Swanson - Herd It Hear With Swany

Once a Bison, Always a Bison. That means something. At North Dakota State, there's an old saying that we aren't like everybody else. There's something special about being a Bison. From the championship teams of the 1960s to today, it's part of our tradition of excellence. It's more important than any championship trophy or individual accolade. Former players, current players, coaches, staff, students and fans alike, we are ALL joined by a special bond.  It's the Strength of the Herd . Being a Bison is part of who we all are, it's engrained into the very fabric of our lives. 

This has an especially important meaning for those that have worn the green and yellow for NDSU. These guys belong to a special brotherhood. Jeff McKinnon was a linebacker for the Herd in the 1990s. On the field, he was fearless. Today, he finds himself in his toughest fight yet, this one against multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Jeff will WIN this fight -- but he needs our help, he needs the Herd. Jeff's teammates and the Bison Family have rallied around him, vowing that he won't go through this fight alone. They've set up the  Jeff McKinnon Benefit Fund with Lend a Hand Up, and have a  silent auction on Facebook to help our Bison brother. This fund, and the efforts of the Bison Family, are needed more than ever to help one of our own, a member of the Bison Family. 

Recently, I interviewed Jason Boutwell, a former NDSU football player about what the Bison Family is doing for Jeff and his family. This is what the Strength of the Herd and Bison Pride are all about. 

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