SallysEnthusiast
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I always thought it was the one thing holding Mondale back from upending Reagan's reelection. Lost a heart breaker.We'd be better than Wisconsin at everything, including academics. In fact, I'd argue that the University of Minnesota would have produced at least one US President since 1982 and a football and basketball national championship. Some might say we'd become the Michigan of the West.
IghtWe'd be better than Wisconsin at everything, including academics. In fact, I'd argue that the University of Minnesota would have produced at least one US President since 1982 and a football and basketball national championship. Some might say we'd become the Michigan of the West.
Side Note: The Gophers win percentage at Memorial Stadium? .582 At the Metrodome? .422 You can't really argue with the stats, the teams played worse, they got worse recruits, they lost homefield advatage, they played in a worse atmosphere, all around ruining the Gopher's lasting standing as a football school and a powerhouse, something that still harms our program and university to this day. What could've been...The Gophers would have, at minimum, seen much greater on field success in the last several decades, claimed several Big Ten Championships, and likely the elusive 8th Natty. The move to the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome (Shithole Garbage Bag Tent Field) stifled our program over time. At first, it seemed like a good idea, one that would boost attendance. Really, the move away from campus made it harder for students to attend and silenced the already poor tailgate atmosphere. This extinguished the Gophers national brand it had developed from the program's beginning through to the 60's by no longer being located on campus. What other major program plays that far from campus and has consistent success? Not us that was for sure. We claimed 6 National Championships and 10 Big Ten Championships in our time at Memorial Stadium. How many have we since??? If Memorial Stadium still existed, and the Gophers continued our reign over the West, I could see a potential renovation and expansion that would have parallelled Michigan's Big House, potentially larger. Much of our recent resurgence (We know its not PJ's Recruiting expertise) can also be attributed to the home field advantage that the Bank has been able to provide in cold weather situations, an aspect that would have never left the U of M had the magnificent Memorial Stadium remained. Sorry Joe Salem, that was a stupid fucking move.
Lol. They had like one winning season in the B10 in the 10-15 years before they moved to the dome.The Gophers would have, at minimum, seen much greater on field success in the last several decades, claimed several Big Ten Championships, and likely the elusive 8th Natty. The move to the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome (Shithole Garbage Bag Tent Field) stifled our program over time. At first, it seemed like a good idea, one that would boost attendance. Really, the move away from campus made it harder for students to attend and silenced the already poor tailgate atmosphere. This extinguished the Gophers national brand it had developed from the program's beginning through to the 60's by no longer being located on campus. What other major program plays that far from campus and has consistent success? Not us that was for sure. We claimed 6 National Championships and 10 Big Ten Championships in our time at Memorial Stadium. How many have we since??? If Memorial Stadium still existed, and the Gophers continued our reign over the West, I could see a potential renovation and expansion that would have parallelled Michigan's Big House, potentially larger. Much of our recent resurgence (We know its not PJ's Recruiting expertise) can also be attributed to the home field advantage that the Bank has been able to provide in cold weather situations, an aspect that would have never left the U of M had the magnificent Memorial Stadium remained. Sorry Joe Salem, that was a stupid fucking move.
The Vikings and pro sports took over. Super Bowl appearances and Twins 1965 World Series appearance. Pro sports took over and we became a pro sports town. Proper renovations and the right coach maybe we were better, but our Athletic Department stopped supporting Football for years the way other schools did. Stadium is really a blip on the radar.Lol. They had like one winning season in the B10 in the 10-15 years before they moved to the dome.
I have to agree with this to an extent. But the real question is would the U have committed to renovating old Memorial stadium, the admins between Cal Stoll and Glen Mason coaching tenure's tell me no they would not have. Another what if from the Dome days would be what it Holtz stays, the one guy who was very enthused about the Dome. Get a guy who (legal or not) was bringing in players, if we're contending for conference titles and consistently going to Bowl games, which you actually had to earn in those days, perhaps perspective is different on that era as well?Not at all sure the venue would have mattered much. Yes, at Memorial Stadium, the Gophers had many very good and often great teams from the late 1920s through the late 1960s but the building didn't make them successful. They had terrific players who were often led by great head coaches. Then integration arrived, Minnesota's pioneering edge in attracting great black players was diminished and the "U" de-emphasized football in the 1970s. At this point, the rise of the Vikings dulled public enthusiasm for the massive expense that would have been required to restore Memorial Stadium. True, the Metrodome was not the recruiting tool that many thought it would be but it was NOT the reason for the decline of the program. Inferior resources, disinterested university presidents and poor performance by athletic directors made it harder to compete with other, better-run programs.
It was a terrible football venue, more than 2/3rds of the seats were in the End Zone. With no suites or clubs, I have to think the better fiscal option would have been to start from scratch or just gut it and leave the shell.It's my understanding Memorial Stadium had become quite the dump in its latter years. It would have needed a major remodel. Attendance had fallen off in the 1970s-1980s probably more because the teams weren't great, coupled with lack of institutional support, but the stadium may have had something to do with that.
I suppose the question should be if a remodeled Memorial Stadium had been kept, would things have turned out differently? A remodeled Memorial Stadium probably helps somewhat, but the lack of institutional support which includes bringing in poor coaches (pre-Mason) probably has a major impact too.
What's the basis here of all this more success?
Was Memorial Stadium that big of an advantage that the players ... played better?
I'm always wary of recruiting tidbits. I'm sure some things make an impression, but I doubt a team in the dome is somehow missing out on a lot of higher ranked recruits because of the dome.Mason often talked about how the Dome was a recruiting disadvantage (poor atmosphere) including rival coaches disparaging it to recruits. Not sure if that's true or not. So it's not that players played better, it's that a decent on campus stadium could attract better players.
Wasn't there a point at which the Dome was helping with recruiting? When it was an opportunity to play in a brand new NFL stadium? Those were the worst Gopher teams of all.I'm always wary of recruiting tidbits. I'm sure some things make an impression, but I doubt a team in the dome is somehow missing out on a lot of higher ranked recruits because of the dome.
The staff can recruit well ... or it can't.
The only thing that really seems to make obvious differences are money and recent, sustained, high level success. Everything else ... duno.
Would outside at Memorial Stadium, that IIRC was pretty decrepit, do better?Wasn't there a point at which the Dome was helping with recruiting? When it was an opportunity to play in a brand new NFL stadium? Those were the worst Gopher teams of all.
There were like 60k people there to watch the Gophers lose 84-13 to Nebraska. Now, half as many show up to watch the Gophers beat up teams they mostly lost to in the Dome era.
Worse attendance has coincided with much improved football and stadium experience.
With weather conditions and presumably natural grass I think the Nebraska place kickers would have had a more difficult time kicking Extra Points. They went 9 for 10.Would outside at Memorial Stadium, that IIRC was pretty decrepit, do better?
Choosing 1 game is anecdotal.Wasn't there a point at which the Dome was helping with recruiting? When it was an opportunity to play in a brand new NFL stadium? Those were the worst Gopher teams of all.
There were like 60k people there to watch the Gophers lose 84-13 to Nebraska. Now, half as many show up to watch the Gophers beat up teams they mostly lost to in the Dome era.
Worse attendance has coincided with much improved football and stadium experience.
There were courts underneath it ?It was a terrible football venue, more than 2/3rds of the seats were in the End Zone. With no suites or clubs, I have to think the better fiscal option would have been to start from scratch or just gut it and leave the shell.
My freshman year was '87. I know my first few years there at least, I played handball/racquetball in the courts underneath it.
Are you sure those weren't in Cooke hall or the fieldhouse?It was a terrible football venue, more than 2/3rds of the seats were in the End Zone. With no suites or clubs, I have to think the better fiscal option would have been to start from scratch or just gut it and leave the shell.
My freshman year was '87. I know my first few years there at least, I played handball/racquetball in the courts underneath it.