All things 1st Gopher Football game

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Sir Tipsy McStagger

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I'm looking ahead at the 2014 and 2015 football schedules trying to decide which game would be best to make the 1st game I haul my kid too. It's more likely that I'll make the trek with family in the later part of the season, which leave me iowa or Ohio State in 2014 and Illinois or wisconsin in 2015. I like the idea of a rivalry game being the first visit for the little guy, but am worried about exposing a small child to the boorish fans from either of Minnesota's neighbors.

Any thoughts on this?

And when was your first Gopher game? Did you attend with a parent? Anything stand out that made it a truly memorable day?

:cool02::cool02:
 


First Gopher home game (that I remember): vs. Michigan State, 1984, with parents
First Gopher road game: @ Wisconsin, 1992, with parents
First bowl game attended: 1999 Sun Bowl vs. Oregon, with 24 oz. Budweiser cans being sold by a bunch of 14 & 15 year olds
First road game where witnessed a win: @ Northwestern, 1999

Madison '92 was my first road game and I was in the 9th grade at the time. It was eye opening for sure, but it wasn't infested with all the idiots that flock that stadium on Saturday's like today. Different time, different era, things were more sane back then.

Personally, I'd wait for Northwestern in 2015. Can do the Chicago stuff, can walk the campus & if your child falls in love with the place, there are a lot worse places in the conference for them to be in love with. Iowa in '14 & Illinois in '15 could be a good 2nd options. I'd avoid Ohio State until at least age 14 because their fan base is insane (in a NOT good way). I'd avoid Michigan so your child isn't shot while waiting in the cab line at the Metro Airport. I'd avoid Purdue because he may find that college life is boring & that would lead to a life of lawlessness and broken curfews. I'd avoid Madison until he fully understands drab concrete & what cities looked like in Europe during communism.
 

I wouldn't take a child to either Madison or Iowa City. I have had nothing but bad experiences with the vermin that infest both of these stadiums. I'm not being aloof here. Hated almost everyone I had to interact with, except for one usher. Save if for when they are much older, like 30.
 

1st Gopher Game - 1968 home vs. USC (some guy named Simpson at RB).

1st road game - I know I went to a Badger game in the mid 60's (67, '68 - can't remember). Don't remember a lot about the trip. (true story - I was a paperboy for the La Crosse Wi Tribune, and won a trip to the Badger game for signing up new subscribers.) I think the Skunks were playing Indiana, but it was a long time ago.

In all honesty, I've never attended a B1G game at any other site other than Madison and the Twin Cities, so I don't have much to compare to.
 


This is sad, but for as long as I've been a Gopher fan, I just never went to games when I was a kid. My first game attended was actually in Iowa City in 99. I think my first home game was on a Thursday against Illinois in 2002. Since then, I've ramped things up considerably (8th year of season tickets coming up). My daughter (then 5) went to her first game last year against New Hampshire. I had to leave early after I ran out of money buying concessions.
 

Michigan in '87.

Darrell Thompson had a 98 yard TD run. I'd say that stood out. My brother was a freshman. He sat with the students. My parents and I were in an upper deck end zone.
 

Tipster, making the trek all the way from I believe is Finland? You have to take the little tike to either the Chicken Hawk game or the Skunks You can point out how not to act around people. Will the young Tipster have a smaller version of that old mohair gold blazer you wore to the games?
 

Illinois 1956

XXX XXX LIQUORS - DIAL RAW BEEF............is all I remember.
 



SKOL LIQUORS--Dial Raw Beef. Only the older ones in here would remember that plane advertising during games.
 

Doc1001 said:
SKOL LIQUORS--Dial Raw Beef. Only the older ones in here would remember that plane advertising during games.
Click to expand...

It is permanently etched into my brain. I can't believe how much I remember seeing the plane pulling that ad at games yet I can't remember much about the actual games. The power of advertising.
 

Doc1001 said:
SKOL LIQUORS--Dial Raw Beef. Only the older ones in here would remember that plane advertising during games.
Click to expand...

Thanks...I couldn't remember the name of the liquor store. My cell phone must not have been working.
 





My first Gopher game was Ohio U in 1982. On my birthday 9/11 (yes I know). I just turned 13.

Big victory for us. 50k plus in attendance. Had great seats on the rail, upper deck, 20 yard line. Like watching a big imax movie.

Sadly, my second game was the 1983 Nebraska game. We didn't have a chance.
 

Indiana in the late seventies. Ate at McDonald's, walked down University past the fraternities, Gophers won. I remember being impressed with the stadium. All those arches. An old usher took our ticket and tore it. Oddly I don't remember the rouser from the game, but we sang it around the house so I already knew it.

I'm going to take my six month old son to a couple of games this year. Not too worried about the crowds/language. I almost got puked on by a beautiful woman in a white ski outfit at a winter Vikings game when I was seven or eight. While it made quite an impression at the time, I don't think it damaged me in any way.
 

1944 Minn. Vs Wisc Minn. won 25-12 I believe. 6 inches snow the night before and Stadium not cleaned out, froze my feet.
 

1959, sophmoron in high school, watched Sandy Stephens make a jumping one handed interception falling into the endzone for a touchback, and the Gophers won. That was back in the days when most players played both offense and defense.
 

Dr.Don said:
1959, sophmoron in high school, watched Sandy Stephens make a jumping one handed interception falling into the endzone for a touchback, and the Gophers won. That was back in the days when most players played both offense and defense.
Click to expand...

Intentional or Freudian Slip?
 

First game was Purdue in 1980 I think. Beautiful day at Memorial Stadium. Attended most games in the 80s, 90s and 00s in spite of bad teams and lack of atmosphere. (I am a true college football fan.)
Moved to New Orleans 2 yrs ago and now attend most LSU home games. My wish is for someone at the Athletic Dept at the U of M to attend an SEC game in Baton Rouge to witness the atmosphere on campus. The U of M needs to loosen up a bit and just let fans have fun. The goodwill and $$$$$ generated can be huge. Geaux Tigers!
 

Broccoli said:
The U of M needs to loosen up a bit and just let fans have fun. The goodwill and $$$$$ generated can be huge.
Click to expand...

Amen. If more people from MN left MN they would realize it is OK to have without a fishing pole in hand.
 

1st Game '83 Nebraska with my Grandparents.....and I'm still going.

Road Games so far; Bucky(2), Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern, USC, and UNLV.

Might try an SEC(Ark. vs. Cocks) game this year.
 

Gopher_Nutz said:
1st Game '83 Nebraska with my Grandparents.....and I'm still going.

Road Games so far; Bucky(2), Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern, USC, and UNLV.

Might try an SEC(Ark. vs. Cocks) game this year.
Click to expand...

You must have thought it can only get better from here!
 


1970 vs Ohio. I was a Boy Scout usher. We demolished them 49 - 7. 2nd game, same year vs Nebraska. The entire visitor section was a sea of red and they whooped us 35 - 10.
 

1974 vs. Ohio State. Gophers stars were Tony Dungy at QB, Rick Upchurch at RB, and Ollie Bakken at LB. Archie Griffin won the first of his two Heisman trophies that season and had a big game. Minnesota lost 34-19, but redeemed themselves the next week with a win over North Dakota.
 

How old is your youngster?
My first football game was when the mighty Illini came to town and I believe it was the first Big Ten played at the Metrodome. My brother took me as a birthday present and I was so excited. The stadium was electric. I believe the Gophers and Illini both were ranked around ~18 in the country. Mike Hohensee was poised to have a great season and well Illini took the energy out of the stadium. It is still one of my favorite sports experience from a pure energy and freshness standpoint.
 

I was at that Illinois game also. Yes the stadium was electric. The Gophers were 3-0. I believe they were up in a close game at halftime. Then Ill came out and threw a bomb (Tony Eason to Mike Martin IIRC). The dome went silent. The Goph's never won another game and Salem was fired after the season. Hohensee got the crap beat out of him game after game.
 

I would not recommend coming to the Iowa game if you are worried about exposure to "boorish fans". They are the worst in the Big10 and it's not even close.
My first game: 1960 vs Purdue
My first bowl game: 1986? Liberty Bowl vs Tennessee
I've also been to every Big10 stadium to see the Gophers play. Penn State had the best fans, Iowa the worst.
 

One of the first games I remember (can't recall the exact year, early 90's?) was against Michigan State and Tico Duckett went off against us. Embarrassing afternoon for the Gopher defense.
 

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