Beautiful

[Curseislifted33]

Had a work conference at the McNamura(spelling) Alumni Center today, and man was I just in awe of how awesome the stadium really is. My colleagues were also amazed as I pretty much told them everything about it, and it just does inspire non-diehards to have a interest in the Gophs. I think this stadium is just gorgeous. had to say something, i'm just too happy! share the love and bring non fans down, in will surely influence them to become fans and keep the badgers/hawkeyes out!

 

[gopherfaith]

Totally agree

Mr. Gopherfaith and I (and the kiddies) took a detour by the stadium last weekend and parked and did the walk-around. It's truly a sight to behold and I can only imagine how much more fun it will be to finally go inside for the first time.

Go Gophers!

 

[Schnauzer]

Maybe some day we will look back at the dark ages of Gopher football (roughly 1976 through 2008) and decide that the move to the Metrodome actually was a good thing because Memorial Stadium would have remained a tired old stadium with crowds hanging in that 40,000 range. TCF Bank Stadium timing might be perfect to return the program to its glory.

I'm not naive. I realize that without a winning team, or a spark of some kind... TCF will settle back to a mostly full ho-hum stadium with 45,000 die-hard fans each week. But I want more. I want new traditions, a bigger and more dedicated fan base, and discussions in the paper about the "much needed expansion at the U stadium."

It is fun to day dream and hope for a break out year or series of years that does the same things for the Gopher program that the Alverez years did for Wisconsin. Speaking of which, maybe there is room for some new blood at the top of the Big 10 standings now that BB seems to be returning Wisconsin to its mediocre starting point.

Like everyone, I can hardly wait for this stadium to host some games.

 

[strokemonster]

Haha, Gopherfaith. I'm sure the big "S" will just love to hear he was referred to as "Mr. Gopherfaith"!! I will have to be sure to remind him of that while
tailgating on 9/12. Hoo hoo!

 

[gopher7]

Maybe some day we will look back at the dark ages of Gopher football (roughly 1976 through 2008) and decide that the move to the Metrodome actually was a good thing because Memorial Stadium would have remained a tired old stadium with crowds hanging in that 40,000 range. TCF Bank Stadium timing might be perfect to return the program to its glory.

I'm not naive. I realize that without a winning team, or a spark of some kind... TCF will settle back to a mostly full ho-hum stadium with 45,000 die-hard fans each week. But I want more. I want new traditions, a bigger and more dedicated fan base, and discussions in the paper about the "much needed expansion at the U stadium."

It is fun to day dream and hope for a break out year or series of years that does the same things for the Gopher program that the Alverez years did for Wisconsin. Speaking of which, maybe there is room for some new blood at the top of the Big 10 standings now that BB seems to be returning Wisconsin to its mediocre starting point.

Like everyone, I can hardly wait for this stadium to host some games.

Was there ever a chance to save Memorial Stadium, or was it a foregone conlusion that it would need to be replaced? I am not old enough to remember it but I thought I read somewhere that it had underlying structural issues.

Either way it probably was a good thing that our new, on-campus stadium is happening now. The late 60s thru the early 80s was not a particularly good era for stadium designs in this country, so had we replaced Memorial Stadium then instead of moving to the dome, it likely would have been a boring stadium that we'd still be stuck with.

 

[goldygoon]

I think I am going to go down there this weekend and oohgle and drool over the stadium. I was in heaven a few months ago with them beginning to put the seats in.

 

[Schnauzer]

Yes, there was an option to return to Memorial stadium.

I am only going on memory here (perhaps someone can confirm this) so take this with a grain of salt:

There was an option to return to Memorial Stadium but right around the time they had to make their choice on a long term lease, Lou Holtz made an impassioned plea to stay at the Metrodome. At that point, he could walk on water as the program appeared to be on the rise. The decision was made to go long-term at the dome and the rest is a sad history. That's my memory of it anyway. Like I said perhaps someone can correct/confirm this.

 

[metrolax]

If they had returned to the Brickhouse, like they should have, the stadium
would not have ended up any more run down than those at Illinois, Ohio State,
and the others. There would have been refurbishments and enhancements which
allow older stadiums to maintain their charm while gradually modernizing. Many
of the other Big 10 stadiums are good examples of this.

However, given what we've had since 1982, I'm ecstatic about TCF Bank.

 

[beatles]

Yes, there was an option to return to Memorial stadium.

I am only going on memory here (perhaps someone can confirm this) so take this with a grain of salt:

There was an option to return to Memorial Stadium but right around the time they had to make their choice on a long term lease, Lou Holtz made an impassioned plea to stay at the Metrodome. At that point, he could walk on water as the program appeared to be on the rise. The decision was made to go long-term at the dome and the rest is a sad history. That's my memory of it anyway. Like I said perhaps someone can correct/confirm this.

You're right, Lou Holtz thought the metrodome would be a big recruiting advantage over the rest of the big ten when it came to recruiting southern players. I believe Holtz was once even quoted as saying the metrodome is the "palace" of college football. I've also been told that Sid Hartman had a lot to do with the Gophers staying at the dome as well. Something about him having friends in the business community around the dome and the Gophers playing there helped their businesses.

 

[GoAUpher]

You're right, Lou Holtz thought the metrodome would be a big recruiting advantage over the rest of the big ten when it came to recruiting southern players. I believe Holtz was once even quoted as saying the metrodome is the "palace" of college football. I've also been told that Sid Hartman had a lot to do with the Gophers staying at the dome as well. Something about him having friends in the business community around the dome and the Gophers playing there helped their businesses.

That and he always bought the line that you can't recruit players to play in the frozen wasteland that is MN. I remember him bitching about that in his columns after the stadium bill passed.

 

[GoBigGold]

So long Hubert's and your "no free refills on soda" policy