Chip Scoggins: Philosophical shift is evident all over with Gophers

[BleedGopher]

per Chip:

The entrance to the Bierman Athletic Building is boarded up. The lobby has become a construction zone filled with scaffolding, caution tape and blue tarps.

Gophers athletics is experiencing a significant makeover, both in appearance and perception. Construction on their future home — the $166 million Athletes Village — serves as a tangible symbol of a shift in philosophy that is altering a narrative about how sports are viewed on campus.

The university’s commitment to athletics should no longer be used as a punch line.

In the past 13 months, the school has started construction on a $190 million sports facilities project, hired a new athletic director and new football coach to the most lucrative contracts for those positions in school history and rewarded volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon with an extension that paid him about $450,000 this year.

Those big-ticket decisions demonstrate an understanding that college sports have become cutthroat competitive and expensive, and that failure to jump into the fray will only widen the gap.

Longtime critics of the school’s commitment to athletics, myself included, can’t deny what is taking place right now.

http://www.startribune.com/philosophical-shift-is-evident-all-over-with-gophers/410184185/

Go Gophers!!

 

[Otis]

Thank God we are finally reading this about our Gophers!

 

[Holy Man]

I think a fair question to ask is whether this is enough or too little, too late. My concern as a proponent for facilities upgrades has always will we be behind when we the project is done. I'm glad the project is getting done, but the philosophical shift has to accompany a cultural shift in the university that is more than buildings. There is an element there that hates sports and even was bashing the idea of new facilities to "separate the privileged." New buildings don;t win them over.

I have no idea what our new facilities will be like in comparison to other B1G schools when done. Maybe this won't be an issue, but we waited so long to act, it certainly could be.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

I think a fair question to ask is whether this is enough or too little, too late. My concern as a proponent for facilities upgrades has always will we be behind when we the project is done. I'm glad the project is getting done, but the philosophical shift has to accompany a cultural shift in the university that is more than buildings. There is an element there that hates sports and even was bashing the idea of new facilities to "separate the privileged." New buildings don;t win them over.

I have no idea what our new facilities will be like in comparison to other B1G schools when done. Maybe this won't be an issue, but we waited so long to act, it certainly could be.

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

By this benchmark I guess our new facilities WILL be outdated even before they're finished, but in my opinion what Clemson (and others) are doing is creating a level of athlete entitlement that's so outrageous it's laughable.

 

[Bad Gopher]

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

By this benchmark I guess our new facilities WILL be outdated even before they're finished, but in my opinion what Clemson (and others) are doing is creating a level of athlete entitlement that's so outrageous it's laughable.

It's like the approach I take with my lawn. I do not want the best lawn in the world. That would be way too much work and expense. I do want a lawn that shows I care and am willing to put some time and effort into it. Up til now, the Gopher athletics facilities have been one of the worst lawns in the neighborhood, and you all know what that looks like. That's an embarrassment. Everyone knows you can tend a better lawn than that unless you're drunk half the time.

 

[macgopher]

It's like the approach I take with my lawn. I do not want the best lawn in the world. That would be way too much work and expense. I do want a lawn that shows I care and am willing to put some time and effort into it. Up til now, the Gopher athletics facilities have been one of the worst lawns in the neighborhood, and you all know what that looks like. That's an embarrassment. Everyone knows you can tend a better lawn than that unless you're drunk half the time.

i saw a video for the Kansas BB dorm. Media room plushly furnished, BB court, mezzanine overlooking the court, off the mezzanine a barber shop, arcade room, impressive sleeping quarters with adjustable height private showers, a rooftop patio deck. I am probably forgettng some other features.

 

[Bad Gopher]

i saw a video for the Kansas BB dorm. Media room plushly furnished, BB court, mezzanine overlooking the court, off the mezzanine a barber shop, arcade room, impressive sleeping quarters with adjustable height private showers, a rooftop patio deck. I am probably forgettng some other features.

That's a nice lawn.

 

[alchemy2u]

I think a fair question to ask is whether this is enough or too little, too late. My concern as a proponent for facilities upgrades has always will we be behind when we the project is done. I'm glad the project is getting done, but the philosophical shift has to accompany a cultural shift in the university that is more than buildings. There is an element there that hates sports and even was bashing the idea of new facilities to "separate the privileged." New buildings don;t win them over.

I have no idea what our new facilities will be like in comparison to other B1G schools when done. Maybe this won't be an issue, but we waited so long to act, it certainly could be.

It is kind of a chicken or the egg dilemma. Of course, it is not the best, but you have to start somewhere. It is a dramatic improvement and was sorely needed.

Most of the major programs have a serious group of deep pocket boosters that fund the arms race. We at Minnesota have not been blessed with the same type of athletic boosters. Maybe it will change, it sounds that some boosters stepped up to get Fleck and his staff in place. We will see if it produces winning programs that can encourage mega boosters to fund the future arms race.

Minnesota has typically prided itself on the education portion of the college experience and that is where most of the booster money has been spent. Most of the taxpayers money will be spent on education.

It is kind of a balancing act. Most people would rather have a football team like Alabama vs Minnesota, but most people would rather have a degree in biomedical engineering from Minnesota vs Alabama.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Holy Man]

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

By this benchmark I guess our new facilities WILL be outdated even before they're finished, but in my opinion what Clemson (and others) are doing is creating a level of athlete entitlement that's so outrageous it's laughable.

Agreed, but maybe they are creating a safe play area that will keep them from being injured or getting in trouble. I'm told college students need a little more attention now than we did in decades past. Gotta have video games, too!

 

[Iceland12]

i saw a video for the Kansas BB dorm. Media room plushly furnished, BB court, mezzanine overlooking the court, off the mezzanine a barber shop, arcade room, impressive sleeping quarters with adjustable height private showers, a rooftop patio deck. I am probably forgettng some other features.

What's their football dorm look like?

 

[salzie]

What's their football dorm look like?

19th century prison

 

[Kratos3]

The commitment is there at WI and IA.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk