Eric Decker, Joel Maturi elected to M Club HOF

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BleedGopher

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Per the U:

The University of Minnesota's M Club, one of the nation's largest and oldest varsity letterwinner clubs, will induct eight new Hall of Fame members on Sept. 6 in a ceremony at Williams Arena. The individuals will be recognized throughout the weekend at various events, including the Saturday home football game against Rhode Island. Tickets are available for purchase HERE. Doors open for the event at 6 p.m. on Sept. 6, with the ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The 2024 M Club Hall of Fame:
Nicole Chimko-Fahey (Track & Field, 1996-99)
Eric Decker (Football and Baseball, 2006-09)
Tori Dixon (Volleyball, 2010-13)
Laurie Kaiser Sund (Gymnastics, 1983-86)
Amanda Kessel (Women's Hockey, 2010-13, 2016)
Don Lucia (Men's Hockey Coach, 1999-2018)
Harsh Mankad (Men's Tennis, 2000-02)
Joel Maturi (Athletics Director, 2002-12)

Eric Decker (Football and Baseball, 2006-09)
Eric Decker lettered at Minnesota from 2006-09 and was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection. The Cold Springs, Minn., product ended his collegiate career with 227 catches for 3,119 yards and 24 touchdowns in 45 games. Decker was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and had an eight-year NFL career, as he played for the Broncos, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans. He helped lead the Broncos to an AFC Championship in 2013 and to a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII. Decker ended his NFL career with 439 receptions for 5,816 yards and 53 touchdowns. He also lettered two times in baseball for the Gophers and was twice selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, first by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008 and then by the Minnesota Twins in 2009.

Joel Maturi (Athletics Director, 2002-12)
During his 10-year tenure as athletics director, Joel Maturi led the Gophers through one of the most transformative eras in its history. He became the department's first-ever director of athletics for both the men's and women's programs on July 12, 2002, bringing together what had been two separate departments since their inception. A native of Chisholm, Minn., Maturi's career included a successfully merged department, high graduation rates, various programs ranked among the nation's best, a balanced budget, helped efforts to bring a football stadium back to campus, facility fundraising and increased scholarships for student-athletes. Under Maturi's leadership, Minnesota claimed five national titles and 45 Big Ten or WCHA championships. In honor of his work, the Sports Pavilion was renamed Maturi Pavilion in 2017.

gophersports.com

Gopher Athletics ‘M Club’ Announces 2024 Hall of Fame Class - University of Minnesota Athletics

The University of Minnesota's M Club, one of the nation's largest and oldest varsity letterwinner clubs, will induct eight new Hall of Fame members on Sept. ...
gophersports.com gophersports.com

Go Gophers!!
 

If we could only put someone like Decker opposite Jackson this season, things would be a lot more interesting.
 


They snuck in naming the pavilion after Maturi without telling anyone because they might’ve hung him in effigy as a response. Don’t know how the completely average to below aberage SOB gets into the Hall of Fame. Decker is a no-brainer and it was a pleasure to watch him on Saturdays and Sundays.
 

Macturi's knee-jerk firing of Mason was a cluster eff. He robbed Glen of getting any credit for making TCF stadium a reality.
 


Always wonder how Decker would have done in baseball. For some reason he reminds me of Lewis.
 



strokemonster said:
Macturi's knee-jerk firing of Mason was a cluster eff. He robbed Glen of getting any credit for making TCF stadium a reality.
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It was overdue.

The season would end (with a loss) and Glen would say something like “It’s hard to win in the B10” and then leave to golf.

He did not spend the time on recruiting that was needed at the time.

He was average at best.

The subsequent hire was a mistake, getting rid of Grinnin’ Glen was not a mistake.
 



Maturi in the Hall of Fame is a "long tenure in a visible leadership role award" and not necessarily an "elite performance award" in my view.

If he was a great AD he would have been in long ago.
 

Unregistered User said:
It was overdue.

The season would end (with a loss) and Glen would say something like “It’s hard to win in the B10” and then leave to golf.

He did not spend the time on recruiting that was needed at the time.

He was average at best.

The subsequent hire was a mistake, getting rid of Grinnin’ Glen was not a mistake.
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Agree. He had his chance(s). We saw what he could do. It was time.
 

strokemonster said:
Macturi's knee-jerk firing of Mason was a cluster eff. He robbed Glen of getting any credit for making TCF stadium a reality.
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Mason did that to himself - and not on the field. That was bad enough, but he might have have survived that without the unhinged rant about the local press.

I agree Macturi was a the equivalent of Mediocrates as an AD overall, but man he supported the hell out of the women's rowing program.

That said, he didn't get caught offering mega tongue to any staffers, and could speak in complete and coherent sentences. It's a low bar to be a "good enough" AD at Minnesota, so he gets in I guess.
 

I too was not a Maturi fan, but I do have a story about him and his family. In 2009, the Gophers played in Anaheim in a Thanksgiving tournament. My brothers and I had a reunion at this tournament. We ended up eating our Thanksgiving meal with the travel group from Minnesota. Maturi and his family also ate with the group. We met him and his wife and two adult children. His family was great. Didn't talk with Joel at all as he was busy, but we sat with his wife and kids at each game and had a great time. They were passionate gopher fans and were a lot of fun to be around. The Gophers beat a ranked Butler team in the first game and then lost the next two.
 



I met Joel a couple times at events and he was very friendly and a nice guy. I also think firing Mason was justified at the time.

I do not think he’s a hall of fame level leader.
 


fmlizard said:
Maturi in the Hall of Fame is a "long tenure in a visible leadership role award" and not necessarily an "elite performance award" in my view.

If he was a great AD he would have been in long ago.
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I would welcome Maturi back in a nano second over Coyle.
 


Unregistered User said:
It was overdue.

The season would end (with a loss) and Glen would say something like “It’s hard to win in the B10” and then leave to golf.

He did not spend the time on recruiting that was needed at the time.

He was average at best.

The subsequent hire was a mistake, getting rid of Grinnin’ Glen was not a mistake.
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I used to think Mason should have gotten one more year. But over time I knew canning him was the right thing to do.
On Barreiro's KFAN show when they're talking about some coach or other, he'll always say "some guys like to coach, and some guys like to be the coach". Regardless of what Glen says, Glen liked to be the coach.
 





Maturi probably should have been cashiered in early 2007 too. Recall that him and Mason were in a contract dispute leading up to the 2005 Music City Bowl, which was ANOTHER pissed-away second half lead.

Then the whole Dan Monson fiasco (not sacking him after getting blown out in Cincinnati in the NIT, only to fire him in November).

Finally, it took Bob Bruininks ordering the hit for Maturi on the way home from Phoenix to finally get rid of Mason. It was a very happy New Years Eve celebration at my apartment.
 


GopherRock said:
Maturi probably should have been cashiered in early 2007 too. Recall that him and Mason were in a contract dispute leading up to the 2005 Music City Bowl, which was ANOTHER pissed-away second half lead.

Then the whole Dan Monson fiasco (not sacking him after getting blown out in Cincinnati in the NIT, only to fire him in November).

Finally, it took Bob Bruininks ordering the hit for Maturi on the way home from Phoenix to finally get rid of Mason. It was a very happy New Years Eve celebration at my apartment.
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Good info. Maturi was watchin the clock/cashing checks and designing his maple bluff home. We got effed again.
 

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