Gopher Football Mount Rushmore

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I would have my list as:

Bronko Nagurski
Bruce Smith
Bobby Bell
Bernie Bierman

My "others receiving votes" would include: Greg Eslinger, Tyrone Carter, Carl Eller, Sandy Stephens, Murray Warmath and Leo Nomellini

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
I would have my list as:

Bronko Nagurski
Bruce Smith
Bobby Bell
Bernie Bierman

My "others receiving votes" would include: Greg Eslinger, Tyrone Carter, Carl Eller, Sandy Stephens, Murray Warmath and Leo Nomellini

Go Gophers!!
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Hard to disagree. I wish we had more modern candidates, but that's the way it is. I hope that in 10 years we'll be arguing about someone currently with the team or lined up to join...
 

highwayman said:
Hard to disagree. I wish we had more modern candidates, but that's the way it is. I hope that in 10 years we'll be arguing about someone currently with the team or lined up to join...
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The problem is, unless we are winning B1G or National Championships, current players will always be missing something from their resume that the old-timers have and will, therefore, never pass them. Eslinger was 3x All B1G, 2x All America, Outland and Rimington Trophy winner. That's Mt. Rushmore worthy, but how do you put him ahead of a Heisman winner and multiple championship winners with similar accolades?
 

FreakyDeke said:
The problem is, unless we are winning B1G or National Championships, current players will always be missing something from their resume that the old-timers have and will, therefore, never pass them. Eslinger was 3x All B1G, 2x All America, Outland and Rimington Trophy winner. That's Mt. Rushmore worthy, but how do you put him ahead of a Heisman winner and multiple championship winners with similar accolades?
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Wait, I just answered my own question after writing that. Did he not pave the way for 3 straight years of 2x 1,000 yard rushers; a feat that has never been done before? We need a 5th face on our Rushmore.
 


FreakyDeke said:
Wait, I just answered my own question after writing that. Did he not pave the way for 3 straight years of 2x 1,000 yard rushers; a feat that has never been done before? We need a 5th face on our Rushmore.
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Agreed, Eslinger was that dominant, was one of the best pulling centers as well.
 

We are missing on a great name in Gopher Sports History. A name that should have been retired and put right up there with Bronko, Bell, Stephens, Giel and Smith......

Tom Brown - Won the Outland, Finished 2nd in Heisman Voting, CFHOF, Big Ten MVP 1960, 1960 National Champion
 

BleedGopher said:
I would have my list as:

Bronko Nagurski
Bruce Smith
Bobby Bell
Bernie Bierman

My "others receiving votes" would include: Greg Eslinger, Tyrone Carter, Carl Eller, Sandy Stephens, Murray Warmath and Leo Nomellini

Go Gophers!!
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Your top four is spot on, Bleed.
 

How on earth can the Gophers FB team only have 5 retired names and the women's bb has 6 or even 7?

Just for starters:
Tom Brown (see post above)
Leo Nomellini, College and Pro Football HOF
Pug Lund - Big Ten MVP CFHOF
Clayton Tonnemaker #7 in Heisman Voting, CFHOF
 



GoGophers2005 said:
How on earth can the Gophers FB team only have 5 retired names and the women's bb has 6 or even 7?

Just for starters:
Tom Brown (see post above)
Leo Nomellini, College and Pro Football HOF
Pug Lund - Big Ten MVP CFHOF
Clayton Tonnemaker #7 in Heisman Voting, CFHOF
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So that means that no one named Tom can play for the Gophers?;)

FreakyDeke said:
Wait, I just answered my own question after writing that. Did he not pave the way for 3 straight years of 2x 1,000 yard rushers; a feat that has never been done before? We need a 5th face on our Rushmore.
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The whole point of the "Rushmore" analogy is that you need to make it four faces and make some tough decisions.
 


I would say Nagurski, Smith, Giel and Bell. (no offense to the Coaches, but I would go with players first.)

And if this is a tough choice for Gopher Fans, imagine trying to pick only 4 for Notre Dame or USC!
 

highwayman said:
The whole point of the "Rushmore" analogy is that you need to make it four faces and make some tough decisions.
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Then Minnesota needs to develop our own version. Go the the Ozarks area of SE MN, along the Root River, do sculptures of 11 Gophers. Instead of "Mount Rushmore" we will call it "Bluff Rushford".
 



Gophers Mt. Flushmore would have to include Brewster, after that it is difficult to narrow the list.
 



Anyone who saw him play knows that Darrell Thompson should be part of the conversation. You never knew what might happen when he got his hands on the ball.
 




Big Ten Mind said:
Bit: Ryan Grant, David Pittman, Ernie Wheelwright III, and 2006 defense

Real: Nagurski, Smith, Bell, and Upchurch
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You should be ashamed of yourself. Ryan Grant played in 48 games as a Gopher. That's 48 more than you.
 

I think our Mt Rushmore is pretty easy.

Nagurski: An all timer from the golden age. I can't think of any school that wouldn't have him in their Rushmore.

Bruce Smith: can't leave off our only Heisman winner. Can you?

Bierman: 5 national champions and 7 big ten titles earns a spot.

Bobby Bell: CFHOF, 2 time all american, Outland trophy winner, national championship team member, multiple big ten titles.

Thompson, Eslinger, Maroney, Barber, Giel, Stephens and others can make cases. However how do you compare their case against guys with equal individual honors AND championships?
 

highwayman said:
You should be ashamed of yourself. Ryan Grant played in 48 games as a Gopher. That's 48 more than you.
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Not to mention Wheelwright is 4th career in yards and receptions and second in TDs (more than Decker).
 

drinks at Northpoint said:
I think our Mt Rushmore is pretty easy.

Nagurski: An all timer from the golden age. I can't think of any school that wouldn't have him in their Rushmore.

Bruce Smith: can't leave off our only Heisman winner. Can you?

Bierman: 5 national champions and 7 big ten titles earns a spot.

Bobby Bell: CFHOF, 2 time all american, Outland trophy winner, national championship team member, multiple big ten titles.

Thompson, Eslinger, Maroney, Barber, Giel, Stephens and others can make cases. However how do you compare their case against guys with equal individual honors AND championships?
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Only Presidents/players on Mt Rushmore.

Nagurski
Smith
Bell
Eller.......Giel and Stephens-very close

The rest don't belong in the conversation.
 

It's interesting that people are saying Bierman doesn't belong. Does anyone doubt that Notre Dame's would be Rockne, Leahy, Parsegian, and Holtz?
 

station19 said:
Only Presidents/players on Mt Rushmore.

Nagurski
Smith
Bell
Eller.......Giel and Stephens-very close

The rest don't belong in the conversation.
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Bierman, but if just players it Comes down to Tom Brown and Giel. Both finished 2nd in Heisman voting. But nod goes to Brown who was Outland winner, B10 MVP and National Champ.
 

station19 said:
Only Presidents/players on Mt Rushmore.

Nagurski
Smith
Bell
Eller.......Giel and Stephens-very close

The rest don't belong in the conversation.
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Agree to disagree on Bierman. If you insist on leaving him out, I like your next three. I might put Stephens over Eller, but that was before my time. Modern era candidates can't move ahead of them without more wins in the Big Ten.
 

station19 said:
Only Presidents/players on Mt Rushmore.

Nagurski
Smith
Bell
Eller.......Giel and Stephens-very close

The rest don't belong in the conversation.
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I believe that you sell the Coach short. You see, Coach Bierman had also been an All-Big Ten and All-American on the 1915 UNDEFEATED Big Ten Champion Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Program. Oh yes, Coach Bierman Does belong IN the conversation and ON the Mt. Rushmore of University of Minnesota Football...

"...As a player, Bernie Bierman earned All-Conference and All-American honors on the gridiron as a halfback for the Gophers. He also served as the captain on the undefeated 1915 Big Ten title team. From there, Bierman, who also played basketball and ran track at Minnesota, got into coaching. His first stint was in Montana, at the high school level, and then, after serving in WWI, began coaching at the collegiate level at Montana University. He later wound up serving as the head coach at both Mississippi A&M and later at Tulane. In 1932 the "Grey Eagle" came home to take over as the head coach of the Gopher, where he became a legend. During Bierman's first 10 years as Minnesota's head coach (1932-41), better known as the "Golden Era," the Gophers not only won seven Big Ten titles, they also won five national championships (1934, 1935, 1936, 1940 and 1941). In 1942 Bierman rejoined the military for a three-year stint to serve in WWII. He returned to coaching in 1945 and would coach the Gophers for six more seasons before retiring with a 93-35-6 career record at Minnesota (146-62-13 overall). A recipient of numerous Coach of the Year awards, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955..."



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Learfield Sports

***** Please name any other four individuals who topped that... Coach B. BELONGS with the top 4 any way you look at it*****

wren

: 0 )
 

Winnipegopher said:
Not to mention Wheelwright is 4th career in yards and receptions and second in TDs (more than Decker).
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His 2007 Northwestern game alone should make him immune to ridicule. One of the best receiving performances I've ever seen.
 

imthewalrus said:
I believe that you sell the Coach short. You see, Coach Bierman had also been an All-Big Ten and All-American on the 1915 UNDEFEATED Big Ten Champion Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Program. Oh yes, Coach Bierman Does belong IN the conversation and ON the Mt. Rushmore of University of Minnesota Football...

"...As a player, Bernie Bierman earned All-Conference and All-American honors on the gridiron as a halfback for the Gophers. He also served as the captain on the undefeated 1915 Big Ten title team. From there, Bierman, who also played basketball and ran track at Minnesota, got into coaching. His first stint was in Montana, at the high school level, and then, after serving in WWI, began coaching at the collegiate level at Montana University. He later wound up serving as the head coach at both Mississippi A&M and later at Tulane. In 1932 the "Grey Eagle" came home to take over as the head coach of the Gopher, where he became a legend. During Bierman's first 10 years as Minnesota's head coach (1932-41), better known as the "Golden Era," the Gophers not only won seven Big Ten titles, they also won five national championships (1934, 1935, 1936, 1940 and 1941). In 1942 Bierman rejoined the military for a three-year stint to serve in WWII. He returned to coaching in 1945 and would coach the Gophers for six more seasons before retiring with a 93-35-6 career record at Minnesota (146-62-13 overall). A recipient of numerous Coach of the Year awards, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955..."



B1G TEN BTN MINN NCAA WCHA MINN GOPHER SPORTS PROPERTIES


CBS College Sports



Visit other CBS Interactive Sites
CBS CaresCBS FilmsCBS RadioCBS.comCBSInteractiveCBSNews.comCBSSports.comCHOWClickerCNETCollege NetworkGameSpotHelp.comLast.fmMaxPrepsMetacritic.comMetroLyricsMoneywatchmySimonRadio.comSearch.comShopper.comShowtimeSmartPlanetTechRepublicTV.comTVGuide.comUrbanBaby.comZDNet


© 2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use | About Us | Advertise | Feedback
Learfield Sports

***** Please name any other four individuals who topped that... Coach B. BELONGS with the top 4 any way you look at it*****

wren

: 0 )
Click to expand...

Not selling the coach short, long or medium. My list is for only players. You can make out your own list the way you want.
 

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