Gopher legend Bruce Smith's son: "none of us are surprised by the disrespect we’ve gotten from the U…. Sad, Really, but it is what it is"

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Ope3 said:
The retired jerseys/numbers for which Smith is so honored and is on the upper deck just above where I sit. That already feels like a "ring of honor".

Paul Giel #10
Sandy Stephens #15
Bruce Smith #54
Bronko Nagurski #72
Bobby Bell #78

Hey, I have no problem if someone wants to pony up to honor Smith additionally. The Heisman is a big deal. The other guys accomplishments are also pretty great too, so where does it end? The Heisman predated Nagurski. Giel finished 2nd in the Heisman, lettered in 2 other sports and was AD. Stephens was a ground breaking QB and Bell was perhaps the best NFL player ever to come out of the U, especially in the Super Bowl era.

Give them all a statue? Sure. I would kick in some bucks for any and all of them.
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Is that the Gump I see?
 


FWIW - # of B1G Heisman winners by school:
Ohio State - 7 (Archie Griffin gets counted for two)
Michigan - 3
Wisconsin - 2
Minnesota - 1
Iowa - 1
Chicago - 1
Only Iowa's Kinnick has a statue outside the stadium - Berwanger (Chicago 1935) has a statue at his hometown stadium in Dubuque, IA. Maybe something at Faribault for Smith?
(Did not count Nebraska's 3 recipients nor Penn State's single winner as they occurred prior to their entry into the B1G, but none of them have statues either)
 

cemba99 said:
FWIW - # of B1G Heisman winners by school:
Ohio State - 7 (Archie Griffin gets counted for two)
Michigan - 3
Wisconsin - 2
Minnesota - 1
Iowa - 1
Chicago - 1
Only Iowa's Kinnick has a statue outside the stadium - Berwanger (Chicago 1935) has a statue at his hometown stadium in Dubuque, IA. Maybe something at Faribault for Smith?
(Did not count Nebraska's 3 recipients nor Penn State's single winner as they occurred prior to their entry into the B1G, but none of them have statues either)
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Thank you.

So in other words, Smith's son is trying to pretend that a one-off example, which has its own special circumstances, is some routine thing.
 

cemba99 said:
Comparing Smith to Kinnick isn't quite fair. While Smith served his country honorably during WWII, Kinnick was killed in a training mission off the coast of Venezuela in 1943. Kinnick even has a Japanese high school named for him (for children of US military personnel). A quick look around shows that (perhaps not surprisingly) Heisman trophy winner statues are mostly found in the South and it is a more recent phenomenon. None of the Notre Dame (7 recipients), Ohio State (7) or Michigan (3) Heisman winners have statues (although Paul Horning does have a statue in his hometown of Louisville, but that honors him more as a footballer in general). Notre Dame does have statues of their 5 national championship coaches around the stadium, including Lou Holtz!

What might be nice in the stadium would be to somehow recognize Smith's achievement via a plaque, display case, etc.
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Barry Alvarez has a statue! As does his hiring AD! Hooray for statues of living people!
 



Well, to be fair, we are a fan base that is all about the modern era and doesn’t really dwell on the program’s historic/ past achievements, right?
 
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cemba99 said:
FWIW - # of B1G Heisman winners by school:
Ohio State - 7 (Archie Griffin gets counted for two)
Michigan - 3
Wisconsin - 2
Minnesota - 1
Iowa - 1
Chicago - 1
Only Iowa's Kinnick has a statue outside the stadium - Berwanger (Chicago 1935) has a statue at his hometown stadium in Dubuque, IA. Maybe something at Faribault for Smith?
(Did not count Nebraska's 3 recipients nor Penn State's single winner as they occurred prior to their entry into the B1G, but none of them have statues either)
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The HS Faribault Falcons play their games at Bruce Smith Field, located at the Rice Cty Fairgrounds.

Similarly, the Winona Winhawks play their games at Paul Giel Field. Both fine venues to watch a Big 9 football game or whatever district they are playing in currently.
 

There's a huge mural of Smith in downtown Faribault as well. It's really cool.
 










No disrespect to Mr. Smith but when I seen unsolicited super antagonistic comments like this there is usually either pre-existing bad blood (maybe Coyle or another honcho at the U rubbed him the wrong way one time) or Mr. Smith isn’t alright. A certain DB comes to mind.

That said, a statue would be cool.
 

I second or third the motion to name an entrance to the stadium in Smith's honor.
If that is not enough for the son then he can start a Go Fund Me campaign for a statue.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Yep....because that kind of thought process makes complete rational sense. It's Coyle's fault there isn't a statue of a player that played for the U back in the 40's.

So many people out there working so hard to find reasons to be offended and someone to blame....gets tiring.
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An example: I held Hockey and Football season tickets off an on for years (I moved to Texas at one point and dropped tickets) and donated to the U regularly. I was not a big time donor, but averaged about $5K/yr over twenty years, with less in some years, and into the 5 figures a couple of times. I received standard requests to donate until the year after I chose not to donate to the University anymore, but never any further communication. When I dropped season tickets - both times - I heard nothing from the athletic department. Ever.

In contrast, I purchased a pair of tickets to a University of Kansas basketball game once. I still receive updates on the program, "special opportunities" for tickets, updates from the Athletic Director and insights into their vision for the future and progress reports on the fund raising efforts. On a regular basis. The ticket purchase was 5 years ago. I have a better relationship with an athletic department I've spent less than $500 with than with the University I graduated from and donated to over the course of 20 years.

An assertion that the U doesn't have good relationships with alumni, fans, the public in general is not a surprise.

I'm not offended by it, but it is factual.
 

Not pretending to know where the money would come from, but it would be cool to put a statue of each of the 5 guys who have had their number retired at five different entrances around the stadium.
 

cemba99 said:
FWIW - # of B1G Heisman winners by school:
Ohio State - 7 (Archie Griffin gets counted for two)
Michigan - 3
Wisconsin - 2
Minnesota - 1
Iowa - 1
Chicago - 1
Only Iowa's Kinnick has a statue outside the stadium - Berwanger (Chicago 1935) has a statue at his hometown stadium in Dubuque, IA. Maybe something at Faribault for Smith?
(Did not count Nebraska's 3 recipients nor Penn State's single winner as they occurred prior to their entry into the B1G, but none of them have statues either)
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I always like the forward thinking arguments along the lines of nobody else does it so why should we? Or, it was good enough for me, my kid, my dad, etc…it’s good enough for you.
We have only had one Heisman winner and we seem proud of our football tradition, so while I don’t know the answer whether he should or shouldn’t have a statue. Please, give me better arguments than than nobody else has one.
While I get that the other retired numbers didn’t win the Heisman …are they less worthy of a statue?
I’m going to go with…it’s not disrespectful…it’s complicated!!! Be nice if they all had statues.
 


caliGopher said:
An example: I held Hockey and Football season tickets off an on for years (I moved to Texas at one point and dropped tickets) and donated to the U regularly. I was not a big time donor, but averaged about $5K/yr over twenty years, with less in some years, and into the 5 figures a couple of times. I received standard requests to donate until the year after I chose not to donate to the University anymore, but never any further communication. When I dropped season tickets - both times - I heard nothing from the athletic department. Ever.

In contrast, I purchased a pair of tickets to a University of Kansas basketball game once. I still receive updates on the program, "special opportunities" for tickets, updates from the Athletic Director and insights into their vision for the future and progress reports on the fund raising efforts. On a regular basis. The ticket purchase was 5 years ago. I have a better relationship with an athletic department I've spent less than $500 with than with the University I graduated from and donated to over the course of 20 years.

An assertion that the U doesn't have good relationships with alumni, fans, the public in general is not a surprise.

I'm not offended by it, but it is factual.
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I graduated from the U in 1999, the only correspondence I get from the University is requests for money so I totally get what you are saying. My response was more to point out that this isn't a Coyle thing the way the poster blaming the current administration was trying to make it out to be.

And this whole thing is stupid because I am positive there is recognition of Smith at Huntington Bank stadium and I know there is recognition of Smith at the football complex. He seems fixated on the lack of a statue or feels slighted in some way and that is unfortunate but that is on him way more than it is on the U of M.
 

caliGopher said:
An example: I held Hockey and Football season tickets off an on for years (I moved to Texas at one point and dropped tickets) and donated to the U regularly. I was not a big time donor, but averaged about $5K/yr over twenty years, with less in some years, and into the 5 figures a couple of times. I received standard requests to donate until the year after I chose not to donate to the University anymore, but never any further communication. When I dropped season tickets - both times - I heard nothing from the athletic department. Ever.

In contrast, I purchased a pair of tickets to a University of Kansas basketball game once. I still receive updates on the program, "special opportunities" for tickets, updates from the Athletic Director and insights into their vision for the future and progress reports on the fund raising efforts. On a regular basis. The ticket purchase was 5 years ago. I have a better relationship with an athletic department I've spent less than $500 with than with the University I graduated from and donated to over the course of 20 years.

An assertion that the U doesn't have good relationships with alumni, fans, the public in general is not a surprise.

I'm not offended by it, but it is factual.
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Have you ever followed up with the athletic department to let them know how they are failing? A well placed email to Coyle or other member of the athletic department might be in order. Sometimes they don't know a problem until someone speaks up. This could be your way of reestablishing your relationship with the program and help to make a difference at the same time.
 




cemba99 said:
FWIW - # of B1G Heisman winners by school:
Ohio State - 7 (Archie Griffin gets counted for two)
Michigan - 3
Wisconsin - 2
Minnesota - 1
Iowa - 1
Chicago - 1
Only Iowa's Kinnick has a statue outside the stadium - Berwanger (Chicago 1935) has a statue at his hometown stadium in Dubuque, IA. Maybe something at Faribault for Smith?
(Did not count Nebraska's 3 recipients nor Penn State's single winner as they occurred prior to their entry into the B1G, but none of them have statues either)
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Good job. Red Grange does have a statue at Memorial Stadium in Illinois, but he played before the Heisman Trophy was created.

Gophers should embrace their great history. Problem is, their Rose Bowl and National Championships are all over 60 years ago. Heck, their last Big Ten Championship was in 1967!

Maybe for the last 25 years or so the powers that be over there didn't want to promote how long ago their glory days were?

Doubt that many H.S. kids are impressed by those glory years of the 30's.
 


60's Guy said:
I always like the forward thinking arguments along the lines of nobody else does it so why should we? Or, it was good enough for me, my kid, my dad, etc…it’s good enough for you.
We have only had one Heisman winner and we seem proud of our football tradition, so while I don’t know the answer whether he should or shouldn’t have a statue. Please, give me better arguments than than nobody else has one.
While I get that the other retired numbers didn’t win the Heisman …are they less worthy of a statue?
I’m going to go with…it’s not disrespectful…it’s complicated!!! Be nice if they all had statues.
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That wasn't the argument. The argument is that just because there isn't a statue doesn't mean that the U is disrespecting Smith...which that data backs up.
 

caliGopher said:
An example: I held Hockey and Football season tickets off an on for years (I moved to Texas at one point and dropped tickets) and donated to the U regularly. I was not a big time donor, but averaged about $5K/yr over twenty years, with less in some years, and into the 5 figures a couple of times. I received standard requests to donate until the year after I chose not to donate to the University anymore, but never any further communication. When I dropped season tickets - both times - I heard nothing from the athletic department. Ever.

In contrast, I purchased a pair of tickets to a University of Kansas basketball game once. I still receive updates on the program, "special opportunities" for tickets, updates from the Athletic Director and insights into their vision for the future and progress reports on the fund raising efforts. On a regular basis. The ticket purchase was 5 years ago. I have a better relationship with an athletic department I've spent less than $500 with than with the University I graduated from and donated to over the course of 20 years.

An assertion that the U doesn't have good relationships with alumni, fans, the public in general is not a surprise.

I'm not offended by it, but it is factual.
Click to expand...
You must have some sort of cheat code then cause I graduated in 2017, and regularly get emails from the U about athletics, and get mail asking for donations all the time. Never had season tickets either.
 


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