Gophers using heating coils for games?

[pharmacygopher]

Wasn't there an issue with the coils leaking?
Maintenance issue.

That's why Farve's head hit frozen turf and he never played again.

I can't tell what is a joke or serious in this thread.

The Favre game was a one off game played after the metrodome roof collapsed. That was prior to the scheduled time the Vikings played there and made upgrades to the stadium to be NFL worthy.

 

[TurfGopher]

The benches are all heated. Look for the huge white plastic couches with hoses running everywhere.

 

[PitinoFan]

Let’s just end this right now.

 

[MGGopher]

Let’s just end this right now.

Like the official Gophers Football Twitter would know anything. It's become clear to me there's only one way to settle this: a Gopherholer will need to become a literal gopher and burrow several feet into the turf at TCF to discover what lies beneath the surface. If you do, in fact, come upon the coils, please also puncture a tiny hole in one to discover whether it's water or propylene glycol flowing within. Photos would be appreciated.

 

[PJparty]

Let’s just end this right now.

But have we filled the gap between 4/29/2019 to now? Were the field coils removed during the road trip to Northwestern? /s

 

[Livingat45north]

How much do heating coils raise the ambient temperature for players on the field? I'm not talking about just melting ice, but the actual temperature say four feet above the surface. If the temp of the heating coil fluid is like 40 degrees, it's not going to make much difference in what the temperature feels like to the players. If on the other hand they run the coils all week at something like 80 degrees and get that field surface temp up to 60 degrees (not sure if that's really possible), then it'd make a big difference.

 

[zman]

Let’s just end this right now.

That fake news ends NOTHING!

 

[swingman]

Dairy Queen needs to have Dilly Bars everywhere!

 

[Ski U Master]

How much do heating coils raise the ambient temperature for players on the field? I'm not talking about just melting ice, but the actual temperature say four feet above the surface. If the temp of the heating coil fluid is like 40 degrees, it's not going to make much difference in what the temperature feels like to the players. If on the other hand they run the coils all week at something like 80 degrees and get that field surface temp up to 60 degrees (not sure if that's really possible), then it'd make a big difference.

It's not for heat in terms of player comfort, it's just to keep the turf from becoming a solid slab of ice.
(If it even exists at all)

 

[Spoofin]

So did they or did they not remove the heating system? We are still wondering. lol

They were removed. Well known.
Not sure why some insist they weren’t?

 

[SKOOKM]

Wasn't there an issue with the coils leaking?
Maintenance issue.

That's why Farve's head hit frozen turf and he never played again.

Favre played there the year the dome ceiling collapsed and the Vikings had to move to TCF unplanned. The Vikings experience playing on an unheated field is exactly why they spent a ton of money to put the heating coils in when they moved there while their new stadium was being built. You are correct that the Vikings found the cold field to be unplayable. It’s ridiculous to think that the heating coils would not help playing conditions on a cold day or that they would ever tear up the concrete just to remove them.

 

[TurfGopher]

the field sits on a bed of sand and rubber. The poly heating tubes are embedding the sand/rubber a few inches under the turf. Just keeps the turf warm enough to not freeze.

 

[4four4]

They were removed. Well known.
Not sure why some insist they weren’t?

People are getting mixed up here. The coils were removed but they still have a heated field.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

We are all now dumber for reading this thread. Thanks GopherHole

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

Wasn't there an issue with the coils leaking?
Maintenance issue.

That's why Farve's head hit frozen turf and he never played again.

I heard that Favre's head caused the coils to crack. There is a drainage pond across University that is full of some sweet tasting ethylene glycol that will make you drunk but blind.

 

[1983]

why discuss this again? They are not going away and will be used when needed.

 

[Jeshurun]

Let’s just end this right now.

How are they available to heat the turf when they were removed? This post by Gopher Football is as real as Fleck’s depth charts.

 

[Dano564]

I heard that Favre's head caused the coils to crack. There is a drainage pond across University that is full of some sweet tasting ethylene glycol that will make you drunk but blind.

If I remember correctly, the issue was they had the coils off because the Gophers season was already over and the coils froze and they weren't able to turn them on again due to the surprise nature of the game.

They covered the turf for a week and ran heaters, but the coils were still lodged with frozen fluid.
Favre's head may have cracked one of the frozen coils because plastic isn't as flexible at below freezing temperatures.

 

[Dano564]

I think this is an important enough topic that ESPN Gameday should do a segment on it so everyone is aware of the issues we've had with the heating system.

 

[die hard gopher]

If I remember correctly, the issue was they had the coils off because the Gophers season was already over and the coils froze and they weren't able to turn them on again due to the surprise nature of the game.

They covered the turf for a week and ran heaters, but the coils were still lodged with frozen fluid.
Favre's head may have cracked one of the frozen coils because plastic isn't as flexible at below freezing temperatures.

We never had heating coils when Favre played at TCF. Those were only installed when the Vikings played here full time.

 

[die hard gopher]

They were removed. Well known.
Not sure why some insist they weren’t?

Pitinofan originaly posted this tweet. Post #33. Don't know why it's not showing up now but the heating coils were never removed

 

[Bordergopher]

They were removed. Well known.
Not sure why some insist they weren’t?

You are clearly Spoofin here.

 

[howeda7]

Great thread, everyone. I look forward to revisiting it again next year.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Great thread, everyone. I look forward to revisiting it again next year.

Why? Are they reinstalling the heating coils before then?

 

[USAF]

The coils weren't removed, but the EPA under Obama banned HFCs, so the coils couldn't be used. Trump removed the ban, so now the University could use them, but the University, being the lefty-friendly zone it is, decided not to, because when Favre's head hit the frozen turf, it caused a leak which is suspected of causing cancer in rats.

 

[Spoofin]

I heard that Favre's head caused the coils to crack. There is a drainage pond across University that is full of some sweet tasting ethylene glycol that will make you drunk but blind.

Boy, I like getting drunk from time to time as much as the next guy, but this seems like quite the price to pay.

 

[In-House Gopher]

I'm pretty sure Joel Maturi took the coils with him when he retired. His driveway has been suspiciously free of snow and ice each winter since he left.

 

[SickAndTiredOfLosingToWI]

Off topic, but does anyone know if the heating coils can heat chili?

 

[jon marston]

Heating coils won’t work without a tarp over the field - do they still have the heating coil tarp?

 

[AF_Howie_2180]

Wasn't there an issue with the coils leaking?
Maintenance issue.

That's why Farve's head hit frozen turf and he never played again.

Negative, the piping is high quality same as you'd use for radiant floor heat in your house. In the game with Farve that was an emergency use of the facility. The Dome had collapsed and the joint use of the facility wasn't envisioned yet as US Bank Stadium was still a dream amd not approved yet.