Hallman: U of M does a poor job of fully recognizing former Black male and female stars in hoops and other Gopher sports

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Hallman:

But I agree that the U of M does a poor job of fully recognizing former Black male and female stars in hoops and other Gopher sports, many of them during my 40-years-plus beat coverage.

It took the school three decades before St. Paul native Linda Roberts’ jersey got hung in the Barn’s rafters. Almost longer for Willie Burton, who finally got honored with a jersey hanging ceremony in January 2020.

spokesman-recorder.com

Overlooked at U of M | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Recognizing former Black Gophers only during Black History Month each February is not enough. The 'U' can and should do better.
spokesman-recorder.com spokesman-recorder.com

Oddly, Hallman fails to recognize that it actually took LONGER for the U to retire Randy Breuer's jersey than it did Willie Burton's, both were overdue IMO, but weird that Hallman wouldn't provide that context.

Go Gophers!!
 

Didn't Willie have to get his degree first?
 

While Tucker & Burton had to wait for their numbers to be retired. Lou Hudson's was retired in 1966, Jim Brewer was in 1973, and Mychal Thompson was in 1978.

Talk about waiting: Whitey Skoog (class of 1951) waited until 2009; Chuck Mencel (class of 1955) waited until 2011; and Dick Garmaker (class of 1955) also was in 2011.
 


Very trendy topic. It took a long time for lots of people.
I'm curious if all of those with retired numbers have degrees?
If the criteria changed to exclude specific Black athletes, then he'd have a story.
Or, were exceptions made in certain cases?
 


AO54 said:
Didn't Willie have to get his degree first?
Click to expand...
Don't let that get in the way of the narrative.

The U can be chipped for a lot of things but this is ridiculous. The U hired a black basketball coach in the mid 80s. They had a black AD in the early 90s. As others have pointed out, several black players were honored immediately. The only ones who haven't been honored (Jackson) or were delayed (Burton) were from a rule that applies to everyone.
 

60's Guy said:
Very trendy topic. It took a long time for lots of people.
I'm curious if all of those with retired numbers have degrees?
If the criteria changed to exclude specific Black athletes, then he'd have a story.
Or, were exceptions made in certain cases?
Click to expand...
They don't have a case. He found one example of a guy whose was delayed and there is another white guy's who was also delayed. There is a long list of AA athletes who have been honored.
 

60's Guy said:
Very trendy topic. It took a long time for lots of people.
I'm curious if all of those with retired numbers have degrees?
If the criteria changed to exclude specific Black athletes, then he'd have a story.
Or, were exceptions made in certain cases?
Click to expand...
I find it oddly "Minnesotan" that you need to have a completed degree.
 

I mean it is the spokesman so I guess fits with the message?
 




Is there anybody good enough to retire that they're missing currently? Kinda need that to make whatever point he is trying for
 


BleedGopher said:
per Hallman:

But I agree that the U of M does a poor job of fully recognizing former Black male and female stars in hoops and other Gopher sports, many of them during my 40-years-plus beat coverage.

It took the school three decades before St. Paul native Linda Roberts’ jersey got hung in the Barn’s rafters. Almost longer for Willie Burton, who finally got honored with a jersey hanging ceremony in January 2020.

spokesman-recorder.com

Overlooked at U of M | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Recognizing former Black Gophers only during Black History Month each February is not enough. The 'U' can and should do better.
spokesman-recorder.com spokesman-recorder.com

Oddly, Hallman fails to recognize that it actually took LONGER for the U to retire Randy Breuer's jersey than it did Willie Burton's, both were overdue IMO, but weird that Hallman wouldn't provide that context.

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Not going to give this garbage a click. Some of the most celebrated players in Gopher history are black. Sandy Stephen, Bobby Bell, Carl Eller.....give me a f'in break.
 




Some guy said:
True.

Miles tarver?



honestly it is guys from the year that never happened or Jordan Murphy who are next on the list.
Click to expand...
I know Oturu played for a relatively short time, but he is likely the best player the Gophers have had this century. Coffey could have been a candidate if he had returned to play his final year of eligibility and improved from the prior season. He may have been screwed by the covid cancellation though.
 



builtbadgers said:
Tons of schools have that.
Click to expand...
And, for many years, the U would not put a banner up if the player did not have a degree. In the last few years, they have for the most part stopped following that practice. It is still a good idea that an athlete gets a degree.......
 

GopherBlood666 said:
I know Oturu played for a relatively short time, but he is likely the best player the Gophers have had this century. Coffey could have been a candidate if he had returned to play his final year of eligibility and improved from the prior season. He may have been screwed by the covid cancellation though.
Click to expand...
As a college player and judging their whole career
Murphy > Coffey > oturu

Oturu was never a top 4 player on an NCAA tourney team
 

Some guy said:
As a college player and judging their whole career
Murphy > Coffey > oturu

Oturu was never a top 4 player on an NCAA tourney team
Click to expand...
You don't think he was his freshman season? Murph, Coffey, Oturu, McBrayer, Kalscheur that season IMO
 


GopherBlood666 said:
You don't think he was his freshman season? Murph, Coffey, Oturu, McBrayer, Kalscheur that season IMO
Click to expand...
I mean he was 5th in minutes and closer to Eric Curry and Isaiah Washington’s minutes than Gabe’s. But he was probably the 1-3 player on the team in terms of talent, he wasn’t nearly as consistent as a freshman as he was as a sophomore. When he ran the show the team was under.500
 



GoodasGold said:
One would think a well-written term paper could get a jersey hung in Good order. 😏
Click to expand...
Touche.

Hopefully they get a degree, but if I'm being honest, I'm cheering for their on court exploits ultimately as are most/all of us, if we are transparent on the matter and not being Minnesota opaque instead.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
I know Oturu played for a relatively short time, but he is likely the best player the Gophers have had this century. Coffey could have been a candidate if he had returned to play his final year of eligibility and improved from the prior season. He may have been screwed by the covid cancellation though.
Click to expand...
Oturu could have been a candidate, but because he was such a short timer, and he didn't make the all freshmen team and was only 2nd team all Big Ten his sophomore season, I can't see retiring his number. With that short of a stint, you really need to wrack up a resume to have your number retired, else with standards that low you won't have any numbers left for people to wear.
 

Gopher Teeth said:
Oturu could have been a candidate, but because he was such a short timer, and he didn't make the all freshmen team and was only 2nd team all Big Ten his sophomore season, I can't see retiring his number. With that short of a stint, you really need to wrack up a resume to have your number retired, else with standards that low you won't have any numbers left for people to wear.
Click to expand...
Wasn't suggesting he should, but rather I feel would have been a lock if he used his entire eligibility.
 




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