Heating Coils under the Field

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Law_Abiding_Gopher

Law_Abiding_Gopher

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Everybody's favorite Vikings apologist PA is currently on the air ripping the U for not installing heating coils under the field. His take is "the U knew the Vikings would have to play their for a couple years while their stadium is being built so why didn't they build the stadium to work in December weather."

My take is simple, unless the Vikings were willing to pay for said heating coils and requested they be a part of the project, it is not the U's job to build a stadium that will work for the Vikings.

Please someone talk me off the ledge. This conversation and angle from PA seems like a brand new PR attack on our stadium, our team, and our school.
 

Why would you be on a ledge about what some dude who can't get a job better than a local radio gig thinks?
 

If the Vikings get a new stadium deal, and want to use TCF while the stadium is being built, and want there to be heating coils under the turf, then the Vikings can pay to have it added. Complaining about there not being heating coils is like complaining you have to borrow someone's couch because they don't have a guest bedroom.
 

It's not an attack on the stadium. He is just laying the excuse for a lackluster performance by a team that is already out of playoff contention playing a game in elements they are not used to playing in against a division rival that is in the thick of the playoff hunt. Most likely only the winner of the NFC North will make the playoffs.
 

Law_Abiding_Gopher said:
Everybody's favorite Vikings apologist PA is currently on the air ripping the U for not installing heating coils under the field. His take is "the U knew the Vikings would have to play their for a couple years while their stadium is being built so why didn't they build the stadium to work in December weather."

My take is simple, unless the Vikings were willing to pay for said heating coils and requested they be a part of the project, it is not the U's job to build a stadium that will work for the Vikings.

Please someone talk me off the ledge. This conversation and angle from PA seems like a brand new PR attack on our stadium, our team, and our school.
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I am not listening to PA and his tone, but I have to admit, I think it was a bit short-sighted to not include the coils. I know it was an additional expense (I have no idea how significant it would have been), but one only has to watch the Minnesota-Iowa game to see guys sliding all over the place on a field that was forming ice late in the afternoon. Coils would have solved that problem.

NateDawgUM said:
some dude who can't get a job better than a local radio gig thinks?
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PA's job is a sweetheart gig. Dream job for many. Make six figures to simply talk about sports for 3 hours a day and cover Vikings play by play. I'd hardly call it just a run of the mill local radio gig as if it is some dude doing high school games in Thief River Falls for $35 a night.
 


tjgopher said:
PA's job is a sweetheart gig. Dream job for many. Make six figures to simply talk about sports for 3 hours a day and cover Vikings play by play. I'd hardly call it just a run of the mill local radio gig as if it is some dude doing high school games in Thief River Falls for $35 a night.
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Plus he has turned that into about 9 other part time jobs Vikings related, plus the money he receives from his calls being used on things like Miller Lite commercials.
 

Maybe he's going off there, but he's stealing his opinion from Zulgad who was on for the 1st 10 minutes of his show (maybe longer, that's all i heard). Theyre right in that it would have been smart if you would have seen this coming, but wrong in that that stuff costs money.

Our $288m (correct me if i am wrong) stadium would have cost more to begin with. Would an extra $10m for the heating system (TOTAL guess on my part) be worth it for something that may never be used? My personal answer is no. If the Vikes would have forseen using TCF when it was being designed, they should have spoken up then and paid to have the stadium winterizeable. Im sure it would have been cheaper for them. I have no inside knowledge of this, but i am sure the U asked the Vikes quietly about this then too if for no other reason than to get the Vikes to upgrade our stadium on their dime.

The Vikings are just as likely to build their stadium somewhere other than the Metrodome site as to raze it and build there. So, as a result, they can winterize our stadium when and if they need.
 

One other thought here, is an iced up field with the fieldturf we currently have any harder than the old astroturf at the metrodome? I heard the arguement about concussions...
 

How the field played for a December NFL game is not and was not a concern of the University of Minnesota. IMO PA is way off base with this. Seems like he just needed something to bitch about today. Some times his takes are so ridiculous..this one would fall into that category.
I love the Vikes but come on, they are lucky the U had a field to be used in the first place.
 



Here's an idea, maybe the players can grow a pair of freaking balls and play the damn game the way it has been played FOREVER!! End rant.
 

It should have probably been done in hindsight, but when saving money sh!t happens. I don't see UMD/St. John's/St. Thomas canceling playoff games due to this issue.
 

Why would the U of M spend money on heating coils when they weren't believed necessary for the college game?

Oh, and I can only think of a couple of plays in the Iowa game when guys slipped. It's not like it happened every play or prevented teams from having a passing game.
 

Madison, An Arbor, East Lansing, Evanston.........any of those fields heated?
 



SMU GOPHS FAN said:
Here's an idea, maybe the players can grow a pair of freaking balls and play the damn game the way it has been played FOREVER!! End rant.
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There is a story in the Trib about Vikes' players whingin about this too. Sounds like some overpaid underachievers have sand in their vaginas

I applaud Vikings management for pushing to have this game played in Minneapolis. Sounds like some players (and the radio idiot) would rather lose in the warmth of whatever dome the Rams play in.
 


It should also be pointed out that there are no guarantees the purple will ever get their stadium. So again, why would the U pay to have heating coils installed for December games when there is the possibilty the purple would never use the stadium. I respect PA but I think he is way off base on this one.

I should note that I do think the purple will get their stadium but it is anything but a forgone conclusion they will.
 

PA is buddies with alot of these overpaid babies, and he's not from here so he resents the cold to begin with.
His take is simple, he can't go any other way because the players aren't happy to be cold, and he will take their sides always.
He's a viking PLAYER bobo. Management and even Frazier want to play this outside, pansies like Shiancoe, Berrian, and Mckinnie don't. Heck, the whole team hasn't wanted to play the whole year inside or out. Babies, all of them.
 





The duty of every red-blooded Minnesotan is the further glorification of the Vikings. Get those damn volunteers to dig up the turf and install the coils.
 

I'm getting sick of the whining of the Vikings, etc. The U is doing you a favor by busting their butts so you can have your game/celebration in front of home town fans.

At least Wilf is appreciative. He's about the only one.
 

Did New England ask for the game at Soldier field to be canceled and moved due to snow and slippery conditions? That field is a cow pasture and will be hosting a playoff game likely this year. Will they move it?
 

Law_Abiding_Gopher said:
Everybody's favorite Vikings apologist PA is currently on the air ripping the U for not installing heating coils under the field. His take is "the U knew the Vikings would have to play their for a couple years while their stadium is being built so why didn't they build the stadium to work in December weather."

My take is simple, unless the Vikings were willing to pay for said heating coils and requested they be a part of the project, it is not the U's job to build a stadium that will work for the Vikings.

Please someone talk me off the ledge. This conversation and angle from PA seems like a brand new PR attack on our stadium, our team, and our school.
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Judd Zulgad starting in on the coil talk. He said that the University should have put coils in when the stadium was built for the reason stated above and the fact the Gophers play games in late November. He tried saying that during the Iowa game the turf was frozen and players were sliding all over. I don't remember that and when I was on the turf after the game it was like running on air not ice. This is not the Gophers problem at all. Shame on Judd for throwing the University under the bus like that.
 

PA also said that they are having trouble removing the ice from the turf and whatever they are doing is ripping the field turf up. God I hope they were smart and started on the sidelines.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Did New England ask for the game at Soldier field to be canceled and moved due to snow and slippery conditions? That field is a cow pasture and will be hosting a playoff game likely this year. Will they move it?
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No but I think the Bears thought the game was canceled.
 

If you (everyone) stopped listening to the Fan would you still hear the whining?




P.S. PA is dumb.
 

Silvio said:
No but I think the Bears thought the game was canceled.
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Bears also putting in a formal protest to the NFL about playing at TCF. I don't think this game is gonna happen in Minnesota. At least it was a good trial run if there ever is a huge snowfall in November.
 

glovedgopher said:
Bears also putting in a formal protest to the NFL about playing at TCF. I don't think this game is gonna happen in Minnesota. At least it was a good trial run if there ever is a huge snowfall in November.
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I was one excited for this game but now I hope they play in Indy or St. Louis or Detroit.

Bunch of ungrateful babies. They don't deserve to play in the Bank.
 

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