Heating Coils under the Field

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glovedgopher said:
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.
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Should I correct OP? I knew they were both talking about it but I misunderstood and thought it was PA's take, not Judd's.
 

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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Link?

It's not on chicagotribune.com. You'd think they would have that story.

Is it the Bears player reps or the Bears franchise complaining? You'd think the franchise would relish the chance to play an outdoor game against a dome team.
 

The whining going on is ridiculous. The Vikes have had their nuts completely cut off playing the dome for so many years.

PA is an idiot, why in the hell would the U have installed heating elements in the turf on the off chance the Vikes might want to use the stadium someday. Let alone the possibility that they could have to use heating for ONE Gopher game once every 10 years. Frost doesn't typically go into the ground in the Cities until December 1st so there is zero reason for TCF to have in field heat, ZERO!
 

CJTGopher said:
The whining going on is ridiculous. The Vikes have had their nuts completely cut off playing the dome for so many years.

PA is an idiot, why in the hell would the U have installed heating elements in the turf on the off chance the Vikes might want to use the stadium someday. Let alone the possibility that they could have to use heating for ONE Gopher game once every 10 years. Frost doesn't typically go into the ground in the Cities until December 1st so there is zero reason for TCF to have in field heat, ZERO!
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Bingo!
 

year of the gopher said:
Link?

It's not on chicagotribune.com. You'd think they would have that story.

Is it the Bears player reps or the Bears franchise complaining? You'd think the franchise would relish the chance to play an outdoor game against a dome team.
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PA heard it from an "inside source".
 


I don't know where this rumor started about the Bears filing a protest. Some of the sources are referencing KFAN, but no one is referencing anyone who you would expect to know anything. And filing a protest isn't like going to court and getting an injunction.
 


glovedgopher said:
PA heard it from an "inside source".
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I'm guessing Chicago Tribune writers have better inside sources with the Bears than PA so I'll believe it when I see it come out of a reputable media outlet, preferably one from the windy city.
 

RodentRampage said:
I don't know where this rumor started about the Bears filing a protest. Some of the sources are referencing KFAN, but no one is referencing anyone who you would expect to know anything. And filing a protest isn't like going to court and getting an injunction.
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No but it might influence the NFL to reject TCF as a site for the game.
 



Zulgad has stated the bears are planning to file a formal protest in the star tribune.
 


Screw these babies. The Bank wasn't built for NFL winter games. Tough s#$t. I hope that late Sunday night Maturi calls up the NFL office and says, "yeah, I guess it ain't gonna work out. Best of luck..."
 




It is a stadium for the Gophers and the Gophers don't need the heating coils. If they don't like it they can play somewhere else.
 

Guys, I'm worried. If the Vikings suffer any key injuries playing on the frozen turf at TCF Bank they might not make the playoffs :rolleyes:
 

Along the same line, sounds like Barnard and Sansavere (KQRS) were pimping for the Vikings to work out a deal with the U to share the stadium on a permanent basis. As part of the deal they suggested Wilf should pony up for the additional seats and heated coils.

This thought makes me sick to my stomach.

I am getting way ahead of myself but I can just see it now. In a last ditch effort to save the Vikings from leaving, TCF is looked upon as the Vikings last chance. The U either buckles to public pressure and we lose our own home or the U says no and then the U will be the bad guys. No win situation for the U. It is hard to imagine trying to transform a complete Gopher, Maroon & Gold stadium into a Viking shared stadium. Like I said, the thought makes me want to puke.
 

GOFUR said:
I am getting way ahead of myself but I can just see it now. In a last ditch effort to save the Vikings from leaving, TCF is looked upon as the Vikings last chance. The U either buckles to public pressure and we lose our own home or the U says no and then the U will be the bad guys. No win situation for the U. It is hard to imagine trying to transform a complete Gopher, Maroon & Gold stadium into a Viking shared stadium. Like I said, the thought makes me want to puke.
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I believe representatives from the U have stated publicly several times that they would be open to sharing the stadium with the vikings on a temporary basis. If a permanent situation were proposed, unfortunatley I don't think the U would turn the Vikings down.

That being said if Ziggy has a choice between sharing the Gophers stadium (and the profits) or moving the team to a city that will enable them to maximize their profits I think he'll choose moving. I know for certain the NFL would not be excited about the Vikings sharing TCF Bank. The NFL wants the Vikings to have their own stadium or move the team.
 

I'm fine with sharing the stadium for a game. I'm fine with sharing it on a short-term basis for a year or even two while a new Vikings stadium is built. But I have a problem when anyone talks about a permanent arrangement. The real danger is that the U would become tenants in all but name. The Vikings would want the naming rights, and the Vikings would want the suites. Maroon and Gold would be replaced with Purple and Gold. I don't want to go back the days of temporary plastic banners for Gophers games.

I don't think it's going to happen, because whatever concessions the U was forced to give the Vikings, it wouldn't be enough for them. TCF is never going to have all the bells and whistles of a modern NFL stadium.
 

RodentRampage said:
I'm fine with sharing the stadium for a game. I'm fine with sharing it on a short-term basis for a year or even two while a new Vikings stadium is built. But I have a problem when anyone talks about a permanent arrangement. The real danger is that the U would become tenants in all but name. The Vikings would want the naming rights, and the Vikings would want the suites. Maroon and Gold would be replaced with Purple and Gold. I don't want to go back the days of temporary plastic banners for Gophers games.

I don't think it's going to happen, because whatever concessions the U was forced to give the Vikings, it wouldn't be enough for them. TCF is never going to have all the bells and whistles of a modern NFL stadium.
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*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# the Vikings. They can want everything under the sun, but they won't get the suites or naming rights. And the temporary banners would be purple, which is poetic and mildly heartwarming.
 

RodentRampage said:
I'm fine with sharing the stadium for a game. I'm fine with sharing it on a short-term basis for a year or even two while a new Vikings stadium is built. But I have a problem when anyone talks about a permanent arrangement. The real danger is that the U would become tenants in all but name. The Vikings would want the naming rights, and the Vikings would want the suites. Maroon and Gold would be replaced with Purple and Gold. I don't want to go back the days of temporary plastic banners for Gophers games.

I don't think it's going to happen, because whatever concessions the U was forced to give the Vikings, it wouldn't be enough for them. TCF is never going to have all the bells and whistles of a modern NFL stadium.
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Plain and simple, the U holds the power now.
They didn't even have to allow this game to occur. The Vikings have no right at all to the stadium, neither does the state. The U makes all decisions in regards to the stadium and cannot be told what to do in any way. The only possibility would be the legislature holding general fund money back from the university as a whole and basically blackmailing the U into doing that on behalf of a billionaire. Good luck.
 

The thought of sharing just this one game with the millionaire assholes makes me sick, to think it would become permanent makes me homicidal.
 


RodentRampage said:
That article isn't the original source, the article points back to a Star Tribune article. http://www.startribune.com/sports/v...QiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUz33Dii_9PmP:Qi_vckD8EQD_1cuU

I would expect that a credible source for a rumor about the Bears protesting might come from a source in Chicago, not from here.
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This story seems entirely made up on PA's show. Timeline of events:
1. PA morning show: It's mentioned for the first time that the Bears may file a protest.
2. The Strib carries the story at 10:18 am, which is after PA 'breaks' the news.
3. The Washington Post carries a reference from the Strib story at 11:01 am.

How many of these made up stories from radio and blog land will continue to be reported as real news, or even warrant it as rumblings in the real media? Yup, the Twin Cities sports media are credible. (NOTE: there are still some credible reporters, but everyone's need for sensationalism driving these rumor makers).
 

The national media made the mistake of thinking that anything was credible coming out of our local media. But once a rumor gets repeated, the credibility or lack thereof of the original source is lost.
 

PA is a wimpy *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#, and he has become unbearable without Jeff Doobie's support.

As for the team, any "Minnesota Viking" who complains about playing in the cold should instantly waive the right to refer to himself as "Minnesota" or "Viking."
 

Old time Vikings palyers are rolling their eyes at what a bunch of babies today's NFL players are, someone needs to post the old footage of the flamethrowers that were used at Met Stadium to defrost the field, I don't think that field had heating coils and the players played the game just fine....wwwhhhhaaaaaaa P.A and Shiancoe!! Go get your baby blankets.
 

Keeping the field from freezing is much simplier and less costly than tearing it up and installing heating coils.

They can cover the field with a heated cover or blow warm air under a insulated cover. What the hey, a couple hundred hay bales would work as well. this is not rocket science stuff. Steps will be taken to assure the field is not completely frozen.

Maybe Frazier would be wise to have Bill Brown, Dave Osborn or Joe Kapp types address the team about playing outdoors.

If nothing else comes of this field issue, I hope the UM does invest in a system that will provide better turf conditions than what we had with Iowa.
 

People need to stop with the whole TCF becoming a permanent home for the Vikings. Expanding to 80,000 seats sure, but there are less than 40 suites in TCF with no designs that Ive seen that would expand that number. And even if there were, would they compete with 300 suites in Dallas? Houston's 177 suites? Green Bay's 166 suites? Detroit's 132 suites?
 

Ole said:
Plain and simple, the U holds the power now.
They didn't even have to allow this game to occur.
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Makes me smile knowing for once the Gophs have the power and aren't playing second fiddle to the purple. :clap:
 

Ole said:
Plain and simple, the U holds the power now.
They didn't even have to allow this game to occur. The Vikings have no right at all to the stadium, neither does the state. The U makes all decisions in regards to the stadium and cannot be told what to do in any way. The only possibility would be the legislature holding general fund money back from the university as a whole and basically blackmailing the U into doing that on behalf of a billionaire. Good luck.
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Agreed. When a shared stadium on campus was originally investigated, both teams determined independently that it wasn't feasible. Both sides would reject this. Especially the Vikings. They gain next to nothing at the Bank - fewer seats, still no concessions, no naming rights, not enough suites, plus they'd have to invest in heating coils, heated concession areas, etc. The Vikes will be ok playing here for a year or two if the Dome is replaced, but both sides know it is not a long term solution. It makes far more sense for them to move then play at the Bank.

I'm a little disappointed by the lack of planning only that I think most of the design was based off average November lows, without looking at the typical range of low temperatures. If it truly is once every 20 years that we have a game like the Iowa game where the field is slippery, so be it. But you can't just use the average temperature to determine you don't need coils or concessions stands that can withstand less then 32 degrees.
 

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