Kill says football practice facility upgrade "needs to be an immediate fix"

[BleedGopher]

The U's indoor football practice facility cost $5.5 million to build in 1985 under coach Lou Holtz, who left to coach Notre Dame after two seasons. The building has received only patchwork and paint since then, although new turf was installed before the 2010 football season. Among the issues are several leaks in the 55-foot-high roof.

"It's not in good shape," Kill said. "That's not a football-selfish issue. We have nine teams using that, plus everybody on campus.
For about $3 million, you can fix that. That needs to be an immediate fix. Now (Teague is) the boss, but it's an eyesore in recruiting. It's not good."

"I've talked to Jerry quite a bit about some of his ideas for the next five to 10 years, as far as infrastructure," Teague said. "I want to be aggressive in those areas and get him what he needs to be able to compete at a level that we want to compete at."

http://www.twincities.com/gophers/c...actice-facility-needs-immediate-upgrade-jerry

Go Gophers!!

 

[Unregistered User]

At the one practice I visited there this spring, Orseske was hitting punts indoors while the team was working on drills on the outdoor field. He was punting sideways, rather than down the indoor field, and he was hitting the ceiling, and insulation was falling out. I thought it was very odd. If you walk through the facility, you can see holes throughout the ceiling like that. I was kind of concerned since my boys, and a bunch of other kids were getting into a pick-up game on that field. That facility has fallen into disrepair. Well...I should say the field portion looks bad. The entrance and all that is still pretty cool.

 

[westcoastgopher11]

After the basketball practice facility you gotta think that a football complex by TCF would be the next major project.

 

[highwayman]

An indoor practice facility used by nine teams is a much higher priority than a basketball practice facility used by 15 players. Much higher.

 

[Killjoy]

An indoor practice facility used by nine teams is a much higher priority than a basketball practice facility used by 15 players. Much higher.

That decision certainly won't just be made on the number of players using the facility. There are many other factors that our new AD will include in that decision. One I am sure is the importance that a basketball practice facility has become in recruiting for Tubby. Nebraska is just the latest Big Ten school to build one. Sure there is immediate need to deal with the roof leakage and some other issues with the football facility that should be done now but Tubby will and should get his basketball practice facility before Jerry gets a new practice facility. That doesn't mean though that the U shouldn't now begin laying the ground work for a new indoor football practice field.

 

[Gold Vision]

An indoor practice facility used by nine teams is a much higher priority than a basketball practice facility used by 15 players. Much higher.

A. They already have one. It doesn't cost 3 million to fix a leaky roof.

B. There are two basketball teams.

 

[highwayman]

We'll agree to disagree. A basketball practice facility has a very narrow focus and use. A large, indoor practice facility is more practical and has a wide focus and use. I think the "basketball practice facility/recruiting" angle is phooey.

 

[GoGophers2005]

A. They already have one. It doesn't cost 3 million to fix a leaky roof.

B. There are two basketball teams.

How about this crazy idea......build em both at the same time and also finish off the baseball field the right way? I sure hope Teague comes in and doesn't 'patch' facilities and treat facilities on a project to project basis. We are a big ten team and we should start acting like it.

 

[station19]

How about this crazy idea......build em both at the same time and also finish off the baseball field the right way? I sure hope Teague comes in and doesn't 'patch' facilities and treat facilities on a project to project basis. We are a big ten team and we should start acting like it.

Now we're talking.

 

[MinnMarchDTF]

One of the things the search committee said impressed them the most was his plan for facilities, so I'll be interested to see what direction Teague goes in over the coming years. I am excited to see what he comes up with.

 

[emann]

How about this crazy idea......build em both at the same time and also finish off the baseball field the right way? I sure hope Teague comes in and doesn't 'patch' facilities and treat facilities on a project to project basis. We are a big ten team and we should start acting like it.

I like the idea of using the momentum of both sports together under one umbrella. If you bid the projects together, you would there would be a way to save some money (admittedly, that might be a pretty superficial amount on second thought). Anyway, I think it would be easier to bring in more donors and more people if you can create a broad-based athletics project, rather than, "Hey, Tubby needs a practice facility and the football team's current place needs a new roof."

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

After the basketball practice facility you gotta think that a football complex by TCF would be the next major project.

There is no space by the stadium. All that land is already committed to the new bio-science research gateway (or something along those lines)

 

[ruppertflywheel]

A. They already have one. It doesn't cost 3 million to fix a leaky roof.

B. There are two basketball teams.

Football is Number 1. Period, end of story. Agree, Tubby needs a practice facility. Pam?
She can use the Sports Pavilion.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

If the Regents, Kaler and Teague are all serious about winning, they need to figure out a way to complete the baseball stadium, build the basketball practice facility, build a football practice facility and at least patch up the existing practice facility for the other 8 teams that use it. The truth is that facilities aid in the recruiting process.

But it will take more than that. They will need to come up with a proactive plan for keeping their facilities top notch. I think even more helpful than having good facilities today is having a reputation for maintaining top notch facilities.

 

[gophergrad]

There is no space by the stadium. All that land is already committed to the new bio-science research gateway (or something along those lines)

http://fringebowlteamblog.com/?q=blog/mock-teague-agenda

MV seems to think the chemical waste facility could be relocated... No idea if that can be done, but hey maybe they leave behind some checmicals and the players get superpowers. Sounds good to me.

Talking about grouping facilities projects together does make a bit of sense. It reminds me quite a bit of the MSU plan to raise 200 mil.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Like the next door neighbor's dog, with a new AD in town all the coaches -- revenues or non-revenues -- are making sure they "mark their turf" with the incoming sheriff.

 

[jovs]

Football is Number 1. Period, end of story. Agree, Tubby needs a practice facility. Pam?
She can use the Sports Pavilion.

Football may end up being a bottomless pit and never be that profitable. Fix the faclility and put the money into a new basketball practice facility, much greater need, and probably generate more for the expenditure. Kind of hard to see putting more money into football after close to a half billion was just spent on it.

 

[e.bigelow]

Not sure why they didn't just add a football practice facility to the TCF plan when they put that through. Maybe they tried and got denied. I guess I don't know. But, seems to me, that would've been the best idea.

 

[Formo]

How about this crazy idea......build em both at the same time and also finish off the baseball field the right way? I sure hope Teague comes in and doesn't 'patch' facilities and treat facilities on a project to project basis. We are a big ten team and we should start acting like it.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[FreakyDeke]

Football may end up being a bottomless pit and never be that profitable. Fix the faclility and put the money into a new basketball practice facility, much greater need, and probably generate more for the expenditure. Kind of hard to see putting more money into football after close to a half billion was just spent on it.

Half a billion? Try $288 million. And that wasn't all U money. The fact that we spent that much and are still behind the rest of the conference shows you how bad things really were.

 

[Unregistered User]

Half a billion? Try $288 million. And that wasn't all U money. The fact that we spent that much and are still behind the rest of the conference shows you how bad things really were.

And football currently makes money. As does basketball and hockey.

 

[GoAUpher]

There is no space by the stadium. All that land is already committed to the new bio-science research gateway (or something along those lines)

While there is a plan already revealed for the East Gateway District that has all the land around TCF going to research facilities, support buildings, and parking structures its not like that has to be set in stone. They could alter it if they chose. The final plan is going to take many years to happen anyhow. Lots of time/room for tweaks if they want to make them.

 

[4four4]

And football currently makes money. As does basketball and hockey.

In all honesty it is nice to have three programs making money many schools don't have that ability.