Reusse: Unlike the Gophers’ coaching situation, the solution for Williams Arena is simple: Blow up The Barn

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The Barn is fine if they win. The question is does the Barn affect recruiting? If it does then the Barn has to go. If you can’t lure players here, then the size of the building is moot. And if the building does depress recruiting then it doesn’t make any difference who the coach is.

I like the Barn, but sadly I think that it does negatively impact recruiting as it is the only constant over the years, regardless of the coach.

But the bottom line is the U refuses to participate in the athletics environment of the moment. Always a day late and a couple million dollars short. Something up there is not right, especially in revenue producing sports.

BTW, if anyone wonders on the U’s and the communities dedication to athletic success, the FB stadium gives a clue. MI and Ohio State about a 100,000 seats, MN 50,000. Nuff said!
 


Gopheritnow said:
The Barn is fine if they win. The question is does the Barn affect recruiting? If it does then the Barn has to go. If you can’t lure players here, then the size of the building is moot. And if the building does depress recruiting then it doesn’t make any difference who the coach is.

I like the Barn, but sadly I think that it does negatively impact recruiting as it is the only constant over the years, regardless of the coach.

But the bottom line is the U refuses to participate in the athletics environment of the moment. Always a day late and a couple million dollars short. Something up there is not right, especially in revenue producing sports.

BTW, if anyone wonders on the U’s and the communities dedication to athletic success, the FB stadium gives a clue. MI and Ohio State about a 100,000 seats, MN 50,000. Nuff said!
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Two things stick in my mind. I was at a booster event that Richard Pitino spoke at early in his Minnesota stint. I remember him saying that Minnesota is challenged by the facilities and that you need good facilities to recruit players today. He also said he was confident that the U of M would figure the facility thing out. It was a "safe" answer, but what he was saying is the facilities are a problem. I'm also friends with a former Big 10 player who played at the Barn in the 90s and is still very much involved in basketball. He said players were always conscious of the floor and flying off of it. He believes the Barn is more detriment than help to the U of M.

The U can combine new and nostalgia, they just have to have a vision and a plan. Message to Mark Coyle: Lay out a vision and a strategy to support Gopher athletics to make it significant nationally.
 

Bad Gopher said:
The football stadium is engineered to be expandable.
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Sure. Possible it happens. Quite improbable though. The temporary seating erected for the Vikings could have been built as a permanent addition for a relatively insignificant sum of money but here we are, how many years and coaches after the facilty was built, and we didn't need 2500 extra seats.
 

MilosRevenge said:
College football just had back to back seasons with increased attendance for the first time since 2008.
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I hate NIL. I hate the state of college athletics. Yet, I've probably watched more college football and basketball this year than any time of my life. The stories/drama of college athletics gets me every time.
 


gopher watcher said:
I really like the idea of building it on campus and, ideally, part of the athletic complex. It's a pain to have students take a train to downtown for a basketball game. We learned from the Metrodome experience.

If Gophers basketball is an important part of the U of M experience, there is enough money in this state to get the arena done. Public funding should also be a part of it, especially if it's being used for state tourney games, basketball clinics for kids, etc. The Barn was a pretty good investment, having stood for 100 years. If the Barn can be re-created on the existing site, the Gophers can play at the new Timberwolves arena temporarily.
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Where is this "enough money? "
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Twins Wild and Vikings are all at the legislature asking for renovation funds. The U should be in that line as well.
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Wolves will be there too. Sure, the Gophers should get in line but is the line going to move?
 

swede2 said:
Where is this "enough money? "
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If people value Gopher basketball, the money is there. There is soooooo much money in this state. If people don't value U of M basketball, it doesn't happen. Marquette, Creighton, Ohio State, LaSalle, Saint Thomas, Illinois, Arizona, Texas, Houston, Maryland are just a few of the schools that have figured out how to renovate or build new. Can't see why Minnesota can't figure it out.
 

gopher watcher said:
If people value Gopher basketball, the money is there. There is soooooo much money in this state. If people don't value U of M basketball, it doesn't happen. Marquette, Creighton, Ohio State, LaSalle, Saint Thomas, Illinois, Arizona, Texas, Houston, Maryland are just a few of the schools that have figured out how to renovate or build new. Can't see why Minnesota can't figure it out.
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Now we are up to "soooooo much money." Yes the answer is always other people's money. So tell the donors, taxpayers, sponsors, etc., why they should invest in Gopher basketball?
 



MN was never Pitino or Johnson’s first choice. Brutal to say it both of them have believe they are better than the U.
 


NateDawgUM said:
Reusse needed to retire 15 years ago. He's stealing space that could be taken up by a younger person with a fresher take on sports and the world.

He should, in his line of work, be aware that building new facilities for college sports was the trick 20 years ago. You couldn't pay the players outright (well not in Minneapolis at least -- the newspapers would find out), so you built them fancy lounges with big screen tvs and Playstations. That's not the case anymore.
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The Barn does need to be replaced. Not because it will help recruiting but because it's 100 years old and not fixable.
 

ShushPush said:
The last time the Barn was relevant, Max Winter thundered around the basket watching tre after tre from Bobby J. popping the net audibly screaming, "When Lord! When is it going to be MY time!"
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I'm thinking you meant to say Trevor. Max owned the Minneapolis Lakers and the Minnesota Vikings in his lifetime....meaning his time was pretty successful.
 



gopher watcher said:
I hate NIL. I hate the state of college athletics. Yet, I've probably watched more college football and basketball this year than any time of my life. The stories/drama of college athletics gets me every time.
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Other than the CFP, I've never watched less non-Gopher football & basketball, even before my family got cable, circa '83.
 

Gopheritnow said:
The Barn is fine if they win. The question is does the Barn affect recruiting? If it does then the Barn has to go. If you can’t lure players here, then the size of the building is moot. And if the building does depress recruiting then it doesn’t make any difference who the coach is.

I like the Barn, but sadly I think that it does negatively impact recruiting as it is the only constant over the years, regardless of the coach.

But the bottom line is the U refuses to participate in the athletics environment of the moment. Always a day late and a couple million dollars short. Something up there is not right, especially in revenue producing sports.

BTW, if anyone wonders on the U’s and the communities dedication to athletic success, the FB stadium gives a clue. MI and Ohio State about a 100,000 seats, MN 50,000. Nuff said!
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There is no corporate or high revenue seating in the facility. It’s a dump win or lose.
 

60's Guy said:
I'm thinking you meant to say Trevor. Max owned the Minneapolis Lakers and the Minnesota Vikings in his lifetime....meaning his time was pretty successful.
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My mind isn't as limber as it used to be. Thank you for having the grace to inform me of my msitake.
 




swede2 said:
It reads like a conversation with an 80 year old man. But distilling down to the point, he's not wrong in the main premise - the Barn is past its use by date.

Beyond that, is he suggesting a very small on campus arena for most games and higher attendance games be played at a new Timberwolves arena? That doesn't make a ton of sense. Build a 10k-11k arena and play all games on campus.

The U screwed up when it built Mariucci and renovated the Barn. It should have built a new multipurpose arena. But seldom does the U do the right thing when it comes to athletics.

I'd miss the Barn but there's a lot of things I miss that aren't coming back. It is time to go.
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Could use Mariucci for basketball with some configuration updates. Not sure how fast the current boards can be removed.
 


MaxyJR1 said:
I’d build it in lot 37 with a skyway over to the ball fields and practice facility. Wouldn’t need to even play off campus if done this way. Tear down the barn and build more parking there.
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Go build a replica of one of the best college venues in the country, The PIT!!!
 




Gopheritnow said:
The Barn is fine if they win. The question is does the Barn affect recruiting? If it does then the Barn has to go. If you can’t lure players here, then the size of the building is moot. And if the building does depress recruiting then it doesn’t make any difference who the coach is.

I like the Barn, but sadly I think that it does negatively impact recruiting as it is the only constant over the years, regardless of the coach.

But the bottom line is the U refuses to participate in the athletics environment of the moment. Always a day late and a couple million dollars short. Something up there is not right, especially in revenue producing sports.

BTW, if anyone wonders on the U’s and the communities dedication to athletic success, the FB stadium gives a clue. MI and Ohio State about a 100,000 seats, MN 50,000. Nuff said!
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Good grief, really?
 



I've changed my mind this year.

The Barn is a dump. It's time to tear it down.

9,000-11,000 capacity, better food, better sight lines, better seats, suites, better bathrooms, wider concourses. Volleyball needs the upgrade, too.
 

TruthSeeker said:
I've changed my mind this year.

The Barn is a dump. It's time to tear it down.

9,000-11,000 capacity, better food, better sight lines, better seats, suites, better bathrooms, wider concourses. Volleyball needs the upgrade, too.
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So, you're not there to watch the game. For me, I don't go to the refreshment stands, I walk in and I watch the game. It's all about wanting to watch good basketball. The game is enhanced, for me, by recognizing the history that has played basketball on that court. Why would I want to throw that away? The problem we have today is that few people come to watch the game. Instead they come to be entertained by distractions off the court. This is why I love older arenas. Give me a seat at Pauley Pavilion and Cameron Indoor Stadium and I will be happy. I couldn't care less about the amenities. Just, please, give me some good basketball.
 

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