Rod Wallace

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4four4

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Who is Rod Wallace? How much did he give to the "U"?
 

From what I've been told Rod Wallace is the Cannon Man.

Don't know how much he's given though.
 

Rod Wallace owns (or owned) the Thunderbird Hotel near the Mall of America (Met Center and Metropolitan Stadium) in Bloomington. He is/was a major player in Sid's circle close/personal friends. I imagine that Wallace was a major contributor to the indoor practice facility. He was also a renowned competitive yachtsman.
 

I was wondering where this name came from, but then I just saw the FB pics of the football squad at practice today.
 

As a kid, it seemed like you couldn't listen to WCCO in the 80's without hearing Rod Wallace's name every couple minutes ...
 



Rod's support of U athletes goes WAY back. He employed Sandy Stephens back in the early 60's and many more. Rod is well into his 80's and has had some recent health problems but still fires the cannon at the Gopher games. That cannon was my idea when I was Pres. of the Goal Line Club in 1994. Rod thought it was a great idea as well, because back in the 60's a squad of ROTC used to fire a big cannon on the plaza in front of Cooke Hall after every Gopher score. Rod secure our cannon from one of the yacht clubs that he had been associated with out on Lake Minnetonka. I just saw Rodney at lunch last week and it was a lot of fun catching up with him.
 

I consider Rod to be one of the true unsung heroes (there are many) of Gopher Athletics. I had the honor of meeting him and a number of donors that were instrumental in helping TCF Bank Stadium become a reality. You will know him if you see his vehicle on the road in the SW metro - it's a rolling monument to the Gophers.
 




The cannon should have stayed at the Metrodome

Personally, I think the cannon schtick has run it's course. Rod has misfired over the years too many times. I thought it worked fine in the Metrodome, but that is one thing that could've been dropped when TCF opened. But money talks, and if Rod wants to shoot his gun, go ahead.
 

Political correctness

I remember the cannon going off during our rose bowl years. Isnt it nice to say---our rose bowl years. Then it stopped and i asked over at sports information why no cannon. They said with the vietnam war they thought it wouldnt be in the best of taste. So it stopped until Rod Wallace picked it up again in the 90s. I think it adds to the game day experience although it scares the wits out of some of the players nearby.
 

Personally I'd love to see the ROTC firing a field artillery piece.
 




Doc1001 said:
I remember the cannon going off during our rose bowl years. Isnt it nice to say---our rose bowl years. Then it stopped and i asked over at sports information why no cannon. They said with the vietnam war they thought it wouldnt be in the best of taste. So it stopped until Rod Wallace picked it up again in the 90s. I think it adds to the game day experience although it scares the wits out of some of the players nearby.
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Only some of the players? It should be all the players. If you know what I mean.;):p
 



I want them to shoot it at the Badgers bench and their jackhole of a coach. And Iowa. The whole pig farming state.
 

killer bee said:
Rod Wallace owns (or owned) the Thunderbird Hotel near the Mall of America (Met Center and Metropolitan Stadium) in Bloomington. He is/was a major player in Sid's circle close/personal friends. I imagine that Wallace was a major contributor to the indoor practice facility. He was also a renowned competitive yachtsman.
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Ah, the Fabulous Thunderbird. I stayed there once just after I turned 21. Four of us went down to check out the MOA's bar scene. After too many icey drinks at Fat Tuesday's and $7 bottles of beer at Gators we plowed over a chainlink fence to create a shortcut back to our room and, for no apparent reason at all thought it was a great idea to throw our desk chair into the pool. Sorry about that, Mr. Wallace.
 

He has an SUV with CANNON MAN and U of M stickers all over it. I had no idea he was a big donor. Go Cannon Man!
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
Ah, the Fabulous Thunderbird. I stayed there once just after I turned 21. Four of us went down to check out the MOA's bar scene. After too many icey drinks at Fat Tuesday's and $7 bottles of beer at Gators we plowed over a chainlink fence to create a shortcut back to our room and, for no apparent reason at all thought it was a great idea to throw our desk chair into the pool. Sorry about that, Mr. Wallace.
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There's one of the Section 105 knuckleheads. ;)
 



I ran into him once at the Chanhassen Taco Bell. Yes, you read that correctly. Cannon Man loves Taco Bell. Sounds like a good sign to bring to games this season.
 


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