The Gophers need to get into the statue-erecting business too outside of Huntington Bank Stadium.

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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The Gophers need to get into the statue-erecting business too outside of Huntington Bank Stadium. There are a lot of ultra worthy names to choose from starting with Bobby Bell, Bernie Bierman, Greg Eslinger, Paul Giel, Bronko Nagurski and Bruce Smith.


Go Gophers!!
 












Some guy said:
12 people that deserve a statue

1) bronko Nagurski


Who for two?
Click to expand...
I just finished reading Monster of the Midway by Jim Dent, a biography on Nagurski and the man was beyond larger than life—just incredible tales from a kid in International Falls through his days as a Gopher onward to the Bears (if you ask me about this book in 20 years, the snippet I will recall is Nagurski and some of his teammates playing in socks against the Giants because they couldn’t get a good grip on the icy field). Really entertaining read and my vote for first statue.

And while Bruce Smith, Birman, and Paul Giel are right there too, let me submit the name of Sandy Stephens for his accolades, the national championship, and his historic impact.
 

Wow. Thank you for this thread. This is long, long overdue.

Minnesota has won seven national titles in football. Iowa and Wisconsin can eat their hearts out. Yet Gopher football is really far behind in the statue competition. Is it because we Minnesotans are... so damned Minnesotan?
Because we're so... "Could be worse, not too bad, whatever"?

There are many greats — and I mean truly greats — from Gopher football history who are deserving.

Beyond the Very Obvious Three ( Bierman, Nagurski, Smith)...

Leo Nomellini, Carl Eller and Bobby Bell are all members of both Halls of Fame (CFB and Pro Football versions). That must be a pretty rare accomplishment!

Murray Warmath (see my avatar) is a member of the CFB Hall of Fame and he won a National Championship right here at Minnesota. A NATIONAL Championship! Neither Barry Alvarez nor Hayden Fry ever won a National Championship and yet there is a bronze statue of Alvarez outside Gate 1 in Kellner Plaza at Camp Randall and a bronze, life-sized tribute to Fry near First Avenue/Hayden Fry Way in Corralville, IA.

Come on, Minnesota. Quit wallowing in ridiculous Minnesotan self-pity ("Oh, we never win championships, poor us!) and celebrate our accomplishments... which are substantial.
 

I think the easiest choice is Bierman. Other coaches with that many titles or more, such as Woody Hayes, Bear Bryant, Nick Saban, have statues, as do Bud Wilkinson, John McKay and Tom Osborne.
 

Bob and Richard McNamara should both be honored both for on field play but also off-field work on behalf of the University.

Bobby Marshall was the first African-American to play in the Western Conference (which is Big Ten before it was renamed). Member for College Football Hall of Fame.

Bud Wilkinson and Ed Widseth were part of three national titles.
 



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RememberMurray said:
Wow. Thank you for this thread. This is long, long overdue.

Minnesota has won seven national titles in football. Iowa and Wisconsin can eat their hearts out. Yet Gopher football is really far behind in the statue competition. Is it because we Minnesotans are... so damned Minnesotan?
Because we're so... "Could be worse, not too bad, whatever"?

There are many greats — and I mean truly greats — from Gopher football history who are deserving.

Beyond the Very Obvious Three ( Bierman, Nagurski, Smith)...

Leo Nomellini, Carl Eller and Bobby Bell are all members of both Halls of Fame (CFB and Pro Football versions). That must be a pretty rare accomplishment!

Murray Warmath (see my avatar) is a member of the CFB Hall of Fame and he won a National Championship right here at Minnesota. A NATIONAL Championship! Neither Barry Alvarez nor Hayden Fry ever won a National Championship and yet there is a bronze statue of Alvarez outside Gate 1 in Kellner Plaza at Camp Randall and a bronze, life-sized tribute to Fry near First Avenue/Hayden Fry Way in Corralville, IA.

Come on, Minnesota. Quit wallowing in ridiculous Minnesotan self-pity ("Oh, we never win championships, poor us!) and celebrate our accomplishments... which are substantial.
Click to expand...
Glad I kept reading after the first couple paragraphs. I thought you were going to Forget Murray.
 


1. Nagurski
2. Bierman
3. Smith
4. Giel
5, Bell
6. Eller
7. Widseth
8. Nomellini
9. Thompson
10. Winfield
11. Stephens
12. Decker

Other possibilities: Brown, Mecklenberg, Sanders, Brown, Maroney, MB3, Upchurch, Gillingham, Lund, Joesting, Esslinger, Wildung, Marshall, Carter, Williams.

There’s a lot of great Gopher players.
 

Willwin40 said:
1. Nagurski
2. Bierman
3. Smith
4. Giel
5, Bell
6. Eller
7. Widseth
8. Nomellini
9. Thompson
10. Winfield
11. Stephens
12. Decker

Other possibilities: Brown, Mecklenberg, Sanders, Brown, Maroney, MB3, Upchurch, Gillingham, Lund, Joesting, Esslinger, Wildung, Marshall, Carter, Williams.

There’s a lot of great Gopher players.
Click to expand...
Willwin40 said:
1. Nagurski
2. Bierman
3. Smith
4. Giel
5, Bell
6. Eller
7. Widseth
8. Nomellini
9. Thompson
10. Winfield
11. Stephens
12. Decker

Other possibilities: Brown, Mecklenberg, Sanders, Brown, Maroney, MB3, Upchurch, Gillingham, Lund, Joesting, Esslinger, Wildung, Marshall, Carter, Williams.

There’s a lot of great Gopher players.
Click to expand...
Butch Levy: all Big Ten & national heavyweight champion; Bob Stein; Doug Kingsriter; Aaron Brown.
 


How much does a statue cost?

Maybe we should start with one, and do a "Gopher Ring of Honor" for those 12?
 


Willwin40 said:
1. Nagurski
2. Bierman
3. Smith
4. Giel
5, Bell
6. Eller
7. Widseth
8. Nomellini
9. Thompson
10. Winfield
11. Stephens
12. Decker

Other possibilities: Brown, Mecklenberg, Sanders, Brown, Maroney, MB3, Upchurch, Gillingham, Lund, Joesting, Esslinger, Wildung, Marshall, Carter, Williams.

There’s a lot of great Gopher players.
Click to expand...
Clayton Tonnemaker (7th in 1949 Heisman vote) and George Franck (3rd in 1940 vote) too.
 

Foggie, Bateman, Cashman, Wright, Bob McNamara, Greg Larson and the list goes on.
 


Not many prior to Nagurski have been mentioned. There were some great players in the early years of Gopher football.
 

Leo Nomellini’s name missing from the stadium ring while he would be a top candidate for having a statue is clear evidence of the crime of not having him on the stadium ring.
 



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