Traditions Check

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West Fargo Gopher Fan said:
Could not disagree more. We love it and the band is a big part of why we get to our seats early. We love the swinging gates tradition.
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I was in the band from 1967 to 1971 and the Swinging Gates Processional, as it was called, was and still IS one of the best traditions we have. The particular arrangement of The Battle Hymn of the Republic was written by Dr. Frank Bencriscutto (Dr. Ben as he was known) in the early 1960's and remains one of the band's best numbers. I get goose bumps every time I hear it. This is one tradition that I hope NEVER goes away.
 

I agree. I think there was one season when we didn't do the swinging gates - and it was awful! They need to stay. Pride of Minnesota tradition.
 

Swinging gates should stay, the biggest downfalls of the pregame show are the entrance on to the field that looks like a cluster and everything that happens after the M and the Rouser. The gauntlet thing where the band just marches around in circles lasts waaayyyy too long and kills any momentum that was building.
 


I'd like to see them bring back the cannon. Traditions are meant to be passed on. I love the Swinging Gates and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Also the Rotating M. If you took either of those away, I might not bother to show up early enough to see the band.
 


RodentRampage said:
I'd like to see them bring back the cannon. Traditions are meant to be passed on. I love the Swinging Gates and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Also the Rotating M. If you took either of those away, I might not bother to show up early enough to see the band.
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Its been brought up before, I think the guy who did it retired and the university put the kabash on the cannon.
 

Taji34 said:
Its been brought up before, I think the guy who did it retired and the university put the kabash on the cannon.
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He died this spring. I just think that traditions are meant to be handed down and are about more than one person.
 

Every time I go to the pregame I always wished that I would have been a drum major. Those guys/gals look like they have so much fun.
 

Rickman55 said:
I wish they would get rid of the Swinging Gates. I know some people like it, but it's boring. Let's get something to replace it that has some pizzaz and gets the crowd going.
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Seriously? This is a moment to reflect a bit on our military. If you don't like this I'm guessing you're from a foreign country somewhere perhaps Russia or Iran.
 



RatherBeGolfing said: "I regret bringing this old thread up."

The original point of the thread was what would the new coach change from what the previous 2-3 coaches installed.

Since the first few home games the main ones that still stand are:

*No more team on the field for the national anthem.
*General confusion on whether to have piped music when the team takes the field and the band is simultaneously playing The Rouser.

Probably the newest tradition is the Case I-H "whoooooohhh" in the Red Zone...and the fans' impromptu exclamation around first downs and good plays.

Other than that not too much different...at least since Brew.

As for the original question, I think that's been answered.

Finally, as a transplanted Southerner (and not Southern Minnesota) I think the Swinging Gates is great. Seven times a year I get to see whether people are: 1) paying attention at all to the pregame; 2) whether individuals know how to respect The Flag; or 3) whether individuals can look around and at least see that others are standing with their caps and hats off in respect for The Flag. I give visitors a pass on this one.

I think Coach is inclined to NOT have The Rouser played when the team enters the field...otherwise he would ensure it's not mucked up as much as it is.
 


BilldGopher said:
I think Coach is inclined to NOT have The Rouser played when the team enters the field...otherwise he would ensure it's not mucked up as much as it is.
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Well, it was stated earlier by someone who works with the Band that the canned music was a mistake and they were working to remedy it. Sounded like whoever was in charge of that never really figured it out, since when the team would run you could still hear the canned music for 1 or 2 seconds before it was cut off. We''l see what happens next year.
 

Thanks. Missed the explanation and not seeing that note.

To Coach's and the sound folks' credit they did get the timing of music and leaving the tunnel down pretty well. Much better at the end of the season than the one minute or so lingering necessary for Game 1 in Year 0.

Agree that Year 1 is another opportunity to grade the traditions performance...from leaving the tunnel to Hail Minnesota. Only 268 days to go...
 



#2Gopher said:
Seriously? This is a moment to reflect a bit on our military. If you don't like this I'm guessing you're from a foreign country somewhere perhaps Russia or Iran.
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I don't go to football games to reflect on the military. I go to football games to watch football. I get enough politics and military presence in my daily life without it being forced down my throat at a football game. Your statement about being from Russia or Iran is really pathetic. I'm sure your are a Trump supporter.
 

The Cannon Man: Rod Wallace, former owner of the Thunderbird Hotel in Bloomington, was the "Cannon Man". I was on the board of directors for the Goal Line Club back in the late 1980's and the U wanted us to come up with some old traditions that might be re-kindled in the Metrodome. We (the board) came up with the idea of reinstating the cannon and discharging it after every Gopher score, as was done by the campus ROTC at Memorial Stadium back in the 60's. Rod was able to secure that cannon, which was actually a cannon used to start races by the Minnetonka Yacht Club, of which Rod was a member. That cannon was Rod's baby and he proudly fired it at home Gopher games for about 20 years. This was my recollection of how it came to be.

The U, due to insurance or some other reason, wanted the cannon tradition dropped a couple years after moving into TCF Bank Stadium. Personally, I wish they would bring it back and maybe have the ROTC do it again.
 

go4rob said:
The Cannon Man: Rod Wallace, former owner of the Thunderbird Hotel in Bloomington, was the "Cannon Man". I was on the board of directors for the Goal Line Club back in the late 1980's and the U wanted us to come up with some old traditions that might be re-kindled in the Metrodome. We (the board) came up with the idea of reinstating the cannon and discharging it after every Gopher score, as was done by the campus ROTC at Memorial Stadium back in the 60's. Rod was able to secure that cannon, which was actually a cannon used to start races by the Minnetonka Yacht Club, of which Rod was a member. That cannon was Rod's baby and he proudly fired it at home Gopher games for about 20 years. This was my recollection of how it came to be.

The U, due to insurance or some other reason, wanted the cannon tradition dropped a couple years after moving into TCF Bank Stadium. Personally, I wish they would bring it back and maybe have the ROTC do it again.
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I heard they dropped it because it was declared a weapon or firearm and didn't want to put the effort into making an exception.... No idea of that is true or not.
 

I'd like them to bring in a Civil War era cannon. You could load it to produce as much or little bang as you want.
 

RodentRampage said:
I'd like them to bring in a Civil War era cannon. You could load it to produce as much or little bang as you want.
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I don't know that a civil war cannon makes a lot of sense for Minnesota. Our only heavy artillery regiment saw no action and the light artillery regiments saw only light duty in the civil war (as far as I know).
 

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