Was this a "win" for the U?

Donate To GopherHole
G

GRGOPHER

One of Kill's Krew
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
281
Reaction score
0
Points
16
As has been mentioned in other threads, ESPN, etc. seemed quite complimentary about the stadium, the cooperation, the "volunteer" (not) shovelers, etc. Loved the 42 sec replay of the stadium. And watching the game, there was no doubt who's stadium it was.

And it seemed Kluhe even changed his tune on the field conditions (hate to admit that Iowa guy, Greenway, had the best comments..."if we were playing basketball it would be a problem").

And what little I can glean about the fan experience seemed like it was positive. (When it's too cold to sit, bench seats are no different than chairs!). I haven't heard anything about what they thought of the locker rooms, etc. but I can't believe they didn't think they were 1st class.

So all in all, was this a "win" for us? Will we get more recruits, will we get some new attendees at our games. Or was the constant misquoting of the temp and windchill carrying the day coupled with the inept play of the Vikings carry the day?
 

GRGOPHER said:
As has been mentioned in other threads, ESPN, etc. seemed quite complimentary about the stadium, the cooperation, the "volunteer" (not) shovelers, etc. Loved the 42 sec replay of the stadium. And watching the game, there was no doubt who's stadium it was.

And it seemed Kluhe even changed his tune on the field conditions (hate to admit that Iowa guy, Greenway, had the best comments..."if we were playing basketball it would be a problem").

And what little I can glean about the fan experience seemed like it was positive. (When it's too cold to sit, bench seats are no different than chairs!). I haven't heard anything about what they thought of the locker rooms, etc. but I can't believe they didn't think they were 1st class.

So all in all, was this a "win" for us? Will we get more recruits, will we get some new attendees at our games. Or was the constant misquoting of the temp and windchill carrying the day coupled with the inept play of the Vikings carry the day?
Click to expand...

My thoughts: Good question.
 

I think it was a win. Nothing derogatory was said about the stadium or field and the school was mentioned many times. The block M and endzones and other areas were shown many times also. It was good advertising. The only part which didn't help the U was the weather but we can't control that. They did say that the U stopped playing in november though.
 

I'd call it a "win", most reaction has been very positive about the whole thing. Of course you have some negatives, but they weren't a biggie. And yes, it was incredibly annoying watching them repeatedly quote the wind chill at -1° when I'm pretty sure it was not less than like 13°. But whatever, they had to pump up their "frozen tundra" theme so I'm not surprised. The field played very well considering the freezing rain and snow. I mean, even heated coils wouldn't have been able to really stop that field from becoming quite slick. So, good exposure, wouldn't expect any noticeable boost in recruiting, but I think the U came out looking good in all of this.
 

Hard to say.

I couldn't get over how complimentary ESPN was throughout the broadcast to the University of Minnesota for doing everything it could to make the arrangements for the game. The field was not built with the intention of hosting night games less than a week before Christmas, so I thought any negative comments about the field conditions (I can't remember if it was Gruden or Jaworski) were a bit off base (and they only seemed to bother a few players).

It looked like the fans who were there were having a great time.
 


Absolutely it was a win. We can't control the weather and the freezing rain was unexpected.

Comments like this had to help.

"Beautiful Facility"
"This is the kind of facility the Vikings Deserve"
"The atmosphere is fantastic/electric"
"Tremendous work from the University..."

Heck we even got a Chris Berman nickname for the Bank.
 

It was a net win to anyone who watched the game. If there were folks who's only exposure was the coverage leading up to it, it may have been a loss.
 

97alumni said:
Absolutely it was a win. We can't control the weather and the freezing rain was unexpected.

Comments like this had to help.

"Beautiful Facility"
"This is the kind of facility the Vikings Deserve"
"The atmosphere is fantastic/electric"
"Tremendous work from the University..."

Heck we even got a Chris Berman nickname for the Bank.
Click to expand...


Didn't catch the nickname. What was it?
 




ESPN helped make this a 100% success.
 

howeda7 said:
It was a net win to anyone who watched the game. If there were folks who's only exposure was the coverage leading up to it, it may have been a loss.
Click to expand...

I agree on the pre-game coverage over the past few days. It was humorous on the 6 o'clock news. I think it was a KSTP or WCCO reporter who tried to make it sound like those waiting to get into the stadium were getting extremely frustrated when the gates didn't open on time or when they were directed to another entry (so the first people in line became the fiftieth people in line--Ooh, alert the media--oh wait, they were already there), but then turn over the Fox 9 and they're saying, "It's all going smoothly."

Given the constraints and challenges, I think the University of Minnesota did an excellent job getting the stadium ready and hosting the game.
 

50PoundHead said:
I agree on the pre-game coverage over the past few days. It was humorous on the 6 o'clock news. I think it was a KSTP or WCCO reporter who tried to make it sound like those waiting to get into the stadium were getting extremely frustrated when the gates didn't open on time or when they were directed to another entry (so the first people in line became the fiftieth people in line--Ooh, alert the media--oh wait, they were already there), but then turn over the Fox 9 and they're saying, "It's all going smoothly."

Given the constraints and challenges, I think the University of Minnesota did an excellent job getting the stadium ready and hosting the game.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the local media certainly did it's share of the breathless chicken-little routine. But I'm not too worried about that. The folks watching KSTP and WCCO already have their opinion of both Minnesota and U pretty well established, don't you think?

But even the ESPN coverage focused a lot on the field and the tweets from Kluwe, etc. Once actual game coverage started, it was much more positive.
 

The Chicago media was very, very critical all week leading up to the game. Not a peep today obviously after the win and no major injuries for the Bears.

People in my office who hadn't yet seen the stadium are all coming in (of the 50% of the people who are here) and saying how good the stadium looks.

Several of the New Yorkers that I spoke with this morning were also very complimentary and the vast majority of them don't even follow college sports.

I was initially worried about the snow/cold factor as being harmful to the University's national image. However, everybody already knows that Minnesota is cold in December. The only comments I've received have been warm toward the facility and the University.
 



I think it all went pretty well. I think it is a good thing for the 'U'. It isn't the kind of thing that creates a cut and dried moment that wins a recruit. But, it is the kind of thing that builds brand awareness and plants a seed. When it is combined with a multitude of other marketing/recruiting items... it may play a small factor in landing some recruits some day. Having your 'product' on the minds of your customers (even if they aren't in a position to buy right now), is almost always a good thing.
 

Anybody willing to give the hated Joel Maturi any credit for pulling this off so well? (I assume he had *something* to do with it, didn't he?)
 

The stadium looked great. There was some freezing rain later in the game, but that can happen in most of the country this time of year.
 

KFANs Danny Barreiro will find stuff to be negative about.
You might think the guy who identifies the negative to every single story in the Twin Cities would make sure to point out the negatives within his own decision making but I guess not.

This is for Danny B.

Dateline 2010- Dan B celebrates the birth of his first child...You would think that congratulations would be in order but you would be wrong.
The real tragedy is that DB paid little attention to his own ticking biological clock when deciding to father child in his 50's. Science has displayed in study after study the astonishing increase in autism, schizophrenia and other complications due to the age of the biological father.
 

Heard something about a 5 star recruit in snow removal now interested in becoming a gopher.
 

GopherJake said:
Anybody willing to give the hated Joel Maturi any credit for pulling this off so well? (I assume he had *something* to do with it, didn't he?)
Click to expand...

I would think Joel had very little to do with this other than to say "yes, let's do it". That was the easy part. The down and dirty was probably carried out by Scott Ellison associate AD in charge of facilities. I cannot imagine a clean up process going more smoothly. The media wanted it to be a disaster but the truth is, it wasn't. The shovel "fiasco" was just a case of more people wanting to participate than the U was able to handle. Considering that the early plan was to shovel around the clock from Thursday to Sunday and in actuality they finished on Friday I would say the shoveling went very well.

In the end there just isn't anything to any of the negative comments. The whole event turned out great and as someone else said it helps to build our brand, which down the road may help us in many areas.
 

i stood in line since 10:00 am and got my first row spots. I heard over 20 times from people that had never been to TCF that they will definetly be back for a gopher game next year because of how much they loved the stadium and want to see it with a student section etc and be able to tailgate.

So while it may not attract more recruits or whatever, it will attract at least a few more fans that would not have even considered coming to a game next year.

side note, that vikings band thing is horrible and they need to stop. or they should have used the U of M band becuase it was painful haha
 

Props are due...

Considering how quickly events transpired leading up to Monday night, the U does deserve respect and appreciation for their efficient and effective response. As the individual ultimately responsible for the athletics/facilities at the U of M, Maturi does deserve a share of this positive response.

Consider how comically tragic the Northwestern-Illinois game happened this year with months/years to plan. Seriously, you learn that you can't technically make the field fit a matter of days before the game? You may say it's appes and oranges to compare these scenarios, but really, while our friends in Chicago drew nationwide chuckles of amazement at the oversight, the U made themselves look good by taking advantage of an opportunity to showcase the facility on a national stage and hit a home run!

Go Gophers!
 


50PoundHead said:
I couldn't get over how complimentary ESPN was throughout the broadcast to the University of Minnesota for doing everything it could to make the arrangements for the game. The field was not built with the intention of hosting night games less than a week before Christmas, so I thought any negative comments about the field conditions (I can't remember if it was Gruden or Jaworski) were a bit off base (and they only seemed to bother a few players).

It looked like the fans who were there were having a great time.
Click to expand...

I was also surprised by how positive the comments were. At one point during the telecast, the replays showed the Bear player getting kneed in the head and then getting hit helmet-to-helmet, and they went to Michelle Tafoya for an update. She finished her update by stating that he had a possible concussion because he hit his head on the hard surface.

I appreciated that Mike Tirico immediately corrected her when she threw it back up to the booth.

I thought Jaworski was a little more negative than Gruden, but still not that bad.

And I would have loved to have been there--and I'm not a Vikings fan by any stretch.
 

CJTGopher said:
I would think Joel had very little to do with this other than to say "yes, let's do it". That was the easy part. The down and dirty was probably carried out by Scott Ellison associate AD in charge of facilities. I cannot imagine a clean up process going more smoothly. The media wanted it to be a disaster but the truth is, it wasn't. comments.
Click to expand...

This is my nomination for the Most Moronic Post of 2010. Let's give most of the credit for the U's role in the making the game happen to one of Maturi's employees, and zero credit to Joel himself. Congratulations, CJT. This will be a well-deserved award if you win it. If not, you are still a moron. There is no escaping that fact.
 

wait!what? said:
This is for Danny B.

Dateline 2010- Dan B celebrates the birth of his first child...You would think that congratulations would be in order but you would be wrong.
The real tragedy is that DB paid little attention to his own ticking biological clock when deciding to father child in his 50's. Science has displayed in study after study the astonishing increase in autism, schizophrenia and other complications due to the age of the biological father.
Click to expand...

Really? Are we really stooping to this level? Can this post be deleted?
 

josh087 said:
Really? Are we really stooping to this level? Can this post be deleted?
Click to expand...

This guy has a long and illustrious history of making personal attacks on Barreiro. Say whatever you want about the guy, but leave the wife and kid out of it.
 

Tx_Gopher said:
I was also surprised by how positive the comments were. At one point during the telecast, the replays showed the Bear player getting kneed in the head and then getting hit helmet-to-helmet, and they went to Michelle Tafoya for an update. She finished her update by stating that he had a possible concussion because he hit his head on the hard surface.

I appreciated that Mike Tirico immediately corrected her when she threw it back up to the booth.

I thought Jaworski was a little more negative than Gruden, but still not that bad.

And I would have loved to have been there--and I'm not a Vikings fan by any stretch.
Click to expand...

Gruden and Jaworski are really "players' guys" and that type really seems to hate it when the elements get involved so that every pass can't be a spiral and that every cut can't be successfully made on a dime. As much as Madden loved the players, he was all about the beauty of the game. It's too bad he became incoherent.

But I think everyone realized how difficult it was to put the game together as quickly as it was and that the field simply wasn't built for a game at this time of the year.
 

Yeah and talk about bad luck...when it started to rain/drizzle making conditions worse, I remembered the words of Bob Griese commenting on one of our games after a fumble at the goalline after an interception: "It's like the Minnesota Gophers are snakebit".

But next year we'll have some of the other kind of luck!
 

The Pope of Dinkytown said:
This is my nomination for the Most Moronic Post of 2010. Let's give most of the credit for the U's role in the making the game happen to one of Maturi's employees, and zero credit to Joel himself. Congratulations, CJT. This will be a well-deserved award if you win it. If not, you are still a moron. There is no escaping that fact.
Click to expand...

Very nice on the name calling. :clap: I love that you have determined I am a moron whether or not I win the award for most moronic post of 2010. You know me so well...

You can give Maturi all the credit you want; he is ultimately in charge of the department so him getting credit is probably inevitable. However, if, after what we have seen from Joel over the years up to and including this coaching search do you or anyone else really believe that he has the organizational skills to have had any real affect on these preparations? I do not and I am guessing I would not be alone in this thought. My guess is the further Joel stayed from this process the better. Since everything went well my guess is he stayed far away. Besides its not his job to get involved in these types of operations. Oversee, yes but involved, no.
 

CJTGopher said:
Very nice on the name calling. :clap: I love that you have determined I am a moron whether or not I win the award for most moronic post of 2010. You know me so well...

You can give Maturi all the credit you want; he is ultimately in charge of the department so him getting credit is probably inevitable. However, if, after what we have seen from Joel over the years up to and including this coaching search do you or anyone else really believe that he has the organizational skills to have had any real affect on these preparations? I do not and I am guessing I would not be alone in this thought. My guess is the further Joel stayed from this process the better. Since everything went well my guess is he stayed far away. Besides its not his job to get involved in these types of operations. Oversee, yes but involved, no.
Click to expand...

CJT, I'm going to have to disagree. If Joel's employees screwed up he would get blamed (or would at least share in it). Given that fact I don't see why he shouldn't share in some of the credit. I have a lot of problems with the man but his department got it done when it came to this game. That's a good reflection on him whether you like it or not.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom