Why doesn't The Bank have a ring of honor? It needs one.

[WindyCityGopher]

I'm curious why this program doesn't have a Ring of Honor around The Bank's seating bowl to acknowledge the best of the best to ever play football for the University of Minnesota? We rightfully include our national and Big Ten championship years, but do nothing for the legends. I know there's a Hall of Fame area inside the stadium, but I think we need to highlight the greats where everyone in the stadium can celebrate their names. Thinking through the criteria for selection, it has to be very exclusive. Very few deserve to be up there. For players and coaches, I'd go with this selection criteria (any achievements beyond college are not considered):

• Winning a major traditional national award (Heisman, Outland, O'Brien, Maxwell, Thorpe)
• Being a consensus All-American at least 2 times
• All honorees must be a member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• As a coach, he had to have won at least one national championship

Here would be the group that meets that criteria:

Bronko Nagurski (2x AA, legend)
Bruce Smith (Heisman)
Tom Brown (Outland, Heisman runner-up, 2x AA)
Bobby Bell (Outland, 2x AA)
Greg Eslinger (Outland, 2x AA)
Bernie Bierman (5 national championships)

Of course, that leaves out greats like Paul Giel (honestly, probably should be in any Gopher ring of honor - 2nd in Heisman, 2x AA, CFHOF), Carl Eller (2nd in Outland, 1x AA), Leo Nomellini (2x AA), Murray Warmath (won natty, but not in CFHOF), Sandy Stephens (1x AA, but in CFHOF) and Tyrone Carter (won Thorpe, but not in CFHOF), who just miss the cut.

Does anyone else agree that the U needs to create a Ring of Honor for our all-time greats? Can we get fan momentum on it to kick the athletic department into action?

 

[swede2]

Aren't you the band pit is a bad look guy too?

 

[The Deliberate Stranger]

Don't they kinda have one in the concourse as you walk around?

 

[WindyCityGopher]

Aren't you the band pit is a bad look guy too?

Nope, I have no opinion on the band pit, although I'm not sure why that would impact my desire to see the names of past greats on the facade of the upper deck.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Don't they kinda have one in the concourse as you walk around?

Yes, huge banners.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

Yes, huge banners.

Yeah, I know that, but I think the names of the people being honored should face the field, which is where they were great, not in the concourse, which feels like they're being buried.

 

[The Deliberate Stranger]

Yeah, I know that, but I think the names of the people being honored should face the field, which is where they were great, not in the concourse, which feels like they're being buried.

Don't really have the space like an NFL stadium to do that, or at least do it properly. Maybe we can paint a mural like mariucci did as you walk up the stairs instead?

 

[STPGopher]

Don't they kinda have one in the concourse as you walk around?

Not to mention the numbers/ names on the ribbon in the stadium. Start at about 2:13.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

It would be nice to honor some of the great players.

 

[tjgopher]

There is a ring of honor on the stadium facade, or at least the names of some of the all-time greats. It only has a few names on it (Kiel, Stephens, Smith, Nagurski, Bell).

If your complaint is there should be more, I agree with you.

If your complaint is they don't have any names on the ring of the stadium, well, they do.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

There is a ring of honor on the stadium facade, or at least the names of some of the all-time greats. It only has a few names on it (Kiel, Stephens, Smith, Nagurski, Bell).

If your complaint is there should be more, I agree with you.

If your complaint is they don't have any names on the ring of the stadium, well, they do.

View attachment 40398

Thanks for posting this, I have to admit I didn't know this was there, so I do appreciate the correction. I haven't been to TCF/HBS for a few years, so I think the last time I was there this didn't exist, but I should've researched before I posted. We do agree that there should be others as well, even if their numbers/jerseys are retired.

 

[tjgopher]

Thanks for posting this, I have to admit I didn't know this was there, so I do appreciate the correction. I haven't been to TCF/HBS for a few years, so I think the last time I was there this didn't exist, but I should've researched before I posted. We do agree that there should be others as well, even if their numbers/jerseys are retired.

Those five names have been there since the stadium opened.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

Those five names have been there since the stadium opened.

Then I was too drunk to notice the last time I was there.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Yeah, I know that, but I think the names of the people being honored should face the field, which is where they were great, not in the concourse, which feels like they're being buried.

Huh, I really like the banners...giant, larger than life pictures and their honors. Very well done.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

All the All Americans, major award winners should be listed somewhere either on inside or outside facade of the stadium.