Amelia Rayno blog: Tubby looking for more toughness; says new arena is in order

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/138227489.html

Smith has been vocal about wanting a practice facility for the Gophers, but Friday he was asked about whether he thought a new arena was in order as well. “I would think so,” he said. “You can only play so long in any building. I’m sure Joel [Maturi] is starting to realize that and I’m sure anybody who has a love for this building knows that is going to happen eventually … It’s like buying a new home. Do you build a new home or do you try to fix up the one you have. If it’s 80-years old then you have to decide.”

Go Gophers!!
 

Arena looking for more toughness; says new coach is in order...
 

I have decided.

OK Coach, I have decided.


Fix up the Barn. Build a new practice facility.

If the Coach does not like it, he can resign. I love Tubby, but I have loved the Barn longer.
 

Time to tear down the barn

Cool old building, but its time for a new one.
 



The benefits of a new facility far outweigh the nostalgia of a building that has seen zero national champions and 3 big ten championships in it's lifetime.
 

BleedGopher said:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/138227489.html

Smith has been vocal about wanting a practice facility for the Gophers, but Friday he was asked about whether he thought a new arena was in order as well. “I would think so,” he said. “You can only play so long in any building. I’m sure Joel [Maturi] is starting to realize that and I’m sure anybody who has a love for this building knows that is going to happen eventually … It’s like buying a new home. Do you build a new home or do you try to fix up the one you have. If it’s 80-years old then you have to decide.”

Go Gophers!!
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Hmm....We renovated a 1940 cabin in Ely when every Tom, Dick, and contractor told us to raze the place. You can see it at www.elylodging.com ( it is on One
Pine Lake) There is not that much fixin Tubby.
 

By all means. Let's build the Gophers a new basketball arena and a practice facility. Also Gopher baseball needs a new stadium -- it would make no sense for them to use the Metrodome since its only favorable characteristics are that it has a new roof, new field, is warm, dry, and paid for. Tear down the Metrodome and build a new Vikings' stadium. We can then boast that we have the most, newest stadiums of any market in America to go along with our highest taxes.
 

Rebuild Williams Arena (like people build retro baseball parks). No amount of remodeling will get rid of the obstructed seats in the old arena
 



FanSinceTheFifties said:
By all means. Let's build the Gophers a new basketball arena and a practice facility. Also Gopher baseball needs a new stadium -- it would make no sense for them to use the Metrodome since its only favorable characteristics are that it has a new roof, new field, is warm, dry, and paid for. Tear down the Metrodome and build a new Vikings' stadium. We can then boast that we have the most, newest stadiums of any market in America to go along with our highest taxes.
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A) Gopher baseball stadium is 100 percent private fundraising

B) If just a practice facility, it is 100 percent private fundraising

C) If you don't live in Hennepin County and no one puts a gun to your head to spend money in Hennepin County, you pay nothing for Target Field

Now back to your regularly scheduled whining.
 


I took my freind to the game last night who was in FM Acro growing up. She mentioned how they have been to nearly every arena in the country. Pro and major college, and said that Williams was always one of their favorites because they always felt like it was a TRUE college arena. She also noted that the Kohl Center is terrible. Another freind last night mentioned how he has been to a handful of games, mainly having to sit in an obstructed view seat. Said he wouldnt want it any other way. Loves the arena. I could not agree more. I love Williams for being the arena that it is. Part of the reason I love going to games is because of the arena. If they replaced Williams with a pro-style arena (Kohl, Value-City) then there will be two more open seats because the appeal of spending all that money on games will have lost some of its value.
 

Honestly what percentage of the seats in the arena are uninstructed sideline seats?


The place was built before modern design. This isn't the 70s, new buildings can look good now.
 



DLguy said:
I took my freind to the game last night who was in FM Acro growing up. She mentioned how they have been to nearly every arena in the country. Pro and major college, and said that Williams was always one of their favorites because they always felt like it was a TRUE college arena. She also noted that the Kohl Center is terrible. Another freind last night mentioned how he has been to a handful of games, mainly having to sit in an obstructed view seat. Said he wouldnt want it any other way. Loves the arena. I could not agree more. I love Williams for being the arena that it is. Part of the reason I love going to games is because of the arena. If they replaced Williams with a pro-style arena (Kohl, Value-City) then there will be two more open seats because the appeal of spending all that money on games will have lost some of its value.
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It would not be a pro-style arena. Kohl is bad because of the hockey rink. I think OSU has hockey issues too.
 

If it's a Tubby or the Barn.

I'll keep the Barn. That's about as easy a decision as you can make.
 

Hill_Murray said:
If it's a Tubby or the Barn.

I'll keep the Barn. That's about as easy a decision as you can make.
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It's not that at all. Tubby is 60. He hasn't gotten his practice facility in 5 years. I hardly think he envisions ever coaching a home game that's not in the Barn. This discussion has virtually nothing to do with Tubby.

FWIW, they should at least have some discussions with the legislators heading up the Vikings stadium bill to see what they think. But with the current administration, they won't.
 

Why is this discussion even occurring, is it being done to promote the practice facility. There is no chance the state or the university is going to fund the building of a new arena. I wonder where support for this would ever come from. I would prefer an obstructed seat in that arena over a rafter seat in an NBA style arena any day.
 

jovs said:
Why is this discussion even occurring, is it being done to promote the practice facility. There is no chance the state or the university is going to fund the building of a new arena. I wonder where support for this would ever come from. I would prefer an obstructed seat in that arena over a rafter seat in an NBA style arena any day.
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Guarantee they don't build an NBA style arena.
 

FanSinceTheFifties said:
By all means. Let's build the Gophers a new basketball arena and a practice facility. Also Gopher baseball needs a new stadium -- it would make no sense for them to use the Metrodome since its only favorable characteristics are that it has a new roof, new field, is warm, dry, and paid for. Tear down the Metrodome and build a new Vikings' stadium. We can then boast that we have the most, newest stadiums of any market in America to go along with our highest taxes.
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I don't know if a new arena is the answer, but I think it is time to put the myth that we have a hugh advantage in the barn to rest.
 

It's a shame when people think we should tear down all of the older buildings.

It's a shame when people think we should never tear down any of the older buildings.
 

Agree with some other people. I'm one of the biggest Tubby backers on this board, but sorry, if it's Tubby or the Barn, I choose Tubby. I don't ever want a new soulless Target Center for the Gophers. Williams is one of the main reasons I go to the games. It's simply one of the best venues in the world. I understand that it has its problems, but they're lovable, in my opinion. Plus, in my experience, even if you get a little temporary juice from a new arena, it doesn't last. You get more money moving from Highbury to Emirates, but it doesn't always lead to silverware (worse luck), and you lose something irreplaceable in doing so, I think.
 


Rosemountian said:
Honestly what percentage of the seats in the arena are uninstructed sideline seats?
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A decent %, but that includes any seat that is missing even a tiny bit of the court. I don't know how many of those are badly obstructed.

Put me in the renovate it column. Every time I go to the Kohl Center I'm annoyed by how soulless it is. It is a nice facility, but I wouldn't want the Gophers there.

At the very least, I hope the department is wise enough to spend the money to get some feasibility studies done and get HOK or another sports architecture firm to come in and outline what a renovation could be like.
 

GoAUpher said:
A decent %, but that includes any seat that is missing even a tiny bit of the court. I don't know how many of those are badly obstructed.

Put me in the renovate it column. Every time I go to the Kohl Center I'm annoyed by how soulless it is. It is a nice facility, but I wouldn't want the Gophers there.

At the very least, I hope the department is wise enough to spend the money to get some feasibility studies done and get HOK or another sports architecture firm to come in and outline what a renovation could be like.
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Are there any options other than The Barn or a Kohl Center type?

Just sayin.
 

station19 said:
Are there any options other than The Barn or a Kohl Center type?

Just sayin.
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Everyone just assumes the U will make a mistake such as everyone saying it will be an "NBA style arena".
 

zambam said:
Everyone just assumes the U will make a mistake such as everyone saying it will be an "NBA style arena".
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Seems like they did a pretty good job with TCF.

At this point in time, would people rather have a renovated Memorial Stadium or a present day TCF.
 

Getting rid of the Barn would be the worst decision in the history of the University of Minnesota. Easily.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Getting rid of the Barn would be the worst decision in the history of the University of Minnesota. Easily.
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I'm not so sure.

There was more history in Jennison Field House, but the Spartans moved out. Do you think MSU considers that a mistake?

There was more history in St. John's Arena. Do you think OSU considers it a mistake to move from there?

Wisconsin's unexplained success in basketball almost exactly coincides with the end of the old Wisconsin Field House.

There are ways to preserve history and ensure the building will be quaint and charming.

Unless you're a namebrand like Duke, I'm not sure an 85-year old building allows you the necessary things needed to sustain a contender.
 

station19 said:
Seems like they did a pretty good job with TCF.

At this point in time, would people rather have a renovated Memorial Stadium or a present day TCF.
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Sorry. The question needs to be asked 30 years ago and asked like this:

People, would you rather renovate Memorial Stadium or play football in a craphole for the next 30 years, but then have a really cool stadium back on campus in 2010.
 


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