New Barn floor design just approved June 3rd?

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Sour1729

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When all those articles came out in mid-late May about the new Barn floor, we heard conflicting reports about its design. One said it would be just like the old one, one said it would be different with a block M at midcourt, etc.

I did some sleuthing and according to the guy who designed the floor, the U didn't approve it until June 3rd after multiple revisions. So in reality, maybe we have no idea what it will look like?

I found it on this guy's twitter: http://twitter.com/ChrisLagasse

It is from an entry on June 3rd stating: "after 4 months and many revisions, the new Williams Arena floor design (that I made) has finally been approved! (Let's install this baby!)"

I think it is probably accurate because in his bio, his job is listed as Asst. Creative Director/Graphic Designer for Gophersports. He seems like a young guy so maybe it will look fairly modern? Thoughts?
 

>>...maybe it will look fairly modern? Thoughts?<<

How is an antiquated raised floor in any way "fairly modern"?
 

Gopher4Life said:
>>...maybe it will look fairly modern? Thoughts?<<

How is an antiquated raised floor in any way "fairly modern"?
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I took it to mean that he's talking about the look of the new playing surface, not whether the entire floor is raised or not.
 

I know that, but why not come all the way into the 21st century?
 




This is a post from Nate, like he said, he has a very good source. I would believe him and his description of what it would look like:

NateDawgUM NateDawgUM
bored with recruiting talk

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Chicago
Posts: 4,382
Default
Court will have a block M 20 feet wide by 15 feet tall

Court will be maroon and gold but otherwise completely different.

"Williams Arena" with "The Barn" beneath it in smaller text where the two current Big Ten logos are now.

Then the bench side has MINNESOTA, opposite side is all maroon with the Big Ten Logo at center court, and the end zones both have "Golden Gophers."

It will have a very clean, new look. It is first grade maple so will be a very bright floor unlike the yellow amber that is being replaced.

****

This is all from a great source.
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Gopher4Life said:
I know that, but why not come all the way into the 21st century?
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Seriously, G4L...what do you think a non-raised floor will gain? I'm sure you've talked to as many recruits as I have, but every single one of them, has commented on how cool it is, and how much they liked the Barn. Are you hearing something different? Do you think this is not giving us a home court advantage and a recruiting tool? Please share.
 



Lady,

>>Are you hearing something different?<<

I hear consistent laughter from basketball fans whenever non-Minnesotans are watching a game and the raised floor is mentioned. I'm tired of it since the raised floor serves absolutely no purpose, is a potential and unnecessary hazard, and was never intended to be permanent.

>>Do you think this is not giving us a home court advantage and a recruiting tool?<<

Absolutely not in both cases. Those "justifications" for keeping the floor raised have been invented by the provincial minds who want to hang onto this relic of the past.
 

Gopher4Life said:
Lady,

>>Are you hearing something different?<<

I hear consistent laughter from basketball fans whenever non-Minnesotans are watching a game and the raised floor is mentioned. I'm tired of it since the raised floor serves absolutely no purpose, is a potential and unnecessary hazard, and was never intended to be permanent.

>>Do you think this is not giving us a home court advantage and a recruiting tool?<<

Absolutely not in both cases. Those "justifications" for keeping the floor raised have been invented by the provincial minds who want to hang onto this relic of the past.
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So - we're the laughing stock of all the residents in Oklahoma, I can live with that.

Yes, some of us honor and value tradition, I would think you would be the same. Once again EVERY SINGLE RECRUIT I have ever spoken to, has spoken highly of it, and thought it was so unique...but let's get right on changing it because it seems to annoy you.
 

>>So - we're the laughing stock of all the residents in Oklahoma, I can live with that.<<

I've watched games with serious BB fans from coast to coast. They never fail to bust a gut anytime our raised floor is mentioned. That alone doesn't make the floor bad. If it had any justifiation, I'd surely support it.

>>Yes, some of us honor and value tradition, I would think you would be the same.<<

I value meaningful tradition every bit as much as you do.

>>Once again EVERY SINGLE RECRUIT I have ever spoken to...<<

I respect you and what you're telling me. Still, the raised floor is pointless and a needless carry-over from another era.

Do you figure the raised floor is worth 2 pts per game for the home team? 6 pts? I say it's not worth a free throw, but we can keep pretending.
 

Gopher4Life said:
I've watched games with serious BB fans from coast to coast. They never fail to bust a gut anytime our raised floor is mentioned. That alone doesn't make the floor bad. If it had any justifiation, I'd surely support it.
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You hang out with an interesting crowd, anyone that sees a raised floor busts a guy? Easy crowd! I'll just end this with no one is going to change your mind, and in true G4L fashion, I'm sure you'll beat a dead horse over and over and over...I should have actually refrained from trying to reason with you on this topic.
 



Gopher4Life said:
I've watched games with serious BB fans from coast to coast. They never fail to bust a gut anytime our raised floor is mentioned. That alone doesn't make the floor bad.
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Embellish much? You seriously expect us to believe that all of these droves of college basketball fans that you hang out with bust a gut at the thought we have an elevated floor? Really? Why would they even care? Who are these people you hang out with and what kind of lives do they lead to think that a school with an elevated floor is "gut-busting"? I mean if that's gut-busting, how do they react when you tell a really good joke? Do they convulse on the floor? Really, who are these fans?

I, too, watch tons of college hoops with tons of different fans from all across the country. Most actually think it is "cool" or "unique" or some might not even have an opinion on it at all or even know it exists, but I have not encountered a single person - NOT ONE - that has told me we're the laughingstock of the sport or an embarrassment because of the floor. None.

And, again, as for us getting into the 21st century, you might want to check out this year's Final Four - and next year's for that matter. The elevated floor absolutely serves a purpose at Williams Arena, as it does at the Final Four. It enhances the sight lines for the fans.
 

I find it a little hard to believe that the raised floor could be considered funny. If it is, I also wonder who you're watching games with (no offense). I don't think it could have much of an effect on recruiting, but if anything, it would help. And yes, it does make the Barn unique and it definitely makes a difference watching the game there. Unless it injures one of our players, there's no way it can be bad feature, and most people like it. Plus it gives announcers something to talk about other than Hoffarber's two shots, Sampson's dad, and Westbrook's cousin.
 

GopherLady said:
So - we're the laughing stock of all the residents in Oklahoma, I can live with that.

Yes, some of us honor and value tradition, I would think you would be the same. Once again EVERY SINGLE RECRUIT I have ever spoken to, has spoken highly of it, and thought it was so unique...but let's get right on changing it because it seems to annoy you.
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I'm with GopherLady on this one. Why does anyone care what folks in Oklahoma or from "coast to coast" think about Williams Arena's floor? Honestly, what they think adds up to a whole lot of nothing, especially when it comes to our home court.

If people down south and on the coasts truly don't like it, tough. But like others have noted in this thread, I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about the raised court, including the many Badger fans I knew when I lived in Wisconsin.
 

>>I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about the raised court...<<

Either you're a liar or you don't listen very well.

I guess loyal Gophers fans can disagree on this one.
 

Gopher4Life said:
>>I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about the raised court...<<

Either you're a liar or you don't listen very well.

I guess loyal Gophers fans can disagree on this one.
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Who's the liar here? People across the country bust a gut about the raised floor? This thread is a new low for you. I am sorry, but you look like a complete douchebag.
 

WAG,

Apply a bit of non-homer perspective and you might understand how the raised floor is viewed by serious BB fans around the country. I'm not lying and I'm not exaggerating. I can't count the times I've been in foreign-to-me sports bars trying to catch a Gophers game and sooner or later I'm left to defend our unique home court edge. One was in Portland, OR, several were in CA, and one was in Florida, so I used the expression "coast to coast."

P.S.
I hear Tubby thinks the raised floor is the bomb. The wave of the future, in fact. I'll bet the man just loves climbing onto the floor and sitting on that little stool.
 

Gopher4Life said:
I can't count the times I've been in foreign-to-me sports bars trying to catch a Gophers game and sooner or later I'm left to defend our unique home court edge. One was in Portland, OR, several were in CA, and one was in Florida, so I used the expression "coast to coast."
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I think there's a good chance that you misunderstood what most of us would call "good bantering" amongst sports fans. If someone was giving you a hard time about the elevated floor, I'm guessing they really weren't that passionate about it...instead they were just giving you "the business" a little. It happens in all walks of sports. That absolutely, positively does not mean people look at the floor as a joke or a laughingstock or "bust a gut" about it.

I think your own pre-conceived bias against the floor probably blinded you to this thing most of us call "good natured bantering."

I have watched a lot of Gopher games in a lot of sports bars and NOT ONCE did anyone make a negative comment about the floor. On the rare occasion that it was brought up, people thought it was cool. They might make a comment about a player might get hurt, but nothing about it being a laughingstock or a joke. Why do you suppose that I've watched lots of games - as have a few others who already posted - and NONE of us have heard this opinion that our floor is a national injustice, yet you "can't count the times" you've heard it. Do you suppose you maybe started the discussion about how stupid the floor was (obviously that's your opinion) and all of these countless fans just agreed with you to be polite??

Plus, you said "sooner or later, I'm left to 'defend' our unique home court edge." Funny, but I doubt you're doing much "defending" of it, given your opinion of it.
 

ok I have to chime in. I've lived in Illinois for like 6 or 7 years now and watched plenty of basketball with different people and I've never ever ever heard anyone laugh or diss the raised floor. A few people have wondered if anyone's been hurt but most agree its an advantage for the home team psychologically, at least a little bit. Even if it provides o advantage it's still cool to be a bit different and to have something your arena is known for. I honestly think that while you're sitting around with all these basketball fans you're the one who bashes the raised floor and probably cracks jokes about it and these people laugh along with you.
 

tj,

I don't walk into a strange bar announcing myself as a Gophers fan and I seldom travel with our colors. I speak up when Minnesota is criticized and somebody always takes a shot when the raised floor is mentioned or when they see the head coaches sitting on stools. The easiest way to defend the raised floor is to recite the Barn's history and the original reason for raising its floor. The raised floor had a purpose about 40 years ago. Now it's just dumb.

41,

If the raised floor was any sort of advantage, we would have won a lot more games over the years.
 

G4L, you might have something to say if you've been to a game at The Barn in the last thirty years.

Til then, keep it shut.
 

>>Til then, keep it shut.<<

Well, that's very American of you.
 

Gopher4Life said:
tj,

I don't walk into a strange bar announcing myself as a Gophers fan and I seldom travel with our colors. I speak up when Minnesota is criticized and somebody always takes a shot when the raised floor is mentioned or when they see the head coaches sitting on stools. The easiest way to defend the raised floor is to recite the Barn's history and the original reason for raising its floor. The raised floor had a purpose about 40 years ago. Now it's just dumb.

41,

If the raised floor was any sort of advantage, we would have won a lot more games over the years.
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We won plenty when we actually had good teams.
 


ilovethebarn,

You don't usually act like a moron. Having problems today?
 

I have talked basketball with people from coast to coast myself. I have watched Gopher games when I have been out of town as well. I can honestly say NONE of them have ever said a bad word about the raised floor at Williams Arena. How did you manage to find all of the raised floor haters on your travels? Unless of course that is what you wanted to hear.

Now in terms of "serious" basketball... the raised floor is a great tradition at Williams Arena but it really doesn't change the game. Everybody runs just as fast and tries just as hard as on any other floor. You don't even think about it when you are playing on it. The only time you think about it is when you are coming in and out of the game and have to climb down/up to the bench.

If the rafters and old time smell in Williams Arena is Simon, that raised floor is Garfunkel. I love it.
 

Lived in CT for 3 years. I remember watching Gopher games a few times with CT friends. No one laughed. Everyone thought it was unique and different in a good way. We have the Wrigley field of college basketball. No one is taking down the ivy because is serves no purpose -- it, like the raised floor, adds character and a distinguishing characteristic to what would otherwise be a boring old basketball court. As GopherLady pointed out, the floor has helped us in recruiting.

Come clean -- you have a personal complaint about it, which you're entitled to, even if your complaint is one of the silliest things I've ever read on this board (which is saying quite a bit).
 

Gopher4Life said:
I speak up when Minnesota is criticized and somebody always takes a shot when the raised floor is mentioned or when they see the head coaches sitting on stools. The easiest way to defend the raised floor is to recite the Barn's history and the original reason for raising its floor.
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So, you'll rip the floor in this forum with all kinds of fellow Gopher fans who think of the elevated floor as a unique piece of tradition, but you will "defend" it to total strangers in a sports bar who you say think it is a total joke? Do I have that right?

That's interesting. Hard to fathom, but interesting.
 

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