BleedGopher
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per Shama:
Dick Mattson lived for Gophers football. The Gophers were the only football team in town to “Matts.” Mention the Vikings and he might snort, or cuss. Bring up the Gophers and passion stirred in his mind, body, and soul.
Lou Holtz was reviving Gophers football to a place of greatness in the mid-1980s. The Metrodome was rocking when Holtz’s team took the field on Saturdays. Mattson contributed to the crowd’s frenzy by running onto the field waving a hockey stick over his head, encouraging the craziness in the stands.
Mattson spent 48 years with the Gophers equipment staff, including 32 seasons heading operations for the football program. Family and friends said goodbye to him yesterday at his funeral. He died last week at age 73, his body giving in to liver and kidney failure.
Mattson was a high school senior in Benson, Minnesota in 1961 when Gophers coach Murray Warmath came to the western part of the state. Mattson, who was an athletics student manager in high school, told the coach he wanted to perform those duties when he came to the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1961.
That’s how Mattson started his long tenure at the U. He arrived in the glory years of Gophers football. The 1960 team had won the national championship and the 1961 team would be headed to a 1962 Rose Bowl win over UCLA. Mattson, though, didn’t make the trip to Pasadena because freshmen managers weren’t allowed to travel. That turned out to be a lifelong regret for him.
He revered Warmath who coached the Gophers from 1954-1971. Mattson would refer to him as the “old man” but it was always respectfully. Warmath was a hard-nosed coach who preached discipline and Mattson was a disciple.
Former Gopher Jim Brunzell remembered the coach and Mattson in an email: “Matts was a real character. He was straight-up, no mincing words with him. He…took on Murray’s traits and attitudes. Be tough—don’t bitch—don’t give up—and respect one another.”
http://shamasportsheadliners.com/
Go Gophers!!
Dick Mattson lived for Gophers football. The Gophers were the only football team in town to “Matts.” Mention the Vikings and he might snort, or cuss. Bring up the Gophers and passion stirred in his mind, body, and soul.
Lou Holtz was reviving Gophers football to a place of greatness in the mid-1980s. The Metrodome was rocking when Holtz’s team took the field on Saturdays. Mattson contributed to the crowd’s frenzy by running onto the field waving a hockey stick over his head, encouraging the craziness in the stands.
Mattson spent 48 years with the Gophers equipment staff, including 32 seasons heading operations for the football program. Family and friends said goodbye to him yesterday at his funeral. He died last week at age 73, his body giving in to liver and kidney failure.
Mattson was a high school senior in Benson, Minnesota in 1961 when Gophers coach Murray Warmath came to the western part of the state. Mattson, who was an athletics student manager in high school, told the coach he wanted to perform those duties when he came to the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1961.
That’s how Mattson started his long tenure at the U. He arrived in the glory years of Gophers football. The 1960 team had won the national championship and the 1961 team would be headed to a 1962 Rose Bowl win over UCLA. Mattson, though, didn’t make the trip to Pasadena because freshmen managers weren’t allowed to travel. That turned out to be a lifelong regret for him.
He revered Warmath who coached the Gophers from 1954-1971. Mattson would refer to him as the “old man” but it was always respectfully. Warmath was a hard-nosed coach who preached discipline and Mattson was a disciple.
Former Gopher Jim Brunzell remembered the coach and Mattson in an email: “Matts was a real character. He was straight-up, no mincing words with him. He…took on Murray’s traits and attitudes. Be tough—don’t bitch—don’t give up—and respect one another.”
http://shamasportsheadliners.com/
Go Gophers!!
