BleedGopher
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per Dochterman:
Fifteen years ago in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, Iowa fans became the most unwanted house guests in the history of Minnesota football.
On that mid-November afternoon at the Metrodome, more than 32,000 Hawkeyes filled seats from corner to corner. It was a generational tradition for either Iowa or Minnesota to end its season against the other and fans from the south often made a weekend of it. After time, the indoor structure was nicknamed Kinnick North for its boisterous complement of Iowa fans.
But Nov. 16, 2002, was a day that lives in Twin Cities infamy. That’s the day when the Gophers’ home finale turned into a nightmare. It was the equivalent of a teenager hosting a party and the rowdiest group of teens showed up in pick-up trucks and emptied the house of all edible goods and beverages. And on their way out, they broke off the front door because they could. And there was nothing anyone could do about that.
That’s what happened the day Iowa fans took over the Metrodome, charged the field and broke apart the goal posts. Even in a century-old rivalry filled with contentious moments and lore, perhaps nothing was quite as degrading for a home team as that day in Minneapolis.
The incident does beg the question. Would Iowa fans tolerate another school’s fan base celebrating on the surface of Kinnick Stadium and attempting to drag a goal post on to Melrose Avenue?
“I just don’t foresee that ever happening so no,” Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse said. “It’s hard to envision.”
“I don’t think they’d make it to the goal post,” said Iowa safety Amani Hooker, a Minnesota native. “I think they’d get stopped before they make it there.”
“Visiting teams don’t win very often in Kinnick,” Bowlsby said. “So it would be hard to imagine that happening. They certainly don’t get 32,000 tickets as a visiting team.”
Minnesota fans chant “Who Hates Iowa? We Hate Iowa!” at every football game, no matter the opponent. Their rivalry began in 1891, and they’ve missed only one season since 1917. But it’s fair to say the rivalry intensified Nov. 16, 2002, when Iowa’s fans became the rowdiest house guests in Big Ten football history.
“That’s what that rivalry kind of symbolizes,” Greenway said.
https://www.landof10.com/iowa/day-iowa-fans-infamously-tore-minnesotas-goal-posts
Go Gophers!!
Fifteen years ago in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, Iowa fans became the most unwanted house guests in the history of Minnesota football.
On that mid-November afternoon at the Metrodome, more than 32,000 Hawkeyes filled seats from corner to corner. It was a generational tradition for either Iowa or Minnesota to end its season against the other and fans from the south often made a weekend of it. After time, the indoor structure was nicknamed Kinnick North for its boisterous complement of Iowa fans.
But Nov. 16, 2002, was a day that lives in Twin Cities infamy. That’s the day when the Gophers’ home finale turned into a nightmare. It was the equivalent of a teenager hosting a party and the rowdiest group of teens showed up in pick-up trucks and emptied the house of all edible goods and beverages. And on their way out, they broke off the front door because they could. And there was nothing anyone could do about that.
That’s what happened the day Iowa fans took over the Metrodome, charged the field and broke apart the goal posts. Even in a century-old rivalry filled with contentious moments and lore, perhaps nothing was quite as degrading for a home team as that day in Minneapolis.
The incident does beg the question. Would Iowa fans tolerate another school’s fan base celebrating on the surface of Kinnick Stadium and attempting to drag a goal post on to Melrose Avenue?
“I just don’t foresee that ever happening so no,” Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse said. “It’s hard to envision.”
“I don’t think they’d make it to the goal post,” said Iowa safety Amani Hooker, a Minnesota native. “I think they’d get stopped before they make it there.”
“Visiting teams don’t win very often in Kinnick,” Bowlsby said. “So it would be hard to imagine that happening. They certainly don’t get 32,000 tickets as a visiting team.”
Minnesota fans chant “Who Hates Iowa? We Hate Iowa!” at every football game, no matter the opponent. Their rivalry began in 1891, and they’ve missed only one season since 1917. But it’s fair to say the rivalry intensified Nov. 16, 2002, when Iowa’s fans became the rowdiest house guests in Big Ten football history.
“That’s what that rivalry kind of symbolizes,” Greenway said.
https://www.landof10.com/iowa/day-iowa-fans-infamously-tore-minnesotas-goal-posts
Go Gophers!!
