Q&A with Gopher legend Willie Burton

BleedGopher

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per GopherSports:

What is it you honestly miss most about the University?
What I miss most about the University of Minnesota is the atmosphere on campus and the daily interactions with staff and students from around the world. This shaped my thought process and interest in education and international engagements.

If you could give the current student-athletes any piece of advice, what would it be?
If I could give advice to current student-athletes today, it would be to enjoy your time as both a student and an athlete. As a student, I would ask they absorb as much information as they could about different cultures and professions to expand their personal understanding of themselves and the world. As an athlete, I would tell them to stop once in a while and realize that many would love to have just a piece of your experience. Stop and smell the roses and take mental photos.

Please share your favorite university or athletic event you've attended since you graduated and what made it so special to you?
The most memorable moment for me was having the 1989-90 team recognized by the Athletics Department. This event helped us reconnect.

What are you grateful for?
I am most grateful to have the opportunity to play in the Big Ten Conference for the University of Minnesota.

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month is recognizing the African Americans contributions within the United States of America. Allowing the world see there is more to African Americans than what is being reported on the news.

What occupies your time now?
What occupies my time now is giving back. I work with K-12 students and student-athletes both in and outside the United States. To date, I have worked with approximately 500,000 male and female students.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021318aaa.html

Go Gophers!!
 


Seriously, GHers, we need to start a grassroots effort with the administration to get Willie in the Rafters. There is absolutely no reason one of the greatest players in the program's history shouldn't be up there with his peers. How do we as a group make this happen?

- 2nd leading scorer in program history with 1,800 points
- One of only 2 players in program history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 Assists
- All-Big Ten 3 times, including first team in 1990
- The leader of the beloved Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams in 1989 and 1990
- Has his degree
- A proud alumnus and ambassador for the U
 


Could not agree more came back as an adult and got his degree from a place he loves. I was really young when he played but I still have the mask I made in his honor when he played with the broken nose. In my lifetime he was the best Gopher I saw over 4 years.

Seriously, GHers, we need to start a grassroots effort with the administration to get Willie in the Rafters. There is absolutely no reason one of the greatest players in the program's history shouldn't be up there with his peers. How do we as a group make this happen?

- 2nd leading scorer in program history with 1,800 points
- One of only 2 players in program history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 Assists
- All-Big Ten 3 times, including first team in 1990
- The leader of the beloved Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams in 1989 and 1990
- Has his degree
- A proud alumnus and ambassador for the U
 


Seriously, GHers, we need to start a grassroots effort with the administration to get Willie in the Rafters. There is absolutely no reason one of the greatest players in the program's history shouldn't be up there with his peers. How do we as a group make this happen?

- 2nd leading scorer in program history with 1,800 points
- One of only 2 players in program history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 Assists
- All-Big Ten 3 times, including first team in 1990
- The leader of the beloved Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams in 1989 and 1990
- Has his degree
- A proud alumnus and ambassador for the U

It's absolutely absurd. This is the kind of crap I've come to expect with our athletic department over the years.
 




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