The Vaults Home Opener - I got to be on Television

I was wondering what television news channel that photographer was from :-D
Last night after the Kare 11 news broadcast, my girlfriend got a text from one of her cousins saying: "Where you and Drew @ the Game, I think we just saw Drew on the news". Sure enough, at the three minute mark of the video posted below is yours truly screaming go Gophers into the Camera...

The Photojournalists view of the Game



-Update, After watching it, I didn't know that they included me twice for the Rouser: My Favorite part of any Gopher Game has always been the Rah at the end!!

There has been a lot said for the historical significance of the Gophers returning to campus. The Gophers now have their own home to defend at the University of Minnesota; the best slogan by far has been: "Stadium Village, now with a Stadium" that was on all of the students who had bought season tickets. This game was completely sold out and an announced attendance of 50,508 people. Kristen and I were able to attend thanks to our friends (also alumni) who had to attend a wedding.

Kristen and I took some pictures and Video at the game which I hope to post soon along with an attempted reflection of my Dad and I's trip to the Wind River Range of which photos can be seen on Flickr:




It was a great weekend to be a Minnesota Sports fan; The Gophers won a tough victory over Air Force and have great momentum into their next battle with Cal; and the Vikings had a great game with Farve and Adrian Peteron's 64 yard touchdown run that was straight out a video game.

GO GOPHERS, RAH RAH Minnesota RAH!!!

First post of 2007!/The Vault: TCF Bank Stadium

Happy New Year Blogosphere and a warm welcome to 2007. -Note, some changes and additions have been made since the original date; Date of Changes: January 9th, 2006: the Day after OSU got beat by the Florida Gators...
And what a way to begin 2007, with the firing of Minnesota Gophers Football Coach Glen Mason 2 days after his loss to Texas Tech in the Insight Bowl which has been stated at the biggest come back defeat in bowl History. Not to worry since the rest of the Big Ten hasn't been doing so hot in bowl games this year.
This has been a topic of much discussion at the Wambach house along with the discussion of who the University of Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi should hire when it comes time to hire a new Head Coach for the Gophers. I'd keep an eye on my brothers blog in the next few days, as he is the expert of all things college football and a Minnesotan that bleeds Maroon and Gold.
With all of this talk surrounding the Gophers, The Star Tribune had a good article on the TCF Bank Stadium also known as the Vault.
Photos were released Yesterday by HOK architects designers of the Vault, and photos appeared in the Star Tribune article I have linked above.

From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

The stadium, although requiring significant investment, will be a great new addition to campus and to the region. But most importantly for the Gophers, it will help land (hopefully) a new and exciting coach, improve recruiting, generate more revenue, and increase attendance at games. I, like many others, have liked the new East-West orientation with the open bowl that provides great views of the University of Minnesota's important neighbor Downtown Minneapolis and its signature skyline. Minnesotan's will once again have to be prepared to face the elements though with an open air stadium after enjoying the luxuries of indoor football provided at the dome, but with the way Global Warming or Global Climate Change has affected Minnesota (especially in the fall) I think we'll survive.

An added note to tack onto this post, recently in the comments a friend of mine asked how the Central Corridor would be tied into the site plan and where a possible station would go...
To answer this question I am posting the site plan that was posted on the development forum: Minnescraper by user blocksi.

From Blog Photos

In the bottom right corner, there is a large structure to the rear of the stadium with the words: University Development Transit Hub, and on the Southwestern corner of that building is labeled a potential CC LRT station. Now, whether the CC LRT will follow this implied alignment is debatable but it is good to see the University of Minnesota is actively planning and participating with the future of CC LRT. Hope that answers the question :-D

Lot's of links with this post I guess, but oh well. Things that are new in my neck of the woods include the decision to stay at home for my final semester at the University of Minnesota. I finished Thomas E. Rick's book Fiasco. And have started reading books on Public Transportation to help with my senior thesis which for the moment I am undecided as to what to write about, however, the two topics at present are: (1)Public Transportation Policy in Minnesota and comparison to Scandinavian Public Transportation: My ISP while I was participating in the SUST program (see old posts) and possibly (2) The need for investment in High Speed Rail in the Midwest. The second topic follows closely with a string of discussion: High Speed Trains - the 21st Century Freeway System? from the Minnescraper development forum that I often frequent. Also, we are getting closer to the start of Spring Semester which means time to buy textbooks!!
On the fun side of reading I am almost finished with Eric Nyland's third book of his series involving the Halo Universe this one titled Halo:Ghosts of Onyx. I also got some books for Christmas that I am hoping to plough through including a new book by Jared Diamond as well as a book on the Cholera epidemic that plagued London in 1854 (let's hope that doesn't happen to us).
Cheers for 2007 blogoshpere!