Friday, April 27, 2012

Ross-Ade South End Zone Rendering Looks Awesome So It'll Clearly Not Happen

B-dowd put up on our Twitter feed the below image of a Ross-Ade South End Zone renovation concept done by a guy who goes by "CornfieldSailer" on the Knucklehead boards. (Interestingly, he had considered CornfieldSurfer but felt Midwest surfing was just too silly, but I digress.)


I love it. Let me just put that out there. Not just because it looks nifty, but because it's a viable solution. Filling in the corners with stadium-like seating and grandstands so that is matches the North end zone and creates a louder environment is, quite simply, never going to happen. Sure, sure, I know it's been proposed and discussed, but so was building a second deck on the East side. In the 2000-2004 era, that didn't sound crazy. Now, with barely 40,000 fans filing in each Saturday, it sounds positively ludicrous.

This solution remedies it and surely would cost less. Simply not having the heavy lifting and engineering challenges of building another deck onto an existing stadium must be an immediate cost-saver. Incorporating the bricks into the design ties the interior well to the tasteful exterior as well as to the rest of Purdue's campus. The tunnels look like train tunnels, which is positively awesome. While it would be fun to have the visitors come through something far less impressive, I understand the desire for the symmetry. Still, wouldn't it be great if Michigan had to walk, single-file, through a doorway while the Boilers came firing out of the tunnel?

As I said in the headline, this will never happen because it's far too cool of an idea. But what say you? Yay or nay on this?

15 comments:

T-Mill said...

this would be fantastic, especially if the train cars themselves were luxury boxes.

T-Mill said...

Also, in a perfect world the engine there would be a retired version of the Special

John said...

Incredible. Who knows a mover/shaker that can lobby for this?

boilerdowd said...

You're reading some of the movinest, shakinest people* in the Purdue family, yo!


(*according to our Mothers)

zlionsfan said...

I agree with the headline: looks great, will never happen.

The fact that the tunnels would be symmetric doesn't mean that they have to have similar purposes. If Burke came up with the money to implement this, certainly he could come up with the money to have some nondescript visitors' entrance somewhere. The tunnels can be for offense and defense or whatever, with the two lines merging somewhere and proceeding to the appropriate bench after doing something cool.

J Money said...

Like a hand jive?

Yeah, I feel you.

Cato said...

The only change I would make would be to add more Old Gold to the train, and perhaps in it's detailing pay tribute to the victims of the 1903 Purdue Wreck. Other than that, it seems like it would look awesome in person and on television, so it surely won't happen.

I even like having the two tunnels. Seeing symmetry (that isn't in a crappy phallic logo) is nice. I think if you put a keystone at the top with either a Block P or a Motion P it would be super cool.

My only concern would be making sure the tunnels were big enough that the World's Largest Drum could fit through.

BoilerPaulie said...

YES PLEASE! If I could guarantee this is where my money went, I'd eat beans and rice for a year to make room in my budget to donate to it. You know, once I get one of those things called a "job" that all the alumni seem to be so crazy about, whatever that is.

Keeping in mind that the Boilermaker Special actually does come onto the field, the idea of having a tunnel that goes right onto the field is AWESOME. We just kind of go through a gate right now and come down some tracks painted on the ground, while the players actually walk through a tunnel (there are steps to it so that's not an option for us).

Jumpndunk42 said...

I think it'd be awesome if the train was mobile and circled the concourse, LOL

Jim said...

People have to be able to visit the train. Kids would love it.

Plang said...

Love the concept but understand that this is probably way too much. Right now, I think they need to focus on getting butts in the seats first.

Side note: my work has been blocking this site lately as it is listed as "Sexy." Sure, BDowd and J Money are sexy, but this site is anything but that. Must be the new lady writer...

chevys10 said...

This looks awesome. So yeah you're right, it will never happen.

boilerdowd said...

Paul- I love that we're officially 'sexy'.

Hopefully our wives will understand this soon.

J Money said...

Your wife knows that I am.

Face.

Unknown said...

Let's do permanent lights first.... then we can remodel the south endzone. The lights would put more butts in the seats, and then the money would come in to complete the remodel.