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Stadium Groundbreaking Ceremony

Ball carriers, volunteers, and onlookers gathered at the stadium site before the relay and the groundbreaking. Jo Rider, an athletics worker who later carried the ball, brought some future Gophers, all of whom were treated to free T-shirts, courtesy of TCF.
Ball carriers, volunteers...		Robert McNamara took the handoff from his former coach, Murray Warmath, to get the relay started outside the Metrodome. Warmath coached the U's last Big Ten championship team. McNamara is now a key volunteer helping raise funds for the stadium and for Gopher athletics
Robert McNamara took the ...		Almost immediately, a crowd began following the ball.
Almost immediately, a cro...		This guy was ready to run the ball all ... the ... way ...
This guy was ready to run...		On the West Bank, the Meirrant family got involved.
On the West Bank, the Mei...		The ball even traveled by wagon for a few feet.
The ball even traveled by...
UMAA board member Paul Thompson got an assist from his kids.
UMAA board member Paul Th...		Among ball carriers on the Washington Avenue Bridge were members of the 2006 Big Ten champion women's track and field team.
Among ball carriers on th...		The crowd had grown considerably by the time the ball finally crossed onto the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus.
The crowd had grown consi...		The crowd followed the ball up Northrop Mall and east across campus on the Scholars Walk.
The crowd followed the ba...		UMAA president Denny Schulstad posed with UMAA CEO Margaret Carlson and past UMAA president Andrea Hjelm outside the McNamara Alumni Center.
UMAA president Denny Schu...		Cheers and hurrahs echoed at the site of old Memorial Stadium as the crowd waited for the ball to emerge from the McNamara Alumni Center.
Cheers and hurrahs echoed...
Inside the alumni center, Jerry Kyser posed beneath the reconstructed Memorial Stadium Arch. Kyser is chair of a Minnesota Vietnam Veterans organizations and of the Veteran's Legislative Task Force, a consortium of more than 20 veteran's groups. Kyser was instrumental to getting the stadium bill passed in the legislature and is on the committee to design a veteran memorial for the new stadium.
Inside the alumni center,...		And the ball emerged from the McNamara Alumni Center.
And the ball emerged from...		The Pride of Minnesota -- The Minnesota Marching Band -- led the procession the last two blocks. The band will also get storage and rehearsal space in the stadium and use the field for practice.
The Pride of Minnesota --...		The growing crowd marched the last block to the stadium site just east of Mariucci Arena.
The growing crowd marched...		An enthusiastic crowd listened to speeches at the site of TCF Bank Stadium.
An enthusiastic crowd lis...		Dignitaries and shovels were ready ...
Dignitaries and shovels w...
U President Bob Bruininks hailed the day, but cautioned that more than $45 million still needs to be raised.
U President Bob Bruininks...		And finally, digging in the dirt.
And finally, digging in t...

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