Tag: statue

Oklahoma Sooners to unveil Patty Gasso Statue Friday

The University of Oklahoma unveiled plans to unveil a statue of Patty Gasso at Love’s Field this Friday.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to enshrine one of the greatest college coaches of all time. Announced by Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione at the 2023 national championship celebration, the Sooners will unveil a statue honoring OU Softball [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag].

Gasso is the architect of a softball program that has won eight national championships under her leadership. OU Softball is the only program to win four straight national titles, accomplishing that feat from 2021 through another remarkable run in 2024.

In 31 seasons at Oklahoma, Gasso has the most wins and highest winning percentage of any coach in softball history. Under her direction, Oklahoma Softball has reached the Women’s College World Series 17 times.

Patty Gasso spoke about what it means to her, saying, “It’s really surreal. It’s really, I don’t even know what to say. I mean, I’m honored and humbled, and I was shocked when it was announced. I wasn’t expecting that at all. It’s kind of cool that it’ll be there for a while.”

Gasso has made an indelible imprint on the sport of softball, not just in Oklahoma but around the world. She hasn’t just been an advocate for the game, but an advocate for athletes and their mental health at the collegiate level.

There are few who have had as much of an impact on their sport as Patty Gasso has had on college softball. And her impact will last for generations.

From the University of Oklahoma Athletic Department

 The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department announced Wednesday it will dedicate a statue honoring head softball coach Patty Gasso, on Friday, Sept. 13. It will be the school’s first statue honoring a female coach or athlete.

The ceremony, which will be open to the public, will begin at 4 p.m. in front of Gate 1 at Love’s Field. The public viewing area will be standing room only immediately south of Gate 1, with a free livestream of the event available on SoonerSports.com. Public parking for the dedication is available in the Lloyd Noble Center lot.

Gasso, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione and an OU Softball alumna will speak at the ceremony. Following the event, photo opportunities at the statue will be available to fans.

The statue was created by master sculptor Brian Hanlon of Hanlon Sculpture Studio.

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Steve Gleason’s blocked punt is the Saints Play of Day 37

Steve Gleason’s blocked punt is the Saints Play of Day 37. Where were you when No. 37 brought the Superdome to its feet?

There are 37 days left in our countdown to the New Orleans saints’ season opener, and there isn’t a better pick for the Saints Play of the Day than Steve Gleason’s iconic blocked punt.

Gleason, who of course wore the No. 37 jersey, was already a fan-favorite before he earned his place in Saints history — known for his brash sense of humor and devil-may-care style of play. He burst through the Atlanta Falcons line to block their punt in the game’s opening minutes, which was recovered by his teammate Curtis DeLoatch who returned it for a special teams touchdown.

That’s impressive enough, but circumstances are what made this such a special play. It was the first game the Saints played in front of their home crowd at the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans. It was a matchup against their oldest, bitterest rivals. And it was just the third game the Saints had played with Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and Reggie Bush in place as the new faces of the franchise.

And Gleason’s contributions to this win have been rightfully immortalized. There’s a bronze statue dedicated to his blocked punt in this “Rebirth” game standing outside the Superdome overlooking Champion’s Square that remains a popular pilgrimage site for Saints fans. Gleason’s battle with ALS in retirement has continued to keep him in fans’ minds, and plays like this one are why they fell in love with him in the first place.

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Opinion: Saints shouldn’t wait much longer to memorialize ‘Dome Patrol’ legends

The Saints shouldn’t wait much longer to memorialize their ‘Dome Patrol’ legends. Permanent recognition for their first great team is long overdue:

Steve Sidwell died Wednesday evening. For New Orleans Saints fans of a certain age, he was one of the first members of the team whose name they remembered — for good reasons. He was the Saints defensive coordinator from 1986 to 1994, also coaching the team’s linebackers at times, and he was one of the people most responsible for building, developing, and maintaining the greatest defense in franchise history.

Now he’s gone. So are two of his former linebackers who helped make up the “Dome Patrol” defense: Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Mills (who died far too young, back in 2005) and fan-favorite linebacker Vaughan Johnson (who passed more recently in 2019). Rickey Jackson, also a Hall of Fame inductee, is still with us as is Pat Swilling.

But the Saints shouldn’t keep putting this off. Installing a permanent memorial to their first great team, insuring that those legendary players will not be forgotten by future generations, should be an easy decision. Saints fans seem to bring it up every summer. And the precedent is there.

Mills has already been immortalized with a bronze statue outside the Carolina Panthers’ stadium in Charlotte; he was a founding member of that franchise as a player and coach before his tragic death, and fans of both NFC South-rival teams came together to celebrate his Hall of Fame induction with his family.

If the Panthers can make tribute to Mills, why can’t the Saints? Why shouldn’t the Saints do it for the entire four-man linebacker corps, the only group in NFL history to be invited to the Pro Bowl at the time in 1992? Their defense powered New Orleans to its first winning season and playoff appearance in 1987. They gave fans something more to root for than Tom Dempsey’s legendary field goal or Archie Manning’s futile heroics.

The Saints recognized them last year with reprints of the iconic posters that young fans all across the Gulf South proudly displayed in their youth, and all four linebackers have places in the Saints Hall of Fame. But they can do more. And they should, with a larger public gesture. Late owner Tom Benson placed a statue of himself in Champions Square back in 2014. The Caesars Superdome is also home to a Vietnam War Memorial near Poydras Street. And of course there’s Steve Gleason’s all-time great “Rebirth” statue, which has become a landmark and pilgrimage for many fans visiting town for the first time.

There’s room for a “Dome Patrol” memorial on the Superdome grounds. There’s appetite for it among the fanbase, too. And with time working against them, the Saints shouldn’t put this easy decision off any longer. People should be given their flowers while they’re still with us to appreciate them. It’s too late for Mills, Johnson, and Sidwell to have that time in the sun. That doesn’t mean the Saints can’t make things right with their families and the legendary players and coaches still among us.

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Predators legend Pekka Rinne received a beautiful statue tribue outside of Nashville’s arena

The Nashville Predators unveiled a beautiful statue for former goalie Pekka Rinne on Saturday.

A monument to the greatest Nashville Predator of all time will forever live outside the team’s arena.

On Saturday, the organization revealed a statue honoring former Predators goalie Pekka Rinne right in front of Bridgestone Arena.

The goalie led the franchise to its lone Western Conference title and Stanley Cup appearance in 2017.

After retiring in 2021, Rinne’s No. 35 was retired by the team in 2022 and was hoisted to Bridgestone Arena’s rafters along with the franchise’s other banners.

A big crowd of Predators fans gathered outside of the arena ahead of Nashville’s afternoon tilt against the Seattle Kraken as the statue was unveiled.

Retiring Predators general manager David Poile spoke ahead of the unveiling, thanking the goalie for all he had done for the franchise.

As for Rinne, he maintained his patented sense of humor while taking in the special Saturday festivities.

It’s not often NHL goalies get a statue unveiled for them outside of where they used to play, but that’s just how much Rinne meant and continues to mean to the Predators franchise. It’s a fitting tribute to a team legend.

Commanders to unveil Sean Taylor statue outside FedEx Field on Sunday

The Commanders will honor legendary safety Sean Taylor Sunday.

The Washington Commanders will honor late safety Sean Taylor Sunday at FedEx Field, 15 years to the day of his tragic death, the team announced on Tuesday.

Washington plays the Atlanta Falcons at 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday. At 11:45 a.m., the team will unveil the Sean Taylor Memorial. Washington will also launch the limited-edition Sean Taylor Legacy Project merchandise, and all Commanders’ players will wear No. 21 decals on their helmets.

Here is a release from the team.

Headlining the day, the team will reveal the Sean Taylor Memorial installation pregame at 11:45 a.m. on the main concourse outside of section 132. This reveal is the culmination of the Sean Taylor Memorial Project, launched on Sean’s birthday earlier this year that provided fans an opportunity to pay tribute to one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Sunday also will mark the official launch of the Sean Taylor Legacy Project limited-edition merchandise line that was designed and inspired by Sean Taylor’s daughter, Jackie Taylor. The collection includes a jersey, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and hats. The line will be available at the Commanders Team Store, A Fanatics Experience at FedExField, as well as online by visiting store.commanders.com. All proceeds from this merchandise launch will benefit gun violence prevention initiatives.

“Sean’s life was tragically cut short but his impact continues to reverberate through our Burgundy & Gold family,” said Washington Co-Owners and Co-CEOs Dan and Tanya Snyder. “This Sunday, on the 15th anniversary of his passing, we honor one of our greats and his legacy by unveiling a permanent installation, so his memory is always with us when we take the field on gameday.”

Taylor’s jersey was retired last season. Taylor’s No. 21 jersey is the third in franchise history to be retired, following Sammy Baugh’s No. 33 and Bobby Mitchell’s No. 49. Other numbers are not in use but not retired.

Taylor was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Late in his fourth season, Taylor was home in Miami while injured when intruders broke into his shot, shooting him. He died the following day.

Taylor was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was on his way to a legendary career with Washington. He remains one of the most popular players in franchise history and has inspired many of today’s safeties, such as former Washington safety Landon Collins.