coolhandgopher
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I was 13 years old when the Mitch Lee scandal broke in the 1985-86 season, causing Jim Dutcher to resign, sullying the reputation of the university, and forcing incoming coach Clem Haskins to scramble to fill the roster with the likes of Kim Zurcher and the former Army paratrooper, Richard Coffey to go along with a promising recruiting class put together by Dutcher. Those first two years of rebuilding under Haskins, when the squads went a combined 19-37 (6-30 in the Big Ten), felt to this kid advancing through middle school like it would be the nadir of the Gopher program, both on and off the court. In year 3 of Haskins, the Gophers had a winning record, finished .500 in the Big Ten, and advanced to the Sweet 16; year 4, 23 wins, 4th place tie in conference, and advancement to the Elite Eight, with a tantalizing Kevin Lynch miss off the back rim from advancing to the Final Four. The Gophers had survived the ghosts of Mitch Lee in roughly two awful seasons; over the course of Haskins time at Minnesota, the Gophers would advance to 6 NCAA tourneys over 13 years; certainly not a dynasty, but a steady program in the midst of a golden age of basketball in the Big Ten. In the midst of advancing through grad school, the magical season of '97 provided the best moments of my life as a Gophers fan.
Of course, Gangelgate broke right before the last of the Gem's trips to the NCAA tournament in 1999 and since then, the Gophers basketball program has felt as it's drifted in the wilderness. Over the course of the next 17 seasons, the Gophers advanced to 4 NCAA tournaments, winning two games total, and did not advance into the second weekend. These years swallowed up a hotshot up and coming coach and a national championship coach; we saw our local preps who committed to the program fall short of expectations (Rick Rickert, Dan Coleman, Rodney Williams), leave the team abruptly (Joel Pryzbilla), use the program as a stepping stone (Kris Humphries) or as a fall-back when things didn't work out at their first choice (Adam Boone, Larry McKenzie Jr, Ben Johnson). Who can even wrap their mind around the tale of Moe Hargrow, who came, left for Arkansas, came back before ever playing for the Razorbacks? And who would think that Hargrow's case would look run of the mill in comparison to Royce White's run at the "U"?
Ironically for me, the time where I had the most time in my life to concentrate my attention towards the Gophers hit square in the middle of this run of futility and chaos-I moved to St Paul in 2001, finally being able to attend a steady diet of Gopher games in person, soaking up the rest of the games on TV, and emerging into a frequent contributor on the Gopher Hole, first as a commentator and then as a columnist. I tried to stay optimistic. . .but whew, what a stretch. The glimmers (Michael Bauer's game winning buzzer beater vs. Georgia remains my favorite live sporting event ever) were too often overwhelmed by the daggers (the Illinois game in '02, where they could not advance the ball past mid-court, is a particularly bilious memory).
I moved from Minnesota in 2008 and have since lived overseas in Peru, Bangladesh, and China. Each stop has proven to be additionally challenging in keeping up with watching live sports, whether it's because of time differences, poor Internet feeds, or other demands on my attention. To be honest, I've pretty must cast aside the Vikings and the NFL; the Twins are easier to follow since I am back home in the summers, but the same fire I used to have for them has dissipated and I'd just as soon catch a Saints game if I've got a free night for the ballpark. But the Gopher cagers. . .I can't break the relationship, even if I rarely see them live any more (the last game at Williams Arena was against Seattle in December 2014) and my viewing of the squad is through video clips. My excitement for the Richard Pitino era was tempered by last year's Dorsey phone fiasco and I couldn't help feel the inevitable rebuild with yet another coach would be imminent. I tried summoning my optimistic nature at the beginning of this season, but the spectre of the media to Pitino's tenuous job status, advanced by the public shaming by President Kaler at Mark Coyle's press conference provoked anxiety about a seemingly talented group of young players who were fighting to keep their coach's job. When that mysterious tweet came out from Akeem Springs and was followed by his brother's outlandish statement. . .well, resignation washed over me.
And here we sit, Gopher fans guaranteed a double-bye for the BTT tournament and a spot in the NCAA tournament. I was doing a little research tonight and do you realize the last time the Gophers did not play in an opening round game at the BTT tournament was 2005? For some context, Candy Shop by 50 Cent was at the top of the charts and Million Dollar Baby was in the movie theatres. Or how bout this? Since the BTT began in '98, there have been nine years where the Gophers never made it to Friday, which they are guaranteed of this year. I continue to marvel that the Gophers are nowhere near any prognosticators last 4 in/first 4 out; at the beginning of this season, it seemed like our biggest hope as a fanbase would be to find "Minnesota" included in that conversation.
And I've found myself falling hard for this team, all through articles and video clips and press conferences and reading the Hole. Joey King wouldn't let me go last year after that upset of Maryland and listening to Pitino speak so glowingly about this squad, to see Akeem Springs set such a tone as a leader and address his teammates in that wonderful team meeting after the Nebraska game. To consider the faith Amir Coffey put into the program and the coach and what he's brought to this team. To see Nate Mason and Dupree McBrayer return from the embarrassment of last season, Jordan Murphy raise his game and become a double-double machine, Reggie Lynch come home and anchor the defense. . .it's been so very very satisfying from afar.
And as a Minnesota sports fan, one thing I have certainly learned is not to look too far ahead nor assume good times are guaranteed, but one can't think about the possibility of a wonderful, Golden stretch on the horizon...a veteran, battle tested team returning next year, adding a couple east coast guards, climbing back while a strong prep core from MN is emerging, sparkling new facilities. . .the mind reels.
But that's for the future. No matter what happens this afternoon, in the BT tournament, or the NCAA tournament, bask in the glory of this season, the players that have come together as a team, the endurance of a five game losing streak, the road warriors that have unexpectedly emerged. It is season 18 post-Clem and NCAA trip #5 is only a matter of seeding and site.
Of course, Gangelgate broke right before the last of the Gem's trips to the NCAA tournament in 1999 and since then, the Gophers basketball program has felt as it's drifted in the wilderness. Over the course of the next 17 seasons, the Gophers advanced to 4 NCAA tournaments, winning two games total, and did not advance into the second weekend. These years swallowed up a hotshot up and coming coach and a national championship coach; we saw our local preps who committed to the program fall short of expectations (Rick Rickert, Dan Coleman, Rodney Williams), leave the team abruptly (Joel Pryzbilla), use the program as a stepping stone (Kris Humphries) or as a fall-back when things didn't work out at their first choice (Adam Boone, Larry McKenzie Jr, Ben Johnson). Who can even wrap their mind around the tale of Moe Hargrow, who came, left for Arkansas, came back before ever playing for the Razorbacks? And who would think that Hargrow's case would look run of the mill in comparison to Royce White's run at the "U"?
Ironically for me, the time where I had the most time in my life to concentrate my attention towards the Gophers hit square in the middle of this run of futility and chaos-I moved to St Paul in 2001, finally being able to attend a steady diet of Gopher games in person, soaking up the rest of the games on TV, and emerging into a frequent contributor on the Gopher Hole, first as a commentator and then as a columnist. I tried to stay optimistic. . .but whew, what a stretch. The glimmers (Michael Bauer's game winning buzzer beater vs. Georgia remains my favorite live sporting event ever) were too often overwhelmed by the daggers (the Illinois game in '02, where they could not advance the ball past mid-court, is a particularly bilious memory).
I moved from Minnesota in 2008 and have since lived overseas in Peru, Bangladesh, and China. Each stop has proven to be additionally challenging in keeping up with watching live sports, whether it's because of time differences, poor Internet feeds, or other demands on my attention. To be honest, I've pretty must cast aside the Vikings and the NFL; the Twins are easier to follow since I am back home in the summers, but the same fire I used to have for them has dissipated and I'd just as soon catch a Saints game if I've got a free night for the ballpark. But the Gopher cagers. . .I can't break the relationship, even if I rarely see them live any more (the last game at Williams Arena was against Seattle in December 2014) and my viewing of the squad is through video clips. My excitement for the Richard Pitino era was tempered by last year's Dorsey phone fiasco and I couldn't help feel the inevitable rebuild with yet another coach would be imminent. I tried summoning my optimistic nature at the beginning of this season, but the spectre of the media to Pitino's tenuous job status, advanced by the public shaming by President Kaler at Mark Coyle's press conference provoked anxiety about a seemingly talented group of young players who were fighting to keep their coach's job. When that mysterious tweet came out from Akeem Springs and was followed by his brother's outlandish statement. . .well, resignation washed over me.
And here we sit, Gopher fans guaranteed a double-bye for the BTT tournament and a spot in the NCAA tournament. I was doing a little research tonight and do you realize the last time the Gophers did not play in an opening round game at the BTT tournament was 2005? For some context, Candy Shop by 50 Cent was at the top of the charts and Million Dollar Baby was in the movie theatres. Or how bout this? Since the BTT began in '98, there have been nine years where the Gophers never made it to Friday, which they are guaranteed of this year. I continue to marvel that the Gophers are nowhere near any prognosticators last 4 in/first 4 out; at the beginning of this season, it seemed like our biggest hope as a fanbase would be to find "Minnesota" included in that conversation.
And I've found myself falling hard for this team, all through articles and video clips and press conferences and reading the Hole. Joey King wouldn't let me go last year after that upset of Maryland and listening to Pitino speak so glowingly about this squad, to see Akeem Springs set such a tone as a leader and address his teammates in that wonderful team meeting after the Nebraska game. To consider the faith Amir Coffey put into the program and the coach and what he's brought to this team. To see Nate Mason and Dupree McBrayer return from the embarrassment of last season, Jordan Murphy raise his game and become a double-double machine, Reggie Lynch come home and anchor the defense. . .it's been so very very satisfying from afar.
And as a Minnesota sports fan, one thing I have certainly learned is not to look too far ahead nor assume good times are guaranteed, but one can't think about the possibility of a wonderful, Golden stretch on the horizon...a veteran, battle tested team returning next year, adding a couple east coast guards, climbing back while a strong prep core from MN is emerging, sparkling new facilities. . .the mind reels.
But that's for the future. No matter what happens this afternoon, in the BT tournament, or the NCAA tournament, bask in the glory of this season, the players that have come together as a team, the endurance of a five game losing streak, the road warriors that have unexpectedly emerged. It is season 18 post-Clem and NCAA trip #5 is only a matter of seeding and site.
