Reusse column, writes letter to Selection Committee, begs them not to pick Gophers

[dpodoll68]

I was listening to PA this morning and he had Justin Gaard on and I thought JG made a good point when it comes to the field of 68. The Gophers will be in the tourney for no other reason than it's such a down year in college hoops that you couldn't find 68 other teams with better resumes this year.

That's not really the argument, though - the argument is whether you can find 37 (not 68) teams more deserving of an at-large bid. And if you are looking at it from an unbiased perspective, you can't. Minnesota is comfortably in the tournament - at least 10 spots from the cut line.

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

I have always enjoyed your enthusiasm as a Gopher. This is just one hand in the game of poker. No need to go all in on every hand.

Thanks for saying that. I hope you'll continue to enjoy my enthusiasm. I didn't want to come across as 'your either with us, or against us', but I surely did. I'm just frustrated that Reusse and his ilk seem to genuinely wish for the Gopher season to die. More than that, I struggle to comprehend this attitude from any who call themselves fans (note that I rightly wouldn't count Reusse and his fellow writers in that group). Yes, Tubby needs to go (provided the U has a viable plan for the buyout, replacement candidates, etc.). But fans shouldn't want us out of the Tourney just because they fear losing again or don't want to afford Tubby a chance to save his job. The former is pathetic and selfish, and the latter indicates that you fear the coach you want gone might just have a good Tournament. So I guess I just feel like those people should step away for awhile, and come back when rational thought has taken over.

It's been another underachieving season, and there are no excuses left for Tubby. We're all frustrated and bewildered by how this team has performed in Big Ten play. But I still want them to keep playing. If for no other reasons than for the seniors to end on at least a bit of a high note by making the Tournament, and the rest of the team to get additional game experience. NCAA, NIT or hell CBI, I don't care. Just keep playing.

 

[GophersInIowa]

That's not really the argument, though - the argument is whether you can find 37 (not 68) teams more deserving of an at-large bid. And if you are looking at it from an unbiased perspective, you can't. Minnesota is comfortably in the tournament - at least 10 spots from the cut line.

That's what I don't get about people saying the Gophers don't deserve to get in. Every year is different and the committee has to get to 68 teams in the field. Don't just say "they don't deserve to get in". Make a case for a team like Boise St. who lost by 21 to a horrible Utah team getting in over the Gophers. Or how about Mississippi St. who's best win is against Denver (no, I'm not joking). How about Ole Miss who has one top 50 win all year. Or Middle TN St. who has one win over a team in the top 100.

 

[bemidjigopher]

The thing I like about the NCAA's is it is a new season, and you are only as good as your current game. I would be willing to wager if MN plays up to its potential and wins a game or two that a lot of the fustrations of the season will be forgotten, and the memories of the team will be mouch more in line with what they did in the tournament instead of the regular season. Personally I hope they make it and find a way to the 2nd weekend, and if they play well, they are perfectly able to do so. If they get a 11 seed, playing a #6 and #3 would not be the end of the world.

I agree when people talk about the 89 team it's how they made the sweet 16, beat Illinois and scUM at home, not how they went 1-8 on the road in conference play.

 

[howeda7]

That's what I don't get about people saying the Gophers don't deserve to get in. Every year is different and the committee has to get to 68 teams in the field. Don't just say "they don't deserve to get in". Make a case for a team like Boise St. who lost by 21 to a horrible Utah team getting in over the Gophers. Or how about Mississippi St. who's best win is against Denver (no, I'm not joking). How about Ole Miss who has one top 50 win all year. Or Middle TN St. who has one win over a team in the top 100.

Most of the people saying this haven't watched Boise State or Miss. State or Tenneesee or UVa or any of them. They just know 'the Gopher suck and shouldn't be in'. The argument starts and ends there.

 

[Cayman]

Most of the people saying this haven't watched Boise State or Miss. State or Tenneesee or UVa or any of them. They just know 'the Gopher suck and shouldn't be in'. The argument starts and ends there.

I'd actually love to see Selection Sunday do one of his blind resume threads and put the Gophers in it against actual bubble teams. If it just showed our record, strength of schedule, best wins, and bad losses, it would leave out the whole "losing conference record," "lost 11 of last 16 games," and "9th in the Big Ten" nonsense from skewing people's perception of our team. Sure it's been a disappointment, but our resume isn't nearly as bad as some people think it is. I'd bet the same people arguing that teams like Iowa should be in ahead of us would still be arguing for Iowa if we swapped resumes.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Pat used to write stuff that, whether you agreed with him or not, was beautifully composed and very few of us could touch with our own hand. I read most of his stuff now, and a lot of people could write what he writes.

 

[TheBarnyard]

Reusse loves gopher bball just as much as all of us. He is not a d bag, in fact hes the best and most honest sports writer in MN, get with it.

 

[XMan]

Reusse loves gopher bball just as much as all of us. He is not a d bag, in fact hes the best and most honest sports writer in MN, get with it.

No he is pretty much a d bag

 

[Goldy Gopher]

Reusse loves gopher bball just as much as all of us. He is not a d bag, in fact hes the best and most honest sports writer in MN, get with it.

I gues that's your opinion but to me it loks like a pretty good joke.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Reusse loves gopher bball just as much as all of us. He is not a d bag, in fact hes the best and most honest sports writer in MN, get with it.

I wouldn't say he loves it, but he was on the bandwagon this year. Tubby even had Ruesse buying in that this was the year.

 

[Deleted_User]

Thanks for saying that. I hope you'll continue to enjoy my enthusiasm. I didn't want to come across as 'your either with us, or against us', but I surely did. I'm just frustrated that Reusse and his ilk seem to genuinely wish for the Gopher season to die. More than that, I struggle to comprehend this attitude from any who call themselves fans (note that I rightly wouldn't count Reusse and his fellow writers in that group). Yes, Tubby needs to go (provided the U has a viable plan for the buyout, replacement candidates, etc.). But fans shouldn't want us out of the Tourney just because they fear losing again or don't want to afford Tubby a chance to save his job. The former is pathetic and selfish, and the latter indicates that you fear the coach you want gone might just have a good Tournament. So I guess I just feel like those people should step away for awhile, and come back when rational thought has taken over.

It's been another underachieving season, and there are no excuses left for Tubby. We're all frustrated and bewildered by how this team has performed in Big Ten play. But I still want them to keep playing. If for no other reasons than for the seniors to end on at least a bit of a high note by making the Tournament, and the rest of the team to get additional game experience. NCAA, NIT or hell CBI, I don't care. Just keep playing.

I'm all for playing the game as long as the U's basketball reputation doesn't get swamped with bad press. I want clean victories and an energized fan base. Right now the hole seems to want blood, smells blood, and is looking for every way to get it. I just want the happy days of November back!

 

[Kyle]

I don't think it's crazy to think the media is out to bash the Gophers.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I don't think it's crazy to think the media is out to bash the Gophers.

The media is out to get clicks, listens, downloads, follows, etc. There are more fairweather fans than die hard fans. The fairweather fans like to make fun of their team when they do poorly and therefore like when the media does the same.

We live in a sick world.

 

[DocfromDarwin]

It is simple. It is much easier and much more profitable to write a negative column than a possitive column. Reusse gets far more response form a negative column than he does from a possitive column (and that's really what it's all about).

Reusse's possitive columns tend to be about St.Johns football or Meisville baseball and he writes them about once every two months or so. He writes a negative column aimed at getting a response about twice a week.

He loves to bate us and it works every time!!!

You must not fish much......it's. BAIT dummy... And positive has one S.

 

[XMan]

I can handle most of the press. But Pat just annoys the *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# out of me. I can even stomach Sid. I tried to talk with Sid in the club room at half time of the Penn. St. Basketball game. He was rambling on with some other guy about the hot dogs being cold and some other drivel. He has totally lost it, but I would still rather read his stuff than Reusee.

 

[minny01]

That's not really the argument, though - the argument is whether you can find 37 (not 68) teams more deserving of an at-large bid. And if you are looking at it from an unbiased perspective, you can't. Minnesota is comfortably in the tournament - at least 10 spots from the cut line.

Completely agree. Based upon their last 11 games, they don't belong in the tournament, but that's not what it is based upon.

If I were a top seed, I would hate to see Minnesota in my region as a 10 or 11 seed, because they are capable of putting it together on any given night and knocking one of the top seeds out of the tournament. And, I have a feeling that it might just happen next weekend.