1982 vs 2023. Which collapse was worse?

Donate To GopherHole
metrolax

metrolax

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,402
Reaction score
345
Points
83
Which collapse was worse? Yes, each was outstanding in its own way, but its an interesting comparison.

In 1982, the Gophers were coming off a strong 6-5 season in a competitive Big Ten under Joe Salem. They blasted their first three opponents in such a way that they were in the Top 20 and deemed a contender in the conference. Then they met unbeaten Illinois and absolutely collapsed in the second half to lose big. They went on to lose the following 7 games to limp home at 3-8. Yes, injuries were cited as a reason (like this season), but the 1982 season was but a prelude to the highly infamous 1983 season, which ended 1-10 with staggering losses. The only win was a 21-17 win in the rain against a very weak Rice team.

This season, as we know, we were 5-3 with the division within our grasp. Four losses later and here we are.

Was this season a mere anomoly, or is it a precursor to an even greater collapse? We might not even know this answer for another 12 months. I'm certain that if ever there was a question to ponder that would force a trip to the liquor cabinet, this would be it, and I don't even drink!

The 1983 was not able to rebound from 1982, and the season simply illuminated the underlying problems in the program. Will the 2024 team rebound from 2023, or will unseen issues be exposed that will force a radical change?
 


I remember listening to that 1982 game, at least bits and pieces. I thought they even jumped out to a nice lead in that game. See youngsters, this crap has been going on forever, I was 9 when they last tied for the title, didnt think it was a big deal at the time.
The Vikings hired Bud in 1968 I believe and the Gophers became kind of back burner, Vikes on tv every week and gophers maybe once a year.
The 82 collapse was worse because we weren’t quite used to it yet. Cal Stoll ran a competative program and they usually only played one non conference cupcake.
So 1982 started the PTSD with Smokey Joe, It got worse in the 90’s, then Mason gave us hope but his defenses turned to mush. Now it’s just like a bad movie playing over at random yearly intervals. But it really started in 1982,
I’m afraid it just may be the beginning of the end of the Fleck regime.
 
Last edited:

metrolax said:
Which collapse was worse? Yes, each was outstanding in its own way, but its an interesting comparison.

In 1982, the Gophers were coming off a strong 6-5 season in a competitive Big Ten under Joe Salem. They blasted their first three opponents in such a way that they were in the Top 20 and deemed a contender in the conference. Then they met unbeaten Illinois and absolutely collapsed in the second half to lose big. They went on to lose the following 7 games to limp home at 3-8. Yes, injuries were cited as a reason (like this season), but the 1982 season was but a prelude to the highly infamous 1983 season, which ended 1-10 with staggering losses. The only win was a 21-17 win in the rain against a very weak Rice team.

This season, as we know, we were 5-3 with the division within our grasp. Four losses later and here we are.

Was this season a mere anomoly, or is it a precursor to an even greater collapse? We might not even know this answer for another 12 months. I'm certain that if ever there was a question to ponder that would force a trip to the liquor cabinet, this would be it, and I don't even drink!

The 1983 was not able to rebound from 1982, and the season simply illuminated the underlying problems in the program. Will the 2024 team rebound from 2023, or will unseen issues be exposed that will force a radical change?
Click to expand...
1982 as I was still a kid and didn’t realize what cruel pains lay ahead of me as a lifelong fan.

I’m j somewhat jaded now, so my expectations are much lower.
 
Last edited:

That 82 game was the first Gopher game I attended. Somehow I still got hooked. The Metrodome seemed exciting, fans were pumped, and Hohensee was a pretty good QB. Little did I know as a 12 year old that Smokey Joe and the Metrodome were both poor fits for the program.

I really do not like the comparison of 82 to 2023 as Fleck and have equity with me at least after how the program has functioned on and off the field over the past 6 years.
 


I sat through all the games of the 1982 & 1983 seasons. They are worse because the promise of rebounding from 82 into 83 fell very flat due to a reluctance to change on the part of Smokey Joe.

PJ still has a chance to change, so there is no ability to do the second year comparison.... yet.
 

Tech Machine said:
I remember listening to that 1983 game, at least bits and pieces. I thought they even jumped out to a nice lead in that game. See youngsters, this crap has been going on forever, I was 9 when they last tied for the title, didnt think it was a big deal at the time.
The Vikings hired Bud in 1968 I believe and the Gophers became kind of back burner, Vikes on tv every week and gophers maybe once a year.
The 83 collapse was worse because we weren’t quite used to it yet. Cal Stoll ran a competative program and they usually only played one non conference cupcake.
So 1983 started the PTSD with Smokey Joe, It got worse in the 90’s, then Mason gave us hope but his defenses turned to mush. Now it’s just like a bad movie playing over at random yearly intervals. But it really started in 1983,
I’m afraid it just may be the beginning of the end of the Fleck regime.
Click to expand...
1982, not 1983.
 

Thanks for the sincere input, guys. Its not exactly the worst question to ask in that its a part of the past that can be learned from. Is it a mere question of adjustment or are there bigger issues? How this is handled will be interesting. Will history repeat itself or will it be learned from?
 





metrolax said:
Thanks for the sincere input, guys. Its not exactly the worst question to ask in that its a part of the past that can be learned from. Is it a mere question of adjustment or are there bigger issues? How this is handled will be interesting. Will history repeat itself or will it be learned from?
Click to expand...
I'm hoping to high heaven that history will not repeat itself. My years as a student season ticket holder were very dismal times. 1981, the last year at Memorial Stadium, was pretty much the high point and being outdoors was a big part of enjoying the games. The Dome was an oppressive environment and killed a great deal of the college football experience.
 


I lived through the 1982 season and never thought of it in comparison to this year. 1982 felt way worse. Start with records (3-8, 1-8). Continue with giving Northwestern their first Big Ten win since 1977. I may be thinking '82 was worse simply because I now know what followed, and that has been my question/fear for the past month: Are the younger guys we've been playing going to be better next year? They better be.
 



I think the 1982 collapse turned on a single play in that Illini game. I had to go back and look at a box score. Minnesota kicked a FG on the last play of the 3rd quarter to go up 24-20. With the crowd testing out the loudness it could make in its new home at the dome, on the 1st play from scrimmage in the 4th quarter, Illinois scored on an 80-yard pass play where the ball was caught at the LOS. That was the play that sucked the life out of the program, and you kind of felt it at the time it happened. Illinois went on to win 42-24.

I also remember that we thought that it was good that we were playing lowly Northwestern the next week - they hadn't won a conference game for a couple of years at that point. Nope. Lost that one, too, and I remember hearing their fans carried the goalpost to Lake Michigan and threw it in. Then the collapse was on full bore, lasting until Holtz came aboard.
 

I also remember thinking they would bounce back vs Northwestern, but once a team becomes psychologically broken, there's very little to fix it with. I'm hoping that hasn't happened to the current team.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom