Another take on the game

[Rog]

I was at the game and the 2 days before so here goes.

What was the team goal when the season started? First win 6 games and go to a bowl again and adding to that get a few more wins and get a better bowl. Well - we got a few more wins, (8) but the same bowl!

2nd - Going to a bowl is a reward for doing well during the season. Sometimes I think that at the back of players mind is the warm climate, have fun, and by the way we have football game we have to play, you know we are favorite and our fans expect wewill win by at least 2 touchdowns or more. So, what the hell.

Well, that is what the first 3 quarters looked like. Kill recognized that and came down to the field for the 2nd half.

This was not the same team we saw for the last half of the regular season.

The teams went to Texas a week in advance, Had fun, took part in a rodeo,had great food, stayed at a great hotel, etc. etc. and the climax is what we saw on the field.

But - there is always next year.

Go Gophers!

 

[ruppertflywheel]

Good points Rog. I also think the players were bummed they didn't get picked for the Gator Bowl. Throw in the fact they played in front of 20,000 people and you have a stinko of a game.

 

[BreakTheGopherCurse]

the paper said it was more like "several" thousand fans in attendance. i wasn't there, but from the photos we saw it looked more like 10,000 in attendance. i contend that the morgue-like atmosphere really affected the Gophers' inspiration.

 

[Sparlimb]

the paper said it was more like "several" thousand fans in attendance. i wasn't there, but from the photos we saw it looked more like 10,000 in attendance. i contend that the morgue-like atmosphere really affected the Gophers' inspiration.

And again I'm really happy I didn't spend my hard earned cash to watch that trash. If and when we make a real bowl and have a team that gives it all every single game, then the legions of fans will show up. But my wallet is smiling that I didn't waste any cash on that game.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I think the lack of attendance at the game is just as much indicative of the lack of local support as well. Even if both schools sold all of their 10K tickets, it still would have been a pathetic crowd. It appeared there were virtually no neutral fans at the game. Considering that Texans season ticket holders got tickets, you'd think you could get at least 5K to come to the game.

 

[Johnny Olson]

Maybe the studio audience was small but the national audience wasn't.
There were over a million national viewers watching the Gophers last night.
The Texas Bowl was the only game in its time slot. The players knew they were going to get coast to coast exposure.
I don't buy the small crowd lack of inspiration angle.

 

[Gopher028]

There was twice the crowd at the 4A, 5A and 6A prep bowl games....

I know as much as the players, the fans weren't thrilled the team we BEAT got the Gator Bowl (I def was one)
but we get picked over because even though Nebraska was cancelling charter flights due to low fan interest...
they will still produce more fans than us. More fans = more money for the bowl and city.

Who knows.. maybe a Gator Bowl selection would've sent more Minnesotans to Jax than Hou. I'm sure it would.
I'm a single dad of a 1 yr old and can't just buy a flight, hotel and game ticket on a whim (after christmas no less),
but I could've/would've made it work for the Gator Bowl, (Outback, Capital One and Rose Bowl also apply).

 

[60's Guy]

Life is Not Fair!

Good points Rog. I also think the players were bummed they didn't get picked for the Gator Bowl. Throw in the fact they played in front of 20,000 people and you have a stinko of a game.

Boo hoo You should be able to adjust
to the adversity of your own minds in six weeks
with 15 coaches? Change your freaking thoughts
and see the glass half full. Like Johnny
said we were the only game with over a million people
Watching. How hard is it to get motivated if
you aren't still grieving you have to go to
Houston. That's horrible coaching! Million people,
nine wins, senior teammates, brick by brick building a foundation.
What we had was opportunity!
Penalties, fumbles, no enthusiasm, woe is me,
hang dog feeling sorry for ourselves because we are sooo
good we lose to Syracuse! Two time 56 point loser.
Just really bad coaching!! Unravels soo much good. How do
you miss that as coaches?? Especially when players are
Saying it out effing loud before the game?