Now I know that KFAN is not always the most Gopher-friendly place to be and that many Gopher fans ignore it altogether. While it is not always easy to listen to their criticism, I usually sort of take it with a grain of salt. (And frankly when it comes to Gopher football, there is plenty to be critical about these days). If they are ever challenged as being too negative, the radio jocks response is often "what have I said that is incorrect?" or "if you think this criticism is tough, you should see what it is like in a 'real' sports town." (such as NY, Chicago, etc.) Fine, I get it.
Yesterday, however, their banter made me realize just what a shtick of ragging on the Gophers has become (at least on Barreiro's show). Barreiro and his sidekick Justin Gaard were going on and on about the Big Ten Network's replay of the 1989 Gopher meltdown - huge embarrassment to the program, one of the worst defeats ever, etc. (I was there, it was horrible, and it certainly was a memorable game for the Buckeyes. Again I get it.) They were wondering why the Gophers did not get a "equal opportunity" game broadcast, namely their win at Columbus in 2000.
They broke for a commercial, I called the station and talked briefly with Gaard (at least it sounded like him). I rather politely informed him that the "equal opportunity" game that the Big Ten Network is playing this week is the 1981 Gopher win over the Buckeyes. The two games are usually shown one after the other. The 1981 is a much more exciting game than the one in 2000 and it does feature the last win by the Gophers in Memorial Stadium. "Thanks," he rather quickly replied and we both hung up.
I was not really expecting a retraction or correction from the two when they got back on the air - was sort of figuring that they would move on to something else, but at least I had said my piece. Oh no, they got back into again. No mention of the 1981 Gopher game, only that the Big Ten network was going to repeat the 1989 game two more times this week. Glen Mason (a Big Ten Network employee) is going to be on their show today, and Barreiro said he is going to ask Mason as to why the Gophers cannot get equal time with the 2000 game. Gaard was almost delighting in his observation that the only time Gophers are seen on TV is when either another team needs to be highlighted on the Big Ten's Greatest games, or during the pro football draft when all the clips show the player of interest against the Gophers.
The obvious message they are conveying is the Gophers stink and have stunk for a long time. And I do not deny that for 30+ years it has often been a challenge to be a Gopher fan. But I am bothered by the subtle message that they are sending in that the Big Ten Network does not even respect them enough to give them a "Greatest Game," even though they were informed that this is not the case. Evidently the truth does not matter - it does not fall within their "shtick."
Yesterday, however, their banter made me realize just what a shtick of ragging on the Gophers has become (at least on Barreiro's show). Barreiro and his sidekick Justin Gaard were going on and on about the Big Ten Network's replay of the 1989 Gopher meltdown - huge embarrassment to the program, one of the worst defeats ever, etc. (I was there, it was horrible, and it certainly was a memorable game for the Buckeyes. Again I get it.) They were wondering why the Gophers did not get a "equal opportunity" game broadcast, namely their win at Columbus in 2000.
They broke for a commercial, I called the station and talked briefly with Gaard (at least it sounded like him). I rather politely informed him that the "equal opportunity" game that the Big Ten Network is playing this week is the 1981 Gopher win over the Buckeyes. The two games are usually shown one after the other. The 1981 is a much more exciting game than the one in 2000 and it does feature the last win by the Gophers in Memorial Stadium. "Thanks," he rather quickly replied and we both hung up.
I was not really expecting a retraction or correction from the two when they got back on the air - was sort of figuring that they would move on to something else, but at least I had said my piece. Oh no, they got back into again. No mention of the 1981 Gopher game, only that the Big Ten network was going to repeat the 1989 game two more times this week. Glen Mason (a Big Ten Network employee) is going to be on their show today, and Barreiro said he is going to ask Mason as to why the Gophers cannot get equal time with the 2000 game. Gaard was almost delighting in his observation that the only time Gophers are seen on TV is when either another team needs to be highlighted on the Big Ten's Greatest games, or during the pro football draft when all the clips show the player of interest against the Gophers.
The obvious message they are conveying is the Gophers stink and have stunk for a long time. And I do not deny that for 30+ years it has often been a challenge to be a Gopher fan. But I am bothered by the subtle message that they are sending in that the Big Ten Network does not even respect them enough to give them a "Greatest Game," even though they were informed that this is not the case. Evidently the truth does not matter - it does not fall within their "shtick."
