Brewster on Sid

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The guy gets unfairly mocked for his personality and enthusiasm.
He was and is not a bad guy, and every time I met him he certainly got me excited about gopher football. He's got the gift of gab so to speak.

His shortfalls were exposed in that he hadn't worked out the kinks in his plans, had no track record with key staff, and his network didn't come through for him with any long term loyal assistants. It certainly didn't help that he was hired late in the year.

In the end, it all rests on the fact that he shouldn't have been hired.
Maturi had no idea what he was doing, that much is not debatable.

Brewster easily could have parlayed his recruiting success at Texas and the NFL into a MAC or Sun Belt head job, developed a staff, a system on O and D. He'd have won some games with a handful of higher end recruits and then he'd have been ready for a job in the B1G. Again more likely more as a CEO type than a real X's and O's guy which is why he needed a good and stable staff around him.

FWIW I always enjoyed his exuberance even if it didn't sit well with the media and skeptics. He made me a bigger fan of gopher football, I know I'm not the only one.

He also didn't trash the program publicly when he left, which he likely could have considering the AD in charge(who ironically HAS said frustrating things after he was removed).
 

Winnipegopher said:
Some thoughts using Big ten records:
Until Kill plays the games, let's throw out Brewster's three losses in 2010.

Kill is then 8-16 and Brewster 6-18. Better but not dramatically so.

If you only compare years 2 and 3, Kill is 6-10 and Brewster is 6-10.

If you only compare best years, Kill's 4-4 is one game better than Brewster's 3-5.

I am happy with Kill and the direction he is going but so far the results haven't been dramatically different than Brewster. Hopefully year 4 is where the separation begins.
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Talk about a simplistic analysis! But that is what you get when you don't know what you should be measuring. If you did, you would have realized that the separation began in year one.

When you are rebuilding a program win and losses are important but more important are the things that indicate that the culture is changing and that the program is going in the right direction. This includes academics, staff retention, player retention, discipline, player development, players buying into the program, physical improvement, establishing recruiting relationship, recruiting players that fit your system, improving relationships with the fans and the community, etc. etc. etc. When you compare these things between Brewster and Kill, Kill first three years has far exceeded Brewster first three. I expect that the vast major of people would second this.
 

Let's face it- fans get attached to a certain coach, and when that coach leaves, they have a tendency to criticize the next coach. For Wren, Mason was his guy, and whoever replaced Mason was going to have a hard time measuring up in Wren's eyes. The fact that Brewster had his issues just made it easier for Wren to take his shots at him.

Same thiing happened on the basketball boach - people who liked Tubby were not happy when he left, and they have been critical of Pitino.

I agree that talking about records and results are fair game -but it would be better if people kept personalities out of it.

Bottom line - you can dwell in the past, or you can move forward. I prefer to move forward. (says the guy who still can't forget a game my HS BB team blew in the district playoffs in 1971.)
 

Killjoy said:
Talk about a simplistic analysis! But that is what you get when you don't know what you should be measuring. If you did, you would have realized that the separation began in year one.

When you are rebuilding a program win and losses are important but more important are the things that indicate that the culture is changing and that the program is going in the right direction. This includes academics, staff retention, player retention, discipline, player development, players buying into the program, physical improvement, establishing recruiting relationship, recruiting players that fit your system, improving relationships with the fans and the community, etc. etc. etc. When you compare these things between Brewster and Kill, Kill first three years has far exceeded Brewster first three. I expect that the vast major of people would second this.
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Got it. However, people were writing similar things about Brewster after year 2, albeit using different metrics (mostly recruiting). To paraphrase Wren, it is all about Big Ten wins and losses. Next year is a key year for Kill.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Got it. However, people were writing similar things about Brewster after year 2, albeit using different metrics (mostly recruiting). To paraphrase Wren, it is all about Big Ten wins and losses. Next year is a key year for Kill.
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It is always about Big Ten wins and Big Ten losses. Coach Kill will start taking much more heat IF he reverts to a 2 Win Conference Season in 2014. I don't think that will happen. I hope very much that does not happen. The ice will be thinner if he gets 3 Conference wins in 2014 rather than the 4 wins he got in 2013. All will be well with four or more Conference wins in 2014.

But, until the zero for wisky string is broken the ice will be thinner than it would be IF the Gophers were to end the wisky drought. Minnesota Fans have a mighty parched attitude when it comes to that border battle with wisky for the axe. That is Coach Kill's BIGGEST challenge on the football field as the year 2014 opens. A 3 Conference win season IF one of the wins was against wisky would be a surprisingly GOOD season to many Gopher Fans I know. But, make no mistake: that issue is becoming a huge issue. A critical issue. It is of the highest priorities for the future of Golden Gopher Football.
 


imthewalrus said:
It is always about Big Ten wins and Big Ten losses. Coach Kill will start taking much more heat IF he reverts to a 2 Win Conference Season in 2014. I don't think that will happen. I hope very much that does not happen. The ice will be thinner if he gets 3 Conference wins in 2014 rather than the 4 wins he got in 2013. All will be well with four or more Conference wins in 2014.

But, until the zero for wisky string is broken the ice will be thinner than it would be IF the Gophers were to end the wisky drought. Minnesota Fans have a mighty parched attitude when it comes to that border battle with wisky for the axe. That is Coach Kill's BIGGEST challenge on the football field as the year 2014 opens. A 3 Conference win season IF one of the wins was against wisky would be a surprisingly GOOD season to many Gopher Fans I know. But, make no mistake: that issue is becoming a huge issue. A critical issue. It is of the highest priorities for the future of Golden Gopher Football.
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You are actually not entirely wrong. Just look at some of the important "rumored" recruiting battles taking shape.
 

Killjoy said:
Talk about a simplistic analysis! But that is what you get when you don't know what you should be measuring. If you did, you would have realized that the separation began in year one. When you are rebuilding a program win and losses are important but more important are the things that indicate that the culture is changing and that the program is going in the right direction. This includes academics, staff retention, player retention, discipline, player development, players buying into the program, physical improvement, establishing recruiting relationship, recruiting players that fit your system, improving relationships with the fans and the community, etc. etc. etc. When you compare these things between Brewster and Kill, Kill first three years has far exceeded Brewster first three. I expect that the vast major of people would second this.
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You are a salesman's dream.
 

Oh goody - a rare former vs former vs current coaches thread.
 

Gold Vision said:
You are a salesman's dream.
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Actually when I make decisions I do a great deal research and analysis. As a successful contrarian investor I understanding the irrationality of the human mind, especially when it comes to money and investing. A salesman's dream? I don't think so.:rolleyes:
 



MinneStoa said:
...he says while stroking a patch of Pasadena turf.

I know, I know. Low hanging fruit. I get that this thread is above that. But damn it, my comedic repertoire is built on stupid, easy jokes.
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Maybe while stroking their National Championship Trophy instead?
 

Brewster ruined any chance of success when he gave up on his plan after two years.
People always mention coordinator change, but the bigger deal than coordinator change was philosophy change.

We went from a blitzing defense spread offense to an pro-set offense and conservative defense just like that.

If you have so little confidence in what you're doing that you abandon your entire philosophy after two years. You are done.
 

Rosemountian said:
Brewster ruined any chance of success when he gave up on his plan after two years.
People always mention coordinator change, but the bigger deal than coordinator change was philosophy change.

We went from a blitzing defense spread offense to an pro-set offense and conservative defense just like that.

If you have so little confidence in what you're doing that you abandon your entire philosophy after two years. You are done.
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This is it in a nutshell. Do you think it was really a confidence thing, or that he realized early on he couldn't compete in the Big Ten with that style of play? Perhaps he came to the realization that he couldn't get the kids in to run things like he originally expected.

My personal belief is that he simply panicked because he saw the team was another 3-4 years away from being able to compete with that style of play and he felt like the system change was the best chance he had to weather the storm. Bad decision that he probably wouldn't have made had he been a head coach before. He's not likely to do the same again, either.
 

bemidjigopher said:
Same with Saint Mason right wren?
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bemidjigopher,

I hold no grudge against Tim Brewster. If a bottomlessly incompetent and / or corrupt Big Ten athletic director offered me a Big Ten head football coaching position with the salary and perks that go with it, I would jump at the chance, knowing full well I am not qualified. Tim is certainly more competent than me, and he no doubt tried his best. What I cannot forgive is Joel Maturi, who fired a perfectly good football coach, one who lost to a Graham Harrell / Michael Crabtree combination in the last few seconds of a game by a lucky long field goal. Yes, the same Michael Crabtree that was playing for the 49ers who lost to the Seahawks tonight in the NFC Championship game. This is / was not Tim Brewster's fault. This is Joel Maturi's fault. Joel displayed all the good judgement that Generalleutnant Arthur Schmidt exhibited in "The Kessel."
 




6 Nov 1999 said:
bemidjigopher, I hold no grudge against Tim Brewster. If a bottomlessly incompetent and / or corrupt Big Ten athletic director offered me a Big Ten head football coaching position with the salary and perks that go with it, I would jump at the chance, knowing full well I am not qualified. Tim is certainly more competent than me, and he no doubt tried his best. What I cannot forgive is Joel Maturi, who fired a perfectly good football coach, one who lost to a Graham Harrell / Michael Crabtree combination in the last few seconds of a game by a lucky long field goal. Yes, the same Michael Crabtree that was playing for the 49ers who lost to the Seahawks tonight in the NFC Championship game. This is / was not Tim Brewster's fault. This is Joel Maturi's fault. Joel displayed all the good judgement that Generalleutnant Arthur Schmidt exhibited in "The Kessel."
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Crabtree is sorry and talks too much.
 

Brewster said in the past that he initially went with a spread offense because he thought that would sell to recruits better, but that he always planned to switch to a more pro-style offense, since that was what he was familiar and comfortable with.

Honestly, I'm inclined to believe him, because that's so incredibly dumb I can't imagine it being a lie to cover something else up.
 

Killjoy said:
Talk about a simplistic analysis! But that is what you get when you don't know what you should be measuring. If you did, you would have realized that the separation began in year one.

When you are rebuilding a program win and losses are important but more important are the things that indicate that the culture is changing and that the program is going in the right direction. This includes academics, staff retention, player retention, discipline, player development, players buying into the program, physical improvement, establishing recruiting relationship, recruiting players that fit your system, improving relationships with the fans and the community, etc. etc. etc. When you compare these things between Brewster and Kill, Kill first three years has far exceeded Brewster first three. I expect that the vast major of people would second this.
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All of those things only matter if we're winning. Those are things that will hopefully ultimately lead to more wins. If they don't, nobody here (other than maybe you) will give a damn about retaining staff and "improving relationships with the fans and the community".

It's a simplistic analysis because the only thing that ultimately matters, and has ever mattered, are wins and losses.
 

Crabtree is not even a top 20 NFL receiver.
 

Tim Brewster killed Kennedy. Tim Brewster once jumped a baby seal and stole it's wallet. Tim Brewster keeps prescription drug prices high.
 


Gopherprof said:
All of those things only matter if we're winning. Those are things that will hopefully ultimately lead to more wins. If they don't, nobody here (other than maybe you) will give a damn about retaining staff and "improving relationships with the fans and the community".

It's a simplistic analysis because the only thing that ultimately matters, and has ever mattered, are wins and losses.
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Of course you are right! It is ultimately about wins. The point I was trying to make was that when you are trying to turn a program around it is about changing the culture. "Brick by Brick" may be corny but it still comes down to doing things right whether it is academics, practicing, or recruting for your program. If you don't do these things right the wins won't come. One of the reason's that I like Jerry Kill is that he has proven that he is good at and know how to do change management. It is called leadership. Rick Pitino has it too. Tubby Smith didn't.
 

drinks at Northpoint said:
Crabtree is sorry and talks too much.
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I am wrong in citing Michael Crabtree. I don't think Michael Crabtree played in the 29 December 2006 Insight Bowl. Graham Harrell did. But it was other Red Raider receivers who torched us. Matt Spaeth made a decision to have surgery and not play in this bowl game. I contend we would have won this game with Matt Spaeth's services. This is no slam on Jack Simmons who made some outstanding plays. Nevertheless, I will never forgive Joel Maturi for what he did after the game.
 


6 Nov 1999 said:
Nevertheless, I will never forgive Joel Maturi for what he did after the game.
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And I am eternally grateful for what Bob Bruininks did after the Texas Tech game when he ordered Maturi to fire Mason. To show my appreciation, I send Christmas cards to Bob and Joel every year. For the first time in more years than I care to remember they demonstrated to me that mediocrity is no longer acceptable for Gopher's football. If the Gopher's head coach isn't getting the job done his ass will be fired just like at the Top 20 Division I football programs. How many coaches did Alabama fire before they found the right one? The number is seven (7). For all we know, Maturi might have gotten the right coach after only two (2) firings. Athletics Directors at Notre Dame, Michigan, Tennessee, and Arkansas, would be envious of that kind of success rate.
 



6 Nov 1999 said:
bemidjigopher,

I hold no grudge against Tim Brewster. If a bottomlessly incompetent and / or corrupt Big Ten athletic director ."
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If you're going to make a charge like that, you'd better have something to back it up. Maturi may not have been the best AD in Gopher History, but I have never heard anyone disparage his character or honesty. Joel Maturi was (IMHO) a hard-working guy who tried to do his best for the U of M. It's fair game to criticize his decisions - but if you're going to use words like "corrupt," I think that's unfair - unless you have something concrete to back it up with.
 


station19 said:
I saw a story about that in my fridge.
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Does this have anything to do with Parski or having you been drinking with Dr.Don? If it doesn't please explain and if it does please also explain.
 

6 Nov 1999 said:
But it was other Red Raider receivers who torched us. Matt Spaeth made a decision to have surgery and not play in this bowl game. I contend we would have won this game with Matt Spaeth's services. This is no slam on Jack Simmons who made some outstanding plays. Nevertheless, I will never forgive Joel Maturi for what he did after the game.
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Good lord....Jack Simmons had seven catches for 134 yards and a TD. Minnesota held the ball for 35:49 and still blew a 38-7 lead. Maturi should've had a Greyhound ticket in Mason's hand before the team hit the locker room.
 

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