Could this be our lucky year?

[Winnipegopher]

One of the things that has always amazed me in the 20 or so years I have been a Gopher fan is that our luck always is bad. We never seem to get any good breaks. For a team like the Gophers to have a big season, we need alot of breaks. Already this season we have had two situations break our way that may help us in the long run:

-USC going on probation and new goofball coach.
- Dasher getting suspended (Huge)

Both of these make it much more likely for the Gophers to win. Perhaps we'll get more breaks the rest of the year.

I know many here prefer to talk macho about beating people at their best but at the end of the day we have a young team and a coach that needs wins. The non-conference is not a time for moral victories. I will take wins every time.

To win 8 or 9 or even 10 games, we need to be good and we need alot of luck. Perhaps that luck has finally arrived.

You heard it here first.

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

Winnipegger,

I know you are anything but a fair-weather fan and, like most of us, have suffered through more "what the..." moments than any athletic fan should be subjected to.

So I will say to you - and to all of us - we deserve some good breaks!

I've never been one with any sense of entitlement, but this program has perservered through so much crappy luck, boneheaded calls and goofy execution at the worst possible time in a game, that I use the word "deserve."

At first I was a little bummed out that Dasher wouldn't be playing, but thinking about your post has made me change our minds. Maybe you're right and maybe the balance of luck will tip in our favor in each game this year.

The 2009 Iowa team was really good - but they were also REALLY lucky.

So, I am going to return to this abusive relationship with Gophers football this week with absolute certainty that my (our) faith in it will be rewarded.

Go Gophers. RAH!

 

[eker0016]

One of my favorite unlucky moments from recent memory (I didn't start watching the Gophers religiously until Brewster came to town) was the "Jamal Harris hot potato" incident. Best part is the announcer starting out the clip "could it get any worse for Minnesota?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pjGpy26-lg

 

[Gopherhurrin]

I thought we had two super lucky plays last year. We won the Air Force game with the fumble recovery by Triplet that he picked up on a perfect bounce. We won the MSU game when the ball bounced off Tow Arnett on the ground into the hands of Bennett (?) for a TD.

Contrast those with the HUGE loss to Michigan when they fumbled late in the game and the bounce eluded our four players and bounced nicely into the hands of the only Michigan player within five yards.

We remember the bad luck and take the good luck for granted as "good plays".

 

[3399]

Don't forget the interception on the goal line at Syracuse, the fumble close to the goal line at Northwestern, the fumble/interception against South Dakota State for a topuchdown. Even in losses, there were some lucky plays like the fumble late vs Wisconsin that was returned for a TD, the late blocked punt against Illinois. Not to mention being completely out gained versus Purdue. The football gods were very good to the Gophers last year.

 

[gold04]

I don't have to much hope for this year and I hope I'm dead wrong. With Dasher gone the Gophers first four games are very winnable. I don't know why everyone is making a big deal about USC. The Gophers are playing them at home and they will not be the same old USC team we have seen in the past. I really do think this game could be a toss up since we are playing them at home and it's Kiffin's first year there. California last year was a tougher opponent.

If we get through the non-conference at 4-0, I might start believing. I still think MTSU is going to be tough despite Dasher not playing.

 

[Section 100]

One of my favorite "lucky" Gopher moments was the 4th down catch at PSU in '99.

 

[Tee09]

One of my favorite "lucky" Gopher moments was the 4th down catch at PSU in '99.

Balanced out by the phantom pass interference call that gave PSU the game at the dome in 2006.

At least I got to meet JoePa after the game in the tunnel.

 

[AhliBobwa]

Balanced out by the phantom pass interference call that gave PSU the game at the dome in 2006.

At least I got to meet JoePa after the game in the tunnel.

I'm STILL angry about that call. I watched that replay and not only does no one touch the WR, no one is even near him!

the Paterno rule, Joe Pa is a great guy, but the Paterno rule is just unfair.

 

[gold04]

Joe Pa said there was no question his reciever was interfered with. I guess those big glasses really don't help.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Bad luck starts for me with Northwestern 2008. If that ball is caught by Decker instead of bouncing right to the defender, I'm convinced the Gophers win at least 9 games that year, probably 10. Missing a 20-yd field goal didn't help things.

 

[gold04]

2008 team

The Gophers won in 2008 with smoke and mirrors. It was inevitable that they would start losing. We didn't have a running game period. Our offense struggled mightly. Our defense kept us in most ballgames. When the defense failed our offense could not out score Eden Prairie high school that year. A prettty easy schedule really helped us in winning 7 games that year. I predicted 8 wins that year but the easy schedule had a lot to do with it.