ESPN on Minnesota: If I were a fan I'd rather my team was just bad.

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Eamonn Brennan in his Conference Power Rankings: Big Ten

"6. Minnesota. I'll bump Minnesota up one spot for two reasons: (1) It just beat No. 1 Indiana at home, and (2) I actually think the Gophers are a lot better than their 3-8 record from Jan. 12 through Feb. 20. A lot better. I also think it's kind of ridiculous for a team led by a sixth-year senior such as Trevor Mbakwe to just go AWOL for more than a month. How does that happen? How can I watch you lose 72-51 at Iowa and see you slap your opponents' butts and help guys up off the floor as you put up 45 points in 69 possessions at Ohio State … and then come out pounding your chest against Indiana a few days later? Are we all supposed to forget how much your team has stunk for the past five weeks? Are we supposed to assume you're the plucky underdog now? And why on earth is Tubby Smith's record in February at Minnesota so bad?

I have my theories. It would almost be easier if Minnesota had gotten punked Tuesday, because then we could start to acknowledge that they're just not that good after all. Nice November, lots of promise, another disappointing season. But Minnesota is good. They're big, physical, deep, balanced and good. I think Iowa is really underrated, but you can't tell me the team we saw Tuesday night is 19 points worse than Iowa. Or seven points worse than Northwestern. It just isn't. Which means one thing: They've underachieved. The effort hasn't been there.

If I were a fan I'd rather my team was just bad."

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/77749/conference-power-rankings-big-ten-20

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
per Eamonn Brennan in his Conference Power Rankings: Big Ten

"6. Minnesota. I'll bump Minnesota up one spot for two reasons: (1) It just beat No. 1 Indiana at home, and (2) I actually think the Gophers are a lot better than their 3-8 record from Jan. 12 through Feb. 20. A lot better. I also think it's kind of ridiculous for a team led by a sixth-year senior such as Trevor Mbakwe to just go AWOL for more than a month. How does that happen? How can I watch you lose 72-51 at Iowa and see you slap your opponents' butts and help guys up off the floor as you put up 45 points in 69 possessions at Ohio State … and then come out pounding your chest against Indiana a few days later? Are we all supposed to forget how much your team has stunk for the past five weeks? Are we supposed to assume you're the plucky underdog now? And why on earth is Tubby Smith's record in February at Minnesota so bad?

I have my theories. It would almost be easier if Minnesota had gotten punked Tuesday, because then we could start to acknowledge that they're just not that good after all. Nice November, lots of promise, another disappointing season. But Minnesota is good. They're big, physical, deep, balanced and good. I think Iowa is really underrated, but you can't tell me the team we saw Tuesday night is 19 points worse than Iowa. Or seven points worse than Northwestern. It just isn't. Which means one thing: They've underachieved. The effort hasn't been there.

If I were a fan I'd rather my team was just bad."

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/77749/conference-power-rankings-big-ten-20

Go Gophers!!
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?
 

Of course they're better than they've played, duh. But to just wish they sucked? How is that a reasonable perspective?

Players only meetings can do wonders to change attitudes, and that team had a different attitude Tuesday night. If that team shows up for every game, we're sitting here with about 4 losses max. But you know what, that's history now, they can't change that. But they can finish this season on a four game win streak and handle their business against inferior opponents. Let's see if they can get that done.

But no, I'm never gonna wish my team was just bad no matter how much they underachieve, that's just stupid.
 


Pretty fair summary. I think the Gophers have the potential to be a very dangerous tournament team at the same time they could just as easily be a one and done. With what we have witnessed so far this season I have no clue what to expect when March Madness rolls around.
 


Serious?! Guy would rather have his team just suck?! What a complete idiot. Good thing fans of the 1989 team didn't think that way. Might have missed out on the team going to the Sweet 16.

Good thing UConn didn't think that way going into the Big East tourney in 9th place, only to win the tourney, get a #3 seed and then win the Natl Title.



I mean, what a complete dumb sh1t.


We played the toughest part of the toughest schedule IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY during February. And we came out of it with enough in our tanks to pull off the upset vs #1 Indiana?!


And now we finally got some supposedly easier games to finish off the season, possibly 10-8 in the toughest conference hands down in the nation, and a chance to go into the BTT riding a 4 game winning streak?

Holy cow, sounds like the script for some wild ride fantasy sports movie where a hot team falls on rough times and then makes a thrilling comeback in the end?!!!

Anyone see that Robert Redford movie, about the really old rookie player? Was it called The Natural, maybe?!


That is exactly what happened to that team. But it was the distraction of a woman that sent their star player and hence the team into a slump, not the toughest schedule in the country dragging that team down!!



How do some of these people get paid to do what they do? Boggles my mind!!!
 

#1nHkyCfbBsbDncSolarDebat said:
Serious?! Guy would rather have his team just suck?! What a complete idiot. Good thing fans of the 1989 team didn't think that way. Might have missed out on the team going to the Sweet 16.

...

I mean, what a complete dumb sh1t.

...

How do some of these people get paid to do what they do? Boggles my mind!!!
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In the spirit of defending a legitimate reporter (who might need to raise his hand next time he's being sarcastic), it's a tongue-in-cheek take. Brennan is far from a hack and definitely not dumb. In fact, he's one of the few national college basketball reporters I pay attention to because he actually knows what he's talking about.
 

I think his takes are a fair assessment. Lost me on the fan part and wishing team was just bad instead. The only positive as a season ticket holder in my mind for a "rough" season...is to possibly upgrade my seats for the following year.
 

zipsofrakron --

Maybe he is, and maybe I shouldn't have labeled HIM a dumbsh1t and an idiot. What I should have said, was "that comment was an idiotic COMMENT, and it was kind of dumb of this guy to make that kind of comment". I'm trying to work on that, directly my negative comments at the thought, not the thinker, at the comment, not the commentator. Thank you for being so kind towards me in response, I probably didn't deserve it. But your not being harsh towards me actually has much more of an impact.
 



I liked the take. It's obvious to us but he is dealing with a larger audience. I thought it was fairly stated. The last line about preferring the team to just be bad made me laugh.
 

I think his comment was tongue in cheek. It is that if the team were just bad we would not have all of the hand wringing and gnashing of teeth among the fan base, we would just know they are bad and any wins would be moments for joy. That is the way I read it at first.
 







afurry91 said:
I like cheeseburgers. I like beer, pizza, soda, and cheeseburgers.

Did this guy skip 8th grade English?
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I hate it when redundancy is repeated over and over again. Well done, fuzzy.
 

SaintLouisGopher said:
I liked the take. It's obvious to us but he is dealing with a larger audience. I thought it was fairly stated. The last line about preferring the team to just be bad made me laugh.
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I think it was him hoping the team lacks talent, I.e. being a bad/lack of talent team. It would explain the roller coaster in his mind.
 



You guys are hilarious.....


"Don't be talkin 'bout my mama!!!"

Admit it, this team deserves criticism for their style of play. (against the "toughest schedule in the world")

To lose to Iowa, NW, and tOSU like they did is inexplicable and to ridicule a national writer for a tounge in cheek comment about how tough it must be to be a die hard fan of this squad shows how ignorant some of you can be.....
 

Winasota Gopher said:
You guys are hilarious.....


"Don't be talkin 'bout my mama!!!"

Admit it, this team deserves criticism for their style of play. (against the "toughest schedule in the world")

To lose to Iowa, NW, and tOSU like they did is inexplicable and to ridicule a national writer for a younger in cheek comment about how tough it must be to be a die hard fan of this squad shows how ignorant some of you can be.....
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Just fans being fans. We all like to overreact when it comes to our team. I like the "The Natual" reference. It goes along with the sports psychologist scene as well. Maybe "old man" Mbakwe will be our "Wonderboy".
 

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