From Strib: Tom Lemming sees big things for Gophers!!

[Otis]

“I think right now, local kids are starting to realize that Minnesota’s the real deal,” Lemming said. “This is my 37th year doing this. I’ve watched how programs develop, and they’re doing it the right way. Kirk Ferentz did it that way at Iowa, Barry Alvarez did it at Wisconsin, and now Jerry Kill’s doing it at Minnesota.”

But Lemming also has seen practice facilities around the Big Ten and said that’s an area where the Gophers have fallen way behind. Minnesota plans to break ground on a new athletics training complex before next fall.

“With the coaching staff they have in place, that’s all they need to be a perennial favorite in the Big Ten,” Lemming said. “Once that’s built, there’ll be no stopping the Gophers.” - Strib article

Let's hope Lemmig is right! The pracice facility upgrade will definately help level the playing field.

 

[Ski U Master]

Lemming predicts big thing for the Gophers??!! Stop the presses!

If there was a Gopher themed signing day bingo board, this would be on it. Almost as shocking as yet another Shama fluff piece on the Gophs.

 

[Dr.Don]

I have a tendecy to follow Lemmings.

 

[gopher7]

If Lemming ever does not like our class, it means we are truly ****ed.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Lemming knows his audience.

 

[Maximus]

Gets him a ton of press, ton of mentions in official school press releases, ton of TV time and ton of pub on message boards. Seems like an easy gig.

Off topic...googled Lemming to get Brewster quotes, but found this from just two years ago on Gopherhole (identity withheld)

He is getting the type of players he wants that he can get, largely because it doesn't appear recruiting appears to be a strength of his up to this point in his tenure at Minnesota so beggars can't be chosers. . Don't think for a second that he wouldn't trade his class for that of any of the higher ranked teams in the Big Ten in a second if he could.

These players that the "staff likes" (the one's they can get) will never compete for a division championship, much less a Big 10 championship. They need to get some true recruiters on the staff to compete at that level.

At that point, Kill was just about to announce his third recruiting class. His recruits his first three years were Murray, Maxx, Boddy-Calhoun, Damien Wilson, D. Travis, Pirsig, Maye, Lauer, Roland Johnson, Ekpe, Cobb, Amafeula, Campion, Cockran, Ced Thompson, T. Olson, Wells, Campbell, Carter, Mayes, Myrick....just to name a few. One win from a division championship.

Funny stuff.

 

[MRJ]

Recruiting guys tend to engage in more hyperbole per capita than just about any other level of sportswriter/journalist it seems. Look, I would love for all this to come true. But I think I'll let results speak for themselves before I jump the gun like Lemming does in this case.

 

[GopherHomer]

Lemming predicts big thing for the Gophers??!! Stop the presses!

If there was a Gopher themed signing day bingo board, this would be on it. Almost as shocking as yet another Shama fluff piece on the Gophs.

This type of response is the same and just as annoying as the knee-jerk complaining about negative press. Only difference is that you seem to hate the Gophers. Seriously, every once in a while you should mix in some excitement and positivity about the football program...it's fun to ride the wave of what looks to be the most sustained success this program has seen in half a century.

 

[Ski U Master]

This type of response is the same and just as annoying as the knee-jerk complaining about negative press. Only difference is that you seem to hate the Gophers. Seriously, every once in a while you should mix in some excitement and positivity about the football program...it's fun to ride the wave of what looks to be the most sustained success this program has seen in half a century.

My comment had nothing to do with the success of the program or the direction they are heading, I am very happy about that and love the Gophers! My comment was about Lemming's lack of credibility as a journalist in that you can predict this article months in advance. If I remember correctly he was posting about how great the team going to be during the Brewster years too. If you're going to reject the extreme negative journalism due to the source (Reusse, Souchan, etc) you shouldn't accept the same from the other side of the spectrum (Lemming, Shama) just because you prefer that message. It's low quality work from both sides.

I also wouldn't call this the "most sustained success this program has seen in half a century", two 8 win seasons is great and very exciting, but not quite at the level of Mason's peak in 02-03 for me. If we can win another 7+ games next year AND finally either win a bowl game or beat Wisconsin then I feel your statement could apply.

 

[Killjoy]

This type of response is the same and just as annoying as the knee-jerk complaining about negative press. Only difference is that you seem to hate the Gophers. Seriously, every once in a while you should mix in some excitement and positivity about the football program...it's fun to ride the wave of what looks to be the most sustained success this program has seen in half a century.[/QUOTE]

+1 Yep, Ski U Master can be definitely a "Debbie Downer" guy. He certainly wouldn't enjoyed last night's Signing Social. Way too much positive vibes for him.

 

[Ski U Master]

This type of response is the same and just as annoying as the knee-jerk complaining about negative press. Only difference is that you seem to hate the Gophers. Seriously, every once in a while you should mix in some excitement and positivity about the football program...it's fun to ride the wave of what looks to be the most sustained success this program has seen in half a century.

+1 Yep, Ski U Master can be definitely a "Debbie Downer" guy. He certainly wouldn't enjoyed last night's Signing Social. Way too much positive vibes for him.

I prefer "less emotional" but that's ok.

 

[GopherOhana]

I have a tendecy to follow Lemmings.

Outstanding! stay away from cliffs though

 

[GopherVictory]

+1 Yep, Ski U Master can be definitely a "Debbie Downer" guy. He certainly wouldn't enjoyed last night's Signing Social. Way too much positive vibes for him.

I prefer "less emotional" but that's ok.

Maybe not as much a downer as he used to be. Am I imagining things from the past or did your avatar used to wear a frown?

 

[RodentRampage]

It seems that the hardcore downers drifted away when the Gophers started winning...

Sent from my LG-L38C using Tapatalk 2

 

[WAGopher]

Outstanding! stay away from cliffs though

If Lemmings are all followers, then how does the first one know where to go?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ski U Master]

Maybe not as much a downer as he used to be. Am I imagining things from the past or did your avatar used to wear a frown?

His mood changes with the team's results. Hasn't been frowning all year! I think I'm dangerously close to being a homer now!

 

[dpodoll68]

identity withheld

Why are you protecting notorious Tom Osborne-fellater GopherGod? He should own up to his idiotic comments.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

If Lemmings are all followers, then how does the first one know where to go?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They follow the Pied Piper.

 

[GopherHomer]

His mood changes with the team's results. Hasn't been frowning all year! I think I'm dangerously close to being a homer now!

I'm not gonna lie, though, I do love Ski U Master's avatar. In fact, I think that is what makes me the most upset - the avatar instantly puts me in a good mood, then I read the comment...I can't take the emotional rollercoaster.

 

[Ski U Master]

I'm not gonna lie, though, I do love Ski U Master's avatar. In fact, I think that is what makes me the most upset - the avatar instantly puts me in a good mood, then I read the comment...I can't take the emotional rollercoaster.

Just do what I do and avoid getting emotionally invested in the team. I don't know all the players names, I don't get involved in following recruiting, I just enjoy watching the game and cheering for the team as a unit. I take a high level view and I haven't had a Saturday ruined by a Gopher loss in years, and still enjoy the wins!

 

[Killjoy]

If Lemmings are all followers, then how does the first one know where to go?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe Ski U Master is their leader. Just kidding Ski.

 

[Dr.Don]

Lemmings, Lemmings, Lemmings.

Then reason all the sheep ran over the cliff is that they didn't see the Ewe-turn.

 

[Killjoy]

Lemmings, Lemmings, Lemmings.

Then reason all the sheep ran over the cliff is that they didn't see the Ewe-turn.

Dr.Don - After reading that one I am going to go over the cliff too.

 

[#1nHkyCfbBsbDncSolarDebat]

I also wouldn't call this the "most sustained success this program has seen in half a century", two 8 win seasons is great and very exciting, but not quite at the level of Mason's peak in 02-03 for me. If we can win another 7+ games next year AND finally either win a bowl game or beat Wisconsin then I feel your statement could apply.

Dude, did you watch any of those games in 2002?

13 point loss to Purdue
31 point loss to Ohio St
17 point loss to Michigan
24 point loss to Iowa
18 point loss to Wisconsin


As for 2003, sure, Mason won 10 games, but vs 4 creampuffs in the ooc and NOT ONE WIN vs a RANKED team the entire season.


AND...

02 was Mason's 6th season, 03 was Mason's 7th season.



4-7 the season before Mason

3-9 Mason's 1st season
5-6 Mason's 2nd season, MISSED out on getting to a bowl game losing a close one to IU
8-4 Mason's 3rd season
6-6 Mason's 4th season.

22-25 first 4 seasons of Mason,


Compare that now to

3-9 last season of Brewster

3-9 Kill's 1st season
6-7 Kill's 2nd season, WON a close one to get to a bowl game.
8-5 Kill's 3rd season
8-5 Kill's 4th season

25-26 in 4 seasons of Kill.


And its not just the records or # of wins, or # of bowl games, etc..

Those were 5 really bad losses in 2002, and they weren't all to ranked teams. We've been playing tougher scedules under Kill, partly because Kill's sceduling tougher opponents in the ooc part of the season, but the teams the Gophers are playing in conf are tougher, and yet the Gophers are playing them closer, or beating them.

And its hard to measure this, and it will probably take another year or two to see the evidence of this, but Kill's got more depth on his team's than Mason had on his teams.

Mason's 4th season they only won 6 games, Kill won 8 in his 4th season. Do you think our Gophers are going to have a 4-7 season next year like Mason did in his 5th season??? Seriously? Most are guessing they'll win at least 7, if not 8 or more.

 

[station19]

Lemmings, Lemmings, Lemmings.

Then reason all the sheep ran over the cliff is that they didn't see the Ewe-turn.

The poor cook he caught the fits
And threw away all my grits
And then he took and he ate up all of your corn
Let me go home
Why don't they let me go home
This is the worst comment I've ever been on

 

[Ski U Master]

Dude, did you watch any of those games in 2002?

13 point loss to Purdue
31 point loss to Ohio St
17 point loss to Michigan
24 point loss to Iowa
18 point loss to Wisconsin


As for 2003, sure, Mason won 10 games, but vs 4 creampuffs in the ooc and NOT ONE WIN vs a RANKED team the entire season.


AND...

02 was Mason's 6th season, 03 was Mason's 7th season.



4-7 the season before Mason

3-9 Mason's 1st season
5-6 Mason's 2nd season, MISSED out on getting to a bowl game losing a close one to IU
8-4 Mason's 3rd season
6-6 Mason's 4th season.

22-25 first 4 seasons of Mason,


Compare that now to

3-9 last season of Brewster

3-9 Kill's 1st season
6-7 Kill's 2nd season, WON a close one to get to a bowl game.
8-5 Kill's 3rd season
8-5 Kill's 4th season

25-26 in 4 seasons of Kill.


And its not just the records or # of wins, or # of bowl games, etc..

Those were 5 really bad losses in 2002, and they weren't all to ranked teams. We've been playing tougher scedules under Kill, partly because Kill's sceduling tougher opponents in the ooc part of the season, but the teams the Gophers are playing in conf are tougher, and yet the Gophers are playing them closer, or beating them.

And its hard to measure this, and it will probably take another year or two to see the evidence of this, but Kill's got more depth on his team's than Mason had on his teams.

Mason's 4th season they only won 6 games, Kill won 8 in his 4th season. Do you think our Gophers are going to have a 4-7 season next year like Mason did in his 5th season??? Seriously? Most are guessing they'll win at least 7, if not 8 or more.

Not going to comment on the coaching differences, the Mase vs Kill debate has been beaten to death on here. As far as which seasons had greater success I value total wins, bowl game victories, and beating Wisconsin above others. I don't care about the OOC teams or strength of schedule and when most people look back through time I don't think they do either. We will win more than 6 games next year most likely and then I absolutely agree that it's the most sustained success, and I don't totally reject that the last two seasons were in that conversation either, but for me the 02-03 years were more fun and enjoyable than the last two, sure there were lows but I think the highs were higher and I like to remember the good times.

 

[Ski U Master]

Maybe Ski U Master is their leader. Just kidding Ski.

Maybe I'm Tom Lemming and this is all to drive controversy and traffic to his/my site.

 

[#1nHkyCfbBsbDncSolarDebat]

Not going to comment on the coaching differences, the Mase vs Kill debate has been beaten to death on here. As far as which seasons had greater success I value total wins, bowl game victories, and beating Wisconsin above others. I don't care about the OOC teams or strength of schedule and when most people look back through time I don't think they do either. We will win more than 6 games next year most likely and then I absolutely agree that it's the most sustained success, and I don't totally reject that the last two seasons were in that conversation either, but for me the 02-03 years were more fun and enjoyable than the last two, sure there were lows but I think the highs were higher and I like to remember the good times.

Oh, you value total wins??? Well, what part of 22 wins vs 19 in years 2-4 for Kill and Mason then doesn't compute to "total wins" for you???


22 is more than 19 right?



Oh, you are judging Kill's 3rd and 4th season vs Mason's 6th and 7th, I see. Thats fair.


NOT.


Sustained growth means SUSTAINED!!!!!!!!! Going from 5 to 8 wins and back down to 6 and then down to 4 wins from years 2-5 is far from what I'd consider sustained.

And what highs were there in 2002(year #6)??? Seems like in year 6 Mason shouldn't have still been losing by large margins to almost half a dozen teams. Most of those teams were unrated.

Last year UMn was keeping themselves in games, within reach of winning games vs eventual Natl Champs OSU and eventual West Div Champs Wisconsin right up until late in the 4th quarter. So they lost 5 games, all 5 were to eventual bowl qualifiers and 4 of them were ranked, HIGHLY ranked teams. Only 1 big loss, and that was early.


Give this last season's Gophers the scedule the 2003 Gophers had to play and they might have won 11 maybe even 12 games. Sure the season may have been a bit "funner", its always funner when the team is winning. But we might as well move to the MAC or the AAC and win worthless conf titles that don't even get that team into the Top 25, without beating a single ranked team the entire season if all you care about is winning games.

But who thinks that Cincinnati's 3 straight Conf Titles means much of anything?! I'm not sure they made it into the Top 25 any of those 3 seasons. Not one of their conf titles were outright, and this year they didn't even have to play either of the teams they were in a 3 way tie for the conf title with. Talk about a sham.


I'm sorry, but I'm old school. The best are teams that play the best, and beat the best. I could care less about teams that accumulate lots of wins vs creampuffs and then puff out their chests and brag about all of their many wins.

2014's 8-5 was more impressive to me than 2003's 10-3. Not sure why that is so hard to understand.


And you said that 02-03 were "more fun"??? What does fun have to do with "sustained success"???


The Badgers bb team is torture to watch, but they win. Hell, some of Wacker's teams were very entertaining to watch. Those teams knew how to score. They just let their opponents score more. Fun is not the end all and be all when it comes to measuring success.

 

[Ski U Master]

Oh, you value total wins??? Well, what part of 22 wins vs 19 in years 2-4 for Kill and Mason then doesn't compute to "total wins" for you???


22 is more than 19 right?



Oh, you are judging Kill's 3rd and 4th season vs Mason's 6th and 7th, I see. Thats fair.


NOT.


Sustained growth means SUSTAINED!!!!!!!!! Going from 5 to 8 wins and back down to 6 and then down to 4 wins from years 2-5 is far from what I'd consider sustained.

And what highs were there in 2002(year #6)??? Seems like in year 6 Mason shouldn't have still been losing by large margins to almost half a dozen teams. Most of those teams were unrated.

Last year UMn was keeping themselves in games, within reach of winning games vs eventual Natl Champs OSU and eventual West Div Champs Wisconsin right up until late in the 4th quarter. So they lost 5 games, all 5 were to eventual bowl qualifiers and 4 of them were ranked, HIGHLY ranked teams. Only 1 big loss, and that was early.


Give this last season's Gophers the scedule the 2003 Gophers had to play and they might have won 11 maybe even 12 games. Sure the season may have been a bit "funner", its always funner when the team is winning. But we might as well move to the MAC or the AAC and win worthless conf titles that don't even get that team into the Top 25, without beating a single ranked team the entire season if all you care about is winning games.

But who thinks that Cincinnati's 3 straight Conf Titles means much of anything?! I'm not sure they made it into the Top 25 any of those 3 seasons. Not one of their conf titles were outright, and this year they didn't even have to play either of the teams they were in a 3 way tie for the conf title with. Talk about a sham.


I'm sorry, but I'm old school. The best are teams that play the best, and beat the best. I could care less about teams that accumulate lots of wins vs creampuffs and then puff out their chests and brag about all of their many wins.

2014's 8-5 was more impressive to me than 2003's 10-3. Not sure why that is so hard to understand.


And you said that 02-03 were "more fun"??? What does fun have to do with "sustained success"???


The Badgers bb team is torture to watch, but they win. Hell, some of Wacker's teams were very entertaining to watch. Those teams knew how to score. They just let their opponents score more. Fun is not the end all and be all when it comes to measuring success.

Hey that's fine, we have different opinions. No need to get all worked up man.