GH: ESPN's Adam Rittenberg Says Gophers Can't Understate Value of TCF Bank Stadium

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GopherHole Staff said:
In its ongoing "TCF Bank Stadium - Changing Gopher Athletics Forever" series, GopherHole.com talks with the popular ESPN columnist, Adam Rittenberg. Rittenberg discusses TCF Bank Stadium and the Gopher program from a national perspective:

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1029
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One thing about Minnesota is that if they ever won an NC it would mean more than it would to a team that wins it the first time.

I remember when the Packers were awful and I'd rib my friends about how all the SB's were won before they were born. They really had no answer for it. Then '96 happened and you don't just get credit for that one, it brings back to life and legitimacy all that happened before.

So if the Gophers ever win another one, the headlines will read "Minnesota wins 7th National Title"....that would be cool - one can dream.
 

Not to that "that guy", but shouldn't the title say "Gophers can't overstate value of TCF Bank Stadium"? CLA majors get in here and opine.
 

mesothelioma said:
Not to that "that guy", but shouldn't the title say "Gophers can't overstate value of TCF Bank Stadium"? CLA majors get in here and opine.
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I read it as implying "shouldn't understate". "Can't" is sometimes used to mean "Well, you can if you really want to, but you really shouldn't." Someone who is lactose intolerant might say "I can't drink milk", when it would be more literally true to say "I can drink milk, but I would rather not be in pain for a couple hours."

But that usage of "can't" to mean "shouldn't" implies an "or else", implying the negative implications of that action. Since the article isn't a warning about the risks of understating the value of TCF, I would say that your choice of words would be the most accurate in the most common usage.
 

This is how you can tell this is a college forum. We are discussing the ins and outs of implied grammar in sports journalism. I love it. :clap:
 


mesothelioma said:
Not to that "that guy", but shouldn't the title say "Gophers can't overstate value of TCF Bank Stadium"? CLA majors get in here and opine.
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I'm in total agreement with you, meso. "Can't understate" means "is impossible to understate," or, in effect, the assertion is so small that it cannot be reduced any further. I (want to) think Rittenhouse meant that it is impossible to overstate/overestimate the impact of the stadium, i.e., meaning that it's a bigger deal than people are likely to understand.

Of course this may be a usage comparable to the common "I could care less," which has always sounded to me like the exact opposite of "I care so little about this that I couldn't possibly care any less." For much more on that topic, see this essay.

And yes, I was a liberal arts major.

And no, I don't (as opposed to "can" or "can't"!) have less respect for Adam Rittenberg and the Gopher Hole writers as a result.
 

I read his blog daily. Nice interview.
 

Adam Rittenberg, out of all the ESPN columnists I've read, seems to have the most balanced and unbiased coverage. I don't know if you read this message board Adam, but kudos and keep up the good work.
 

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