Gopher Fans Unite

[maxwellsmart]

Is this board the Gopher Hole or just a hole? Supposedly some of the most dedicated Gopher fans inhabit this environment, yet most of the speculation about the upcoming season is being directed by Art Vandelay while his minions chime in with a few pseudo-brilliant remarks of their own, of course all couched in the same sarcastic, whining tone for which their leader is so well known.

Nothing about this season will change the way I feel about Gopher football. Nothing. I won't be happy if we lose, but I will never (this is the one context in which "never" is a word I will use) change my loyalty to the Gophers. I refuse to become a whining, moaning snit of a fan who expels my petty frustrations by picking at every possible negative I can find about the team I'm supposed to support.

So here is what I'm looking for this season: I'm excited about a whole group of underclassmen who are ready to start blossoming into mature college football players. It is our ace in the hole and if it's played properly all the doom and gloom predictions will disappear like an outhouse overrun by a Kansas twister.

Weber could kick himself into a better senior season than any of us expect. The OL could improve. The RB situation could improve. Our defense should be solid at least. Could I be disappointed? Yes, it's happened before. Did it change where I want to be for Saturday home games? Not on your life, no matter what the W / L record.

Any of you who have read some of my previous posts know I'm normally not a heavy-duty cheerleader. But for Goldy's sake, let's get beyond the easily stoked fires of pessimism. Go out of your way to think what might happen this season that will be positive for the program.

 

[EG#9]

I don't know what I dislike more the sarcastic/negative posts that you have highlighted or the posts suggesting that 5-7 or 6-6 is somehow ok or even better than ok. I'll never be excited by a team that goes .500 or worse in their own conference. I'll still support the Gophers, but I will never lower my expectations to the point where I am satisfied with that type of season.

I think a lot of the pessimism comes from people who are tired of having a glass half full type attitude only to be constantly disappointed by Gopher football. Some have chosen to mock the program, or take some sort of weird pride in disparaging it (names of blogs), or lowered there expectations so they can be happy no matter how poor the program is. Everyone deals with it in their own way, and it's kind of like chemistry among sports teams. As is constantly pointed out, you never hear about "great chemistry" on terrible teams. Likewise, fans have more to argue/complain about when the team they follow does not win. It's much easier to be united while winning that it is to be united when losing.

 

[Schnoodler]

I unlike most do not require set results to feel good about the program. I fully expect this team to become very good at some point this year. That's the totality of my expectations. What that means in wins and losses means nothing to me. I'm just excited that finally the talented players that Brewster recruited will dominate the two deeps. However I'm a realist, it will take some time before these guys can play together at this level. I have no idea when it will click. I do feel pretty comfortable in saying that coming into next year we're going to be pretty pumped about the team coming in.

It's been a long wait, redshirts and learning curves has been the story thus far. Finally we have a talented team top to bottom. I really enjoy this process. I like watching the pieces coming together. For those who need to see W's to get all chubbed I'm predicting a terrible year for you. Which means another crappy year on the hole. I am not looking forward to that.

 

[AhliBobwa]

Is this board the Gopher Hole or just a hole? Supposedly some of the most dedicated Gopher fans inhabit this environment, yet most of the speculation about the upcoming season is being directed by Art Vandelay while his minions chime in with a few pseudo-brilliant remarks of their own, of course all couched in the same sarcastic, whining tone for which their leader is so well known.

Nothing about this season will change the way I feel about Gopher football. Nothing. I won't be happy if we lose, but I will never (this is the one context in which "never" is a word I will use) change my loyalty to the Gophers. I refuse to become a whining, moaning snit of a fan who expels my petty frustrations by picking at every possible negative I can find about the team I'm supposed to support.

So here is what I'm looking for this season: I'm excited about a whole group of underclassmen who are ready to start blossoming into mature college football players. It is our ace in the hole and if it's played properly all the doom and gloom predictions will disappear like an outhouse overrun by a Kansas twister.

Weber could kick himself into a better senior season than any of us expect. The OL could improve. The RB situation could improve. Our defense should be solid at least. Could I be disappointed? Yes, it's happened before. Did it change where I want to be for Saturday home games? Not on your life, no matter what the W / L record.

Any of you who have read some of my previous posts know I'm normally not a heavy-duty cheerleader. But for Goldy's sake, let's get beyond the easily stoked fires of pessimism. Go out of your way to think what might happen this season that will be positive for the program.

+1. Post of the year. Pay particular attention to the last sentence. And to those pseudo Gopher fans on the board (you know who you are, and so does everyone else). Please find other hobbies or at least find another team to disparage.

 

[Ron Johnson Super Fan]

I don't know what I dislike more the sarcastic/negative posts that you have highlighted or the posts suggesting that 5-7 or 6-6 is somehow ok or even better than ok. I'll never be excited by a team that goes .500 or worse in their own conference. I'll still support the Gophers, but I will never lower my expectations to the point where I am satisfied with that type of season.

I think a lot of the pessimism comes from people who are tired of having a glass half full type attitude only to be constantly disappointed by Gopher football. Some have chosen to mock the program, or take some sort of weird pride in disparaging it (names of blogs), or lowered there expectations so they can be happy no matter how poor the program is. Everyone deals with it in their own way, and it's kind of like chemistry among sports teams. As is constantly pointed out, you never hear about "great chemistry" on terrible teams. Likewise, fans have more to argue/complain about when the team they follow does not win. It's much easier to be united while winning that it is to be united when losing.

I'm with you on the not getting excited about a 5-7 or 6-6 team. But for the life of me I can't understand Gopher fans who act like the last couple of years have been hell. You couldn't have been a Gopher football fan for long if the Brewster era has been enough to drive you away from the program.

 

[ruralgopher]

I'm with you on the not getting excited about a 5-7 or 6-6 team. But for the life of me I can't understand Gopher fans who act like the last couple of years have been hell. You couldn't have been a Gopher football fan for long if the Brewster era has been enough to drive you away from the program.

This is true. Think about how many people have become students since 1999 (when expectations/hope were raised). Now think of how many people bought season tickets the last year at the dome to get their spot in TCF. That is a significant chunk of people who have only known mediocre Gopher football and never were exposed to utterly terrible Gopher football like so many of us.

 

[Ole]

I'm with you on the not getting excited about a 5-7 or 6-6 team. But for the life of me I can't understand Gopher fans who act like the last couple of years have been hell. You couldn't have been a Gopher football fan for long if the Brewster era has been enough to drive you away from the program.

THIS!

I've been scarce here lately, quite frankly there just hasn't been much to talk about, though I will not shy away from confronting the flawed logic and incorrect facts of some spirited and mostly negative posters.
I could not stand the attitude of our previous coach, some of the quotes in his final year were downright offensive and disgusting to me. I came into the Brewster era with guarded optimism and increased interest and I still have it.
The thing is I can't stand the folks that simply refuse to enjoy victories and the rollercoaster ride of seasons.
For the record I fully expect a huge upset at some point this year and will celebrate with gusto and beer all night long.

 

[wait!what?]

I go to the games for entertainment. Win or lose

 

[FreakyDeke]

I don't know what I dislike more the sarcastic/negative posts that you have highlighted or the posts suggesting that 5-7 or 6-6 is somehow ok or even better than ok. I'll never be excited by a team that goes .500 or worse in their own conference. I'll still support the Gophers, but I will never lower my expectations to the point where I am satisfied with that type of season.

I agree with this statement in the long run, but not necessarily on a year by year basis. If you said the Gophers will finish 5-7 or 6-6 for eternity, that would suck and I wouldn't be OK with it. But you do have to look at each year and see what the expectations should be for it on its own. We aren't a program that's stacked and can just reload. This year we have basically a brand new defense, an offense that hopefully Horton can make work, and a very tough schedule. That's where these predictions come from. But knowing that they are young and talented gives hope and the expectations (hopefully soon) down the road will be higher.

 

[Maximus]

We aren't a program that's stacked and can just reload.

We can't expect to reload following a 6-7 season?

The Cubs have wait until next year.

The Gophers now have wait until the year after next.....which was also the mantra last summer.

 

[littlebigboy]

I still think that Brester has been learning on the job, but has been recruiting well. I like that he has redshirted kids and allowed them to mature. Most are just coming into their own. Like it or not this yr. is probably not going to be the breakout yr. But they should be better eventhough the record might not be . But the next two to three yrs. could be very exciting as these kids come of age. I think that there will be a ton of bandwagon jumpers soon. All the naysayers will say I knew he would turn things around. Yea, I hope crow tastes good. Go Gophers.

 

[Schnoodler]

I still think that Brester has been learning on the job, but has been recruiting well. I like that he has redshirted kids and allowed them to mature. Most are just coming into their own. Like it or not this yr. is probably not going to be the breakout yr. But they should be better eventhough the record might not be . But the next two to three yrs. could be very exciting as these kids come of age. I think that there will be a ton of bandwagon jumpers soon. All the naysayers will say I knew he would turn things around. Yea, I hope crow tastes good. Go Gophers.

+1

This is what many have been saying and many don't get. It's always a process and we've been watching and waiting. Now we have the pieces, that doesn't mean they're ready to go. There is still a process of development. It's called a learning curve because it's gradual and not on or off.

 

[BigGopherFan]

I still think that Brester has been learning on the job, but has been recruiting well. I like that he has redshirted kids and allowed them to mature. Most are just coming into their own. Like it or not this yr. is probably not going to be the breakout yr. But they should be better eventhough the record might not be . But the next two to three yrs. could be very exciting as these kids come of age. I think that there will be a ton of bandwagon jumpers soon. All the naysayers will say I knew he would turn things around. Yea, I hope crow tastes good. Go Gophers.

I think most people will agree that the Big 10 is no place to be "learning on the job." Also, what about this season's class makes you think Brewster is recruiting well? Every year, the players he brings in are less and less highly-rated. I think it's quite clear that I am NOT a Brewster supporter, so please don't bash me. I'm making it clear that I don't care for Brewster up front.

 

[littlebigboy]

Big Goph, the ratings are fine, but don't always tell the story. An example is the Henderson kid that came from the cities via Mankato State. He looks to have developed into a player but nobody had him on their radar screen. If you recruit good kids with some talent and good work ethic, good things will happen. Brewster is now recruiting against big timers, not D-II . And whether he should learn or not at the big 10 level is a moot point, he is here. As the record improves we will hold a spot on the wagon for you.

 

[GhostofBronko]

As the record improves we will hold a spot on the wagon for you.

2007 to 2008 = improvement
2008 to 2009 ~= improvement
2009 to 2010 = Care to name the 7+ wins that will show improvement this year?

 

[Schnoodler]

This place will be in complete meltdown by the end of this season.

 

[bankonit]

2007 to 2008 = improvement
2008 to 2009 ~= improvement
2009 to 2010 = Care to name the 7+ wins that will show improvement this year?

With Gray at QB the record is:

@ Middle Tennessee State-W
South Dakota-W
USC-L
Northern Illinois-W
Northwestern-W
@ Wisconsin-L
@Purdue-W
Penn State-L
Ohio State-L
@ Michigan State-W
@Illinois-W
Iowa-W

with Weber we have 2 more losses

 

[RodentRampage]

With Gray at QB the record is:

@ Middle Tennessee State-W
South Dakota-W
USC-L
Northern Illinois-W
Northwestern-W
@ Wisconsin-L
@Purdue-W
Penn State-L
Ohio State-L
@ Michigan State-W
@Illinois-W
Iowa-W

with Weber we have 2 more losses

Unless Gray fumbles the game away.