Gopher Illustrated: Dungy has agreed to be coach (rumor)

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Bob_Loblaw said:
I think it's understandable that fans stop supporting teams, but it does have an impact on the overall strength of the program. For instance, I understand that my devotion to Gopher football is probably a little illogical. I spend quite a bit of time and money following and supporting the program. I couldn't really make a super strong logical argument as to why I would support the program pretty much under any circumstances, but the fact is that I do. Now, the truth is that the U of MN has few fans like most of us (in comparison to a big time program). It is one of the criteria that makes for a big time program.

Now, as to how that can affect the program's wins and losses. Well, look at Oklahoma. They were able to get Bob Stoops to leave Florida and go to Oklahoma (something we had tried to do and failed at a couple years earlier). Part of the reason is because Oklahoma was a big time program despite not even being .500 for 4 seasons prior to his arrival. They were also able to pay Stoops a higher salary.

Part of the reason why we haven't been able to get our pick of the litter in terms of coaching candidates is because we don't have as big of a die hard fan base (who donates money and is a gigantic cash draw to the University).

Another example would be Gopher hockey.

The amount of borderline illogically devoted fans to a program in comparison to other programs in that sport plays a role on the overall success of the program.
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I really think this is a chicken-egg argument. I don't think that Bob Stoops went to Oklahoma because of their fan base, per se. I think their fan base is bigger because it's a big-time program. In other words, I don't think it's their fan base that makes them a big-time program. It's their past and more recent success that makes them a big-time program, and the fans simply follow then in greater numbers.

Clearly the big-money boosters at big programs do make a difference. But I think that's a separate issue from "fan base."
 

But Oklahoma had almost no recent success when Stoops was hired. They were coming off of years of mediocrity (at best) and most recently to the hiring teams which were 3-8 and 3-9. I understand that their success under Switzer wasn't too far off, but I think it is pretty obvious that even when Oklahoma was losing, they were a better program than a lot of programs with a better record.

For a less drastic example, look at MSU. They were able to land Mark Dantonio (higher salary but from an established program).

I do think it's a fair point that this argument is a bit of a chicken and the egg argument, but I also think our lack of an enormous fan base is one of the reasons we are one of the worst BCS conference jobs in the country.
 

Again, chicken or egg. If we were doing better, this would be a much more desirable position, however, if we were doing better, we wouldn't be in the market for a new coach.
 


Khaliq said:
Hi. It's a team game. Well, goodbye.
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Ain't that the truth. Adam Weber isn't the greatest Big Ten QB whoever lived. But he did play with two of the worst Gopher defenses of all-time. And that is saying something.
 


RodentRampage said:
Again, chicken or egg. If we were doing better, this would be a much more desirable position, however, if we were doing better, we wouldn't be in the market for a new coach.
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But that's not accurate.

As I pointed out, Oklahoma had a Brewsteresque run prior to hiring Stoops.

Texas A and M hasn't been about as good as the gophers in recent years, and they would obviously be a better job than MN.


There are plenty of examples of programs which are generally considered to be better jobs than the Gophers that haven't had much if any more success than the Gophers recently.
 

Khaliq said:
Hi. It's a team game. Well, goodbye.
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I guess you missed the games where he overthrew wide open receivers on a such a consistent basis that other fans of big ten teams call throws "Webers" when their QB's over throw receivers.
 


Hates Monikers said:
Ain't that the truth. Adam Weber isn't the greatest Big Ten QB whoever lived. But he did play with two of the worst Gopher defenses of all-time. And that is saying something.
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Not really because Cupito played with a horrendous Defense & so did Khaliq...

Weber's been in more positions to win games that they've lost because of Defense as well...
 



Bob_Loblaw said:
I don't think that is logical. I would prefer for us to hire the best possible coach we could get. If ,by some miracle of God, Dungy wanted this job, we would obviously want to hire him.

That's like saying, I don't want to date Jessica Alba because getting dumped by her would be so much worse than the pigs that usually get rid of me.
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The thread has moved past this, but I had to talk about your analagy and where it went wrong. Hiring Dungy and not moving past the Mason era in terms of winning % would be like you not being able to get an erection and not wanting Jessica Alba to come blow you for fear that even she would be unable to give you a hint of wood. Then you'd have to admit that you were essentially a eunuch.
 

thailleagle said:
Not really because Cupito played with a horrendous Defense & so did Khaliq...

Weber's been in more positions to win games that they've lost because of Defense as well...
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Last years defense was not nearly as bad as some of the ones Cupito and Khaliq played with. Still I don't think Weber is as bad as some on this board think he is and his completions to attemps seems to support this.
 

CentralGopher said:
Last years defense was not nearly as bad as some of the ones Cupito and Khaliq played with. Still I don't think Weber is as bad as some on this board think he is and his completions to attemps seems to support this.
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Wins and losses don't. He's had his chance and it's time for Brewster to deal with some hurt feelings and move forward with Gray.
 

Setting us up for more mediocrity

We are experiencing the worst. Once we get the replacement, anybody will seem like a big improvement. However, if we end up with another 6-7 guy, we will have failed in our replacement. 7-6 will be a failure. 8-5 is inadequate. 9-4 would be a vast improvement, but is no contender. 9-4 seems to be my new baseline for failure after 3 years of being on the job. That is what I want to see. No more 5 years of trying to move us past .500. If the next coach can't get us past .500 in 2 years, he is suspect. I have had my head into getting a realignment job. I have new expectations. :horse:
 



Hates Monikers said:
Ain't that the truth. Adam Weber isn't the greatest Big Ten QB whoever lived. But he did play with two of the worst Gopher defenses of all-time. And that is saying something.
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As well as one of the best WR the Gophers have ever had. That might have helped Weber's stats a bit.
 

NDGopher said:
I don't think a packed stadium and top 10 recruiting classes would bore you.
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Does Dungy strike you as a top-10 recruiting class type of guy? He sure doesn't seem like the type who wants to spend 250 days a year on the road kissing 17 year old athlete ass to me.
 

CentralGopher said:
Last years defense was not nearly as bad as some of the ones Cupito and Khaliq played with. Still I don't think Weber is as bad as some on this board think he is and his completions to attemps seems to support this.
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Agreed, but the 2007 defense was far worse than anything those guys ever dealt with.
 

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