Ignatius L Hoops
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The Big Ten Media Day video:
The last weekend of the season: Gophers play OSU in Columbus on Friday, then play Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday.Two answers
1.) The Gophers should be in the mix for the Big Ten title. I have not looked at the schedules. Often comes down to who, when, and where you play each other and whether you miss a contender. Nebraska, Ohio State, and pardon the term Wisconsin should also be right there. Health and team chemistry could be key.
2.) Regarding the NCAA. Final eight should be a must and final four the hope or goal. No reason to think less
Wouldn't it be ironic and wonderful and sad all at the same time if the Gophers win it all the year after Stephanie Samedy completed her Gopher career?Two answers
1.) The Gophers should be in the mix for the Big Ten title. I have not looked at the schedules. Often comes down to who, when, and where you play each other and whether you miss a contender. Nebraska, Ohio State, and pardon the term Wisconsin should also be right there. Health and team chemistry could be key.
2.) Regarding the NCAA. Final eight should be a must and final four the hope or goal. No reason to think less
Totally agree...as if Nebraska needed more of an advantage besides being at home.The last weekend of the season: Gophers play OSU in Columbus on Friday, then play Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday.
What a joke
There is no doubt SSS has been the best setter this program has seen since Hugh has been the HC. The opportunities were all there to win a Natty, but for whatever reason the team could not pull it together, when it counted the most. I will never forget SSS being consoled by TayMo at the end of the match. Yes it was probably the largest disappointment as a Gopher fan that season, but more so for the players involved.No offense to Samedy, but I doubt anything will top having a senior SSS leading the team in 2018 and the Final Four being in Minneapolis …… only for the team to s___ the bed against Oregon. Was at that game and everyone was disgusted.
Sports gods rained down piss upon all our heads, roaring in laughter as they did. Of course, Oregon got b__chslapped by Nebraska in the next round. Of course they did, but of course not before playing the game of their lives and getting every lucky break.
And thanks for reminding us that Wisconsin got a national title before the Gophers did. Should have been us in 2018.There is no doubt SSS has been the best setter this program has seen since Hugh has been the HC. The opportunities were all there to win a Natty, but for whatever reason the team could not pull it together, when it counted the most. I will never forget SSS being consoled by TayMo at the end of the match. Yes it was probably the largest disappointment as a Gopher fan that season, but more so for the players involved.
The pressure to win can become too great. I keep going back to the psychological aspect of a sport. I feel this was a perfect example of how huge it can be.
Does a team really need the #1 ranking to become a National Champion? In my mind it just adds more "pressure" to these players who are already under a lot of pressure to win. Especially when they are at home playing on a National Stage. Don't forget Nebraska "almost" upset Wisconsin for the Natty last season.
This is crazy talk. There is zero way we were going to beat that 6’ 6”-tower-of-power Kathryn Plummer who was absolutely unstoppable when she needed to be. It wasn’t going to happen.…. Should have been us in 2018.
10 years ago you had maybe 2-3 really strong programs within the B1G. Now with UCLA and USC joining in a few years, more than half the conference will have a fighting chance.Two answers
1.) The Gophers should be in the mix for the Big Ten title. I have not looked at the schedules. Often comes down to who, when, and where you play each other and whether you miss a contender. Nebraska, Ohio State, and pardon the term Wisconsin should also be right there. Health and team chemistry could be key.
2.) Regarding the NCAA. Final eight should be a must and final four the hope or goal. No reason to think less
2015 was our best shot. Veteran leadership with Santana, strong lineup (Wilhite, Tapp twins, Rosado) and B1G FOY SSS.This is crazy talk. There is zero way we were going to beat that 6’ 6”-tower-of-power Kathryn Plummer who was absolutely unstoppable when she needed to be. It wasn’t going to happen.
I am sorry but all this talk about the Gophers winning national volleyball titles only leads to one outcome: disappointment. They can win Big Tens though. Anything that happens after the Big Ten season is just gravy… it’s not the real meal.
Is the only thing that matters. Have already won the Big Ten. Natty is all there is left to do.all this talk about the Gophers winning national volleyball titles
Gopher fans have to be fans in the way that they want to be.Is the only thing that matters. Have already won the Big Ten. Natty is all there is left to do.
If a genie tells me that Hugh over the next 10 seasons: wins the Big Ten 5 times and never finishes worse than 3rd, but never makes it past the semi-finals:
fire him. Start over. Give me someone who will win a natty.
But Wisconsin can do it? BSGopher fans have to be fans in the way that they want to be.
But as for me; I just can’t do fandom the way Gophers_4life chooses to. Too disappointing.
I guess the question coming from the quote that I have bolded above is, what if nobody can? Natties are… like… hard to come by.
From the notes in that article: "The Gophers are scheduled to host an open scrimmage at Maturi Pavilion on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 3:15 p.m. CT. Admission is free."Gophers Volleyball Opens Camp for 2022 Season - University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota has begun preparations for its 2022 season.gophersports.com
I saw that some people found a blurb in a preview that seems to indicate Wenaas will be the one moving to RS.The pre-season scrimmage will be coming up soon. That should be a great indicator on who will be the starters this fall. So my PRE SCRIMMAGE THOUGHTS.....
I cannot see Mc Wu not starting. As the majority of us have already stated, the three pins should be Landfair, Wenaas and Mc Wu (although we have a true opp in RS Crowl on the roster). I feel who the starting pins will be always comes down to this......Hugh's 6R system he likes to run. So far Wenaas is the only OH who has proven she fits that system the best.
Also, I keep going back and forth in my mind who the two MB starters will be. I have not seen Gros play as a Gopher, but with what I have been reading about her game, I am now leaning toward her and Husemann as the starters.
Davis had a very decent season at Ohio State. However, I felt she was struggling with both setters this past spring.
Although we could use a 6'7" MB like Booth, I am thinking she might be red shirted this season. Wisky graduated Rettke, but I feel Smrek is a much bigger threat for them. IMO Rettke had the slide, but Smrek's game offensively is much greater.
Our setters.....connecting with the middles isn't either McGhie's or Shaffmaster's strength of their games. So I am looking forward to seeing our other two setters in this scrimmage....Chloe Ng and Mir Wu. There is no doubt that Shaffmaster is the starting setter, but the #1 backup to her is still questionable.
Guaranteed after scrimmage thoughts to come soon.
Why wouldn’t it be her? You put your best athlete in that RS position, don’t you? It seems obvious to me. What am I missing?I saw that some people found a blurb in a preview that seems to indicate Wenaas will be the one moving to RS.
Thoughts on this, as opposed to Landfair or McWu?
Any thoughts on their defense? Next year after CC is gone, do they go with the incoming freshman Choboy or look towards the transfer portal?The pre-season scrimmage will be coming up soon. That should be a great indicator on who will be the starters this fall. So my PRE SCRIMMAGE THOUGHTS.....
I cannot see Mc Wu not starting. As the majority of us have already stated, the three pins should be Landfair, Wenaas and Mc Wu (although we have a true opp in RS Crowl on the roster). I feel who the starting pins will be always comes down to this......Hugh's 6R system he likes to run. So far Wenaas is the only OH who has proven she fits that system the best.
Also, I keep going back and forth in my mind who the two MB starters will be. I have not seen Gros play as a Gopher, but with what I have been reading about her game, I am now leaning toward her and Husemann as the starters.
Davis had a very decent season at Ohio State. However, I felt she was struggling with both setters this past spring.
Although we could use a 6'7" MB like Booth, I am thinking she might be red shirted this season. Wisky graduated Rettke, but I feel Smrek is a much bigger threat for them. IMO Rettke had the slide, but Smrek's game offensively is much greater.
Our setters.....connecting with the middles isn't either McGhie's or Shaffmaster's strength of their games. So I am looking forward to seeing our other two setters in this scrimmage....Chloe Ng and Mir Wu. There is no doubt that Shaffmaster is the starting setter, but the #1 backup to her is still questionable.
Guaranteed after scrimmage thoughts to come soon.
It’s gotta be Choboy doesn’t it? Seems like like that has been the plan to Choboy to come in right after CC.Any thoughts on their defense? Next year after CC is gone, do they go with the incoming freshman Choboy or look towards the transfer portal?
Do you? I'm not sure if that's true. I would also think Landfair a better raw athlete than Wenaas.You put your best athlete in that RS position, don’t you?
Olympic sports unchanged
While the new media rights deal will alter the landscape for football and men's and women's basketball, the conference announced that Olympic sports coverage will not be part of the deal. Those rights will remain with the Big Ten Network — and its streaming service, B1G+ — with plans to currently "carry the same level of Olympic sport content as before."
For newcomers to volleyball like me, in these intra-squad matches, it's hard to tell if it's great offense or not-so-great defense (or vice versa). I don't remember any eye-opening digs, and I think there were only two extended points, both in the third set.Once again we were back at the Pav for our annual Gopher sports year kickoff-the volleyball scrimmage.
A few notes from watching the first three sets:
The crowd: it was the largest I can recall. The north side seats were opened up.
The mystery: McKenna Wucherer was not there.
The second mystery: Naya Gros was wearing Mckenna's number
The back row attack: I remember one of note (that's life without Samedy.)
Serving: Shaffmaster had her late drop/dive serve working
Serving II: It's a scrimmage so we saw a few jump serves
Upside: Carter Booth is a work in progress with a terrific upside. Booth had some smashing kills and a couple of eat it blocks.
Fun front line (for a moment ): Landfair, Booth and Wenaas
New comers: McGhie brought some enthusiasm. Hanson and Crowl will make major contributions this season.