BleedGopher
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Here's hoping the players rally around each other and earn some much needed fun and smiles against NU.
From Marcus of the Pioneer Press:
Gophers players are learning that negativity directed at the program could be eased by the power of a win
Gophers players are learning that the anger directed at their football shortcomings could be calmed with a victory in Saturday's Big Ten opener
It has become more difficult each week for University of Minnesota football players to bite their tongues and not let out their frustration after disturbingly poor results going into Big Ten Conference play.
After all, the fans aren't holding back. Their criticism is escalating.
Players like redshirt freshman Ra'Shede Hageman can't help but hear talk from disgruntled Gopher faithful about how much they must lack talent for losing to a lower-level team like South Dakota and how coach Tim Brewster should be fired already for starting the season 1-3.
Just walking through campus to class, opening e-mails or messages on social networking sites or looking at Internet chat boards following the football team, players have found comments that could set them off.
Hageman said in high school he and some of his younger teammates might have reacted differently to the type of harsh criticism they're receiving now.
"But it's just part of growing up," said the former All-America tight end at Minneapolis Washburn High School. "We don't need all that attention of us retaliating or talking back to other people who say negative stuff to us. People are always going to say negative things, but it's how you take that energy and make it positive."
That's the message Brewster and captains like senior quarterback Adam Weber are trying to get the team to understand this week, how responding to the negative talk can distract them from trying to turn around their season Saturday against Northwestern (4-0).
"You have to be smart," Weber said. "You never realize who is watching. The biggest point isn't just older people and media looking at it, it's the younger people looking at your Facebook. I think that's the toughest part for someone that's 21, 22 years old. You realize that there are 12-year-olds reading your Facebook. So the words you (use) and the messages you say go a long way."
Weber said some players might have brushed off the idea of careful posting on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter pages in the past, believing they're not saying anything that bad and should be able to get away with just being a normal, impulsive college student.
But that was before junior Troy Stoudermire vented last Wednesday about his talent not being respected and that he was "no longer a gopher." His comments resulted in a suspension from the team.
Stoudermire realized his mistake and apologized to Brewster and his teammates. They allowed him to be reinstated, and he is expected to play Saturday. Stoudermire's case was an example that each player has his own responsibility to "watch what they say," sophomore linebacker Keanon Cooper said.
Cooper, who was Stoudermire's teammate at Dallas Skyline High School and has known him since fourth grade, wasn't aware of how upset Stoudermire was last week. Cooper said he would have said something to Stoudermire, but they aren't roommates and play on opposite sides of the ball in practice.
"I would honestly say that I've never seen him do that," he said. "Troy is very confident. He knows he's good. But I would say that he kind of understands (now) that sometimes he was telling it the wrong way."
Stoudermire wasn't available to talk to media after Tuesday's practice, but he was remorseful on his Facebook status.
"I apologize for my actions to my teammates, fans, and coaches," he said on his page Tuesday. "I deeply regret letting my emotions get the best of me. I handled this situation incorrectly and realize the consequences of my actions. We are all here for one overall goal and that is to win championships. I hope we can move on from this, and I will do anything to help my team win. I am proud to a Gopher and let's go beat Northwestern!"
Brewster said he didn't think it would be right to eliminate the use of social networking sites by his players, even though it resulted in Stoudermire using bad judgment.
Freshman cornerback Brock Vereen said he always thinks twice about what his parents and Brewster might think about what he posts on Facebook because he knows he's representing the Gophers and his family.
"I think what you do is you just talk to kids about understanding the importance of making good decisions when you're utilizing electronic media," Brewster said.
But Stoudermire's situation still provides a lesson to the entire team on how players will talk about and respond to their experiences — good or bad. And there's only one way to stop the criticism.
"Of course, there's going to be negativity out there," Vereen said. "The best way to end it would be to win."
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_16200097
Go Gophers!!
From Marcus of the Pioneer Press:
Gophers players are learning that negativity directed at the program could be eased by the power of a win
Gophers players are learning that the anger directed at their football shortcomings could be calmed with a victory in Saturday's Big Ten opener
It has become more difficult each week for University of Minnesota football players to bite their tongues and not let out their frustration after disturbingly poor results going into Big Ten Conference play.
After all, the fans aren't holding back. Their criticism is escalating.
Players like redshirt freshman Ra'Shede Hageman can't help but hear talk from disgruntled Gopher faithful about how much they must lack talent for losing to a lower-level team like South Dakota and how coach Tim Brewster should be fired already for starting the season 1-3.
Just walking through campus to class, opening e-mails or messages on social networking sites or looking at Internet chat boards following the football team, players have found comments that could set them off.
Hageman said in high school he and some of his younger teammates might have reacted differently to the type of harsh criticism they're receiving now.
"But it's just part of growing up," said the former All-America tight end at Minneapolis Washburn High School. "We don't need all that attention of us retaliating or talking back to other people who say negative stuff to us. People are always going to say negative things, but it's how you take that energy and make it positive."
That's the message Brewster and captains like senior quarterback Adam Weber are trying to get the team to understand this week, how responding to the negative talk can distract them from trying to turn around their season Saturday against Northwestern (4-0).
"You have to be smart," Weber said. "You never realize who is watching. The biggest point isn't just older people and media looking at it, it's the younger people looking at your Facebook. I think that's the toughest part for someone that's 21, 22 years old. You realize that there are 12-year-olds reading your Facebook. So the words you (use) and the messages you say go a long way."
Weber said some players might have brushed off the idea of careful posting on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter pages in the past, believing they're not saying anything that bad and should be able to get away with just being a normal, impulsive college student.
But that was before junior Troy Stoudermire vented last Wednesday about his talent not being respected and that he was "no longer a gopher." His comments resulted in a suspension from the team.
Stoudermire realized his mistake and apologized to Brewster and his teammates. They allowed him to be reinstated, and he is expected to play Saturday. Stoudermire's case was an example that each player has his own responsibility to "watch what they say," sophomore linebacker Keanon Cooper said.
Cooper, who was Stoudermire's teammate at Dallas Skyline High School and has known him since fourth grade, wasn't aware of how upset Stoudermire was last week. Cooper said he would have said something to Stoudermire, but they aren't roommates and play on opposite sides of the ball in practice.
"I would honestly say that I've never seen him do that," he said. "Troy is very confident. He knows he's good. But I would say that he kind of understands (now) that sometimes he was telling it the wrong way."
Stoudermire wasn't available to talk to media after Tuesday's practice, but he was remorseful on his Facebook status.
"I apologize for my actions to my teammates, fans, and coaches," he said on his page Tuesday. "I deeply regret letting my emotions get the best of me. I handled this situation incorrectly and realize the consequences of my actions. We are all here for one overall goal and that is to win championships. I hope we can move on from this, and I will do anything to help my team win. I am proud to a Gopher and let's go beat Northwestern!"
Brewster said he didn't think it would be right to eliminate the use of social networking sites by his players, even though it resulted in Stoudermire using bad judgment.
Freshman cornerback Brock Vereen said he always thinks twice about what his parents and Brewster might think about what he posts on Facebook because he knows he's representing the Gophers and his family.
"I think what you do is you just talk to kids about understanding the importance of making good decisions when you're utilizing electronic media," Brewster said.
But Stoudermire's situation still provides a lesson to the entire team on how players will talk about and respond to their experiences — good or bad. And there's only one way to stop the criticism.
"Of course, there's going to be negativity out there," Vereen said. "The best way to end it would be to win."
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_16200097
Go Gophers!!
