Huff Sites Brewster Contract Status as Reason

[caliGopher]

the answer is, there is no answer only risks, and pick your poison. Either recruiting takes a hit and the program pays the price four years later. or, the other answer is the U pays the price to protect the program and takes a financial hit if Brew can't get it done with a buy out. Risk.

There's no pretty solution. Ditch Brewster now, the program still takes a hit in recruiting and still has a two year buy out. Personally I redo Brewster deal and make it four years and take the financial hit if he fails. Are they comitted to the success of the football program or not. If they are put up the money.

Agree with your stance.
Joel has a choice:

• Extend him two years now(this can be done with little financial risk given Brewster's peformance on the field to date). This would be similar to how Dienhart handled Wacker.
• Fire him

Anything else just puts us in limbo which damages the program. To be fair not doing one of the above is not fair to Brewster. Brewster's coaching will take care of itself one way or another. Maturi hired him to recruit, you can't then take away all leverage in the recruiting game and then blame Brewster for not succeeding at it.

Maturi can't have it both ways. In reality, the former approach may give Maturi his out. If Brewster refuses and extension with stipulations and bolts, Maturi gets out of having to make a decision, again.

Regardless, either of the two options has it's ramifications on the program, but both show the program has direction -- agree with that direction or not, it beats idling at the expense of the program.

 

[MilesTarver]

There were quotes. He mentioned Brewster's contract to both Zach Johnson and the guy that runs TCU's site.

i did not read zach's article, only kent's, and he did not use quotes. if the quotes indeed came from zach, then i really call...nevermind, it's not worth it.

You might be right, but no ethical person can believe what you say when it's nothing but vague reference. If you're a true insider it's probably time to put a lid on it and if you're not, then tell the story and cite sources or quit wasting my time.

yeah, there are so many sources to cite, that work for the u, that would love to be taped or to be named. i won't put a lid on it, but you just believe what you want, and i will believe what i want.

He's nobody. Who's that lame to be close enough to the source to know and post the crap on here? It's all musing of somebody who knows somebody who wipes somebodies ass somewhere. Or you wouldn't hear it.

who's lame enough to get this riled up over my view on this whole 'huff" thing? i just called that i thought it was bs, and hopefully maturi knows that too. i've said what i wanted to say. later.

 

[Schnoodler]

If you want to pretend to be somebody who knows then be prepared to be called on it. Or frame your opinions as what they are, opinions.

 

[howeda7]

This is a false statement. The media likes to portray Brewster as being a coach people have given up on but it is simply not true. Most reasonable people know He needs more time before his performance is judged.

I guess I should clarify. Among the hard-core Gopher football fans (a small but hardy group), many of the 'reasonable' fans do think he needs more time. I consider myself reasonable, but have seen and heard enough to feel more time won't help.

But most casual Minnesota sports fans only pay passing interest in Gopher football right now and consider Brew either irrelevant or a joke. You may return fire saying these casual fans are irrelevant, but that is not true. They are the ones who make the difference between 35K and 50K in the stadium, and decent or poor TV/radio ratings.

 

[GVBadger]

If you're regional in your recruiting like Wiscy is .

Where do you come up with this stuff?

40 of the 85 Badgers on scholarship are not from the upper midwest. Does not sound very regional to me, unless a lot of States have moved.

9 of the 18 committments are not as well.

Don't let any facts get in the way of any point you were trying to make.

 

[Ole]

I guess I should clarify. Among the hard-core Gopher football fans (a small but hardy group), many of the 'reasonable' fans do think he needs more time. I consider myself reasonable, but have seen and heard enough to feel more time won't help.

But most casual Minnesota sports fans only pay passing interest in Gopher football right now and consider Brew either irrelevant or a joke. You may return fire saying these casual fans are irrelevant, but that is not true. They are the ones who make the difference between 35K and 50K in the stadium, and decent or poor TV/radio ratings.

This whole Huff thing sucks, but I'd really like to address this casual fan comment.
I could care less what some jack*&^% viking/wild/twin/wolve? fan has to say about the gophers football program.
You want to know exactly why the stadium wasn't filled late this fall? It was because too many fairweather, casual fans bought tickets to the brand new stadium and then lost interest as the season went on. It's too cold, no beer, I've already been to the new stadium, it's a cheap ticket, I have better things to do, etc.
The casual fans in this town are THE worst in the USA, cynical, impatient, and not a drop of loyalty in them. Casual fans who think Brewster is irrelevant or a joke do so because they put no effort or passion into the program and watch 1 or 2 games a year in passing, or even worse, they don't watch any and still have strong opinions.
We should be building this program to expanding the small but hardy harcore fan base, and believe it or not that is who Brewster caters to. In 5 years we'll have enough expansion in the hardcore fanbase to eliminate the need to cater to the casual fan. That should be the goal of everyone with interest in the future of the gopher football program.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I guess I should clarify. Among the hard-core Gopher football fans (a small but hardy group), many of the 'reasonable' fans do think he needs more time. I consider myself reasonable, but have seen and heard enough to feel more time won't help.

But most casual Minnesota sports fans only pay passing interest in Gopher football right now and consider Brew either irrelevant or a joke. You may return fire saying these casual fans are irrelevant, but that is not true. They are the ones who make the difference between 35K and 50K in the stadium, and decent or poor TV/radio ratings.

I agree with you 100%. Outside of people who are invested and go to the games, I can't find one person that likes Brewster as a coach. Every day I come to work I have a co-worker ask me if I still think Brewster needs 1-2 more years.

 

[RedPoo]

Could someone explain (or point me in the direction of an explanation) about open scholarships carrying over...namely, am I correct in thinking that any spot we don't fill this season will be there next year? And what are the relative pros and cons (besides wanting to get kids in ASAP) to knowingly under-recruiting to save spots for a time when you may be in better position to use them?

Specifically, does Brewster ever decide "f_ it, we're going to bring in the players we absolutely need this season, but I'm saving as much space as possible for a time when I have a contract and a winning season"?

 

[Monty519]

Agree with your stance.
Joel has a choice:

• Extend him two years now(this can be done with little financial risk given Brewster's peformance on the field to date). This would be similar to how Dienhart handled Wacker.
• Fire him

Anything else just puts us in limbo which damages the program. To be fair not doing one of the above is not fair to Brewster. Brewster's coaching will take care of itself one way or another. Maturi hired him to recruit, you can't then take away all leverage in the recruiting game and then blame Brewster for not succeeding at it.

Maturi can't have it both ways. In reality, the former approach may give Maturi his out. If Brewster refuses and extension with stipulations and bolts, Maturi gets out of having to make a decision, again.

Regardless, either of the two options has it's ramifications on the program, but both show the program has direction -- agree with that direction or not, it beats idling at the expense of the program.

This post really sums up the situation. Do something, and do something now. People talk about does he "deserve" an extension. If you think he needs a 4th year, then you believe he needs an extension IMO. You cannot have this guy operating on with lame duck status approaching and expect anything remotely decent in recruiting. This is why you see coaches all the time get contract extensions despite 3-9, 4-8 type records. Because anyone who realizes how important recruiting is to the life of the program (not just talking stars, I'm talking about getting the players YOU want, not what you have to settle for), won't have their coaches hanging around unsettled like that. Do a cheap extension now.

 

[monk10]

I agree with you 100%. Outside of people who are invested and go to the games, I can't find one person that likes Brewster as a coach. Every day I come to work I have a co-worker ask me if I still think Brewster needs 1-2 more years.

A lot of people form opinions from those they talk with around them. The majority of people I talk to don't get the variety of opinions that are available to me on a message board. Therefore I spend time talking to the people who ask me about Gopher football, and talk big picture.

I have a lot of Gopher paraphernalia in my cube. I have people come to me on a regular basis asking me what I think of the game. In my small circle I can say the bag is mixed. The people who know less about college football say Brewster should go, while those that know more, say he should get more time.

 

[tikited]

I have a lot of Gopher paraphernalia in my cube. I have people come to me on a regular basis asking me what I think of the game. In my small circle I can say the bag is mixed. The people who know less about college football say Brewster should go, while those that know more, say he should get more time.

Anyone who knows me knows that I really like a few things: Anything Gophers, anything Beatles, and anything Tiki related. When anyone talks Gopher football with me I try to get this very specific piece of info. out in the open first. I ask them, "did you watch the game?" If no is the answer, I basically tune out. This is due to years of experience dealing with "know-it-all's" who never actually watch the team. I agree with you 100%. The 'fire Brewster' type of person I talk to usually has no idea about any aspect of the team. Those of you here that want Brewster gone have more credibility, but I still disagree with you.

Now, don't even get me started with the people who think the Stones are better than the Beatles... Sorry Shinyclothes.

 

[howeda7]

This whole Huff thing sucks, but I'd really like to address this casual fan comment.
I could care less what some jack*&^% viking/wild/twin/wolve? fan has to say about the gophers football program.
You want to know exactly why the stadium wasn't filled late this fall? It was because too many fairweather, casual fans bought tickets to the brand new stadium and then lost interest as the season went on. It's too cold, no beer, I've already been to the new stadium, it's a cheap ticket, I have better things to do, etc.
The casual fans in this town are THE worst in the USA, cynical, impatient, and not a drop of loyalty in them. Casual fans who think Brewster is irrelevant or a joke do so because they put no effort or passion into the program and watch 1 or 2 games a year in passing, or even worse, they don't watch any and still have strong opinions.
We should be building this program to expanding the small but hardy harcore fan base, and believe it or not that is who Brewster caters to. In 5 years we'll have enough expansion in the hardcore fanbase to eliminate the need to cater to the casual fan. That should be the goal of everyone with interest in the future of the gopher football program.

Eh. You can say Minnesota sports fans are 'terrible' but they're no worse then any others in a major city. I live in Charlottesville and fans in huge #'s stopped going to the games this year. Yes they were worse then the Gophers, but they were also two years removed from going 9-3 and going to a New Year's Day Bowl. Does that make UVa fans 'cynical, and impatient without a drop of loyalty'? I don't think so, and they don't even have Pro Sports to turn to, but they simply had seen enough and couldn't be bothered.

The single biggest reason Al Groh was fired was because the season ticket base would have plummeted otherwise. Why? Because all the 'casual' fans would have jumped ship, leaving the 35,000 or so hard-core folks, just like MN. The only difference is due to the new stadium, the Gophers don't face that dilema. People will renew. And they'll show up for the USC, OSU, and PSU games. Iowa fans will fill in that game. But for Northwestern, USD and UNI? You'll be looking at 35K again.

I'm not saying Brewster's staying or firing should be entirely based on the opion of the less passionate half of the season-ticket base. I'm simply saying they cannot be ignored, because in a couple years, they'll go from buying tickets and showing up at half the games, to not buying at all. Then we'll be no better then Indiana or Northwestern, only we'll have a shiny new stadium as a monument to our ineptitude.

 

[Ole]

Eh. You can say Minnesota sports fans are 'terrible' but they're no worse then any others in a major city. I live in Charlottesville and fans in huge #'s stopped going to the games this year. Yes they were worse then the Gophers, but they were also two years removed from going 9-3 and going to a New Year's Day Bowl. Does that make UVa fans 'cynical, and impatient without a drop of loyalty'? I don't think so, and they don't even have Pro Sports to turn to, but they simply had seen enough and couldn't be bothered.

The single biggest reason Al Groh was fired was because the season ticket base would have plummeted otherwise. Why? Because all the 'casual' fans would have jumped ship, leaving the 35,000 or so hard-core folks, just like MN. The only difference is due to the new stadium, the Gophers don't face that dilema. People will renew. And they'll show up for the USC, OSU, and PSU games. Iowa fans will fill in that game. But for Northwestern, USD and UNI? You'll be looking at 35K again.

I'm not saying Brewster's staying or firing should be entirely based on the opion of the less passionate half of the season-ticket base. I'm simply saying they cannot be ignored, because in a couple years, they'll go from buying tickets and showing up at half the games, to not buying at all. Then we'll be no better then Indiana or Northwestern, only we'll have a shiny new stadium as a monument to our ineptitude.

My "Terrible" statement included and I would add emphasized the pro sports fans in this town. Viking fans are THE worst. See 1st round playoff game blackout threats last year.
I also really think the demand for tickets is higher than many in here think. I really hope many casual fans just don't renew next year, and new graduates replace them. And again after next year, and again the next year. That should be the goal of the program, not to cater to a casual fan who goes to 3 games a year when its nice out and leaves in the 3rd quarter, but to alumni and supporters who understand the history of the program and have pride in the university.

 

[howeda7]

My "Terrible" statement included and I would add emphasized the pro sports fans in this town. Viking fans are THE worst. See 1st round playoff game blackout threats last year.
I also really think the demand for tickets is higher than many in here think. I really hope many casual fans just don't renew next year, and new graduates replace them. And again after next year, and again the next year. That should be the goal of the program, not to cater to a casual fan who goes to 3 games a year when its nice out and leaves in the 3rd quarter, but to alumni and supporters who understand the history of the program and have pride in the university.

Last year's play-off game not withstanding, a sell-out streak that goes back more then a decade and TV ratings 4th highest in the league beg to differ. The Viking's fans are not THE worst, in fact I'd say they're easily in the upper half of the NFL, maybe the top 10. Yes, I am a Viking fan too, as are many Gopher fans. Sure, you might prefer to tell all of us 'casual' fans who also root for the Vikings and Twins, etc. to go suck egg and fill the stadium with loyal alumni who only love and have time for all things Gopher sports. But judging from the recent history of attendence, especially that of the student section, you'll be waiting an awful long time.

Frankly, I wish the Gophers had a 10 year sellout streak, but alas they've never had a 10 GAME sellout streak in my lifetime. So spare me the anti-Vikings rant. I know it makes a minority of Gopher fans feel better about themselves to piss on the Vikings and hope they move away, but it won't help the problems faced by the Gopher football program any more then the Timberwolves are hindering Tubby Smith (they aren't and never did even when they were good.)

 

[Ole]

Last year's play-off game not withstanding, a sell-out streak that goes back more then a decade and TV ratings 4th highest in the league beg to differ. The Viking's fans are not THE worst, in fact I'd say they're easily in the upper half of the NFL, maybe the top 10. Yes, I am a Viking fan too, as are many Gopher fans. Sure, you might prefer to tell all of us 'casual' fans who also root for the Vikings and Twins, etc. to go suck egg and fill the stadium with loyal alumni who only love and have time for all things Gopher sports. But judging from the recent history of attendence, especially that of the student section, you'll be waiting an awful long time.

Frankly, I wish the Gophers had a 10 year sellout streak, but alas they've never had a 10 GAME sellout streak in my lifetime. So spare me the anti-Vikings rant. I know it makes a minority of Gopher fans feel better about themselves to piss on the Vikings and hope they move away, but it won't help the problems faced by the Gopher football program any more then the Timberwolves are hindering Tubby Smith (they aren't and never did even when they were good.)

I think I need to clarify.
I am a vikings fan, a damn psycho one at that. What I'm trying to say is that there is simply a what have you done for me NOW attitude among sports fans in this town. If Tjack was starting this year what would have happened after the first few INTs and L's. As a Viking fan I shudder to think about it. As a hardcore Minnesota fan I feel I know what would have happened. Blackouts and booing by casual fans, probably all while playing with an overall winning record and division lead.

 

[howeda7]

I think I need to clarify.
I am a vikings fan, a damn psycho one at that. What I'm trying to say is that there is simply a what have you done for me NOW attitude among sports fans in this town. If Tjack was starting this year what would have happened after the first few INTs and L's. As a Viking fan I shudder to think about it. As a hardcore Minnesota fan I feel I know what would have happened. Blackouts and booing by casual fans, probably all while playing with an overall winning record and division lead.

Sorry if I misread your point. You are right about that. It also seems that once the 'gang mentality' sets in about a certain player/coach nothing will change thier mind. Childress is still a 'terrible' coach even though the Vikings are 10-2 and T-Jack still sucks. Likewise, Brewster has been labled a 'terrible' coach as well. While I am no fan of his, I can at least acknowledge that Childress has improved over time and is at worst an average coach. Also, I can at least acknowledge that T-Jack is one of the better back-up QB's around and wouldn't have been the worst starter in the league by a long-shot. Most Viking fans could not bring themselves to these realizations, you're right.

And while I'm no fan of Brewster, once it is clear that he will be back next year (I guess that is clear now) then I will support him and hope that he under goes a signficant transformation as a coach. But most people have decided he can't do it, and nothing short of winning 'big' will change thier mind.

One thing I will say for the Viking fans. While they may be fickle about the coach, the starting QB, etc. so are most fans. And if nothing else, at least they bother to show up and boo or turn on the TV and boo. The sell-out streak and TV ratings attest to that. The scary thing about Gopher football sometimes, isn't just the ones that boo, it's the ones that can't even be bothered to do that.

 

[Ole]

Sorry if I misread your point. You are right about that. It also seems that once the 'gang mentality' sets in about a certain player/coach nothing will change thier mind. Childress is still a 'terrible' coach even though the Vikings are 10-2 and T-Jack still sucks. Likewise, Brewster has been labled a 'terrible' coach as well. While I am no fan of his, I can at least acknowledge that Childress has improved over time and is at worst an average coach. Also, I can at least acknowledge that T-Jack is one of the better back-up QB's around and wouldn't have been the worst starter in the league by a long-shot. Most Viking fans could not bring themselves to these realizations, you're right.

And while I'm no fan of Brewster, once it is clear that he will be back next year (I guess that is clear now) then I will support him and hope that he under goes a signficant transformation as a coach. But most people have decided he can't do it, and nothing short of winning 'big' will change thier mind.

One thing I will say for the Viking fans. While they may be fickle about the coach, the starting QB, etc. so are most fans. And if nothing else, at least they bother to show up and boo or turn on the TV and boo. The sell-out streak and TV ratings attest to that. The scary thing about Gopher football sometimes, isn't just the ones that boo, it's the ones that can't even be bothered to do that.

Totally agree, I just really hope the alumni base grows. The freshmen from this year need to start a tradition of celebrating football on campus and teach next years freshmen to show up in fullblown football crazy mode, the graduating seniors need to buy big boy tickets and continue to scream as loudly as they did when they were students. This is the only hope we have for establishing a fanbase that will show up or tune in, and hopefully boo(the wisky/hogeyes) or cheer for our beloved gophs.

 

[Goldmember]

Frankly, I wish the Gophers had a 10 year sellout streak, but alas they've never had a 10 GAME sellout streak in my lifetime. So spare me the anti-Vikings rant. I know it makes a minority of Gopher fans feel better about themselves to piss on the Vikings and hope they move away, but it won't help the problems faced by the Gopher football program any more then the Timberwolves are hindering Tubby Smith (they aren't and never did even when they were good.)

There is a sharp drop-off in the popularity of Gopher football that coincided with the arrival of the Vikings. If you chart attendance some time it is astonishing.

I don't see any point in ripping on the Vikings. It is a different sport, and people should be able to be fans of both. But the fact is the Vikings sucked about 20,000 fans out of Memorial Stadium, and they have never been raplaced.

The only thing that bothers me about the Vikings (and Twins) is their behind the scenes lobbying against the U on the alchohol sales in the suites and the like. And then, Lester Bagley pompously saying that the Vikings are more popular than the Gophers so they are somehow more deserving of a new stadium.

IMO, most Gopher fans are content with being dual-fans. But for some reason our professional sports teams sometimes feel the need to do these little PR sneak-attacks on the U. And its annoyong (and hard to ignore) if you truly like both.

 

[howeda7]

There is a sharp drop-off in the popularity of Gopher football that coincided with the arrival of the Vikings. If you chart attendance some time it is astonishing.

I don't see any point in ripping on the Vikings. It is a different sport, and people should be able to be fans of both. But the fact is the Vikings sucked about 20,000 fans out of Memorial Stadium, and they have never been raplaced.

The only thing that bothers me about the Vikings (and Twins) is their behind the scenes lobbying against the U on the alchohol sales in the suites and the like. And then, Lester Bagley pompously saying that the Vikings are more popular than the Gophers so they are somehow more deserving of a new stadium.

IMO, most Gopher fans are content with being dual-fans. But for some reason our professional sports teams sometimes feel the need to do these little PR sneak-attacks on the U. And its annoyong (and hard to ignore) if you truly like both.

The Gophers also began thier general decline around the same time, so while I'm sure the Vikings had some impact, it's disingenuous to put it all on them. And it doesn't matter, that horse is out of the barn, ran away and has been dead for 40 years.

The Vikings leaving will not make things like they were in the 'good old days' and sitting around pining for a team that far more people in this state care about to move away in some florlorn hope that it will return the team you care about to some mythical glory is as selfish as it is foolish.

I have not heard about the Vikings campaigning behind the scenes on the U alcohol issue and can't see any reason why they would have cared other then to give them one more defense against any efforts to force them to share it. I'd like to know the source and whether they are at minimum exaggerating. But if the Vikings indeed did do that, it is pretty classless. But I woudn't trust Lester Bagley any farther then I can throw him.

 

[50PoundHead]

It just doesn't help when Reusse and Souhan write the stuff they write. Whether or not they are right or wrong remains to be seen, but their approach is just so snide and condescending. Any recruit with even a passing awareness of the Twin Cities media (and I'm not saying Huff logged into startribune.com on a daily basis) has to arch an eyebrow at what is being written.

I admit I'm a pretty bland guy, but I just hate sports commentators with an "edge," especially those who have never laced it up. I can take Gruden or whoever deriding someone because they've been there. I'm not saying Souhan and Reusse can't be critical, but they should tone it down a bit.

 

[Schnoodler]

Could someone explain (or point me in the direction of an explanation) about open scholarships carrying over...namely, am I correct in thinking that any spot we don't fill this season will be there next year? And what are the relative pros and cons (besides wanting to get kids in ASAP) to knowingly under-recruiting to save spots for a time when you may be in better position to use them?

Specifically, does Brewster ever decide "f_ it, we're going to bring in the players we absolutely need this season, but I'm saving as much space as possible for a time when I have a contract and a winning season"?

There are two limits at play. The first is the total number of scholarships a team can have. I think that is 85? The second is the number of scholarships that can be offered in a given year, that number is 25. So when a team says it will have a small recruiting class it means they are maxing out the 85. So if you don't utilize a spot, which isn't normally advisable, but makes sense sometimes, than it can be pushed to the next year but you still can't go over the 25.

There are finer points, the most common one is that the NCAA allows teams to over sign by three to compensate for kids that fail to show up for one reason of another. And that is where the 28 number you often hear about comes from.

Grunk is the expert on recruiting matters, maybe he'll chime in and correct me if I messed up the numbers, but i think i got it.

I absolutely believe if Brew can't bring in the recruits next year he should bring in fewer kids and give the schollies left to the upper class walk ons. Make sure he has a full class should this team mature into a good team in 2011. One study showed that the biggest factor in a good recruiting class in on field success, so if he can't recruit next year, and 2011 is the year that his talent is ready, it only makes sense he'd want a full class in 2011 and 2012.

 

[Schnoodler]

Where do you come up with this stuff?

40 of the 85 Badgers on scholarship are not from the upper midwest. Does not sound very regional to me, unless a lot of States have moved.

9 of the 18 committments are not as well.

Don't let any facts get in the way of any point you were trying to make.

I guess it depends on your definition of regional. In your narrow definition, wisconsin only, you are correct there are only about half of the new recruits for a total of 8. But let's add Illinois, up to 9. Let's bop over a couple of states to the east and pick up Ohio, three more for 12. And let's pick up PA, 13. And maryland, 15. And that football hotbed NJ, 16. Now let's go to the football recruiting states of the south that negates my point that wisonsin is a regional recruiter and not a national recruiter, and add FL,!!! oh, damn you're right. Wisconsin has two recruits out of 18 that would signify that they are a big time player on the national recruiting scene. mybad.

Now let's take a look see at Minnesota that i would suggest is still regional and see what they have. Just for comparison sake shall we.

Minnesota has 21 recruits listed. Your definition of regional (in state), 3. Let's go out a state and add Wisconsin, three more for 6. The other surrounding states (dakotas and Iowa), oops, none. The bigger midwest region? Illinois 1, Missouri 1, Indiana 1, Ohio 2 for a total of 11. So in my definition of regionality we have 11 of 21, while wisconsin has 16 of 18. Now let's look at what Minn has in the south and CA which is what I would consider national recruiting. hmmm, Texas 4, La 1, CA 1, FL 4. So Minnesota has 10 of 21 from those areas compared to Wisconsins 2 of 18. And I wouldn't consider Minnesota a national player yet, but you're so damn proud of those two florida kids. I bet they're great kids.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

I have not heard about the Vikings campaigning behind the scenes on the U alcohol issue and can't see any reason why they would have cared other then to give them one more defense against any efforts to force them to share it. I'd like to know the source and whether they are at minimum exaggerating. But if the Vikings indeed did do that, it is pretty classless. But I woudn't trust Lester Bagley any farther then I can throw him.

There is a limited amount of resources in this market for companies to purchase suites. The Vikes previously owned all suite revenue in the Dome and only had to compete with the Wild and Wolves (and to a much lesser extent, Mariucci and Williams). Now with the new Gophers and Twins stadium the competition for the Vikings is much more intense and what's worse, the Gophers and Twins suites are much classier than the Vikings antiquated Dome suites. The Vikings absolutely have something to gain by seeing the Gophers suites not sold. The Twins do as well but to a lesser extent as they play a different sport.

 

[Goldmember]

The Vikings leaving will not make things like they were in the 'good old days' and sitting around pining for a team that far more people in this state care about to move away in some florlorn hope that it will return the team you care about to some mythical glory is as selfish as it is foolish.

Nowhere in my post did I indicate that I thought this would hapen if the Vikings "move away". Nor did I indicate that I would like to see them leave Minnesota. I'm too young to remember any "good old days", as you say, (but I did enjoy 1999 and 2003). Perhaps you just have trouble reading.