Incredible negativity by a few on this board

[Frales]

I haven't been to this site for a long time. It's difficult enough to read the local papers and listen to KFAN intent on stirring up controversy regarding Gopher Athletics. There are plenty of Wisconsin and Iowa transplants in Minnesota that will continually feed that fire.
It surprises me how a few on this board are foolish enough to think that their negativity crusade will actually help the athletic program. I refuse to respond to negative banter and I suggest True Gopher Fans don't either. The football program is a work in progress. Two more years minimum are needed to see the results of the Brewster hiring. Three more would be fine with me. I see very good days ahead! Go Gophers!

 

[Ole]

I haven't been to this site for a long time. It's difficult enough to read the local papers and listen to KFAN intent on stirring up controversy regarding Gopher Athletics. There are plenty of Wisconsin and Iowa transplants in Minnesota that will continually feed that fire.
It surprises me how a few on this board are foolish enough to think that their negativity crusade will actually help the athletic program. I refuse to respond to negative banter and I suggest True Gopher Fans don't either. The football program is a work in progress. Two more years minimum are needed to see the results of the Brewster hiring. Three more would be fine with me. I see very good days ahead! Go Gophers!

Things are getting ugly aren't they. Most people here love the gophers.
Make no mistake the uproar against Brewster and the program IS being fed by the media, but ultimately is a situation of style, not substance. The current substance of the football team has been accepted and even hailed before, the style: outspoken, positive, colorful is simply not acceptable in this media market. It is a mortal sin to overpromise and underproduce. It is a mortal sin to be undisciplined regardless of the results. Works in progress are acceptable only in year 1 or 2, Unfortunately Brewster will not get 2 or 3 more years, he's already been convicted,tried, and sentenced by most of the TC sports fans. Present company excluded.
Go Gophers!

 

[gophergrad]

It's too bad because there was some good vibes about the Insight Bowl. And even the ISU fans who came over here were making this board a pretty interesting read. I'm afraid they've all been scared off now.

 

[howeda7]

I love Gopher football, and try not to be overly negative. But I'm not going to sit there and comment on how the flames look like a lovely sunset against the sky while the house burns down.

24 hour ago, I was ready to move on with Brewster for 2010, even I was against it. But this is past the point of no return and Maturi reallly, really needs to pull the plug. Otherwise Bruinicks needs to do it for the both of them.

 

[Jike Spingleton]

Hear hear, Frales.

Also, I miss your Gopher football highlight videos.

 

[hyaluronic]

I love Gopher football, and try not to be overly negative. But I'm not going to sit there and comment on how the flames look like a lovely sunset against the sky while the house burns down.

24 hour ago, I was ready to move on with Brewster for 2010, even I was against it. But this is past the point of no return and Maturi reallly, really needs to pull the plug. Otherwise Bruinicks needs to do it for the both of them.

First off, +1 to Frales.

Secondly, I strongly disagree. Even if Brewster initiated contact with KU, his hand has been forced by the lack of extension and incredible negativity surrounding the program. I cannot fault Brewster, and thus this does not change my perception of the situation. Granted, I feel that many Brewster supporters are in the 60/40 - 55/45 range of support, so little things like this could certainly sway people. That said, it is up to the true Gopher fans to demand some sort of stability at this point in time. Another two years, and being up-in-arms may be completely justified.

 

[WAGopher]

I disagree that Maturi has to fire Brewster just to calm the masses. However, what he does need to do is make a decision soon by either extending or firing him. It's obvious doing neither will harm the program much more than being decisive. This mess is Maturi's doing and he needs to quickly fix it.

 

[Iceland12]

All you need to know about many of the "fans" on this board can be learned by going back and reading the posts after the Michigan State win. You would have thought the Gophers lost by 20.

 

[howeda7]

I disagree that Maturi has to fire Brewster just to calm the masses. However, what he does need to do is make a decision soon by either extending or firing him. It's obvious doing neither will harm the program much more than being decisive. This mess is Maturi's doing and he needs to quickly fix it.

That's basically all I'm saying. Maturi doesn't need to do anything to 'calm the masses' (FYI the 'masses' generally don't give two craps about Gopher Football anyway) but he does need to do 'something' in either coming out and saying Brew's a great guy and he loves him and here's a contract extension, or he has to fire him. Since I think any chance of the former went up in smoke yesterday, that only leaves the second option. Doing nothing will be abolutely toxic to this year's recruiting class and interest in next year's team. It will simply be a 12 game countdown to Brew's firing, barring a miracle given the 2010 schedule.

 

[hyaluronic]

Maturi's hands are not tied by the situation. He can still act however he chooses. If it is Bruininks who is tying his hands, then that is another issue altogether, and we would then have to look at Bruininks and whether the U as a collective is once again tanking our football program. At least we can agree that the situation is disgusting.

 

[magpie]

Even if Brewster initiated contact with KU, his hand has been forced by the lack of extension incredible negativity surrounding the program.

Okay first off -- he has two years remaining to prove himself, and three years under his belt. His hand was NOT forced. The only logical sense of this is that HE (in)directly contacted KU to see if they were interested in him. Why? Well you said it:

...incredible negativity surrounding the program. I feel that many Brewster supporters are in the 60/40 - 55/45 range of support, so little things like this could certainly sway people.

Yes, and the fans are who buy the tickets, filling the stands, and via that financial return, support the program and therefore the coach. Brewster HAS recruited well. He also screwed up on the revolving coordinator door (some his fault, some not) and by changing the offense, thus negating a full recruiting class which essentially sets him back a year. The fans are mad, the media is relentless (and that's unfortunate since they further fuel the fans), all of this combined is stunting the potential growth that he is capable of delivering.

Rather than man-up and commit to two more years (and back up his big talk), he had a buddy contact Kansas to see if there was a potential interest, so as to laterally move in position, but regain time on the rebuilding clock and break ties with the community he's pissing off.

The Huff decommit was directly related to a lack of contract extension. Who fed this kid that?? Most coaches across the country have contracts of 2-3 years remaining. That's expected. Brewster is only in year 3 out of 5. Extensions should NOT be an issue yet, especially in a rebuilding program (and let me say, I do think he's still improving each year). This extension should not be an issue until the season is over after the 3rd or 4th year. Brewster going from 7-6 to 7-6 does not really justify one this year. Had he won 8 games, sure.

HE is fueling this. HE is being shifty, and that's why he's being called out, and HE will pay for it if his recruiting stumbles further and/or he can't produce an improved product next year. This is Mason all over again.

That said, it is up to the true Gopher fans to demand some sort of stability at this point in time.

... and that's what we're doing. However in a world of "support your argument", we must bring up the negative side. Please don't confuse that with ill-will.

 

[magpie]

I disagree that Maturi has to fire Brewster just to calm the masses. However, what he does need to do is make a decision soon by either extending or firing him. It's obvious doing neither will harm the program much more than being decisive. This mess is Maturi's doing and he needs to quickly fix it.

Brewster is just as suspect and to blame here as Maturi -- as neither is coming forward with an official press release. Both are allowing this fire to burn. I agree with the rest of your post.

 

[hyaluronic]

Okay first off -- he has two years remaining to prove himself, and three years under his belt. His hand was NOT forced. The only logical sense of this is that HE (in)directly contacted KU to see if they were interested in him. Why? Well you said it:


Yes, and the fans are who buy the tickets, filling the stands, and via that financial return, support the program and therefore the coach. Brewster HAS recruited well. He also screwed up on the revolving coordinator door (some his fault, some not) and by changing the offense, thus negating a full recruiting class which essentially sets him back a year. The fans are mad, the media is relentless (and that's unfortunate since they further fuel the fans), all of this combined is stunting the potential growth that he is capable of delivering.

Rather than man-up and commit to two more years (and back up his big talk), he had a buddy contact Kansas to see if there was a potential interest, so as to laterally move in position, but regain time on the rebuilding clock and break ties with the community he's pissing off.

The Huff decommit was directly related to a lack of contract extension. Who fed this kid that?? Most coaches across the country have contracts of 2-3 years remaining. That's expected. Brewster is only in year 3 out of 5. Extensions should NOT be an issue yet, especially in a rebuilding program (and let me say, I do think he's still improving each year). This extension should not be an issue until the season is over after the 3rd or 4th year. Brewster going from 7-6 to 7-6 does not really justify one this year. Had he won 8 games, sure.

HE is fueling this. HE is being shifty, and that's why he's being called out, and HE will pay for it if his recruiting stumbles further and/or he can't produce an improved product next year. This is Mason all over again.


... and that's what we're doing. However in a world of "support your argument", we must bring up the negative side. Please don't confuse that with ill-will.

At the core, we do not disagree on much, except the amount of blame that Brewster should receive for this. Fair or not, the writing is and has been on the wall for Brewster at Minnesota. I fully expect someone in his position to "diversify" his or her prospects, and not put all of his eggs in one basket, particularly when this basket seems to be crumbling. Others have said it, but our options, are to extend Brewster, fire Brewster, or sit on our hands, ordered in most beneficial to most destructive to the program. In two of the three scenarios, Brewster being out of a job is likely within a year. The Mason situation is not apples to apples, as if I recall correctly, Mason's job was not at all in jeopardy when he flirted with tOSU. He caused a backlash, whereas Brewster is responding to an already-occurring backlash.

Based on my understanding of recruiting, which is largely from what I hear on this board, it is likely that other coaches are in Huff's ear about Brew's contract.

I actually view this season as progress in terms of wins and losses. We maintained our Big 10 record with the toughest possible B10 schedule, and won all of our out of conference games that we were supposed to win. Next year is just as brutal.

The bottom line is that the University (Bruininks, Maturi, etc.) and Brewster need to make a bold statement on who will be in charge over the next two years. Two years remaining on a contract is not a bold statement in today's coaching world, nor is it beneficial for prospects who are thinking four to five years in the future.

 

[magpie]

I agree. Whoever is fueling the extension fire is the one who should take the blame. The defense is vastly improved. The offense stinks, but it's a first year scheme, run by a first year coordinator (both here and lifetime), with a group of players recruited for three different offensive schemes. That will take time. We ARE still improving, and that needs to be recognized. This extension talk is a tad pre-mature, but like I said -- had we won 8 games...

 

[hyaluronic]

Right. A week or two ago I felt extending Brewster wasn't absolutely necessary, that a simple bold statement would be enough. Maturi came out and made a bold statement, but we're still here with the same old talking points and a new twist. Mainly, I view the extension as necessary on two fronts: recruiting and minimizing the voices of the local media. I agree that on field performance to date is not a reason for extending Brewster.