BleedGopher
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per the Providence Journal:
It’s a fun question, with the Patriots playing the Vikings this afternoon at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium.
Some would say Paul Giel, who was an all-American in two sports — football and baseball.
In three seasons as the star tailback in Minnesota’s single-wing offense, he ran and passed for 4,110 yards and 35 touchdowns, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1953 to Notre Dame’s Johnny Lattner.
But, instead of going to the NFL, Giel signed with the Giants as a pitcher.
He never made it big in baseball, though,
Pitching mostly in relief, he had an 11-9 record in 102 games over six seasons with the Giants, Pirates, Twins and Athletics.
So, no, the greatest Gopher of ‘em all isn’t Giel.
New England loyalists would say it’s Gino Cappelletti.
A Patriots Hall of Famer, Cappelletti played two seasons with Giel, as QB in the Gophers’ single wing offense, which featured the tailback as both passer and runner. Minnesota switched to a T-formation offense in ’54, the year after Giel graduated, and Cappelletti led the Gophers to a 7-2 record and was voted second-team, all-Big 10.
But it was as a kicker and receiver that he earned a spot on the all-time, all-AFL team, playing for the pats from their inception in 1960 through the AFL’s merger with the NFL in 1970.
“The Duke is a great guy, and was terrific for the Patriots, but he’s not the greatest Gopher of ‘em all.
That honor goes to Bruce Smith.
As tailback in the Gophers’ seemingly unstoppable single-wing attack, Smith led Minnesota to back-to-back undefeated seasons and successive national championships in 1940 and ’41, winning the Heisman Trophy in ’41.
He’s the Greatest Gopher of Them All.
http://www.providencejournal.com/sp...asks-whos-the-greatest-gopher-of-them-all.ece
Go Gophers!!
It’s a fun question, with the Patriots playing the Vikings this afternoon at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium.
Some would say Paul Giel, who was an all-American in two sports — football and baseball.
In three seasons as the star tailback in Minnesota’s single-wing offense, he ran and passed for 4,110 yards and 35 touchdowns, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1953 to Notre Dame’s Johnny Lattner.
But, instead of going to the NFL, Giel signed with the Giants as a pitcher.
He never made it big in baseball, though,
Pitching mostly in relief, he had an 11-9 record in 102 games over six seasons with the Giants, Pirates, Twins and Athletics.
So, no, the greatest Gopher of ‘em all isn’t Giel.
New England loyalists would say it’s Gino Cappelletti.
A Patriots Hall of Famer, Cappelletti played two seasons with Giel, as QB in the Gophers’ single wing offense, which featured the tailback as both passer and runner. Minnesota switched to a T-formation offense in ’54, the year after Giel graduated, and Cappelletti led the Gophers to a 7-2 record and was voted second-team, all-Big 10.
But it was as a kicker and receiver that he earned a spot on the all-time, all-AFL team, playing for the pats from their inception in 1960 through the AFL’s merger with the NFL in 1970.
“The Duke is a great guy, and was terrific for the Patriots, but he’s not the greatest Gopher of ‘em all.
That honor goes to Bruce Smith.
As tailback in the Gophers’ seemingly unstoppable single-wing attack, Smith led Minnesota to back-to-back undefeated seasons and successive national championships in 1940 and ’41, winning the Heisman Trophy in ’41.
He’s the Greatest Gopher of Them All.
http://www.providencejournal.com/sp...asks-whos-the-greatest-gopher-of-them-all.ece
Go Gophers!!
