Reusse: A 'soft' endorsement for Brew; U middle of BT in fball spending

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Reading between the Lines...

DAILY: The Gophers have started out the season 1-2, including a loss to South Dakota. Are you concerned about the direction of the football team?

Bruininks: "I was deeply disappointed with the loss [to South Dakota].

I HAD PLACED $50 WITH MY BOOKIE FOR THE GOPHERS TO COVER

I think we have done some of the right things (COACHING CHOICE EXCLUDED) in terms of trying to rebuild our football traditions, to put us on path, I think, to a more successful winning strategy.

TRANSLATION "WE DIDN'T SPEND ALL THIS MONEY ON A STADIUM TO HAVE IT WIND UP HALF EMPTY WITH A LOSING TEAM"

"We need a stronger football program here at the University of Minnesota. Our fans deserve it and our students, faculty and staff deserve [it].

ANYTHING LESS THAN A 6-6 SEASON AND BREWSTER BETTER CONTACT A REALTOR. IN FACT, HE SHOULD START PAINTING HIS LIVING ROOM A NEUTRAL COLOR NOW.

"I'm guardedly optimistic, but I would say to all of our fans, we have high aspirations for Gopher football, and we're not going to be satisfied with mediocre results and a mediocre season.''

SAYONARA!

DAILY: Do you think coach Tim Brewster is the right man to help the Gophers reach those high aspirations?

"I think Coach Brewster has done some things that I appreciate and I respect ... A lot of building blocks are in place to build and sustain a successful program, but at this point we're simply going to have to wait and see how well we do, and how successful these strategies are at establishing a strong foundation for the future.''

THIS IS LIKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND TELLING YOU "WE SHOULD START SEEING OTHER PEOPLE"
 


I thought he sold his house already.

People read too much into these things. If the program isn't improving by the end of the year he's gone, if it is he's staying. That's the way it is every year. No news here.
 


If the following is factually correct can we put this "we'd be better if we spend more money" nonsense to bed?

And then Brewster lost to South Dakota in the 2010 home opener, and in an attempt to justify the embarrassment, the coach's bobos passed along some information to the Star Tribune's Sid Hartman that alleged to show Minnesota had the lowest football budget in the Big Ten.

In truth, several Big Ten schools put stadium costs in their football budgets, and the university puts those costs elsewhere, and that greatly distorted the numbers that were given to Hartman.

The university, through Gary Bowman, the head of the sports information department, was quick to refute Sid's information. The athletic department insisted the Gophers are in the middle of the Big Ten when it comes to football spending.

The only thing that really matters is this: The Gophers' football program wants for nothing.

The budgets for recruiting and assistant coaches are competitive. The new stadium is first-class. The Nagurski-Gibson Football Complex is more than adequate. And the university has allowed Brewster to admit many high-risk students - and given him a learning disability specialist to see to it that most any player who takes an interest will survive academically.

The Bruninks administration has gone through contortions trying to give Brewster a chance to succeed.
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Let's not forget Mason viewed himself as a Martyr here too. There seems to be a pattern of that going on around here.
 

Spending?

I'm confused...and haven't read everything....so is the U spending on football 5th or so.....or is it in fact 11th?

GM
 




gophmeister said:
Closer to 5th.
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Ok...that makes a lot more sense than 11th. Hopefully it can and will continue to go up.

This interview confirms what I thought....Bruinicks...didn't sign his name or the U's name to a new stadium...only to see be 1/2 full (never happen even with 3-8 seasons)....or be middle of the road.

There must be a winner in there.

Mangino isn't that guy....nor is Leach....at least to me.

GM
 

I think its safe to say that Mason did not have the resources that Brewster now
has, neither did Wacker, Gutey, Salem or Stoll. Holtz got a "bump" in resources,
but that kinda dried up after he left.

Like it or not, Brewster WILL be held to a higher standard.
 

gophermartin said:
Ok...that makes a lot more sense than 11th. Hopefully it can and will continue to go up.

This interview confirms what I thought....Bruinicks...didn't sign his name or the U's name to a new stadium...only to see be 1/2 full (never happen even with 3-8 seasons)....or be middle of the road.

There must be a winner in there.

Mangino isn't that guy....nor is Leach....at least to me.

GM
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I couldn't agree more. That stadium will be half empty next year if this continues. I've been reading in USA Today about the turnarounds at Stanford, Arizona, and TEMPLE for crying out loud. If TEMPLE can do it, wouldn't you think WE could?
 

go4rob said:
If TEMPLE can do it, wouldn't you think WE could?
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Let me know when Temple starts playing 8 Big Ten teams every year.

All the credit in the world to Al Golden, but turning around Temple is not the same thing as turning around, say, Washington St.
 



gophermartin said:
I'm confused...and haven't read everything....so is the U spending on football 5th or so.....or is it in fact 11th?

The study the claimed they were last had to be an "apples and oranges" comparison. The revenue numbers are probably iffy as well.

There is no way that Northwestern, Indiana, or even Purdue expend more resources on Football than Minnesota. If you take out the salary of Ferenz, I'd question if the Iowans spend more either.

The only schools that most likely throw $$$ around far beyond the others are:

OSU, Michigan, PSU

Wisc, MSU next Tier

The rest

The flaws in these reports would come out after a one day audit. An analysis of the underlying assumptions of this report would probably expose the misleading nature of it in a couple of hours.
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Sumtimegophs said:
If Brewster is fired, and I am not saying he should be, I favor Kevin Sumlin for the next football coach at UMN. I think he has what it takes and the connections into TX recruiting could come in very handy.

http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/sumlin_kevin00.html
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Maybe I'm basing too much on 1 game. ...but they looked terrible against a UCLA squad that Stanford shut out!

I cringed on 3 tries inside the 5...and they lined up in the shotgun...and really had no shot of getting in.

Now maybe he would adapt to the talent here...better bodies on the OL...he did coach Peterson at Oklahoma.

I vote no on Sumlin....I'll take Golden or Harbaugh. We'll see I'm still hoping (albeit unlikely) for a 8-4 or 7-5 season this year.

GM
 

The U is very defensive about the amount of money spent on football. To take their word for where they are in the Big Ten for spending on football is like asking Enron if they have good accounting procedures. At best, the U is lower middle in the Big Ten in spending. It is possible that Indiana, Purdue and NW spend less. That is it.
 

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