Reusse: This is a week to celebrate Kill's grand turnaround

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Reusse:

This has been a week to celebrate the grand turnaround in coach Jerry Kill's second Gophers season: from a 2-6 Big Ten record and no bowl game in 2011 to a 2-6 Big Ten record and an appearance in Friday night's Muffler Bowl in Houston vs. Texas Tech.

And while seeing Country Jer's Gophers claim one of those coveted 70 places in an FBS/BCS postseason game has us justifiably bursting with pride, it did cause a veteran sportswriter to contemplate the tepid reaction locally to the 1977 bowl berth.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/g...utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&refer=y

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Aside from the Gophers' two Rose Bowl teams in the early 1960s, the '77 team was the best to play in a bowl.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/g...utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&refer=y

Go Gophers!!
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Although a couple of cheap shots, I do agree there are WAY to many bowl games. Although 12 would be too few, I think 35 or whatever there is now is way too many. 20-25 would be ok, IMO, but there are so many meaningless games with little or no attendance, you would think something ahs to be done. I would like to see a .500 conference record or something like that...
 

gopherbadgerman said:
Although a couple of cheap shots, I do agree there are WAY to many bowl games. Although 12 would be too few, I think 35 or whatever there is now is way too many. 20-25 would be ok, IMO, but there are so many meaningless games with little or no attendance, you would think something ahs to be done. I would like to see a .500 conference record or something like that...
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Why? Why not just ignore the ones that don't interest you? I would rather watch football than not watch football and so far the bowls have been a lot of fun to watch. If the Gophers win tomorrow I will be happy but really it won't mean much. We all know it is not the Rose Bowl.
 

Ruesse is a Debbie Downer

Congratulations to the Gophers, I hope they enjoy the week in Houston. Nothing wrong with going to a bowl and having a good time.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Why? Why not just ignore the ones that don't interest you? I would rather watch football than not watch football and so far the bowls have been a lot of fun to watch. If the Gophers win tomorrow I will be happy but really it won't mean much. We all know it is not the Rose Bowl.
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+1. My feelings exactly.
 



While I do feel there are way to many bowl games the games themselves don't really bug me, it is something to watch during the holidays and some of the games turn out to be really entertaining. My problem is when coaches and fans try to attribute getting to a lower tier bowl game as some sort of major accomplishment. Clearly getting to a bowl is far better then being left out and it is an accomplishment to be celebrated. But when nearly 60% of the D1 football teams are playing in bowls it is not like the bar is being set very high.
 

Didn't read the article, just basing this off Bleed's original post, but maybe I'm missing something, but have any level-headed Gopher fans said anything more than that they feel the program is going in the right direction? I don't think anybody has said, "we're right where we want to be", or that a massive turnaround has taken place.

I do think we're going in the right direction; not sure why that should be criticized, mocked/ridiculed by Reusse, but whatever. I'll enjoy getting together with my crew to watch the game tomorrow night, something I haven't been able to do this time of year in three years.
 

Getting to a bowl game is important, it gives you a head start on next year, regardless of prestige. That is why it's considered an accomplishment! It might not mean that the current team is great but it sets the table for improvement next year. It's one step at a time towards a brighter future.
 



Winnipegopher said:
1977 team finished unranked, finished 4-4 in conference. 1999 team finished ranked 18 and 5-3. 2003 team finished ranked 20 and 5-3 in conference. I am not sure why 1977 team can be seen as better than those two teams.
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agree 100% on that
 

Winnipegopher said:
Why? Why not just ignore the ones that don't interest you?
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It dilutes the product. I know that most people aren't fooled into thinking it's the Rose Bowl, but when everyone gets a medal, nobody gets a medal. I think 8 wins should be the minimum for BCS teams, and 9 wins for non-BCS teams.
 

Gopherprof said:
It dilutes the product. I know that most people aren't fooled into thinking it's the Rose Bowl, but when everyone gets a medal, nobody gets a medal. I think 8 wins should be the minimum for BCS teams, and 9 wins for non-BCS teams.
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Solution for Gopherprof... don't watch them all. done and done.
 




Winnipegopher said:
I am not sure why 1977 team can be seen as better than those two teams.
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Simple. The 1999 team doesn't go 5-3 if they had to play Michigan (6-2, 10-2) and Michigan State (6-2, 10-2). Best wins over 9-3 Penn State and 8-4 Illinois.

The 2003 team doesn't go 5-3 if they had to play Ohio State (6-2, 11-2) or Purdue (6-2, 9-4). Best wins over 8-5 Oregon and 7-6 Wisconsin.
 

Maximus said:
Simple. The 1999 team doesn't go 5-3 if they had to play Michigan (6-2, 10-2) and Michigan State (6-2, 10-2). Best wins over 9-3 Penn State and 8-4 Illinois.

The 2003 team doesn't go 5-3 if they had to play Ohio State (6-2, 11-2) or Purdue (6-2, 9-4). Best wins over 8-5 Oregon and 7-6 Wisconsin.
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"In case you want to argue, there's a good reason Glen Mason's 10-3 team of 2003 doesn't beat out 1977 in bowl worthiness: Mason's 4-0 record in nonconference play was achieved against Tulsa, Troy, Ohio and Louisiana-Lafayette.

The 1977 Gophers did have Western Michigan (a 10-7 victory) in its opener, but the other nonconference games were against UCLA (with Kenny Easley and Freeman McNeil) and Washington (with Warren Moon).

The Gophers beat UCLA 27-13 on Sept. 24 and Washington 19-17 on Oct. 1. They counted actual bodies back then and the official crowds at Memorial Stadium were 41,076 for UCLA and 31,895 for Washington. How do you beat UCLA and lose 9,000 customers for the next Saturday?

"The Vikings had been going to Super Bowls,'' Steve Midboe said. "I think they were more dominant with the fans then than they are today. We had a heck of a football team, especially on defense, but our crowds weren't that big.''

The most notable victory came on Oct. 22: a 16-0 shutout of No. 1-rated Michigan. Famously, Midboe, a defensive tackle, pursued a retreating Rick Leach for 30 yards behind the line before the Wolverines quarterback collapsed in a heap"
 

When people start bitching to me about the number of bowl games my first response is that I'd rather be bowling than not. I then try and point out the teams that are NOT bowling.......Iowa, Tennessee, Auburn, Arkansas, and Cal.

Reusse always comes across as if this bowl thing is a Gopher problem. That's the part that pisses me off. It's almost like he expects the gophers to turn down these bowls.

Never mind most professional sports have half the league make the playoffs (NBA and NHL). And with free agencies and parody in the NFL any team is a year away from the playoffs.....a perfect example is Indianapolis. Worst team in the league last year, in the playoffs the next.
 

Gopherprof said:
It dilutes the product. I know that most people aren't fooled into thinking it's the Rose Bowl, but when everyone gets a medal, nobody gets a medal. I think 8 wins should be the minimum for BCS teams, and 9 wins for non-BCS teams.
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It has nothing to do with getting a medal or trying to fool anyone. The way I look at is that this is another non conference game against a BCS conference opponent. These bowls are putting us up against teams we would never schedule (Alabama, Oregon, Texas Tech). Nothing more, nothing less.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
It has nothing to do with getting a medal or trying to fool anyone. The way I look at is that this is another non conference game against a BCS conference opponent. These bowls are putting us up against teams we would never schedule (Alabama, Oregon, Texas Tech). Nothing more, nothing less.
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Easy there Hoss. This is still America isn't it? Everybody is still entitled to an opinion aren't they? al-Qaeda isn't in control yet are they? Sure as incredibly naive and unworkable as it is, Gopherprof can still type it out. The difference is unlike a term paper, he won't be getting a "D" for it. :)
 

Gopherprof said:
Why not have a bowl game for everyone? Hell, why not make every game a bowl game? 12 bowl games a season!
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Simple economics. If they could make money on another 10 bowls, they would. Understand you don't like it, just don't watch? Oregon and Alabama in our last second or third tier bowl wins?
Fat pat loves just loves to position himself to to be right no matter the outcome. Job security.
 

I can handle Patrick's affinity for pessimism because he's a talented story-teller, but I find myself wondering this week, what is Patrick going to do with himself if the Gophers (Friday), Vikings (Sunday), and Gophers (New Year's Eve) all win over the next 4 days? It has the potential to be a satisfying (extended) weekend for Minnesota sports teams.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
When people start bitching to me about the number of bowl games my first response is that I'd rather be bowling than not. I then try and point out the teams that are NOT bowling.......Iowa, Tennessee, Auburn, Arkansas, and Cal.

Reusse always comes across as if this bowl thing is a Gopher problem. That's the part that pisses me off. It's almost like he expects the gophers to turn down these bowls.

Never mind most professional sports have half the league make the playoffs (NBA and NHL). And with free agencies and parody in the NFL any team is a year away from the playoffs.....a perfect example is Indianapolis. Worst team in the league last year, in the playoffs the next.
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My thoughts exactly. It's like he expects the Gophers to do the "honorable" thing and turn down the bowl invitation. And what exactly would he be saying if they did turn down the invite? Would he be commending Teague and Kill for having the integrity to turn down an invitation to such a meaningless bowl? Or would he be ripping the program up and down for passing on the chance for extra practice time, especially when Kill has said time and time again how young and inexperienced the team was.
 

SelectionSunday said:
I can handle Patrick's affinity for pessimism because he's a talented story-teller, but I find myself wondering this week, what is Patrick going to do with himself if the Gophers (Friday), Vikings (Sunday), and Gophers (New Year's Eve) all win over the next 4 days? It has the potential to be a satisfying (extended) weekend for Minnesota sports teams.
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The Wolves get Phoenix at home on Saturday night. I'm pretty sure he's already got Kevin Love in the crosshairs.
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
The Wolves get Phoenix at home on Saturday night. I'm pretty sure he's already got Kevin Love in the crosshairs.
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Have you seen Love play lately? ALL T-Wolves fans should have him "in the crosshairs."

Back to Bowl Talk.
 

WHAT IF....

Instead of calling these bowl games, the headline went something like this:

The Minnesota Gophers will be playing an exhibition game in late December against Texas Tech in Houston. The Gophers will also schedule 15 extra practices in preparation. Coach Kill says his staff and players are looking forward to taking on a team from The Big 12.
 

Iceland12 said:
Easy there Hoss. This is still America isn't it? Everybody is still entitled to an opinion aren't they? al-Qaeda isn't in control yet are they? Sure as incredibly naive and unworkable as it is, Gopherprof can still type it out. The difference is unlike a term paper, he won't be getting a "D" for it. :)
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Did I say he couldn't have an opinion? I just disagreed with it.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
Did I say he couldn't have an opinion? I just disagreed with it.
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Yeah, I know. You thought that post was serious? "Still America"; "al-Qaeda"; "D"? Did you see the simile? Just to early for your sense of humor to kick in or a bad Holiday Season?
 

Shielder said:
Ruesse is a Debbie Downer

Congratulations to the Gophers, I hope they enjoy the week in Houston. Nothing wrong with going to a bowl and having a good time.
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I don't read Ruesse anymore. He gives me gas.
 

You want another reason for all the Bowl Games? Ratings. Lousy Bowl Games still beat good basketball games. The University Presidents have been saying it all along. Playoffs heavily dilute the regular season. March Madness is great for fans and the NCAA, but it kills interest in December-February Basketball to all but the hard core fans.

From Stewart Mandel at SI/CNN:

Last Saturday, at almost exactly the same time that Butler took No. 1 Indiana to overtime (and eventually won) in the most eventful college basketball game of the season, Arizona scored two touchdowns in the final 46 seconds of the New Mexico Bowl to stun Nevada, 49-48.
Having switched furiously back and forth between both broadcasts, I'm not sure how the Nielsen ratings would count my household. But when the overnight ratings came in, the football game garnered a 1.9, the basketball game a 1.5. The Utah State-Toledo Potato Bowl played later the same day received a 1.8.
And people wonder why we have 35 bowl games?


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20121219/bowl-system-mailbag/#ixzz2GMHEIyav
 


Iceland12 said:
You want another reason for all the Bowl Games? Ratings. Lousy Bowl Games still beat good basketball games. The University Presidents have been saying it all along. Playoffs heavily dilute the regular season. March Madness is great for fans and the NCAA, but it kills interest in December-February Basketball to all but the hard core fans.

From Stewart Mandel at SI/CNN:

Last Saturday, at almost exactly the same time that Butler took No. 1 Indiana to overtime (and eventually won) in the most eventful college basketball game of the season, Arizona scored two touchdowns in the final 46 seconds of the New Mexico Bowl to stun Nevada, 49-48.
Having switched furiously back and forth between both broadcasts, I'm not sure how the Nielsen ratings would count my household. But when the overnight ratings came in, the football game garnered a 1.9, the basketball game a 1.5. The Utah State-Toledo Potato Bowl played later the same day received a 1.8.
And people wonder why we have 35 bowl games?


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20121219/bowl-system-mailbag/#ixzz2GMHEIyav
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