Richmond Times Dispatch column: With Teague, VCU's loss is Minnesota's gain

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"First, brrrr."
"But why the frozen tundra of Minnesota"

He took what was otherwise a decent article and made it look like uneducated tripe on the basis of the above-mentioned comments. Yet another idiot who apparently thinks we snowshoe out to our cars in the middle of July.
 

dpodoll68 said:
"First, brrrr."
"But why the frozen tundra of Minnesota"

He took what was otherwise a decent article and made it look like uneducated tripe on the basis of the above-mentioned comments. Yet another idiot who apparently thinks we snowshoe out to our cars in the middle of July.
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If he had gone to any other Big Ten school, I doubt the article would have commented on how cold it was here. Does he think that people are sitting on the beaches of Lake Michigan sipping pina coladas in January? Some people seem to think that only Minnesota has winter.

I found it interestinig that the author assumed that Teague would use this job as a stepping stone. Perhaps he will move on to some other job in the future, but only if he turns the athletics department around. If he does that, then other schools might be interested in hiring him. But that the same time, if the athletics department is turned around, then this becomes a much more attractive job than it is today.
 

RodentRampage said:
I found it interestinig that the author assumed that Teague would use this job as a stepping stone. Perhaps he will move on to some other job in the future, but only if he turns the athletics department around. If he does that, then other schools might be interested in hiring him. But that the same time, if the athletics department is turned around, then this becomes a much more attractive job than it is today.
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Pretty much how I feel. I assume this is a stepping stone for him given that his roots are down south. But if he fundraises like a madman and helps improve the state of the dept then I don't care.
 

dpodoll68 said:
"First, brrrr."
"But why the frozen tundra of Minnesota"

He took what was otherwise a decent article and made it look like uneducated tripe on the basis of the above-mentioned comments. Yet another idiot who apparently thinks we snowshoe out to our cars in the middle of July.
Click to expand...

I watched "Frozen Planet" on Discovery this past weekend and it would seem this guy thinks we live with the emperor penguins & polar bears....it didn't use to bother me as much that people thought this way but it is starting to get on my nerves.
 


Hammer Time said:
I watched "Frozen Planet" on Discovery this past weekend and it would seem this guy thinks we live with the emperor penguins & polar bears....it didn't use to bother me as much that people thought this way but it is starting to get on my nerves.
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When I go out to see my clients in California or Florida I often tell them that I grew up taking a snowmobile to school, and that my mom would throw meat out the back door to distract the polar bears when we left for school.

Very few question it.
 

Unregistered User said:
When I go out to see my clients in California or Florida I often tell them that I grew up taking a snowmobile to school, and that my mom would throw meat out the back door to distract the polar bears when we left for school.

Very few question it.
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Not only that, those Geography Impaired individuals still think that between the Dakotas and Minnesota we still fight Indians hiding behind every tree.
 

Dr.Don said:
Not only that, those Geography Impaired individuals still think that between the Dakotas and Minnesota we still fight Indians hiding behind every tree.
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Or in your case, telephone poles.
 

Today's forecasts:

Minneapolis, MN - Partly Sunny, 74.
Richmond, VA - Mostly Sunny, 73.

Brrr. :confused:
 



Any coach or AD hired by the U should receive a Golden Gopher Snow Shovel(upgradable to snow blower if their record is above 500).
 

Dr.Don said:
Not only that, those Geography Impaired individuals still think that between the Dakotas and Minnesota we still fight Indians hiding behind every tree.
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Formerly only on the hockey ice, because everyone knows they don't have trees.
 

Two things -

First, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who's bothered by all the frozen tundra comments coming out of Virginia. Don't these people own maps? Don't they travel?

Secondly, I wish some brilliant reporter or interviewer would ask Teague whether he sees the U only as a steppingstone or as a potential longterm home. It seems like one of the most obvious questions they could ask, but as far as I know no one has.

Doogie, get on it!
 

RodentRampage said:
If he had gone to any other Big Ten school, I doubt the article would have commented on how cold it was here. Does he think that people are sitting on the beaches of Lake Michigan sipping pina coladas in January? Some people seem to think that only Minnesota has winter.

I found it interestinig that the author assumed that Teague would use this job as a stepping stone. Perhaps he will move on to some other job in the future, but only if he turns the athletics department around. If he does that, then other schools might be interested in hiring him. But that the same time, if the athletics department is turned around, then this becomes a much more attractive job than it is today.
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And to add on to that, if the athletics department is turned around, it's easier to maintain a successful program than to turn a bad one around. So I think we agree that we can worry about crossing that bridge when we come to it.

Besides, everyone said the same thing about Tubby, and now they're probably extending his original contract...
 



dpodoll68 said:
"First, brrrr."
"But why the frozen tundra of Minnesota"

He took what was otherwise a decent article and made it look like uneducated tripe on the basis of the above-mentioned comments. Yet another idiot who apparently thinks we snowshoe out to our cars in the middle of July.
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it's called a meme. the reason that people mention the cold and minnesota in the same sentence is because minnesota is known for being a cold state.

the onus of correcting this very damaging and ill-informed piece of information is not on some writer in virginia writing for a bunch of virginians. in case you were not taught this at the u, writing and communication can convey different messages based on mood, voice and target audience. i am willing to bet that most people (from outside the state of minnesota) realized that the writer was making an attempt to appeal to the reader's inquisitiveness using hyperbole and overstatement. he felt that most of his audience probably asked themselves the question "why the frozen tundra of minnesota." to you, however, them's fighting words, literally.

here's a novel idea. instead of trying to fight a losing battle. let's admit that it gets colder in minnesota than any other civilized state in the union. it is something that only we have. if the virginians don't like it, *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# 'em.
 

Dr.Don said:
Not only that, those Geography Impaired individuals still think that between the Dakotas and Minnesota we still fight Indians hiding behind every tree.
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When I moved from Minnesota to Oregon 20 years ago the geography challenged lady that filled out my home loan application asked me if Minnesota was next to New York. No mention was made of Indians or snow, however, and I chose to not raise the subjects to avoid confusing her further.
 

bigtenchamps1899 said:
...it gets colder in minnesota than any other civilized state in the union.
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Don't know how civilized you would consider these, but here are the coldest temps ever recorded in the U.S.

Alaska -80 Jan. 23, 1971
Colorado -61 Feb. 1, 1985
Idaho -60 Jan. 18, 1943
Montana -70 Jan. 20, 1954
North Dakota -60 Feb. 15, 1936
Wyoming -66 Feb. 9, 1933
Minnesota -60 Feb. 2, 1996

The coldest ever recorded temperature in Key West was 41, in 1886.
 

Unregistered User said:
Don't know how civilized you would consider these, but here are the coldest temps ever recorded in the U.S.

Alaska -80 Jan. 23, 1971
Colorado -61 Feb. 1, 1985
Idaho -60 Jan. 18, 1943
Montana -70 Jan. 20, 1954
North Dakota -60 Feb. 15, 1936
Wyoming -66 Feb. 9, 1933
Minnesota -60 Feb. 2, 1996

The coldest ever recorded temperature in Key West was 41, in 1886.
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at least you noticed the adjective modifying the word state, though i don't think you got the intention behind it. where's that damn hyperbole emoticon?!
 


I have an Idea. Lets sue Sears for creating all of those Die-hard commercials up in International Falls, Minnesota. Nevermind that it is about 300 miles miles from Minneapolis. Those commercials single handedly did more to cement the Tundra image than anything else.

Off to prep the sled dogs so I can pick up groceries....
 

bigtenchamps1899 said:
it's called a meme. the reason that people mention the cold and minnesota in the same sentence is because minnesota is known for being a cold state.

the onus of correcting this very damaging and ill-informed piece of information is not on some writer in virginia writing for a bunch of virginians. in case you were not taught this at the u, writing and communication can convey different messages based on mood, voice and target audience. i am willing to bet that most people (from outside the state of minnesota) realized that the writer was making an attempt to appeal to the reader's inquisitiveness using hyperbole and overstatement. he felt that most of his audience probably asked themselves the question "why the frozen tundra of minnesota." to you, however, them's fighting words, literally.

here's a novel idea. instead of trying to fight a losing battle. let's admit that it gets colder in minnesota than any other civilized state in the union. it is something that only we have. if the virginians don't like it, *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# 'em.
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So if I'm a Minnesota writer in a hypothetical world where we lose someone to a job in Virginia, I can write an article referring to all Virginians as a bunch of uneducated toothless hillbillies, and that's kosher?
 

bigtenchamps1899 said:
he felt that most of his audience probably asked themselves the question "why the frozen tundra of minnesota." to you, however, them's fighting words, literally.
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I've always had this crazy idea that good writing ought to make people less ignorant. Playing to ignorance doesn't seem like a good idea. If he had gone to any other Big Ten school, he probably wouldn't have written about the frozen tundra, but the weather would be quite similar to Minnesota.

here's a novel idea. instead of trying to fight a losing battle. let's admit that it gets colder in minnesota than any other civilized state in the union.
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Well, there aren't any other civilized states besides Minnesota. :p The extreme cold in International Falls or Embarrass might get reported on, but the University of Minnesota is not located in either of those cities.

It is as ignorant as looking at the weather in Death Valley and then assuming that everywhere in California is that hot.
 

Apparently it is possible to live in a cold climate and still be thin skinned. But thin skinned about some random writer taking a shot at the weather?

Seriously, people, growing up I was damned proud of living in a place many thought almost uninhabitable.

Hell, I still am.
 

dpodoll68 said:
So if I'm a Minnesota writer in a hypothetical world where we lose someone to a job in Virginia, I can write an article referring to all Virginians as a bunch of uneducated toothless hillbillies, and that's kosher?
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No, it's only kosher if you were refer to them as slack jawed tobacky stained racists whos idea of a family gathering is a good ol' fashioned lynchin'.
 

MrC said:
Apparently it is possible to live in a cold climate and still be thin skinned. But thin skinned about some random writer taking a shot at the weather?

Seriously, people, growing up I was damned proud of living in a place many thought almost uninhabitable.

Hell, I still am.
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It's interesting that people automatically jump to the conclusion that we are thin-skinned about "taking a shot". I can't speak for others, but I'm more offended by the ignorance and lack of factual accuracy than any perceived slight. I don't suffer fools, especially willfully ignorant ones.
 

AT&T had the commercials about Eden Prairie. They were showing snow and swirling winds, meanwhile it was 75 in EP and barely snowed all winter.
 

I think the writing is naive and overblown but it doesn't really bother me. It's kind of what we are known for, being tough enough to deal with really cold weather. I realize that it's the low hanging fruit for these kinds of articles, but it is about what I'd expect for a newspaper out of Virginia.

That said, I have lived in Mpls and LA over the last 5 years, spending about 50% of my time in each location. It is really weird the perception of MN (and the midwest in general) from people on the coast. I have been asked if I have chains on my tires year round, they were shocked to find out that i've never had chains on my tires. They thought bears and wolves were about as common as deer in the metro. A ton of other bizarre comments. However, they never believe one of the things that is true, that people literally drive their cars on frozen lakes.
 

I'm not thin skinned. I just think that ignorance is a bad idea.
 

RodentRampage said:
I've always had this crazy idea that good writing ought to make people less ignorant. Playing to ignorance doesn't seem like a good idea. If he had gone to any other Big Ten school, he probably wouldn't have written about the frozen tundra, but the weather would be quite similar to Minnesota.



Well, there aren't any other civilized states besides Minnesota. :p The extreme cold in International Falls or Embarrass might get reported on, but the University of Minnesota is not located in either of those cities.

It is as ignorant as looking at the weather in Death Valley and then assuming that everywhere in California is that hot.[/QUOTE]



Nice we can get a class action lawsuit against Sears! ;) We can call it The BigTen/ Pac12 defamation suit.

That should help with revenue toward the practice facility.
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