Sid Points Out Tubby's Road Trip

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akgopher

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On The Sports Show last night Sid questioned why the team took a bus to Chicago after Madison and spent three days there prior to the game. He hinted that it might have played a role in the flat effort.
 

akgopher said:
On The Sports Show last night Sid questioned why the team took a bus to Chicago after Madison and spent three days there prior to the game. He hinted that it might have played a role in the flat effort.
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Sid's wrong about that. The Gophers would have had 1 day (Friday) in MN then driven to Chicago on Saturday. No impact whatsoever.
 

No excuses

We just flat out got beat yesterday. NW played good, we played bad. They won, we lost, end of story.
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
Sid's wrong about that. The Gophers would have had 1 day (Friday) in MN then driven to Chicago on Saturday. No impact whatsoever.
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Not exactly correct, either. If they didn't do the long bus trip, the other alternative would have been to fly to both locales. So, they could have flown into Madison on Wednesday, then flown home immediately after the game (as they usually do). Then be home late Thursday night, all day Friday, much of the day Saturday, and then fly to Chicago Saturday. Then fly home immediately after the game (as they did anyway).

The way they did it, they spent about 8 hours in a bus, one hour on a plane, and four nights away from home. Had they done it the other way, they would have spent about four hours on a plane and two nights away from home.

No excuses, but I think Sid has a minor point. I'm guessing those guys were absolutely ready to be back home on Sunday. I don't care what anyone says, travel like that takes its toll.

Also, they would not have driven to Chicago had they come back to Minneapolis. They charter a jet to play Northwestern.
 

tjgopher said:
Not exactly correct, either. If they didn't do the long bus trip, the other alternative would have been to fly to both locales. So, they could have flown into Madison on Wednesday, then flown home immediately after the game (as they usually do). Then be home late Thursday night, all day Friday, much of the day Saturday, and then fly to Chicago Saturday. Then fly home immediately after the game (as they did anyway).

The way they did it, they spent about 8 hours in a bus, one hour on a plane, and four nights away from home. Had they done it the other way, they would have spent about four hours on a plane and two nights away from home.

No excuses, but I think Sid has a minor point. I'm guessing those guys were absolutely ready to be back home on Sunday. I don't care what anyone says, travel like that takes its toll.

Also, they would not have driven to Chicago had they come back to Minneapolis. They charter a jet to play Northwestern.
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Drive or fly, they would have gone to Chicago on Saturday. The 1 extra day (Friday) would have been in Twin Cities.

The bus trip is not why they L the game, nor even a factor.
 


Friend Of Tubby said:
Drive or fly, they would have gone to Chicago on Saturday. The 1 extra day (Friday) would have been in Twin Cities.

The bus trip is not why they L the game, nor even a factor.
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FOT - I don't believe tjgopher said that is "why they L the game..."

I believe he was pointing out that there was something a little out of the ordinary with regard to the road trip. I don't recall the Gophers ever making that kind of trip before - maybe the schedule has not worked out that way. Seems like the 1st time I remember them making this kind of trip. Not why they L'd but out of the ordinary for sure.

Also, something not mentioned that I have noticed is that the Gopher BUS had a somewhat serious Traffic accident on their way out of the Twin Cities (Thursdsay I think) to Madison. They got side-swiped by a flatbed truck in terrible weather and the window of the bus was smashed in and I believe the body of the bus was punctured as well. No injuries but likely an exciting event nonetheless.

I am sure they were glad to be rid of the Bus Rides for the Weekend.

GOBAMA!
 

The bus had the accident before the team was on it. That is why it hasn't been mentioned. If they were on it when the accident happened it would have been all over the news.
 

Thanks for the clarification FTB. I heard Tubby mention it in some interview and he sounded somewhat concerned about it. I didn't realize the team was NOT on it.
 

Has anyone on the Board ever opined that Sid is an idiot?

Well, yes, I think they have, but let me join that chorus.

When I was a boy in the 1960's and early 1970's, his column was the 1st thing I would read. Now, I just wish he would go forth and enjoy retirement.....
 



From the Barn said:
The bus had the accident before the team was on it. That is why it hasn't been mentioned. If they were on it when the accident happened it would have been all over the news.
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The team was most certainly on the bus when the accident happened. It occurred on I-94 near St. Paul. The bus clipped the back of a truck. The contact was about four feet from where Tubby was sitting. Broke the window on the door and the mirror on that side. The team had to wait for another bus to come out and they switched over to the new bus. They arrived in Madison about an hour later than expected because of it.

Tubby talked about it on the pregame radio interview on Thursday night. He said it was a minor incident that could have been much worse. Said the guys got a bit of a scare out of it.
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
Drive or fly, they would have gone to Chicago on Saturday. The 1 extra day (Friday) would have been in Twin Cities.

The bus trip is not why they L the game, nor even a factor.
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Not saying it cost them the game. Saying it could have had a small impact. And, while they would have left on Saturday for Chicago, they also would have been in their own beds on Thursday and Friday nights. As it was, they were in a hotel for four nights, when it could have been two. They were stuck sitting around all day on Friday and Saturday.

Again, no big deal. I usually don't defend Sid, but I think he has a MINOR point. Not a big one, but a minor one. That is a long, unusual trip.
 

It wasn't a completely unusual trip. It doesn't happen every year, but there have been many times when the team has stayed out for two road games. It happens when there are road games that either have a quick turnaround (a Thurs-Sat schedule, for example) or are close in geography.

Last year, the Gophers played consecutive games at Indiana and at Illinois and didn't return to Minneapolis in between. The team stayed in Indy and practiced there on Thursday and Friday before bussing over to Champaign. There were times under Monson where the team went a day early to a road game during the period between the beginning of the Big Ten season and when classes resume.

In addition, the team has bussed to Madison annually in order to save money. It is something that neither Monson nor Tubby is terribly excited about, but it's the reality.
 

TJ

tjgopher said:
The team was most certainly on the bus when the accident happened. It occurred on I-94 near St. Paul. The bus clipped the back of a truck. The contact was about four feet from where Tubby was sitting. Broke the window on the door and the mirror on that side. The team had to wait for another bus to come out and they switched over to the new bus. They arrived in Madison about an hour later than expected because of it.

Tubby talked about it on the pregame radio interview on Thursday night. He said it was a minor incident that could have been much worse. Said the guys got a bit of a scare out of it.
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You seem plugged in to the team - can you share your role?
 



Just when you think you've heard it all....

akgopher said:
On The Sports Show last night Sid questioned why the team took a bus to Chicago after Madison and spent three days there prior to the game. He hinted that it might have played a role in the flat effort.
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....an excuse like this rolls in and people actually believe it :(

You can't have it both ways folks. If you tell me the Gophers lost to NU because of their travel exploits, then you MUST agree that the reason the Gophers beat Louisville was because the Cardinals had a "rigourous" travel schedule.

Pathetic...
 

Good reading for this thread would be Tony Dungy's book, Quiet Strength. Includes planned trips on buses to break the expected routine.
 

anonymous said:
It wasn't a completely unusual trip. It doesn't happen every year, but there have been many times when the team has stayed out for two road games. It happens when there are road games that either have a quick turnaround (a Thurs-Sat schedule, for example) or are close in geography.

Last year, the Gophers played consecutive games at Indiana and at Illinois and didn't return to Minneapolis in between. The team stayed in Indy and practiced there on Thursday and Friday before bussing over to Champaign. There were times under Monson where the team went a day early to a road game during the period between the beginning of the Big Ten season and when classes resume.

In addition, the team has bussed to Madison annually in order to save money. It is something that neither Monson nor Tubby is terribly excited about, but it's the reality.
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Back in the '70's and early '80's staying out of town was the norm. They always played on Thursdays and Saturdays. If both games were on the road they always stayed out of town until after the Saturday game. It certainly made a player plan ahead with homework and class projects and tests.
 

tjgopher said:
Not saying it cost them the game. Saying it could have had a small impact. And, while they would have left on Saturday for Chicago, they also would have been in their own beds on Thursday and Friday nights. As it was, they were in a hotel for four nights, when it could have been two. They were stuck sitting around all day on Friday and Saturday.

Again, no big deal. I usually don't defend Sid, but I think he has a MINOR point. Not a big one, but a minor one. That is a long, unusual trip.
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Fair enough. I saw the game. The 1-3-1 trapping zone and Gophers' inability to beat it, coupled with Hotter Than a Pistol guard, were the reason(s) the Gophers lost.
 

In a stunning upset, I'm going to agree with FOT. Travel had nothing to do with this. Frankly the extra night on the road probably meant that the players got a better night of sleep than if they were at home.

As Art Vandelay pointed out, if you want to blame the NW loss on the travel, then you have to say that the Louisville game was won because of the Cards' travel.
 

Im pretty sure the players dont mind going on a little trip to chicago for FREE.
 

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