Somebody Should Be Fired

[RodentRampage]

Let's say we continue to lose STH and only have 25,000 in '13. 25000 x $35 is $875,000 in ticket sales only from STH.
That's a Gross of $875,000 before any $ is spent on anything else. It's almost all coming back when you factor in the savings of traveling to UNC

Agreed, and even that's assuming that the paid attendance is at an unprecedented low. The last time the Gophers had a attendance (paid attendance, that's what matters) of under 30,000 was 1978. And further, that's not even factoring in that people will buy concessions, and as you point out, it doesn't figure in the travel savings.

We don't know what NMSU will be getting, but as NMSU has no leverage (they are desperate to fill out an independent schedule), I expect it to be on the low end of the scale. But we won't know until the deal is finalized.

There are plenty of reasons to oppose cancelling this series, but the idea it will cost the U money isn't one of them.

 

[tikited]

*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# no they aren't. This is getting to be a really tiresome argument. North Carolina isn't a top notch program, but they are definitely in a different class than Minnesota and Syracuse.

Wow. You sure are wrong about this.

 

[OddStack]

I see what you're saying, but I don't think it's a fair calculation because I think season tickets will cost the same whether it's 7 or 8 home games. If they do actually jack the season ticket prices with 8, your point is fair.

I believe it's been more with more games and less with less games. It's believe it's calculated into the total price. I remember it fluctuating year to year.

 

[Grant]

If someone wants to buy a ticket to the N, UW or Iowa games they should make them have to buy a ticket for 2 of our non conference games. We can use that money to buy out of the Oregon State series.

 

[Catechol]

*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# no they aren't. This is getting to be a really tiresome argument. North Carolina isn't a top notch program, but they are definitely in a different class than Minnesota and Syracuse.

How is UNC in a different class than Minnesota? Since 2000, both have gone through 3 coaches, UNC has gone to 6 middling bowls while Minnesota has 8, and both have exactly 68 wins. Both have a coach in their second year. UNC had a better year last year to build on, but that is offset by the NCAA sanctions with all the scholarships they lose for the next few years.

 

[OddStack]

If someone wants to buy a ticket to the N, UW or Iowa games they should make them have to buy a ticket for 2 of our non conference games. We can use that money to buy out of the Oregon State series.

IALTO

 

[Gopherprof]

Wow. You sure are wrong about this.

No, I'm not. Read FBT's post on this if you don't believe me.

I think that's the biggest reason for the angst about the decision; people think we are a much better program than we actually are. We are one of the worst BCS programs in football, and have been for decades. You can hold that opinion and still be upset with Kill's decision, but it is important to acknowledge that before you can look at this through clear eyes.

 

[dpodoll68]

How is UNC in a different class than Minnesota? Since 2000, both have gone through 3 coaches, UNC has gone to 6 middling bowls while Minnesota has 8, and both have exactly 68 wins. Both have a coach in their second year. UNC had a better year last year to build on, but that is offset by the NCAA sanctions with all the scholarships they lose for the next few years.

How they did in 2000 isn't very relevant to how good they are now. UNC has gone to 4 straight bowls, while Minnesota has missed each of the last 2 years and Syracuse has missed 6 of the last 7 years. Moreover, if these teams were hypothetically to play each other this weekend, UNC at home would be -18 against Syracuse and -17 against Minnesota. UNC has a better Sagarin rating (#22) than every Big Ten team except Ohio St., while Syracuse and Minnesota are both in the 70s. I don't know how or why anyone could argue the fact that UNC is a much, much better football team and program than either of the other two.

 

[tikited]

No, I'm not. Read FBT's post on this if you don't believe me.

I think that's the biggest reason for the angst about the decision; people think we are a much better program than we actually are. We are one of the worst BCS programs in football, and have been for decades. You can hold that opinion and still be upset with Kill's decision, but it is important to acknowledge that before you can look at this through clear eyes.

You lost me at FBT. HUGE bias there my man. N.C. is not, and never will be, a upper level football program. They would be a bottom tier BIG team-just like us. You have to factor in whee they are and who they play. And yes, the past ten years does mater.

 

[Gopherprof]

How is UNC in a different class than Minnesota? Since 2000, both have gone through 3 coaches, UNC has gone to 6 middling bowls while Minnesota has 8, and both have exactly 68 wins. Both have a coach in their second year. UNC had a better year last year to build on, but that is offset by the NCAA sanctions with all the scholarships they lose for the next few years.

1999-2003 was the best this program has been in decades, and we aren't close to being there right now.

Since 2008, UNC is 36-23. In that time, they never lost to a non-BCS team, let alone an FCS team. We would kill (no pun intended) to be at that level.

 

[Gopherprof]

You lost me at FBT. HUGE bias there my man. N.C. is not, and never will be, a upper level football program. They would be a bottom tier BIG team-just like us.

I'm not a huge fan either, but my point is that the Sagarin ratings (which he points to) bears that out as well. Math can be biased as well, but it's not in this case.

 

[dpodoll68]

To expand on my earlier post, OHIO ST. at UNC this weekend would be a pick 'em or UNC -1. But yes, let's travel there and get our teeth kicked in so we can feel better about playing "peer" teams.

 

[tikited]

To expand on my earlier post, OHIO ST. at UNC this weekend would be a pick 'em or UNC -1. But yes, let's travel there and get our teeth kicked in so we can feel better about playing "peer" teams.

So, this was a great move in your opinion?

 

[John Galt]

To expand on my earlier post, OHIO ST. at UNC this weekend would be a pick 'em or UNC -1. But yes, let's travel there and get our teeth kicked in so we can feel better about playing "peer" teams.

Let's not show up at Wisky either this weekend. What's the use, we're 19 point underdogs, and who wants to watch them get the axe again. Let's just call it a loss, take the weekend off, and get healthy for Purdue.

 

[dpodoll68]

So, this was a great move in your opinion?

I wouldn't say "great move". As AD, given the financial considerations, I would've just played the damn games. But I don't fault Kill for doing it. I probably would've done the same in his shoes. He has a hell of a lot more skin in the game than any of us do. He also has proven to be a lot more successful as a football coach than anyone who posts on this board. I trust his decision-making until he gives me a reason not to.

 

[dpodoll68]

Let's not show up at Wisky either this weekend. What's the use, we're 19 point underdogs, and who wants to watch them get the axe again. Let's just call it a loss, take the weekend off, and get healthy for Purdue.

We have to play Wisconsin. We don't have to play UNC.

 

[John Galt]

We have to play Wisconsin. We don't have to play UNC.

Why? Just don't show up. We could give Wisconsin $800,000 and call it a day. And we did have to play UNC. It's called a contract, and the reason we're out $800k.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

I get trying to increase your % of getting to a bowl game, even if it's a crappy one, so you can add the ~15 extra practices part.

I have a problem with the $800,000 part. If the argument, by playing two home games you will erase that expenditure, is true then I'm a lot less irked by this move. When Norwood was on KSTP yesterday, he didn't make that case though. He had the opportunity to do so, but he wasn't able to make it.

 

[tikited]

I wouldn't say "great move". As AD, given the financial considerations, I would've just played the damn games. But I don't fault Kill for doing it. I probably would've done the same in his shoes. He has a hell of a lot more skin in the game than any of us do. He also has proven to be a lot more successful as a football coach than anyone who posts on this board. I trust his decision-making until he gives me a reason not to.

I hope Kill knows what he is doing with this move, but I don't agree with it at all. Coaches make bad decisions every day-Kill is no different than any other coach. I guess it just boils down to this: Kill is afraid to play UNC. I can't wrap my mind around that.

 

[Gopherprof]

Let's not show up at Wisky either this weekend. What's the use, we're 19 point underdogs, and who wants to watch them get the axe again. Let's just call it a loss, take the weekend off, and get healthy for Purdue.

You're better than this. We play in the Big Ten because being a member of the Big Ten brings the athletic department tens of millions of dollars annually. Playing North Carolina in the OOC doesn't bring anything close to that.

 

[dpodoll68]

Why? Just don't show up.

Pretty sure we'd get kicked out of the conference if we refused to play conference games.

We could give Wisconsin $800,000 and call it a day.

Pretty sure we couldn't.

And we did have to play UNC.

No, we didn't. As you can see, we won't be.

It's called a contract, and the reason we're out $800k.

Brewster had a contract. So are you saying we had to let him keep coaching for us?

 

[Gopherprof]

I hope Kill knows what he is doing with this move, but I don't agree with it at all. Coaches make bad decisions every day-Kill is no different than any other coach. I guess it just boils down to this: Kill is afraid to play UNC. I can't wrap my mind around that.

"Afraid" is a strong word, but Kill clearly doesn't think we're as good as UNC right now. He's right, and he would know. This should serve as an opportunity for people to take a look at exactly where our program is right now. I think that's the main reason why people are so upset.

 

[dpodoll68]

I guess it just boils down to this: Kill is afraid to play UNC. I can't wrap my mind around that.

Why you can't wrap your mind around it is that they are a lot better football team than you (and many other Gopher fans) are willing to give them credit for. As I've already mentioned, we would be more than 2 TD underdogs if we played them there this weekend. Statistically, what kind of chance would we have to win? 5 percent? 10 percent? What good does it do to play optional games where you have almost no chance to win? Everybody was so excited about playing USC and Cal, but all I see is 4 losses where the Gophers had a slim chance of victory (at best) in 2 of the 4, with the other two being comfortable wins.

 

[dpodoll68]

Kill is afraid to play UNC. I can't wrap my mind around that.

Would you/should you be afraid of playing @ Ohio St. this weekend? As already mentioned, UNC would be even/slight favorites hosting Ohio St. this weekend. Wrap your mind around that.

 

[tikited]

"Afraid" is a strong word, but Kill clearly doesn't think we're as good as UNC right now. He's right, and he would know. This should serve as an opportunity for people to take a look at exactly where our program is right now. I think that's the main reason why people are so upset.

Oh I know. This isn't my first rodeo.

"As good" is a tricky term as well. We aren't as good as UNC, so I don't want to play them. Sounds like fear to me.

If we are as bad as suggested-then we have no business winning anther game this season. That would mean we didn't improve at all. I don't think the masses are going to be o.k. with that.

 

[John Galt]

Pretty sure we'd get kicked out of the conference if we refused to play conference games.



Pretty sure we couldn't.



No, we didn't. As you can see, we won't be.



Brewster had a contract. So are you saying we had to let him keep coaching for us?

Great logic. Show up at Wisky this weekend because if we didn't we'd get kicked out of the conference. That's what a rivalry is supposed to be about.

If we can't play a home and home with UNC in Kill's 3rd year, we should just leave the B1G and drop down to the Northern Sun Conference. I'm sure that would give our players a lot more confidence.

 

[dpodoll68]

If we can't play a home and home with UNC in Kill's 3rd year, we should just leave the B1G and drop down to the Northern Sun Conference. I'm sure that would give our players a lot more confidence.

I'll say it again, for the people who clearly didn't get the message the first 8,000 times I said it:

Deal With Things As They Are, Not As You Would Like Them To Be

We all wish we had as good of a football team as UNC does, but wish in one hand and sh*t in the other and let me know which fills up first. Whining and crying about this NSIC/MIAC nonsense is just ignoring reality. We would almost certainly be beaten handily in a road game at UNC next year. Whine about it all you want, but it is a fact.

 

[Gopherprof]

If we can't play a home and home with UNC in Kill's 3rd year, we should just leave the B1G and drop down to the Northern Sun Conference. I'm sure that would give our players a lot more confidence.

We're in the Big Ten because it makes the university a lot of money. From a competitive standpoint in football, we haven't been relevant for 40+ years. I'm not saying we should throw the towel in on the league, but the biggest advantage we get from being involved in the B1G sure as hell isn't competitive balance.

Seriously, do you not all realize this?

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

At best, this is a very bad PR move.

 

[John Galt]

We're in the Big Ten because it makes the university a lot of money. From a competitive standpoint in football, we haven't been relevant for 40+ years. I'm not saying we should throw the towel in on the league, but the biggest advantage we get from being involved in the B1G sure as hell isn't competitive balance.

Seriously, do you not all realize this?

So it's not at all about winning football games and turning the program around? Great, I'll cancel my season tickets and start following the Vikings.