Souhan: Gophers' football success now gets truest test in Badgers

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So you don't have to give this guy clicks to read it!

Gopher Nation is right to be angry at ESPN for refusing to bring College GameDay to the Minnesota campus. Without the GameDay staff, how will Gopher Nation fill the stadium?

Lost amid the reported euphoria surrounding the Gophers football team’s four-game winning streak are two facts:

1. Huge swaths of seats at TCF Bank Stadium have gone unfilled for victories over two of the big names in college football, Nebraska and Penn State.

2. The Gophers have beaten four teams that, in retrospect, rank somewhere between mediocre and outright lousy.

That’s why this Saturday’s game, against Wisconsin at The Bank, is so important to the Gophers program.

The stage isn’t just set. It’s also empty.

The Vikings are a clown car rolling downhill with burning tires. The winter sports are mired in their early-season slog of uninteresting games. For the first time in years, the Gophers have the most captivating football team in town, the better record, the better quarterbacks, the better coaching staff.

For the first time in decades, Gophers-Wisconsin is more compelling than Vikings-Packers.

These moments don’t arrive often, and it’s incumbent on the Gophers to take advantage of this.

And for Gophers football, the bar is low. All they have to do is avoid getting embarrassed.

Everyone in town understands that Wisconsin has the superior program and team. A competitive loss might actually gain the Gophers more credibility than some of their victories.

Now that the Gophers have climbed the ladder to national respectability, they have to worry about falling. You don’t find out you have vertigo until you get off the ground.

Their 20-17 victory over Northwestern provided sweet relief for a program that seemed a loss or two away from reassessing Jerry Kill’s employability. The Gophers celebrated like they had won the Rose Bowl.

Now we know that Northwestern was dependent on its two star offensive players who missed the Gophers game and that Northwestern might have to win its last game, at Illinois, to avoid going winless in the Big Ten.

The Gophers’ 34-23 victory over Nebraska shocked because of the history of, and between, the two programs. It was correctly judged to be Kill’s signature victory, as his staff easily outcoached Bo Pelini.

Now we also know that Nebraska has yet to beat a good team this season, unless you count Michigan, which has lost three of its past five.

The Gophers’ 42-39 victory over Indiana provided a hint of karma, as a Minnesota football team actually caught a break when the Hoosiers killed a potential game-winning drive by not covering a lateral. It was correctly viewed as an important victory, because the Gophers rarely win at Indiana, and because it elevated the Gophers’ chances of a winning Big Ten record and a desirable bowl.

Now we also know that Indiana has lost four of its past five and last week lost to Wisconsin 51-3.

Likewise, the Gophers’ 24-10 victory over Penn State should be considered more important than impressive.

Penn State is 3-3 in the Big Ten. Like Nebraska, its only supposedly impressive victory came against a now-suspect Michigan team in four overtimes.

Beat Wisconsin, and Kill can replace the Nebraska win with a true signature victory over an undeniably good team and power program.

Gophers fans hate to admit it, but Wisconsin is their role model, a formerly laughable football program that hired one power coach, Barry Alvarez, and became forever transformed.

That’s why even a victory on Saturday isn’t necessary. If Kill’s players can handle the pressure of playing well after having raised expectations for the program and look like a well-run squad against a superior team in Kill’s third year, they will have served notice to their rivals and the nation that better days are ahead.

Here’s how much the standards have changed for the Gophers football program, thanks to the inane tenure of Tim Brewster:

When a punter dropped a snap and the Gophers lost in shocking fashion to Wisconsin in 2005, fans judged that play to be an indictment of Glen Mason’s program.

If the Gophers lose on Saturday because of a dropped snap, they will be praised for making so much progress.
 

I hate this guy more than the Skunks and Hogeyes combined. He is double downing on his dickness. Surprised he didn't remind us that Kill has epilepsy too.
 

It amazes me that he is still employed. I honestly think the strib lets this guy write crap like this just to see how far we will go in getting pissed off
 

I don't click on the Tribune. Haven't since he vomited up the awful collection of words earlier in the year. If it's not pasted here, I don't know what he says. After reading this, I know I'm better off. What a dis-likable person. Wish he'd go find something important to cover instead.
 


A bonafide @#%$o&e Debbie Downer. No, he is not physically fit enough. He needs to work off the muffin top.
 

Say want you want, but the guy is fit.
 

Spoofin said:
Say want you want, but the guy is fit.
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I think what he said is mostly true. However, their is a sly tone to his writing about Gopher Football that makes me wonder if I'm on Buckyville reading the article.
 

What is Souhan's problem? Is he always just a complete d!ckhead?! I wonder which he is more of, physically fit, and I mean, like really fit, or just a d!ck?
 



What a garbage piece.
How much of a miserable piece of human filth do you have to be to write that cynical, backhanded, and depressing article.
This guy deserves any and all criticism he gets, including the personal crap we dug up on him here.
Why is the local media so fing negative. There's no reason he needed to demean the program to that extent on the eve of a legitimate B1G game with a rival. Readers would absolutely eat up a hopeful piece right now, doubling down on the only positive football story of the year.
I can't describe how much I wish bad things on this guy right now.
 







I laughed at this part:

The Gophers celebrated like they had won the Rose Bowl.
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I always love when people act like they know how teams should celebrate. I think that comment is more indicative of the Minnesota sports culture in general. So many people would just prefer to be miserable instead of enjoying success. Ripping on these kids for having fun after a win is ridiculous.

Oh well, I stopped getting upset by this wanna be a long time ago.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I laughed at this part: I always love when people act like they know how teams should celebrate. I think that comment is more indicative of the Minnesota sports culture in general. So many people would just prefer to be miserable instead of enjoying success. Ripping on these kids for having fun after a win is ridiculous. Oh well, I stopped getting upset by this wanna be a long time ago.
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+1. Couldn't have said all of this better myself.
 

killme said:
I don't click on the Tribune. Haven't since he vomited up the awful collection of words earlier in the year. If it's not pasted here, I don't know what he says. After reading this, I know I'm better off. What a dis-likable person. Wish he'd go find something important to cover instead.
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+1 and thanks Go4fanatic19 for taking away any clicks for this dick,

Go Gophers!
 


Section2 said:
There is no way to take issue with an opinion piece unless there are factual inaccuracies?
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Already said I was just giving you guys a hard time.

Anyway I'm a Minnesota sports fan, grew up in Uptown. Went to UW hence the Badger fandom. Tbh I think Souhan is right more than not. MN sports teams aren't held accountable by the fans like they should be. That being said with this gopher team I get the reason for optimism, they've put together an admirable season and have something to build on
 

cmart102 said:
Already said I was just giving you guys a hard time.

Anyway I'm a Minnesota sports fan, grew up in Uptown. Went to UW hence the Badger fandom. Tbh I think Souhan is right more than not. MN sports teams aren't held accountable by the fans like they should be. That being said with this gopher team I get the reason for optimism, they've put together an admirable season and have something to build on
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I'm willing to bet Madison writers would get on their knees and blow Bo or Barry. Pro and college towns are different and as a gopher fan it's annoying to have these clowns treat us like pros
 

Jeez. Souhan is just a dick. I'm gonna go read some more Ruesse.


Yes. I said it.
 

cmart102 said:
Already said I was just giving you guys a hard time.

Anyway I'm a Minnesota sports fan, grew up in Uptown. Went to UW hence the Badger fandom. Tbh I think Souhan is right more than not. MN sports teams aren't held accountable by the fans like they should be. That being said with this gopher team I get the reason for optimism, they've put together an admirable season and have something to build on
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I never really understand this type of statement. It kinda goes hand in hand with those who say so many fans accept mediocrity and they are part of the problem.

How would a fan being more upset and mad while on a message board or while talking to your buddies change anything? Should we all grab our pitchforks and head on over to Leslie Frazier's house? Should we stop going to games when things are bad?

If it takes the fan base to hold a coach, team, or program accountable, then that's indicative of a much larger problem in my opinion: the people in charge don't know what they are doing because they are relying and reacting to what the fans say/do.

Edit: And just to make it clear, most people don't think Souhan is a doosh because of the message (he probably is right many times), it is how he is delivering it.
 

cmart102 said:
What did he write that was factually inaccurate?
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cmart102 said:
Already said I was just giving you guys a hard time.

Anyway I'm a Minnesota sports fan, grew up in Uptown. Went to UW hence the Badger fandom. Tbh I think Souhan is right more than not. MN sports teams aren't held accountable by the fans like they should be. That being said with this gopher team I get the reason for optimism, they've put together an admirable season and have something to build on
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Yeah, I checked all your posts. What a great Minnesota fan you are. You are here simply to be a troll. Welcome to the ignore list.
 

I'm gettng a little irritated with the wn over Nebraska being treated as if it was nothing and they are not a good team. They are 7-2. Their losses are to #14 UCLA, #13 Michiga State and to #25 MN @ the bank. They have two conference losses to the only teams left to win the legends div.
Please expain to me why this is a mediocre win.

PS: No one will care how "mediocre" the league was in two years if they go 9-3 or 8-4. Except people on this board. Because that's what we do.
 

lexicalNinja said:
I'm gettng a little irritated with the wn over Nebraska being treated as if it was nothing and they are not a good team. They are 7-2. Their losses are to #14 UCLA, #13 Michiga State and to #25 MN @ the bank. They have two conference losses to the only teams left to win the legends div.
Please expain to me why this is a mediocre win.

PS: No one will care how "mediocre" the league was in two years if they go 9-3 or 8-4. Except people on this board. Because that's what we do.
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Correct. At the beginning of the year, people looked at our schedule and picked us to finish either last or close to it, and wondered if we'd win five games total. After we lost to Michigan, people wondered if we'd win another game all year. Now that we've beaten these teams and the season has played out, it's not because we're good, it'd because these other teams - NW (top 15 team at one point this year), Nebraska, Indiana (they had so much to gain/lose in that game with us), and Penn State - are mediocre.

Obviously Souhan loves needling, and the Strib Editors love that it fosters reaction. It's fine. The best thing we can do is not worry about it and "enjoy the season!"
 


I got through the second sentence. That is the most I read from him since before his anti-epileptic rant. Now I remember why I don't read his garbage. I stopped after the second sentence. Let me know if I missed anything (I am otherwise assuming I didn't).
 

Souhan the morning of the Northwestern game:

"The Gophers went into the Big Ten season with a great deal of optimism. That has since been crushed. They got physically whipped by a mediocre Iowa team, then got physically whipped by a mediocre Michigan team.

Now their coach is convalescing, and they're on the road against a good team desperate to right itself. Northwestern can throw the ball and figures to play with a great deal of emotion today.

If you're the Gophers, where do you find the positive emotion? Do you really around defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, who's filling in for Jerry Kill? Is the Gophers' coaching staff really as capable when the head coach isn't at the stadium?

My pick: Northwestern 41, Gophers 18. I like Mitch Leidner as a quarterback, and I like the fact that the staff didn't play any games before naming him the starter this week, but I don't think he has a whole lot of help."
 

Maximus said:
Souhan the morning of the Northwestern game:

"The Gophers went into the Big Ten season with a great deal of optimism. That has since been crushed. They got physically whipped by a mediocre Iowa team, then got physically whipped by a mediocre Michigan team.

Now their coach is convalescing, and they're on the road against a good team desperate to right itself. Northwestern can throw the ball and figures to play with a great deal of emotion today.

If you're the Gophers, where do you find the positive emotion? Do you really around defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, who's filling in for Jerry Kill? Is the Gophers' coaching staff really as capable when the head coach isn't at the stadium?

My pick: Northwestern 41, Gophers 18. I like Mitch Leidner as a quarterback, and I like the fact that the staff didn't play any games before naming him the starter this week, but I don't think he has a whole lot of help."
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I'm sure that our "convalescing" coach is feeling very sad about what this moron thinks of him as he has already clinched the best Gopher season in recent memory, and he has 3 games left to play which would be pure gravy on top of that.
 

It's like the guy really can't help himself.

Not every single line needs to have an attempt at humor. It's like he doesn't know any other way.
 

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