The Athletic: The 2006 Insight Bowl Collapse

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Ogee Ogilthorpe

Ogee Ogilthorpe

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Pretty lengthy article here about the TT game that sealed Grinnin' Glen's fate.

2006 Insight Bowl Collapse

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At halftime of the 2006 Insight Bowl, the Minnesota Golden Gophers discussed adjustments, but not the moves one might expect with a 28-point lead. Coaches told quarterback Bryan Cupito that no matter how lopsided the game got, they planned to let him finish because it was his senior year.

Minnesota had dominated Texas Tech in the first half to enter the locker room up 35-7. On the NFL Network broadcast, play-by-play man Derrin Horton started calling the contest a “stunner” after the Gophers scored their second touchdown. With Minnesota driving to build on a 21-0 lead, television analyst Dick Vermeil put it bluntly: “One team is playing at a much higher level than the other team. I don’t know if they’re mentally fresher or more excited about being here, but there’s just no comparison in the tempo of the two teams right now.”

Bowl games often come down to motivation: which team is ready to play and which team is ready for vacation. On a chilly night in Tempe, Ariz., the difference was noticeable. Or it appeared to be. And in some ways, Minnesota’s loose halftime behavior — linebacker Mike Sherels would tell reporters that the Gophers acted during the break as if they were on “Cloud Nine” — was understandable. “Just keep doing what you’re doing.” No one in the locker room could have guessed that momentum was about to shift, resulting in the biggest choke job in bowl history. The Red Raiders’ improbable 44-41 overtime win set a record for the largest comeback in a bowl game, a mark that has only since been equaled by TCU’s rally from down 31-0 to beat Oregon in triple overtime of the 2016 Alamo Bowl.....

Man, this just brings up some bad memories
 

I was there. I still cringe when I think about our second offensive series of the second half. It was the STUPIDEST play calling imaginable!
 


Ugh. So many times with Mason.
Philip Rivers and NC state.
Drew Brees and Purdue.
There is a NW last second loss in there.

Was glad when we moved on. Just can’t believe it was for Brewster.
 

Was not there but watched the game with Gopher neighbor.

Mrs. Billd was perplexed at halftime because neighbor and I were lamenting the score at 35-7. She asked why so down and we both said together "Ahead by 28 is not enough points!" to win.

She remained perplexed but came to understand and stayed to the very bitterest of bitter losses under Coach Mase with more to come. She asked at that point "Why do we do this?"

Obviously was not surprised when Mase was fired within just a day or so.
 


Was there. Gobsmacking. Because of the game going to OT, we barely caught my redeye flight back, at midnight-ish out of Sky Harbor. I vividly remember landing at ORD in the wee hours - in time to see the televised hanging of Saddam Hussein. What a bizarre 10 hours of my life.
 

for any of the people who were there - did you attend the notorious pep rally where Mason allegedly made comments that ticked off a lot of big-wigs and alums?

I would love to hear from someone who was actually there as to what was said.

from what I have read and heard, Mason's comments are what really got him fired - not just the loss of the game.
 

Was the game on some obscure channel? I recall hosting an old boss of mine that night to watch the game. It was the one and only time he was ever at my house or that we ever socialized just the two of us. I have a vague recollection that it was because he couldn't get the game on TV at his house. Maybe he just didn't have cable. Anyway, it's still the first thing that he mentions to me when I see him all these years later.
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
Was the game on some obscure channel? I recall hosting an old boss of mine that night to watch the game. It was the one and only time he was ever at my house or that we ever socialized just the two of us. I have a vague recollection that it was because he couldn't get the game on TV at his house. Maybe he just didn't have cable. Anyway, it's still the first thing that he mentions to me when I see him all these years later.
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I believe it was on the NFL Network. I remember having to find a bar to watch the game.
 



I watched this game in the sports book in New York, New York in Vegas. A lot of tequila consumed and the biggest meltdown ever witnessed in public, which was very hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Yes, it was on NFL Network so not widely available in 2006.
 

I was back in town for the week and watched the game at Tom Reid's with some friends from HS. I planned on only having a drink or two because I was going to go out hard the following night for NYE.

I proceeded to get loaded and make some terrible decisions. I blamed Glen Mason for years.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
for any of the people who were there - did you attend the notorious pep rally where Mason allegedly made comments that ticked off a lot of big-wigs and alums?

I would love to hear from someone who was actually there as to what was said.

from what I have read and heard, Mason's comments are what really got him fired - not just the loss of the game.
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I was at that pep rally and yes his remarks had to be what got him fired. I can't remember the exact words he used, but my wife and I looked at each other amazed that Maturi didn't fire him right then and there after he was finished speaking. The basis of the remarks surrounded the general lack of support he felt his program and he were receiving. The first half of the game felt to me like a statement of this is what I (Mason) can accomplish and the second half was this is what you (Fans) deserve.
 



BuiltFordTough said:
I was at that pep rally and yes his remarks had to be what got him fired. I can't remember the exact words he used, but my wife and I looked at each other amazed that Maturi didn't fire him right then and there after he was finished speaking. The basis of the remarks surrounded the general lack of support he felt his program and he were receiving. The first half of the game felt to me like a statement of this is what I (Mason) can accomplish and the second half was this is what you (Fans) deserve.
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I don’t remember the details that well, but recall part of it being a rant about the media (think it was directed at the STrib although I don’t recall if they were specifically named) and saying coach should be let go. I recall him yelling “Fire me?” incredulously and saying something about how they (media) should look in the mirror at the job they were doing instead and fire themselves. I think the STrib had just been sold or something days before too. It was an odd pep rally for sure. I remember leaving afterwards and everyone was sort of wondering “what was that?”.
 

rovert M said:
I don’t remember the details that well, but recall part of it being a rant about the media (think it was directed at the STrib although I don’t recall if they were specifically named) and saying coach should be let go. I recall him yelling “Fire me?” incredulously and saying something about how they (media) should look in the mirror at the job they were doing instead and fire themselves. I think the STrib had just been sold or something days before too. It was an odd pep rally for sure. I remember leaving afterwards and everyone was sort of wondering “what was that?”.
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There have probably been others, but it sounds like at least Mason and Claeys were tone deaf when making public comments, which got both of them fired.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I was back in town for the week and watched the game at Tom Reid's with some friends from HS. I planned on only having a drink or two because I was going to go out hard the following night for NYE.

I proceeded to get loaded and make some terrible decisions. I blamed Glen Mason for years.
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1640302559568.jpeg
I think we’ve all had similar evenings.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
I was there as well. What also gets overlooked is that MN received the ball in the 2nd half and took 7:30 off the clock to kick a FG. At 38-7 with 7:30 left in the 3Q we were all in jubilation. Just unreal what took place after that.
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I thought we were ahead by 31 at one point but I didn't remember it being so late in the game.
 




When the Mrs. and I came out of the tunnel and saw the Gophers warming up, I said "we'll win because the Gophers have never lost a bowl game in maroon jerseys." What I rercall most about the first half is Jack Simmons making a bunch of catches, in relief of the injured Matt Spaeth. We could have used Spaeth's blocking in the second half when the Gophers couldn't grind out a first down. Amir Pinnix made a tremendous play. Cupito threw a pick that was going to be run back for a touchdown in the first half. Pinnix came from behind and poked the ball out of the end zone for a touchback. I thought this had to be our night. In the scond half, after the Gophers got up 38-7, I think the only first down they managed was when a freshman named Decker laid out to make a superb catch about 30 yards downfiled. What a relief! Bit they couldn't build on it. When it was over, we dashed through the crowded streets to our nearby hotel like we were fleeing a crime scene.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
I was there as well. What also gets overlooked is that MN received the ball in the 2nd half and took 7:30 off the clock to kick a FG. At 38-7 with 7:30 left in the 3Q we were all in jubilation. Just unreal what took place after that.
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The game was indeed on NFL Network, and it was before it had gained widespread distribution, so most of us ended up at local drinking establishments to watch the proceedings. There were several members of this forum, myself among them, who were at the same table at Joe Senser's in Roseville watching the game. When that first drive of 3Q stalled and the FG went through to get to 38-3, everyone to a man looked at each other and said "This isn't enough." The rest, as they say, is history.

As for Maturi, recall it was the third time in a year that he had to deal with a coach who had worn out his welcome (Mason et al negotiating through the media in Nashville, failing to fire Dan Monson in March after getting crushed in the NIT at Cincinnati, and then actually firing him in early December). It was this track record of indecision that led most of us to think that Bob Bruininks ordered the sack on the way home, not Maturi.
 



I don't recall Laurenaitis ever committing here but I know that JJ Watt was. But in typical Mason fashion, he had him committed as a TE instead of DE.
 

I remember being at my parents. The bar in town didn't have the NFL network either so I had to spend the night following it on their computer. I kept thinking there had to be some kind of glitch in the 4th quarter when Texas Tech was coming back.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
I don't recall Laurenaitis ever committing here but I know that JJ Watt was. But in typical Mason fashion, he had him committed as a TE instead of DE.
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LB Greg Jones who went on to have a very good career at Michigan State was also a Gopher commit prior to Mason being fired. I'm not sure about David Gilreath. I thought he was a Gopher commit (but I'm foggy as to whether he was ever a formal commit) at one point and then backed out, but that may have been prior to Mason's firing.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
I don't recall Laurenaitis ever committing here but I know that JJ Watt was. But in typical Mason fashion, he had him committed as a TE instead of DE.
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James Laurenaitis was verbally committed to Minnesota before he visited Ohio State in early December 2004. He then changed his commitment to Ohio State shortly after the visit, and signed the following February. Here’s an article about the OSU visit:
https://n.rivals.com/news/minnesota-commitment-visiting-osu
 

GopherRock said:
The game was indeed on NFL Network, and it was before it had gained widespread distribution, so most of us ended up at local drinking establishments to watch the proceedings. There were several members of this forum, myself among them, who were at the same table at Joe Senser's in Roseville watching the game. When that first drive of 3Q stalled and the FG went through to get to 38-3, everyone to a man looked at each other and said "This isn't enough." The rest, as they say, is history.

As for Maturi, recall it was the third time in a year that he had to deal with a coach who had worn out his welcome (Mason et al negotiating through the media in Nashville, failing to fire Dan Monson in March after getting crushed in the NIT at Cincinnati, and then actually firing him in early December). It was this track record of indecision that led most of us to think that Bob Bruininks ordered the sack on the way home, not Maturi.
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I seem to recall that as well. Something about Mason being very cavalier at the post-game gathering. I'm old and it's all foggy to me now.

Mason did have some justifiable gripes. He spent a lot of time at the Capitol working the stadium issue and I think Maturi had the first nickel he ever earned hanging in a glass case on his office wall. When it came to the football program, it's almost like he squeezed the pennies so hard that you could see tears coming out of Lincoln's eye.

What is ironic (and I heard this second hand) is that Brewster picked up the griping where Mason left off and I don't think Maturi expected that when he hired Brewster (who had been around a lot of top programs but had never been in charge of a program). Part of me always believed that one of the reasons Maturi hired Brewster is that he thought he'd have a guy who was just happy to have a P5 head coaching job and would just be satisfied with that.

All water that went under the bridge long, long ago.
 

I’ve had this game surgically removed from my memory.
 

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