The Gophers are lucky the Big Ten changed its bowl structure

[Gold Rush]

Remember the good ol days when Glen Mason coached here and the Gophers would get screwed seemingly every year on their bowl? The Gophers would somehow get jumped by 2-3 teams some with worse records and we would end up in the Music City Bowl or Sun Bowl every year. Gopher fans would be yelling, "No fair, we should be in XXX-Bowl" but we were told, "Well the Gopher fan base doesn't travel very well so we took this team instead." And the answer was always, "Well how do you expect us to travel well when the fan base is treated inferior to other teams?" I think we got jumped for the Alamo Bowl about 3-4 times. One of the best teams in Gopher history, the 2003 team that featured Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney for running backs finished 9-3 and only got a Sun Bowl berth out of it.

A nice bowl would have helped us as Gopher fans all know it was very tough to really create that spark that would create more and more enthusiasm for our favorite football team. We felt after they added Penn St. Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers it would be even MORE difficult to get into a decent game, but that has actually not been the case. The Gophers have recently been to the Florida Citrus Bowl and the Holiday Bowl, two of the top Big Ten bowl games in recent years and this year stands to land in one of the top bowls, maybe even a New Year's Bowl which would be the best bowl game we have been to since the Rose Bowl nearly 60 years ago.

The contract agreements with the various bowls have helped teams like Minnesota. The bowl contracts are drawn up to take 5 different teams in a 5-6 year period and you can be sure if the Gophers stumble against Wisconsin, the Outback Bowl or Gator Bowl would love to have them - those are both solid bowls but I am afraid the fans will be too discouraged if they do not make the Rose Bowl after we are so close to going back. Even the Orange Bowl might be a disappointment for some for sure.

I just want to see a level playing field for all Big Ten teams and be treated fairly in the bowl process. I would love to see us in the Rose Bowl here like everyone else but you can kiss that good-bye if the Gophers lose to Wisconsin. What I don't want to see is us beat Wisconsin, then get jumped by the same Penn St. team we beat because "they travel better." I am not worried though - the fan base is electrified and the Gophers have been such a great story this year they will get to a good bowl game.

Just keep it fair!!

 

[Spoofin]

The point isn’t to be fair to the schools. Bowls are big business. Those investing the most that have the most to gain/lose have the most say. That seems fair.

 

[hungan1]

The Iowa loss looms big.

 

[matt]

The point isn’t to be fair to the schools. Bowls are big business. Those investing the most that have the most to gain/lose have the most say. That seems fair.

You sound like a University of Texas fan.

 

[northeast_mpls_guy]

I knew after the Penn State game would have to go 2 for 3 in the final three to make the at least the Rose . We have our chance.

 

[hello-world]

I want the axe, not even thinking about the bowl game right now.

 

[harley_gopher]

get the Axe first...

 

[Veritas]

Remember the good ol days when Glen Mason coached here and the Gophers would get screwed seemingly every year on their bowl? The Gophers would somehow get jumped by 2-3 teams some with worse records and we would end up in the Music City Bowl or Sun Bowl every year. Gopher fans would be yelling, "No fair, we should be in XXX-Bowl" but we were told, "Well the Gopher fan base doesn't travel very well so we took this team instead." And the answer was always, "Well how do you expect us to travel well when the fan base is treated inferior to other teams?" I think we got jumped for the Alamo Bowl about 3-4 times. One of the best teams in Gopher history, the 2003 team that featured Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney for running backs finished 9-3 and only got a Sun Bowl berth out of it.

A nice bowl would have helped us as Gopher fans all know it was very tough to really create that spark that would create more and more enthusiasm for our favorite football team. We felt after they added Penn St. Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers it would be even MORE difficult to get into a decent game, but that has actually not been the case. The Gophers have recently been to the Florida Citrus Bowl and the Holiday Bowl, two of the top Big Ten bowl games in recent years and this year stands to land in one of the top bowls, maybe even a New Year's Bowl which would be the best bowl game we have been to since the Rose Bowl nearly 60 years ago.

The contract agreements with the various bowls have helped teams like Minnesota. The bowl contracts are drawn up to take 5 different teams in a 5-6 year period and you can be sure if the Gophers stumble against Wisconsin, the Outback Bowl or Gator Bowl would love to have them - those are both solid bowls but I am afraid the fans will be too discouraged if they do not make the Rose Bowl after we are so close to going back. Even the Orange Bowl might be a disappointment for some for sure.

I just want to see a level playing field for all Big Ten teams and be treated fairly in the bowl process. I would love to see us in the Rose Bowl here like everyone else but you can kiss that good-bye if the Gophers lose to Wisconsin. What I don't want to see is us beat Wisconsin, then get jumped by the same Penn St. team we beat because "they travel better." I am not worried though - the fan base is electrified and the Gophers have been such a great story this year they will get to a good bowl game.

Just keep it fair!!

I almost never understand the term "fair". "Fair" to whom? In this particular case, the bowl games are all creatures of the local Chambers of Commerce. They want the maximum number of "butts in bars, beds and resturants". I remember going to a famous steakhouse outside El Paso where I asked about the previous time the Gophers had played in the Sun Bowl. I was told that they had never had fewer fans than that year. Nonetheless, I would think we would be an excellent fan base to invite to the Rose Bowl. Everyone would go who possibly could. A true Bucket List event.

 

[Panthadad2]

I almost never understand the term "fair". "Fair" to whom? In this particular case, the bowl games are all creatures of the local Chambers of Commerce. They want the maximum number of "butts in bars, beds and resturants". I remember going to a famous steakhouse outside El Paso where I asked about the previous time the Gophers had played in the Sun Bowl. I was told that they had never had fewer fans than that year. Nonetheless, I would think we would be an excellent fan base to invite to the Rose Bowl. Everyone would go who possibly could. A true Bucket List event.

There were tons of fans at the Sun Bowl in 1999 (I was there). 2003 might have been a bust because 1) no one wants visit El Paso twice, and 2) anything other than a NYD bowl was a let down in that year.

 

[Panthadad2]

If the Gophs get to the Rose Bowl (need to claim the axe first), Minnesota fans will swarm that place. There's a lot of pent up demand here for it. It's on many Gopher fans bucket list. Plus, the Gophs are a great national story this year that play an exciting brand of football. I think the Rose Bowl people know this and would love to have this team there.

 

[gregbrady]

This ^^^ When Northwestern made the Rose Bowl in 95 the place was about 60% Purple & that school has such a smaller(yet wealthier) alumni base, if you ever see the picture from the blimp you’d see a sea of purple. I’m a firm believer that Gopher fans will do whatever it takes to get to Pasadena. It’s a once in a lifetime thing. It would make perfect sense to me to pick the U over PSU for the Rose Bowl(if it came to that bowl). I’d love to be see the U in the Semi finals though!

 

[WAGopher]

Yes, it's big business and it's not always fair. However, I do remember the year Purdue bought extra tickets to assure their berth in a bowl Minnesota was hoping to get into. The B1G has made it more fair or equitable with the structure of the new contracts, which is a good thing for all teams. Also, fans don't like to travel to the same bowl frequently, which seemed to be happening with the old style contracts.

 

[amk8930]

Was El Paso that bad to visit twice? I was only a kid growing up when they made it, but I thought the Sun Bowl didn’t seem like the worst destination to be. At least it was warm.

 

[EG#9]

I am not sure the Gophers ever got screwed and they certainly didn't in 2003. The 2003 team didn't beat anyone and fans were hoping a better bowl would pick the Gophers ahead of Michigan State who finished with the same conference record as the Gophers...and won in Minneapolis. That year the Gophers had everything in front of them going in to Iowa to end the season and allowed Iowa to beat them and jump them in the standings for a much better bowl.

 

[Otis]

Just win Baby! Get the Axe and everything will work itself out.

As far as I'm concerned, our bowl game is this week! Win this, and everything else is gravy!

Go Gophers!

 

[Veritas]

Was El Paso that bad to visit twice? I was only a kid growing up when they made it, but I thought the Sun Bowl didn’t seem like the worst destination to be. At least it was warm.

The Sun Bowl itself was an excellent bowl. El Paso is the kind of place you want to visit once just to see how the border disaster absolutely dominates the town as a war zone is just across the creek.

 

[disco]

The Sun Bowl itself was an excellent bowl. El Paso is the kind of place you want to visit once just to see how the border disaster absolutely dominates the town as a war zone is just across the creek.

El Paso is regularly ranked among the safest metro areas in the US. Look it up.

 

[Veritas]

El Paso is regularly ranked among the safest metro areas in the US. Look it up.

Stand in El Paso and look around. What does an outsider see? Juarez. Bigger, dominating the whole southern view, full of dead people, an ant hill of fear, dispair and drug gangs. We walked over there and I would dare anyone to walk one block off the main street. It was an amazing experience which every American should see once.

 

[Maverick]

I enjoyed El Paso and the Sun Bowl very much..... San Antonio was my 1st choice though...

 

[Gold Rush]

Stand in El Paso and look around. What does an outsider see? Juarez. Bigger, dominating the whole southern view, full of dead people, an ant hill of fear, dispair and drug gangs. We walked over there and I would dare anyone to walk one block off the main street. It was an amazing experience which every American should see once.

lol -- I have been to Nogales and Tijuana before - also border towns. Same deal - if you stick to the main drag you should be ok, especially during the daytime. We weren't adventurous to go outside of those areas though!!

 

[2727Gopher]

I am not sure the Gophers ever got screwed and they certainly didn't in 2003. The 2003 team didn't beat anyone and fans were hoping a better bowl would pick the Gophers ahead of Michigan State who finished with the same conference record as the Gophers...and won in Minneapolis. That year the Gophers had everything in front of them going in to Iowa to end the season and allowed Iowa to beat them and jump them in the standings for a much better bowl.

The Gophers absolutely got screwed during Mason's era for bowl placement. In '99, we tied with Penn State at 5-3 and had beaten them head-to-head, but they were picked ahead of us. Purdue, at 4-4, also got picked ahead of us. In 2002, we finished ahead of the Badgers and they were picked ahead of us. In 2003, we ended up pretty much where we deserved to, though - we tied with MSU and they beat us head-to-head, so it made sense they would get picked ahead of us. We were 9-3 overall while they were 8-4, so an argument could be made, but I'd fall on MSU's side in that debate.

 

[Livingat45north]

I almost never understand the term "fair". "Fair" to whom? In this particular case, the bowl games are all creatures of the local Chambers of Commerce. They want the maximum number of "butts in bars, beds and resturants". I remember going to a famous steakhouse outside El Paso where I asked about the previous time the Gophers had played in the Sun Bowl. I was told that they had never had fewer fans than that year. Nonetheless, I would think we would be an excellent fan base to invite to the Rose Bowl. Everyone would go who possibly could. A true Bucket List event.

The national TV audience is probably a bigger factor on decisions than the impact on the local community. The two are pretty much in sync with each other. I imagine the bowl sponsors (e.g., Outback) are much more interested in TV viewers than local spending at restaurants. Pre Fleck, Minnesota had nearly zero interest from a national TV viewer standpoint. That's changed. In the football world, Row-the-Boat is putting us on the map.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Stand in El Paso and look around. What does an outsider see? Juarez. Bigger, dominating the whole southern view, full of dead people, an ant hill of fear, dispair and drug gangs. We walked over there and I would dare anyone to walk one block off the main street. It was an amazing experience which every American should see once.

OK, Boomer.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I'm old, so I still think of the Major bowl games as the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Cotton. I know the Cotton Bowl has lost a lot of its stature, but when I was growing up, those were the four games on New Year's day.

So, if the Gophers do not make the Rose Bowl, my sentimental choice would be the Orange Bowl.

Actually, my first choice would be the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, but that no longer exists.

 

[4four4]

The point isn’t to be fair to the schools. Bowls are big business. Those investing the most that have the most to gain/lose have the most say. That seems fair.

Agreed. It's why we need the national playoffs to have 8 teams.

 

[4four4]

I almost never understand the term "fair". "Fair" to whom? In this particular case, the bowl games are all creatures of the local Chambers of Commerce. They want the maximum number of "butts in bars, beds and resturants". I remember going to a famous steakhouse outside El Paso where I asked about the previous time the Gophers had played in the Sun Bowl. I was told that they had never had fewer fans than that year. Nonetheless, I would think we would be an excellent fan base to invite to the Rose Bowl. Everyone would go who possibly could. A true Bucket List event.

The El Paso/Ciudad Juarez area is a soccer country! It's their number one sport by a landslide.

 

[4four4]

Stand in El Paso and look around. What does an outsider see? Juarez. Bigger, dominating the whole southern view, full of dead people, an ant hill of fear, dispair and drug gangs. We walked over there and I would dare anyone to walk one block off the main street. It was an amazing experience which every American should see once.

The Juarez/El Paso area is soccer country and it's not even close.