It's Ryan James by a mile if we're talking Gophers and nobody is particularly close. I don't really find anyone else to have more than even a cursory knowledge of the game. If I want to read someone's takes on the Gophers, I generally find posts from fellow GopherHoler's more insightful than anything written in the Strib or Press (Marcus did have a great article on the strength program in the Press a couple years ago). Some posters I can think of off the top of my head: BleedGopher, Rouser, Howeda7, BGA1, Jamiche, Fan of Ray Williams and one that will be controversial to many builtbadgers. I am sure I am missing 5-6 names who routinely bring good takes. Many of these posters are actually at all/most games. Also, Daniel House's recaps of the Gopher games give a much better picture of what went on in the game than your standard recap on any other site.
Speaking of (former) Twin Cities media members, did anyone happen to read Myron P's latest steaming pile about reseeding the NCAA tournament for the Sweet 16? He comes to the conclusion that Wisconsin should be seeded 3rd (and takes another jab at the Gophers seeding citing they lost 5 in a row and ignoring what happened after that or the fact that Wisconsin had their own similar stretch) and because it's Myron does not really move South Carolina up. So basically this was his chance to get on his knees for Wisconsin and he couldn't pass it up. Logic would say that a South Carolina team that blew out Marquette and soundly defeated Duke would be the biggest riser in this reseeding instead it's a Wisconsin team that won two nail biters.