Who's actually having FUN this year?

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Frink

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It seems the vast majority of posts here this year are either frustrated meltdowns or expressing frustration that we aren't living up to our potential. This is entirely understandable and personally all the off court problems have really put a damper on the season for me.


So my question is how many people are still really enjoying this season? How many people are able to set aside the off court issues, etc and really sink into a game when it starts? I have to admit I'm just not as excited as I have been in past years and it seems everyone else is in the same boat.
 

The OSU game was fun to be at, as was the MSU game until the last 2 minutes. For me, during the games I forget about all the off the court crap and enjoy rooting for the guys on the floor. I agree though that following this team on non-game days isn't the best time.
 

I have had a lot of fun actually. The close losses drive me bonkers but I can still appreciate the great play of Johnson, Hoffarber and company. I am starting to really enjoy Carter's game when he is "on."

Being at the Butler game was the great: things were clicking and shots were going down. It is easy to get down on Westbrook but he has made many tough shots this year. The high-flying bank shots in traffic by gasp, a Gopher, has been brilliant.
 

Yes...I am having FUN. We aren't dead yet! We are 4-4 in the Big Ten. I figure we need to finish 11-7 in the conference and go 2 -1 in the tourney to be off the bubble (and that means 2 out of 3 wins against Wisconsin, Purdue at home and Ohio State on Sunday).
It is certainly doable that we can do that and I see no reason we can't. A 1 point loss to MSU (number 7 team in the country) shows me we have the talent to hang with Wisconsin or Purdue at home. And we can take it to Ohio State if Turner and Lighty can be contained (yes a big if but we did it here so we know we can do it even without Nolan) we have a chance there.

So yes I am still having fun. And if we don't go 11-7 in the Big Ten then I will be looking for us to go 4-0 in the Big Ten Tournament. Wouldn't that be FUN!!!
 

It's always fun to have the Gophers playing buckets... A few of my favorite things: Colton stealing the ball and dribbling down the court ... Rodney up - up - and slam this week ... Blake making outstanding assists against Mich St and NW ... LW and Evan Turner jawing during the Ohio St game ... DJ scoring 18 and Colton scoring 13 against Butler ... Ralph slamming and scoring 17 against Indiana. Just a few reasons this season is fun ...
 


Blake

Seeing Blake get his shot off and having them swish instead of spin out like last year is a thing of beauty, and a reason to be having some fun.

Agreed, I am not ready to do a funeral homily on this team yet. They have put thier own backs to the wall, but they can fight their way out of it. I look forward to seeing it.
 

Glad to see these responses. I think my problem has been a combination of dwelling on the negative posts here and the fact that the only games I've been to were preseason blowouts.
 

Frink said:
It seems the vast majority of posts here this year are either frustrated meltdowns or expressing frustration that we aren't living up to our potential. This is entirely understandable and personally all the off court problems have really put a damper on the season for me.


So my question is how many people are still really enjoying this season? How many people are able to set aside the off court issues, etc and really sink into a game when it starts? I have to admit I'm just not as excited as I have been in past years and it seems everyone else is in the same boat.
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I think that's a good question to ask the team. It seemed to me like last year, and even the year before (documented in The Journey) they looked like they were having fun. Now just winning, but relaxed and having a good time. I don't see this this year - not sure if I'm misinterpreting it or not?

As for me, I'm able to set aside the off the court issues, since I (as most on this board are) am a long term fan, and think that having those guys back next year (if that does happen) will be amazing. I get so immersed in the games, I don't think about that stuff - but what's not fun is losing all of these close games.
 

I am absolutely having fun. Every year is a new ride. It is meant to be enjoyed. The ups & downs of every season are what give us fans so much to talk about, even years later. Over the years I've learned to enjoy the ride.

Watching the development of players is also a blast, although it is a slow process in most cases. Anyone looking for immediate gratifications going to be disappointed.
 



Of course its fun - Win or Lose - what else would you rather be doing in the winter season than watching Gopher Basketball???
 

Its always fun, even in the 9-22 years. If you can't have 'fun' watching the games no matter the outcome I feel bad for you. I get as hyped up and anyone, but you have to keep it in perspective. The not fun part for the players was having all these undue expectations at the start of year, and it hasnt really worked out like that so far. Can only do the best you can with what youve got, and with ten games left, we got a chance, thats all you can ask for.
 

sec105 said:
Yes...I am having FUN. We aren't dead yet! We are 4-4 in the Big Ten. I figure we need to finish 11-7 in the conference and go 2 -1 in the tourney to be off the bubble (and that means 2 out of 3 wins against Wisconsin, Purdue at home and Ohio State on Sunday).
It is certainly doable that we can do that and I see no reason we can't. A 1 point loss to MSU (number 7 team in the country) shows me we have the talent to hang with Wisconsin or Purdue at home. And we can take it to Ohio State if Turner and Lighty can be contained (yes a big if but we did it here so we know we can do it even without Nolan) we have a chance there.

So yes I am still having fun. And if we don't go 11-7 in the Big Ten then I will be looking for us to go 4-0 in the Big Ten Tournament. Wouldn't that be FUN!!!
Click to expand...

I think your prediction is right on as far as what we need to do to get into the NCAA. The road will be tough.
 

sec105 said:
Yes...I am having FUN. We aren't dead yet! We are 4-4 in the Big Ten. I figure we need to finish 11-7 in the conference and go 2 -1 in the tourney to be off the bubble (and that means 2 out of 3 wins against Wisconsin, Purdue at home and Ohio State on Sunday).
It is certainly doable that we can do that and I see no reason we can't. A 1 point loss to MSU (number 7 team in the country) shows me we have the talent to hang with Wisconsin or Purdue at home. And we can take it to Ohio State if Turner and Lighty can be contained (yes a big if but we did it here so we know we can do it even without Nolan) we have a chance there.

So yes I am still having fun. And if we don't go 11-7 in the Big Ten then I will be looking for us to go 4-0 in the Big Ten Tournament. Wouldn't that be FUN!!!
Click to expand...

I agree - 11-7 in Big 10 plus 1 or 2 W in Big 10 tourney gets Gophers into NCAA.
 



UptownMaroon&Gold said:
Its always fun, even in the 9-22 years. If you can't have 'fun' watching the games no matter the outcome I feel bad for you. I get as hyped up and anyone, but you have to keep it in perspective. The not fun part for the players was having all these undue expectations at the start of year, and it hasnt really worked out like that so far. Can only do the best you can with what youve got, and with ten games left, we got a chance, thats all you can ask for.
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I hope you are Wolves fan with your mindset. I find it hard to support a losing team, so I give those credit who can enjoy games while watching terrible teams. That is what Tubby has brought to this team, a perennial winning school. This year we might not make the NCAA but at least we are still good and fun to watch. Twins are the same.
 

UptownMaroon&Gold said:
Its always fun, even in the 9-22 years. If you can't have 'fun' watching the games no matter the outcome I feel bad for you. I get as hyped up and anyone, but you have to keep it in perspective. The not fun part for the players was having all these undue expectations at the start of year, and it hasnt really worked out like that so far. Can only do the best you can with what youve got, and with ten games left, we got a chance, thats all you can ask for.
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I agree with this. I've been following the team for years and years, through all the ups and downs. Doesn't matter if it's a good or bad year, I don't miss watching any games. I've been bringing my son to a couple games for the last 4 or 5 years and it's a great time.
 

So my question is how many people are still really enjoying this season? How many people are able to set aside the off court issues, etc and really sink into a game when it starts? I have to admit I'm just not as excited as I have been in past years and it seems everyone else is in the same boat.
Click to expand...

Every once in a while I need to give myself of good dose of perspective. Yes, there have been some frustrating moments this year. In the grand scheme of things - it's just a game and the only stake I have in it is as a fan.

A few hundred thousand people just lost their lives in Haiti and I'm worried about basketball? Yes, I guess, honestly, I am. But, again, in my world, it doesn't put food on my table, provide for kids, or make my mortgage payment. If all I have to worry about is whether my team is winning or losing I'm doing pretty good. On the whole, aside from providing a nice distraction from the cares of life, basketball, again, in my world, takes pretty low priority from everything else.

Just sayin'
 

There's not a game that goes by that I don't have fun at or look forward to anymore. Any time I think I'm losing interest, I think about 2003-2004 season (the Humphries year), and how towards the end of the season I had to practically drag myself to, and I realize that things are much better now. Even the 9-22 season wasn't as bad as that misery...
 

College hoops is fun, period. Having a team that has Tubby as coach is fun. Watching Hoff and Devoe get better and have success is fun. If as a fan things cannot be enjoyed for what they are (amateur sports and competition) despite the negative events (Mbakwe, White, Nolen) then one is better off not watching.
 

Thanks for this thread. I am still a bit of a newbie and was amazed by the negativity in a lot of the posts here initially. I am currently stuck in CA and love checking in with people with a shared passion for Gopher basketball.

I don't need the team to win every game to enjoy watching them. I really believe Tubby is building a program that will compete for the BT title consistently.
 

As a Purdue fan who spends his work day mainly discussing Big Ten Hoops in general with Gopher fans I would say this season for the Gophs has a sideways feel to it. At the start of the season expectations were higher than they are now with possibly a top 3 Big Ten finish and a team consistently ranked in the top 20. Those early losses tempered expectations and then IU loss cemented the feelings that this season would not be a building block to "taking the next step."

Now I think the feeling is more lets see what happens. With basketball there is a lot that can happen. The Gophs can make a run in the B10 Tourney, they can get hot and get into the NCAA tourney and make the Sweet 16.
 

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