The2012 Gopher sports year was eventful on the field and on Twitter!
2012 was an exciting and entertaining year for Gophers sports on and off the court/field/rink. It was also another year where social media and Twitter in particular housed some interesting Gopher related conversations.Here is a 2012 recap.
The months of January and February are usually harder than most. The presents are gone, the weather is cold, and you’ve already blown those resolutions you made on January 1. Sports are supposed to be the only outlet from the bitter winter, right? Well, the only gift Gopher Nation received was Wisconsin losing in the Rose Bowl. Tubby Smith haters emerged in larger numbers when Gopher Basketball lost 11 games in the Big Ten conference in the first two months of the year.
· January 2, 2012 – @PMac21: I don’t know, #Badgers fans… The #Gophers didn’t seem to have a problem beating Oregon in a bowl game…
· January 8, 2012 – @GopherBBall: Rodney Williams, Joe Coleman and Chip Armelin all turned in fine performances, but it wasn’t enough to combat Purdue
· February 18, 2012 – @DarrenWolfson: Tubby’s buyout is $2M. I’ll let you answer after that. RT @Smalluege: @DarrenWolfson the new AD going to be lookin’ for a new bball coach?
Gopher basketball disappointed fans without an NCAA tournament bid, but rallied all the way to the NIT championship game, losing to Stanford, 75-51.
Hockey was the sole bright spot in March. The women’s team won the national championship against rival Wisconsin. The men’s team captured the MacNaughton Cup and earned a top seed in the WCHA playoffs.
· March 2, 2012 – @ebosshoops: Also an interesting one is Tulsa apparently targeting former coach Tubby Smith. Just rumors folks.
· March 18, 2012 – @MNWomensHockey: #Gophers win 4-2. National Champions
· March 22, 2012 – @DanBarreiroKFAN: During Gophs deep NIT run, don’t sleep on Ralph III’s M.L. Carr-like presence on bench.
· March 26, 2012 – @mnwild: Congrats to the Golden Gophers! Frozen Four bound! Let’s hope they’ll be joined by another Minnesota school tonight #stateofhockey
· March 27. 2012 – @MillerStrib: Things got a little sloppy at Gophers football practice today — several fumbles, a handful of dropped passes. Some actual tackling, though.
· March 29, 2012 – @gophers: Bad News: not how we want to play a last game of a season | Good News: NIT run is positive momentum for next season #Gophers
An April shower does not even begin to describe the month for the Gophers. The men’s hockey team lost in the Frozen Four semi-finals to Boston College. Gopher Football linebacker Gary Tinsley was found dead in his dorm room by teammate Keanon Cooper. Add on a new, unknown athletic director and Gopher fans were in need of serious therapy.
· April 5, 2012 – @mnwild: Sad end to the @GoldenGopherHky season, but a great season it was. Congrats to all the Gophers and their fans on a great run!
· April 5, 2012 – @GopherHockey : #Gophers finish fourth in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. Began season outside of the rankings.
· April 6, 2012 – @McknightWR6: I just hope they send his degree to his mom.. He worked so hard for it. That’s all he wanted. My bro #GT
· April 22, 2012 – @GophersNow : Tubby Smith’s got to be happy to see Teague has the background of having helped raise $10 million for a VCU basketball practice facility.
· April 23, 2012 – @darren rovell: Best small program AD in the country RT @BTNTomDienhart Norwood Teague expected to be named U of Minnesota athletics director
· April 25, 2012 – @jrwald7: Closure on a very sad story RT @WCCO: Medical examiner: Gary Tinsley died of natural causes, enlarged heart.
Compared to the flooding in April, the next three months were nothing. Graduation and breaking ground on a new Seibert Field highlighted the summer for Gopher Sports. That is, unless you were Tubby Smith.
· May 10, 2012 – @NSandell: Prior to graduation today, Gary Tinsley’s mother Ronda, father Gary spoke about the meaning of this day. http://t.co/CXkoJlLS
· June 18, 2012 – @runlikeam0ther: Groundbreaking for new @GopherBaseball Siebert Field today! Proud day for @glen_perkins and John Anderson! Ski-U-Mah! http://t.co/nCkdhed6
· June 24, 2012 – @Oakes39: Making my first Pro start today, going out there for my dad and doing what he taught me best #HeartGutsBalls
· July 23, 2012 – @jakenyberg: Anything beyond 4 hours you’re supposed to call a doctor! RT @RandBall: #Gophers and Tubby Smith announce extension through 2016-17 season
August and September struck a different tune for Gopher fans. With a “No More Minnesota Nice” motto, Gopher Football started a mission in Vegas to go undefeated in non-conference games. TCF Bank Stadium began serving beer. Did I mention the Badgers started 1-1?
· August 13, 2012 – @JimGjere: Humbled by all the support I have gotten in the last couple of days. Thankful for great friends, family, and gopher family #ski-u-mah
· August 31, 2012 – @Leb13: Who is the dbag at the Buffalo Wild Wings on the Vegas Strip that sent this one to OT?
· September 8, 2012 – @NadineBabu: Wondering what the beer lines are at #tcfbank? About 46 deep. #gophers http://t.co/4aiqkGs6
· September 8, 2012 – @DanaWessel: Kill took that timeout to help the people in line at the beer garden that closes at halftime
· September 9, 2012 – @Seth_Kaplan: Hey Elias, when’s last time Packers and Badgers lost and Gophers and Vikings won on the same weekend?
· September 19, 2012 – @RandBall: Mid-day amusement video: Gophers QBs MarQueis Gray and Max Shortell dancing to “Call Me Maybe” http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lSh24Hl4L-U
I’m going to let Reusse introduce the month of October
@1500ESPN_Reusse: DWIs, court hearings, buyouts & ass kickings…pretty smooth sailing for Woody Teague so far at U of M.
· October 12, 2012 – @DarrenWolfson: Good work by @JBBauer612: Trevor Mbakwe was charged in Hennepin Co. w/ DUI on July 1. He plead guilty on Sept. 10 #Gophers
· October 12, 2012 – @XFactor_2: It’s surreal that I get to play against my alma mater next year in TCF bank stadium..Emotions will prolly b all over the place that Saturday
October 19, 2012 – @AmeliaRayno: Mbakwe gets 2 more yrs probation, starting today. Also required to do 20 hrs comm service per month during that time.
· October 19, 2012 – @MillerStrib: Gophers planning to start freshman Phillip Nelson at quarterback against Wisconsin.
· October 21, 2012 – @dbrauer: So Saul Smith couldn’t drive the lane?
· October 28th, 2012 – @jgkfan: I’m nervous the #Gophers haven’t recruited properly to replace Phillip Nelson after he leaves for NFL a year early.
· October 29, 2012 – @Gopher FB Video: Minnesota athletes shave their heads for WR Connor Cosgrove, who is battling leukemia, and cancer research: http://t.co/f8Fe8wsq
Just when you thought the Gophers were who we thought they were, November brought Twitter controversy, Tumblr drama, and bowling.
· November 4, 2012 – @TMbakwe32: I love my teammates. They have always been there for me. If we don’t make the tourney ill pay back this years scholarship. #nolie #gophers
· November 10, 2012 – @RandBall: Just your standard game, where the #gophers ride defense to bowl eligibility
· November 10, 2012 – @Go4Coop: S/O to our 12th man Gary GT Tinsley. the #Gophers are now bowl eligible NO MORE MINNESOTA NICE
· November 18, 2012 – @A_Barker_82: Well, its official. I am done playing football for the University of Minnesota and I will be looking to transfer next season for my final yr
· November 19, 2012 – @A_Barker_82: Here are my priorities in the decision. 1) Told I wasn’t going to play here anymore, and 2) wouldn’t receive a scholarship next year
· November 24, 2012 – @Highway_30: @WojYahooNBA #1 respected writer! Well your going 2 lose credibility here, cuz I just printed the article out and got my highlighter ready.
· November 24, 2012 – @Highway_30: @WojYahooNBA And When the truth comes I’ll be posting your article EVERYWHERE, then we’ll see who’s career needs* SAVING
· November 25, 2012 – @MyLittleBloggie: According to my Twitter feed, the final score of the #gophers game was “Jerry Kill had a seizure.” So I assume they lost.
Is it almost 2013? Hard to believe these are the same teams fans were trolling 11 months ago. Along the way, people were married, more people were arrested, and more people left the program. Gopher Football played in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The Gopher Basketball team continues to grow in the national rankings.
Terrible, terrific, and true – Just another day in the life of a Gopher.
· December 4, 2012 – @edsbs: oh man Bret Bielema complained about Urban’s recruiting whooooohoooo that’s gone be fun in the SEC
· December 4, 2012 – @goldenarmginger: Thanks to all the Minnesota people that supported me. I loved it here, hate to leave, but its my best option. Best of luck gopher nation
· December 12, 2012 – @GoldenGopherQb5: Thanks everyone for the best wishes!! From the newlywed couple @MIssAlleyBehr and myself!!
· December 28, 2012 – @DeRushaJ: There’s no moral victories in football nor in car care. #Meineke #Gophers #NowImDone
· December 31, 2012 – @MarQueisG: Just got the news that I’m officially invited to the NFL Combine! Time to get busy!
· December 31, 2012 – @FSNTylerMason: Rodney Williams, on the #Gophers being a Top 10 team: “That definitely has a nice ring to it.”