Gopher Football 2015

[nofishfisherman]

Looks like we have 2 groups of people involved in this thread.

1. Those that cheer for their local large college sports teams and hope they do well despite a history of poor results.

2. Those that spend far too much of their time railing against those fans for some reason or another.

Frankly who gives a rats back side about what team people choose to cheer for, what difference does it make to anyone?  I don't really follow the Gophers and wouldn't call myself a fan but its not that hard to understand why locals would follow and cheer for the local team regardless of the team history. 

What I don't understand is non fans wasting countless hours railing against people who choose to support the team?  What stake do you have in all of this?  How can you justify the wasting so much time telling people how stupid they are for choosing to cheer for a specific team?  Seems like there are far more productive ways to spend your time.  I just don't get it.

[Big Dave2]

10 minutes ago, nofishfisherman said:

 

What I don't understand is non fans wasting countless hours railing against people who choose to support the team?  What stake do you have in all of this?  How can you justify the wasting so much time telling people how stupid they are for choosing to cheer for a specific team?  Seems like there are far more productive ways to spend your time.  I just don't get it.

Couldn't I ask you the same questions about railing against the people who rail against the people? I'm guessing the answer is pretty similar to the answer you would give.

[nofishfisherman]

i made one post regarding my inability to understand your motivation.  You can call it railing against that sort of person if you'd like.  However, its still 1 single post.  While you and one other obvious counterpart have post after post after post in multiple threads going back for years.  Surely you can see the difference.

It gets really old reading any MN football thread knowing its just going to get taken over by pointless negativity. I've never seen someone devote so much time to something they dislike.  Most people would simply avoid the topic to start with.

Really the only issue I have with it is that no one can share any excitement about their favorite teams without you coming in and taking a dump on it.  Why not just let someone be excited about their team? 

Edited December 31, 2015 by nofishfisherman

[LMITOUT]

You spelled "objectivity" wrong...

[nofishfisherman]

what took you so long LMT?  I figured you'd have chimed in long ago.

What's wrong with someone showing a little excitement for their team?  Who cares if its an objective opinion or a homer just looking for something to be excited about?  What difference is it to you? 

You obviously don't care for MN sports teams so why spend so much of your valuable time talking about them?  Or is your hobby taking a dump in a crowded room just to see peoples reactions?

 

[LMITOUT]

Is it against the law to have a differing opinion, or are we all just supposed to enjoy being water boarded with kool-aid? 

 

[Big Dave2]

11 hours ago, nofishfisherman said:

i made one post regarding my inability to understand your motivation.  You can call it railing against that sort of person if you'd like.  However, its still 1 single post.  While you and one other obvious counterpart have post after post after post in multiple threads going back for years.  Surely you can see the difference.

 

Actually, now it's 3 posts.

11 hours ago, nofishfisherman said:

 

Really the only issue I have with it is that no one can share any excitement about their favorite teams without you coming in and taking a dump on it.  Why not just let someone be excited about their team? 

The fact that some people can even  exhibit excitement over a 5 win season is the ridiculous part. I'm sure that at some point my favorite college team will also have a 5 win season but I assure you that I will not be at all excited about it.

[Slabasaurus]

2 hours ago, Big Dave2 said:

I'm sure that at some point my favorite college team will also have a 5 win season but I assure you that I will not be at all excited about it.

I'll be so thrilled when that happens you have no idea.  Do you think you'll start a FIRE SABAN! thread if that happens?

Auburn even managed 6 wins this year, despite themselves.

 

[Big Dave2]

2 hours ago, Slabasaurus said:

I'll be so thrilled when that happens you have no idea.  Do you think you'll start a FIRE SABAN! thread if that happens?

Auburn even managed 6 wins this year, despite themselves.

 

That's a pretty good year for Auburn

2 years in a row with 5 wins and I will definitely start the FIRE SABAN thread! I suspect I wouldn't have to though because he would already be replaced, that's how big time football programs roll. Just ask Les Miles.

[Rick]

1 hour ago, Big Dave2 said:

That's a pretty good year for Auburn

2 years in a row with 5 wins and I will definitely start the FIRE SABAN thread! I suspect I wouldn't have to though because he would already be replaced, that's how big time football programs roll. Just ask Les Miles.

That's how it should work with big time programs like Alabama that focused on football early on while schools like the U of M focused on academics. Once you have the "Big Time Football" tradition established recruiting top athletes is much easier. The kids want to play for a winner. We had the pump primed with Lou Holtz and we all know what happened there. The Big Time Program got the coach who knew recruiting would be easier at Notre Dame. Big Time Programs attract the Big Time Coaches and players. So to expect the same from the U of M program is extremely myopic. At some point you stick with a coach and hope they can get you where you need to go. We've seen progress with the U of M football program and right now I will be happy as long as we keep seeing progress. So get off your high horse demonizing us for being U of M fans. It's easy to be a fan of Alabama and their easy road.

[Big Dave2]

12 minutes ago, Rick said:

That's how it should work with big time programs like Alabama that focused on football early on while schools like the U of M focused on academics. Once you have the "Big Time Football" tradition established recruiting top athletes is much easier. The kids want to play for a winner. We had the pump primed with Lou Holtz and we all know what happened there. The Big Time Program got the coach who knew recruiting would be easier at Notre Dame. Big Time Programs attract the Big Time Coaches and players. So to expect the same from the U of M program is extremely myopic. At some point you stick with a coach and hope they can get you where you need to go. We've seen progress with the U of M football program and right now I will be happy as long as we keep seeing progress. So get off your high horse demonizing us for being U of M fans. It's easy to be a fan of Alabama and their easy road.

If it's not a "Big Time" program and never will be, then why stay in the Big 10? Why not go to a conference that they may have half a chance of winning a conference title every 50 years? Why is Iowa a "Big Time" program and not the Gophers?

What "progress" have you seen? Did you miss the part about the 5 win season this year? Next year is supposed to be an easier schedule so if they win 6-7 games is that the progress you are looking for? 

Coach Claeys said in an interview before the bowl game that it will be a disappointing season next year if the Gopher's aren't competing for the conference title. Sounds to me like he thinks Minnesota is a "Big Time" program.

 

[Dotch]

Uncle Rick sez:

"That's how it should work with big time programs like Alabama that focused on football early on while schools like the U of M focused on academics. Once you have the "Big Time Football" tradition established recruiting top athletes is much easier. The kids want to play for a winner. We had the pump primed with Lou Holtz and we all know what happened there. The Big Time Program got the coach who knew recruiting would be easier at Notre Dame. Big Time Programs attract the Big Time Coaches and players. So to expect the same from the U of M program is extremely myopic. At some point you stick with a coach and hope they can get you where you need to go. We've seen progress with the U of M football program and right now I will be happy as long as we keep seeing progress. So get off your high horse demonizing us for being U of M fans. It's easy to be a fan of Alabama and their easy road."

So there. One brick at a time. Glad we got that cleared up. Happy New Year you Gopher football curmudgeon. Go Sparty!!!!! 

[Rick]

On 12/30/2015 at 9:11 PM, LMITOUT said:

Pride.  Something MN's have very little of when it comes to their sports programs.

Keep expecting chopped liver and you'll get chopped liver.

Eat up.

 

...........................

MN must be a JV program also?  Hey, they're not playing against the pros so they must be, right?

 

I agree with Clays. Iowa is not a big time football program No easy road to get where they got to. Unlike Alabama who is gifted big time talent and coaching.

[Big Dave2]

16 hours ago, Rick said:

I agree with Clays. Iowa is not a big time football program No easy road to get where they got to. Unlike Alabama who is gifted big time talent and coaching.

This statement is full of contradictions.

1. You agree with Clayes on what? That MN should be able to compete for a conference championship next year? I thought you said MN was not a "big time" program?

2. Iowa is not a big time program? Then why did they win the division and play for the Big 10 Conference championship? Why are they playing in the Rose Bowl today? Why has Iowa won 5 Big 10 Conference Championships in the last 45 years while MN has won 0?

3. How is Bama gifted anything? Sounds like football envy to me. Alabama has gone through their hard times as well but they went out and put money into the program and landed one of the best college football coaches to ever live. In case you aren't aware, the Gophers had a pretty darn good winning program up until the late 60's. Why weren't they gifted the best coaches and players?

Edited January 1, 2016 by Big Dave2

[Rick]

As for agreeing with Clays, I also expect the Gophers to compete for a championship next year. If not, what's the point of playing?

There is no contradiction, Only a lack of understanding by you or just ignoring that aspect on how recruiting works. In the Big 10 their are 2 Big Time Football schools at this point - Ohio State and Michigan. Michigan State, Wisconsin and Iowa are getting there through good old fashioned hard work.

Unlike Alabama's Bear Bryant who gamed the system. It's a football school, pure and simple. Easy to recruit top notch coaches as well as players.

[Big Dave2]

1 hour ago, Rick said:

As for agreeing with Clays, I also expect the Gophers to compete for a championship next year. If not, what's the point of playing?

Exactly, thanks for completely proving every point I have ever made regarding the Gophers and their fans being "excited" or complacent with a 5 win season and a back-door bowl game.

1 hour ago, Rick said:

There is no contradiction, Only a lack of understanding by you or just ignoring that aspect on how recruiting works. In the Big 10 their are 2 Big Time Football schools at this point - Ohio State and Michigan. Michigan State, Wisconsin and Iowa are getting there through good old fashioned hard work.

Why doesn't the U of M use a little good old fashioned hard work then?

2 hours ago, Rick said:

Unlike Alabama's Bear Bryant who gamed the system. It's a football school, pure and simple. Easy to recruit top notch coaches as well as players.

 

[Rick]

Wow, you are so obtuse Big Dave. Look it up Bama fan.

I do love my Gophers and am proud of the hard work they have been putting in. I expect good things from them.

You can ride your gilded pony. Look it up Bama fan.

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, nothing spectacular on signing day. The typical handful of 3 star recruits. Just have to hope Claeys can develop these guys. I haven't followed high school football much, but it doesn't look like the home grown talent chose to stay in state. Is NDSU still pipelining all the Minnesota kids?

[LMITOUT]

Adam Cofield	Bio		RB	5-11	190	Fr.	Lee's Summit, Mo. (Blue Springs South HS)
Jabril Cox	Bio		LB	6-3	218	Fr.	Raytown, Mo. (Raytown South HS)
Felix Dixon	Bio		DB	6-0	165	Fr.	Clearwater, Fla. (Countryside HS)
Sean Engel	Bio		WR	6-5	200	Fr.	Chaska, Minn. (Chaska HS)
Cameron Hackl	Bio		DT	6-3	260	Fr.	Green Bay, Wis. (Bay Port HS)
Ben Hecht	Bio		OL	6-5	255	Fr.	Shawnee, Kan. (Mill Valley HS)
Darren Kelley	Bio		DB	6-0	192	Jr.	Baltimore, MD. (Potomac HS/NDSCS)
Ross Kennelly	Bio		LB	5-11	187	Fr.	Superior, Wis. (Superior HS)
Jackson Koonce	Bio		P	6-1	178	Jr.	Ocanside, Calif. (Oceanside HS/SMU)
Braydon Lund	Bio		TE	6-3	246	Fr.	Minot, N.D. (Minot HS)
Moses Nyangacha	Bio		LB	5-11	190	Fr.	Robbinsdale, Minn. (Robbinsdale Cooper HS)
Beau Pauly	Bio		LB	6-2	207	Fr.	Becker, Minn. (Becker HS)
Dillon Radunz	Bio		OL	6-6	260	Fr.	Becker, Minn. (Becker HS)
Karson Schoening	Bio		OL	6-4	320	Fr.	Rolla, N.D. (Rolla HS)
Henry Van Dellen	Bio		QB	6-4	205	Fr.	Plymouth, Minn. (Providence Academy HS)
Cordell Volson	Bio		OL	6-6	250	Fr.	Balfour, N.D. (Drake HS)

Preferred Walk-Ons

Name	Bio	Video	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown (Previous School)
Quinn Alo	Bio		OL	6-2	336	Fr.	LaMoure, N.D. (LaMoure HS)
Matt Biegler	Bio		TE	6-3	256	Fr.	Underwood, Minn. (Underwood HS)
Ross Godfrey	Bio		DB	5-10	150	Fr.	Sioux City, Iowa (Sioux City East HS)
Trevor Heit	Bio		WR	5-9	170	Fr.	Pepin, Wis. (Pepin-Alma HS)
Josh Howieson	Bio		OL	6-5	275	Fr.	Baxter, Minn. (Brainerd HS)
Cole Jacob	Bio		WR	6-0	177	Fr.	Medina, Minn. (Benilde-St. Margaret's HS)
Victor Kizewski	Bio		DB	6-0	190	Fr.	Stevens Point, Wis. (Stevens Point HS)
Zach Kubas	Bio		OL	6-4	260	Fr.	Dickinson, N.D. (Trinity HS)
Zak Kuntz	Bio		FB	6-2	251	Fr.	Grand Forks, N.D. (Red River HS)
Garret Wegner	Bio		P	6-0	177	Fr.	Lodi, Wis. (Lodi HS)