Ask a Gopher fan

GopherGuy

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
16
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Can we have “bad Minnesota” instead? It is Xmas time ya know?

I think Perdue, NW, and Wisky may all be better than any team we have beaten this year.
Looking at the schedules, I'd say this is actually a potentially great match up. I hope both teams show up and make us forget about the slum-dome we will be playing in. Both teams could've easily had 8-9 wins. Let's hope when we meet next, there's more at stake.
 

GTFLETCH

Banned
Messages
2,639
So my Guess is 15K for the game!! But TV ratings will be good as Atlanta is rated as the #10 market in the nation and Detroit is #14 and Twin Cities is #15.... So I bet the Bowl Reps are thrilled with this game and that it is Coach Johnson's last game even more eyeballs may watch on TV!

Yea going to be a great matchup!
 

GopherGuy

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
16
Location
Minneapolis, MN
For those of you asking, I can tell you our short yardage gain plays, 3rd/4th down (wildcat) has stiffled everyone to date. I have seen ONCE all year where it failed. Converted QB (6'4, 240ish) is more of a beast than our GA rookie receiver Rashod Bateman, and sometimes he throws or hands off to the decoy RB. Don't expect 4th down to mean punt for the Gophers. I'm telling you, this could be a fun game to watch... on TV.
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,582
Hockey is played on Saturdays. ;-)

Lineman come from outstate, positionals from private high schools in the metro.
Thanks.
Open air hockey rinks are in all the small towns on north Dakota and northern minn. I noticed these when we were doing aerial route recon. Being long time houston texas resident I thought they were local rodeo rinks. I found out that u guys just keep adding water as needed.

I just looked at your roster! U guys are getting a lot of Georgia talent!
 
Messages
2,034
For those of you asking, I can tell you our short yardage gain plays, 3rd/4th down (wildcat) has stiffled everyone to date. I have seen ONCE all year where it failed. Converted QB (6'4, 240ish) is more of a beast than our GA rookie receiver Rashod Bateman, and sometimes he throws or hands off to the decoy RB. Don't expect 4th down to mean punt for the Gophers. I'm telling you, this could be a fun game to watch... on TV.
So here is my question to you Mr. Gopher, it looks like you all are not very good against the run. Not a good recipe playing us. Your thoughts
 

laoh

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
773
Let me start off by saying, no trolling. Us Minnesotans know as little about Georgia Tech as most of you presumably know about us. We're stuck in this ridiculous Detroit toilet bowl together, and we both hate our rivals in red & black and that stupid "G" on the side of the helmet. At least we both sport gold and are facing a Power-5 team.

That being said, let's talk football. I think this is a good match-up of schools that are far better than our records reflect.

I don't know who you are but I like you.
 

BilldGopher

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
167
Another Minnesota fan looking forward to the contest...but with a little different vibe...

Originally from Georgia but in the Twin Cities for 30 years. Both a UGA and UMN grad...and although born and bred Bulldog...been a Golden Gopher since 1997 when MN hired Glen Mason as coach...who the old GT timers will recognize was Georgia's coach for one week until he backed out. Probably good for Georgia in the end but signaled something different was finally happening for the Gophers.

Unlike GT whose administrations have historically supported the FB program, Minnesota went through a very dark period where the revenue sports...especially FB...were not supported. If you look at Minnesota's history this school was a dominant program in the 20s-30s-40s...and even to the early 60s...with National Championships...and then fell off the sports map. Of course Tech has a certain John Heisman as part of your pedigree so just sayin' Tech has been there too with NCs and a strong history. Really though, the UMN administration elected to leave on-campus football to the Metrodome in the early 80s and that changed the FB experience through the 80s and 90s for the kids and alumni alike. Throw in the Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Loons, Lynx, and any number of small colleges, and UMN faces a lot of the same pressures GT feels with a downtown campus in Hotlanta with the Falcon, Hawks, etc. and etc. The sports dollar only goes so far...

With this backdrop slowly but surely Minnesota has attempted to become relevant in football again starting with the Mason hire. We are now in our 10th year with an on-campus stadium that we love. Unlike Tech however we've gone through three coaches over your current HC's tenure. Not really a good thing for sure but nobody's asking the fans what we think. As a certain important person with your program says "It is what it is..."

Ironically there's been a recruiting connection to Georgia talent up here even going back to Coach Mason. Certainly Coach Jerry Kill and his successor Tracy Claeys also recruited Georgia and the same is going on for current HC PJ Fleck. Even better, the State of Georgia recruits are significant contributors which is fun to see.

Looking forward to the match-up. We play Georgia Southern next season and apparently they run an option offense too, so game scheming and practicing against the Jackets is a forerunner for that game. There's grousing that Tech's offense is one that we won't see again, but fact is either you stop or slow down the other team or you don't. Sounds like fun to me.

Finally, this match-up has reminded me that the first time I cursed in public was yelling "to Hell with Georgia Tech." It was at the annual Thanksgiving JV game that was played in the 60s and 70s. I was at Bobby Dodd Stadium and there was a little bit of drinking going on around me (on both sides). Pretty sure Tech won that year and it was very upsetting for a very young Bulldog. Said my peace and everyone laughed. That has stuck with me ever since...

We shout "Ski U Mah" (sky-you-mah) and sing "The Rouser" after every score. With Coach Fleck we also now say "Row the Boat" and "Elite" a lot. Some folks like it and many folks don't. Regardless we just won something called "The Axe" from Wisconsin a week ago. We hadn't touched it for 14 years...and had not won in Madison since 1993...so a pretty big deal for us. We also play for "The Pig" and "The Jug" that is pretty cool too.

Yep, our teams meeting in Detroit is not ideal. But that's what the football gods have delivered. Hopefully the "good Jackets" and the "good Gophers" show up for something competitive. That would be best for both programs.

Here's to a good game and safe travels for those who will be there in person. BTW, we don't like Nebraska either...I believe there was a GT Natty against that program from 1991...
 

laoh

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
773
Another Minnesota fan looking forward to the contest...but with a little different vibe...

Originally from Georgia but in the Twin Cities for 30 years. Both a UGA and UMN grad...and although born and bred Bulldog...been a Golden Gopher since 1997 when MN hired Glen Mason as coach...who the old GT timers will recognize was Georgia's coach for one week until he backed out. Probably good for Georgia in the end but signaled something different was finally happening for the Gophers.

Unlike GT whose administrations have historically supported the FB program, Minnesota went through a very dark period where the revenue sports...especially FB...were not supported. If you look at Minnesota's history this school was a dominant program in the 20s-30s-40s...and even to the early 60s...with National Championships...and then fell off the sports map. Of course Tech has a certain John Heisman as part of your pedigree so just sayin' Tech has been there too with NCs and a strong history. Really though, the UMN administration elected to leave on-campus football to the Metrodome in the early 80s and that changed the FB experience through the 80s and 90s for the kids and alumni alike. Throw in the Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Loons, Lynx, and any number of small colleges, and UMN faces a lot of the same pressures GT feels with a downtown campus in Hotlanta with the Falcon, Hawks, etc. and etc. The sports dollar only goes so far...

With this backdrop slowly but surely Minnesota has attempted to become relevant in football again starting with the Mason hire. We are now in our 10th year with an on-campus stadium that we love. Unlike Tech however we've gone through three coaches over your current HC's tenure. Not really a good thing for sure but nobody's asking the fans what we think. As a certain important person with your program says "It is what it is..."

Ironically there's been a recruiting connection to Georgia talent up here even going back to Coach Mason. Certainly Coach Jerry Kill and his successor Tracy Claeys also recruited Georgia and the same is going on for current HC PJ Fleck. Even better, the State of Georgia recruits are significant contributors which is fun to see.

Looking forward to the match-up. We play Georgia Southern next season and apparently they run an option offense too, so game scheming and practicing against the Jackets is a forerunner for that game. There's grousing that Tech's offense is one that we won't see again, but fact is either you stop or slow down the other team or you don't. Sounds like fun to me.

Finally, this match-up has reminded me that the first time I cursed in public was yelling "to Hell with Georgia Tech." It was at the annual Thanksgiving JV game that was played in the 60s and 70s. I was at Bobby Dodd Stadium and there was a little bit of drinking going on around me (on both sides). Pretty sure Tech won that year and it was very upsetting for a very young Bulldog. Said my peace and everyone laughed. That has stuck with me ever since...

We shout "Ski U Mah" (sky-you-mah) and sing "The Rouser" after every score. With Coach Fleck we also now say "Row the Boat" and "Elite" a lot. Some folks like it and many folks don't. Regardless we just won something called "The Axe" from Wisconsin a week ago. We hadn't touched it for 14 years...and had not won in Madison since 1993...so a pretty big deal for us. We also play for "The Pig" and "The Jug" that is pretty cool too.

Yep, our teams meeting in Detroit is not ideal. But that's what the football gods have delivered. Hopefully the "good Jackets" and the "good Gophers" show up for something competitive. That would be best for both programs.

Here's to a good game and safe travels for those who will be there in person. BTW, we don't like Nebraska either...I believe there was a GT Natty against that program from 1991...

Thanks for the historical insight... you know, when I found out the bowl game is in Detroit, I was like fuuuuuuuu (was hoping for Belk Bowl since the drive up from ATL would've been easy) but the more I look at flights, hotels, and talk it over with a few friends, and also learn about Minnesota football, it's becoming more intriguing. We've never played each other and that's interesting. And it's gonna be cold as **** but I have a heated vest so bring it on!!! Another thing I realized from your post... every school has their "inside" thing.. whether it's THWg or rat hats or the Ramblin Wreck for us or The Rouser, The Axe, etc for you guys... it's a very cool thing college football is.
 

stech81

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,870
Location
Woodstock Georgia
For those of you asking, I can tell you our short yardage gain plays, 3rd/4th down (wildcat) has stiffled everyone to date. I have seen ONCE all year where it failed. Converted QB (6'4, 240ish) is more of a beast than our GA rookie receiver Rashod Bateman, and sometimes he throws or hands off to the decoy RB. Don't expect 4th down to mean punt for the Gophers. I'm telling you, this could be a fun game to watch... on TV.
CPJ loves to Punt some times on 3th and short he will tell on of the OL to jump offsides just to make sure we don't make a first down so we can punt.
 

Deleted member 2897

Guest
Let me start off by saying, no trolling. Us Minnesotans know as little about Georgia Tech as most of you presumably know about us. We're stuck in this ridiculous Detroit toilet bowl together, and we both hate our rivals in red & black and that stupid "G" on the side of the helmet. At least we both sport gold and are facing a Power-5 team.

That being said, let's talk football. I think this is a good match-up of schools that are far better than our records reflect.

HA HA HA HA HA HA @GopherGuy - the only other thing you could have said to make this post any better is "beer". Great to meet you, and welcome!

And this has probably already been said, but our angst with this bowl has nothing to do with you or the bowl itself. We have respect for both of you. Our angst is that we finished 4th in the ACC 5 bowl games closer to home and more desirable passed us over to select teams we beat this year, causing our players to spend Christmas in a hotel in Detroit far from where most of our fans will travel. So along the way if you read frustration and mean posts in that regard, that's what its about...not you guys.
 

1939hotmagic

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
403
For my fellow Tech fans, Minnesota certainly had its golden years back in the day as well; in fact, while Tech and Coach Alexander were suffering throughout most of the 1930s, Minnesota under coach Bernie Bierman was kicking *ss and taking names, finished AP #1 three times, #5 once, and #10 once. Having read a bit about Bierman, he truly was one of the coaching greats nationally. And for fun, search the term "buck lateral" -- Bierman's twist to the single-wing added another layer of deception and made it all the more hard to deal with. (Frankly, I've wondered occasionally why some coach now hasn't dusted off the buck-lateral.)
 

BilldGopher

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
167
From HotMagic's note from the past to UM in the present.

Minnesota recruits Georgia. Who knew? Well, we know but now you do too...

Current Georgians on the Gophers roster:

RODNEY SMITH. RB. REDSHIRT SENIOR JONESBORO, GA. MUNDY'S MILL
SHANNON BROOKS. RB. SENIOR AUSTELL, GA. PICKENS
TERREL SMITH. DB. FRESHMAN SNELLVILLE, GA. SOUTH GWINNETT
CHRIS WILLIAMSON. DB. REDSHIRT JUNIOR ATLANTA, GA. GAINESVILLE FLORIDA
NOLAN EDMONDS. RB. FRESHMAN ALPHARETTA, GA. ALPHARETTA
RASHOD BATEMAN. WR. FRESHMAN TIFTON, GA. TIFT COUNTY
BRAELEN OLIVER. LB. FRESHMAN DOUGLASVILLE, GA. DOUGLAS COUNTY
SAMUEL PICKERIGN. QB. REDSHIRT FRESHMAN ALPHARETTA, GA. MINNEHAHA ACADEMY
JUSTIN HARRIS. DB. SOPHOMORE ROSWELL, GA. ROSWELL
DONNELL GREENE. OL. REDSHIRT SENIOR MARIETTA, GA. KELL COFFEYVILLE CC
ABI N-OKONJI. DL. FRESHMAN SNELLVILLE, GA. SOUTH GWINNETT

Maybe a familiar name among the bunch? Regardless, about 10% or so of the roster over three coaches...Kill, Claeys, and Fleck.

We'll see if this continues with the Early Signing Day coming around in a few weeks.
 
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