Golden Nuggets for 10.20.08

So, the Gophers are ranked #25 in the nation about 10 months after they ended a 1-11 season. This certainly shows signs of progress.

But, in reality, a ranking of any kind means a bunch of nothing right now.

Here's Tim Brewster and Joel Maturi from the PiPress, both sounding the right chord.

"We're pleased, but polls mean nothing now," Gophers coach Tim Brewster said in a statement. "At the end of the year, let's see where we're at. The only concern we have right now is Purdue."

Bloviating about polls isn't necessarry, and Brewster knew that. The ranking means nothing if the Gophers don't take care of business at Purdue on Saturday.

And from Maturi, who took considerable heat for hiring Brewster last season:

"It's always exciting," Maturi said about being nationally ranked. "I'm sure it was a goal for Tim Brewster and this football team. It shows just what kind of magical turnaround could be happening in 2008, but we've got five games to play. We have to be ready, because all these teams could beat us, just as well as we could beat them."

Maturi is correct too. Every game remaining on the 2008 schedule is winnable. And the Gophers could also lose each game. Travelling to Purdue and Wisconsin won't be easy. A win against Northwestern would be, arguably, Minnesota's best this season. And Iowa and Michigan aren't going to be pushovers.

Instead of looking for hotel rooms in Pasadena, let's take this one game at a time, shall we?

• It might be early for Bowl prediction time, but CBS has the Gophers facing Georgia on Jan. 1 in the Outback Bowl. It's either that or the Capitol One Bowl, also on Jan. 1, that seems reasonable.
• Tom Powers talks with Devoe Joseph, RSIII and Colt Iverson about being hounded by recruits. And the AP did a thorough piece on the Gophers' newcomers and expectations for the upcoming season.
• If you missed it over the weekend, the men's hockey team got off to a 2-0 start to the season in sweeping St. Cloud State, thanks in part to the team's youth.
• Sid Hartman notes in this column that David Pittman, one of Brewster's prized JUCO recruits, an "athlete," has been banged up but should see action against Purdue. I don't care who it is, but for the Gophers to sustain success, they despeartely need someone else to step up to help Weber/Decker/E-Ridge.
• Things are so bad for Wisconsin football that Bret Bielema decided to not let his players or coaches talk to the media after losing, again, tihs time to Iowa.
• As always, please include any links you find in the comments section!