Golden Nuggets 02.25.09

by GopherNation on Feb 25, 2009 3:00 AM CST in Golden Nuggets

Almost Gophers, this is a great idea for a post done by DownWithGoldy. He has taken a look at a guys Tubby was recruiting a year ago who, for whatever reason, ended up elsewhere. Guys like Bergren, Brommer, Jordon Taylor, Verdell Jones and Draymond Green are easy names to remember and keep an eye on because they are playing in the Big Ten, but remember guys like Krys Faber and Nathan Garth?

Interesting post and fun to think about IF they were playing for the Gophers how that would affect the current roster/rotation.

I had heard this before but the MN Daily is telling us that if Chicago were to host the 2016 Olympics, TCF Stadium would be host to Olympic Soccer matches in the prelim rounds.
Gopher Women's Swimming and Diving failed to defend their 2008 Big Ten Championship finishing second this year to Indiana.
What is going on with the Gopher hockey team? Swept by CC last weekend and falling to seventh in the WCHA. I don't watch them very often but can someone tell me what is going on? Is this all stemming from the Lucia medical mystery or was this coming long before that happened?
How about an early statistical look at the 2009 Big Ten football season. This guy's model tells you to sell Minnesota cause this year may not be pretty. Clearly he doesn't know about Fisch or Cosgrove.
Gopher baseball is hosting the DQ Classic this weekend. I attended last year and found it to be kind of fun. This year they are hosting Hawaii, Washington and UC-Santa Barbara. You can also click here to vote on the top players in DQ Classic history. There are some impressive names who have played in this littl tourney. Mike Mussina, Trevor Hoffman, JD Drew, Deon Sanders and Troy Glaus just to name a few.

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Thoughts.

(1) I’m jealous of rencito

(2) The soccer players that could be performing at TCF, if Chicago got the Olympics, is mind-boggling. Lionel Messi of Argentina and Barcelona, probably the best player in the world, would still be only 28 at the time and would probably play. Hopefully they’d be slotted up here. The partying that occurs when soccer fans show up is pretty fun too.

(3) The hockey team is young and is subject to turnover since the best players leave early almost every year. If players stayed for the four years like Crowley, Bonin, Hankinson, et al did, we’d still have Kessel, Okposo and I believe Johnson and Wheeler on the squad. That would easily be the best team in college hockey. Maybe Lucia just needs to recruit lesser quality talent that will stay for four years and mesh well with the team.

(4) As for 2009 football, Ohio State will win 10 games, so will Penn State. Michigan State will fall back to 7 wins, and Minnesota could win up to 8, but will probably win 5 – Air Force, Purdue, South Dakota State, Illinois and Michigan State.

by JG2112 on Feb 25, 2009 8:03 AM CST reply actions

Would they even play in the Olympics?

I consider myself a casual soccer fan, but I’m getting more up to speed now that I finally have the Fox Soccer channel. I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the big stars don’t always play in the Olympics.

by rencito on Feb 26, 2009 9:44 AM CST up reply actions

Each team....

…is allowed 3 “designated” players, which means players over the age of 23 (23 is the age cut-off for futbol). Now, many players over 23 won’t play because their clubs won’t let them (there was a long argument about whether Vincent Kompany of Belgium would be allowed to play last year. They agreed to two games). And, of course, the British Isles nations never participate because FIFA forbids anything other than a Great Britain team (imagine Shay Given, Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy with the England team). That is one of the issues for the 2012 Games, since the host nation (Great Britain) gets to enter a squad in every event.

At the last Olympics, for example, Argentina had Leo Messi, who was 20. But they also had Mascherano (Liverpool), and I think Gabriel Heinze (Madrid).

Cameroon had Patrick M’boma, who I think is about 83.

by JG2112 on Feb 26, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed on Olympic "Football".

That would be SO much fun. The match alone would be great, and if it was a success maybe we could get some WC matches. As a Goph fan and anything FIFA fan, I would love it!

The comments on the Daily article are ridiculous, what a huge strength for TCF. I had no idea it could be that kind of draw. That could allow for a lot of fun, international friendlies, etc!

by eazydp on Feb 25, 2009 10:46 AM CST reply actions

It also ...

..would add exposure for the Minnesota Thunder, and possibly lead to MLS expansion here in the future, though the teams are trending towards soccer-specific stadia.

But TCF would be a great place to host a Thunder – USMNT doubleheader. U.S. – Spain, sign it now!

by JG2112 on Feb 25, 2009 11:23 AM CST reply actions

Comments

1 – I had read that DownWithGoldy piece yesterday. Pretty interesting that so many of them really haven’t done much.

2 – Having the Olympics in Chicago and soccer in TCF would be amazing. I’d go for sure even though I don’t really follow soccer. Attending an Olympics has always been on my “bucket list”.

3 – The problem with Gopher hockey is pure and simple a lack of talent, especially on defense. The biggest factor, I think, has been the change that forces schools to recruit guys 2 years out. A number of guys haven’t panned out that gave commitments so early and that’s hurt us. I have no problem with getting a few of the high end guys that will only be with the team 1-2 years. I’d certainly rather have them with us than against us and a guy like Vanek did play a huge role in our last Championship.

4 – Gopher baseball is off to a good start. I was a little worried after losting the opener but they came back with 2 solid wins to be sitting at 2-1. Hopefully, last year was an aberation.

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by FishingMN on Feb 25, 2009 12:01 PM CST reply actions

Fishing...

…..what caused the change that is forcing the schools to recruit 2 years out? Does this have to do with the NHL? Junior college?

I certainly don’t want and will not advocate giving back those NCAA titles because Vanek left to go pro. I do find it a little unfortunate that the turnover has increased so much on the roster in the past few years. Easy for me to say as I don’t have to weigh college versus a pro contract, but Minnesota hockey player = highest of high, whereas playing for Phoenix in a Tuesday night road game at Carolina doesn’t sound that enticing to me.

by JG2112 on Feb 25, 2009 12:23 PM CST up reply actions

JG

If it was my son, and he was choosing a $1M contract or college, I’d tell him to take the $ and run. He could always go back to school. There are a bunch of guys that leave early and end up in the minors though and for them it’s a lot different decision (Irmen’s a good example). Some guys really aren’t that into school though and playing hockey’s all they want to do. Certainly this issue is not limited to the Gophers, the most recent NHL labor agreements are contributing as well as they force NHL teams to sign a guy before their senior year or risk losing their rights.

As to recruiting 2 years out, it’s becoming a trend in lots of sports – we’ve all seen the story of a 15 year old committing to Kentucky basketball. It’s happening because when a couple schools start then everyone else has to follow to stay competitive for the top talent. Unfortunately, at least in hockey, some of the Gopher recruits seem to be plateauing. We may have to go the route of Wisconsin and “over recruit” for each class and then “suggest” to certain guys that they look elsewhere when it comes time that they’d “sign”.

The debate over whether Lucia needs to go is starting in earnest over on GPL. It will reach a crescendo if we have a 3rd bad year next year.

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by FishingMN on Feb 25, 2009 3:22 PM CST up reply actions