Where I Came From: My All-time Favorite Golden Gophers
by GopherNation on Jul 8, 2010 12:00 AM CDT
in EA Sports NCAA FB 11
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This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011
Our Golden Gophers have obviously not produced any championship caliber teams over the last few decades. But that doesn't mean they haven't produced some outstanding individuals who have been a joy to watch. I thought this post might be a bit easier, but the list of favorites is long.
In my lifetime I've witnessed several great runningbacks and all of them were a lot of fun to watch. Certainly "favorite" worthy. In fact most of us have been fortunate enough to watch the top five all-time Gopher rushers and seven of the top eight. Darrell Thompson is the Gopher's all-time leading rusher and it was fun to watch his combo of speed and punishment. The recent greats, Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney led the nation's most dangerous rushing attack for back-to-back seasons in 2003 and 2004. While excellent choices, my favorite isn't a running back.
Under center has seen some Gopher record breakers. Adam Weber and Bryan Cupito have been or were great team leaders and ended up throwing for more yards than any others. Asad Abdul-Kaliq was a dangerous dual-threat who lead us to a lot of wins. But a quarterback is not my favorite.
Defensively we haven't had a ton of Gopher greats. At the top of the list would probably be Tyrone Carter. He is a record setting tackler and was the best we have seen defensively in years. But my favorite Gopher didn't play defense.
My all-time favorite Golden Gopher is Eric Decker (maybe the picture gave it away).
It could just be about the numbers. 3,119 yards, 227 receptions are Gopher records and sixth and eighth respectively in Big Ten history. His 24 touchdowns is also rather impressive, especially considering he missed several games over his Gopher career due to injury.
But his stats are not what do it for me. It was his toughness, his leadership and his savvy. In spite of the entire stadium knowing where each pass was heading and each defender knowing the one guy they needed to guard; he always found a way to get to that opening and snatch whatever ball was thrown his way.
I'm not going to go on and on with this man-crush. If you are reading this, you are well aware of Eric Decker and his talents.
This catch against Cal last season was one of the best catches I have ever seen.
More Decker video...
Great athlete, great Golden Gopher.
Decker is my favorite, who is yours?
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Tyrone Carter. Nice guy when I met with him on campus (almost as nice as Bobby Jackson), and the sequence when he returned the consecutive Donovan McNabb fumbles for touchdowns in the 1996 Syracuse upset remains my favorite moment ever as a Gopher fan (narrowly beating out Rhys Lloyd’s FG and leap over the bench to get the Axe).
+1
I have a program from the Jim Thorpe banquet waiting for an opportunity to have him sign it.
For basketball it would have to be Willie Burton, loved his energy and effort he brought every game.
"they're calling insane hogs???"
TC was great
he’s probably #3 for me behind Barber-oni.
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For Football – Darrell Thompson.
I may not have the most emotional attachment as I was still in my formative years during his collegiate career, but his successful career was during a time in which I realized why I am a Gopher fan. I got to watch and listen to Ray and my parents groan over never being able to get over the hump. I didn’t realize what was to come… We had some decent teams around him, but just not enough. Darrell continued on to have some success in the NFL and has returned to MN and contributes to The U and local charities.
Native Minnesotan, 4 year player, teams that had coaching debates and were always almost there, All B10, First round pick, NFL success, returns home to give back to The U and community. Perfect.
BBall. Whoa. Coffey, Burton, Lynch, Newburn, Bond, Nzig, Sam, Bobby, Dusty, John T, R Carter, Orr, Voshon, Quincy…
But for the idential reasons as Darrell plus little more success I have to go with Willie Burton. Great teams, great player, wonderful person. Also attended many of the games with Dad and as I was still a young guy Willie could do no wrong in my mind. Going to the Barn with Dad were highlights of my youth.
So those are my two favorites. Great players and good men that cemented my fanhood at a young age and prepared me for the emotional in the future.
basketball is MUCH tougher
Sam is probably my favorite. But Bobby, Coffey, Voshon, Al Nolan are all very close. Nolan might be the guy if he had not been suspended last season. I love watching him play defense.
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by GopherNation on Jul 8, 2010 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
Matt Spaeth
His dedication still rings with me. To play with a dislocated shoulder and help a 3-6 team win their last 3 games to make a bowl game, and in the process win the Best TE Award, that is very inspiring.
Alltime Best Gopher
Bobby Bell was a beast. Playing two ways in those days, he was terrific, particularly on defense. Dave Winfield was the best all-around athlete.
both before my time
can’t really call them my favorite if I never got to see them play.
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My pick in FB
is Greg Eslinger. I never played OL so that might add morecredibility to this pick. I loved the fact the guy was lightly recruited out of ND. I loved the fact that through hard work and dedication he had a decorated B10 career. And most of all I loved the way he was always picking up teammates. I still havea picture of him sprinting over to help a RB up. He always impressed me as a great teammate.
Eslinger - nice.
Nice call Texas. Plus an Outland winner as you hint at…
by InflectionPoint on Jul 8, 2010 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Mine also is Greg Eslinger
He was a 4 year starter and led the best Oline in Minnesota history. Won the Outland. In front of every great running game there are great offensive lineman. Marion Barber is my second and only ahead of Maroney cus hes a Minnesotan. Basketball its without a doubt Bobby Jackson, I liked Sam and Dusty too though.
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