For being on a bye the Golden Gopher football team is getting a lot of ink. SI.com's Luke Winn of The Sweep is telling us that he has become a believer in Brewster (a quick note to Pat Ruesse, this is how you admit you were wrong). After watching him at his initial Big Ten press conference where he wondered three things
1. I am not sure who this man is.
2. He really is loud, though.
3. If he were recruiting me, I would seriously consider playing for him.
Obviously we all know he can recruit but turning this team from a one win team to a one loss team through seven games is truly remarkable. Maybe (just maybe) Joel Maturi knew more than the rest of us and knew he was hiring a recruiter AND a coach. Winn quotes the graduated Mike Sherels who was at Brewster's introduction to the team.
"A 6:30 meeting is not something any college kid is excited for in the offseason, so we get in, and everybody's tired and groggy," Sherels said. "Coach Brew walks in, and we sat up a little, and then his voice was just booming, right away. ... We sit with the younger guys in the back and the upperclassmen up front, and I started looking around, and every guy on the team was on the edge of his seat, leaning forward, hanging on every word. He just commanded respect right away, without demanding it. He just had an aura about him, that everybody believed what he was saying."
One trait of this team has stuck out to me all year and that is how they all root for each other. This is a TEAM and they have a leader they look to. Brewster is establishing his culture and
- The Only Game That Matters is quick to point out that they did not predict Minnesota's turnaround and we'd like to thank them for being incorrect.
- The topic of the Gophers has been fairly popular on the Bleacher Report. This one by Joe Mikolai encourages you to get on the bandwagon. Well we are already there, Joe, and we welcome whoever wants to join.
- Gopher Nation is excited about what Devoe Joseph is going to bring to the raised floor of the Barn. But as one of the best basketball players in Canada, DJ has an actual nation watching intently. Here is what Tubby had to say while helping run a coaching clinic in Joseph's hometown.
"He's in great shape, but he has to get a bit stronger. But, he's committed, he's a kid that's very coachable. We've given him a program in the weight room and he's done everything we've asked him to. He's a gym rat. I dropped by 'The Barn' Williams Arena and he was there at 9:30, 10 at night, shooting, getting shots up. He has a great work ethic. That's what attracted us to him, not only his ability to play the game."
- Another basketball note. This could easily have been the lead for the Nuggets but ESPN Insider has their 2009 Superlatives for small forwards. Rodney Williams is listed as the number one defender and Royce White is the second best scorer amoung all small forwards in the 2009 class. This is some tremendou praise.
White - "He really excels in the midrange, utilizing the pull-up jumper after putting the ball on the floor for two or three dribbles. White also has the ability to score in the paint, using an assortment of post moves."
Williams - "He also has very good lateral movement, which allows him to effectively guard three positions on the court -- small forwards, shooting guards and even point guards, in a pinch. As Williams becomes stronger, he will develop into an even better perimeter defender."