It is Northwestern week and yesterday I was outed for my paranoia surrounding saturday's game. It watching Northwestern lose to a wounded Indiana team wasn't enough, I have been reminded this week about the 2000 loss to Northwestern at home in what would eventually be recognized as a Glen Mason special.
The best Northwestern blog out there (read ONLY NU blog out there) was kind enough to not only remind us, provided video evidence that it did indeed happen, THEN he connected the Wildcat's game winning QB to the current Gophers. The result is a very entertaining interview with Zak Kustok. Kustok went on to bigger and better things as he married a Minensota girl who happens to be the older sister of current Gopher Ben Kuznia.
LTP got right to the elephant in the room asking who Zak would be rooting for this Saturday.
I will be an NU fan for the rest of my life, but will only get to root for Ben on the football field for the rest of this year and one more. I am hoping for a lotof points by both offenses and a game that comes down to the wire with the most deserving team winning, but I can't lie and say I won't be rooting for my guy.
There might be some added tensions at the Kuznia family Thanksgiving this year.
- With every win the mention of Tim Brewster as a potential new head coach at XYX University is getting more and more prevelant. It is crazy just how fickle this industry is. Just two months ago he was on lists of coaches on the hot seat and half of Gopher Nation couldn't see him leave soon enough. Now the other half of Gopher Nation wants a lifetime contract extension and Brewster is getting mentions like this (sorry the formatting is really bad on this link). I realize this is "just" a fan blog but it truly says something that he is on people's list for a school with big time football like Tennessee.
I've never been shy about being a big fan of Brewster but I just can't see a place like Tennessee willing to turn their program over someone with two years experience as a head coach. You will see this more as we go along but the question is if the phone rings, will he answer? - Good news for the Gopher defense. NU running back, Tyrell Sutton is out for not only the Gopher game but for the season. I'm sorry to hear this for Sutton's sake, you never want to see a senior go down, especially when he is such a key component to the offense.
- And good news for the secondary as well as quarterback CJ Bacher is also out for this game, but should return yet this season. Replacing Bacher is Mike Kafka, a more athletic QB who will bring a new set of problems for coach Roof and his boys to defend. Since we have just finished defending Juice, Kellen Lewis, Tyrel Pryor and even Justin Siller; maybe this is a blessing. I for one fear the unknown here!
- A fairly well educated look at Minnesota's turnaround from a Michigan fan who took the time to put together a well thought out fan post on MGOblog.com. For the record, you guys have the ability to do such a thing right here on TDG if you so choose. (hat tip to frequent commenter Fishing MN for the link).
- The Homecoming angle is really getting old. I just don't see the big deal that the Gophers were sheduled for Illinois and Purdue's homecoming games. What on earth do you expect, we were 0-8 in the conference last year. I'm sure if it would have been feasible Wisconsin and Ohio State would have done it too. Fortunately for us we are 2-0 in Homecoming games this year.
Now Northwestern is playing the HC card. Again, BIG DEAL. You are not Ohio State, of course teams are going to schedule you over some of the conference heavyweights. Minnesota is not going to schedule Iowa or Michigan as homecoming guests, they'll sell tickets for that one on it's own. Indiana is a maybe but it was the first game of the Big Ten season, kind of early. If Minnesota or Northwestern don't want to be the Homecoming guest then do something about it. And I think Pat Fitzgerald lost the homecoming disrespect as motivation card when he lost to Indiana last week.