I hope everyone had a great Christmas and will have a relaxing week before the new year. Personally I love this week, especially working this week because half of the office is taking vacation and there is no traffic on the road. So I can slip in a little late, not sit in traffic on my way to work and then blog all day get all kinds of important things done at work.
Anyway, it is back too work for the Gophers this week and there are few Nugz worth driving you towards this fine morning.
- Nick Bjugstad and Kyle Rau both scored in team USA's 11-3 win over Denmark. Bjugstad's goal was technically the game-winner (though it is hard to give him too much credit for such a clutch goal in an 11-3 win) and Rau actually scored twice.
- Gopher Hockey picked up a very nice commitment from Hudson Fasching a coveted forward from Apple Valley who is playing on the US 17-under team.
- MUST READ! - Here is an outstanding profile on Fasching done by Amelia Rayno last year. Fasching is one of the best hockey players in the state of hockey and has two siblings who will never walk, talk or feed themselves due to a rare cell disorder.
- A Former Gopher football coach is going to be on the Ohio State staff. Not a former head coach. It is Everett Withers who will be a co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
- Speaking of former Gopher assistant coaches, there is a chance that Thomas Hammock will be considered for the vacant Badger offensive coordinator position. On a related note, lets hope that the graduation of a bunch of offensive talent and the loss of their OC will mean a down year for the Badger offense in 2012.
- Rachel Banham is a freshman on the Gopher women's team. She recently earned her second B1G Freshman of the Week honor. Banham is a 5-9 guard from Lakeville. She is leading the Gophers in 3s made, points scored (13.8/game), and FT%. She is second on the team in assists, rebounds and steals. With only 1 senior who is in the top seven in minutes played, things are looking up for the Gopher women
- Like it or not Maverick Ahanmisi will be your Gopher starting point guard to open the Big Ten season.
- Ryan James at GopherIllustrated suggests that we are not giving Mav the respect he deserves($).
- Doogie thinks that Tubby needs to get to 9 Big Ten wins to justify a contract extension. I think that nine wins should allow him to be Governor with the loss of Mbakwe.
- This Appleton paper believes the Gophers will finish 8th in the crowded and talented Big Ten.