Botticelli on importance of winning bowl game: "this needs to be the next brick"

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Botticelli on importance of winning bowl game: "this needs to be the next brick"

per a STrib Q&A:

Q Minnesota has lost six bowl games in a row. How important is it to win one?

A Tremendously important. It’s the last football game that a lot of guys on our team are going to play. ... The seniors need to walk away from the program with a win. More importantly for the program and moving the program forward, for Coach Kill and the rest of the staff, this needs to be the next brick. We talk about “brick by brick” all the time. Well, winning a bowl game is a brick.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/286480101.html

Go Gophers!!
 

I think winning this game is tremendously important to the future of the program.
 

vagopher said:
I think winning this game is tremendously important to the future of the program.
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I like the sentiment, but my sense is the program's direction transcends any individual game.
 

MrC said:
I like the sentiment, but my sense is the program's direction transcends any individual game.
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It's not just an individual game. I'm sure it can transcend one game, but can it transcend 7 straight bowl losses? I don't know.
 

It is important in the sense that the seniors need to go out with a memorable win.

It is important in garnering attention from national recruits that otherwise may not consider the Gophers.

If they don't win it won't be a set back to the program. If they continually lose bowl games that will be a different story.

I just don't want them to have a Glen Mason like team collapse in the second half.
 



Perception is reality. If the Gophers lose the Bowl game, I guarantee that, immediately after the game, the media will be giving us the following routine: "Same old Gophers" "Can't win games that matter." "Can't beat a good team." And all of that criticism will follow the Gophers through the off-season and into next year. I think a victory in the Bowl game is a must-win game. No moral victories - no excuses. If the Gophers want people to believe that this team is different - that this coaching staff is different - win the stinkin' game.
 

It's hard to fault a senior playing in a bowl game for thinking this is a must win. It's exactly the right attitude for our seniors to have. It has to be the next brick because, for him, it is the last brick as a player.

Looking forward to seeing these seniors' last game in person. Great class of guys.
 

Botticelli on importance of winning bowl game: "this needs to be the next brick"

hungan1 said:
If they continually lose bowl games that will be a different story.
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If we lose this we'll be 0-3 under Kill. Would that not qualify as continually losing bowl games? If we choke away another lead that would be 3 straight bowl games we should have won but found a way to lose.
 



Agree with Botticelli. This is another brick. Winning a bowl game, and a legit one at that, a step that needs to be taken. Just ask Mark Dantonio. 0-4 in his first 4 bowl games, 3-0 since. Sooner you get a taste of winning a bowl game the better.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Perception is reality. If the Gophers lose the Bowl game, I guarantee that, immediately after the game, the media will be giving us the following routine: "Same old Gophers" "Can't win games that matter." "Can't beat a good team." And all of that criticism will follow the Gophers through the off-season and into next year. I think a victory in the Bowl game is a must-win game. No moral victories - no excuses. If the Gophers want people to believe that this team is different - that this coaching staff is different - win the stinkin' game.
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You got it. Very important to end the year with a victory.
 

At Minnesota, we are winners. We don't play the game to lose.
 




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