Would you want the Gophers to go bowling at 5-7?

Would you want the Gophers in a bowl at 5-7?

  • Absolutely - Yes!

    Votes: 80 68.4%

  • Only if it was a beatable opponent.

    Votes: 5 4.3%

  • No way.

    Votes: 28 23.9%

  • Other (post your specific answer)

    Votes: 4 3.4%
  • Total voters
    117
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Go Gophers Rah

Go Gophers Rah

Section 238 Row 21
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I've spent as much time as anyone looking at the possibilities of going to a bowl with a 5-7 record. Based on everything I know and everything I think I know, I would put the chances of this happening at somewhere between 20% an 35%.

Curious about Gopherhole's collective opinion on whether we would want this to happen...
 

certainly. need the additional practice time to start retooling for next year
 

Let's not embarrass ourselves. I would prefer we fill OC position and recruit like crazy.
 

Said all along that if you get an invite you go. We certainly don't deserve a bowl game, but the extra practices would help the young guys, especially if we are going to be breaking in a new OC as well. It would give them 15 practices to start installing some of their system and getting the players ready for the changes.

I have been on record about my dislike for the current "everyone gets a trophy" bowl game system. But if we do end up getting an invite I just hope we go out there and handle whatever crap opponent we get matched up against.

In the end I guess I really don't care one way or another if we get a bowl invite though for the overall development of the players I think it couldn't hurt to get some extra practice time.
 

Originally, I felt like I didn't want to watch this team again this year and that we should decline any invites because no 5-7 team should ever accept a bowl invite. But then I remembered that one of the few things that I truly love in life is watching Gopher football, so I'll take any chance I can get to extend the season from 3 months long to 4 months long.
 


Sometimes if it's a little slow at the club, the bouncer lets a bunch of ugly people in from behind the velvet rope. You never know, you just might have the time of your life, but you'll never know if you're just sitting at home.

Bowl games are a lot of fun. Crazy stuff happens sometimes. Labor Day 2016 is a long ways off.
 



to quote Clint Eastwood from "Unforgiven" - "Deserve ain't got nothin' to do with it."

I understand that some people think there are too many bowl games, and have no interest in the lower-tier games. It's also disappointing to see the Gophers in this Situation, after a year where they went to a New Year's Day game.

But, my stance is that, if the Gophers are invited, they have to go. I'm worried about the message it would send to fans, recruits, donors and season ticket holders to refuse a bowl game invite - makes it look like the Gophs are scared, or they don't think they're good enough to compete with another so-so team.
 



I don't see anything wrong with the team heading up to Elsie's and rolling a few frames.
 

Never going to turn down more practices and another opportunity to watch a Gopher football game. Plus if we'd make an easier bowl and we just might finally be able to get a bowl win.
 

Notre Dame in the past has declined bowl bids even at 6-6 or greater. I had to look it up - this was in 1996 (when they were 8-3!) and 2009 (6-6). Some of that is ND arrogance for you, but I would think the U should have some serious discussion about the financial impact, status of the coaching staff for the bowl, and player input before deciding to accept a 5-7 bowl bid. It is a definite sign of over saturation when in past years there have been 6-6 B1G teams left out of bowls, and now we are talking about multiple 5-7 B1G teams backing into bowls.
 

For the love of God, just let this season end and spare us the punishment of an elementary level bowl game.

1. Our players are beat up - just let them heal. What we don't need is someone like Brooks tearing his ACL and possibly ending next year, for nothing.

2. The offense will benefit from a bowl game exactly 0% when you consider it will be changing anyway.

3. Who is going to call the plays? I don't want our coaches wasting time working this out for one game. I can think of a lot of better ways coaches could utilize this time.
 



gopher7 said:
For the love of God, just let this season end and spare us the punishment of an elementary level bowl game.

1. Our players are beat up - just let them heal. What we don't need is someone like Brooks tearing his ACL and possibly ending next year, for nothing.

2. The offense will benefit from a bowl game exactly 0% when you consider it will be changing anyway.

3. Who is going to call the plays? I don't want our coaches wasting time working this out for one game. I can think of a lot of better ways coaches could utilize this time.
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Simply out of curiosity, what did you have in mind? I can't think of a better way then practicing with the team.
 

Said before if they get an invitation, as long as they keep taking the Big Ten's money they have to go. Only would say that at those "extra practices" led to the 5-7 season...
 


short ornery norwegian said:
I'm worried about the message it would send to fans, recruits, donors and season ticket holders to refuse a bowl game invite - makes it look like the Gophs are scared, or they don't think they're good enough to compete with another so-so team.
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The message should be the team saying they aren't going to reward themselves for failure. This is the kid who finds $10,000 in a bag on the playground and turns it in to the police, sure he could keep it, but he knows he didn't earn it.
 

For me it is easy...would I want to watch another Gopher game...yep.
 

gopher7 said:
For the love of God, just let this season end and spare us the punishment of an elementary level bowl game.

1. Our players are beat up - just let them heal. What we don't need is someone like Brooks tearing his ACL and possibly ending next year, for nothing.

2. The offense will benefit from a bowl game exactly 0% when you consider it will be changing anyway.

3. Who is going to call the plays? I don't want our coaches wasting time working this out for one game. I can think of a lot of better ways coaches could utilize this time.
Click to expand...

I understand your 1st and 3rd points to some degree but to say the offense will benefit in no way is incorrect. Getting more experience (especially for the young players) is never a bad thing. Even if you change the offense, you still have to block, run routes, throw the ball, etc.
 

Go4fan4ever said:
Simply out of curiosity, what did you have in mind? I can't think of a better way then practicing with the team.
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It's one thing if you have a young team with a returning coaching staff. Then you can then be confident what you are practicing will pay dividends next season. But in our case, our offense is going to change, and we likely won't know how until January. So that lessens how much young guys will be helped from getting more reps running the offense. Plus, two of the positions we need the most help (OL and QB) don't even have coaches now. Then, we lose Maye, plus seven offensive linemen next year. Unless they get ignored (which they won't because obviously we would be trying to win), much of the attention would be going to people who won't be here next year anyway. Overall I just don't see how playing in the bowl game helps us in the long run, even with extra practices. The injury risk far outweighs any benefit.
 

gopher7 said:
It's one thing if you have a young team with a returning coaching staff. Then you can then be confident what you are practicing will pay dividends next season. But in our case, our offense is going to change, and we likely won't know how until January. So that lessens how much young guys will be helped from getting more reps running the offense. Plus, two of the positions we need the most help (OL and QB) don't even have coaches now. Then, we lose Maye, plus seven offensive linemen next year. Unless they get ignored (which they won't because obviously we would be trying to win), much of the attention would be going to people who won't be here next year anyway. Overall I just don't see how playing in the bowl game helps us in the long run, even with extra practices. The injury risk far outweighs any benefit.
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Claeys said on his radio show that the biggest benefit to bowl practices is for guys that have redshirted. They spent most of their time during the year on scout teams. They'll still do that in bowl practices, but there's also time dedicated to get them back on the "Gopher" side of the ball and work there.
 

I think they should play the Minnesota high school all-star team!

Some crap Fleet Farm bowl is a waste of time. Great free gifts for the team though! (hammers, fence line, feeders, toilet brushes,...)
 


We already fired some coaches...we beat 1 team D1 with a winning record this year (CSU). I would prefer we roll it up instead of having an asterisk next our name in a 5-7 year. I know everyone says the extra practice is crucial but it did not seem to help us this year.
 


Otis said:
I think they should play the Minnesota high school all-star team!

Some crap Fleet Farm bowl is a waste of time. Great free gifts for the team though! (hammers, fence line, feeders, toilet brushes,...)
Click to expand...

Maybe a waste of your time but I bet the players and coaches don't feel that way. It's ultimately up to what they want to do in my opinion. If some fans think it is stupid, then just don't watch the game.
 

The practices last year lead to a 5-7 season? I don't think the extra practices last year contributed to the Gophers having fewer wins than last year. Who knows, maybe they would have done even worse.

As a former coach, yes, additional practice usually leads to improved performance. In some cases though, you just need to, are ready to, move on with a new group. I don't think anyone here really knows what would be best for the individual and collective players in this locker room. I'll leave that one up to Coach Claeys. Whatever he and the administration decide, it is probably what they feel is needed now, and if they decided to play would use that time well.
 

Absolutely they should accept a bowl bid if offered. It matters to the players.

Football is a brutal sport. At times, it is not fun, especially practice. Playing games is fun. More football games are better than less football.

A lot of people don't want them to play again, yet if they do go to a bowl, I'm guessing there will be a lot of opinions on the team & on a game that apparently doesn't matter.
 


I say, "Don't stop now."

If someone wants you to come and showcase your talent, then you should go and give your best performance. Hopefully, alums, boosters and the like will travel to the game despite our chaotic regular season performance.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

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