Zulgad: This program can make it difficult for any coach to keep pep in his step

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Judd:

The Gophers should open with nonconference victories over Buffalo, Oregon State and Middle Tennessee and stand a chance to be 7-0 after playing Maryland, Purdue, Michigan State (won only three games last season and one in the Big Ten) and Illinois. But they then close the season at Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern, with home games against Nebraska and Wisconsin sandwiching the matchup with the Wildcats.

Fleck, who went 1-11 in his first season at Western Michigan in 2013, knows his program has issues. He plans to play senior Connor Rhoda and sophomore Demry Croft at quarterback until one separates himself. The two have eight appearances and one start between them, making them the least experienced Power Five program at that position in the nation. Neither one is Fleck’s guy.

The Gophers’ issues with depth at offensive line make the Vikings problems look like nothing by comparison and the wide receiver position also lacks experience. The running back tandem of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks is solid – they combined for 1,808 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns in 2016 – but Fleck almost is certainly concerned about what type of blocking those two will get.

What should be a realistic expectation for this Gophers team? The prediction here is an overall record of 6-6 and a Big Ten mark of 3-6. Sorry, but I don’t see the Spartans game going their way and if it does there’s another Big Ten loss in there somewhere.

What will be most interesting is seeing how football savvy Fleck actually is – this should end any comparisons between him and Tim Brewster – and how he handles the inevitable adversity that comes with coaching this program.

Let’s be honest, this is a program that can make it difficult for any coach, even the Energizer Bunny-like Fleck, to keep a pep in his step.

http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2017/08/zulgad-good-coach-p-j-fleck-gophers-fans-find/

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
per Judd:

The Gophers should open with nonconference victories over Buffalo, Oregon State and Middle Tennessee and stand a chance to be 7-0 after playing Maryland, Purdue, Michigan State (won only three games last season and one in the Big Ten) and Illinois. But they then close the season at Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern, with home games against Nebraska and Wisconsin sandwiching the matchup with the Wildcats.

Fleck, who went 1-11 in his first season at Western Michigan in 2013, knows his program has issues. He plans to play senior Connor Rhoda and sophomore Demry Croft at quarterback until one separates himself. The two have eight appearances and one start between them, making them the least experienced Power Five program at that position in the nation. Neither one is Fleck’s guy.

The Gophers’ issues with depth at offensive line make the Vikings problems look like nothing by comparison and the wide receiver position also lacks experience. The running back tandem of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks is solid – they combined for 1,808 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns in 2016 – but Fleck almost is certainly concerned about what type of blocking those two will get.

What should be a realistic expectation for this Gophers team? The prediction here is an overall record of 6-6 and a Big Ten mark of 3-6. Sorry, but I don’t see the Spartans game going their way and if it does there’s another Big Ten loss in there somewhere.

What will be most interesting is seeing how football savvy Fleck actually is – this should end any comparisons between him and Tim Brewster – and how he handles the inevitable adversity that comes with coaching this program.

Let’s be honest, this is a program that can make it difficult for any coach, even the Energizer Bunny-like Fleck, to keep a pep in his step.

http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2017/08/zulgad-good-coach-p-j-fleck-gophers-fans-find/

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
I rest my case about Twin Cities media negativity, and the perpetual lazy writing of our esteemed Sports Columnist. Another regurgitated article of the same variety.

Why does he Zulgad need to rip the Gophers to build up the Vikings?
Big predictions from Zulgad based on what for the Gophers? The back end of the schedule is tough no doubt, but you play them one at a time and nothing is decided yet.
Has he Judd Zulgad watched this team practice 1 minute this fall camp or is he basing everything off a few quotes from the head coach?

His suggestion that the Gophers offensive line woes make the Vikings offensive line problems nothing by comparison is a laugh er. The Vikings ranked 31st in run offense last season and have almost the same offensive line people back this year with there big money acquisitions of Remmers and Reif at tackle looking just as much fools gold as he predicts the Gophers line will be. Bradford is still getting sacked a ton without much to show for the first team offense in meaningless practice games. That and the Vikings tailbacks have not shown anything in preseason camp. This is to gloss over the fact that the Vikings O-line is still Alex Boone level Poopy, and Bradford is on a one year deal with who else coming in to be the QB?
One big difference, the Gophers have experienced tailbacks that can make their own plays. Judd can stick his 6-6 prediction in his pipe and smoke it. I'm going to let the team play each game 1 at a time and expect for the Gophers to have a good chance going in to every game. He can coddle the Vikings and rip the Gophers, which is typical of the Twin Cities media.
 


Cripes, we haven't even snapped a ball yet and we're getting a headline like this...

F-you, Zulgad.
 

Zulgad has been ripping on the Gophers non-stop for weeks. He talks about the attendance drop last year without ever mentioning a large price increase and a very unattractive schedule. His note about the OL stood out to me, too. While the Gophers have something to prove on the OL, they're miles ahead of the Vikings and I think they'll be good this year (barring injuries).
 


Hates Monikers said:
Zulgad has been ripping on the Gophers non-stop for weeks. He talks about the attendance drop last year without ever mentioning a large price increase and a very unattractive schedule. His note about the OL stood out to me, too. While the Gophers have something to prove on the OL, they're miles ahead of the Vikings and I think they'll be good this year (barring injuries).
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Reusse was on their radio show yesterday. Said that Judd was too negative. ;)
 

Let's be honest, Judd and Reusse can make it difficult for anyone to listen to 1500.
 

The biggest circus we have in town is our local media. One of the biggest clowns is Zulgad. Does he even go to the U and speak to the coaches or the administrators ever? I'd like to know how he comes up with the negative stories.

There are fundamental changes at the U that we cannot ignore. We have loosen up the purse strings and the U show commitment to Gopher Athletics by finally investing in the program. We have two young exciting coaches in PJ Fleck & Richard Pitino.

It is not perfect by any means, but we have lots to be excited about.
 




Folks - I had to break it to you - but there is not some secret media cabal in the Twin Cities that gets together and plans their evil scheme to give the Gophers negative coverage.

You can post threads like this until heck freezes over, and it's not going to change anything.

If the Gophers want better media coverage, they need to win. they need to win while playing entertaining football. and the fans need to show up for games.

That will change media coverage. complaining about media coverage won't change squat.
 

I dont care that the media is negative. I just want higher -quality coverage of the state's only D1 sports. What we have is sub-par on its face. It doesn't hold-up to the coverage that FCS teams get in much smaller markets with far fewer resources and journalist that are making a fraction of these guys who are in a supposedly Top-15 sports media market.

What does this piece tell me? Nothing. I am dumber for reading it. And so is everyone else.
What is he trying to say? The Big Ten is tough of a conference? Or is he criticizing a back-loaded schedule? It seems like something else. It seems like maybe he just doesn't know what he's trying to say.
 

The difference between our coverage situation and many FCS schools in smaller markets is that there are multiple voices. Judd Zulgad is not the go-to person for Gophers coverage. There are about 5-10 people in the market who should not be the go-to, but yet their word is taken as if it's the word of all media in the market.

Guys like Zulgad are talking heads. They are never going to give in-depth coverage, be it Gophers are Vikings. They are many times paid to share their opinions, not to report the news.
 




I wish I could "un-read" that article and/or get that 30 seconds back but no. I will forget as soon as possible this article from Judd Clampet.
 

What truly amazes me is the negativity that just won't go away. The Gophers have three 8+ win seasons in the the last four years (when was the last time that happened). In Denver, where CU has been terrible for a decade except for last year and CSU mediocre at best, I read and hear very little negative media comments about either team. Amazing how bad the TC media is when it comes to the Gophers
 

You'd think we were Purdue or Illinois right now. This program was embarrassing in the not-so-distant past, but it has actually been pretty good lately. Some heartbreaking losses (Michigan at the Bank, Wisconsin second-half collapses) go the other way, and it looks even better. All-in-all, a Citrus and Holiday Bowl, etc, and almost assuredly a 5th straight bowl birth this year, is light years ahead of where we were when Kill and Co. took over. It's just habit to be negative at this point.

It's amazing how fast people have forgotten how far this program has come in such a short period. On the field, there is some serious NFL caliber talent (Brooks, Smith, Richardson, Coughlin, Winfield, and probably more). Off the field the spanking new facilities are about the be wrapped up. They're playing in a world class stadium. What exactly is there to mope around about, Zulgad? Show some effort.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Folks - I had to break it to you - but there is not some secret media cabal in the Twin Cities that gets together and plans their evil scheme to give the Gophers negative coverage.

You can post threads like this until heck freezes over, and it's not going to change anything.

If the Gophers want better media coverage, they need to win. they need to win while playing entertaining football. and the fans need to show up for games.

That will change media coverage. complaining about media coverage won't change squat.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I just think they are playing to their audience. MN sports has been so bad for a long time, there are so many "fans" that would rather just be negative all the time because that is so much easier. It's easier to expect the worst and say "I told you so" because it's happened that way so many times.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Honestly, I just think they are playing to their audience. MN sports has been so bad for a long time, there are so many "fans" that would rather just be negative all the time because that is so much easier. It's easier to expect the worst and say "I told you so" because it's happened that way so many times.
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Exactly, very lazy journalism (loosely allowing the word journalism to even be used). Never any new information or insight, and playing to an easy audience.
 


GophersInIowa said:
Honestly, I just think they are playing to their audience. MN sports has been so bad for a long time, there are so many "fans" that would rather just be negative all the time because that is so much easier. It's easier to expect the worst and say "I told you so" because it's happened that way so many times.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100% but would add that the "I told you so" regarding "horrible Gopher football" is alive and well even after 9-4 seasons. Anything other than B1G or National championships is an example of "horrible" around here. That makes it easy to keep up the "Gophers are horrible" line. Somehow there is this strange mashup with fan ignorance, long dry spell since last national/conference championship, pro football influence, etc. that leads to a lot of strange expectations and takes regarding the team from people I know that don't follow it as closely as I do.
 

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