Souhan Trying to Out-duel Reusse for Tool of the Year

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Another fine example of why I have not spent a penny on the Star Tribune in a decade......

..........

A Gophers football coach deserves kudos, but it's J.P. not P.J.

..........

In the wake of the Gopher football team’s victory over Wisconsin, dozens of the program’s fans — perhaps every one of them — have reached out to me with kind words and suggestions.

They think it’s time to congratulate the coach who made this 3-6 Big Ten record and fifth-place divisional finish possible. Who could disagree?

I don’t even mind making this personal, and offering my thanks to a coach who transformed the Gopher program, taking them from a bunch of non-tackling underachievers to a team that is mathematically bowl eligible, just two years after the Gophers finished 5-4 in the Big Ten and won an established bowl. The transformation has been spectacular.

In college football, when a team wins, you credit the coach. So let me hesitate no further before I congratulate the man of the hour in Dinkytown, Mr. Joe “J.P.’’ Rossi.

When the current head coaching occupant took over from Tracy Claeys two seasons ago, he hired Robb Smith as his defensive coordinator.

This season, the Gophers won three games against the usual nonconference fodder, then went to Maryland for their first Big Ten game.

Maryland would finish the season 3-6 while dealing with the worst kind of scandal, one that cost a player his life. That day, Maryland’s coaches devised an offensive scheme so simple in its design it evaded all of the Gophers’ attempts at comprehending it.

Maryland handed the ball to its backs, and the backs ran forward.

That was all it took for the Terrapins to beat the Gophers, 42-13.

In the next game, the Gophers gave up 48 points to Iowa. After losing by just 30-14 at Ohio State, the Gophers lost 53-28 to Nebraska, which had entered the game 0-6 while failing to score 30 points in regulation in any previous game.

The Gophers beat Indiana 38-31, then lost 55-31 at Illinois, as the Illini shrewdly stole from Maryland’s game plan: Hand the ball off and try not to trip over the yardage markers on the way to the end zone.

Finally, Smith was fired, and Rossi, the Gophers’ MVC (Most Valuable Coach) was promoted to defensive coordinator.

In his three games running the defense, the Gophers beat a pretty good Purdue team, 41-10, put up a fight against Northwestern in a 24-14 loss and won at Camp Randall Stadium for the first time since 1994, shutting down star back Jonathan Taylor in a 37-15 victory.

Had Smith remained on the job, Taylor would have rushed for about 400 yards.

Rossi has saved a program that was headed nowhere. He has engineered a signature victory. There is a word for his performance in the last three games. It begins with an ‘‘E.’’

Exceptional.

Sadly, Rossi has not learned how to operate in the new, new college football world. He has yet to trademark a silly slogan. This one would seem to be on point: Slow The Back.

If only the Gopher football program had hired someone who could identify a quality defensive coordinator, one who could have hired the right person in the first place, the 2018 Gopher football season could have been a success. This team could have finished 5-4 and guaranteed a warm-weather, close-to-New Year’s bowl.

Oh, well. Gopher fans will always have Madison, and they can feel confident in the future knowing they have a transformative coach in their midst — Joseph Rossi, a defensive coordinator who would make Claeys proud.


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What a dink who doesn't come to Dinkytown is all I can say.
 


I can’t wait until the gopher win the west and hopefully the big10 in the next 2-3 years and these uber ******s get to sit back and eat they’re own crow. But in reality they kind of echo typical gopher fans...cynical and depressed.
 


http://www.startribune.com/a-gophers-football-coach-deserves-kudos-but-it-s-j-p-not-p-j/501399011/ Another fine example of why I have not spent a penny on the Star Tribune in a decade......

..........

If only the Gopher football program had hired someone who could identify a quality defensive coordinator, one who could have hired the right person in the first place, the 2018 Gopher football season could have been a success. This team could have finished 5-4 and guaranteed a warm-weather, close-to-New Year’s bowl.

Oh, well. Gopher fans will always have Madison, and they can feel confident in the future knowing they have a transformative coach in their midst — Joseph Rossi, a defensive coordinator who would make Claeys proud.
If only the Strib had hired a sports columnist with an ounce of initiative and creativity, one capable of thinking for himself, rather than functioning as an overpaid and utterly redundant echo chamber.

Oh, well. Souhan will always have ... always have ... wait a minute. Has this guy ever actually achieved ANYTHING?

JTG
 

He is fit. Very fit.


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If you credit the wrench carrying thing to Rossi, then he has kind of brought a new slogan to the team.
Souhan is clueless.
 

If only the Strib had hired a sports columnist with an ounce of initiative and creativity, one capable of thinking for himself, rather than functioning as an overpaid and utterly redundant echo chamber.

Oh, well. Souhan will always have ... always have ... wait a minute. Has this guy ever actually achieved ANYTHING?

JTG

This is actually kinda funny. I got to thinking, what has Souhan really done? Maybe he's achieved something spectacular as a writer. So I Googled "Joe Souhan wiki," thinking I'd get the obligatory stub-ended wikipedia page with a few tidbits.

Instead, I got:

Did you mean Joe Sheehan wiki? Joe Son wiki? Joe Hogan wiki? Jay Sean wiki?

The first entry that pops up is for Adrian Peterson.

The second that pops up is for Joe Mauer.

Byron Buxton.

Minnesota Twins.

Then, finally, I remembered the dude's name is Jim Souhan. So I Googled that, and got the wiki.

"He was named one of the top 10 sports columnists in America by the Associated Press Sports Editors of America in 2008."

The one thing he achieved was 10 years ago, and he was barely punching above his weight. The Strib was, I believe, the 10th or 12th largest paper in the country at one point. He should be one of the top 10 sports columnists in the country. And he was. Once. Ten years ago.

His entire "professional career" is encapsulated in nine sentences. Three of those sentences relate to his call for Jerry Kill to step down so no one has to watch "the sight of a middle-aged man writhing on the ground."

Class act. Through and through.

What a small, small man, completely overshadowed by the athletes and events he so ineffectually attempts to chronicle.

JTG
 



Reusse: “did you see how pissed off they got on gopherhole??” *throaty chuckle*

Souhan: “oh yeah?? Watch this!!”
 

So how many threads is this subject gonna get? :confused:
 

Why wouldn't you edit out the link to his doofus a$$shole podcast and twitter account? You just gave him free advertisement in a post where you complain about him.

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Reusse+Souhan=?? (Not a horse) Dynamic Duo
 




Insecure people enjoy fostering self-doubt in others. The routine, one-trick belittling of PJ's and/or Gopher success as not earned (and subsequent ire raised by Gopher fans) simply fuels Souhan and Reusse's quest to feel better about themselves.
 

The thing is - Souhan does have a point. A lot of people on this board were calling for Smith's head. The defense was not playing well under Smith, and has played a lot better under Rossi. One could argue that the move to replace Smith with Rossi literally saved the season - or at least made it possible for the Gophers to become bowl-eligible.

So, the underlying point of the story is accurate. Souhan chose to present it in a sarcastic and mocking fashion. And - I will stipulate for the record that Souhan is not as talented a writer as Pat Reusse. so, Souhan's piece comes off as Reusse Lite.

I have to wonder if this is Souhan's answer/comment on the reaction to the Turkey column - solidarity among columnists.
 

Reusse: “did you see how pissed off they got on gopherhole??” *throaty chuckle*

Souhan: “oh yeah?? Watch this!!”

I understand your argument, however, I think it is perfectly valid to keep calling them hacks for a few more years until they're dead.
Better than letting the **** they say stand unopposed and let people just believe their garbage.
 

The thing is - Souhan does have a point. A lot of people on this board were calling for Smith's head. The defense was not playing well under Smith, and has played a lot better under Rossi. One could argue that the move to replace Smith with Rossi literally saved the season - or at least made it possible for the Gophers to become bowl-eligible.

So, the underlying point of the story is accurate. Souhan chose to present it in a sarcastic and mocking fashion. And - I will stipulate for the record that Souhan is not as talented a writer as Pat Reusse. so, Souhan's piece comes off as Reusse Lite.

I have to wonder if this is Souhan's answer/comment on the reaction to the Turkey column - solidarity among columnists.

I still thoroughly believe you are Ruesse (or at least know him) after that article last summer.
Seemed more like he wanted to pat himself on the back, but didn't want to tie his troll account to his real persona.
 

Souhan in that article outed himself as not understanding the spread offense
 

I still thoroughly believe you are Ruesse (or at least know him) after that article last summer.
Seemed more like he wanted to pat himself on the back, but didn't want to tie his troll account to his real persona.

You are just saying that because SON, like Reusse, is a capable writer.

SON, at least you don’t need to worry about being accused of being Souhan.
 


Who hired Rossi to come to Minnesota [emoji848]??????

Best think Gopher fans can do is completely ignore these writers. On Twitter and everywhere else. Don’t feed the trolls. Don’t give them any attention.


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Why wouldn't you edit out the link to his doofus a$$shole podcast and twitter account? You just gave him free advertisement in a post where you complain about him.

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Realized this later and edited...
 

Here’s where The University’s AD and President should weigh in with Glen Taylor. Gopher sports deserves better hometown coverage. Instead, we get this. Football, big win, volleyball, as good as anyone in the country, grad rate 2nd in the Big. Instead, we get this crap!
 

What would have happened if PJ would have not promoted him to DC? Huh, Souhan? {sigh}
 

Two scenarios: 1) they actually believe, breath, and live the vitriol that they write and enjoy poking the Gopher, or 2) they don't really believe it but have to write this to generate ad clicks to preserve their jobs. Either way, both would totally suck to be absorbed in as a life and/or career. My guess is #2, since some have said they have been blocked by these guys in Twitter and other digital media - if they really enjoyed it they wouldn't block anyone and encourage it and take it all in. Its not like they're just being glass half full writers, they have to write in a way to antagonize and create animosity to maximize response. The AD, the University, the other sports teams in town, they get it. Just like Sid serves a purpose for the newspaper these pore schleps do as well, its a business to maximize revenue. What a sucky job. Pity them - imagine what this must do to a person over years.
 

Who hired Rossi to come to Minnesota [emoji848]??????

Best think Gopher fans can do is completely ignore these writers. On Twitter and everywhere else. Don’t feed the trolls. Don’t give them any attention.


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The part in bold is absolutely true unfortunately there will always be the people that can't help themselves, get pissed off about what the hacks write and ensure that they get to stay employed for a while longer.

If people read the articles, chuckled at the occasional one liner and then dismissed it as the fluff it is, that would be awesome. Instead we get thread after thread of fans trying to "stick" it to Souhan or Reusse. Those two don't care what any of us think about them as long as we are upset and complaining they are doing their job.

Most get it, hopefully at some point the outraged few that fall into the trap these 2 lay will figure it out as well.
 

The part in bold is absolutely true unfortunately there will always be the people that can't help themselves, get pissed off about what the hacks write and ensure that they get to stay employed for a while longer.

If people read the articles, chuckled at the occasional one liner and then dismissed it as the fluff it is, that would be awesome. Instead we get thread after thread of fans trying to "stick" it to Souhan or Reusse. Those two don't care what any of us think about them as long as we are upset and complaining they are doing their job.

Most get it, hopefully at some point the outraged few that fall into the trap these 2 lay will figure it out as well.

The problem is, the media (IMO) is a driver that may be contributing to the soft fans opinion and likelihood of attending games....thus it is relevant. Someone mentioned that perhaps GopherHole could have a different section for media related issues and immediately move related threads there. Much easier to avoid getting involved in the commentary on them.

???
 

Here’s where The University’s AD and President should weigh in with Glen Taylor. Gopher sports deserves better hometown coverage. Instead, we get this. Football, big win, volleyball, as good as anyone in the country, grad rate 2nd in the Big. Instead, we get this crap!

Great idea. Although I am sure that Taylor would claim that he can’t control what is written. But he can control who gets paid. The Star Tribune does absolutely nothing to help Gopher Athletics. Perhaps cutting press passes(ala President Trump) might also be a solution. While I don’t expect the Trib to write continuous articles praising the Gophers, I do expect to see articles that are honet minus the derogatory comments. There is enough negativity in this world without injecting more in the sports page.
 

It's a sad fact that in this world, the are more horse's a$$es than there are horses.
 




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