prepare for disappointment

I’m looking forward to discussing unimpressive wins this year. I’m sure there will be several.


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I’m looking forward to discussing unimpressive wins this year. I’m sure there will be several.


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That’s right. If they beat SDSU, Fresno, GSU, Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, and Purdue (it’s a road game, but they’re the definition of mediocre) plus the bowl game....and lose to Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Penn St. that’s a mediocre af 8-5 season that some people will be happy with, solely based on the number of wins.


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If the Gophers can’t win 8-9 games with this schedule, they never will. The crossover games can get any easier. It’s time for the youth and system excuses to end. It’s time to win.
 



I’m looking forward to discussing unimpressive wins this year. I’m sure there will be several.


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IMO several unimpressive wins gets us to Indy.
 

If the Gophers can’t win 8-9 games with this schedule, they never will. The crossover games can get any easier. It’s time for the youth and system excuses to end. It’s time to win.

You’re lucky we don’t face the Thundering Gerd this year.
 

All those videos and pictures of the team getting well fed and entertained like royalty makes me think that the Gophers are going to come out like a broken levee this season. They are bursting at the seams and ready to pounce.
 

You’re lucky we don’t face the Thundering Gerd this year.

It would be a great game. Based on Sagarin ratings, looks like the Gerd would be favored at a neutral site, again in 2019. That QB that MN didn’t want as a QB, goona be special.
 




As I said, still room for rationalizations and justifications.

Bottom Line for me: If we can’t match 2016’s record, this year, then we all should be disappointed. Clearly we all won’t be, but we all should be.


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I think there is more to it than record. But I will say your statement here is true unless Morgan gets hurt and misses substantial time. 8-4 is my minimum. Anything less will dampen my excitement a bit. It’ll mean we aren’t as far along as I hope/think.
 


I think there is more to it than record. But I will say your statement here is true unless Morgan gets hurt and misses substantial time. 8-4 is my minimum. Anything less will dampen my excitement a bit. It’ll mean we aren’t as far along as I hope/think.

Yes, of course, expectations are valid at the time they are set. Major factors along the way can force one to adjust. I think we will win 9 this year - but if Morgan, Coughlin, and Winfield go down in week 1 then I will no longer think that.


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That’s right. If they beat SDSU, Fresno, GSU, Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, and Purdue (it’s a road game, but they’re the definition of mediocre) plus the bowl game....and lose to Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Penn St. that’s a mediocre af 8-5 season that some people will be happy with, solely based on the number of wins.


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That would be a mediocre season and nothing to get excited about. If they manage to beat NU it would be a nine win season with losses to PSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Iowa. It would basically be the same season as 2016 with losses in every trophy game. I don't think we can complain about 8 wins. We are not there as a program yet, but 8-9 wins and losing to all your "rivals" does nothing to excite anyone. Flip some of the games around and finish 8-4 with with the Axe and Floyd then win a bowl game and things are a little different. We are an apathetic fan base as a whole from years of losing and disappointment. Nothing short of playing for the B1G title will get folks fired up.

Losing any of the NC games will mean TCF will be dead. 5-0 heading into the Nebraska game will generate some excitement but if that game is a loss folks will bail out. 8-0 heading into the PSU game and TCF will be rocking.
 

Yes, of course, expectations are valid at the time they are set. Major factors along the way can force one to adjust. I think we will win 9 this year - but if Morgan, Coughlin, and Winfield go down in week 1 then I will no longer think that.


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I will assume that this weak loser take is sarcastic because 80% of the crap you put on here is, but take a spin through the Husker board. Nobody is considering that Martinez will get injured or that any of their defensive standouts (not many to worry about!) will be injured either. They are moving full steam ahead and winning the West. We need to get over this PTSD we suffer, created by losing teams across all MN Sports in the past which have nothing to do with today's Gophers and get on board with this team, no matter the risk.

Best,
A. Homer
 

That’s right. If they beat SDSU, Fresno, GSU, Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, and Purdue (it’s a road game, but they’re the definition of mediocre) plus the bowl game....and lose to Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Penn St. that’s a mediocre af 8-5 season that some people will be happy with, solely based on the number of wins.


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It would be 2016 all over again - the pinnacle!
 

If the Gophers can’t win 8-9 games with this schedule, they never will. The crossover games can get any easier. It’s time for the youth and system excuses to end. It’s time to win.

What you said is simply false.
Our schedule in 2021 is hardly tougher (and might be easier) and many of PJ's recruits will be Seniors by then with far more options from Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors.
 

I see lots of assumptions in these posts based on LAST year's (and previous year's) results. We usually don't know what these kids are going to do from week to week, let alone from season to season. Either way, I'm excited for another season of Gopher football! Only five more days!

One other thing: always set the expectations low...that makes them easier to achieve ?
 

7-5 real progress?

Respectfully, I'm not buying that. 8-4, above .500 in the Big Ten? Sure.

Agreed. 8-4 should be the acceptable benchmark. The schedule is virtually identical to 2016 and this team has at least as much potential as that one. Anything beyond that would be great. Below that would feel like an underachievement.
 

Fleck was hired to win and win soon. This was not a major rebuilding job as he inherited a 9 win team and a good number of good to very good players. About a dozen of the starters this Fall are the last of the Kill/TC guys and they will be the leaders of this squad. Fleck has filled in most of the voids and depth is better.

Injuries to key players, especially QB, is the only reason for this team not to win at least 8 game and, with a bit of luck and good fortune, get to a decent bowl.

Get it done PJ.
 

I see lots of assumptions in these posts based on LAST year's (and previous year's) results.

Well, how else would people set expectations? Comparables: the same way real estate prices are estimated.
 

Here is my suggested Unimpressive Wins (Point System):

Single score win (7 points or less) over team ranked end of season 50-74: 1 point
Single score win over team ranked end of season 75-99: 2 points
Single score win over team ranked 100-124: 3 points
Single score win over team ranked 125-149: 4 points
Single score win over team ranked 150-174: 5 points
Single score win over team ranked 175 below: 6 points

Bonus points for games that hit above criteria:
Losing going into 4th quarter: 2 bonus points
Losing with less than 2 minutes left: 3 bonus points
Final margin was 3 or less: 3 bonus points
Home Game: 3 bonus points

Feel free to add other criteria you feel is important.

2016 points:
Rutgers: 5+3+3+3 = 14 points
Oregon St: 2+2+3 = 7 points
Colorado St: 1+3 = 4 points

Total unimpressive win points: 25

Fleck:
2017 Illinois = 4+3 = 7
2018 Indiana = 1+3 = 4 points
 

It would be 2016 all over again - the pinnacle!

Yes, 2016 was slightly disappointing until the impressive bowl win made up for that. Still, hard not to be reasonably satisfied with 9-4. I'd be happy enough to match that record this season.
 

Yes they can: Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers.

In the short history of divisional play, has any West team been assigned those 3 as crossover games? Seems like the conference would try to avoid something like that.
 

It’s not as though we haven’t had our chances. 2014....beat Wisconsin and win the West....couldn’t get it done (another in a long history of big games where we had the lead at halftime and choked in the 2nd half). We have to get over the hump in one of those games, or the fanbase apathy won’t go away. Beating Wisconsin last season was a good start, but we need to do it with more on the line. That game did go a long way towards building confidence. Let’s hope it carries over to this season.


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It’s not as though we haven’t had our chances. 2014....beat Wisconsin and win the West....couldn’t get it done (another in a long history of big games where we had the lead at halftime and choked in the 2nd half).


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The 2016 Wisconsin game was even worse: 17-7 lead at half and then Leidner completely unravelled (4 interceptions).
 

That’s probably true.

I think the FG kicker is the only position we’re not in a better place than 2017 (or 2016 if I’m being honest). And who knows, one of those freshman kickers might end up being good.



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In 2016 we had possibly the best secondary in my lifetime for the gophers- Travis, Winfield, and Myrick starting with Hardin getting most of the starts at the other corner.


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Here is my suggested Unimpressive Wins (Point System):

Single score win (7 points or less) over team ranked end of season 50-74: 1 point
Single score win over team ranked end of season 75-99: 2 points
Single score win over team ranked 100-124: 3 points
Single score win over team ranked 125-149: 4 points
Single score win over team ranked 150-174: 5 points
Single score win over team ranked 175 below: 6 points

Bonus points for games that hit above criteria:
Losing going into 4th quarter: 2 bonus points
Losing with less than 2 minutes left: 3 bonus points
Final margin was 3 or less: 3 bonus points
Home Game: 3 bonus points

Feel free to add other criteria you feel is important.

2016 points:
Rutgers: 5+3+3+3 = 14 points
Oregon St: 2+2+3 = 7 points
Colorado St: 1+3 = 4 points

Total unimpressive win points: 25

Fleck:
2017 Illinois = 4+3 = 7
2018 Indiana = 1+3 = 4 points

You have way too much time on your hands.


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POSITIVE THOUGHTS PLEASE

Though shall be focused to WIN
 

In the short history of divisional play, has any West team been assigned those 3 as crossover games? Seems like the conference would try to avoid something like that.

It doesn't seem to happen.

MN crossover is MD,
When we have Rutgers, we get PSU.
The year we get Indiana we get Ohio State


Indiana's crossover is Purdue.
Purdue gets Indiana every year.
When they get Rutgers, they also get Michigan
When they get Maryland, they also get Penn St


Rutgers is annual crossover with Illinois
When Illinois plays MD, they also get PSU
When Illinois plays Indiana, they also get OSU.
 




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