Great read: Minneapolis community sees Gophers Tyler Johnson as an agent of hope

[BleedGopher]

per Megan:

What people from outside the community don’t see is how neighbors sit outside their houses on lawn chairs, playing soul music from car stereos and chatting with each other. How every July 4th, the block with Johnson’s late grandmother’s house shuts down for a big party, including fireworks and her still-famous mac and cheese. How the community comes together to support one of its favorite sons.

Now in his senior year as a star receiver for the Gophers, Johnson has one season left before likely embarking on an NFL career that could take him the farthest he’s ever been from the community he loves. But north Minneapolis and Johnson are so interwoven, those threads might stretch taut, but they won’t snap.

“Representing my city is something that means a lot to me,” Johnson said. “I want to do whatever it is that I can just to let people know, just to let my city know, that I care for it so much.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-football-tyler-johnson-pride-of-the-northside/513511762/

Go Gophers!!

 

[PitinoFan]

This is amazing. ...

“The year before Johnson went to North High, the total enrollment was about 200. The football team had lost all its games with about 25 players in the entire program. The once dominant basketball team hadn’t made the state tournament in nearly 10 years. The school was on the verge of closure.

By the time Johnson graduated and left for the Gophers, his football team had made it to the state championship and his basketball team had won the Class 1A title. From his freshman year to this past school year, athletic participation in both sports, as well as the school’s total enrollment, has doubled.”


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[TrapperDoo]

This is amazing. ...

“The year before Johnson went to North High, the total enrollment was about 200. The football team had lost all its games with about 25 players in the entire program. The once dominant basketball team hadn’t made the state tournament in nearly 10 years. The school was on the verge of closure.

By the time Johnson graduated and left for the Gophers, his football team had made it to the state championship and his basketball team had won the Class 1A title. From his freshman year to this past school year, athletic participation in both sports, as well as the school’s total enrollment, has doubled.”


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Keep it up TJ6. You were gifted with an “A Game” that the rest of us can only dream about. Keep bringing it everyday, at the U and in North Minneapolis. You can become legend.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

My two kids went to Mpls public schools (Washburn) and it was amazing how he lead their program from almost closing to being the best in the Mpls city conference and one of the best teams in the state.
Very proud of Tyler, Kamal, and Carter for being proud to represent their home state. It will be fun watching them this year. Hope it turns out to be special in terms of wins.

 

[bemidjigopher]

My two kids went to Mpls public schools (Washburn) and it was amazing how he lead their program from almost closing to being the best in the Mpls city conference and one of the best teams in the state.
Very proud of Tyler, Kamal, and Carter for being proud to represent their home state. It will be fun watching them this year. Hope it turns out to be special in terms of wins.

Also a proud Miller, happy to say my class never lost a City game, but we had some battles with North and Edison my Sophomore and Junior years. Losing Haugen to Gustavus and Jenkins to Hamline really hurt the program, plus all the kids play soccer now at Washburn.

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