I'll be honest, the Insight Bowl caused me to lose my last little bit of faith in Brewster. I was really hoping the team would show some meaningful improvement after 15 extra practices (other than fewer penalties), and that would be reason enough to believe in a brighter future. Now, I'm grasping for reasons to be optimistic, and I need be be educated on what exactly I'm not seeing.
Question #1: I agree with those who say Brewster is a good recruiter. I can also see merit in the argument that he needs more time to coach his own recruits. But, what exactly do you see to make you believe that Brewster is a good coach?
I don't see anything that says he's a good coach, but I have yet to see any coaching decisions that have lost a game! I have seen some failures in execution but it appeared that if the plays were executed properly we had guys in good spots to make plays!
Question #2: If so many here believe that Brewster is such a good coach, why are so many posters already predicting such a poor record for next year? I know it's a tough schedule, but Brewster says it will be his best team yet. Good Coach + Best Team Yet + Fourth Year of Program = More Victories? Seems like every year posters keep pushing back their timetable for the team being good. Aren't most of the reasons for the low expectations ultimately the lack of improvement under Brewster so far? Wouldn't most posters have predicted 5 wins with that schedule four years ago?
I would say Brewster's best team talent wise is probably still not up to par with the likes of tOSU, USC, Penn St-if you can argue that differently I would love to hear that!
Question #3: I know some anti-Brewster "haters" can be obnoxious (can't we all?), but why do so many posters insist that being anti-Brewster means that you are not a true Gopher fan? If Brewster is 3-9 in 2011, would you support his firing then? Would this then mean that you're not a true fan?
I think the majority who say someone isn't a "true" gopher fan are those who read additional posts where many have decided to be angry and bitter in the majority of their posts. When people make posts that say they won't be a gopher fan until Rose Bowl, Big Ten Champ, National Title etc the shoe fits. No one from Iowa or Wisky are making those comments. Look at what Wisky used to be until Alvarez, then no matter what Camp Randal was filled-win or loss. In Minny I truly believe we have one of the worst fan bases in the country. If Minny fans don't think the Gophers are going to be successful they go watch the Vikings etc. Not many states with one major division 1 college, have all the professional sports teams together in one city. When things look grim many go somewhere else.
I cheer for the Gophers, not whoever the head coach may be, so I'll still be hoping for the best next year. I just can't find much of a factual basis for believing in Brewster's abilities. Maybe if the talent level overrides his shortcomings... maybe if he stops being blindly optimistic and critically evaluates the job he's done so far (or Maturi forces him to do so) ... maybe there's hope.
