The Importance of having a Minnesota Connection.

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Silvio

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Is vastly overrated and using it as a criteria is greatly overrated.

My case in point is Bo Schembechler. He was one of the first people to coin the term "Michigan Man" (from what I can remember). And it has been used ever since in terms of finding a replacement for the head football coach at the Univeristy of Michigan. Yet, Schembechler himself was in no way shape or form a "Michigan Man." He grew up in Ohio (Akron), played college ball at the University of Miami, and learned his coaching trade under Woody Hayes. Heck, he could even be considered the "Anti Michigan Man."

I think that hire turned out pretty well for Michigan.
 

But Schembechler understood the football culture of Michigan because he grew up right down the road. I don't think when the Minnesota connection is mentioned it means "get a guy who was a part of the Minnesota program." We tried that with Stoll and Salem with varying degrees of success. I think what the administration is saying is we need to find a coach who "gets" Minnesota.

Truthfully, I agree that may be a bit overrated, as Minnesota's culture has changed dramatically over the past few decades. This used to be a state "by, of, and for" Northern Europeans with a distinctively Midwestern flavor. We have become a much more mixed lot as the Twin Cities has become a larger regional center and people from all over the country have flocked here for business. Makes for a more interesting stew politically and culturally and perhaps in terms of football fandom.
 

It doesn't matter where you are from or where you currently live. The culture of human beings and sports is winning.
 

As an outsider moving to this state it is a real concern. The blind love of anything Minnesota by the people here is only matched to people in Texas.
 

monk10 said:
As an outsider moving to this state it is a real concern. The blind love of anything Minnesota by the people here is only matched to people in Texas.
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But have a proven track record as winners! Maybe that is why people like us and dislike them (in general). :)
 


Silvio said:
It doesn't matter where you are from or where you currently live. The culture of human beings and sports is winning.
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Although, I agree with that sentiment, The U (and Minnesota as a state) has done a good job of discouraging graduates from locating in state. It gives off the impression that Minnesota and the U are all about "whoring out" (for lack of a better phrase) their resources to other states and letting what happens here erode and decay. I think the whole concept of having a connection to Minnesota shows that people want to come back here and give back to those who helped them develop their early skills. I think this is why so many people think Tony Dungy is the savior of Minnesota football, and by the same reasoning Marc Trestman falls in to that category.

I want a winning football program. I want more intellect, knowledge and wealth in Minnesota too. How do we balance those out? I dunno. I just have ideas and opinions right now.
 

Oh silly me, I thought it was the feigned humility that MN tries to pull off in their passive aggressive nature. :D
 

monk10 said:
As an outsider moving to this state it is a real concern. The blind love of anything Minnesota by the people here is only matched to people in Texas.
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I think a hometown coach gets a longer leash, a longer honeymoon.
Look, we all would love a hometowner to come in and create a Minnesota dynasty full of memorable wins and championships with a Minnesota flavor to them.
It just isn't the most important part of this hire, If Trestman was hired and won the Rose Bowl he'd be a Minnesota legend, but so would Troy Calhoun or Al Golden.
Winning and developing a lasting winning formula is what is important in the end.
 

monk10 said:
As an outsider moving to this state it is a real concern. The blind love of anything Minnesota by the people here is only matched to people in Texas.
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I think the difference between here and Texas (and I haven't lived in Texas so I don't know) is that it's a real generational thing in Minnesota. As a lifelong Minnesotan who is closing in on 60, I do miss elements of the Minnesota in which I grew up, but as an enlightened person (at least I like to think of myself that way), I realize that things change and that just because something is new doesn't necessarily mean it's to be avoided.

But it's important to realize that the people writing the big checks are more in my age group than the students' age group and that has to be considered when this decision is made. Winning is everything in the pro game. Winning is important in the college game, but so are a few other things.
 



monk10 said:
Oh silly me, I thought it was the feigned humility that MN tries to pull off in their passive aggressive nature. :D
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Your not from here, you couldn't possibly understand. Please go back to where you are from and tell them how great we (Minnesotans by birth) not you (where are you from?) are. Thanks! :)
 

monk10 said:
As an outsider moving to this state it is a real concern. The blind love of anything Minnesota by the people here is only matched to people in Texas.
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There's nothing wrong with being proud of where you hail from. I have no quips with Texans loving Texas so much.
 

When it comes to this hire, i think i want NOTHING to do with a Minnesota connection. I like watching the team and all, but our success over the last 40 years has been mediocre at the high water mark (Mason) to dreadful (pretty much everyone else). We need someone who can come in here and clean house and install a new everything about this program.

Understanding Minnesota is one thing, but if you come in and win Minnesota will understand you.
 

I agree that having a Minnesota connection is over-rated.

But here's the problem: there are actually intelligent people out there that think Minneapolis is similar to Des Moines and that it is 30-degrees below zero in July. I have met dozens of these people. They are real. And frankly, football coaches are provincial meat-heads compared to their pay-grade peers.

For the most part, when you are recruiting someone from another place to come here you want to make sure they understand the portential. I have absolutely no interest in coach that looks at this job as comparable to Iowa State, Washington State, Indiana, Wake Forest or Duke. I don't even want someone who thinks this job is less appealing than North Carolina or North Carolina State. Because if they think so, they just don't get it.

This is a better job than Colorado or Pittsburgh. This job is as good as Washington or Cal.

Remember, people were claiming that college football in the North was dead decades ago. But the Big Ten has gone 5-for-6 against the SEC in the last 6 years in the Outback Bowl.
 



Formo said:
There's nothing wrong with being proud of where you hail from. I have no quips with Texans loving Texas so much.
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The bizarre thing is that Minnesota is actually overly humble. The slightest statement indicating that Minnesota might actually be a pretty good place is immediately met with an avalanche of people blasting it as arrogance. I don't mind Texans loving Texas (although the sentiment of being a Texan first and an American second is over the top and would be blasted if a similar statement came from a Minnesotan.

I've lived in other parts of the country, and if I thought some other part of the country was better than Minnesota, I would live there. People in NYC might wear "I heart NY" t-shirts, Minnesotans would never think of wearing an "I heart MN" t-shirt.

One thing I respect about Wisconsin is that they will put up a tourist trap anywhere, at any time for any reason. Here in Minnesota people have the attitude "oh, no one would want to stop and see that..."
 

That is why that statement is so important and yet dangerous in this process. Nobody will outwardly admit that is important because it is arrogant. And that is what Texans, New Yorkers etc do. "We" aren't them, therefore "we" won't do that.

However understanding Minnesota should be a concern when hiring the next coach. You have a whole state to reach out to for support.
 

Silvio said:
Your not from here, you couldn't possibly understand. Please go back to where you are from and tell them how great we (Minnesotans by birth) not you (wear are you from?) are. Thanks! :)
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Hahaha :D
 





It would be a great bonus to hire a good coach for whom this was his dream job, but it's a bonus. Imagine someone wants to set you up on a blind date. He knows two single women, a brunette and a blonde. You prefer blondes, so you could just say "set me up with the blonde". Or you could find out what they look like first. If the blonde is 500 pounds, you might not want to automatically pick the blonde. Likewise, you don't want local connections to override more primary concerns.
 

RodentRampage said:
It would be a great bonus to hire a good coach for whom this was his dream job, but it's a bonus. Imagine someone wants to set you up on a blind date. He knows two single women, a brunette and a blonde. You prefer blondes, so you could just say "set me up with the blonde". Or you could find out what they look like first. If the blonde is 500 pounds, you might not want to automatically pick the blonde. Likewise, you don't want local connections to override more primary concerns.
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Great. Now we are going to have 11tybillion Wisconsin trolls talking about how great their women are. Thanks for opening up the rat's nest.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Do you live on planet Earth?
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Where I live has nothing to do with this thread. But I'm afraid you're onto me, dpdoll.

Why do you think coaching Pitt or the Buffs is such a great opportunity? If I dare ask. And would you have said these were better opportunities than MN in December 2006?
 

Goldmember said:
Where I live has nothing to do with this thread. But I'm afraid you're onto me, dpdoll.

Why do you think coaching Pitt or the Buffs is such a great opportunity? If I dare ask. And would you have said these were better opportunities than MN in December 2006?
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For Colorado and Minnesota the landscape is very different than December 2006.
 

Goldmember said:
Why do you think coaching Pitt or the Buffs is such a great opportunity?
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Never said that.

Better opportunity than Minnesota, right now? No question.

Colorado - 1 conference title in last 10 years, several division championships in last 10 years, multiple trips to NYD/BCS bowls in last 10 years, several All-Americans last 10 years, Heisman winner more recent than 60 years ago, without question more notoriety/following/visibility (Q score) nationwide, will have even more access to California talent with move to Pac 10, top 20 all-time in wins

Pittsburgh - play in a worse conference (easier road to BCS bowls), can recruit in-state in Pennsylvania, storied history with 9 national titles, 1 conference title in last 10 years, Heisman runner-up more recently than 43 years ago, ranked for most (all?) of the season last year, 9 and 10 wins the last 2 seasons, top 20 all-time in wins

Goldmember said:
And would you have said these were better opportunities than MN in December 2006?
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Of course. If anything, the gap since then has narrowed in Minnesota's favor because of the stadium and (maroon-colored glasses on) a renewed commitment to competing in football, financially and otherwise.

Frankly, I can't believe you're continuing to make this argument after being called out on it.
 

monk10 said:
Great. Now we are going to have 11tybillion Wisconsin trolls talking about how great their women are. Thanks for opening up the rat's nest.
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I heard the Wiscy trolls like to put a wig on their kegs. That way they have a lighter weight "girlfriend." :D
 

Right now the objective is to find a coach who can come in and build a winning tradition. I for one, really don't care if he knows what "uff da" means, or if he has never heard of Axel Torgerson, never eaten lutefisk, or can't tell you what the best bait is to catch walleyes. Put a winning team on the field and the rest will take care of itself.
 

The 'Minnesota connection' is complete idiocy. How'd that work out for Woog? Soon as they kicked him and his idiotic 'Minnesotans only' policy out the door.......Championship!
 

Tully55 said:
Right now the objective is to find a coach who can come in and build a winning tradition. I for one, really don't care if he knows what "uff da" means, or if he has never heard of Axel Torgerson, never eaten lutefisk, or can't tell you what the best bait is to catch walleyes. Put a winning team on the field and the rest will take care of itself.
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I don't want to be around anyone that eats lutefisk. The whole Trestman thing already smells fishy.
 

Mick Turition said:
The 'Minnesota connection' is complete idiocy. How'd that work out for Woog? Soon as they kicked him and his idiotic 'Minnesotans only' policy out the door.......Championship!
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That was a talent acceptance thing, not a coaching thing AFAIK.
 

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