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  • Poll
Fun poll over at OTE, so I'm linking it here, plus doing our own poll:

What 3 Big 10 teams do you hate the most?

  • Wisconsin

    Votes: 71 97.3%
  • Iowa

    Votes: 66 90.4%
  • Michigan

    Votes: 39 53.4%
  • Northwestern

    Votes: 4 5.5%
  • Purdue

    Votes: 2 2.7%
  • Illinois

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Nebraska

    Votes: 6 8.2%
  • Ohio State

    Votes: 18 24.7%
  • Penn State

    Votes: 4 5.5%
  • Indiana

    Votes: 4 5.5%

http://www.offtackleempire.com/2016...big-ten?_ga=1.136687664.1078560265.1467928112

Over at OTE, they are doing a new poll to compare to their poll from 5 years ago. The poll tracks how much each Big 10 fan base hates/likes fellow Big 10 squads. So I recreated the 'hate' part here. You get to pick the 3 other Big squads you

For me this was easy:

Ahlibobwa Hate index:

1a) Wisconsin--I hate the skunks with the all consuming fire of a thousand suns. I hate their stupid mascot: a skunk parading around in a popcorn box. I hate their morbidly obese, cheese gorging, drunken fanbase that believes CFB began in 1992. If Kim Jong un led the North Korean army into Madison to play Wisconsin, I would show up in military fatigues, goose stepping and screaming North Korean propaganda all the way into Camp Randall


2b) I hate Iowa. I hate their hideous uniforms---which, let's be honest, are just cheap looking Steelers' knock offs. I hate their insular, close minded, inbred fanbase. I hate that no matter how many times we beat them they still manage to convince themselves they are better than us, mostly because they have a gigantic inferiority complex about the Twin Cities. I hate that tobacco chewing, low talking, boring as chalk Captain Kirk.

But who is the other team I hate? Why Michigan of course.

2) Michigan: I hate that Michigan and Minnesota are 2 of CFB's historic powers, but they look at us like we're the dregs. I hate that we had them beat after one of their players body slammed Mitch Leidner, but their WWE style HC ran to the refs and demanded they pick up the flag. Incredibly, the refs did just that. 'Eff Jim Harbaugh. I hate that the Lil' Brown Jug, the oldest and most historic trophy in CFB, has been relegated to a side show due to decades of ineptitude.

I hate that we had them beat last year and that would have been 2 wins in a row. That would have helped bring juice back to the rivalry. The Gophers are rising and there's no reason why we shouldn't be as powerful a program as Michigan at some point.

I also hate that all the undergrads in Ann Arbor think they're slam poets. Newsflash: nobody likes slam poetry and even if they did, 99.9% of them suck at it.

So there's my hate. In the comments please describe your hate to me. I wanna stew in all the hate from now until the season starts.

I don't hate people because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, or beliefs.

But I hate those 3 teams and their insufferable fanbases.

I also dislike Northwestern a lot, but they don't rise to the level of hate.

Someday I will probably hate Nebraska, but we've done pretty well against them and their fan base is largely respectful. However, once we beat them 3 or 4 times in a row my guess is they stop being so nice.

I can't wait for that.

#SKIUMAH
#SPORTSHATEISTHEPURESTHATE
#GoldenGophers
#WhoHatesIowa?
#BetterDeadthanRed

Are we the next town up for most futile in championships??

Now that Cleveland won the NBA championship, I heard some say the Twin Cities are the next town as the farthest between championships.. I don't know about that. Is it true?? Do the Lynx WNBA titles not count?? Is the WNBA not considered a 'real sport'? I remember the Twins' titles in '87 and '91 so it has been a long time, but I wonder if futility just includes the 4 major sports for men and nothing else.

Star Trek

Any Trekkies on board? I wouldn't call myself a Trekkie, but I did watch the old series back in the day and enjoyed them for the most part. There were only a few episodes that I could recall, such as Tribbles.

I did like several of the movies and have really enjoyed the newest movies in which the characters are younger. Looking forward to the upcoming new release movie too.

Anyway, the reason for this post was that I heard today that Star Trek turned 50 years old this year, huh I didn't know that.
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A Minnesota treasure retires - Garrison Keillor

After 42 years, Garrison Keillor recorded his last broadcast, LAST NIGHT, from the long ongoing radio series "A Prairie Home Companion".. Who would have known in 1974 that the fictitious Lake Wobegone would develop a huge following like it has to date?? The show will be re-run in the summer and there will be a replacement for the 73 year old Keillor in the fall.

He was originally brought to Minnesota Public Radio from University of Minnesota because of his ability to pronounce names of music composers and artists from foreign countries in classical music... I think I read he will remain in St. Paul in his retirement but he was enjoyable to listen to for many fans that established a cult following. Happy Retirement, Mr Keillor!!

It's Checkout Time...

This might be my last post (my sub ends tomorrow, so I have no idea if that means I'm good thru tomorrow or if when the clock strikes midnight my sub turns into a pumpkin. Going to assume the latter.

No long winded diatribe this time...you can find that with one of the last posts in the drunk thread.

Just know its been a hoot and a half to share this crazy space with y'all, for the most part.

Catch you on the flip side...

Big UEFA Quarterfinal Match- Germany vs. Italy!!

Wow, can you believe that match between Germany and Italy!! 1-1 through two extra periods and then the amazing penalty shootout!! It was the longest penalty shootout in UEFA history!!

Both sides missed several PKs and the Goal keepers stopped a couple. But, who would have thought that for Germany that if their legendary stars Tomas Mueller, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Mesut Ozil all miss their penalty kicks...that they will still win!! Unbelievable!!!

For being the favorite, Italy played too conservatively, and for that they paid the price.

This is one amazing tournament to watch!! It's soccer at it's very best!
France vs. Iceland tomorrow, then the Semis on Thursday.

Thank you UEFA for providing some exciting sports in such a slow sports time in the USA!!!

Here's the recap of the GER - IT match:


Germany outlast Italy on penalties to reach Euro 2016 semifinals
i


World champions Germany broke their curse against Italy as they downed Antonio Conte's side on penalties. (3:27)

Germany triumphed 6-5 over Italy in a wild, nine-round penalty shootout to advance to the semifinals at Euro 2016 after the game ended 1-1 after extra time.

After Leonardo Bonucci's 78th-minute penalty cancelled out Mesut Ozil's opener for Germany, the quarterfinal was decided from the spot, where both teams missed three times before Manuel Neuer stopped Matteo Darmian's effort in the ninth round.

Jonas Hector struck the winning effort to get Germany past the Italians for the first time in a major tournament, following four Italy triumphs in knockout stages and four group-stage draws.

Both teams started with three at the back, and though there was plenty of possession in each other's halves, true chances were hard to find in the opening minutes.

Germany were forced into an early change when Sami Khedira pulled up while chasing a loose ball in the 12th minute, signaled to the bench and was soon replaced by Bastian Schweinsteiger.

On 20 minutes, Gomez found himself in behind the defence and stretched to get his foot to a long Mats Hummels pass, but the forward could not control it and it fell to Gianluigi Buffon to grab.

Germany had a goal ruled out in the 27th minute, when Hummels found Schweinsteiger with another long, lofted pass, though the substitute could have no real complaint after fouling Mattia De Sciglio to get to the ball.

Italy fought off the German pressure and had a chance of their own when Joshua Kimmich misplayed a cross. It fell to De Sciglio, whose cross was picked out by Jerome Boateng before it could reach Emanuele Giaccherini.

Hector's 35th-minute cross took a deflection off of Alessandro Florenzi and fell at the near post, but Buffon gathered it after initially spilling it on an awkward bounce.

i

Mesut Ozil gave Germany the lead in the second half. AP Photo/Martin Meissner

Gomez was again the target man as the striker cut across the box to meet Kimmich's 41st-minute cross, only to head well over the bar.

A minute later, Germany threatened again when Toni Kroos' shot from the top of the box took a few deflections before falling to Thomas Muller, who is still in search of his first goal of the tournament and would not find it here as Buffon caught his soft attempt.

Italy then had the best opportunity of the first half when Giaccherini stayed onside to receive a long pass, then cut back a pass from the byline. It skipped right past Florenzi, who was waiting to tap in, and Stefano Sturaro lashed a shot that fell wide of the far post after a touch from Boateng.

Germany had the first threat of the second half in the 54th minute, when Kroos passed to a streaking Gomez, who laid off to Muller. The striker took a shot that Florenzi acrobatically put behind for a corner, but the shot appeared to be headed wide anyway.

Italy then had three players -- Stuaro, De Sciglio and Marco Parolo -- booked in as many minutes as they tried to quash the German attack.

But the yellow cards only prolonged the inevitable as Germany found the breakthrough in the 65th minute.

Gomez prevented the ball from going out on the sideline and found Hector on an overlapping run. The left-back's pass to the centre of the box took a deflection off of Bonucci and fell directly into Ozil's path to score.

Buffon prevented Germany from doubling their advantage three minutes later as Hummels played in Gomez, but the goalkeeper was there to tip over the forward's audacious attempt with his back to goal.

Italy nearly equalised in the 74th minute when Graziano Pelle's shot from eight yards flashed past the post, but the goal soon came when Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai pointed to the penalty spot three minutes later.

Boateng was caught with both arms above his head as he tried to get in front of Giorgio Chiellini, and the defender's flicked header came off his elbow. Bonucci made no mistake with a well-taken penalty past the outstretched Neuer to level the score.

And Italy nearly went ahead on 81 minutes when Eder cut inside along the top of the box and fed Pelle, who could only manage an off-target shot.

The game headed to extra time, where Pelle and Giaccherini became the fourth and fifth Italy players to be booked, but it was a cagey first 15 minutes with few chances.

Substitute Julian Draxler came close to scoring with his back to goal early in the second period when Andrea Barzagli couldn't fully clear a cross.

Germany then pushed forward on a counter-attack, but Draxler's through ball into the box was out of Muller's reach.


Italy's lone chance of the extra 30 minutes was Lorenzo Insigne's angled shot in the 113th minute that Neuer saved, and though Germany pressed hard for a winner in the final minutes, the game headed to penalties still level at 1-1.

Insigne's opening goal was answered by Kroos, but then Simone Zaza -- who came on moments before the shootout -- sailed his attempt over the bar. But Buffon then saved Muller's penalty to keep the tally level.

Barzagli put Italy ahead, and then Ozil's shot hit the post. Pelle followed the miss by sending a horrible effort wide, and Draxler scored to put it back to 2-2.

Germany had a chance to win it after Neuer saved from Bonucci in the fifth round, but then it was Schweinsteiger's turn to blast over the bar.

Giaccherini and Hummels converted, then Parolo and Kimmich followed suit. De Sciglio put his attempt in off the underside of the bar, with Boateng making it 5-5 after eight rounds.

Neuer then saved substitute Darmian's low shot, and Hector got his effort under Buffon to end it.

Germany will face the winners of Sunday's quarterfinal between Iceland and hosts France, in a last-four tie on July 7 in Marseille.

The reigning World Cup champions will be without Hummels, who will be suspended after receiving a yellow card late in the second half.

2016 MLB Predictions

Opening Day is just two days away. Let's hear the prognostications.

AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Indians
AL West: Astros

Wild Cards: Royals over Blue Jays

NLDS: Astros over Royals, Indians over Red Sox

NLCS: Astros over Indians

AL MVP: Carlos Correa
AL CY Young: Corey Kluber
AL ROY: Byron Buxton

NL East: Mets
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Diamondbacks

Wild Cards: Giants over Nationals

NLDS: Giants over Cubs, Mets over Diamondbacks

NLCS: Giants over Mets

NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt
NL CY Young: Madison Bumgarner
NL ROY: Steven Matz

World Series: Astros over Giants

Which Gopher BB team will be better....2018-19 or 2019-20?

2018-19:
Seniors: Murphy, McBrayer, Gilbert.
Juniors: Coffey, Curry (some say he's like Murphy), Hurt
Sophomores (hopefully): Washington or Wright or Davison.....John, Sims

2019-2020:

Seniors: Coffey, Curry, Hurt
Juniors (hopefully): Washington or Wright or Davison.....John, Sims
FRESHMAN: Mathew Hurt - who the national guys just said is like Kevin Durant; might be Top-5.


Final Four potential??

Introduction/Gopher Football Defensive Backs Preview

Hello everyone! I just wanted to give a brief introduction. My name is E.J. Stevens and I am excited to join the new staff on The Gopher Report. I hope to help provide excellent content, recruiting updates, and message board dialogue to Gopher fans. In the past I have written for a Gopher Blog and have also worked for BTN at the U of M. My first article is part one of a seven part series I will do previewing each position group leading up to the start of fall camp on August 5th. I hope you all enjoy it, and I look forward to hearing what you all think.

https://minnesota.n.rivals.com/news/position-preview-defensive-backs

Very difficult to scout bigs in HS basketball... and its getting harder

A lot has been made about how the game has "gotten smaller".. It has been awhile since the plodding bigs went to the block, jockeyed for position down low or at the block, get the ball passed to them to make a move to the bucket. Bigs now have to be so much more active on the perimeter as they are chasing outside the key on defense and setting high screens where they are having to move much more to get into rebound position.. Bigs are now looked at much more in hitting that mid range jumper as part of the offense. It is a different game for them than 30-40 years ago.

Consequently, it is hard to get a good evaluation on bigs, after the top guys have been evaluated.. Back-to-the-basket guys are NOT going to characteristically do well in AAU, statistically. The game is a speed game and there is so much emphasis on the guards and wings.. Jumpshots from deep will have more than their fair share of long rebounds so your bigs may not even get a lot of rebounds, either offensively or defensively, if they are camped inside.. If you can run the floor like a Kevin Durant or Draymond Green, well then you can have good stats for a big but a guy like Theo John is going to need a more structured system to gain stats than what AAUs have, most of the time. Those types need more scouting in the regular season HS games.. If Jericho Sims is that type of dynamic athlete, he has a chance to get good stats anywhere. I say this so no one is discouraged with John's numbers in AAU. Then, it also depends on what the teams have as far as guard play and what type of player the primary ballhandler is for the team. A guy like Oturu may be athletic but if his AAU team has guards and wings that handle the ball most of the time, getting into a rhythm is tough.. I put very little stock in AAU stats for bigs. The Europeans and foreign players first brought that 'skill outside the key' mentality for their bigs and that has changed the game drastically as they filtered to the NBA. The Warriors are kind of a culmination of things though history tends to go in waves as far as trends so who knows, maybe they will trend back to the block and key area someday.. Stat lines of 1.5 points a game and 2 rebounds are not a bother to me one bit for AAU ball when it comes to bigs staying down low... Not the type of game that will ever bring a ton of impressive stats for a big unless there is disciplined and purposed play in the post.

Happy retirement Tim Duncan

This is one I anticipated for awhile as his minutes have been cut the last few years......What can you say?? One of the greatest NBA players ever.... 5 NBA championships, 3 finals MVPs, 2 NBA MVPs.. DId it with very little drama.. Fantastic fundamentals..... Maybe not a player that a coach would rather have on the team..19 years with the same franchise. An embodyment of a true leader.. Set the tone for the team with coach Greg Popovich... Started with David Robinson and just continued with excellence without creating headlines outside the game.....One of my favorites ever.....Happy Retirement, Tim Duncan.. You deserve it and you made the game fun to watch for guys like me.
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Former Gophers in the Olympics........and a comment on Olympic wrestling

Former Minnesota Gophers track athletes made the U.S. Olympic team. Ben Blankenship made the US Olympic team in the 1500 and Hassan Mead made the US team in the 5000 meters for mens track.... Congratulations to these former Gophers and I know they will make us proud in Rio.!!!

The one comment I have in wrestling is it is utterly insane that they would even consider taking out the sport from the Olympics... These guys work as hard as any sport, if not harder.... I think it is totally unfair if you take out wrestling and add golf, for instance. Wrestling was one of the original Olympic sports though it was more Greco Roman in style originally, if I read history correctly.

You cant really pit one sport against the other, I guess, but I just don't see the relevance in Olympic golf. These pro golfers get to compete world wide at their choice so they are seeing each other at the pro level, anyways. Wrestlers look at the Olympics as the ultimate to represent their country.. They have no pro wrestling outside the entertaining kind in the boxing ring. The NCAAs and the Olympics are the big events for wrestling.. In golf, you have the 4 majors with competing players from all over the world, anyways. There will be few, if any surprises, in the golf field. Who can hit it the longest and most straight but more importantly, get hot with the putter and the short game.. Just like the PGA. I understand it is representing your country, either way, and wrestling has international tournaments, granted... But the Olympics is their mecca whereas golf can be a source of pride for a country, also, but it happens on a weekly basis on their respective tours all over the world.....I say keep wrestling if it is a choice between 2 or more sports, or "both and" as opposed to "either or" considering wrestling vs. sports like golf or others where the participating pros are playing on a continual basis. If you go with golf, let the amateurs play from across the world.. I guess I am old school and behind the times with that issue.
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Twolves....... Will they get rid of Rubio soon??

How soon do you think they trade Rubio?? You dont spend high draft picks on PGs in back to back years, because you are looking for depth behind Rubio.(Tyus Jones and Dunn). They are going to look to move him, IMO. Do you think it will be before the start of the NBA season and what would you think would be reasonable as compensation for him?? I think Jones needs to have a strong development year to create depth for Dunn. I think that is why the Twolves have not been more aggressive in shopping Rubio. Dunn had a nice summer league start and I am sure that the franchise is looking at him as the future starter.

  • Poll
Poll: New name for The Gopher Report message board.

What should be the new name for The Gopher Report message board?

  • The Main Gopher Board

    Votes: 7 13.7%
  • Gopher Re-Illustrated

    Votes: 4 7.8%
  • Inside Gopher Nation

    Votes: 16 31.4%
  • Less Crazy Than DT

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • The Whole Gopher Experience

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Gopher Confidential

    Votes: 14 27.5%
  • Golden Nuggets

    Votes: 5 9.8%
  • The Eye of the Gopher

    Votes: 3 5.9%

MJH has asked about suggestions for new names in another thread, so let's have a poll!

This poll is intended to be light-hearted and generate suggestions.

Shakur Brown article

Link: Brown wants to visit Minnesota this month

Shakur Brown did not list Minnesota as one of the four schools recruiting him the hardest, but said he's in the process of setting up a visit to come here in two weeks. He's wide open with his recruitment right now, so I wouldn't necessarily read too much into him not listing Minnesota as one of the four talking to him the.
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  • Locked
If Hillary wins...either we nominate a great black candidate...or we offer reparations.

The math and demographics show that national elections come down to 10 swing-states. Within 1 minute of poll-closings, 40 states can be called. Furthermore....the math/demographics show that the Democrat counties in the swing-states are growing much faster than the Republican counties. Conclusion:

It is no longer possible for a Republican to win nationally. Not without a MAJOR DRAMATIC change in black voting.

Maybe nominating a black candidate would work....eventually. But I doubt it. The first 2 or 3 would be smeared so bad they would lose. But maybe in 15-20 years it could work. Or....

We conservatives should give serious thought to reparations. If we win the Presidency....black people get 20% of our pre-tax paychecks. But the deal is....we institute an equal low flat-tax for all individuals and businesses....and we end entitlement programs for everyone except the truly disabled. NO MORE pitting one group vs. another. We would probably end-up with more money than doing things the current way.

What do my fellow conservatives think about that??

Is "skiumah" intellectual property?

Was having a company cudtom make a tail hitch cover for me with SKIUMAH on it

Just got word from them that my order was automatically cancelled due to it violating it's policy on intellectual property owned by others. Can only think of the U being the so-called "injured" party.

If protected I would be seriously disappointed and frustrated in the U. It would be like trademarking "SKOL" and somehow stopping anyone else from using it.

I get protecting intellectual.property, but at times it seems to go too far.

Sent an email to vendor requiring specific explanation of who, what etc was being violated. Doubt I will hear anything.

End of rant.
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