Link: Scott talks Gopher offer and interest

Our #16 Gopher wrestlers are at #12 IL for our last B1G match of the season and this one could be very close!! On paper (see predictions below), we should lose by a couple team points. But more than any other dual meet match thus far, this match is winnable if everyone wrestles to expectations...and just a couple Gophers wrestle better than expected.

With the momentum we have from winning some close duals lately, we might just be up to getting an upset win tonight. The match is on at 7pm tonight on BTN@GO, so tune in if you can...this could be a good one!!

Here are the probable line-ups...with my predictions after the IL lineups:

#16 MINNESOTA (9-7, 5-3)

125 -/-/- Steven Polakowski (11-6, 2-2)
133 -/-/- Sam Brancale (15-15, 0-6)
141 6/9/8 Tommy Thorn (28-7, 7-1)
149 16/14/13 Jake Short (11-7, 3-5)
157 -/-/- Brandon Kingsley (18-10, 5-3)
165 -/-/- Brad Dolezal (6-5, 0-3)
174 -/-/- Nick Wanzek (15-9, 5-3)
184 -/-/- Chris Pfarr (9-17, 0-7)
197 3/3/3 Brett Pfarr (29-2, 8-0)
HWT 9/10/8 Michael Kroells (25-6, 6-2)

Records (Overall, Big Ten)
Rankings are listed in Intermat, W.I.N., OpenMat

#12 ILLINOIS (12-5, 4-5)

125 -/-/- Francis Edelen (1-16, 0-8 ) Fr. (MN 3 - IL 0)
133 2/2/2 Zane Richards (20-0, 6-0), r-Jr. (MN 3 - IL 4)
141 -/-/- Mousa Jodeh (3-8, 0-4), Fr. (MN 7 - IL 4)
149 -/-/- Kyle Langenderfer (6-11, 2-6), r-So. (MN 11 - IL 4)
157 2/2/2 Isaiah Martinez (22-1, 7-1), r-So. (MN 11 - IL 9)
165 6/4/6 Steven Rodrigues (20-2, 6-2), r-Sr. (MN 11 - IL 13)
174 4/2/2 Zac Brunson (17-1, 4-1), r-Jr. (MN 11- IL 17)
184 -/15/18 Jeff Koepke (17-5, 5-3), r-Sr. (MN 11 - IL 22)
197 -/-/- Andre Lee (11-10, 1-7), r-Fr. (MN 16 - IL 22)
285 -/20/- Brooks Black (16-6, 4-4), r-So. (MN 20 - IL 22)

So, right now it looks like IL wins a close match 22-20. This is a conservative prediction as I gave IL a lot of bonus points. So, if we want to get a win here...this is what we need to do:

- 125 Polakowski/Petry need to get a major, TF or pin (+1 - 3 team points)
- 133 Brancale doesn't give up a major decision (+1) and doesn't get Tech Falled, or pinned (-1 to -2)
- 141 Tommy Thorn gets a TF or pin (+1 - +2)
- 149 Jake Short gets a TF or pin (+1 - +2)
- 157 BK loses only by dec. or major dec. (+1 - +2) and doesn't get pinned (-1)
- 165 Brad Dolezal doesn't get TF or pinned (-1 to -2)
- 174 Nick Wanzek only loses by dec. (+1) and doesn't get TF or pinned (-1 to -2)
- 184 Chris Pfarr doesn't get pinned (-1) or loses only by major dec. (+1)
- 197 Brett Pfarr gets a fall (+1)
- 285 MK gets a TF or pin (+1 - +2)

If just 2-3 guys can wrestle better than expectations, we would get 3 team points and then we would win 23-22!!. Of course, if we got an unexpected upset win in one match...that would be at least a 6 team point swing. Although anything is possible...this looks to be pretty unlikely. So we need just a few small (positive) changes in our expected individual results if we are to win.

Our best chances to get more team points are at:
- 125 (need a major, TF, or F)
- 141 (need a TF/F)
- 149 (need a TF, or F)
- 197 (need a Fall)
- Others possible, but less likely

VERY IMPORTANT!! Others need to hold the line (while losing) at 133,157,165,174,184 (LOTS of BIG TIME HOLDING to DO!!!) It will be difficult to gain any team points by losing by a lesser decision in these matches as we are sizeable underdogs in all of them.

So tonight, as usual, we will have big time drama in Champaign!
Are we up to the Challenge??

We shall see.

Go Gopher wrestlers, lets kick some IL ass!!!

I watched a new documentary on the life of B.B. King last night on American Masters (PBS) and found it really enjoyable!! It's only showing on TV a few more times on Feb. 15th/16th, but it's also available online at:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/b-b-king-full-episode/6519/

Here's a description of the program:

B.B. King: The Life of Riley

Full Episode
Premiere date: February 12, 2016 | | Video expires March 10, 2016

B.B. King, born Riley B. King, was one of the most influential and celebrated blues musicians of all time. From his roots as a sharecropper’s son, working in the cotton fields of Mississippi, he rose to become a living legend — the most renowned blues singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer of the past 40 years — earning the moniker “King of the Blues.”

King’s story of struggle and triumph is chronicled in American Masters: B.B. King: The Life of Riley, premiering nationwide during Black History Month on Friday, February 12 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS. Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman narrates and appears in the film.

Made with the full cooperation of The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, Mississippi, B.B. King: The Life of Riley was filmed in locations across America, as well as the United Kingdom. Award-winning producer/director Jon Brewer worked on the film with King for two years. Filming was completed shortly before King passed on May 14, 2015.

B.B. King: The Life of Riley explores King’s challenging life and career through candid interviews with the man himself, his family, longtime friends, and fellow music contemporaries such as Bono, George Benson, Eric Clapton, Aaron Neville, John Mayer, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Ringo Starr, Johnny Winter, and more.

Learn more about the film.

I always liked Muddy Waters better, while still appreciating B.B. King, but now I'm going to go back and listen to some of his best albums like:

- Live at the Regal
- Live at Cook County Jail
- B.B. King in London
- Ridin' With The King (with Eric Clapton)

He grew up a child of sharecroppers in MS and ended up playing before Presidents and Royalty. That's quite a journey!!!

From the bar/restaurant area having a cup of java before I play. They just had about a 20 second blip on Banham on the local sports coverage as a follow to the 60 point effort. Showed the behind the back pass to Barns among the highlights. This is PAC 12 country.
I thought that was pretty cool... Lots of Gopher fans in Green Valley, Arizona

Took some satisfaction watching Jim Harbaugh put 2 consecutive shots into bunkers on #4 at Pebble Beach today. That loss still stings.

3 - 3 in 3rd with under 7 minutes. Good Game!

Greetings, fellow GIers.

This thread marks my return from the land of the damned, a place misguided Gopher fans are sent when they incite the anger of The Gatekeeper. Though my words were a fraction of what gets spewed by and at Opie on a regular basis, the Thor of recruiting felt grievous wound, and swiftly took his pound of flesh swinging the ban hammer as he cast me out of the high flying recruiting machine that is GI.

I flailed, fell, and careened down towards a small, marshy pond. I splashed hard into the water and landed, feet first in the cyber equivalent of a large, soft pile of Minnesota pond-mud. There I stood for weeks on end, unable to free my boots from this dirty, boggy digital prison. I could read GI, but I could not post as the ban hammer was swift and powerful, 'twas as if I'd been muted.

I watched 55 seize attention then receive the old testament justice he deserved and weirdly-- seemed to be craving, saw the whole run-up to NSD and now the 2016 class is more or less in the books.

During my first forced, then later self-imposed exile I had a number of thoughts, observations and queries. I'll leave a few of them here:

1a) A head coaching change brings a lot of uncertainty into the recruiting process. That uncertainty is even more pronounced when the new HC replaces the 2 most important offensive coaches (OC/QB coach & OL coach). It's a minor miracle that Claeys kept this class as steady as he did.

1b) Claeys has 2 groups to thank for his success: his recruiting staff/assistant coaches & Carter Coughlin and the Empire. I am extremely excited for the next 3-4 years of the Coughlin era. It's good when your best leaders are also your best players.

2) Given the aforementioned uncertainty, Claeys did a great job closing this class. The large majority of the recruits in this class could have picked other power 5 schools with which to sign. They did not. They picked Minnesota. For the 2nd time in 3 years, Minnesota has signed a consensus top 100 recruit. For the longest time, nobody thought Seth Green would ever come here, yet somehow he signed and for the first time ever I'm jacked about TWO incoming frosh QBs. If 2 years ago you told me that in 2016 the Gophers were going to sign three exciting in-state receivers, I would have sneered derisively at your gallows' humor.

3) The NFL draft and 'the Saturday eye test' have proven this staff right time and time again at several positions, particularly on defense. There weren't as many on O but the new and remaining coaches will have a chance to rectify that. More sought after recruits should equal more NFL/all-Big 10 kinda players.

4) Claeys' decisiveness with his coaching staff and on the recruiting trail show me that not only is TC ready for the challenge, but he's been meticulously planning in earnest. Given what he's shown so far, I would wager that TC would have left Jerry to be a head coach of his own program within the next few years. He has a clear vision for what he wants in every aspect of the program, just as Jerry did. As a fan who suffered his collegiate years through the Brewster era, that is a trait I truly value.

5) At some point during the season Dubwa had his moniker stolen by some poor soul suffering from a kind of split personality disorder.

6) The fact that Kill and Claeys had such a high talent hit rate for prospects with no other power 5 offers is really impressive. Now that the class is made up of more guys with good offers, we should see players with higher floors and higher ceilings. This is a good thing.

7a) While I know TC wanted to sign a lot more guys (especially on the line of scrimmage!), I think next year he'll be glad he has more schollies to distribute. TC now has a year to recruit in the aggressive manner we saw him use over the course of the waning months of this cycle. If next year is the breakout year, we could see a class even better than this one. However, with a smaller in-state crop, it'll be a challenge to surpass this class (a challenge for which I believe Claeys is ready).

7b) I predict that despite early musings of a 'small class', Tracey Claeys will sign a full class of at least 25 recruits next year. Scribes, add that to the 'GI Hall of Rube-y Prophesies', where it will continue to sit until it is proven true or until JK Rowling runs out of plot devices and returns to the well**.
8a) At some point we as fans are going to have to get over the redshirt thing. I'm at the point where the only burned redshirts I get upset about are on the OLine--strength and cohesion is so key there. Otherwise we should be glad to see a lot of frosh playing, it means they have more upside than the older guys on the roster.

8b) There's often talk on this site about 'playing guys as frosh to prepare them for bigger roles'. To me that's mostly coach speak. Frosh play because recruiting has continually improved, which means our frosh are often quicker/faster/longer than our older guys.

c) Every year where our frosh are our fastest/longest/most athletic players is a good year.

9a) Burning David Cobb's redshirt hurt us in 2015, but may have helped in the long run. DC covered up a lot of the issues on the line with his superior vision, quickness, balance, and power. The injuries hurt, but between the injuries, loss of Cobb, and Lauer and Bobek's respective decisions to hang up the cleats, it became clear that the OLine desperately needed an influx of talent and better development of the guys we already have.

9b) Claeys likely would have fired Limey anyway, but I think the 2015 struggles totally mitigated the backlash against that move. Remember, Jerry Kill stood up at the senior banquet and announced that all of the coaches would be back in 2016. Claeys blindsided everybody, and in the wrong climate could have been a PR disaster.

9c) I believe that Claeys' decision to fire Limey and Zebrowski helped propel Kill away from a hands on role with the program. Jerry thought he could be Barry without the AD title. Turns out it doesn't work that way.

Next year the Gophers get Michigan and league overlord Ohio State off the schedule. The Gophers do not have to play Sparty. That is a schedule comparable to what Iowa had this year. There will probably never be a better opportunity for a breakout season.


Leidner was off the chain in that bowl game. If Mitch can stay healthy next year, he is gonna have a monster season. If the OLine gels AND Mitch stays healthy? Sky is the limit for the 2016 Gophers.

**Harry Potter joke

The Washington Post movie critic gave her ranking of Coen Brothers movies -- your disagreements & thoughts (beyond the Dude abides...)


1. Fargo 1996

2. Miller’s Crossing 1990

3. Raising Arizona 1987

4. Blood Simple 1984

5. Inside Llewyn Davis 2013

6. O Brother Where Art Thou? 2000

7. Baton Fink 1991

8. Hail, Caesar! 2016

9. Burn After Reading 2008

10. True Grit 2010

11. The Hudsucker Proxy 1994

12. Intolerable Cruelty 2003

13. The Big Lebowski 1998

14. A Serious Man 2009

15. The Man Who Wasn’t There 2001

16. No Country For Old Men 2007

17. The Ladykillers 2004

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...thers-film/?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_p1most-partner-1

O- from all tonight. 63-35 in the 3rd. Outscored Nebraska 24-5 in the 2nd.

Article popped up this morning. Dual between the Hogeyes and an un named opponent before the Gopher Football Game? Attendance records? November?

http://www.press-citizen.com/story/sports/college/iowa/wrestling/2015/07/29/kinnick-stadium-hawkeyes-wrestling-dual-november/30840561/

A reverse default?

Had to link this satirical article from Hammer & Rails. A Purdue writer took the time to write a hilarious article about how god-awful this Minnesota/Rutgers basketball season is, and how we should cherish our upcoming match-up with one another. I'm already getting excited!

http://www.hammerandrails.com/2016/...nnesota?_ga=1.141909874.1778671528.1430935273

Didn't think it was almost as bad as the battle for the axe in football. 0-12 now going into Iowa. First time in the history of Gopher basketball with the 0-12 mark in conference play. Well, at least we're making history

I'm happy about this. Our core in 2 years will be Mason, Murphy, and Coffey. McBrayer with 11 is just a bonus.

Even though we lost....don't shake-a-stick at the fact that a freshman has 14 points and 8 rebounds on a regular basis. And that Mason is not in a sophomore slump. Don't shake-a-stick at that.

And McBrayer has potential to be good in 2 years. And hot-shot Coffey is on the way.

I'm on extra-nice behavior....so if you think we stink and there's no hope....that's fine.

Hope SPRINGs Eternal.

Spring camp under three weeks away.

You always look for help in some of the new guys. Interesting this year because of such a big group of Red Shirt Frosh.

Nice group of 17 red-shirt frosh I'm eager to see compete.

10 on offense:

Dovich and Connelly have been mentioned by Claeys as guys he thinks can help.
New coach will take hard look at Oseland and Stieber.
New coach means new opportunity plus he has to replace Lauer, Christenson, Bjorklund, Campion, Bush, Hayes, Bobek, maybe A. Mayes. That is 7 or 8 bodies gone from that unit.

Femi-Cole and Johannesson. No McCrary in camp helps their getting reps. Berkley gone and Roderick gone also gives them opportunity. Miles Thomas, Tyler Hartmann gone. Knowing what they have in Brooks and Smith and probably limiting them also helps these two for extra reps.

Beebe (almost lost his redshirt last season) and Witham. No fullbacks on roster. Plsek not returning. Anyanwu not returning?

Register and Mayer. Good reports on both. Mayer a walk-on from Cali we were able to get because of legacy New offensive coordinator means fresh looks for all. Leidner won't be in camp, so some of these guys might get better looks from a QB who has no established comfort-zone targets.

6 on defense:

DeLattiboudere gets some good reports. They need help at DE with Keith, Cockran gone. Mose Hall I hear nothing on.

Jaylen Waters at linebacker is one I'm eager to see. Claeys compares skill-set to Damien Wilson. I would think Lynn and Poock will be limited to keep them healthy. DeVondre gone.

Buford. Sawvel says his eyes go big when he watches Buford. BBC and Murray both gone. Team will be looking hard for young corners to step up.

Dior and Craighton. Antonio Johnson gone. Are Travis and Rogers healthy enough to go in Spring ball? If not, these guys will get a lot of good reps at safety.

Herbers on special teams I would think will be competing for the punting job. He came in from Battle Creek, MI as a walk-on. I think he had MAC scholarship opportunity.

I think a bunch of these will be in the two-deeps come September.

Just thinkin what I guess everyone else is thinkin on what's going on.....

I talked to the 5 star talent about how his season is going and who he is hearing from. Spoke about Minnesota as well.

https://minnesota.n.rivals.com/news/trent-jr-is-putting-up-5-star-numbers

Optimism in today's culture sometimes seems like that is a synonym for kool-aid drinker, head in the sand, naïve, ignorant simpleton.

This is an article about finance/markets but it applies to almost anything these days it seems. Certainly sports message boards, but politics, money..mostly life in general. We all know negativity sells. It's why guys like Reusse and Barreiro can maintain long careers. I just think this is an interesting phenomenon. There is some science to being conditioned to be fearful and negative...for survival.

Guys like Schroeder and all the politicians will tell us now terrible things are. How bad we are as people. How terrible it is today when in reality we have things, and frankly the world, has things pretty damn good nowadays. Not to dismiss the problems we have, but we will ALWAYS have problems and the problems we have are just other iterations of problems we've always had.

Anyway, these two articles struck a cord with me. Happy Optimism Day!

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/21/why-does-pessimism-sound-so-smart.aspx

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/29/everything-is-great-and-nobody-is-happy.aspx

...the local HS coaches in Minnesota and Pitino?? I know that was something that had to be established early.. With some big in-state prize recruits coming down the pike, has he MAINTAINED a good relationship with these coaches?? I dont want to put words in your mouth but I am guessing you will say "Hey we got Coffey, Hurt, Jarvis Johnson, Sharp with Joey and Lynch coming home, didn't we?? That should answer your question, Vifan"...My thoughts are that, with the team struggling, are coaches instate still looking at the Gophers in a positive light or are they thinking "maybe we are better off encouraging our kids to go elsewhere".

I was surprised that Indiana beat Iowa.. Indiana had a 16 point lead that they squandered but hung in there for the win despite Yogi Ferrell having an off night. Indiana had to play their reserves in key moments of the game so it is an impressive victory. Indiana and Wisconsin have heavily 'back loaded' schedules so they have their toughest games coming up. The results could drastically change the standings.

The Big Ten tournament is going to be as 'up for grabs' as I remember.. Wisconsin is playing well, right now. Northwestern can be tough on given days. Even Penn State and Michigan can give people fits, at times.. Ohio State had a big win against Kentucky and beat Northwestern twice... Then, of course, you have the 3 preseason favorites(Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue) plus Iowa and now Indiana. If everyone is healthy and no issues, 5 teams have real possibilities to win the Big Ten tournament, in my opinion, but I think that Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Ohio State could really be 'spoliers' in this year's tournament. Whichever team gets hot will be the team that wins it. Who knows how many Big Ten teams the NCAA takes for their tournament. Some depends on how far the 'spoilers' make it in the Big Ten tournament.

Even though I HATE that the Gophers are having such a rough year, I think this has the potential of being one of the most fun years to watch basketball, once the NCAA tournament starts.. There is NO DOMINANT TEAM that I have seen so far this year and just about any of the top teams that make the tourney could easily be upset. It would not surprise me if a few of the 1 or 2 seeds don't make it out of the first weekend. Its a consolation for the rough year of our Gophers, no doubt, but I can hardly wait for a little over a month from now.

Link: Butler CC Coach thinks McCrary is a steal

Spoke with Butler CC offensive coordinator Brice Vignery about Kobe McCrary. McCrary is a hard worker and was teams leader on and off the field.

I wrote in the Signing Day presser notes and quotes post that Claeys said he would consider helmet stickers, but that it sounded very preliminary and if nothing had been seriously discussed. Here's the verbatim quote from the presser that Joe Christenson published:

Asked in an online chat if the Gophers were considering any uniform changes, Claeys said no, but added that they’re considering adding “game performance helmet awards.”

“I want to try and find a way to reward our kids, not for individual things but for team things that they do during the game that helps the team win,” Claeys said. “I don’t want them so big that they cover up the whole helmet. I’m not into that.

“It’s not something that’s going to be big and stick out and all that, but something that the kids can take pride in. At the same time, if they make mistakes, they’ll lose them.”

Game is tonight at 8. Free t-shirts.

Last game: Bakary played maybe the worst the half a center has ever played, Mason could not be stopped off a ball screen, Dupree was solid, Morris was terrible early but really good in his second rotation and beyond, they let Irvin - who hadn't made more a couple threes in a game in forever - get comfortable and hit, Walton was really good for them, Murphy was of course in foul trouble and was close to a double-double

https://minnesota.n.rivals.com/news/michigan-pregame-3