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Through the Lens: Athletes Village tour with Wrestler Chris Pfarr

Here's a video tour of the new Athletes Village with Senior Gopher wrestler Chris Pfarr...from Gophersports.com.

Pretty Impressive!!!


Through the Lens - Athletes Village

Gophersports.com
Jan. 18, 2018


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Senior Chris Pfarr takes us on a quick tour of recently opened Athletes Village in this week's Through the Lens.

Be sure to follow the Gophers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so you do not miss any content the rest of the 2017-18 season.

  • Poll
Which Gopher WR will be the most elite?

Which WR will be most elite?

  • Tyler Johnson

    Votes: 36 33.3%
  • Bateman

    Votes: 40 37.0%
  • Manns

    Votes: 4 3.7%
  • Gibson

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Douglas

    Votes: 3 2.8%
  • Autman-Bell

    Votes: 21 19.4%
  • Mark Williams

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Van Dyne

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • Howard

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Hmielewski

    Votes: 2 1.9%

It’s been a long time since the University of Minnesota had a WR who kept opposing DCs up at night. Erik Decker was that kind of dominant, even-the-elite-opposing-defenses-can’t-stop-him kind of player.

Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had a few good players over the years, KJ Maye wasn’t a superstar, but he was a legit #1 Big 10 WR his senior year.

Nobody wants to hear it, but AJ Barker was a solid Big 10 WR.

Engel was a nice player. Fruechte, etc. but nobody has been able to hold a candle to Decker.

So fellow Disciples of Goldy, which Gopher WR becomes Fleck’s next Corey Davis aka Minnesota’s next Decker.

Maryland preview

Link: Maryland preview

Maryland is an injury-depleted four-star squad with a short bench. Point guard Anthony Cowan is an All-Big Ten, dynamic guard that shoots very well. Freshman shooting guard Darryl Morsell is a tough, physical guard that attacks the basket but is a very poor jump shooter. Small forward Kevin Huerter is one of the best three-point shooters in the country. I would think Jamir will start again after his performance against Penn State but Maryland's perimeter lineup makes Michael Hurt a better fit in some ways. Power forward Bruno Fernando is a strong, physical, athletic freshman that's effective near the basket and may try to get Murphy in foul trouble right away. Center Michal Cekovsky is 7'1" and has good touch at the basket and some pick and pop game. With injuries and suspensions, it will be important for both teams to stay out of foul trouble and for their stars to step up to the plate.

2018 schedule notes

Northwestern opens its season week one at Purdue...both teams have QBs who will be recovering from knee surgery.
Northwestern has a non-con game November 3 hosting Notre Dame.
We get NW here after they play WI/ND/at IA; we will be coming off a stretch of IN, @IL, Purdue.
NW crossovers are MI, @MSU, @RU.
NW non-cons are ND, Duke, Akron.
We have advantage over them in non-con, crossovers, prior weeks games when we go head-to-head, and gentle start to season. TCF is advantage.

Purdue has Mizzou, BC and EMU on its non-con slate.
Crossovers are OSU, @MSU, @IN.
We get Purdue here after they face OSU, @MSU, @Kinnick; we will be coming off a stretch of @NE, IN, @IL.
We have advantage over them in non-con, crossovers, prior weeks games when we go head-to-head, and gentle start to season. TCF is advantage.

Maryland has Texas at Redskins stadium to open the year.
Other non-con are @BG, Temple.
Play the East slate with crossovers us, @Kinnick, Illini.
We play them week 5, after both us and them have a bye-week.
We have advantage over them in non-con, Big Ten opponents. Their place wasn't exactly an inhospitable environment in 2016. MD just lost their good OC.

Indiana has @FIU, VA, and Ball State for non-con.
Plays the tough East slate and gets IA, Purdue and @us in crossovers.
We host them after we play IA, @OSU, @Lincoln; they will be coming off @Columbus, IA, Nittany Lions.
We have advantage over them in non-con, Big Ten opponents, at TCF.

We should be able to win these four; finish with better overall record than these four.
Plus, we should repeat the two Big Ten wins of 2017, NE and IL, again.
Frost may not be going all year zero in 2018, but tough seeing them turning-around a team we annihalated that quickly.
Should be able to sweep three non-con.
We matched up well with Iowa in 2017 in Kinnick at night. Would be good win here.
At Madison and Columbus will be challenges.

Iowa gets Northern Illinois, Cyclones, and UNI for non-con.
Iowa has @IN, MD, @PSU for crossovers.
Iowa plays its non-con sked, hosts Bucky, gets a bye, then comes up here.

Bucky does have a tough crossover draw: @Ann Arbor, @Happy Valley, Rutgers. Is @Iowa, @NW.
Could be a year where they end up 6-3 and 7-2 would win the West.
Non-con for Bucky is WKU, NM, BYU.

Gophers add son of Gopher great to roster

Sophomore (RS) WR Thompson, True, son of Darrell Thompson. He is coming from Iowa Western CC.

PRIOR TO MINNESOTA: Spent two years at Iowa Western Community College, which included a redshirt year • played in 10 games and made four receptions for 65 yards.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Robbinsdale Armstrong High School where he was a teammate of Gopher linebacker Thomas Barber • excelled at receiver • coached by Jack Negen • also lettered in basketball.

PERSONAL: Son of Darrell and Stephanie Thompson • father, Darrell, played football at Minnesota from 1986-89 and is Minnesota’s all-time leader in rushing attempts (936), yards (4,654) and touchdowns (40) • was selected with the 19th pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1990 NFL Draft and played in 60 games with Green Bay, rushing for 1,641 yards and scoring nine touchdowns • mother, Stephanie, played volleyball at Iowa from 1986-89 • has two sisters, Dominique and Indigo, and one brother, Race • sister, Dominique, was an All-American and two-time Academic All-Big Ten volleyball player at Wisconsin from 2010-14 • sister, Indigo, plays volleyball at San Diego State University and brother, Race, plays basketball at Indiana.

Mo affect...staff makeup is huge...right?

Losing Mo is huge, but it’s offensve to think we need one ethnic coach on staff to make sure we can get a certain type of player. Other than that we good. That’s not right...

If the players are 60% of one ethnic group, isn’t only fair that the staff reflect that? I’ll hang up and listen. If not the leadership of the sports will be terribly lobsided forever.
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  • Poll
Grateful we have Murph, but did he miss his calling?

Would Jordan Murphy have been better off playing football?

  • Yes, dude woulda been a surefire mid round NFL draft pick

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • No, Murphy has an NBA future as the next Draymond Green type player

    Votes: 4 14.8%
  • No, Murphy won’t make the NBA but he wouldn’t have had an NFL career & now he gets to hoop overseas

    Votes: 17 63.0%
  • I hate hypothetical questions that call for me to basically imagine a parallel universe, you jerk.

    Votes: 3 11.1%

Jordan Murphy is already one of my top 5 fav Gopher hoops players of all time. Dude plays absolutely fearless, and the way he attacks rebounds and muscles guys around to get shots despite less than ideal height, is incredible.

How many 6’6” guys can post up taller dudes, even 7 footers?

When he posted up, then powered into the lane and jumped through defenders to dunk I let out a whoop cause I wasn’t expecting that kind of explosion.

But not gonna lie, when I look at Murph’s attributes: long and broad, explosive, powerful, strong, aggressive, great footwork, I see a rock star DE.

I’m talking a 2nd or 3rd round pick in the NFL draft kind of talent.

Am I crazy? What say you, fellow Goldy cultists?

3-M is not just a Minnesota corporation.(Murphy, Mason, and McBrayer)

Ok, the original 3M corporation stood for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing... For the Gophers basketball team, it is Murphy, Mason, and McBrayer. I know that these guys missed some free throws in regulation that would have won the game, but they did a lot of good things for the Gophers... These 3 guys are going to be the bedrock of our team the rest of the year.. Mason is just something in hitting those 3 pointers off the dribble... With our offense, it is great to see those makes though at times, I think he takes them a bit too quick. Murphy is just a man down low.. Cant emphasize enough how important his power moves are in helping the team get a score..... McBrayer hit some key 3 pointers and runners..... All are critical to our success and they stepped up today.

Yes, I was bothered a bit with the missed FTs and some of the risky passes in this game but they played loose, which I like... Need those guys to step up all the time and this eased my mind to think we still have post season aspirations that CAN BE FULFILLED.... GREAT JOB, GUYS!!! I am proud of you all!!!!

This game had what I was looking for in this team.. KEEP IT GOING!!

I don't know if Jamir Harris has turned the corner but he had a heck of a game.... Love that he is headed in the right direction for this team.... Guys were encouraging him and each other... LOVE IT!!!
Guys hustled.. LOVE IT.... Gas and Bakary played better than normal...LOVE IT....Shot the ball well from the field...LOVE IT!! Lots of things great about winning on the road!!!! Without Lynch and Coffey, that makes it more difficult. Yes, I thought they should have fouled Carr at the end of regulation but I am willing to overlook that with our win...

Hurt was going after the rebounds aggressively.... I think putting Washington on the bench for tonight was actually helpful as he gets to observe.. His body language on the bench was supportive and I LOVE THAT AS WELL.... We were a TEAM.. NOT PERFECT especially with the wild passes and FT shooting at the end of regulation... BUT DARN IT, THIS GAME GAVE ME HOPE FOR THIS SEASON... SO PROUD OF ALL THE GOPHERS ON THE ROAD... LETS GET 2 MORE THIS WEEK!!!!!

Gophers offer 2020 Missouri Athlete

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Gophers offer 2020 Missouri Athlete Teriyon "Mookie" Cooper. He has P5 offers from Minnesota, Auburn, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Texas.

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@Matt Jessen-Howard @Connor Stevens

Football Scholarship Tracker (12.15.18)

Scholarship Tracker

79 scholarships out of 85 allowed

109 total players

Scholarship Seniors: 13
Scholarship Juniors: 14
Scholarship Sophomores: 13
Scholarship Freshmen: 39

Based on roster from gophersports.com

If there are any walk-ons that earn scholarships or players that transfer in or out that I missed, just post a message in this thread, and I will get it updated.
_________________________________
QB (1 scholarship)

Freshman
Annexstad, Zack (WO)
Morgan, Tanner (RS)
Pickerign, Samuel (WO) (RS)
Santaga, Jon (WO) (RS)


Sophomore

Junior

Senior
_________________________________
RB (6 scholarships)

Freshman
Edmonds, Nolan
Williams, Bryce
Jelen, Preston (WO)
Ibrahim, Mohamed (RS)


Sophomore

Junior
Brooks, Shannon
Smith, Rodney (RS)

Senior
Femi-Cole, Jonathan (RS)
_________________________________
WR (10 scholarships)

Freshman
Bateman, Rashod
Douglas, Demetrius
Gibson, Erik

Manns, Jornell
Annexstad, Brock (RS)
Autman-Bell, Chris (RS)
Van Dyne, Harry (RS)


Sophomore
Geary, Clay (WO) (RS)
Howard, Phillip (RS)
Thompson, True (WO) (RS)
Van Dyne, Yale (WO) (RS)
Green, Seth (RS)


Junior
Gossage, Paul (WO) (RS)
Johnson, Tyler
Morse, Matt (WO) (RS)


Senior
_________________________________
TE (6 scholarships)

Freshman
Spann-Ford, Brevyn
Janes, Max (WO)
Bursch, Nathan (RS)
Paulson, Jake (RS)
Witherspoon, Clayton (WO) (RS)


Sophomore
Kieft, Ko (RS)

Junior
Witham, Bryce (RS)

Senior
Beebe, Colton (RS)
_________________________________
OL (15 scholarships)

Freshman
Beier, Austin
Boe, Nathan
Dunlap Jr., Curtis
Faalele, Daniel
York, Jack
Andries, Blaise (RS)
Ruschmeyer, Axel (WO) (RS)
Sassack, Kyle (RS)
Schmitz, John Michael (RS)


Sophomore
Olson, Conner (RS)
Schlueter, Sam (RS)
Davis, Ben (RS)


Junior
Dickson, Jason

Senior
Greene, Donnell (RS)
Weyler, Jared (RS)
Dovich, Bronson (RS)
_________________________________
DL (16 scholarships)

Freshman
Ahanotu, Mayan
Okonji, Abi
Reigelsperger, Alex
Teague, Jamaal
Kern, Jack (WO)
Roane, Micah (WO)
Hickcox, Noah (RS)
Mafe, Boye (RS)
Otomewo, Esezi (RS)
Robinson, Malcolm (RS)


Sophomore
Umlor, Nate
White, Victor (RS) (WO)
Novak-Goar, Connor (WO) (RS)


Junior
DeLattiboudere, Winston (RS)
Devers, Tai'yon
Renner, Sam (RS)
Silver, Royal (RS)
Smith, O.J. (RS)


Senior
Gibson, Jerry (RS)
Moore, Gary (RS)
_________________________________
LB (10 scholarships)

Freshman
Oliver, Braelen
Rush, Thomas
Sori-Marin, Mariano
Barron, Ty (WO)
Guthrie, Trenton (RS)
Anderson, Dan (WO) (RS)
Russell, Joe (WO) (RS)

Sophomore
Schoenfelder, Bailey (RS)

Junior
Barber, Thomas
Coughlin, Carter
Martin, Kamal

Senior
Cashman, Blake
Huff, Julian
_________________________________
DB (12 scholarships)

Freshman
Aune, Josh
Sapp III, Benny
Smith, CJ
Smith, Terell
Howden, Jordan (WO)
Strazzanti, Alex (WO) (RS)

Sophomore
Harris, Justus
Leius, Jack (WO) (RS)
Swenson, Calvin (RS)
Thomas, Kiondre (RS)
Winfield Jr., Antoine (RS)
Durr, Coney (RS)


Junior
McDonald, Bishop (WO)
Williamson, Chris (RS)


Senior
Huff, Jacob
Shenault, Antonio
_________________________________
K (2 scholarships)

Freshman
Walker, Brock (WO)
Ryerse, Grant (RS)


Sophomore
Mack, John (WO) (RS)
Gelecinskyj, Anders (WO)


Junior

Senior
Carpenter, Emmit (RS)
_________________________________
P (0 scholarship)

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior
Herbers, Jacob (WO/RS)
Melvin, Alex (RS) (WO)


Senior
_________________________________
LS/H (1 scholarship)

Freshman
Vojvodich, Michael (WO)
O'Brien, Casey (WO) (RS)


Sophomore

Junior

Senior
Jordahl, Payton (RS)
_________________________________

Foul or not foul up 3?

Relevant given the ending to tonight's game. The box score says that Penn State started the possession with ten seconds left and that Carr's shot fell through the hoop with three seconds left.




An ESPN NBA article says that "Although the sample sizes are small, it seems hard to make the case that fouling, up three, with '1-10' seconds left is clearly advantageous." It cited their statistician John Hollinger's analysis and gave opinions from coaches: "Stan Van Gundy said his own rule of thumb was six seconds, while Jackson said his was five; regardless, it sure as heck isn't 11."

The Harvard Sports Collective Analysis says it doesn't matter whether you foul up three or not. Deadspin says it does because: "'In only 3 of 52 cases did a team miss the 2nd free throw, successfully get the offensive rebound, and score.' And therein lies the problem with this study. The whole purpose of fouling when up three is to force exactly that scenario. The rest of the times that the team being fouled ended up scoring three, it was because they were fouled in the act of shooting the three. They went on to sink all three free throws." The Harvard Sports Collective Analysis responded to the Deadspin critique and said "the reason that the intentional foul strategy is not significantly different from not fouling are the cases in which the team fouls a player in the act of shooting a three."

Pomeroy found that with 5-12 seconds left, there's a slightly better chance of winning if you defend rather than foul.

The New York Times cites Synergy Sports Technology saying that in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, 165 times the situation presented itself where an NBA team could foul up three with 1-10 seconds left and NBA coaches fouled just 19 times. Doc Rivers strongly believes in fouling in that situation. Former Hawks coach Mike Woodson says he'd never foul in that situation.

In an Xavier newsletter, Jay Bilas says that he'd only foul if there were five or less seconds left and he was confident that his players could execute the late game situation.

In a USA Today article, former Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall says: "Our deal is kind of six or seven seconds or less, we'll probably foul." Coach K after fouling with three seconds left said this: "Probably if you did stats, it would still be a low percentage of guys actually hitting a 3, but that's what you see. You see it over and over again. So you don't want that happening to you. And then can you in a disciplined way be able to take a foul, make sure they're not shooting? Can you rebound it when they miss and all that kind of stuff?"

A DePauw professor's analysis says it's advantageous to foul up three with seven seconds left, and Brad Stevens agrees.

2nd Favorite B10 team ?

Ok, just for fun, of you had to pick a 2nd favorite or "least hated" who would you pick ?

I HATE iowa, nebraska, and wisconsin.

I really dislike purdue nw rutgers and Indiana.

That said, I think my 2nd favorite team is Ohio State as they set a record that will never be beat for biggest win in a B10 Championship game against wisconsin AND they also ended wisconsin's undefeated season. For those 2 reasons alone, they get my silver ribbon. Michigan St probably gets by bronze as they have proven David can beat Goliath alot with the wolverines in their backyard.

What say you ?

And my sportsman of the year award goes to:

The New orleans Kicker: Why? Just read this!
Vikings fans donate thousands to charity founded by Saints punter
A Vikings fan posted to Reddit, encouraging other fans impressed by Morstead's sportsmanship to give to Morstead's foundation. But they weren't expecting his response.

Author: Lindsey Seavert
Published: 11:29 PM CST January 16, 2018
MINNEAPOLIS - An act of sportsmanship in the moment of victory was not lost upon Vikings fans during Sunday’s match-up with the Saints.

Saints punter Thomas Morstead was the first Saints player to come back to the field for the point after touchdown, even though he was in extreme pain from tearing cartilage on his rib cage from an earlier tackle on Vikings return man Marcus Sherels after his first punt of the game.

"I didn’t really think twice about it,” said Morstead. “I don’t feel like I was sitting on some moral high ground or did something exceptional, they needed 11 guys so I went out and that was it.”

Soon, a Vikings fan posted to Reddit, encouraging other fans impressed by Morstead’s sportsmanship to give to Morstead's foundation, What You Give Will Grow. His charity is focused on pediatric cancer and boosting Child Life departments at pediatric hospitals, inspired by Morstead’s close friend who battled cancer.

More than 250 Vikings fans gave over $3,000, but what no fan expected, Morstead would punt donations right back to Minnesota, giving to the Children's Minnesota Child Life division.

“Child Life has immeasurable impacts on these kids and treats the emotional side of what they are having to deal with, hard to explain to a 3-year-old or 6-year-old why they are getting needles put in their bodies every day,” said Morstead.

Child Life programs provide emotional support for children and families, working hard to find creative ways to bring joy to kids in the hospital. To date, the What You Give Will Grow organization has given out well over $2.5 million.

“People in the Child Life department do a great job of helping the kids to remain kids whether they are in the hospital a day, a week, a month, a year, or longer, when they leave hospital they are still kids. One of the things we are trying to do moving forward is collecting metrics so we can show hospitals, there is a return on the investment, there is value in this,” Morstead added.

Joy Johnson-Lind, a social worker, oversees child life at Children's Minnesota as the senior director of Child and Family Services.

“It’s such a heartwarming gesture, if we could get more people like you, the world would be a better place,” Johnson-Lind told Morstead by phone.

Johnson-Lind said every dollar Morstead donates will go to the bedsides of children.

“I think it says a lot about Minnesota Vikings fans that they wanted to support a player and had no idea it was going back to the community they live in. Although it was originated out of this highly competitive sporting event, it puts it back to the impact of kids and families,” Johnson-Lind added.

To Morstead and many Minnesotans, it's another victory when children win.

Morstead said all the donations he received, plus any more donations received through this week, will go straight to Children’s Minnesota. He posted his own message of gratitude to his foundation’s YouTube page.

“Thank you to everybody who donated. I’m blown away by everybody and I’ll give you a 'Who Dat,'” said Morstead.

If you'd like to donate, the organization has set up a special link here.
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