Gopher The Roses

Welcome New Visitors To Gopher The Roses, A Gopher Football Blog

My name is Paul DeBettignies and yes I am that guy you saw on "Gopher Football with Tim Brewster" this evening.

I want to thank the production folks for doing a segment on blogs.

I have been working feverishly the past day to get this site updated with this season’s information. I had a little (OK not so little) tech issue late last week and while doing a major update lost some content.

To be clear, I am a big fan of Coach Tim Brewster, his staff, and this team.

They need some time to make this transition and I hope that Gopher Nation will continue to support this new era in Gopher football. It may be a bumpy ride but fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride.

Some things about the site:

• By the end of the evening I will be updated through today. At the moment I am up to the Florida Atlantic game.
• On the left side of the screen you will see a photo album that currently has pictures from Gopher Nation Fan Fest. I will be adding a few pictures from the Bowling Green, Purdue, and Ohio State games.
• If you are into reading blogs and use a RSS reader you will see a link in the upper right corner to subscribe.

Feel free to leave any comments on the posts (appropriate language please) or send me an email paul@mnheadhunter.com.

Technorati Tags: Gopher Football Blog

Gopher Football News

Articles from September 7 – 8, 2007

Gophers: Speed option was too good to pass up on Harold Howell. All 5 feet 7 inches of him but he was the fastest high school kid in Florida last year.

A reminder of the Gopher Victory Walk! Two hours before the game.

From the Minnesota Daily (college newspaper), a nice preview Minnesota vs. Miami (Ohio).

Gophers to take a load off Pinnix, thank you. Amir Pinnix (no one guy) can take the beating a whole year. And particularly when we have guys like Jay Thomas and the freshman Duane Bennett who are very capable of helping out.

Three Gophers Awarded Football Scholarships. Congratulations to linebacker Kevin Mannion, place-kicker Joel Monroe and tight end Nick Tow-Arnett.

Get off the field, we have not been a good defense on third downs since I was a kid. The flip side is our offense has been phenomenal on 3^rd down.

Game day articles...

From GopherSports.com, Golden Gophers Look to Rebound vs. Miami

Youngsters are playing catch-up in a fast game, yes are this young:

He will get plenty of opportunities. Thomas and two other freshman defensive backs, Ryan Collado and Kyle Theret, will have to do their learning on the field this season. A lack of depth and of veteran talent in the secondary has opened the door for three freshmen, all of whom will see significant action today against Miami (Ohio) and as the season progresses.

Collado replaced senior Desi Steib as the starter at right cornerback. Theret is the backup strong safety and starter in the nickel package. Thomas is No. 2 at free safety.

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Miami (OH) Redhawks

Tim Brewster Radio Show

Link to the 9-6-07 Tim Brewster Radio Show

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Head Coach Tim Brewster

Gopher Football News

Articles from September 3 – 6

Not much commentary on the articles below. Not because they are mostly critical of the coaches and team but work is getting in the way. Damn day job. Nothing I would like better than to fire back some opinions.

Spotlights on two current players, Gopher Inside Look With Dom Barber and Excellence On Every Level: Senior Amir Pinnix.

A fan’s perspective of the tailgating, Gopher Victory Walk, and yes the loss, A View from the Parking Lot.

• Gophers fail another pass test
• Learning familiar lessons
• After a head-spinning start, Weber grows into role as U's starting QB
• True freshman Collado plays his way into U secondary
• Defeat prompts vow to retool

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football

Patrick Reusse Is A Jerk

It must be really nice to have a well paying job commenting sports, getting to fly around to games on company expense, writing off meals, being able to talk to professional athletes, etc.

But what on earth qualifies him to have this job?

Yes, I am a Gopher football fan as loyal as they come. Yes I take things personally when guys who hack out a few columns a week take shots at my guys.

Patrick Reusse should be moved to the editorial, commentary, or entertainment sections because the past few years I have seen little or no effort at anything other than, “here is what I think and so should you”.

What has my ire? This article following the Bowling Green loss, Journey starts, and U quickly loses its way.

Now the nay sayers of Coach Tim Brewster have their own champion, their own captain to lead them in the world every morning. Pat Reusse, what a joke.

Here is his email address should you have any opinions of your own, preusse@startribune.com. I sent one, doubt I will get a response. Why would he, he knows everything already.

Must be nice to be able to be negative on everything in the local sports area. To give an opinion every day.

And to not have to worry about your job.

Pat, give us some real news please or get a job on Entertainment Tonight.

Technorati Tags: Commentary

Minnesota Versus Bowling Green, The Day After

The worse thing about losing to Bowling Green, any team from the MAC, is the public relations nightmare. We really needed to have a win out of the gate for many reasons but more than any other was to keep the bandwagon rolling down the road.

Not so lucky.

And that is not meant to take anything away from Bowling Green or the MAC. It is the perception Big Ten schools have that we should never lose to them. Frankly, other than when it is my team I like it when MAC schools taken on the neighborhood bully and win.

Below are links to newspaper articles and this one to the Sports Huddle With Sid and Dave and their interview with Coach Tim Brewster this morning.

• From Gophersports.com: Stats, Post Game Notes, Post Game Quotes
• A rally with no reward for Gophers
• Coach's confidence is rewarded
• Sid Hartman: Pass defense remains a major issue for U football
• Tough loss in opener doesn't deter Brewster
• A rough start, a rougher finish
• More stubbed toes than first steps in Brewster's debut
• Bowling Green hangs on to beat Minnesota in overtime thriller

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Bowling Green Falcons

Tim Brewster Radio Show

Link to the 8-30-07 Tim Brewster Radio Show.

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Head Coach Tim Brewster

Gopher Football News

Articles from August 29 – 31, 2007:

Sad news regarding junior John Carlson, Carlson decides career is over. He had a promising football career but has had really bad luck when it comes to injuries. Here is a sample:

Carlson tore the lateral collateral ligament and the lateral meniscus in his left knee during a special-teams drill early in camp. He tore his ACL in the same knee during spring practice.

Carlson received a ligament from a cadaver in that surgery so that his rehabilitation time would be shorter and allow him to start fall camp on time.

Rejuvenated Giannini feels he has a kick coming, I hope so. Watching from the same end zone at Michigan Stadium that Jason Giannini kicked the winning field goal to in 2005 was a moment I will never forget. Unfortunately, there are other moments of missed field goals and PAT’s that I would like to forget:

So far, the 5-7, 185-pound Giannini has impressed the new coaching staff. He is listed as the No. 1 kicker on the depth chart for the Gophers' season opener against Bowling Green on Saturday at the Metrodome.

"I worked my butt off this offseason," Giannini said. "I feel confident. I am kicking the best I ever have."

I hope so.

A great story about a guy with character, Amir Pinnix is not all ball:

Amir Pinnix added a new tattoo to his left biceps this summer, a permanent reminder of the daily life he strives to lead. The body art features a man holding the world on his shoulders with this inscription: "Character not the circumstance makes the man."

Pinnix loves that saying. It's powerful, he says.

"No matter what you go through in life, it's not the circumstance, it's how you handle yourself as a man," he said. "That's how you're defined."

Gopher Inside Look With Ned Tavale, nice profile for Ned Tavale the often not heard of (in the way you never want to hear an OL’s name) sophomore Guard.

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football

Coach Brewster, Beware The Superlatives

I wonder how long until people (let me call them critics) get tired of his enthusiasm and optimism. Minnesota folks are known for their passive-aggressive style. We love to tear people down right after being really nice to them. I know that goes for most parts of the country but we seem to do it really well. Brewster's rhetoric is a little heavy, but passion is real:

"Coach Brew" belted out his depth chart like a town crier. For those scoring at home, he used the word "tremendous" 13 times, "great" 21 times, "exciting" six times, "special" eight times, "passion" six times, "very" 16 times, "good" 12 times and outstanding "11 times.

and:

In the absence of a head coaching record at any level, we've been able to judge him only on his "tremendous passion" and "veryvery" gregarious style.

Those who like Brewster call him a salesman similar to Mack Brown, his boss at North Carolina and Texas. Those who don't like him call him a salesman similar to former Gophers coach Jim Wacker.

Yes, two in one day, Brewster's minions prepare for a revival. At least Tom Powers is not hiding his sarcasm. What a jerk:

Welcome to Phase II of Brother Brew's Travelin' Salvation Show. Now it's time to pack up the babies and grab the old ladies ...

"There's no limit to what we can do, where we can go," insisted Tim Brewster, head coach of the Gophers football team.

Yes, it's time for the actual tent revival to begin under the Metrodome big top. It's time for the laying on of hands in an attempt to heal an ailing program. Can Brother Brewster cast out the demons that have plagued past teams? Can he get the Gophers to rise - I say rise, brothers and sisters - above their considerable limitations?

(Insert "hallelujah" or "amen" whenever the urge strikes.)

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Head Coach Tim Brewster

Adam Weber Named Starting Quarterback

Coach Brewster has named redshirt freshman Adam Weber as the starting quarterback for this Saturday’s game against Bowling Green. I doubt this is much of a surprise to people who live outside of Hutchinson, MN where junior quarterback Tony Mortensen is from. (They love Tony)

Both players seemed to struggle getting the hang of the “spread coast offense” this spring and into fall practice. Weber appears to be more mobile and quicker at making decisions. Mortensen may have a better and more accurate arm. Weber seemed to be pulling away the last days.

Weber was a top quarterback prospect while playing at Mounds View High School.

Ready to lead again on Weber’s leadership skills:

Weber's current teammates say he is excitable but doesn't come unglued emotionally after mistakes. He is confident but not arrogant and commands respect in the huddle, regardless of his age.

"He's playing with a swagger," senior center Tony Brinkhaus said. "He's gotten a lot more comfortable with the offense, and I think it's obvious to everybody."

U puts trust in another Weber has the story on Adam’s father, Bobby Weber, who was also a member of the Gopher football team in the 1970’s:

Bobby Weber's name appears in several places in the Gophers' football record book, most notably for having returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown against Ohio State in 1977.

Weber, who was also a defensive back and now is a Twin Cities family practice physician, is the father of Adam Weber, a former Mounds View quarterback who has been named the Gophers' starting QB as a freshman. Bobby used to take Adam to Gophers games when Adam was young.

(Articles from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press may require a free subscription and may be archived by the source after 2 weeks)

Technorati Tags: Minnesota Golden Gopher Football, Adam Weber