Golden Gophers and Big Ten Basketball

Every Wednesday, Myron Medcalf from the Star Tribune releases Big Ten Power Rankings on his Gold in the Barn blog and I was lucky enough to be chosen as a contributor on his poll (which can be found here: http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/blogs/Gold_in_the_Barn.html).  One of the other contributors--Tom for The Daily Gopher--decided to take our involvement to the next level.  He sent out questions to all the contributors and is going to compile all of our answers in a sort of round-table conversation.  Here you can read my responses.  I will also be posting the link to Tom's final response so you can read what some other Gopher basketball fans are saying.

The Gophers endured probably the most difficult start to the Big Ten season that one could imagine.  On the road against three of the league's best all resulted in a loss, though two of those games were one possessions games with under a minute to go.  Now Purdue is the only road game left against an upper-tier Big Ten team, but what about the other road games?  What road game against a mid or lower tier team concerns you the most and why?

At this point, I wouldn't discount anyone in the Big Ten.  Home-court advantage is going to play a huge role in deciding who takes top honors in the conference and I'll be honest--I'm a little nervous about how the Gophers are going to do on the road against teams like Michigan and Penn State.  The Wolverines look awful playing against conference teams but were able to push Kansas to overtime at home.  The fact that they are coming off a five-game losing streak makes me extremely nervous, especially if the Gophers revert back to their slow starts like we had to watch against Eastern Kentucky and Akron.  Penn State fell to Purdue at home but was able to notch wins against Big Ten powerhouses Michigan State and Illinois at the Bryce Jordan Center.  They've proven that they have the talent to pull off wins against teams that count and since I haven't seen the Gophers play an entire game with cohesiveness, I'd put the Nittany Lions at the top of my 'oh man' list.

The Gophers haven’t won a Big Ten title, officially, since 1982. Even if you include the vacated Big Ten title in 1997, this program has finished top three in the Big Ten two times since the 1980-81 season.  “What will it take for this program to make the strides necessary to compete for Big Ten titles in basketball?”

I think it all goes back to recruiting.  With what has happened within the program in the last few years--basically, the drama--I think more emphasis needs to be placed on finding well-rounded recruits.  While I love Gopher athletics, there is nothing more annoying than athletes who are given an opportunity to play at a Big Ten school and throw it away by doing something stupid.  Granted, I understand stuff happens that isn't in the athlete's control.  But I think our recruiting needs to start focusing on finding players who are fully dedicated to playing out their eligibility at the U, players whose focus is more on basketball at a collegiate level and less on what might be waiting for them in the NBA.     

The Barn...stand up or sit down? Here is your opportunity to rant...

I took my dad, Jim, to the game on Sunday when the Gophers struggled passed the Hawkeyes.  You know it is a bad reflection on your fan base when my 71 year-old father wants to stand and cheer throughout the entire game but can't because the Debbie-Downer fans behind us think they're at a tennis match.  Nadine Babu brought up a great point in her blog--Is the Gopher Basketball fan base too old?--which looks at the fact that the barn is nearly silent during most games, sans the student section.  Since I usually sit in press row and am trying to get some game notes done, I rarely pay attention to what is happening in the stands.  But on Sunday--while in the stands--it was blatantly obvious that yes, our fans are too old.  The first ten rows of the lower bowl at Williams Arena look like they are at a poetry reading, barely moving in their chairs except for the occasional trip to the bathroom or to get chocolate ice cream (I see you Sid Hartman).  When I expressed my annoyance at the fact that no excitement or noise comes from those closest to the floor, someone pointed out that the University has no where to move those fans--the so-called big money contributors.  While that may be the case, especially for those fans who have been season ticket holders for 50+ years, it's still obnoxious when I turn on a Michigan State game and am nearly blown over by the noise radiating through the t.v.  They understand what their role as a fan at the game is supposed to be.  Gophers fans, take note.  

The Designated Hitter

I had to write an essay for an internship program and couldn't resist the opportunity to write about Jim Thome, who in one season with the Twins quickly became one of my all-time favorites for both his abilities at the plate and his demeanor in the clubhouse.  I didn't end up getting the internship but the essay still came in handy this morning when I found out Thome had been resigned with the Twins to a 1 year, $3 million deal (plus incentives, of course).  Couldn't be happier to see him back in a Twins jersey as he chases 600.

Leading off for the White Sox in the top of the ninth inning, Alexei Ramirez jumped on the second pitch from reliever Matt Capps and blasted a game-tying homerun over the flowerbeds lining the low left wall of Target Field.  With Minnesota leading the AL Central by only three games, Twins fan held their breath as the top of the line-up stepped to the plate and failed to score a game-ending run in the bottom of the ninth.  The top of the tenth didn’t play out any better for the Twins who gave up a run off a single from the game-changer Ramirez, leaving the Sox up 6-5 in the midst of a heated division race.  A quick visit from Gardy and in came lefty Ron Mahay, trotting up from the bullpen in center field to replace Jon Rauch and get Minnesota out of the inning, nearly unscathed.

            What happened next can simply be described as fitting.  After Delmon Young led off with a grounder up the middle to Alex Rios, all of Target Field climbed to its feet as the Twins’ designated hitter Jim Thome slowly approached home plate.  Becoming a free agent after four seasons with the White Sox, the Twins had been quick to rope in the veteran slugger, signing him to a one-year $1.5 million deal that would bring him to Minneapolis to help break in the new ballpark.  So far, the acquisition had worked in the Twins’ favor.  He had quickly become a favorite in his new clubhouse, boasting 16 homeruns and a .265 average leading into the three game series with Chicago and if there was any player the team and fans wanted at the plate in this situation, it was Thome.  With his teammates nearly spilling out of the dugout—readying for a possible celebration—Thome took a hard swing at the first pitch from reliever Matt Thornton.  The crowd lulled as he repositioned himself in the box, the quiet anticipation hanging in the thick mid-August air.

            The fans weren’t forced to wait long.  Thome connected on the next pitch, a fastball, sending it soaring towards the high right field wall.  Thornton didn’t even have to look.  It was gone.  As Thome touched first, his 17^th homerun of the season landed past the right field bleachers sending the stadium into an uproar.   He had just recorded his 581^st career homerun, giving the Twins an encouraging four game lead while notching the first-ever walk-off at Target Field.   Throwing his helmet into the air as he rounded third, he jogged slowly towards home plate where his teammates were waiting.  Those unfamiliar with the teams’ history would have thought the Twins had just won the World Series.  The rest of us knew differently, understood what had just happened in one single swing.

            The headline in Chicago would later read, The White Sox Stunned by Ex-Teammate.  That was true.  Thome had just led his former rival to a 7-6 victory with a 445-foot two-run homer in extra innings.  It was the way fans hoped all games would end, with pure exhilaration, the kind of buzz that turned wavering fans into lifelong baseball devotees.  But emotions aside, Thome had just done his job—coming through in a clutch situation when the team needed him.  That’s how I look at my role as a sportswriter, knowing that at any moment I could be called into the game and expected to deliver.  My first at-bat in the majors came on Sept. 21 when I found myself in the Herb Carneal Press Box high above Target Field, covering the game for KFAN Sports Radio AM 1130.  I had been an intern for less than three weeks and had been asked to get post-game sound the producers could use for the next day’s shows. 

It seemed simple enough.  The Twins were trailing the Indians 4 to 2 after the bottom of the sixth and even though their magic number to clinch the AL Central was only at one, no one was expecting a champagne celebration after the game.  But of course—in true rookie fashion—my first major league appearance couldn’t just be an easy single.  The Twins scored four runs in the eighth inning to grab a 6-4 victory and as the team waited for the Oakland-Chicago finish, I carefully wrapped myself in plastic garbage bags and waited patiently outside the clubhouse to do interviews.  Oakland ended up routing the Sox 7-2, leaving the Twins to douse their brand-new clubhouse with champagne as their grabbed their sixth American League Central division title.

And I was there, interviewing Michael Cuddyer, Joe Nathan, Gardy, Young, and my favorite designated hitter Jim.  Somehow my first call-up to the big leagues had become a grand slam situation, the start to career that I'm hopeful will continue to grow day-by-day.  Since then, I’ve covered the dismissals of two Minnesota head coaches, the arrival and departure of a very colorful wide receiver, and a nationally-ranked volleyball team that has overcome a season of adversity to grab a top-10 ranking in the NCAA tournament.  I’ve covered over ten different athletic organizations in the last three months, something that has forced me to be on my game at any given moment.  It’s this independence, this sense of responsibility that I hope will continue to push my career in the big leagues.  Because—like a veteran designated hitter—I know I can deliver every time I’m at the plate.  

A Chance to Give Back

2010 was a really good year.  Plain and simple.  So as the ball dropped and in came 2011, I set really high expectations for myself.  A new year, a new opportunity. 

Only a few days into the next decade, I was pleasantly surprised to find one of those new opportunities awkwardly thrust into my lap.  No, really.  It was pretty awkward.  My friend Nadine—who many of you know from her work with GopherHole and from just being an all-around sweet person—had invited me over for wine after the Gophers narrowly beat Indiana.  She was working on her computer when she quietly gasped, stopped typing, and peered over the screen at me.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this….. I have something to ask you.”

Whenever anyone starts off with—I have something to ask you—I always expect the worst.  But it was far from that.  Going off the suggestion from her friend Dana Litman, Nadine proceeded to ask me if I would be interested in working with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Minnesota during their annual charity.  As she explained more about the opportunity, I couldn’t help but get excited.  It was exactly what I needed to get me out of my mid-winter funk.

For the last nine years, the LLS has hosted a Man & Woman of the Year competition that is basically a ten-week fundraising competition between ‘professionals’ in the Twin Cities area.  I use professionals loosely, because I already have a hard time calling myself a woman, let alone a professional (it's the fear of getting older, I think).  The candidates must be nominated by someone involved in the organization and they basically spend the winter months planning events to raise money for LLS.

Dana, last year’s Man of the Year, raised nearly $30,000 and while I’m not competitive when it comes to playing sports, this fundraising opportunity has definitely ignited my competitive juices.  This year’s campaign will run from April 7^th until June 17^th and while you might think—it’s only January—I’m already on the move, getting events on the books and talking to people who are interested in helping. 

While it is a competition, it is very easy to remind myself why I wanted to do this in the first place.  I’m very lucky that I have never been personally affected by leukemia or lymphoma.  But, unfortunately, that isn’t the case for many families in Minnesota and around the country.  An estimated 912,938 Americans are living with a type of blood cancer, while a new case is diagnosed every five minutes.  Sadly, someone with a blood cancer also dies every 10 minutes.  But through organizations like The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its fundraisers, that staggering statistic can be helped. 

I am very honored that Dana and Nadine thought of me as someone they would want to represent The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and I plan on doing everything in my power to kick some major butt during this competition.  The more money raised, the more the LLS can do to stop these diseases in their tracks.  As more of the details get worked out, I’ll update my blog with opportunities that you can get involved in as well.  Looking at hosting some pretty fun events in April, May, and June and I would love to have your support through the busy ten weeks.

-Intern Gal :)

(And unfortunately for those of you who already asked, I don't have access to a dunk tank.  Tough luck.)

Dear Lindsay, Anything is possible. Love, 2011

            Whether you believe in making New Year’s resolutions or not, it is impossible to not think about the year ahead after the big glittery ball drops.  I won’t lie, 2010 was an incredible year for me and I’m starting to feel the pressure when it comes to making 2011 an even bigger success.

            Don’t get me wrong, there are things in 2010 that I wish I could go back and change:  silly fights with friends, guy drama and a subsequent broken heart, sitting on opportunities instead of seizing the day.  But at the end of a very eventful year, I can honestly say that 2010 was when I realized the sky's the limit.             
            My year started off at WCCO-TV, where I interned in the sports department with some of the most dedicated and talented people I’ve ever met. I then went back to the Minnesota Daily and jumped in to cover the nationally-ranked Gophers volleyball team—including a tournament run and the retirement of one of the greatest volleyball coaches in the country.  And I was lucky enough to take on the role of ‘Intern Gal’ at KFAN, where I get to work with some of the greatest guys I’ve ever met. 

            If 2010 taught me anything, it’s that I’m in charge of my future and that’s a motto I’ll continue to repeat to myself as the new year jumps off.  

Hopes for 2011:

1. Go on vacation by myself. 

            Whether it’s a week at the cabin alone or a cross-country adventure to visit friends, 2011 is going to be all about rebuilding my independence.

2.  Spend less time on Facebook and more time working on things that will lead me somewhere.

           

3.  Listen to ‘happier’ music.

            As I was getting ready on New Year’s Eve, I realized my top-played music on my iTunes is insanely sad.  And as someone who is extremely connected to music, I figure it can’t be very good for me to listen to love songs on repeat.  So in 2011, my goal is to break out of my shell and explore more music—music that will hopefully help control my emotional mood swings (I kid, I kid).

 

4.  Take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way.

            I like to think I’m insanely independent, sometimes too independent for my own good.  And one of the things I find the hardest is asking for help or using a personal connection to help me out.  Basically, I’m used to doing everything on my own and if I want to make 2011 my most successful year to date, I need to become better at letting others help me out.

5.  Surround myself by people who love me and support me and do a better job of reciprocating those feelings.

            Like I said, I’m too independent for my own good.  But I’m very blessed to be surrounded by amazing friends and family, people who do nothing but push me to succeed.  Sometimes I don’t do a good enough of job of reciprocating those feelings and emotions and while I want to make 2011 all about my career, I’m going to make a genuine effort to improve my relationships.

6.  Run a marathon.

            It’s a little off subject when it comes to my other resolutions, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.  I’ve ran two half marathons and I’d love to find a marathon to run in a fun city that I could explore after the race.  Also, I need something to motivate me out of my warm house and into the cold winter air—I’m guilty of allowing winter to let me become a hermit.

            I’m very excited to see what 2011 has in store for me.  For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m finally on the right track and with my big 25^th birthday rapidly approaching, it’s nice to know that things can only get better from here.

To those of you who are reading this, thank you for your support this year.  Whether you are one of my oldest friends, someone I just met this year, or my incredible parents (yes, Karen I know you’ll read this), my success in 2010 is directly linked back to you.  I’m so lucky to have you in my life.  There is no better motivation than knowing you are behind me, pushing me along and while I might not express my gratitude enough, please know that I am truly grateful for everything you to do for me.