Minnesota Gopher Traditions by Tim Brewster
When Tim Brewster arrived at the University of Minnesota as the new football coach, he admitted he had not set foot in the state since a weekend visit for a game as a tight end at the University of Illinois some twenty years earlier. But his ignorance of contemporary Gopher history was likely what got him the job. Knowing that he was hired to bring new life to a program whose best days were from before the Eisenhower administration, he went about inventing new rituals and traditions that would invigorate "Gopher Nation." After a thorough and painstaking review of every aspect of the football program and just in time to be introduced at the newly built on-campus football stadium, Minnesota adopted several new rituals and game day efforts that Brewster was convinced were needed to be established as part of his comprehensive overhaul. Below I highlight five of those traditions he was sure would redirect the culture of Gopher football, forever! Let's take a look and see how each tradition is holding up.
(continued after the jump...)
1. The Pre-game Thingy Stare - After reading an article by a Harvard professor entitled 10 Ways to Sharpen Your Focus and Increase Your Concentration Level, Brewster adopted an exercises which stated, "To concentrate all your attention for five minutes each day on something that makes you feel good." Still used.
2. Halftime Cheerleader Gopher Chase - Brewster thought it would be a great halftime tradition to have the cheerleaders chase down a live gopher on the field just prior to kick-off.
That ritual ended abruptly when several of the gophers decided they'd had enough. Abandoned after third game and replaced by frats vs. sororities Prince karaoke contest.
3. Marching Band Improvements - Increased the size and skill set of the marching band and dramatically improved band uniforms. Currently thriving.
4. New Mascot - In one of his boldest efforts, he attempted to change the school mascot entirely, from a Gopher to an inebriated Kangaroo. Never adopted, sadly.
5. Prayer Mocking - One of his more successful traditions takes place during the opposing player's moments of prayer. The Gopher mascot leads the crowd in faith-based heckling. Said Brewster when asked about this one, "Not in our house baby!" Still in place.
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40 comments
Comments
Far right cheerleader
I think she is Laurence Maroney in drag, and I think she wants to do unspeakable things to me. For Vandenberg’s sake, i hope she has graduated….
by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Nov 17, 2009 4:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Dunno... I think she's hot.
One of the few in that picture who are.
Brunettes not fighter jets
by rockyh on Nov 17, 2009 4:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The one on the far left
is Marilyn Manson, who’s out of the band biz apparently.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
by StoopsMyAss on Nov 17, 2009 4:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
How can you tell the cheerleader...
…from the billions of glistening man-thighs in that photo? I could easily confuse that with a picture of the Tour de France.
by tigerhawk00 on Nov 19, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I would think that Mr. Kangaroo would have a couple, or ten, crushed Victorian Bitter cans instead of a Budweiser
Who knew they love the bowtie?
by Twin Cities Hawk on Nov 17, 2009 4:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
The Drunken Kangaroos
That would be an awesome mascot. Seriously.
In 100 years, we'll all be dead.
by Flakbait on Nov 17, 2009 5:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Most of the drunken roos I used to hang out with enjoyed Toohey's New
No self-respecting man from Iowa goes anywhere without beer
by Hayden Fry's Moustache Ride on Nov 18, 2009 9:42 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Victorian Bitter?
I’d think that the kangaroo went more for the Grain Belt, myself.
by Abbas_Cincinnatus on Nov 17, 2009 5:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Ah, Grain Belt
is it wrong that I was happy to find out they make that stuff again and I can buy it around here?
I don’t buy it, other than one time. But I could.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Nov 17, 2009 5:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
It's like if you were to blend Fruit Loops and sweat.
What a tasty beverage.
by Buddy Light on Nov 17, 2009 5:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Ok, that was a Diet Coke Spit On Monitor Moment.
Why make a trillion when we could make... billions? ~ Dr. Evil
by Leftcoast Hawk on Nov 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Ah, Minnesota.
I miss the 3-D Hamm’s diorama at the Foxhead. It’s about four feet to the right of the 19" TV. That’s a color TV, btw.
Other than that, too many Swedes up there in Minnesota, for my taste. I’d say the third one from the left is a Swede. Memo to world: date, do not marry, Swedes. Unless you like waking to very precise to-do checklists that just happen to sit next to your morning coffee. And the egg timer that measures how much time you have to relax before stripping some woodwork or something.
In regard to the game, it would be great if Iowa played angry once this year, like on Saturday against these dopes? We have to keep a steady churn of coaches from the disfavored, lower half. RR is gnawing on himself, Lynch is a loveable loser, Zook makes people turn away in pain, that leaves Brewski. We got two of his coaches fired last year, as I recall. Maybe they’ll be a little tight.
If anything has been disappointing this year it’s that Bielema has restored his dank, fishy luster, and Hope looks like the real deal. It’s extremely important that we send Brewster back to shutout hell, and then we can see what CRAZY WORKS NEVER FAIL new offense he decides to dump on Weber for next year, if he’s even allowed the opportunity. The work is never done if you’re a Hawk, and we seem to have a major competitor on the rise in Ames. We need to enforce some regime change in Minneapolis, and keep this game a gimme for a few more years. Reasonable?
Mr. Boh Knows ...
by Bellanca on Nov 17, 2009 5:52 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I say we drop another double nickel on those Biatches!!!
by jrr18Ha on Nov 17, 2009 7:48 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Just a double nickel?
I say we put up some number that the basketball team wishes they come close to.
…give me the courage and the ability to so conduct myself in every situation that my country, my family, and my friends will be proud of me.
-Nile Kinnick
by Hawkeyewith49Jackrabbits on Nov 17, 2009 7:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Wow typing fail
That should say “…basketball team wishes they could come close to.”
…give me the courage and the ability to so conduct myself in every situation that my country, my family, and my friends will be proud of me.
-Nile Kinnick
by Hawkeyewith49Jackrabbits on Nov 17, 2009 7:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
55 sounds like that number.
Life is hard. It's really hard if you're stupid.
by Bluzmn on Nov 18, 2009 6:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
How About Perfecting The Art Of The Lie!
Stood up in front of anyone stupid enough to listen at his presser today and proclaimed:
[-He talked about how difficult it is for a team to play in Iowa, but not because of the pink locker room. He said that he doesn’t buy that the color of the locker room has anything to do with performance on the field.
-He also recalled a story when he was playing with Illinois when they went to Kinnick Stadium, and that Mike White had covered the whole locker room with meat-wrap paper, so there was not a bit of pink to be seen. When asked whether they had won the game, Brewster replied that they had indeed beat the Hawkeyes that day.]
Punky played for the Whine-I from 1981 to 1984, a period where they NEVER beat Iowa IN Iowa City!
Historic Illinois scores:
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Illinois.htm#1984
Link to his presser notes:
http://boards.gopherhole.com/b…ead.php?t=11409
by PantherHawk on Nov 17, 2009 8:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I'm beginning to think that we're all getting punked here
Which one of the managers/editors/authors of BHGP is PantherHawk? This cannot be real.
by Twin Cities Hawk on Nov 17, 2009 9:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, it's real
And it is spectacular makes us want to die.
I got more rhymes than Wade Lookingbill's got dunks
by Oops Pow Surprise on Nov 18, 2009 1:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh fuck, Pantherhawk?
This dude has been trolling the ESPN boards since I was a freshman way back in ‘02. This shit never gets old for him, so don’t expect him to get bored and walk away.
"I am so proud to be your coach." -Paul Rhoads
by CyHawk on Nov 18, 2009 8:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Schembechler
covered the walls with butcher’s paper.
Fichigan lost that year.
In 100 years, we'll all be dead.
by Flakbait on Nov 17, 2009 9:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I remember when a coach did that
I didn’t know it was White though. Funny.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
by StoopsMyAss on Nov 17, 2009 11:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
That's the point - he DIDN'T do that.
Brewster lied. It was Schembechler, not White.
by the_iowa_hawkeye on Nov 18, 2009 11:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Didn't Bo give Hayden some chewing gum after that game?
Why make a trillion when we could make... billions? ~ Dr. Evil
by Leftcoast Hawk on Nov 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
So let me get this straight.....
Brewster was incorrect (lied) about something in his past (resume)? Say it ain’t so!
Life is hard. It's really hard if you're stupid.
by Bluzmn on Nov 18, 2009 6:49 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Lying should be number 6 on the list.
It seems to be another tradition that he wants to start. Still in place.
by TEXaco on Nov 18, 2009 11:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I was at the '85 Illinois @ Iowa game
Not televised for some stupid reason, it may have had to do with Illinois NCAA violations … but the halftime score was 35-0 and final 59-0. If that game had been on TV, Long would’ve won the Heisman. He was just unreal. It was one of the greatest passing exhibitions I’ve seen, period, before or since. It was like he was playing against a Peewee League secondary.
Why make a trillion when we could make... billions? ~ Dr. Evil
by Leftcoast Hawk on Nov 18, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Someone needs to photoshop this...
And replace the bunnies with gophers…

Why make a trillion when we could make... billions? ~ Dr. Evil
by Leftcoast Hawk on Nov 18, 2009 1:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Just PhotoShop their ears off.
by Bucketochicken on Nov 18, 2009 2:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Technically, its a rodent

Why make a trillion when we could make... billions? ~ Dr. Evil
by Leftcoast Hawk on Nov 18, 2009 2:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
+100
That is great.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Nov 18, 2009 2:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
My all time fave - I've been emailing it to my Minny buddies for a few years on Hate Week

by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Nov 18, 2009 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Beyond Awesome
Why make a trillion when we could make... billions? ~ Dr. Evil
by Leftcoast Hawk on Nov 18, 2009 6:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Strib Writer Taking The Fall For Good Ol' Brew
by PantherHawk on Nov 18, 2009 4:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
The guy fucked up the fact check.
Here are the scores and locations from 81 – 84.
Here is what the guy said:
Just a quick note to say I messed up by not checking out the facts. Coach Tim Brewster was relating an anecdote about Iowa’s visiting locker room, which is painted pink. Brewster, who played at Iowa in 1982 and 1983, said on his trip to Iowa, coach Mike White had covered the walls in meatwrapping paper. When asked if the Illini had won that game, Brewster said yes.
Well, I should have checked the facts. Seems coach Brewster misremembered. Iowa won 14-13 in Iowa City in 1982. Illinois whipped Iowa 33-0 the next season, but that was an Illinois home game.
First paragraph he says the game was in IC in 82 & 83. Second paragraph he says 83 was in Illinois. Plus he kinda glosses over the fact that Brewster is either a liar or not smart enough to remember what actually happened.
Typical Minnesota dipshit.
In 100 years, we'll all be dead.
by Flakbait on Nov 18, 2009 10:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

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