More Royce White drama…is it final this time?  Local news reports broke a new story in the Royce White saga Monday, revealing that the indecisive and troubled freshman is to leave the U of M basketball team for the second time.  The Star Tribune posted a great article and video for the story.  If you watch the interview, this time Royce is talking with his lawyer following his court appearance today. 

The court date stems back to accusations of a laptop theft in Territorial Hall, right in the heart of campus.  The first time White left was a couple of months ago, after another theft case at the Mall of America.  Around this time, White posted some YouTube videos discussing his future, and then quit.  Eventually it seemed things were slowly being sorted out, and most recently, Royce was even practicing with the team.  By the way, it was odd seeing White back on the sidelines.  It was also unfortunate to see junior guard Al Nolen there with him (academic ineligibility).  But now, when asked about his future in Minnesota, Royce says he plans to withdraw sometime this week.  But going right alongside his unpredictable nature, Royce said he would return to the U only if Tubby let him play on Saturday vs. Penn State.  Even though Royce says that’s not realistic, my thoughts are how could he even say that? 

For everyone out there who believes Royce should play because he’s a superior athlete, keep in mind there are always other things to consider.  Sports are about passion, heart, dedication, and commitment, especially on the collegiate level.  While I’m not going to say Royce doesn’t have heart and a commitment for the game, he hasn’t showed it at the University of Minnesota.  One of the biggest reasons I love Gophers basketball, apart from the great leadership of Tubby Smith, is because it’s college basketball.  There is so much energy and heart, and it’s obvious to see at any Saturday morning game in the Barn.  Even in a year that’s maybe just not destined to be, I will still go to any game I can get to—and I know that’s the case for other members of “Gopher Nation.”  But for the time being, it looks like the White saga is over…or should I say it’s to be continued?

Most recently, the Gophers have suffered hard-hitting losses to Michigan State and Ohio State, respectively--with a win over Northwestern that came in between.  Michigan State was their first home loss, and like many other college basketball teams, they continue to have troubles on the road, with 7 total losses.  Next up is Penn State led by the talented Talor Battle.  And then the Gophers finally return home next Thursday vs. Michigan.   

Speaking of Gopher Nation, Gopher football head coach Tim Brewster just received a two year extension.  Whether I like it or not, Brewster will be the Gophers head coach for the rest of my academic career.  And I guess I don’t really know what to think, at least now.  The past two years, the guy (and the rest of the team), has got me fired up about Gopher Nation and the best stadium in college football, only to let me down.  As my knowledgeable, yet opinionated friend Joel says, “So many false promises.”   But I’m also realizing that these things take time, and Brewster may achieve glory and success someday here.  Just a few years may be too quick to judge, but he also has only two years left to win my Gopher football pride back.

This whole Joe Mauer things has really caught fire the past couple days, and no official word on his future with the Twins seems to be out there.  What I will say is this.  Last Wednesday, I hopped on over to Cretin-Derham Hall for the taping of Homecoming with Rick Reilly, where he interviewed Joe.  It was an awesome show, with Joe’s family and around 4,000 other Twins fans.  He definitely gave some hints at staying, and when Reilly asked him if winning or staying in Minnesota was more important, Mauer put it simply:  “Why not have both?”  Yeah…I think this one is going to be ok.

In the Gophers second consecutive Big Ten matchup on the road Sunday, they again fell. Earlier this week, Minnesota fell to one of the more experienced and accomplished teams in the nation at Michigan State. For the second best team in the country last year, the Gophers put up a fight, but came up short, losing 60-53. But yesterday it was the team from the lower end of the Big Ten's totem pole that brought Tubby's team down. With the excitement of the Vikings game, my carefree attitude towards Indiana's prowess, and not to mention being deprived of the Big Ten network, I didn't watch the game. But on my way back to the suburbs for one more home cooked meal before classes began, I caught word that the Gophers were trailing near the end of regulation. Monday morning brought news that Minnesota lost in overtime, 81-78. In some ways it was surprising, in other ways... not so much.

The Gophers aren't even half way through their conference season, and it already seems there have been more disappointments and lost chances on what could have been. From Royce White to the fallout in Anaheim in the 76 Classic, this season didn't kick start like it appeared it would. And that's a huge let down for me and the rest of Tubby's fan base. Just when I thought Gophers basketball could ease my football woes, more trouble ensued off the court, and as a result, had an effect on what happened on the court. Mbakwe and White are still out, and it seems unlikely that they will ever have a spot in the lineup this year. This team is already deep with a variety of unique talents and skill sets, but kind of like the Vikings, it seems this was their year to capitalize. Unlike the Vikes, the Gophers do not have a strong shot on going deep in the Big Dance. In fact, I'm starting to wonder if the Gophs will have a chance to dance come March.

But at the same time, there is time (always a great thing to have), undeniable talent, and of course, Tubby Smith. All of these things reassure me that the Gophers are far from being done, and are still one of the top contenders in the Big Ten. Not to mention, this is college basketball, and from everything I've gathered in my college career, anything can happen. I feel teams always play hard and more than anything, for the love of the game. This energy and passion only increases as the season moves on. I was working during the Michigan State game this past week, but I heard that the Gophers didn't go down easily. This Saturday, Minnesota has a huge opportunity against Michigan State again, this time at the Barn. The Gophers are still undefeated at home, and are sure to be hungry for some revenge. If this season is about opportunities, this is a decisive one the Gophers don't want to regret.

That's it for the Kid on Campus. Stay tuned for more Gopher sports updates, and the word around Dinkytown.

As was predicted, the Gophers are heading to the Insight Bowl for the second year in a row, and it will also mark their third trip to Arizona in the past four years.  The Gophers will play Iowa State at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (December 31^st).  Iowa State comes in with identical records overall and in conference play (6-6, 3-5).  It should be quite the interesting matchup with the Cyclones coming from the Big 12 conference and not having played Minnesota in over a decade. 

 

Here, at the beautiful Sun Devil stadium in Tempe, Minnesota will again have a chance to finish strong and prove wrong any naysayers.  But this has been and could be tough, as the Gophers haven’t won a Bowl game since 2004, where they beat Alabama in the Music City Bowl 20-16.  Since then, the Gophers have gone on to lose another Music City Bowl, and then two consecutive Insight Bowls.  It is the second Insight Bowl in head coach Tim Brewster’s third year, and it’s one he expects to win this time around.

 

Last year, the Gophers were man-handled by a far superior Kansas team, losing 42-21.  But, Kansas came in at 8-5, while Minnesota entered at 7-6.  This year, the Gophers and Cyclones look more evenly matched, and should provide for, at the very least, a better game to watch.

 

In a season that was marked by ups and downs, from the loss of Eric Decker to the electrifying win over Michigan State on Halloween without him, the Gophers need this win.  It would put a nice finishing touch on a season full of both bright and dark spots.  Even more, it would get Gophers fans “energized again,” just like the cheesy Cenex man says on the big screen during those dull moments at TCF Bank stadium.  While a Bowl win wouldn’t necessarily lead us to the Rose Bowl like Brewster has said, it would reverse a trend of losing mediocre Bowl games and put us on the road to recovery. 

 

After three straight losses for Tubby Smith’s squad, the Gophers bounced back at full strength on Saturday afternoon, putting the Ivy League kids from Brown in their place.  To be honest, it did almost look like the Brown kids were out of place.  The final score was 91-55. 

 

Again, it was an all around team effort for Minnesota, with no one stealing the show but the team as a whole.  Six Gophers had over 10 points, with junior Blake Hoffarber scoring 13.  Although streaky at times, Hoffarber drained three from downtown, reaffirming his natural 3-point abilities.  Senior captains Lawrence Westbrook and Damian Johnson each added 12.  Freshman Rodney Williams was electric as usual, showing his freakish abilities with a massive alley-oop to get the crowd going.  He finished with 9 points.

 

What’s really amazing to me is how Tubby uses all of his weapons.  No player was on the court for more than 25 minutes on Saturday, and everybody gets a piece of the action.  To be honest, I don’t think there’s one single player that stands out as ‘mediocre,’ or ‘eh, good enough.’  Tubby really likes to change up who runs the floor, too.  Junior veteran Al Nolen, sophomore Devoe Joseph, and even freshman Justin Cobbs are getting ample playing time, and I think this is crucial.  When you have a new point guard on the floor, the tempo and style of the game changes, and this can throw the opposing team off—and that’s what Tubby’s doing.  Plus, I think he needs to see how newcomer Cobbs fits in the Gopher’s offense.

 

Senior Devron Bostick was even back on the floor Saturday, after violating team rules and having to ride the bench.  Junior Trevor Mkwabe was still visible on the bench, and freshman Royce White was nowhere to be seen.  White recently plead guilty to a crime that occurred at the Mall of America over a month and a half ago.  It’s still a big question though, whether he will return and be a part of Golden Gopher basketball.         

For Golden Gopher football, it’s time to play the waiting game. For a disappointing season that ended in a loss to rival Iowa and a .500 record, some good may actually come at the year comes to an end.  Time will tell however, because it is still unclear if Tim Brewster has led his squad to another Bowl game. If he has, chances are it will be another Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.

So the inaugural year at TCF Bank Stadium has come to a close.  It was a great place for Gophers fans of all sorts.  Now that the season is over, we will have to wait until next fall to get back in the “Taj Mahal” of college football.

In many ways, Golden Gopher basketball is playing the waiting game too.  With three of their players out, the big question is when will they come back?  It seems Tubby is playing it safe by not jumping at the opportunity to put his players back on the court.  He is still carefully judging the issue of freshman Royce White.  Many wonder if White is even cut out for playing for the Gophers.   Although Tubby has a mission to win here, he knows about following rules and setting an example for the University of Minnesota.  

Things were looking up this Thanksgiving for Tubby Smith’s most talented team of his Minnesota career.   Unfortunately, the Gophers suffered two losses to finish out their weekend in Anaheim at the 76 classic. Minnesota, now unranked, came up with a huge upset over No. 10 Butler on Friday night, but fell back to reality as they lost to Portland and then Texas A&M. 

While Thursday’s Gophers looked fresh and ready to take home a 76 Classic championship, Saturday and Sunday’s Gophers looked out of synch and forceful.  Nothing was giving on the offensive side of the ball.  Jump shots and shots from beyond the arc were problems in both games, and although big men Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III played well Thursday, they didn’t execute in the next games.  To be fair, Portland was a solid team that challenged the Gophers in a lot of different ways.  Before beating the maroon and gold, they took out UCLA, which is never an easy task.  Defense remains a priority on Tubby’s court, but until things start rolling on the offense, the Gophers could fall again.   As one of the deepest teams in the Big Ten, many were left wondering where that depth went over Thanksgiving weekend.   Next up is Miami in the Big Ten/ACC tournament.