Blogging

It's a lot tougher than it looks.  You put pressure on yourself to constantly come out with new material for posts so people will think there is a reason to check your site on a semi-regular basis.  Something you think will be a worthwhile read to others and you have some decent ideas but rush through them so you can get on to the next thing.  It makes you feel shitty about what you're putting out there.

I have to give major props to blogs like The Daily Gopher, Down With Goldy and in particular Fringe Bowl Team.  A one man show that can keep people captivated is a tough task.  Good for you MV!

I'm thinkin about hangin it up for a while and see if it makes me feel any better.  Geezo Beezo may have the shortest lifespan of any Gopher Blog in history.  Or I might come back refreshed and in a better frame of mind.  Not wanting to write negative things (not that I have, which goes against what I wanted to do in the first place which is write what's on my mind) about the team that I love.

Or maybe I'll wake up feeling better tomorrow.  Who knows?

2011 NFL Draft and the BX

When it comes time for a recruit to sign his name on his letter of intent there are many factors that go into his choice.  The primary factor is the quality of football.  Whether it be the quality of the players he’ll go up against every day at practice or who he’ll face on Saturdays.  The best want to go up against the best, which is why the most highly recruited players don’t sign with TCU or Boise St.  Sure there are other factors such as proximity, educational opportunities, etc. but the ability to prepare a recruit for the NFL is huge.

Since the ability to get someone ready for the NFL is so important I’d like to take a look at how the BX has done in the past and where the reputation goes from here.

Initial Scout Rankings - Class of 2012

It's that time of year when the internet scouting sites decide to start revealing their opinion of who the best players in the nation are.  It seems a little early as not all the combines are done but I do understand the desire to get rankings out before the early evaluation period.

Once the early evaluation period happens there are many more offers extended and fans of lesser programs will exclaim that the rankings are just based on who has offered as opposed to independent evaluations.

The first rankings have been released from Scout, here's how they relate to Big Ten fans, but more specifically the Gophers:

Phillip Nelson QB #39
Jonah Pirsig OT #34
Nick Rallis OLB #44
Nick Davidson OT  #33 Eden Prairie transfer from NC
Andre McDonald WR - Gopher commit is unranked (Scout has ranked 79 WR so far)
Maxx WIlliams TE - Gopher commit is unranked (Scout has ranked  22 TE so far)

QB Recruiting Update - 4/3/11

Commitments

Luke Knott verballed to Iowa State over an offer from SDSU.  This is the 2^nd QB commit for ISU this cycle.

Clayton Nicholas (TX) got his first offer from TT and jumped all over it

QB Recruitment Updates

Zeke Pike took an unofficial visit to Michigan, which is a very good sign for the Wolverines.  I’d be surprised if Michigan didn’t make Pike’s top 10 whenever he decides to pare down his offer list.  They are still hot after Maty Mauk and Gunner Kiel as well.  Pike also took a visit to LSU.

MSU QB Joe Boisture is hanging ‘em up due to back problems.  This probably explains why MSU now wants to bring in two QBs this cycle.  They just had an unofficial visitor in PA QB Blake Rankin who sports an offer from Rutgers.

The Big Board 2011.1

Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football programs.  Schools that can't recruit stay marred in mediocrity, while those that consistently bring in talent find themselves competing year in and year out.   There are several different ways of compiling the best class you can. 

Tim Brewster used to hand out scholarship offers like they were Minnesota Lynx tickets, using the throw a bunch of shit against the wall and see what sticks method.  This method can work because while there are limited number of recruits that want to become a Gopher you are trying to contact as many of those kids as you can.  It’s a numbers game, the more you contact the better chance you have at scoring.

Jerry Kill is the complete opposite, where you’ll have to pry a scholarship from Jerry’s cold, dead fingers.  Kill is trying to establish a relationship with the kids he brings in and wants to make sure that they are a fit athletically, academically and socially.  The theory that Kill uses is he tries to make a Gopher offer more valuable by limiting the number that are issued, much like currency.  Kill wants to see players at camp, junior days, spring practice, etc. to get to know them before issuing an offer.

The following list are the players that have a standing Minnesota scholarship offer for the 17 recruits openings we have this cycle.  They are ranked in order of how excited I would be if they gave a verbal commitment to the Gophers today.