Gopher Basketball Big 10 Update

OK, so we lost to Michigan Wolverines (AT HOME!) last Saturday afternoon and basically blew any chance at making the big dance - right? Well, maybe we still have a chance. I have seen so many conflicting predictions, it’s ridiculous. Some say we are in, some say we are out. I think if the Gophers perform well in the Big Ten Tournament (like win it?!?! – improbable, I know) the Basketball "Powers That Be" will be forced to put us on “the list.”

Gophers are playing Northwestern right now (quick, flip to the Big Ten Network) – so far, so good! It’s hard to decide what to watch – Gopher Basketball or Minnesota State High School Hockey! I love TOURNEY TIME!

Gopher Basketball Makes Me Smile (Again!)

There is nothing better than beating the Wisconsin Badgers in basketball…except when you beat them twice! I can’t believe I didn’t write about this yesterday, but Wednesday night the Golden Gopher mens basketball team beat the Wisconsin Badgers at The Barn 51-46. The Gophers dominated the first half, but looked a little shaky at the start of the second. Once again Lawrence Westbrook stepped up to the plate and led the Gopher team over the Badgers. It was really sweet to beat the Badgers in Wisconsin a few weeks back, but this win in front of the roaring Barnyard was totally amazing. I couldn’t afford Gopher Basketball Tickets so I watched the game from my sofa – well, mostly I was jumping up and down because the game was so emotional!

This is the first time the Gophers have swept the Badgers since the 1991-1992 season and man it feels good!

Another Gopher Basketball home game on Saturday vs. Michigan Wolverines – Gophers gotta win! It’s an 11am tip-off – sadly, Gopher Gal has an all day Saturday conference, but you can bet I will be sneaking to the car during breaks to listen in on the score!

Gopher Hockey Hangs On

The Gopher Hockey teams post season hopes are still alive – although I am not sure they even deserve to be in the playoffs based off their performances lately.

Thankfully, the Gophers beat Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Saturday night at Mariucci Arena. It was the last regular season home game and after the first two periods of play, I was starting to dread another loss. The Gophers managed to pull it together and come back from behind and win. (insert sigh of relief here) The win puts the Gophers in fifth in the WCHA Standings and IF the Gophers can win BOTH games at Michigan Tech this weekend, they will be able to secure home ice advantage for the first round of the WCHA Playoffs.


If the Gophers don’t win both games at Michigan Tech, they for sure don’t deserve any playoff breaks. Michigan Tech is at the bottom of the WCHA Standings and the Gophers (on paper any way) are a much better team. Gophers vs. Michigan Tech Huskies this Friday and Saturday on FSN 6:07pm both nights – tune in!

Gopher Hockey gets Swept - I Wept

Gopher Hockey Sucks, Fa La La La La...Gopher Hockey Sucks Fa La La La La

What is going on with the Gopher hockey team? I just don't understand how they played so well at the start of the season and then totally fell apart at the end. The mistakes they are making are mistakes that you make at the start of the season! ya know, when you are a new team - not a team that has been playing together for 6 months every weekend! They make a lot of mental mistakes on defense and on offense. The passing has been terrible and the penalties obscene. How could they get swept by Colorado College? What a shame. What a shame.

Big series this weekend at Mariucci Arena against Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. I wish I could go, but I can't - I haven't given up on the team...yet, but this weekend will be the final straw - you bet that is a threat, Gopher team! You better step it up a notch or the fan base is outtie!

On a happier note, the Gopher girls hockey team is ranked #1 in the nation and I went to their final regular season home game last Saturday night and they rocked the place! They beat St Cloud State and never looked back. The place was packed and I even had to wait in line for tickets (I have never had to wait in line for Gopher Girls hockey before) - the Gopher girls fan base is growing as it should thanks to their phenom players. Keep up the good work - maybe you could share some of your scoring tips with the boys!

Madison ranks high for sports

One of my Wisconsin Badger friends (yes, you can have a Badger friend or two, but don’t let the friendship get in the way of your Gopher sports loyalty) emailed me this article. Madison ranks high for sports - "Forbes names city 3rd best town for collegiate athletics." WHAT?!!?!?!? Out of all the really cool college sports towns out there (i.e. Minneapolis!) Forbes picked Badgerland 3rd (I am thinking it should be more like thirtieth). I may never read Forbes again.

How about that Gopher Basketball team last night?

Gopher Hockey Team Still has me on EDGE

The Gopher hockey team is still in a funk. Yes, they won on Valentines Day in front of a lovey dovey crowd at Mariucci, but they tied Alaska Anchorage on Friday night – TIED! That might as well be a loss when we are talking about playing Alaska Anchorage (sorry Seawolves fans).

The Minnesota Men are on their way to Colorado College to take on the Tigers this weekend – let’s hope a change of scenery will do the team good. Maybe some time cramped together on the plane will give the team a chance to air out all the dirty laundry and start fresh. They are making tons of mental mistakes and it’s costing them. I hate to even put this in print for fear of it coming true, but the Gopher Hockey Team may not even make the playoffs.

Gopher Basketball HANGS in there

After yesterday’s screaming post about the defunct Gopher hockey team, I thought I should give props to the Gopher basketball team which continues to be a real contender (well, as long as they are not playing Michigan State). I watched the game Tuesday night on the Big Ten Network and loved the second half, it seemed the Gophers could do no wrong – I even got to see Paul Carter do a slam dunk and hang on the rim for a sec. I don’t think Tubby likes too much show boating, but the camera flashed over at the Gopher coach and he had a grin.

It’s nice to see the Gopher mens basketball team having fun and winning a few games in front of the home crowd fans. There are only a couple of Williams Arena home game left, if you haven’t been to The Barn this year to see this team, you have missed out. The excitement is unbelievable (well, again unless they are playing Michigan State Spartans).

Gooooooo Gophers!

In honor of upcoming Valentines Day

I HEART TUBBY SMITH

I ♥ TUBBY SMITH

I HEART TUBBY SMITH

Gopher Hockey Makes Me Want To Scream

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! What the “H” “E” Double Hockey Sticks has happened to the Gopher mens hockey team? I can’t believe they have lost the last four games – FOUR! Gopher Gal is totally freaking out. I told my hubby that he better get me some Gopher hockey tickets because apparently the team can only win if I am in the stands (I have never seen them lose and I have been to my fair share of games).

The ticket broker sites have tickets for this weekends Gopher Alaska series at Mariucci (yes, the Gophs are home again), but I am bordering on the poor side of life these days so I am thinking about just going down to Mariucci Arena Friday night and seeing if I can get some tickets just before game time from one of the street scalpers. There are always guys standing on the one corner closest to Williams Arena. I confess I have NEVER bought tickets from a street scalper before, NEVER. I am scared, but I want to go really bad and I don’t have a lot of money so the plan is my hubby will drop me off and I will try and secure tickets at $30 per ticket or lower and he will circle the block. If I can get tickets, I will call him on the cell and he will pay for parking and we will go in. If I can’t, he will pick me up (off the corner, kinda kinky!) we will use the money and go to dinner and watch the Gopher game on TiVo.

I know Saturday nights game will be way hotter since it’s Valentines Day, but I am thinking Friday night there may be some cheap seats from the scalpers. I don’t know why I am so chicken about buying tickets from a scalper, but it just doesn’t seem very “Minnesota Nice” and Gopher Gal is totally nice (most of the time). I will let you all know how it goes (-:

Come on Gopher Hockey, PULL IT TOGETHER!

Gophers Hockey vs Badgers Hockey

This is a big weekend for the Gopher mens hockey team. The Wisconsin Badgers roll into town with a three point lead over the Gophers in the WCHA standings. Two Mariucci Arena home games will be good for the Gophers who are still licking their wounds over a pounding last weekend by Mankato.

Gopher fans are encourage to wear GOLD this weekend to Mariucci Arena in an effort to “gold-out” and Badger fans who might be in attendance. The Gophers tied and beat the Badgers earlier in the season in Madison so look for the Badger team to be out for revenge.

There are still Gophers Hockey tickets available from local ticket brokers – going rate? $80 per ticket. There is no doubt that the Gopher Badger series is one of the hottest tickets on the Gopher schedule. Border rivalry at it’s best.

Gopher Hockey Weekend Review

It’s been almost a week since I have posted in my beloved Gopher blog . . . I think it is because I am so depressed over the PAIR of Minnesota State Mankato losses – it was the first time ever that the gopher hockey team has been swept by those lame-o’s…that is not the kind of history making I wanted to watch on TV. What happened?

Friday night was all about penalties – I even noticed this in the games I went to this year, the Gophers are hot heads. They just don’t know when to walk away and Mankato capitalized on this weakness. Sure, intense emotion can make you a great hockey player, but if you can’t keep it in check when needed you end up in the penalty box or in the locker room and what good does that do your team? None. Look at the score board. 2-6 Friday night, 1-3 Saturday night - penalties killed our momentum.

Also, Gopher goalie Alex Kangas was not his usual self – he looked tired…I was wondering if he was sick or something. There were TWO goals where he went down and Mankato shot over him, that’s not like him to do that. He usually stays up and cuts the angle. I hope he reviews the film this week and notice how out of position he was.

Saturday night was all about the power play. The Gophers could not score or even keep the puck out of their own zone when they were on the power play. What a frustrating series. I am ready to put it behind me, but nervous we won’t see more of the same this weekend against the Badgers.

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Note on a different team – Gopher basketball game last night in Michigan made me want to poke my eyes out. Gopher Nation is in a funk and I don’t like it.