Jeff: The Question For Gopher Fans

As a relatively new Gopher football fan, I feel like one of the new recruits in the movie Band of Brothers. I'm like one of the newbies that comes over after D-Day, and I want to say I'm part of the group, and that I know what the grizzled vets have been through, but I don't. I know it, and they know it. As a new Gopher football fan, losses like the one last week to Wisconsin hurt. For the vets, it's just another scar. I feel like I should have no right to comment on how the captain is running this ship, and yet I was taught that if you don't understand something, ask-no matter how dumb the question. So, Gopher fans, I need your help. I need some clarification on the head coach Glen Mason. The debate this season is whether he should be given a contract extension. My confusion doesn't center on whether he should be back next year: my confusion is HOW IS HE BEING CONSIDERED AT ALL?!?!

If I'm Gopher AD Joel Maturi, I'd tell Glen "You've done all you can here. Put the house up for sale, start cleaning out your desk, because when this seaon's finished- so are you." I'm starting to believe Mason has concocted some kind of maroon-and-gold kool-aid. And boy has it been getting around. He's given it to Maturi, as rumors in the paper are that Maturi, even after last week, continue to talk extension. He certainly passed it around to the folks at E!SPN who were covering the game last week. Commentators Mark Jones and former Ohio State great Chris Spielman, were gushing about Mason and his accomplishments at Minnesota in 9 seasons. How he has a winning record (56-47), how his 3 8 win seasons('99,'02,'03) were as many as the school had in the previous 3 decades, and how he has a winning bowl record (3-2). They also mentioned how Mason had- I'm not making this up, they actually said this- turned down "numerous job offers to stay at Minnesota." They just couldn't heap enough praise onto Mason's shoulders as the team looked certain to defeat Wisconsin. And then we know what happened next. And he's been passing it around to pleny of Gopher fans. The common argument is that Mason's done much more, and is much better, than Jim Wacker- the man he replaced.
All of these things (except the comment about Mason turning down offers to stay at Minnesota. He's applied for every job known to man but has been turned down for all of them. E!SPN must have gotten their facts mixed up. THe kool-aid will do that to you) are true. Not counting this season, he's averaged a 6-5 record over 8 years. Yes Gopher fans, that means your team has a good shot at being bowl eligible. That's certainly better than Wacker or many of predecessors have accomplished. But my question is, why would you settle for this? GOPHER FANS DESERVE BETTER!!
I looked up the numbers that people AREN'T telling you. And believe me, they're not easy to find. I had to go to three different websites (and none of them were the team's official website, www.gophersports.com) to piece together Mason's history at Minnesota. After the loss to the Badgers last week, Glen Mason at Minnesota...

- is 27-41 in the Big 10
- is 5-22 vs ranked teams (he has not played a ranked non-conference opponent)
- has a winning record against three Big 10 teams- Illinois (5-1), Northwestern (4-2), and Penn State (4-3)
- is 3-3 vs both Michigan State and Indiana
- is 3-17 vs. Michigan, Purdue, and Ohio State
- against the rivals, is 2-6 vs Iowa, and 3-6 vs Wisconsin

Taking out this year's 2-2 conference record, Mason averages 3 Big 10 wins a season. Gopher fans, Mason has had 9 seasons at the U. He's won zero conferece titles, and the Gophs have played in zero New Year's Day bowls.

NORTH-FREAKIN-WESTERN HAS PLAYED IN THE ROSE BOWL IN THE PAST 9 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No matter how hard you try, you can't turn a Cavalier into a Cadillac (I would know because I drive a Cav). You are what you are. What Mason is is a decent coach who will get you to a low-profile bowl game, and an average of 3 Big 10 wins a year. With Mason you're finishing somewhere between 6-8th in the conference. You're better than Northwestern, Illinois, and sometimes Indiana. And that's it. This is who the Gophers are, and always will be, under Glen Mason. If you're satisfied with that, then keep him around. But I think GOpher fans deserve better. We'll never be Michigan or Ohio State, or even Penn State, but there's no reason we can't be as good as Iowa, Wisconsin or Purdue. If believe that, then start writing Maturi's office that we need a new coach for 2006. And keep him away from the kool-aid.