Author: David Shama

I have closely watched University of Minnesota football and Big Ten Conference teams since the 1950s.  I first started writing about the Gophers in the 1960s.  Ask my closest friends and they will tell you I said from day one it was a mistake to hire Glen Mason as Minnesota’s coach. 

Mason had coached for nine seasons at Kansas before coming to Minnesota in 1997.  His record of mediocrity and inconsistency was documented.  Mason’s records in his last four seasons at Kansas were 5-7, 6-5, 10-2 and 4-7.  “He’s just good enough to get you beat,” a Jayhawk fan said in the late 1990s. 

He followed the same pattern at Minnesota.  His 10-3 record in 2003 was followed by two 7-5 seasons and a 6-7 record, and those records included some of the softest non-conference opponents to be found on any Big Ten school’s schedule.  His overall record at Minnesota was 64-57, but he was 16 games below .500 in the Big Ten. 

Mason couldn’t sustain or build upon success at Minnesota.  He beat No. 2 ranked Penn State in 1999 and the Gophers finished the season in fourth place in the conference, their best showing in the Big Ten standings since 1986.  The 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons produced fourth, 10^th  and seventh place finishes.   

He had other potentially program turning games such as a win against Ohio State in Columbus in 2000 and the famous blown opportunity in 2003 when the 6-0 Gophers led Michigan 28-7 in the second half only to lose before a rocking, near capacity Metrodome crowd that wanted badly for the Gophers to make a statement performance.  The next week, instead of a full house, about 38,000 showed up to watch the Gophers tank against Michigan State in a 44-38 loss. 

Not only should Mason never have been hired, he should have been fired after the 2005 season when only one season remained on his contract.  No doubt the Gophers’ embarrassing Insight Bowl game loss to Texas Tech Friday night prompted soul searching by the University administration.  That defeat and resulting public unrest met head on with the Mason 10 year track record and low expectations for the future.  

The Mason buyout will cost the University about $2 million, plus deferred compensation.  Still, the administration is counting on bettering itself financially with fund-raising efforts for the new on-campus stadium and increased revenues from football games by hiring a new coach who will initially excite the public and long term producing winning teams (not only did Mason never have a conference champion, but none of his teams played in a New Year’s Day bowl game).   

On Wednesday the University has scheduled a gathering before the regents to unveil plans for the stadium.  There will be a sweet breeze of relief and renewal blowing through campus.

The Gophers’ record setting bowl game melt-down against Texas Tech set off intense criticism.  With a history of blowing big leads, Mason and his staff added to their reputation when Tech rallied from a 38-7 third quarter deficit, pulling off the biggest comeback in college football bowl history with a 44-41 victory. 

Asked for a reaction by e-mail last Saturday (prior to Sunday’s new conference announcing Mason’s termination), Athletic director Joel Maturi replied, “I don’t think any of us have words to describe what happened or how we all feel.” 

Stunned and angry were words that described the feelings of Gopher loyalists.  An influential alumnus said it was the “worst” coaching job in University history.  Another prominent alum called for Mason’s dismissal. Yet another fan and alum talked about discouraging future support for the new on-campus stadium.   

Five fans watching the game at a home in Burnsville turned off the telecast after Tech sent the game into overtime with a 52 yard field goal.  They refused to suffer anymore.  “It’s tough being a Gopher fan,” one fan said as the group headed for a bar. 

Among the questionable strategies by the Gophers was the consistent use of a three man defensive line in the fourth quarter that produced no pressure on the Tech quarterback.  That strategy was totally ineffective late in the game as the Red Raiders scored every time they had the ball.  

The game added to Mason’s resume of late game collapses that included puzzling home losses against Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan and Wisconsin.  From a Gopher perspective, the embarrassment is certain to remain in the now if ESPN Classic replays the game multiple times.

KFAN’s Dan Barriero described the Insight Bowl collapse as “capturing the essence” of the Gopher program under Mason.  He also said on his Sunday program the defeat is “the single most humiliating, stupefying, transcending, absurd, choking, pig like loss in the history of this program, or under Glen Mason.” 

Criticism of Mason reached a high point in intensity earlier this season when the Gophers’ were 3-6, including an embarrassing loss to Wisconsin and awkward win against North Dakota State.  After winning three straight games to qualify for a bowl game, the program had taken one huge step backward until Mason was fired.

On a team desperate for rebounding, inside scoring and subs, rookie forward Craig Smith has been a major contributor to the Timberwolves during the first two months of the season.  In limited minutes (less than 20 per game), Smith has produced numbers that exceed the expectations many people have for someone who was the 36^th pick in the NBA draft. 

Among a league rookie group that is far from dazzling (Charlotte’s Adam Morrison is the only player averaging double figures), Smith was third in rebounds per game at 5.1 and was averaging 7.3 points through games in late December.  Playing at power forward, the 6-foot-7 Smith is under sized by NBA standards but is a wide body (240 pounds) who may remind old-timers of Boston’s Paul Silas, or make younger fans think of Charles Barkley. 

Smith has a right handed hook shot he uses near the basket and he continuously launches the shot with success against taller players.  “I guess I use my body well. . . guys are much taller but I am much wider,” Smith said.  “My girth, my size, I try to use that to create space.” 

Although he can hook with either hand, Smith prefers his right hand.  “I am trying to get the left one down,” he said. “Hopefully, I will get it down this summer.” 

Smith talks about “attacking” the ball for rebounds.  He uses his bulk effectively and combined with his aggressiveness “there’s no letting go (of the ball).”  He averaged almost 10 rebounds per game playing for Boston College last year. 

Collecting fouls too quickly has sometimes been a problem.  The NBA that allowed more contact a few years ago would have been a better fit for Smith but he is adjusting to what the referees will allow.