You wonder if Glen Mason will coach the first game in the on-campus stadium scheduled to open in 2009.  Mason has been an advocate for returning the Gophers to campus but there’s such a storm of criticism directed at him now that despite a five-year contract his future at Minnesota is speculative. 

Letters to the Star Tribune and talk show comments call for his dismissal and so, too, does a fire Mason Web site.  The home game atmosphere includes chants of “fire Mason” from the student section.  Long time fans are complaining and even former star running back Laurence Maroney criticized Mason in the Star Tribune for not making better use of his talent. 

If the Gophers lose their remaining games this fall, the team will finish 0-8 in the Big Ten Conference.  Any mix of wins and losses against Indiana and Iowa at home, and at Michigan State, is possible.  Could a 0-3 finish push the University to make a coaching change? 

Here’s the essence of what’s going on: there are always fans and media constantly complaining and second guessing.  That audience has been “shooting” at Gopher football since before Mason arrived in 1997.  What’s new is that now there is a larger constituency questioning and opposing Mason.  The tipping point, if it comes, will be if the University sees “a total lack of support in the community,” according to a prominent alum.  “The public at large becomes so pissed off (and) the old time loyalists who want to see the good side of things, not the bad, are not supportive.  That will turn it (the Mason situation).” 

The result of losing “the silent majority” and loyalists will be troublesome for the University as its goes about raising the mega dollars it needs for the new $248.5 million stadium.  With state legislative approval to provide funding for the stadium came a promise from the University to provide 45% of the funding. 

Mason is a good person who was hired because of his character and some turn around success he had coaching at Kent State and Kansas.  His reputation has long been that of a “straight arrow,” a coach who doesn’t pay players or knowingly violate other NCAA rules.  He once told me he couldn’t look his son in the eye if he were cheating.   

The University negotiated a new contract with Mason after last season and gave him a pay raise.  This was a reward for improving the on-field performance of Gopher football from the days of coach Jim Wacker.  It was also a reward for running a program that doesn’t violate NCAA rules, cares about the well being of the players and encourages academics. 

Now in his 10^th season as coach at Minnesota, Mason still talks of building a program.  Many followers don’t want to hear that.  Not when your best season was three years ago at 10-3 and you finished fourth in the Big Ten.  Not when the conference finishes in 2005 and 2004 were seventh and eighth.  Not when you appear headed toward a finish in last place in the Big Ten this year and have a career record in the conference of 29 wins, 51 losses.

The talent level of the 2006 Gophers doesn’t measure up to the most recent teams.  Close followers of the team look at the roster, even among the young players, and wonder whether the talent will be any better next season.  Recruiting commitments for 2007 are mostly Minnesota high school kids and only the most irrational Gopher patron will argue you can build a team almost exclusively with in-state players. 

Whether it’s winning the remaining games or recruiting, Mason’s challenges will be the envy of no one in the coaching business.  Sooner or later both will determine whether he coaches in the new stadium.

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Guard Randy Foye, the Wolves’ No. 1 draft choice, has been stirring talk since last summer that he will win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award (voted on by media).  It’s a nice thought but neither Foye nor assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg is focusing on it. 

Foye admirers thought he was the best rookie among the players in the NBA’s Las Vegas summer league.  He won MVP honors averaging 24.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. 

In the pre-season his numbers have been different.  He averaged 7.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and less than 1 assist per game. 

Both Foye and Hoiberg talked about how much more Foye had the ball in summer games and how the games revolved around him.  Going back to college and high school, Foye has been a focal player on his teams.  “I’ve always been the guy who makes the big decisions on the floor,” Foye said. 

“In the summer all the plays ran through him,” Hoiberg said.  “Now that he’s in the regular season, it’s not going to happen his rookie year.  The team will play through Kevin Garnett, Mike James and Ricky Davis.  I think it’s been a little tough on him.  Probably for the first time in his life he’s not a featured player, but he’s handled it great.  He’s always asking for advice. …He’s going to be a special player in this league because of his willingness to learn.” 

Foye said winning the Rookie of the Year award would “mean a lot” to him but team success has more appeal.  Given a choice, he would rather the Wolves be in the playoffs than be Rookie of the Year.

Variables such as playing time will determine performance and numbers for rookies who will be in the mix for the award.  An outstanding rookie on a bad team is likely to play more minutes and build his stats.  “We’re trying to get back into the playoffs,” Hoiberg said. “He (Foye) will be a big part of that.  Let the awards take care of themselves.  He will play a major role on our team.”

Foye expects to be used both at point guard and shooting guard.  The coaches, he said, like his ability to “explode” to the hoop from the point guard position and his size (about 6-3, 207) as a big defender. 

While comparisons have been made between Foye and Miami star Dwayne Wade, Foye compares himself to former Timberwolf and Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups.  Like Billups, Foye said he is a leader who gets teammates involved, makes heady decisions and takes big shots. 

Who does he like among the Rookie of the Year candidates?  Boston’s Rajon Rondo, Memphis’ Rudy Gay and Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas.  Oh, and a guy in Minneapolis named Randy Foye.

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Tight end Jim Kleinsasser is in his eighth season with the Vikings.  Except for Matt Birk,  he has more continuous service with the team than any player on the roster.  Last week he was asked to appraise the 2006 team and how good the season will be. 

“That’s something we’re trying to figure out ourselves,” he said. “We’ve got tons of talent, got a system in place, (it’s) just a matter of showing up on Sunday and taking care of business. That’s the biggest thing. Any day you can beat anybody and any day you can get beat by anybody. So you just have to come every week and hope things pan out.” 

Kleinsasser said with a new coaching staff and system the team is still trying to find its identity.  In the past, he said, the Vikings made a habit of “shooting themselves in the foot” by making mistakes.  Now the Vikings are making progress in not beating themselves, he added. 

Kleinsasser, 29, has only caught six passes this season but said his health is good.  He missed most of the 2004 season with a knee injury.  “I am all right,” he said.  “I am just getting old.  The body doesn’t jump back as quick at it used to.”

Asked to evaluate his play Kleinsasser said, “It’s doesn’t really matter what I think about anything.  It’s what the guys upstairs (coaches, front office) think.”

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