Missouri Has Fat Guy Moment Of Their Own

((HT: ESPN/Saturday Down South))

We all know about the Fat Guy Touchdown (capitalization intentional) in the Cotton Bowl, but Gary Pinkel had a Fat Guy monent of their own on a fake punt during their win over Minnesota in the Citrus Bowl

Evidence below


The HQ gives Pinkel credit for calling for a fake ON HIS OWN 17-YARD LINE with Harold Brantley for a gain of 19...

Mazel Tov!

So, How Turbo-Fired Is Brady Hoke NOW???!!!

((HT: BTN))

Minnesota got the "Little Brown Jug" back from Michigan for the first time since 2005 with a win in Ann Arbor. For the first time in the 135-year history of the program, the Wolverines have three losses before the end of September.

Brady Hoke fired Al Borges after the collapse last season and hired Doug Nussmeier- and that hasn't gone well. Michigan was 12th in the Big Ten in scoring, ninth in total offense, 12th in passing, and sixth in rushing GOING INTO SATURDAY...

The team has lost to Notre Dame, Utah, and now Minnesota.

Here's the highlights (if you're a Minnesota fan, anyway)


The larger issue that really deserves everyone's attention is the shoddy handling of QB Shane Morris' obvious concussion. Morris had to be helped off the field by a lineman, was out for a handful of plays, and then was put back in.

And he shouldn't have when Morris was already 7-for-19 and was trailing 30-7
((HT: DrewCHallett))


Here's some truncated Hoke postgame where he claims he didn't hear the boos and the demand that he be fired
((HT: WXYZ-TV))


The HQ thinks that Hoke might last a while (in the sense of weeks, not seasons), and the firing of Charlie Weis probably didn't help Hoke and his Career Dissipation Light in Ann Arbor.

Super Bowl 52 Goes to Twin Cities

((HT: KFAN Radio))

The town and the Vikings ownership group used this video to court the National Football League for a January-February football game


Indianapolis was knocked out on the first vote and Minneapolis beat out New Orleans for the Roman Numeral Classic
((HT: KARE-TV))
"On behalf of all Minnesotans, I want to thank Co-Chairs Doug Baker, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, and Richard Davis, and the Minnesota Vikings, for their superb and successful efforts to bring the 2018 Super Bowl to Minnesota," Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement. "Hosting the Super Bowl will provide a terrific opportunity to showcase Minnesota to the world. It will also bring major economic benefits to our state."
The Vikings will play outdoors on the University of Minnesota campus for the next two seasons while the new barn is being built. The 2016 season will be the first in the new building for the Vikes. Houston, the new San Francisco stadium, and Arizona will be in play before Minnesota.

And, now, Atlanta is on the want and on the clock for the 2019 game...

Union College On Top Of The College Hockey World. Dutchman Defeat Minnesota 7-4 To Win NCAA Frozen Four

For those who have never heard of Union College its a liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York with an enrollment of 2,200.  Hockey is the only sport the Dutchmen compete on the Division I level with the rest competing on the NCAA Division III level.

Saturday night in Philadelphia Union met Minnesota for the NCAA Frozen Four title, the first championship game appearance for the Dutch and defeated the Golphers 7-4 to win the national championship.




Shayne Gostisbehere is the only Union player that is going to the NHL and if he wanted to Gostisbehere could suit up for the Philadelphia Flyers next week.  He's just a junior so there's a chance he might come back though.

 Gostisbehere played big again in the title game with one goal, two assists and five shots but it was his defense that sealed Union's first national title.  

Gostisbehere was flying all over the ice a sacrificing his body for the cause.

Here's Gostisbehere after the game:

Yes it was an unbelieveable moment for the Dutchmen.

Kill Taking Time Away From Minnesota For Epilepsy Treatments

Jerry Kill is staying off the football field until further notice to focus on his epilepsy treatment- according to Minnesota athletics director Norwood Teague.

Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys will continue to serve as acting head coach.

Kill has suffered five game-day seizures in three seasons as head coach for Minnesota- including one that kept him home from coaching the Michigan last weekend.

He could return to the sidelines for the Northwestern game on the 19th.

Here's his statement:

"My wife Rebecca, myself and our two daughters want to thank everyone for their prayers and concerns during the last few weeks. This was a difficult decision to make, but the right decision. Our staff has been together a long time and I have full confidence in Coach Claeys and them during my time away. Every decision that will be made will be in the best interest of the players and the program. I look forward to returning to the Minnesota sideline on a full-time basis soon."

Here's Joe Schad talking about the absence after his last seizure...
((HT: ESPN))

Tubby Smith Can Pack His Bags, Too...

Busy day...

But does this mean: Since Minnesota beat UCLA in Round One and Ben Howland was fired...
And since Florida beat Minnesota in Round Two and Tubby Smith was fired...

Tubby Smith

That the loser of the Florida-Gulf Coast game finds employment elsewhere...

If it's Andy Enfield, it's probably true... Billy Donovan- not so much...

Minnesota bought out the remaining four years of Smith's contract according to Jeff Goodman over at CBSSports.com.

The Gophers had signed Smith to a three-year extension through the 2016-17 season in July.

He is making close to $2 million annually, with a $600,000 base salary plus 5 percent annual raises back-dated to 2008 and "supplemental compensation" of $1.2 million.

Smith's language in his contract says that if he's gone before April 30, 2016 (which he now is), the university pays one-half of his base salary and supplemental compensation for the remainder of the deal- not to exceed $2.5 million.

The Gophers finished 21-13 (8-10 in the Big 10/12)...

And, now, the new AD Norwood Teague (formerly of VCU) probably will pursue his old coach Shaka Smart to be the new BMOC.

Here was the Gophers last win of the season...
((HT: NCAA.com/TruTV))


More when we know more...

Okay, So All Of Our Brackets Are Dead... FGCU, LaSalle, Minnesota, Iowa State

Florida Gulf Coast, LaSalle, Iowa State, and Minnesota...

A 15, a 13, a 10, and an 11... to add to all the 12's that won...
Usually, the way the tournament works is that if one day is calm, the other one is a mess...

Friday was a mess...

FOSG Gil Tyree warned the world about Florida Gulf Coast since, of all things, FGCU was hanging out at the GPB Sports hotel during the Atlantic Sun Tournament/GHSA Basketball Championships. He commiserated with them and, apparently, knew what a lot of us didn't... that they could knock off a 2-seed...

Here's the, naturally, stunned Georgetown folks...
((HT: CSNWashington))


LaSalle knocked off Boise in the First Four in Dayton and got Kansas State...
Kansas State got an eyeful of the Explorers... LaSalle got a big lead, blew it late, and held on at the end...
((HT: TruTV/NCAA))


Iowa State knocked off Notre Dame and it wasn't even close...
The HQ thinks the Irish deserved it for breaking out the neon green on national television...
Jack Cooley and Pat Connaughton called it "embarrassing."

Maybe so...
((HT: NCAA.com/CBS))


And, surprising no one, when UCLA was going to be missing Jordan Allen the HQ knew the Bruins were in trouble...
They were... Tubby Smith and Minnesota were their standard amount of trouble makers...
An 11 knocks off a 6...
By 20...
((HT: NCAA.com/TruTV))

Buzzer Beater: Illinois For The Win--The Gus Johnson Call

Ahh....all is right with the world.

The weather is beginning to warm, It's March, we are nearing NCAA Tournament time and in fact it is conference tourney season.

And we got our Gus fix today.

Check out the last play of the Illinois/Minnesota game Thursday afternoon in the Big 10 Tourney.

Illini guard Brandon Paul has the ball last...and, well, you know what's next.

Enjoy your Gus!

Nothing Says The Holidays Like Jerry Burns Attempting To Sing

((HT: KSTP-TV))

The folks over at BringMeTheNews get credit for this one...

Admittedly, the HQ has been through various situations where we have had to fill countless sports segments with content when there's nothing else going on...

And we've given the joke about the Aloha Bowl where the game-time temp was 86 and with the wind chill- 85...

((Insert laugh track))

But the folks over at KSTP gathered a lot of local sports stars together to, ahem, sing carols...

Evidence below...


See...???

Kill Suffers Another Seizure At Halftime Of MSU Game

((HT: BTN))

Minnesota Gophers coach Jerry Kill suffered a seizure at halftime of the Gophers' 26-10 loss to Michigan State but was not taken to the hospital. This is the second time he has suffered a seizure this season in a game situation- the first back in October in the game against Northwestern.

Kill was attended to by the team's medical staff and, according to Dawn Mitchell at MyFoxTwinCities and her Twitter, the coach's vital signs are good and he will be resting at home this evening.

He has suffered from seizures for the better part of the past two decades as a by-product of his fighting cancer.

Kill has never missed an entire game because of his seizures or their treatment, but he has had them on game days dating back over a decade to his time at Northern Illinois.

Here's Leveon Bell running for a touchdown in the 26-10 win over Minnesota


Bell finished with 266 yards on the ground as both teams finished 6-6

AJ Barker Leaves Gopher Football, Sends E-Mail To Coach Kill (UPDATED: Kill Responds))

((HT: Tumblr.com))

AJ Barker is, apparently, not one to mince words- especially when it comes to feeling slapped around verbally by his coaching staff at Minnesota...

So he quit...

Here's the Postscript... the whole letter is worth your time- including the Appendix...

The fact you think I think I have life “all figured out” just shows how fundamentally wrong you are about me. Learning is a life long hobby and I’m dedicated to the quest of figuring more and more things out untill the day I die. I’ve realized over time, like many others, the more I learn the less I know.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to apologize to my teammates and fans. This is extremely hard for me to do and I spent the last 4 years doing everything I could to make it work here. I understand that leaving you is a very hard thing to deal with. I’m not out to get you. Take this moment of betrayal I am forced to do to you and use it to fuel the team in your game against MSU and in our bowl game. I hope you kick their butts, I’ll be cheering for my teammates. The harsh reality is we all have a limited time to play college football. It goes by fast. 13 months from now I will be forced to move on from college football regardless of what I do. It breaks my heart to cut you off before that time, and it kills me I won’t give the U of M the legacy I had hoped to leave behind. This is life, however, and goes on with or without us. There’s no doubt that with you all in mind, this is a self serving response to a terrible situation, and I hope you can forgive me of that eventually.

I also hope this can motivate other players on the team that have been mistreated and other collegiate athletes to stand up against unreasonable psychological abuse and manipulation by their coaches/superiors.

The bottom line was that the emerging receiver claims he was abused by head coach Jerry Kill and his coaching staff after Barker suffered an ankle injury last month. Barker was the team's leading receiver in catches and touchdowns...

Evidence below...
((HT: GopherAthletics))


Minnesota has responded with the standard "released statement..."
Here's an interview Barker did with KARE-TV in the Twin Cities...
And Kill responded this afternoon... ((HT: KARE-TV))

OSG High: High School Soccer Fight! High School Soccer Fight!

((HT: NWCT-Twelve.TV/KARE11))

Prairie Seeds High and Totino-Grace played a tight 2-1 game last Thursday night, and it ended with a bunch of fists and a bunch of kids probably getting suspended if they're not seniors...

It's now in the hands of the po-po...


But it gets better...

The Minnesota State High School League investigated and found that a transfer student athlete to Prairie Seeds was not qualified because a student transfer form was not filled out. The MSHSL disqualified Prairie Seeds as a result and is looking into as many as ten Prairie Seeds players involved with the fight will be suspended.

Here was the initial report from late last week...

More when we know more...

Gophers' Kill Suffers Post-Game Seizure (SUNDAY UPDATE)

Minnesota coach Jerry Kill suffered another seizure- this time after Saturday's loss to Northwestern. He was taken to an undisclosed, local hospital.

Kill has had a seizure disorder since being diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2005.

He also suffered a seizure on the sideline during a game last September and had to be hospitalized. He returned the following week.

Here was that event as it aired on Big Ten Network...


Here's the release from the University of Minnesota:

“Kill was immediately attended to by team medical personnel before being transported to a local hospital by ambulance as a precaution. He is currently alert and resting comfortably.

To respect Kill’s privacy during this time, the name of the hospital where he is receiving care will not be released.

University officials said that they do not anticipate further information on Coach Kill’s condition being available Saturday night, but are hopeful about being able to provide an update on Sunday.”

The school hopes to have an update tomorrow.

SUNDAY UPDATE: They do have an update...

Thankfully, Kill was released from the hospital. Gophers DC Tracy Claeys told local reporters that were assembled for a quick, day-after press conference that the seizure was "minor" and that Kill could be with the team as early as this afternoon for team activities.

Awesome: Minnesota RB gets hit so hard logo falls off

((ht: yahoo/dr.saturday))

Those of you watching Big 10 football early Saturday afternoon might have noticed something odd during the Minnesota/Northwestern game.

Take a CLOSE look at this video. In it, Minnesota RB Donnell Kirkwood breaks clear...briefly during a draw play. Kirkwood gets hit.

Gets hit hard.

In fact...he gets hit so hard that something flies off his helmet.

That "Thing"...the "M" logo from his helmet. You could say, Northwestern knocked the "M" out of him.

Thank you very much, we'll be here all week. Make sure to tip your waiters and waitresses.