Absolutely. The Gophers haven't been this successful in years. No coach will be able to do anything until they get an on-campus stadium anyways. Besides, who are they going to get instead? A no-name unproven coach that will play for a pittance. No thanks. Give me Mason.

I think we should go another direction if there are any decent coaches willing to come here. Mason is a good recruiter and he seems to get the most out of his players, but he is one of the worst on-the-field coaches I've ever seen. I don't think he ever called 2 pass plays in a row all season long. I really think the Gophers might have the best receiving corps in the Big Ten, but they are totally underused.

And today's disappointing loss gave us some perfect examples of his inept play-calling. How many times did we run on third down? And who the hell throws a Hail Mary with 40 seconds left?

The downside of going with another unproven coach is the risk of returning to the dark ages, that's for sure. But, seventh in the Big TelevEN and a loss in the Music City Bowl? I'm not an alumnus, but I am a football fan. But, I've never seen a Gopher game and this season's performance won't inspire me to go.

Our neighbors to the East sucked until they brought in Alvarez. He didn't take them to three Music City bowls, he took them to three Rose Bowls (and won).

[Silence...]

A radio caller today wondered why the U should pay this guy, when any coach can go 6-5 with the cupcake schedule that the Gophs have. And why in the world would they give him a raise?

I am not very happy about that Mason's contract is going nowhere. In fact, I am very angry. I am convinced now that he will be gone and that he will likely not coach the Gophers next year. That angers me to no end. Now we may lose lot more recruits because of the unstability of the coaching situation. How the hell we are going to lose a good thing is beyond me? I don't even think Mase is even asking for much. I always got that impression that Gophers AD Joel Maturi and Gophers president Robert Rubiniks are not a big fan of Mason and it started when Mason rejected an extension couple of years ago I think. That's when it started to get ugly.

Look Mason is not an elite college football head coach, but he is still pretty darn good. I think he has done a better job with recruiting and I think he has done a better job of making this program as legit as they can. I believe in him. I think he can lead us to the promise land. He is getting there. With the new stadium about to be approved, things will get better I like to see Mason there when the new stadium is opened and I like to see us finally get to the Rose Bowl under Mason. The Gophers are not far off. Why ruin a good thing?

Now you say the Gophers could go hire Bo Pellini, George O'Leary, or Mike Price. Newsflash! They are going to want more than what Mason has demanded. If anything, Mason's contract will be much reasonable compare to what those guys want. You know the Gophers are not going to pay those guys if they are not going to pay Mason. They are likely going to hire an assistant coach from Mason's staff to be the head coach. I am all for hiring David Lockwood, the defensive coordinator who did a great job with the defensive unit this year, but this is just his first year at that role. I like to see him get more time in that role and then eased his way to the head coaching role. I don't want to rush Lockwood just yet.

I really just wonder how serious the Gophers are in ever being a big-time college football program when it comes to that. If you read today's Strib, Sid really hit the nail in the head of what has gone on with the way the Gophers have handled Mason.

It's just business as usual for the Gophers and I don't mean it as a compliment. It's stuff like this is why the Gophers never go to the Rose Bowl.

Newsflash! Sid Hartman NEVER hits a nail on the head.

Moss doesn't mean to be snide, but Sid always has an agenda and therefore cannot be an accurate reporter. He is completely unobjective. He is the biggest Gopher pimp in the world. He thinks the Gophers football team is going to be in the Rose Bowl every year and that the coach walks on water. He is anti-administration in almost every instance.

"...with the cupcake schedule that the Gophs have."

Almost all the computer ranking systems have the Gophers in the top 10 in the nation in strength of schedule. Just having to play in the Big Ten practically guarantees a rather difficult schedule. And for the handful of schools that do schedule a difficult non-conference matchup or two, there are a lot more who play teams from the mid-majors.

But Mason hasn't managed to hardly improve the defense at all. If they're going to keep him on, he'd better have an awfully good reason why he will be able to improve the defense when he hasn't been able to

"Our neighbors to the East sucked until they brought in Alvarez. He didn't take them to three Music City bowls, he took them to three Rose Bowls (and won)."

On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin
Thank you SBG!

Bye Glen, we hardly knew ya.

Moss: Let's face it. The university does not want to pay Mason because he is cheap. Mason deserves the money he is getting. Mason defines Gophers football. Mason is the face of Gophers football. He is the reason why recruits want to play at the U. He is the reason players play hard. He is the reason why the Gophers get awesome running backs year after year. That's what I was talking how Sid hit the nail in the head. He cited how the university is cheap.