I'm neither a Glen Mason apologist or basher – I just think the school could get a lot more bang for its buck – but I'm wondering what you think of the Minnesota Gophers getting into a bowl game.

Is a 6-6 team that finished 3-5 in Big Ten games worthy of a bowl game?

Do you care?

Watching the Gophers, or any team for that matter, play in the Insight Bowl or the Alamo Bowl doesn't do much for me.

"Lesser" bowls are not as interesting to me. Considering the large size of the U of M, it would be nice if something could be done to improve the team.
I remember being on the U of M campus during the awkward period after the dome was built, but before Memorial Stadium was torn down. It sat empty for a while. I remember walking by and thinking how cool it was. If I remember correctly, the field was dug down into the ground.

Well, we can all relax now. The Twins have picked up all the players we need: a first basemen (Ken Harvey); a third baseman (Jeff Cirillo); a starting pitcher--oh wait, we didn't get one of those.

Let's hope players like Lew Ford, Phil Nevin, Rondell White and Carlos Silva will pull us through the playoffs because the Twins just can't compete in the free-agent market.

It's time baseball gets a salary cap so emphasis is placed on developing new talented players and not trading around over-paid, over-hyped athletes simply because there's no one else to pick from. While the luxury tax might be a nice thought, it's keeping no one from upping their salaries.

Perhaps my nostalgia for a salary cap comes from a greater desire to see salaries drop. Maybe I'm wishing that players like Mauer and Morneau would feel so loyal to their teams they'd be willing to take pay cuts. In that case, maybe salaries would come back to earth.

There are too many bowls, period. But that's not really my argument.

I'm just tired of hearing how the Gophers are that much better off with Mason when they haven't even played in a New Year's Day bowl game during his tenure.

Name me another Big Ten school that hasn't at least done that once in the last 10-15 years? Indiana hasn't. Illinois, maybe?

If we were to rank the conference football teams based on their success the last 10 years, Illinois and Indiana are the only teams I'd put below the Gophs.

That's not acceptable in my book. It's not something I'd brag about and it's certainly not worth a big fat contract extension for Mason.

It looks like the Gophers took a 180 from their approach to hiring a head football coach. Going after a big name basketball coach is a bold move by the Gophers, showing Joel Maturi is dedicated to improving the team. But is Tubby Smith the answer?

I'm not sure. What do you think? Does hiring a big name (with impressive NCAA experience) automatically bring in better recruits?

SCAM ALERT!!! Today i was nearly scammed but i won. I got home today and a construction company i think there called Hall Construction showed up saying they had asphalt to get rid of and would put it down in my driveway for only the cost of the material wich they told me would be 18 dollars a yard. I asked how many yards i would be getting but he told me however much was left on the truck. I know about trucks and how much they can haul as i drove one before myself. This truck that showed up full would have been arround 5 yards. So i decided sure i had 100 bucks i could use to help them and for me to get a driveway done. Sounded too good i was worried as they did the work. Again asking and getting the same answer. So i figured it would not be bad. They did the job and the dump truck was listed as i think Platinum somthin or else from texas. So they finished a nice driveway tonight and looks great. The guy came back later with no invoice or written bill or anything stating there was 87 yards down. Huh? Thats 1500 bucks. I know that truck would never haul 87 yards and never 1500 bucks worth of material. He told me it was not measured as cubic yards but i know it should be as anything in a dump truck like that is cubic yards sand, gravel, rocks, black dirt, even garbage. He told me it was measured as squares like carpet. I didnt belive him but told him there is no way i could afford the 1500 he wanted. He asked what i could and i said i had 200 availible but he said he didnt want to take all my money. He started to ask when i could have it but i just outright told him i could not afford that much. If i would have been told ahead of time i would have not done it but since i wasnt i figured things would be square and right. I even talked to a friend who told me yep that truck would hold 5 yards at the most. So when i told the guy i couldnt afford it and was just gonna offer they come dig it out he stormed off and said keep the job.

I am posting this in hopes others can see it and not get scammed by these people. I dont know where they came from the Hall trucks say in the cities but everyone had a southern accent. I know they asked all over my neighborhood. I think they are just goin arround doin this because if they were doing roads or any sizable jobs they would have much larger equipment than they do. All they have is small stuff only usable for small jobs like driveways.

BEWARE PEOPLE DONT LET THE SCAMMERS SCAM YOU LETS SCAM THEM BACK.