gophers/ncaa
Top 12 Minnesota sports stories of 2012: Gophers football
- Article by: MICHAEL RAND , Star Tribune
- Updated: December 20, 2012 - 12:22 AM
Gophers linebacker Keanon Cooper is reminded of the late Gary Tinsley — friend, roommate, teammate — each time he passes a mural of him.
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The end of 2012 is quickly approaching; as such, we have compiled a list of the top 12 Minnesota sports stories -- positive or negative -- from the year. We'll be counting them down every weekday from now until Jan. 1, when the top story will run. Here is No. 9:
The newsy year that was for Gophers football: Strictly speaking in terms of on-field matters, the Gophers football program should be quite pleased with how 2012 is playing out. They made undeniable progress on defense, which keyed a season that saw them double their victory total from three to six in the span of a year. And while only two of those six victories came in Big Ten play, it was enough to get them into a bowl game for the first time since 2009 -- bringing extra practices and exposure among other benefits. The team is rightfully optimistic about the future.
Off the field, however, it was a year of tragedy and drama. The death of linebacker Gary Tinsley in April shook the team; while it became a rallying point for the season, it was still a story filled with much sadness. Coach Jerry Kill continued to battle seizures, missing the second half of the regular-season finale against Michigan State as a result.
Far less serious but still headline-making were two other episodes: News that the athletic department spent $800,000 to get out of two future games against North Carolina did not sit well with the fan base, while A.J. Barker's abrupt departure from the team -- and scathing 4,000-word explanation -- provided another unwelcome distraction.
Perhaps the best news for the Gophers is that they get to end the year with that bowl game -- Dec. 28 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Texas Tech -- instead of with the lingering off-field news.
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| Cincinnati | 3:30 PM |
| Houston |
| Minnesota | 7:00 PM |
| Green Bay |
| Indianapolis | 1/6/13 12:00 PM |
| Baltimore |
| Seattle | 1/6/13 3:30 PM |
| Washington |
| Cleveland | 106 | FINAL |
| Charlotte | 104 |
| Brooklyn | 115 | FINAL |
| Washington | 113 |
| Sacramento | 105 | FINAL |
| Toronto | 96 |
| Atlanta | 84 | FINAL |
| Detroit | 85 |
| Chicago | 96 | FINAL |
| Miami | 89 |
| Indiana | 75 | FINAL |
| Boston | 94 |
| Philadelphia | 85 | FINAL |
| Oklahoma City | 109 |
| Portland | 86 | FINAL |
| Memphis | 84 |
| Houston | 115 | FINAL |
| Milwaukee | 101 |
| Utah | 87 | FINAL |
| Phoenix | 80 |
| LA Lakers | 102 | FINAL |
| LA Clippers | 107 |
| TX A&M-CC | 57 | FINAL |
| Sam Houston St | 61 |
| Yale | 61 | FINAL |
| Holy Cross | 54 |
| Manhattan | 55 | FINAL |
| Saint Peters | 53 |
| Iona | 66 | FINAL |
| Siena | 62 |
| George Washington | 41 | FINAL |
| Georgia | 52 |
| Brown | 47 | FINAL |
| Rhode Island | 59 |
| Cleveland State | 50 | FINAL |
| Valparaiso | 74 |
| Rider | 65 | FINAL |
| Loyola-Maryland | 71 |
| Wofford | 48 | FINAL |
| Tulane | 62 |
| Savannah State | 59 | FINAL |
| Saint Louis | 67 |
| Memphis | 85 | FINAL |
| Tennessee | 80 |
| Texas Southern | 57 | FINAL |
| Alcorn State | 48 |
| Grambling St | 56 | FINAL |
| Alabama State | 69 |
| Jackson State | 87 | FINAL |
| Alabama A&M | 88 |
| Prairie View | 45 | FINAL |
| Southern U | 50 |
| Fordham | 68 | FINAL |
| Ole Miss | 95 |
| (5) Oregon | 35 | FINAL |
| (7) Kansas State | 17 |
| (10) Texas A&M | 41 | FINAL |
| (12) Oklahoma | 13 |
| Pittsburgh | 12:00 PM |
| Ole Miss |
| (25) Kent State | 1/6/13 8:00 PM |
| Arkansas State |
| (2) Alabama | 1/7/13 7:30 PM |
| (1) Notre Dame |
| Siena | 62 | FINAL |
| Canisius | 65 |
| Fordham | 71 | FINAL |
| American Univ | 50 |
| TX A&M-CC | 46 | FINAL |
| Sam Houston St | 65 |
| Jackson State | 48 | FINAL |
| Alabama A&M | 66 |
| Grambling | 60 | FINAL |
| Alabama State | 68 |
| Texas Southern | 61 | FINAL |
| Alcorn State | 45 |
| Prairie View | 55 | FINAL |
| Southern U | 60 |
| Navy | 59 | FINAL |
| Richmond | 65 |
| Youngstown St | 58 | FINAL |
| VA Commonwealth | 45 |
| Temple | 58 | FINAL |
| Howard | 61 |
| Loyola-Maryland | 54 | FINAL |
| Fairfield | 64 |
| Iona | 76 | FINAL |
| Niagara | 65 |
| UCF | 59 | FINAL |
| Bowling Green | 56 |
| Marist | 62 | FINAL |
| Rider | 47 |
| Bradley | 54 | FINAL |
| Indiana State | 55 |
| Northern Iowa | 41 | FINAL |
| Illinois State | 72 |
| (7) California | 55 | FINAL |
| Utah | 50 |
| SD Mines & Tech | 53 | FINAL |
| Colorado State | 97 |
| USC | 56 | FINAL |
| Oregon State | 55 |
| (16) UCLA | 89 | FINAL |
| Oregon | 80 |
| Arizona | 71 | FINAL |
| Washington St | 65 |
| Arizona State | 74 | FINAL |
| Washington | 77 |
| (4) Stanford | 57 | FINAL |
| (20) Colorado | 40 |
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