GnG Staff: Gopher things we’re thankful for

OCT 29, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Gophers mascot Goldy Gopher dresses up as a ninja turtle at halftime against the Iowa Hawkeyes at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-US PRESSWIRE

The Thanksgiving Holiday annually marks the tail end of football season, the beginning of basketball, and the assent to midseason form for both men’s and women’s hockey.

This Thursday, your omniscient Gold and Gopher staff writers reflect on the first three months of University of Minnesota athletics in the 2011-2012 season.

Things we’re thankful for:

Despite starting three quarterbacks, burning a few redshirts, and pissing off a former wide receiver (who will go nameless), Jerry Kill’s Gophers are going to a bowl game, sitting at six wins with a shot at beating Michigan State on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium. A year ago, the Gophers had two wins at this time. — Frank

Tubby Smith’s Golden Gopher basketball squad is looking solid (and injury free for the most part) as they take on No. 5 Duke on Thanksgiving in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. Sixth year power forward Trevor Mbakwe certainly has a lot to be thankful for, coming back from a torn ACL almost exactly a year ago and dodging a bullet by avoiding possible jail time after getting arrested for a DUI and violating his probation from an earlier incident. — Frank

Norwood Teague. Thank you for being reasonable but also firm as the freshman athletic director. We know your workload has probably quadrupled since you made the transition from Virginia Commonwealth University to Minnesota, but damn, have you managed bad publicity well. No one has been fired (cough Saul Smith cough) nor has there been civil unrest among Gopher nation, despite a rocky first semester. — Frank

The NEW Siebert Field. Baseball at the U of M has been a hermit crab without a real shell for the last decade or more. With moving back and forth between the Metrodome, the old Dick Siebert Field, and recently Target Field, head coach John Anderson now has a new turf complex to call home for hopefully years to come. Having an on campus ballpark harkens back to the days of Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor, and yes, Glen Perkins. Now they just need to install lights and fix up SE 8th St. to get there. — Steve

The women’s hockey team has a lot to be thankful for this year as they continue to break records like nobody’s business. Just last weekend they nabbed the title of  longest consecutive winning streak in NCAA history with their 22nd win Saturday against Minnesota State. Young chicks with sticks across the State of Hockey have to be thankful in Amanda Kessel, who is on track to break the all-time leading points scored record. The last time there was a forward this good for young players to imitate was quite some time ago (Natalie Darwitz). With the sport enjoying immense growth among young girls every season, Kessel is a real role-model. We can also be thankful that this team is so young and talented. It looks like the Lady Gophers are going to be a force for years to come, which means it should be quite some time (thankfully) before we have to half-heartedly cheer for the Bulldogs in the postseason. — Ashley

The glitz and glam of the new LED fascia boards and scoreboards in multiple facilities. When TCF Bank Stadium opened with it’s giant scoreboard and cool in-game animation, watching a game next door at Williams Arena felt drab. Now sitting in the Barn Yard student section is easier than ever with flashing lights telling you to ‘GET LOUD’!  It should distract students long enough from their phones to stand up and shout. At Mariucci Arena, the new video scoreboard takes our eyes of those gaudy nets that they had to install to protect us from errant St. Cloud State shots. — Steve

Last but not least, thank goodness we don’t have to play North Carolina.