ALEX KARWOWSKI: Hello, hello, and welcome back to The Gold Standard. I’m Alex Karwowski, your Minnesota Daily sports editor. And I’m joined here today with campus activities reporter, Ahmed, and the producer of The Gold Standard, Ceci. What’s up guys?
CECI HEINEN: Hello.
AHMED HASSAN: How you doing Alex?
KARWOWSKI: Oh, I’m so well, I’m so glad you asked, but yeah, it’s been a while. I mean, we’ve been trying to figure out just reevaluating the podcast, figuring some things out, but you know, we’re back, we’re here. The podcast isn’t going anywhere, we just made a couple of tweaks.
Anyway, yeah, so in that time a lot of Gopher sports have happened. So let’s get right into it. Gopher football lost to Rutgers, but it didn’t seem like the loss affected them all too much. They were ranked number five in the Big Ten going into that game, and I believe they’re still ranked number five. Ahmed, you got any, any thoughts on that game?
HASSAN: I think the biggest area of concern for me was 35 rushing yards. I mean, you look at this team, you know they’re a running team.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah. Classic Gopher football.
HASSAN: Classic Gopher football, and I mean, you got Darius Taylor, so you expect them to really emphasize on the run game. So seeing that stat is concerning to me. It is, especially in this game against Rutgers that, you know, you’d put the Gophers as favorites in, but it is a typical Minnesota game to lose.
You know, when, when all the odds are in your favor, you know, Minnesota always tends to, you know, go the other way of the odds and they more so disappoint. But that’s the biggest concern to me. I felt like other than that, it wasn’t a terrible game. I felt they did good in the pass game, but that run game just needs to be better.
KARWOWSKI: You hit it right on the money, like the Gophers have this tendency to win games that they shouldn’t, and lose games they should win. And it was, it was kind of like a back and forth matchup, but like, it kind of seems like they took Rutgers for granted throughout the entire game.
HASSAN: I agree. And I mean, I think that’s just in any sport, you can’t take your opponent for, for granted. You just can’t. That’s just, that’s a fact. Like, you gotta play every game like it’s your last game.
But I mean, I was impressed with Brosmer. I mean 27 completes for 45 attempts. It wasn’t a bad game. His QB rating was about 88.45, so about 88%. He didn’t have a terrible game, but again, only one touchdown.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah. It seems like if you’re, especially if you’re Athan Kaliakmanis, I think he really wanted to win this game. And our football beat reporter, Andrew was saying that like they dodged every single question about Kaliakmanis at the pregame or the midweek press conference. He was asking them about it and they just didn’t want to like address it or acknowledge it at all. Which is kind of typical media and P.J. Fleck and all that jazz, but.
HASSAN: Yeah, but I mean, you can definitely tell there’s some frustrations and I mean, just to, I don’t think they’re going to think too hardly on this one, but I think they need to reassess some things in my opinion. Because you can’t go from beating all these top teams and going on such a good run to losing to a team like Rutgers when Minnesota is having a really good progressive streak right now.
It’s just it’s not really the best look and it’s not a good consistent factor that you want to build this program off of. Obviously there’s some, you know, things that happen along the way, but if you want to be a top contender, you got to win those games and you got to dominate in those games. Consistency is everything.
KARWOWSKI: Right. Fortunately for the Gophers, they’ll have this week a bye week. So they don’t have any games this weekend. I guess by the time you’re listening to this, last weekend. They do play Penn State, it’s their next matchup. It’ll be a home matchup. Final home game for the Gophers before going over to Wisconsin for their final game of the season. Which is on Black Friday this year, kind of interesting. It’ll be a new thing, I guess.
HASSAN: I think Penn State’s going to be a really good game and, Wisconsin, we’re going to have to wait and see what happens.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah.
HASSAN: But I think Penn State’s really going to be a deciding factor of how they’ll go into that Wisconsin game, in my opinion.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah. You know, if you were to ask me as a student of this university, I would hope that the Gophers win every single game, every single year. But, obviously the sports is sports and anything can happen.
But, I don’t think they’ll beat Penn State. But I think it’ll be a pretty close game against Wisconsin. And I think there’s opportunity to beat them there. Especially after losing the Axe last season at home. I think they’re gonna want some revenge.
HASSAN: I’m just gonna say this, I think the Gophers have too much to prove. I think they have a chip on their shoulder at home in front of their fans after the Rutgers game. I mean when you’re back home after a good away stretch you have something to prove.
KARWOWSKI: That’s true.
HASSAN: I think they’re gonna come out and they were gonna do what they should have done. And I think Darius Taylor is gonna have a much better game than he did on against Rutgers.
KARWOWSKI: I believe he’s hurt right now, but he’s got the bye week to kind of recover.
HASSAN: Exactly, that’s kind of why I’m thinking he’ll be back because if you didn’t have the bye week it’d be a little more questionable. But I think he’ll be back for the Penn State game, and I think he wants to be back for the Penn State game. You know, I call these players dogs, and I think Darius Taylor fits into the category of a dog on this team.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah, no, I 100% agree, but yeah, I guess time will tell. Also, I forgot to mention that Ceci is here, and she’s listening. She’s on the podcast. But she will be strictly speaking about the WNBA.
HASSAN: She’s our expert.
KARWOWSKI: So let’s talk about volleyball. They played Washington and Oregon. They were upset by Washington in four sets and then they were swept by Oregon. What do we think?
HASSAN: It’s not fun losing two games in a row. I mean, when this team has had a good home record. They were seven and one going into this game at home. Or into these two matches. And to, you know, lose two in a row, like, at home it’s, it raises some concerns. That’s what I’m gonna say.
It raises some concerns because they’re a good team. I mean, they’re still above 500. They’re still ranked. They still have a good record, but I mean, at home is just you know, one loss fine, it happens. But I think two losses, and especially, you know three and 0 against Oregon. It raises questions and I think when something’s raising questions, you need to reevaluate what happened.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah. And Emmett, our volleyball reporter was saying that Keegan Cook was a little upset after the Oregon match. It’s kind of the time of year where all students are just kind of like going through it right now with finals coming up and it’s kind of the end of the semester, but like not really, we still got quite some time.
But, he said that I believe, just volleyball is kind of what they have to keep at the forefront and they’re kind of just like didn’t really. It’s hard to focus on volleyball when they’re students.
HASSAN: 100%. I mean, I think people forget, you know on top of being athletes, they are students. They have mental health too. And I think when you’re juggling so many things at once it can get complicated and it can get stressful. But I think it has a bigger effect than we know on it. They’re human too.
KARWOWSKI: Right. And I think Oregon is just like a, it was a top 15 matchup at home in front of a sold out crowd. And Oregon is just historically like a pretty solid volleyball program. And, you know, they kind of came out swinging.
The Gophers allowed 13 service aces against Oregon. And I think just the serve receive is another issue and point of emphasis for Keegan Cook as they kind of reevaluate and take this next couple days to figure out what to do next.
They play Nebraska, which as we know was the National runner up last season and kind of the “volleyball capital of the world.” So it’ll be interesting to see how they play them, especially on the road.
HASSAN: But let me tell you this Alex. There are players that step up to the moment.
KARWOWSKI: That’s true.
HASSAN: And all I’m saying is this has the makings of an upset. You know away from home, on a two game losing streak, against a top dog in number two ranked Nebraska. I think if I’m these Gopher volleyball players, they have something to prove. Not just to the fans, but to themselves. And I think you could possibly see an upset against a very, very, very good team
KARWOWSKI: But yeah, so certainly some, some issues, some things to prove. Play Nebraska, and then they play Michigan at home. Sold out crowd for that one at Maturi Pavilion.
Speaking of playing games at home, Nov. 15, Gopher soccer hosts the first round of the NCAA Tournament against South Dakota State, Jackrabbits. You looking forward to that game?
HASSAN: I’m very much looking forward to that game. I think this Gopher team are the real deal. I think, you know, that Penn State game was tough. That Penn State game was tough because, in my opinion, you know, watching the game and everything that goes within it, it’s 90 minutes.
It’s 90 minutes for a reason. That means you can’t lose your focus for one minute, because that one minute you lose your focus is the minute that they’ll score on you.
KARWOWSKI: And that they did.
HASSAN: And that they did. And I mean, it was, it’s heartbreaking, but, you know, their season isn’t over. They have the NCAA tournament, and I think this is everything to play for.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah, and especially so before that Penn State game the Gophers were undefeated at home until, of course, they lost to Penn State. But, with that record I feel like you know, they got that like behind them. To be like, “Yeah we haven’t lost a game at home except for the one Penn State game.” But like let’s just forget about that and you know, I’m sure Gopher fans will show out.
HASSAN: It’s a new season. It’s just, it’s plain and simple like that. You know, this is their first NCAA bid since 2018. They’re at home with a very very very good home record. I mean it’s moments like these, you know when you’re in these tournaments, nothing else that happened prior to the season happens, you’re just in that moment. It really doesn’t matter. It’s a 90 minute game. Eleven players on each side, unless somebody gets a red card. It’s everything to play for.
It doesn’t matter what the tactics are. It doesn’t matter what you do. All that matters is that they win. And I think this Gopher team has everything it takes to win. It’s just, will they step up to the moment, and can they keep their focus for 90 minutes?
KARWOWSKI: Well, let’s talk about Khyah Harper for a minute. This is her first full season where she’s been healthy. I think she was the Big Ten Forward of the Year. She’s had quite a dominant season.
HASSAN: When you’re a player, you know, when this is your first full season, and again, I go back to this, but, cause it’s true, but people have stuff to play for. In Harper, 17 goals. Like she was first in game winning goals and fifth in points.
I mean, that alone tells you the story of, you know, these quality players when they’re playing, when they’re healthy, you’re gonna see a whole different ball game. And, and, she’s the first Gopher to win this since April Bockin in 2018.
It says a lot about her, and I’m very high up on her, but now it’s the question of playoffs, you know, like the tournament. What are you gonna do that you didn’t do already in the regular season? Can you show us something different now?
Because she’s obviously proven, when it comes to pressure, She’s done it six times, she’s shown, “Hey, I’m gonna go get you that game winning goal. Hey, I’m gonna score seventeen goals in this season. And I’m gonna be the Big Ten Forward of the Year.”
But now, can you do it on the biggest stage? And so that’s my question to her. Can you, are you gonna fold under pressure, or are you gonna be the star?
KARWOWSKI: Yeah. No, that’ll be interesting to see. But you know, Gophers Women’s Basketball plays UMass Lowell tonight. They’ve won their first two games of the season. Both were relatively solid wins. It’s been great to see Mara Braun, Amaya Battle and all these new players kind of contribute.
I know Annika Stewart led the game in points in the first game. 18 over Mara Braun 17, which I thought was pretty interesting. I mean, she’s a transfer. I mean, yes, she’s got four years of experience playing college ball over in Nebraska, transferred to her home state, Minnesota. She went to Wayzata, so she knew Mara Braun. She knew Brynn Senden, both Wayzata teammates.
HASSAN: You know, when you think about it, these are all stuff that really speak loud to players. I mean, when you’re back in your hometown, I mean, it’s been, what, four years she’s playing in Nebraska?
KARWOWSKI: Yeah.
HASSAN: She’s probably now seeing her family, especially if she’s from Wayzata, more times than none. She already has chemistry with these other players. I think we’re gonna see a lot of experience, maturity and comfortability.
KARWOWSKI: And it’s not only her that’s returning to her home state, but Taylor Woodson, former Hopkins player, played with the Amaya Battle at Hopkins. Returning home after a season at over at Michigan, playing for the Gophers and was also another very dominant figure in that first game against Central Connecticut State.
HASSAN: Two dominant wins to start this season. But I think now the test is, can you keep that up? Are you gonna keep dominating? Because if you dominate these, you know, these little smaller games, that’ll kind of tell the tale of what you can do in the against the bigger teams.
HEINEN: When you have the good team chemistry, you can really like pull together and get tough wins, especially in the Big Ten. Now that the U is going to be facing USC, JuJu Watkins, UCLA. Like they’re going to have a much tougher season in my opinion, but I could see them going to the tournament.
KARWOWSKI: Yeah. I think that’s going to be the big story of the season — is this an NCAA tournament team? And I think it’s been really cool to see Mara Braun develop her game.
I think we saw last season she was really working on the step back threes, which is really cool to see. Definitely a shooter, but now it seems like she’s been more aggressive on the ball. I think she had eight steals in the last game, which was a new record for a single game in Minnesota history. So it’s been really cool to see her develop that element of her game.
But yeah, I think her being kind of one of the solid leaders on the team, along with Amaya Battle, Niamya Holloway, and then Mallory Heyer, it’s just going to do wonders for the recruiting team. Do you want to talk about WNBA?
HEINEN: Yeah, I mean, so it is a bit in our past now. And I will say that after all this time I have gotten over the Minnesota Lynx losing in the championship.
KARWOWSKI: I haven’t.
HEINEN: It took me a while. Yeah, I’m better now and you know what will be, we lost. Congrats to the Liberty. All I can say is it was a great final. It was a great five game series. And I’m really looking forward to the WNBA next year, especially with the addition of a new team coming out of Golden State, the Golden State Valkyries. That will be very interesting.
KARWOWSKI: Isn’t Portland getting a new team as well?
HEINEN: Yes, Portland, Toronto and Golden State officially, I believe, have teams lined up. And it just makes my heart happy because I think the WNBA is just.
KARWOWSKI: They’re ballers.
HEINEN: They are and I love them. But yeah, I just think that this next season of the WNBA is going to be even better. We’re gonna have a seven game final. They just made that change.
KARWOWSKI: They could probably use that this year.
HASSAN: I felt like this finals, I felt like I was robbed of more because we had, we got so much and I’m just sitting there like, wow.
HEINEN: You know, you wouldn’t think that the two star players on those teams, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, you would not think they were friends after that. But, they actually co-own a new women’s basketball league that is going to be starting January 2025.
It’s called Unrivaled and it’s a 3v3 league, which will feature 36 of the best women’s basketball players in the game. Some Minnesota favorites will have Courtney Williams out there, Kayla McBride, obviously Napheesa, and then you’ll also have Angel Reese. You’ll have Kahleah Copper, Jewell Loyd, like it’s absolutely stacked.
And, I think this 3v3 league is a great thing for women’s basketball, especially because we’re currently in the WNBA offseason and typically at this time, and currently, you’ll see a lot of players going overseas to play for kind of random teams. Because, I mean, they don’t make enough money in the regular season, I think to you know, keep themselves afloat in the offseason.
And so yeah, I bet many of you heard about what happened with Brittney Griner. She currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury, and last winter she was detained in Russia.
KARWOWSKI: In Russia, yeah.
HEINEN: And she was there for a year and it took like diplomatic relations to get her back. Which I think is just absurd. Like I think it shook a lot of people up in the WNBA, and it made a lot of people not want to travel abroad to play anymore and so I think that that was like the seed that planted this 3v3 league.
And it is already setting records for providing some of the highest salaries women have ever received in sports. All 36 initial players are going to receive equity ownership. It’ll be eight weeks long, 3v3 full court, six different teams. And then obviously we’ll get a playoffs. We’ll get a championship. And then special thing that they’re doing which I am.
KARWOWSKI: But wait there’s more.
HEINEN: I’m so excited for this and I think this is going to be big. They are having a one on one single elimination tournament in February to determine the best one on one player in the world.
HASSAN: There’s the difference between you know, basketball and hooping. But what I think you’re gonna see here is a bunch of hoopers, you know, just yeah just hooping. And that’s kind of what the basketball culture is. That’s what a lot of, you know, hoopers on the streets, you know, young kids watching relate to.
HEINEN: Yeah. And I think these players are going to love that as well, because when you’re playing 3v3 and when you’re playing one on one, like you can really like put yourself out there and show what you’re good at and like be cocky. And I think almost all of these players want to be doing that.
HASSAN: I think it’s definitely amazing for the league. I love the trajectory its going in.
KARWOWSKI: Thanks again for listening. Really appreciate it. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, hot takes, disagreements, whatever it is. Just feel free to send me an email at [email protected].
But yeah, this podcast, The Gold Standard, was recorded by Alex Karwowski, Ahmed Hassan and Ceci Heinen, and it was produced by Ceci Heinen as well. So shout out Ceci. Thanks again for listening and I hope to see you next time on the Gold Standard.
