Former Gopher Jim Petersen says to be patient with Pitino and Minnesota

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Marcus:

“They are going to bring in some really super talented kids,” he said. “People just need to hang on and give coach Pitino a chance to get his imprint on this team. It takes time to turn the tide once you take over the job. I think next year will be the turning point for that staff.”

Fans have been highly critical of Pitino, especially after his team got outscored 23-6 to lose the lead in the 86-77 loss to the Nittany Lions on Tuesday.

“But I like Coach Pitino,” Petersen said. “I’ve known (assistant) Ben Johnson forever. Ben Johnson and I have been friends for a long time. Your heart breaks for them when they had a chance to win a game against a top team like Michigan State. If they made free throws, they would have won. They had a chance to win the Penn State game after being up eight and didn’t score again. It was tough.”

The Gophers lack an inside presences, but Petersen says that problem will definitely be answered with Lynch, the nephew of former Gopher and Wolves television analyst Kevin Lynch. Peterson would know. He was a big man for the Gophers from 1981-84 and he played eight years in the NBA from 1984-1992. He sees NBA potential in the 6-foot-10, 260-pound Lynch, who played in the same AAU program (Minnesota Pump N Run and now D1 Minnesota) with his son in high school.

“I think that what impresses me the most with Reggie is his physicality and how big and strong he is,” Petersen said. “There just aren’t very many guys in the Big Ten like him. Only A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas with Purdue. Reggie mixes in the physicality in with the athleticism and his ability to run the floor. His shot blocking is such a game changer, because he’s got great timing and he doesn’t get himself out of position and gamble. He does it strategically, which I really like.”

http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers...all-pregame-jim-peterson-thinks-pitinos-team/

Go Gophers!!
 

I'd prefer Jim Pete at this point, anyone who listens to a Wolves game would agree.
 


I get why people are mad. But tonight's game was a bad performance by a bad team.

We all already knew they were bad, now we throw all kinds of outrage over a poor performance. It's a long season, you're gonna get hurt jumping on and off the bandwagon with every inconsistent game.

They are young, not deep at all, the seniors they have are the farthest thing from big 10 seniors you can be and they are playing with 3 less scholarships than a coach would normally have.

You can't, and they won't, and they shouldn't Fire Pitino after this season.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
They are young, not deep at all, the seniors they have are the farthest thing from big 10 seniors you can be and they are playing with 3 less scholarships than a coach would normally have.
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This is the frustrating part for me. Obviously the Jarvis Johnson situation is unfortunate for everyone and no one's fault. But the staff agreed to take two transfers, knowing what they already knew about Gaston, Konate and Buggs - and King's limitations. So they knew all four of those guys were what they were, and then agreed to take on two transfers. For a team with so many guys with limitations, we really needed as many options as we could get, unless Fitzgerald and Lynch are absolute difference makers - then there is a some understanding for taking both guys on scholarship for three years when we are only getting two years of production out of them, but if they aren't difference makers next year, then this is big time error in roster management that is really hurting us this year.

Go Gophers!!
 


Winasota Gopher said:
I get why people are mad. But tonight's game was a bad performance by a bad team.

We all already knew they were bad, now we throw all kinds of outrage over a poor performance. It's a long season, you're gonna get hurt jumping on and off the bandwagon with every inconsistent game.

They are young, not deep at all, the seniors they have are the farthest thing from big 10 seniors you can be and they are playing with 3 less scholarships than a coach would normally have.

You can't, and they won't, and they shouldn't Fire Pitino after this season.
Click to expand...

When was the day we jumped on?
 

BleedGopher said:
This is the frustrating part for me. Obviously the Jarvis Johnson situation is unfortunate for everyone and no one's fault. But the staff agreed to take two transfers, knowing what they already knew about Gaston, Konate and Buggs - and King's limitations. So they knew all four of those guys were what they were, and then agreed to take on two transfers. For a team with so many guys with limitations, we really needed as many options as we could get, unless Fitzgerald and Lynch are absolute difference makers - then there is a some understanding for taking both guys on scholarship for three years when we are only getting two years of production out of them, but if they aren't difference makers next year, then this is big time error in roster management that is really hurting us this year.

Go Gophers!!
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I don't wanna spend the year being a Pitino apologist(because I'm not and also because that would get really tiring here), but two spring freshmen weren't going to make a bit of difference this year or next year. That plus balancing classes make those signings ok with me.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
I don't wanna spend the year being a Pitino apologist(because I'm not and also because that would get really tiring here), but two spring freshmen weren't going to make a bit of difference this year or next year. That plus balancing classes make those signings ok with me.
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Exactly. Bringing in two more freshman this year instead of the transfers would bring us back to playing all freshman again in 5 years.
 

I believe in Jim Peterson when he isn't on the payroll.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
 



Jim peterson is an idiot. He is a horrible tv announcer who uses stupid basketball terms/phrases to try to make people think he is smart. I hope he finds a job somewhere outside of minnesota so I don't have to hear his stupid opinion on anything. Coach Pitino has shown he is not a good coach, but without an AD we can't fire or hire a new coach. Maybe our AD/villa 7 will give coach p. another contract extension so he doesn't leave for a better opportunity. Our Gophers are a mess, but We Will be Better Next year or the year after that or maybe sometime in the future. There's always next year as Jimmy Peterson says. Be patient for what????
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Exactly. Bringing in two more freshman this year instead of the transfers would bring us back to playing all freshman again in 5 years.
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We could have brought in a JUCO player or two, especially when we knew we'd have a big issue down low.

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
We could have brought in a JUCO player or two, especially when we knew we'd have a big issue down low.

Go Gophers!!
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You're assuming a juco big was available and willing to come here. I agree with you, but I think it's possible Pitino thought this put us in a better spot for the program.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
You're assuming a juco big was available and willing to come here. I agree with you, but I think it's possible Pitino thought this put us in a better spot for the program.
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You are correct - I am assuming that and who knows what we tried or what was available. Bottom line is, Fitz and Lynch better be impact players. We've mortgaged a big part of this season on that analysis.

Go Gophers!!
 



Winasota Gopher said:
I get why people are mad. But tonight's game was a bad performance by a bad team.

We all already knew they were bad, now we throw all kinds of outrage over a poor performance. It's a long season, you're gonna get hurt jumping on and off the bandwagon with every inconsistent game.

They are young, not deep at all, the seniors they have are the farthest thing from big 10 seniors you can be and they are playing with 3 less scholarships than a coach would normally have.

You can't, and they won't, and they shouldn't Fire Pitino after this season.
Click to expand...

This wasn't just a "poor performance", this was the 5th worst home loss in the history of one of the oldest buildings in college hoops. It didn't come to Duke, or Kentucky, or MSU. It came to perennial B1G bottom-feeder Northwestern. We got embarrassed, at home, by a bad team.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
This wasn't just a "poor performance", this was the 5th worst home loss in the history of one of the oldest buildings in college hoops. It didn't come to Duke, or Kentucky, or MSU. It came to perennial B1G bottom-feeder Northwestern. We got embarrassed, at home, by a bad team.
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I didn't know teams with a 14-3 record were now considered bad teams.
 


bobmartinfan said:
Jim peterson is an idiot. He is a horrible tv announcer who uses stupid basketball terms/phrases to try to make people think he is smart. I hope he finds a job somewhere outside of minnesota so I don't have to hear his stupid opinion on anything. Coach Pitino has shown he is not a good coach, but without an AD we can't fire or hire a new coach. Maybe our AD/villa 7 will give coach p. another contract extension so he doesn't leave for a better opportunity. Our Gophers are a mess, but We Will be Better Next year or the year after that or maybe sometime in the future. There's always next year as Jimmy Peterson says. Be patient for what????
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Pretty much just mad at the world today, right?
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
This wasn't just a "poor performance", this was the 5th worst home loss in the history of one of the oldest buildings in college hoops. It didn't come to Duke, or Kentucky, or MSU. It came to perennial B1G bottom-feeder Northwestern. We got embarrassed, at home, by a bad team.
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But it's still the same team that played msu tough is all I'm trying to say. Pitino and this team shouldn't be evaluated on a game by game basis.

I agree. Terrible loss. But I disagree with what it means.
 

BleedGopher said:
You are correct - I am assuming that and who knows what we tried or what was available. Bottom line is, Fitz and Lynch better be impact players. We've mortgaged a big part of this season on that analysis.

Go Gophers!!
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Is sacrificing this season worth it if the long term benefits actually come to fruition? Meaning Lynch and Fitz make next year and the following good teams?
 

bobmartinfan said:
Jim peterson is an idiot. He is a horrible tv announcer who uses stupid basketball terms/phrases to try to make people think he is smart. I hope he finds a job somewhere outside of minnesota so I don't have to hear his stupid opinion on anything. Coach Pitino has shown he is not a good coach, but without an AD we can't fire or hire a new coach. Maybe our AD/villa 7 will give coach p. another contract extension so he doesn't leave for a better opportunity. Our Gophers are a mess, but We Will be Better Next year or the year after that or maybe sometime in the future. There's always next year as Jimmy Peterson says. Be patient for what????
Click to expand...

You need to be more objective. If you are going to say all nice things about Peterson you need to balance it out with some negative comments.
 

Jim Peterson has been the only thing making the Wolves somewhat watchable the last few years. Guy's a gem, I'm suprised he isn't coaching somewhere.
 

Holf said:
Jim Peterson has been the only thing making the Wolves somewhat watchable the last few years. Guy's a gem, I'm suprised he isn't coaching somewhere.
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Isn't he an assistant for the Lynx?
 


A "bad team"? Hardly. NU is not as good as Mich St, Maryland, Iowa or Ohio St. They can beat anyone else IMO.
 


Winasota Gopher said:
But it's still the same team that played msu tough is all I'm trying to say. Pitino and this team shouldn't be evaluated on a game by game basis.

I agree. Terrible loss. But I disagree with what it means.
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So you're saying that our team is bipolar?

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

The Gopher radio announcers were mentioning that the Gophers were nearing the tough part of their Big 10 schedule. Based on their play to date, it is hard to see the Gophers winning more than 2 games in the Big 10 this year. My concern is that Fitzgerald and Lynch did not look that good in the early scrimmages (the definitely did not appear to be difference makers). We have all seen that depending upon freshman to make huge contributions early is optimistic. It will be awhile before the Gophers are competitive in the Big 10. Some display of progress would be nice to see.
 


Whether he meant to or not, Pitino is basically going "all in" on next season. With the 2 transfers and the 3 incoming recruits, plus a year of experience for the 4 freshmen, next year is looming as a make-or-break season for Pitino with the Gophers. If the team shows significant improvement, Pitino probably buys himself some time to see if he can develop the program.

But, if we see some of the same issues next year, I can see fan support and booster support vanishing.

And - assuming the U has a new permanent AD by next year, if things don't look a lot better, there will be no procedural barrier to a coaching change.
 

No way to make significant improvement easier to achieve than having the worst possible season ever???
 

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