Marcus: I think the Gophers will have top 30 talent next season.

[BleedGopher]

In a Twitter exchange between Larry Fitzgerald and Marcus Fuller, Marcus is bullish on our talent next season:

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Go Gophers!!

 

[beavergopher]

Both statements are equally ridiculous.

 

[tikited]

Both statements are equally ridiculous.

The first quote is factually correct.

The second quote is optimistic but hardly ridiculous.

 

[station19]

Fitz Sr is an idiot pain is the ass.

He still thinks Tubby was fired because he is black.

 

[beavergopher]

Fitz Sr is an idiot pain is the ass.

He still thinks Tubby was fired because he is black.

Exactly!

 

[KyGopherfan]

Top 30 talent with a bottom 30 coaching staff. I wonder which one will win out next year.

 

[oleboy41]

From what I've seen from the frosh class I can certainly see (not predicting) this team being a tourney team next year IF the transfers and 2 of the 3 frosh can actually play. They'll have a lot more size and hopefully shooting next year on the wings.

 

[underground629]

The first quote is factually correct.

The second quote is optimistic but hardly ridiculous.

Top 30 program? Really?

 

[dpodoll68]

Top 30 program? Really?

We finished among the top 32 teams that season. You're calling him a liar because he said 30 instead of 32?

 

[Tim1406]

We finished among the top 32 teams that season. You're calling him a liar because he said 30 instead of 32?

I think the distinction is that many people would say winning an NCAA game doesn't make you automatically better than all of the other 32+ teams eliminated in different games. You finished ahead of them but that doesn't make you better. Also given our opponents mess in that game I don't give us the credit we'd otherwise deserve for that game.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I think the distinction is that many people would say winning an NCAA game doesn't make you automatically better than all of the other 32+ teams eliminated in different games. You finished ahead of them but that doesn't make you better.

If that's the case then the opposite is true is well. There are at least 15-20 teams every year that make the tournament that have no business being in the NCAA tourney other than they receive automatic bids from inferior conferences. Do you factor that in, as well?

 

[Tim1406]

If that's the case then the opposite is true is well. There are at least 15-20 teams every year that make the tournament that have no business being in the NCAA tourney other than they receive automatic bids from inferior conferences? Do you factor that in, as well?

I would but I'm not sure others do. I think that that year we were solidly about 40th plus or minus 5 spots. Just my personal opinion not based on anything other than subjectivity. (I like the autobids but if we were to take just the top 68 teams 10-15 of them wouldn't see the field.)

Edit: Top 30 implies really close to a top 25 team and I don't think that that UCLA win would have put us a 21-12 team into the top 25 discussion.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I like the auto bids as well. Just using those to make my point. Tournament wouldn't be the same if we just had the best 68 teams.

 

[Go4]

We finished among the top 32 teams that season. You're calling him a liar because he said 30 instead of 32?

assuming we finished 31 or 32 that year, you of all people would be calling him incorrect if it wasn't about tubby. so yes, if we finished 31 or 32 that year, fitz is 100% false in his statement.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Technically, Fitz Sr. is correct

To be factually correct, if we're basing this on tournament performance, in 2013 the Gophers finished between #17 and #32. And if we take it a step further -- taking tournament seeding into account, which is based on regular-season performance -- then Fitzgerald's reference to the top 30 is correct.

The following teams (with tournament seed) lost in the Round of 32.

#1 Gonzaga (#17)
#4 Saint Louis (#18)
#5 Ole Miss (tied for #19)
#5 VCU (tied for #19)
#6 Butler (tied for #21)
#6 Memphis (tied for #21)
#7 Creighton (tied for #23)
#7 Illinois (tied for #23)
#7 San Diego State (tied for #23)
#8 Colorado State (tied for #26)
#8 North Carolina (tied for #26)
#9 Temple (#28)
#10 Iowa State (#29)
#11 GOPHERS (#30)
#12 Cal (#31)
#14 Harvard (#32)

 

[Winasota Gopher]

We finished among the top 32 teams that season. You're calling him a liar because he said 30 instead of 32?

That's actually hilarious coming from you, king of technicalities.

Lets also not forget there is a difference between top 30 team and top 30 program. Not even you, the guy that often cites Alabama as a better job than Minnesota (not saying your wrong), could argue that Minnesota has or ever will be a top 30 program and certainly was not that when Tubby left and will not be with arguablly top 30 talent next season.

 

[Tim1406]

The crazy thing is it doesn't even matter. Say Fit is right. It doesn't matter. We fired Tubby we hired Pitino. What would he have us do now? Fire Pitino with his $7 million buyout? This is just sour grapes from Fitz Sr. there is going to be new athletic administration from that point.

Was it wrong to fire Tubby? It doesn't matter the person who did it is already gone. What will these sentiments do? absolutely nothing besides makeing the program live in the past.

 

[MaroonGold1]

To be factually correct, if we're basing this on tournament performance, in 2013 the Gophers finished between #17 and #32. And if we take it a step further -- taking tournament seeding into account, which is based on regular-season performance -- then Fitzgerald's reference to the top 30 is correct.

The following teams (with tournament seed) lost in the Round of 32.

#1 Gonzaga (#17)
#4 Saint Louis (#18)
#5 Ole Miss (tied for #19)
#5 VCU (tied for #19)
#6 Butler (tied for #21)
#6 Memphis (tied for #21)
#7 Creighton (tied for #23)
#7 Illinois (tied for #23)
#7 San Diego State (tied for #23)
#8 Colorado State (tied for #26)
#8 North Carolina (tied for #26)
#9 Temple (#28)
#10 Iowa State (#29)
#11 GOPHERS (#30)
#12 Cal (#31)
#14 Harvard (#32)

Actually if we're being factually correct we could just look at the final rankings. Tied for 40th

USA Today Coaches Poll
RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Louisville (31) 34-5 775
2 Michigan 31-7 744
3 Syracuse 30-10 696
4 Wichita St 30-9 643
5 Duke 30-6 607
6 Ohio State 29-8 594
7 Indiana 29-7 568
8 Kansas 31-6 533
9 Florida 29-8 530
10 Miami (FL) 29-7 487
11 Marquette 26-9 475
12 Gonzaga 32-3 444
13 Michigan State 27-9 440
14 Arizona 27-8 359
15 Oregon 28-9 320
16 Saint Louis 28-7 265
17 Georgetown 25-7 253
18 Memphis 31-5 185
19 New Mexico 29-6 165
20 Kansas State 27-8 147
21 Creighton 28-8 134
22 Wisconsin 23-12 101
23 VCU 27-9 99
24 La Salle 24-10 97
25 Florida Gulf Coast 26-11 91
Others receiving votes: Butler 76, Oklahoma State 63, Ole Miss 27, North Carolina 26, California 23, Baylor 23, Iowa State 16, Saint Mary's 15, Illinois 13, Colorado State 11, Temple 8, Pittsburgh 8, Iowa 7, UCLA 3, Notre Dame 1, Minnesota 1, Belmont 1, Weber State 1

 

[SelectionSunday]

Actually if we're being factually correct we could just look at the final rankings. Tied for 40th

USA Today Coaches Poll
RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Louisville (31) 34-5 775
2 Michigan 31-7 744
3 Syracuse 30-10 696
4 Wichita St 30-9 643
5 Duke 30-6 607
6 Ohio State 29-8 594
7 Indiana 29-7 568
8 Kansas 31-6 533
9 Florida 29-8 530
10 Miami (FL) 29-7 487
11 Marquette 26-9 475
12 Gonzaga 32-3 444
13 Michigan State 27-9 440
14 Arizona 27-8 359
15 Oregon 28-9 320
16 Saint Louis 28-7 265
17 Georgetown 25-7 253
18 Memphis 31-5 185
19 New Mexico 29-6 165
20 Kansas State 27-8 147
21 Creighton 28-8 134
22 Wisconsin 23-12 101
23 VCU 27-9 99
24 La Salle 24-10 97
25 Florida Gulf Coast 26-11 91
Others receiving votes: Butler 76, Oklahoma State 63, Ole Miss 27, North Carolina 26, California 23, Baylor 23, Iowa State 16, Saint Mary's 15, Illinois 13, Colorado State 11, Temple 8, Pittsburgh 8, Iowa 7, UCLA 3, Notre Dame 1, Minnesota 1, Belmont 1, Weber State 1

Can't argue with that. Proof that there are several ways to argue whether the Gophers were a "top 30 program for the 2013 season".

Personally, I'd say the Gophers were a "top-30 team" that season when everything is factored in (regular season, quality of their best wins (6 in the RPI top 50), overall strength of schedule (#5), NCAA performance, etc.), but I would agree with Winasota that the Gophers were not a "top 30 program" when Tubby was let go. I was simply offering an argument with facts based on the way Fitzgerald presented it (Round of 32 = top-30 program in 2012-2013 season).

 

[Winnipegopher]

Back to the original point. If they are a top 30 team, Coach Pitino will be coach of the year.

Teams don't go from winning 0-2 conference games to 9-11 very often.

 

[builtbadgers]

your so right. The gophers may have been a top 40 team in TS last year but as a program historically it has not been close to top 75. Does this program even have a .500 record in Big 10 history.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Interesting to see what the conference schedule will be next year. Someone pointed this out elsewhere, but Gophers not likely to get as favorable of a B1G schedule as they did this year. Play Illinois, Northwestern, and Rutgers twice + Penn State & Nebraska once = 8 of the 18 conference games this season, and we have yet to win any of those.

Illinois (they own us), Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin probably teams we don't want to all play twice next season.

 

[bemidjigopher]

Interesting to see what the conference schedule will be next year. Someone pointed this out elsewhere, but Gophers not likely to get as favorable of a B1G schedule as they did this year. Play Illinois, Northwestern, and Rutgers twice + Penn State & Nebraska once = 8 of the 18 conference games this season, and we have yet to win any of those.

Illinois (they own us), Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin probably teams we don't want to all play twice next season.

calling it first two will play once, the latter three will get twice, Sparty and OSU we've played once the last two years so will get them twice, Illinois and Michigan played them twice this year. Sconnie I always want them twice

 

[bga1]

Can't argue with that. Proof that there are several ways to argue whether the Gophers were a "top 30 program for the 2013 season".

Personally, I'd say the Gophers were a "top-30 team" that season when everything is factored in (regular season, quality of their best wins (6 in the RPI top 50), overall strength of schedule (#5), NCAA performance, etc.), but I would agree with Winasota that the Gophers were not a "top 30 program" when Tubby was let go. I was simply offering an argument with facts based on the way Fitzgerald presented it (Round of 32 = top-30 program in 2012-2013 season).

One thing is certain- Tubby certainly did NOT leave the team or the program in top 30 shape. The top 30 finish (if it was) was a mountain top for Tubby that included no season over .500 in the BT. The talent he left behind was older and took a great job by Pitino to get an NIT run out of it. There was no young talent in the cupboard after 2 lousy recruiting classes. So this is just Fitz Sr. being who he is.

 

[dtrain19]

Poll question: How long before we stop talking about Tubby and if he deserved to be fired?

I'll say it'll be a decade...I'm an optimist.

 

[bemidjigopher]

Poll question: How long before we stop talking about Tubby and if he deserved to be fired?

I'll say it'll be a decade...I'm an optimist.

Who knows we still talk about Mason on the football board and he was three coaches ago

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Poll question: How long before we stop talking about Tubby and if he deserved to be fired?

I'll say it'll be a decade...I'm an optimist.

After Pitino goes to the Sweet 16 two years from now.

 

[The Lorax]

We finished among the top 32 teams that season. You're calling him a liar because he said 30 instead of 32?

Winning a game in the NCAA tourney doesn't make you a top 30 program. Dayton made the elite 8 two years ago as an 11 seed, were they a top 8 program in the country?

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

One thing is certain- Tubby certainly did NOT leave the team or the program in top 30 shape. The top 30 finish (if it was) was a mountain top for Tubby that included no season over .500 in the BT. The talent he left behind was older and took a great job by Pitino to get an NIT run out of it. There was no young talent in the cupboard after 2 lousy recruiting classes.

The Foster & Ellis class was not going to help either.

 

[underground629]

We finished among the top 32 teams that season. You're calling him a liar because he said 30 instead of 32?

Hahaha, I knew your dumb@ass would chime in about that in order to defend your hero. Let me get this straight: you think how a team finishes in postseason play 100% reflects the state of a program? If a team loses every game of the season until the conference tournament but then goes on a magical run to win their conference tournament and make the round of 32, they're suddenly a top 30 program? Are you really that rigid to not understand the difference between a top 30 finish and a top 30 program?