2022 Transfer Portal Discussion

Perhaps an inside track for the Ramblers is in order from an earthly perspective. From a divine perspective, it's hard to believe anyone who had both an offer from the Ramblers and the Gophers would choose the Ramblers. Simply doesn't make sense.;)
Ben Johnson played with Spencer's old coach at Northwestern
 


Legend indeed! I truly believe the dalliance with the Texas A&M trio really set the program back a few steps last year. Add McNeilly to the Mount Crushmore of Gopher hoops with Ganglehoff for writing papers, Russ Archambault for fighting Khalid El-Amin, and a pantheon of others.
Huh? please share, I don't know how I missed this before.
 




Best summary is here... about mid way down.

Khalid and Russ

Khalid was committed here at the time. I recall that he reopened his recruitment not long after this occurred.
thanks for the link. I don't know how I ever missed this before. In my opinion a stupid way for Clem to handle frustration and anger between players. There are higher ideals to teach rather than pugilism. The ideal would be to battle it out on the court with 1 v 1 basketball and if you can't handle losing or winning with good sportsmanship then give out discipline that isn't violent. Besides if you can't handle being beat in 1 v 1 basketball on a basketball team you will be a cancer on the team and we don't wan't you.

Here is the text from the link for those interested:
Coach Clem Haskins used to keep boxing gloves in the cart that was brought to the court for practice. And when Coach Haskins said "Get the Gloves!" a student manager's job was to run to get them so the players that were ready to fight, could throw down with boxing gloves. Fights?

There were some fun ones.

The most famous was the Khalid El-Amin vs Russ Archambault battle in the early fall of 1996. Khalid regularly came up to Williams Arena to run with the team and on this day he was running all over Archambault. Khalid scored on Russ possession after possession, and of course talked trash after every basket. This happened over several games and finally after Khalid went at Russ for a basket and told him about it again. Russ then swung at him and knocked Khalid to the ground. Russ then went at Khalid when his back was on the ground swinging hard. Luckily for Khalid, John Thomas grabbed Russ around the waist and flung him the other direction before things got to scary.

Khalid showed up on campus for several other open gyms, for a number of unofficial visits, and an official visit. The fight didn't stop Khalid from playing in several more open gyms and taking visits.
 

On transfers - here is my perspective.

when you judge a transfer - or a new HS recruit for that matter -

the question is not whether he or she is better than the best player on your roster.

the question is whether he or she is better than the worst player on your roster.

if you bring in a new player, and that player is better than the worst player on your roster, then you have improved the roster.

it's one thing to dream about bringing in a "superstar" player. But, in the real world, the goal is to improve your roster. and as long as the new player you bring in is better than the worst player currently on your roster, you have improved the roster.
True to a degree but you also have to factor in who left to open up the spot in the first place. For example, if Payton Willis leaves and we fill his place with someone marginally better than Thiam, I wouldn't say our roster is improved. Improving the bottom of your roster doesn't improve your roster per se.
 





thanks for the link. I don't know how I ever missed this before. In my opinion a stupid way for Clem to handle frustration and anger between players. There are higher ideals to teach rather than pugilism. The ideal would be to battle it out on the court with 1 v 1 basketball and if you can't handle losing or winning with good sportsmanship then give out discipline that isn't violent. Besides if you can't handle being beat in 1 v 1 basketball on a basketball team you will be a cancer on the team and we don't wan't you.
To be clear, the Khalid/Archambault fight was not 'sanctioned.' I don't even remember if Clem was there. It might have just an assistant as this was not yet in season. It took place quickly in the heat of the battle on the court. Russ was a boxer so it wouldn't have been pretty.

Interestingly, this is how my grandfather had dad and my uncle solve their differences... in the 1950s! Clem was old school and it worked at the time.
 



He should consider a team in a major conference with almost no point guard depth that will run PG-friendly schemes.
And where they feed him some food. Needs a few pounds.
2734 points. I don't know if I could do that in my driveway. He will easily finish in the top ten in college history.
 
Last edited:









Well, it seems a lot of guys are seriously in play to become Gophers if this many guys are visiting.
More than 10 guys either have visited or have scheduled visits coming up, right? I think we are going to land a nice group.
Dawson Garcia
Parker Stewart
Isaiah Thompson
Nick Honor
Cam Spencer
Josiah Strong
Ta'Lon Cooper
Hunter Mc Intosh
Walton speculation
who else is a serious possibility?
 
Last edited:

Well, it seems a lot of guys are seriously in play to become Gophers if this many guys are visiting.
More than 10 guys either have visited or have scheduled visits coming up, right? I think we are going to land a nice group.
Love that positivity!
 

Grant Sherfield just entered the portal. He'd be another dream pickup but assume he's going to get huge offers
 



Grant Sherfield just entered the portal. He'd be another dream pickup but assume he's going to get huge offers
Didn't he almost commit here out of high school? I thought he was a guy we thought we were going to get but changed his mind......if so, interesting to know if he'd give us another look.
 




Hope Ben passes on Antoine Davis and Parker Stewart. Davis has averaged around 20 shots a game for his career, and his shot selection can be horrible at times. No guarantees he'd be willing to be more of a team player on a better squad. And I wasn't impressed at all with Stewart when watching Indiana last year.
 

Didn't he almost commit here out of high school? I thought he was a guy we thought we were going to get but changed his mind......if so, interesting to know if he'd give us another look.

IIRC he wanted to come here, but his parents wouldn’t sign the NIL and wanted him to stay local at Wichita State.
 




Top Bottom