All Things Dawson Garcia Recruitment Thread (Class of 2020): UPDATED: Gophers Offered

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Top 75 players in the portal:

20) Dawson Garcia, 6-11, 230, F, Soph., North Carolina
The Numbers: 9.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg
The Scout: “He’s a versatile forward that just didn’t fit at North Carolina. I know he said he left to be closer to family, but I think there was more to it than just that. Garcia was more productive as a freshman, but was just a piece in Chapel Hill.

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bga1 said:
Is it a certainty that he can play right away?
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Death and taxes are the only certainties. Dawson has documented his family hardship situation and left a Final Four team mid-season to come home. If that doesn't mean near certain approval...not sure how much better of a case you could have to be granted a waiver?
 


60's Guy said:
Death and taxes are the only certainties. Dawson has documented his family hardship situation and left a Final Four team mid-season to come home. If that doesn't mean near certain approval...not sure how much better of a case you could have to be granted a waiver?
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If Robbins and Gach got cleared a couple years ago it'd be REALLY hard to believe (and stomach) if he didn't.
 

Unregistered User said:
IT'S NOT A MINNESOTA THING!

Every state faces this. I picked the stinking badgers, and the state of Virginia, since Virginia produces so much more talent and they also won a friggin' national championship in 2018, so you think they'd be able to keep their best talent "home", right? 8 of 115 ranked players (2017 - 2022) in VA stayed in state, and ZERO went to the University of Virginia. I did not cross reference to see if any of these players even had an offer from the 2 schools I'm focusing on, but that is not the purpose of this exercise.

WI guys from the past 6 years that left the state, or did not go to the badgers (ranked per 247):

Entire ranked class of 2022: Seth Trimble, Leon Bond, Danilo Jovanovich, Jeffery Brazziel, Learic Davis, Steven Clay, Anfrew Rohde, Donovan Short

Entire ranked class of 2021: Patrick Baldwin Jr, Tyrese Hunter, Brandin Podziemski, David Joplin, Kobe Johnson, Logan Landers

Class of 2020: Jalen Johnson, James Graham, Alex Antetokounmpo, Isaac Lindsey, Darius Hannah (the Davis boys stayed)

Entire ranked class of 2019: Deontay Long, David Skogman, Xzavier Jones, Nobal Days, Marcus Domask

Entire ranked class of 2018: Tyler Herro, Joey Hauser, Jordan McCabe, Tyrese Haliburton, Keshawn Justice, John Diener, Mitch Listau, Jordan Dinsmore

Class of 2017: Terrence Lewis, Philip Flory, Alou Dillon, Owen Hamilton (Kobe King stayed)

Virginia:
Class of 2022 - 13 players ranked, 1 stayed in state at VCU
Class of 2021 - 13 players ranked, 1 stayed in state at Richmond
Class of 2020 - 22 players ranked, 2 stayed in state at VT
Class of 2019 - 22 players ranked, 2 to George Mason, 1 to James Madison
Class of 2018 - 21 players ranked, 1 stayed in state at Old Dominion
Class of 2017 - 24 players ranked, 1 stayed in state at ODU
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Good work here, but think about it, none of those Wiscy guys went to Minnesota but look at all the ranked Minnesota guys that went to Wiscy. So we are clearly worse off as far as I can tell and it isn't close.
 
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bga1 said:
Is it a certainty that he can play right away?
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Not a certainty but I'd say it's fairly likely. They'll need to apply for a waiver but I think the fact that he left UNC in midseason actually helps his cause. He has enough stature as a player that we should take him even if he had to sit out a year.
 

bfriedrichs10 said:
If Robbins and Gach got cleared a couple years ago it'd be REALLY hard to believe (and stomach) if he didn't.
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Neither Robbins nor Gach were potential program changing recruits. Dawson is. In the conditioned paranoia all Gophers fans should live in, we must believe that the NCAA will find a way to deny or delay eligibility. Perhaps lose his filing and not get to it until late January!

Never forget Marcus Carr. He would have been a huge difference maker the year they denied him. May the locusts fall perpetually on Pitt!
 










Holy Man said:
Neither Robbins nor Gach were potential program changing recruits. Dawson is. In the conditioned paranoia all Gophers fans should live in, we must believe that the NCAA will find a way to deny or delay eligibility. Perhaps lose his filing and not get to it until late January!

Never forget Marcus Carr. He would have been a huge difference maker the year they denied him. May the locusts fall perpetually on Pitt!
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Change your best, Holy Man! The paranoia is self inflected... we can do better!
 


ecoperson said:
So do we just pack up the tents and fold the program like U of Chicago, aspire towards the middle of the B1G, or work our tails off to overcome this? This board has talked about all of the reasons that it is more difficult to win here countless times.

As I have said many times, our fans need to play a bigger role in elevating the status of this program in the community. Let's face it... the U has competition here in the pro leagues that many P5 schools are not up against.

The U suffers from a visibility problem in the TC. In some areas of outstate MN, you are more apt to see UND, NDSU, IA, ISU, and WI gear than Gopher gear. This needs to change. We need the U of M to be the dominant brand.

Here is a short list of some easy ways to make a difference in elevating the brand:
  1. Wear your Gopher gear proudly at every opportunity. Organize a wear our Gopher jersey to work tradition on Fridays.
  2. Buy Gopher gear as gifts... especially for children and new friends from out of state.
  3. Donate Gopher gear and toys for Toys for Tots drives and similar requests for donations.
  4. Provide Gopher gear/toys/tickets to charity auctions.
  5. Attend as many games with the target market in #2 as possible to help inculcate a love for the program or, at minimum, a connection to the program.
  6. Be a super fan... decorate your office/cube with Gopher paraphernalia, steer conversations away from the Vikes and to the Gophers at every opportunity, or organize a team function to include a Gopher connection like a game or tour of TCF, etc.
  7. Try to emphasize the positive and be less negative... the target market in #2 picks up on this negativity which lessens their positive perception of the program. Once lost, this target market is nearly impossible to gain back.
We can't be a national brand until we are a local one. We CAN make a difference.

Row the Boat, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers!
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I like your thoughts here, and I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this one:

"Buy Gopher gear as gifts... especially for children and new friends from out of state."

I grew up in eastern South Dakota, deep in the heart of Minnesota Vikings country (while out in western South Dakota on the other hand, that's much more the realm of Denver Broncos fans). Now, this was back in the '70s, when the Vikings had some damn good teams year after year after year, and while my Dad and brothers were TOTALLY into them, I just couldn't even be bothered to care. I was a fan of Gophers football, but when it came to pro football and all the Vikings hype and hoopla going on around me, for whatever reason, that just didn't 'take' when it came to me. I was just not at all interested in any of it.

Well, when I was 9 years old, for Christmas my Dad (and I have literally NO idea why, and now that he's passed on, that was, is, and ever shall remain one of the enduring mysteries of my lifetime), under the guise of 'Santa', bought me an absolute SHIT-TON of Dallas Cowboys gear, I mean he went all out. We're talking sheets, blankets, pajamas, sweatshirts, t-shirts, a little Roger Staubach jersey :love:, and on and on and on. He loaded me UP with Cowboys gear, and from that point forward, I was ALL about the freaking Dallas Cowboys (I know, I know, sorry....NOT sorry!), still am, and always will be 🙂

Now, as a diehard Vikings fan, I have absolutely no idea why 'Santa' chose to load me up with nuttin but Dallas Cowboys (of all teams!) gear that fateful Christmas (maybe there was a sale at the mall or something? 🤗), but holy crap did he save my bacon, man. Seriously. From the age of 9 onward, I've been privileged to witness just a ton of great Dallas Cowboys players, teams, and of course the '90s Super Bowl championships.

Long story short, in some kind of random (or miraculous) quirk of fate, my father saved me from the ongoing tragedy of being a Vikings fan, and instead steered me towards a fandom that although we're in the midst of a decades-long drought, has provided a sense of true joy to me for many years now (thank you Dad. I love you, and miss you.), and all because he bought me that gear when I was still an impressionable child.

That really 'took', thank God. :giggle:
 


MNVCGUY said:
I still have a hard time calling it a whiff when we lose a top rated instate guy to Duke, Carolina, Gonzaga....I also think fans sometimes struggle to understand why a high school kid with tons of exciting opportunities doesn't have the same love for the University of Minnesota (using us as an example but this applies basically everywhere) that a diehard fan does.

Obviously we all want kids growing up wanting to be a Gopher but it is tough to fault a kid for chasing an opportunity to go play at a top school, especially in basketball.
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Good post. I graduated in 85 and if I was good enough to have earned a scholarship to play football on a national level, I wouldn’t have gone to the U; many in here wouldn’t have either, I suspect. Plenty of that apathy is the school’s fault for viewing athletics as an intrusion on itself, vs being a value add/essential part of the collegiate experience.

I had hung up my kicks after my illustrious 10 grade B squad campaign, leaving a trail of tears as I departed as the team leaders in techs, dribbling 2 high without palming the ball and my patented Clark Kellogg finger roll move ( my unofficial stat).

I skipped walking on to the U to play D2 baseball in Colorado (I mostly observed). Walking on for football in that era was different, as they cast a wider net and you could have many more players on a roster/dress in then, than now. Nebby was famous IIRC for the numbers they used 2 generate.
 
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ecoperson said:
So do we just pack up the tents and fold the program like U of Chicago, aspire towards the middle of the B1G, or work our tails off to overcome this? This board has talked about all of the reasons that it is more difficult to win here countless times.

As I have said many times, our fans need to play a bigger role in elevating the status of this program in the community. Let's face it... the U has competition here in the pro leagues that many P5 schools are not up against.

The U suffers from a visibility problem in the TC. In some areas of outstate MN, you are more apt to see UND, NDSU, IA, ISU, and WI gear than Gopher gear. This needs to change. We need the U of M to be the dominant brand.

Here is a short list of some easy ways to make a difference in elevating the brand:
  1. Wear your Gopher gear proudly at every opportunity. Organize a wear our Gopher jersey to work tradition on Fridays.
  2. Buy Gopher gear as gifts... especially for children and new friends from out of state.
  3. Donate Gopher gear and toys for Toys for Tots drives and similar requests for donations.
  4. Provide Gopher gear/toys/tickets to charity auctions.
  5. Attend as many games with the target market in #2 as possible to help inculcate a love for the program or, at minimum, a connection to the program.
  6. Be a super fan... decorate your office/cube with Gopher paraphernalia, steer conversations away from the Vikes and to the Gophers at every opportunity, or organize a team function to include a Gopher connection like a game or tour of TCF, etc.
  7. Try to emphasize the positive and be less negative... the target market in #2 picks up on this negativity which lessens their positive perception of the program. Once lost, this target market is nearly impossible to gain back.
We can't be a national brand until we are a local one. We CAN make a difference.

Row the Boat, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers!
Click to expand...

Great post - love the enthusiasm and common sense approach.

Master, the beverages are ready for Group 2 now -

1650110203843.png
 

Seany said:
I like your thoughts here, and I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this one:

"Buy Gopher gear as gifts... especially for children and new friends from out of state."

I grew up in eastern South Dakota, deep in the heart of Minnesota Vikings country (while out in western South Dakota on the other hand, that's much more the realm of Denver Broncos fans). Now, this was back in the '70s, when the Vikings had some damn good teams year after year after year, and while my Dad and brothers were TOTALLY into them, I just couldn't even be bothered to care. I was a fan of Gophers football, but when it came to pro football and all the Vikings hype and hoopla going on around me, for whatever reason, that just didn't 'take' when it came to me. I was just not at all interested in any of it.

Well, when I was 9 years old, for Christmas my Dad (and I have literally NO idea why, and now that he's passed on, that was, is, and ever shall remain one of the enduring mysteries of my lifetime), under the guise of 'Santa', bought me an absolute SHIT-TON of Dallas Cowboys gear, I mean he went all out. We're talking sheets, blankets, pajamas, sweatshirts, t-shirts, a little Roger Staubach jersey :love:, and on and on and on. He loaded me UP with Cowboys gear, and from that point forward, I was ALL about the freaking Dallas Cowboys (I know, I know, sorry....NOT sorry!), still am, and always will be 🙂

Now, as a diehard Vikings fan, I have absolutely no idea why 'Santa' chose to load me up with nuttin but Dallas Cowboys (of all teams!) gear that fateful Christmas (maybe there was a sale at the mall or something? 🤗), but holy crap did he save my bacon, man. Seriously. From the age of 9 onward, I've been privileged to witness just a ton of great Dallas Cowboys players, teams, and of course the '90s Super Bowl championships.

Long story short, in some kind of random (or miraculous) quirk of fate, my father saved me from the ongoing tragedy of being a Vikings fan, and instead steered me towards a fandom that although we're in the midst of a decades-long drought, has provided a sense of true joy to me for many years now (thank you Dad. I love you, and miss you.), and all because he bought me that gear when I was still an impressionable child.

That really 'took', thank God. :giggle:
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Maybe your Dad wanted his son to be part of "America's Team?" The Boyz have been expert marketers and apparently robbers of at least one nine year old's soul😎.

I sincerely hope that you have the original Staubach jersey and or have replaced it throughout the years! Great stroy!!
 



Bad Gopher said:
Toooooo soon, man.

But as long as we're on the subject...Doug Wrenn anyone?
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Wow that’s a blast from the past. I remember when Clem was recruiting him I’d call a recruiting hotline several times a day for updates. When my wife saw the jump in our phone bill I had some explaining to do. I told her at least it wasn’t phone sex. She was not amused.
 

Seany said:
I like your thoughts here, and I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this one:

"Buy Gopher gear as gifts... especially for children and new friends from out of state."

I grew up in eastern South Dakota, deep in the heart of Minnesota Vikings country (while out in western South Dakota on the other hand, that's much more the realm of Denver Broncos fans). Now, this was back in the '70s, when the Vikings had some damn good teams year after year after year, and while my Dad and brothers were TOTALLY into them, I just couldn't even be bothered to care. I was a fan of Gophers football, but when it came to pro football and all the Vikings hype and hoopla going on around me, for whatever reason, that just didn't 'take' when it came to me. I was just not at all interested in any of it.

Well, when I was 9 years old, for Christmas my Dad (and I have literally NO idea why, and now that he's passed on, that was, is, and ever shall remain one of the enduring mysteries of my lifetime), under the guise of 'Santa', bought me an absolute SHIT-TON of Dallas Cowboys gear, I mean he went all out. We're talking sheets, blankets, pajamas, sweatshirts, t-shirts, a little Roger Staubach jersey :love:, and on and on and on. He loaded me UP with Cowboys gear, and from that point forward, I was ALL about the freaking Dallas Cowboys (I know, I know, sorry....NOT sorry!), still am, and always will be 🙂

Now, as a diehard Vikings fan, I have absolutely no idea why 'Santa' chose to load me up with nuttin but Dallas Cowboys (of all teams!) gear that fateful Christmas (maybe there was a sale at the mall or something? 🤗), but holy crap did he save my bacon, man. Seriously. From the age of 9 onward, I've been privileged to witness just a ton of great Dallas Cowboys players, teams, and of course the '90s Super Bowl championships.

Long story short, in some kind of random (or miraculous) quirk of fate, my father saved me from the ongoing tragedy of being a Vikings fan, and instead steered me towards a fandom that although we're in the midst of a decades-long drought, has provided a sense of true joy to me for many years now (thank you Dad. I love you, and miss you.), and all because he bought me that gear when I was still an impressionable child.

That really 'took', thank God. :giggle:
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Awesome story! It shows how branding and success go hand and hand and can lead to even greater success. Forget the GI Joe and Barbie dolls the next time you are shopping for toys for a child, buy a Goldy Gopher instead! (Or go all out and decorate their room with stuff from the U!)

In reflecting on your story, maybe Santa delivered the Dallas gear to the wrong house?! I am glad that his mistake has led you to decades of happiness! You must have loved the Herschel Walker trade!
 

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