Ben Johnson is a Disaster

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Oye, all the debbie downers.
Ben's 1st year he had most of the team leave and those who stayed got hurt. He had to compile a ragtag band of warriors who were all graduating. He didn't have time to get top players from the high school ranks.
This year we have a good freshman class and a few solid portal players, with two of our guys still out with injuries so we are now the youngest team in the B1G.
Next year brings in a very good freshmen recruits and hopefully a solid portal player or two.
We will be a good team, in time. Unlike the downers, I don't think players are going to bolt, but that possibility exists so that is an unknown.
Patience is needed and those who can't be patient and positive really need to go watch other teams this year. For instance, watch that game between Bama and Houston. Enjoy it and go on.
 

MennoSota said:
Oye, all the debbie downers.
Ben's 1st year he had most of the team leave and those who stayed got hurt. He had to compile a ragtag band of warriors who were all graduating. He didn't have time to get top players from the high school ranks.
This year we have a good freshman class and a few solid portal players, with two of our guys still out with injuries so we are now the youngest team in the B1G.
Next year brings in a very good freshmen recruits and hopefully a solid portal player or two.
We will be a good team, in time. Unlike the downers, I don't think players are going to bolt, but that possibility exists so that is an unknown.
Patience is needed and those who can't be patient and positive really need to go watch other teams this year. For instance, watch that game between Bama and Houston. Enjoy it and go on.
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Thanks for reminding me of the Oates turnaround job in year 2, now further depressed.
 

MennoSota said:
Oye, all the debbie downers.
Ben's 1st year he had most of the team leave and those who stayed got hurt. He had to compile a ragtag band of warriors who were all graduating. He didn't have time to get top players from the high school ranks.
This year we have a good freshman class and a few solid portal players, with two of our guys still out with injuries so we are now the youngest team in the B1G.
Next year brings in a very good freshmen recruits and hopefully a solid portal player or two.
We will be a good team, in time. Unlike the downers, I don't think players are going to bolt, but that possibility exists so that is an unknown.
Patience is needed and those who can't be patient and positive really need to go watch other teams this year. For instance, watch that game between Bama and Houston. Enjoy it and go on.
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How many seasons have battle, Garcia, and cooper each played?
 

MennoSota said:
Oye, all the debbie downers.
For instance, watch that game between Bama and Houston. Enjoy it and go on.
Click to expand...
Now those two teams got after it on the defensive end. Didn't they? WOW
And KU certainly put on an offensive show, talk about ball movement. WOW
The TarHeels just slowly imposed their will on the Ramblin Wreck that is GT.

With any kind of luck we ski u mah fans will be able to watch more than 10 minutes tomorrow vs the Bulldog before our stomachs start turning over.

GO GOPHER!!!
 

atsgopher said:
Which better athletes do you think he bought?

I watched him build players for years. He’s also the guy that left the U and told anyone within shouting distance that Clem’s program was dirty.

When Gabe showed up at The U, where do you think his Defense came from? You think he was just a better athlete? Paid for? How does that even work?
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I get this. But we're 1/3 of the way through the season. When will the "AAU kids don't play defense" wear off and the "Coach Thorson will chew my $%^ if I don't play defense" kick in?
 


RockChalk said:
With any kind of luck we ski u mah fans will be able to watch more than 10 minutes tomorrow vs the Bulldog before our stomachs start turning over.

GO GOPHER!!!
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I would like them to be within 6 at some point in the 2nd half. Even if it's with 19 minutes left. If they can do that I will consider it a win.
 

The mere mentioning of Thorson tells me we have a leadership issue. Only this place would have this odd power structure
 


howeda7 said:
I would like them to be within 6 at some point in the 2nd half. Even if it's with 19 minutes left. If they can do that I will consider it a win.
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I plan to chill a few brews and have a Good watch as it were. 🍺
 



so, this is interesting. Pat Reusse has a column in the Strib discussing the state of basketball in MN - Wolves, Lynx, Gopher Men & Women, and the HS game.

part of the column includes a discussion with - of all people - John Oxton, Boys BB coach at Lakeville North (the school where all the best players go to Wisconsin).

Here's what Oxton had to say:

Oxton paused and then said: "I want to add that I'm a huge fan of Ben Johnson. I think he's the right coach to bring the Gophers out of this.

"We would have seen more progress in Year 2, if the first thing that happened this summer wasn't losing two starters — Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen — to knee injuries.

"Put those two with Battle and Garcia, and the freshmen, and this would be a deeper and more competitive team.''

asked about poor attendance at Gopher games, Oxton said this:

"I think it's true every place in college sports,'' Oxton said. "You have a 70-inch TV at home and can watch every meaningful game in comfort, or you can spend quite a bit of money to buy a ticket.

"In the Gophers case, you also have to find a place to park, walk across campus in the cold, and squeeze into a seat. I'd guess a lot of people who did that for 25 years are choosing the 70-inch TV.''
 

Crappie said:
How many seasons have battle, Garcia, and cooper each played?
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Do you imagine they can play 3 on 5 and play for 40 minutes per game? Tell me how you think that would work out.
If you cannot take it this season, please stop watching. It will be better for your mental health.
 

RockChalk said:
Now those two teams got after it on the defensive end. Didn't they? WOW
And KU certainly put on an offensive show, talk about ball movement. WOW
The TarHeels just slowly imposed their will on the Ramblin Wreck that is GT.

With any kind of luck we ski u mah fans will be able to watch more than 10 minutes tomorrow vs the Bulldog before our stomachs start turning over.

GO GOPHER!!!
Click to expand...
Take some Pepto bismol and suck it up buttercup.
 

atsgopher said:
Which better athletes do you think he bought?

I watched him build players for years. He’s also the guy that left the U and told anyone within shouting distance that Clem’s program was dirty.

When Gabe showed up at The U, where do you think his Defense came from? You think he was just a better athlete? Paid for? How does that even work?
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Ok, I'll walk it back. I'm sure Delasalle never used their money and resources to bring in top athletes. Now maybe you can tell me how it works that this team doesn't seem to know what defense is, let alone how to execute it, when they have a hall of fame coach who's built players for years?
 





MennoSota said:
Do you imagine they can play 3 on 5 and play for 40 minutes per game? Tell me how you think that would work out.
If you cannot take it this season, please stop watching. It will be better for your mental health.
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You stated the team was young. The three I cited are anything but young or inexperienced. They are starters and play a ton of minutes. If you dislike or can't accept facts, well🙄
 



Gopherbbdude said:
My goodness.... Ben has been a head coach for 18 months..... deep breath folks.

Pitino was a disaster his second year as well.. so was Clem.
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The situations are not remotely similar, hate to say it. With the transfer portal and the way kids are moving around now, with playing time to sell, it's infinitely easier to turn things around now than it was even just a few years ago, much less during Clem's time.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
The situations are not remotely similar, hate to say it. With the transfer portal and the way kids are moving around now, with playing time to sell, it's infinitely easier to turn things around now than it was even just a few years ago, much less during Clem's time.
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Not all coaches are or want to rebuild in the portal.... and yes... they are very similar, all are head coaches
 


Crappie said:
You stated the team was young. The three I cited are anything but young or inexperienced. They are starters and play a ton of minutes. If you dislike or can't accept facts, well🙄
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Again, do you think they will be successful playing 3 on 5 for 40 minutes per game?
 

Gopherbbdude said:
My goodness.... Ben has been a head coach for 18 months..... deep breath folks.

Pitino was a disaster his second year as well.. so was Clem.
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Good perspective. For us worry warts it’s about the modern world of rapid roster turnover. Clem didn’t have that. More for Pitino, but even a lot less than now. We’re not seeing the organization and attention to detail that we saw last year. That’s concerning. Losing games isn’t as big an issue as the decline in infrastructure.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
so, this is interesting. Pat Reusse has a column in the Strib discussing the state of basketball in MN - Wolves, Lynx, Gopher Men & Women, and the HS game.

part of the column includes a discussion with - of all people - John Oxton, Boys BB coach at Lakeville North (the school where all the best players go to Wisconsin).

Here's what Oxton had to say:

Oxton paused and then said: "I want to add that I'm a huge fan of Ben Johnson. I think he's the right coach to bring the Gophers out of this.

"We would have seen more progress in Year 2, if the first thing that happened this summer wasn't losing two starters — Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen — to knee injuries.

"Put those two with Battle and Garcia, and the freshmen, and this would be a deeper and more competitive team.''

asked about poor attendance at Gopher games, Oxton said this:

"I think it's true every place in college sports,'' Oxton said. "You have a 70-inch TV at home and can watch every meaningful game in comfort, or you can spend quite a bit of money to buy a ticket.

"In the Gophers case, you also have to find a place to park, walk across campus in the cold, and squeeze into a seat. I'd guess a lot of people who did that for 25 years are choosing the 70-inch TV.''
Click to expand...
Someone needs to tell Coach Oxton that college basketball is not HS basketball. You need guards to win and be competitive, unlike HS in which you can ride a big man to victory. Fox and Ihnen would change nothing as they are just more or the same (bigger / slower players who are not great shooters).

- the 70” tv is somewhat acceptable but that leads to maybe the Barn needs to go for a more modern arena…or, maybe they need to not be dead last in the big ten for 2 years in a row to get some butts in the seats
 

MennoSota said:
Again, do you think they will be successful playing 3 on 5 for 40 minutes per game?
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So a team must be comprised of upper class men to compete. Got it.

You may be able to find steam or two that has fr and soph playing a huge role. If you look.
 

Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
Someone needs to tell Coach Oxton that college basketball is not HS basketball. You need guards to win and be competitive, unlike HS in which you can ride a big man to victory. Fox and Ihnen would change nothing as they are just more or the same (bigger / slower players who are not great shooters).

- the 70” tv is somewhat acceptable but that leads to maybe the Barn needs to go for a more modern arena…or, maybe they need to not be dead last in the big ten for 2 years in a row to get some butts in the seats
Click to expand...
The barn is fine. People will happily make the trek out if the on court product is worth it. Not sure what a modern arena would really help with except allure to check out a new arena. That fades if the team is still bad. At the end of the day people watch in person to see quality, winning basketball from the hometown team.
 

Crappie said:
So a team must be comprised of upper class men to compete. Got it.

You may be able to find steam or two that has fr and soph playing a huge role. If you look.
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Do you imagine all freshmen are equal to the old "Fab 5" from Michigan 25 years ago?
These kids at UMN will get better, but you seem to think they should be elite after 10 games in college. You're simply delusional.
 

GopherBlood666 said:
The barn is fine. People will happily make the trek out if the on court product is worth it. Not sure what a modern arena would really help with except allure to check out a new arena. That fades if the team is still bad. At the end of the day people watch in person to see quality, winning basketball from the hometown team.
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Perfect example is the arena at Happy Valley.
 

MennoSota said:
Do you imagine all freshmen are equal to the old "Fab 5" from Michigan 25 years ago?
These kids at UMN will get better, but you seem to think they should be elite after 10 games in college. You're simply delusional.
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No one has said anything remotely close.
The point is YOU said Mn is a young team. Three of five starters have 3 years each. That's not young. Twist and turn all you want.
 

MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
I get it. It's ugly... but far from a disaster. Giving up on next year already is retarded. If there's a mass exodus at the end of the year, I say cut ties.
And I thought Thorson was supposed to be this defensive guru who would help Johnson. Seems to me that he's just a product of $$$ buying better athletes at the hs level.
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Probably, not just but when you clearly recruit the best players at the high school level and play in a lower HS class division…you do have a pretty big advantage over your opponents.
 

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