Ben Johnson is a Disaster

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

The Ben Johnson era is just beginning. He will likely get another few years to succeed. He is getting paid very nicely. The University is still requiring we pay high major ticket prices. As such criticism will come his way. If/when it doesn't, apathy has set in.

I think Ben is being treated almost exactly the way Tim Brewster was treated early on; in both cases, many fans were skeptical of what many would consider a "reach" of a hire, someone with virtually no HC experience, some very early failures and misses, questions about the likelihood of long-term success, etc.

 

[BarnBurner]

By the way, nobody pissed in my Cheerios this morning. But I'm looking at two feet of snow out my back window on the golf course I spend my summer on, so there is that.

The Ben Johnson era is just beginning. He will likely get another few years to succeed. He is getting paid very nicely. The University is still requiring we pay high major ticket prices. As such criticism will come his way. If/when it doesn't, apathy has set in.

Apathy has already set in, imo.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

By the way, nobody pissed in my Cheerios this morning. But I'm looking at two feet of snow out my back window on the golf course I spend my summer on, so there is that.

Yikes -I’m so glad I moved. 63 here today - which’s I’m assuming has to be some sort of record.

The Ben Johnson era is just beginning. He will likely get another few years to succeed. He is getting paid very nicely. The University is still requiring we pay high major ticket prices. As such criticism will come his way. If/when it doesn't, apathy has set in.

Hopefully the pendulum swings towards some nice wins/milestones in latter half of the season.

Go Gophers!

 

[leib0039]

I can't speak for everyone so I will just speak for myself. I was not/am not a big fan of the Ben hire, not for any reason other than resume. He was an asst on 2 underwhelming teams, applied for other jobs, did not get them. There is nothing on his resume (short of being a former U bball player) that says he was/is ready for a B1G job. Do sometimes those things work, absolutely, but not very often. Since that day I have seen nothing to change my mind from a basketball perspective. I dont know how you could argue differently.

As a person Ben seems like a grade A dude, legit think I could be best of friends with the guy, humble, nice, good dude. It sounds harsh but honestly I dont care if the coach is a good person, I want to win. Some disagree and thats fine but thats just me.

As far as "criticizing does nothing so why do it?" Well I guess that is correct, a message board changes nothing, Ben wont read this and go ohh hey now i know what is going on! That is a true statement. But at the same time, I dont think just saying enjoy the ride who cares if we win or lose does anything either, its not like the kids are reading this and going yah hey i was shooting 40% from the FT line, now I feel better I will shoot 80%! So by that logic being optimistic is pointless too?

Its a message board people, quit turning it into something its not, I am sure we are all decent humans who want our program to win. This isnt a witch hunt or anything, we are frustrated fans, that spills out differently for people. /end rant

 

[Johnnyboy18]

The inverse is also true. You'd had to have loved the hire to not be skeptical. There is no way anyone has seen anything over the last year and a half to convert a skeptic.

It's one thing if you're in the camp of undecided but if you're arguing CBJ is doing a great job, you started out liking him.

But who's arguing that? All I've seen is people say give him time.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

But who's arguing that? All I've seen is people say give him time.

The two biggest Ben Johnson apologists say he is doing a good job.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Diffident Ben is not a born competitor. Never will be a true competitor most of us aren’t but it is a requirement for a successful BT BB HC.

 

[Plausible Deniability]

There's reasons people on here want to see CBJ fail that go well beyond what happens on the court. Not sure this board was ever a place for logical thinking but it definitely isn't these days.

Why don't you step up and share those reasons with all of us?

 

[howeda7]

From the it could be worse department:

 

[bc2211]

Been a pretty fair/positive/mature conversation today without two-three certain someones jumping into the thread demanding a loyalty pledge and trying to cease all analysis of what’s happened on the court. Honestly, beyond some venting, I think this is the conversation that people wanted to have:

“Hey are you seeing what I’m seeing? They look like shit right now, right? I hope they get better soon”

 

[Bad Gopher]

From the it could be worse department:

Quite honestly, it's in the "hire an alumnus for the sake of hiring an alumnus" department. We can relate.

 

[MennoSota]

The two biggest Ben Johnson apologists say he is doing a good job.

View attachment 22938

I make no apologies for saying the kids are improving and progressing.

 

[holereader]

Sorry - I just had to claim the 1000th post on this thread - we made it!! 100 posts of gibberish “full of sound and fury signifying nothing”

Let’s keep going we are half way to oops wrong forum thread

 

[MennoSota]

I can't speak for everyone so I will just speak for myself. I was not/am not a big fan of the Ben hire, not for any reason other than resume. He was an asst on 2 underwhelming teams, applied for other jobs, did not get them. There is nothing on his resume (short of being a former U bball player) that says he was/is ready for a B1G job. Do sometimes those things work, absolutely, but not very often. Since that day I have seen nothing to change my mind from a basketball perspective. I dont know how you could argue differently.

As a person Ben seems like a grade A dude, legit think I could be best of friends with the guy, humble, nice, good dude. It sounds harsh but honestly I dont care if the coach is a good person, I want to win. Some disagree and thats fine but thats just me.

As far as "criticizing does nothing so why do it?" Well I guess that is correct, a message board changes nothing, Ben wont read this and go ohh hey now i know what is going on! That is a true statement. But at the same time, I dont think just saying enjoy the ride who cares if we win or lose does anything either, its not like the kids are reading this and going yah hey i was shooting 40% from the FT line, now I feel better I will shoot 80%! So by that logic being optimistic is pointless too?

Its a message board people, quit turning it into something its not, I am sure we are all decent humans who want our program to win. This isnt a witch hunt or anything, we are frustrated fans, that spills out differently for people. /end rant

This is on the Snake (Coyle). He hired Whalen as well. Clearly the believes coaches here can work their way into success. Ben, like Lindsey, is growing into this job, as did Little Richard. Honestly, people are barking up the wrong tree.

 

[CoachJD]

This is on the Snake (Coyle). He hired Whalen as well. Clearly the believes coaches here can work their way into success. Ben, like Lindsey, is growing into this job, as did Little Richard. Honestly, people are barking up the wrong tree.

Bingo. The problem is the Athletic Director, Mark Coyle. He is a joke.
Both Johnson and Whalen were beyond poor picks for head basketball coaches at this level.
Players continue to leave in droves because of them and all we can get in the local MN recruits. That ain't gonna cut it.

 

[howeda7]

Quite honestly, it's in the "hire an alumnus for the sake of hiring an alumnus" department. We can relate.

Yes, but Ewing is more like Lindsey than Ben though. Hired in part because of popularity/ticket sales. Safe to say those were not a factor in hiring Ben.

 

[PhiloVance]

Yes, but Ewing is more like Lindsey than Ben though. Hired in part because of popularity/ticket sales. Safe to say those were not a factor in hiring Ben.

And how are the web ticket sales going?

 

[howeda7]

And how are the web ticket sales going?

I have no idea what you're referencing. What web tickets?

 

[Holy Man]

Bingo. The problem is the Athletic Director, Mark Coyle. He is a joke.
Both Johnson and Whalen were beyond poor picks for head basketball coaches at this level.
Players continue to leave in droves because of them and all we can get in the local MN recruits. That ain't gonna cut it.

What is your definition of leaving in droves in reference to the mens program? If you’re referencing previous roster please clarify. Agree or disagree, Ben made it clear he was making culture moves and he was dealing with Wild West transfer environment.

Dislike the hire if you want, many of us do, but be rational in your critique. Otherwise you sound like a bitter rejected candidate yourself coach.

 

[PhiloVance]

I have no idea what you're referencing. What web tickets?

Love auto correct...wbb

 

[Plato]

Johnson has a multi-year contract and the AD will honor it until Johnson succeeds then it will be extended or if he fails and the Barn is empty and donors angry then he will be made redundant.
The conference games have just started and judgment best be made when the season ends.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I make no apologies for saying the kids are improving and progressing.

I’m not saying you should. Another poster said that no one was saying Ben was doing a good job and I was pointing out that you were saying that.

No apologies needed and I was y even ripping your opinion, merely pointing out exists.

 

[GFBfan]

Listening to Underwood after their loss to Northwestern and he says some things about his team that everyone here has been saying about Ben.
A few things were:
‘we put things in during practice and run them great, but when we are in the flow of the game we just can’t do it.
Then went on to say after a stoppage I draw something up and they go out and run it. Talked about also saying they emphasized getting the ball to the PG, get out and run and get an early post up but he saw none of that in the game.

 

[dpodoll68]

Quite honestly, it's in the "hire an alumnus for the sake of hiring an alumnus" department. We can relate.

Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest basketball players in history. He had played and coached in the NBA for 32 years before he got the Georgetown job. It would be difficult for the hires to be any more different aside from the fact that both are alums of their respective schools. Ewing also managed to somehow squeeze the Hoyas into a Tournament bid before the bottom fell out the last two years - at this point I'll be surprised if Johnson ever finishes above .500 let alone makes the Dance.

 

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest basketball players in history. He had played and coached in the NBA for 32 years before he got the Georgetown job. It would be difficult for the hires to be any more different aside from the fact that both are alums of their respective schools. Ewing also managed to somehow squeeze the Hoyas into a Tournament bid before the bottom fell out the last two years - at this point I'll be surprised if Johnson ever finishes above .500 let alone makes the Dance.

This is accurate

 

[Bad Gopher]

This is accurate

Someone posted that the Whalen hire was a tighter comparison to Ewing, and that's true, but they're all in the same larger family. Ewing wouldn't have been hired there had he not played there, and Johnson wouldn't have been hired here had he not played high school and college ball here. Trying to put a finer point on it for the sake of arguing is just pure arguing for no real reason.

 

[bga1]

Johnson has a multi-year contract and the AD will honor it until Johnson succeeds then it will be extended or if he fails and the Barn is empty and donors angry then he will be made redundant.
The conference games have just started and judgment best be made when the season ends.

No judgement of Johnson will be made by the AD for 3 more years. Fans judge daily and will always do so. Most people just don't care anymore. I'll take a complaining fan over a departed customer.

 

[Chico Gopher]

Listening to Underwood after their loss to Northwestern and he says some things about his team that everyone here has been saying about Ben.
A few things were:
‘we put things in during practice and run them great, but when we are in the flow of the game we just can’t do it.
Then went on to say after a stoppage I draw something up and they go out and run it. Talked about also saying they emphasized getting the ball to the PG, get out and run and get an early post up but he saw none of that in the game.

Every coach in every sport can totally relate to that problem. Sometimes it not just the Heat of the Moment brain lock by players. I watched a small town team in the 80's lose a state tournament game for the dumbest reason.

Coach drew up a last second play and the team went out and ran something completely different. Later, word got out that two brothers (seniors) didn't like the that the play drawn up by the coach was going to a teammate they didn't like. So instead of running the play, the two brothers tried to run a 2-man game that would give one of them a chance to take the last shot. Who in the heck could have predicted that!

 

[dpodoll68]

Someone posted that the Whalen hire was a tighter comparison to Ewing, and that's true, but they're all in the same larger family. Ewing wouldn't have been hired there had he not played there, and Johnson wouldn't have been hired here had he not played high school and college ball here. Trying to put a finer point on it for the sake of arguing is just pure arguing for no real reason.

Ewing was hired because he's an eminently qualified alumnus. When they hired Johnson, they ignored everything before "alumnus." Ewing is turning out to be a dud, but on paper he more than deserved the opportunity. Johnson didn't and doesn't. He couldn't get hired for a head coaching job in the MAC. They are absolutely not in the same "larger family." The Whalen comparison is also terrible, because she had zero prior coaching experience and Ewing was an assistant for 15 years in the NBA.

Comparing the Johnson hire in any way, shape, or form to the Ewing hire is a terrible and factually incorrect take. It's not as catastrophically awful as suggesting that Damian Johnson be hired as the Gophers head coach - so maybe your hot take factory is making progress?

 

[leib0039]

Ewing was hired because he's an eminently qualified alumnus. When they hired Johnson, they ignored everything before "alumnus." Ewing is turning out to be a dud, but on paper he more than deserved the opportunity. Johnson didn't and doesn't. He couldn't get hired for a head coaching job in the MAC. They are absolutely not in the same "larger family." The Whalen comparison is also terrible, because she had zero prior coaching experience and Ewing was an assistant for 15 years in the NBA.

Comparing the Johnson hire in any way, shape, or form to the Ewing hire is a terrible and factually incorrect take. It's not as catastrophically awful as suggesting that Damian Johnson be hired as the Gophers head coach - so maybe your hot take factory is making progress?

Juwan Howard is similar to Ewing. He and Ewing had very similar resumes, alum, long time nba player and asst coach. Again nothing against Ben, its just a fact he did not have the resume of these coaches.