Tharpe Update

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60's Guy said:
My opinion is that a recruit may not think much of the barn empty but when it is full a game day on a competitive night...I just can't imagine someone not getting excited to play there.

FOT Why don't you think we will get a basketball practice facility? The comments I have heard from Maturi are that it is being planned for sooner than later. I'm pretty sure a $100,000 designated contribution from you would have an impact. Then if you find 99 other guys to follow suit you can name it after yourself. Step up big boy.
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Regarding the first paragraph, Gopher recruits never seem to visit for a basketball game. It's just an empty Barn when they visit in spring, summer, or fall months.

Money (lack thereof) is the answer to the second point you raised. TCF Stadium cost $$$ and it'll take a while to raise $ for practice facility. Heck, it took UK many years to build the Craft Center and only then because Tubby's friend (Joe Craft) from Tulsa gave several million $ to finish it.
 


FOT, Tubby briefly floated the idea of a new arena when he first arrived. He was quickly told that would not be a popular idea in MN. I haven't heard him say boo since. You should learn from your friend and move on from the topic. Maturi has acknowledged it will need to be replaced in the next 20 years, but I think it will be at least that long. In any case, he knows he won't be around for that.

As for the practice facility, it is needed. The U has made almost no real progress on it since promising it Tubby 3.5 years ago. I too, doubt it will happen anytime soon. They've been promising a baseball stadium for a decade and are just now starting to move on it. It's just one reason I'm not impressed with Maturi on many fronts. But maybe he'll get Tubby's contract extension done soon. It's only been 7 months.
 


howeda7 said:
FOT, Tubby briefly floated the idea of a new arena when he first arrived. He was quickly told that would not be a popular idea in MN. I haven't heard him say boo since. You should learn from your friend and move on from the topic. Maturi has acknowledged it will need to be replaced in the next 20 years, but I think it will be at least that long. In any case, he knows he won't be around for that.

As for the practice facility, it is needed. The U has made almost no real progress on it since promising it Tubby 3.5 years ago. I too, doubt it will happen anytime soon. They've been promising a baseball stadium for a decade and are just now starting to move on it. It's just one reason I'm not impressed with Maturi on many fronts. But maybe he'll get Tubby's contract extension done soon. It's only been 7 months.
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Replaced in the next 20 years? I sincerely it's never replaced as long as I'm alive. I can't imagine Gopher hoops outside of the barn. New basketball arenas tend to be soulless, in my opinion. We absolutely need a practice facility, but getting rid of the barn is a terrible, terrible idea.
 



howeda7 said:
FOT, Tubby briefly floated the idea of a new arena when he first arrived. He was quickly told that would not be a popular idea in MN. I haven't heard him say boo since. You should learn from your friend and move on from the topic. Maturi has acknowledged it will need to be replaced in the next 20 years, but I think it will be at least that long. In any case, he knows he won't be around for that.

As for the practice facility, it is needed. The U has made almost no real progress on it since promising it Tubby 3.5 years ago. I too, doubt it will happen anytime soon. They've been promising a baseball stadium for a decade and are just now starting to move on it. It's just one reason I'm not impressed with Maturi on many fronts. But maybe he'll get Tubby's contract extension done soon. It's only been 7 months.
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I agree - it's not popular. But it is an impediment to getting Top Shelf recruits from beyond MN borders.

And I agree twice - I don't expect a new practice facility before Tubby's contract expires in 2014.
 


Didn't Devoe Joseph visit

for a game at the barn? I remember a quote from him saying how cool it was that the student section was chanting his name. If memory serves me correct.
 



Clipped From 2005 MN S-T Article

... Indiana's Kelvin Sampson said the Gophers enjoy an obvious home-court advantage. But sticking with older arenas is somewhat of a Catch-22 in recruiting, he said. "It has a distinct personality," Sampson said. "Those old gyms have a mystique about it. There's a lot of positives about maintaining the tradition and the mystique. At the same time, you're recruiting kids, and schools that have these beautiful new arenas and all the amenities that a lot of these kids really like." Michigan State's Tom Izzo agrees with Sampson that recruiting could be hindered by an old venue. "Well, you know, I think Williams Arena is a great, great place," he said. "Let's face it: most of the arenas now have different amenities and different things. I don't how long [The Barn] can keep going. I think that'll be a question mark."

AND

School Building Opened Capacity

Minnesota Williams Arena Feb. 1928 14,625
Northwestern Welsh-Ryan Arena Dec. 1952 8,117 (renovated since it opened)
Illinois Assembly Hall March 1963 16,618
Purdue Mackey Arena Dec. 1967 14,123 (being renovated now)
Michigan Crisler Arena Dec. 1967 13,751
Indiana Assembly Hall Dec. 1971 17,456
Iowa Carver-Hawkeye Arena Jan. 1983 15,500
Michigan St. Breslin Center Nov. 1989 14,759
Penn St. Bryce Jordan Center Jan. 1996 15,261
Wisconsin Kohl Center Jan. 1998 17,142
Ohio St. Value City Arena Nov. 1998 19,500
 

Crazy Joe Davola said:
for a game at the barn? I remember a quote from him saying how cool it was that the student section was chanting his name. If memory serves me correct.
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He took his official visit in early Nov 2007 and signed that month. He may have "unofficially" visited later that season?
 

Yes, it's impossible for a big-time school with an older/antiquated facility to bring in top recruits. Just ask Duke (Cameron Indoor 1940). Or Kansas (Allen Fieldhouse 1955). Or Illinois (Assembly Hall 1963). Or UCLA (Pauley Pavilion 1965). And outside of those traditional powers, I think it's safe to say Butler has found itself a nice little niche among the nation's top programs with little ole' Butler/Hinkle Fieldhouse (circa 1928).

I'm on board with getting Tubby a practice facility as soon as we can, but to suggest that elite players won't consider playing in a big-time conference at a Big Ten university with a proven big-time coach because it's arena doesn't have all the bells and whistles. ... that's pretty lame. Cameron Indoor is a piece of junk, and it doesn't seem to be holding back the Dukies too much.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Yes, it's impossible for a big-time school with an older/antiquated facility to bring in top recruits. Just ask Duke (Cameron Indoor 1940). Or Kansas (Allen Fieldhouse 1955). Or Illinois (Assembly Hall 1963). Or UCLA (Pauley Pavilion 1965). And outside of those traditional powers, I think it's safe to say Butler has found itself a nice little niche among the nation's top programs with little ole' Butler/Hinkle Fieldhouse (circa 1928).

I'm on board with getting Tubby a practice facility as soon as we can, but to suggest that elite players won't consider playing in a big-time conference at a Big Ten university with a proven big-time coach because it's arena doesn't have all the bells and whistles. ... that's pretty lame. Cameron Indoor is a piece of junk, and it doesn't seem to be holding back the Dukies too much.
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All of those have been renovated since originally constructed.

I'm unaware of Butler signing bigtime (national) recruits.

Ex-IU coach Sampson and current Mich St coach Izzo agreed with me. The Barn hurts recruiting of bigtime national recruits.
 



Friend Of Tubby said:
... Indiana's Kelvin Sampson said the Gophers enjoy an obvious home-court advantage. But sticking with older arenas is somewhat of a Catch-22 in recruiting, he said. "It has a distinct personality," Sampson said. "Those old gyms have a mystique about it. There's a lot of positives about maintaining the tradition and the mystique. At the same time, you're recruiting kids, and schools that have these beautiful new arenas and all the amenities that a lot of these kids really like." Michigan State's Tom Izzo agrees with Sampson that recruiting could be hindered by an old venue. "Well, you know, I think Williams Arena is a great, great place," he said. "Let's face it: most of the arenas now have different amenities and different things. I don't how long [The Barn] can keep going. I think that'll be a question mark."

AND

School Building Opened Capacity

Minnesota Williams Arena Feb. 1928 14,625
Northwestern Welsh-Ryan Arena Dec. 1952 8,117 (renovated since it opened)
Illinois Assembly Hall March 1963 16,618
Purdue Mackey Arena Dec. 1967 14,123 (being renovated now)
Michigan Crisler Arena Dec. 1967 13,751
Indiana Assembly Hall Dec. 1971 17,456
Iowa Carver-Hawkeye Arena Jan. 1983 15,500
Michigan St. Breslin Center Nov. 1989 14,759
Penn St. Bryce Jordan Center Jan. 1996 15,261
Wisconsin Kohl Center Jan. 1998 17,142
Ohio St. Value City Arena Nov. 1998 19,500
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Most of the amenities he's probably referring to can be accomplished with a new practice facility. If they get one, the players and coaches will spend most of their time there, not at Williams Arena.
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
All of those have been renovated since originally constructed.

I'm unaware of Butler signing bigtime (national) recruits.

Ex-IU coach Sampson and current Mich St coach Izzo agreed with me. The Barn hurts recruiting of bigtime national recruits.
Click to expand...

The Barn has been renovated multiple times. It looks nothing like it used to.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Yes, it's impossible for a big-time school with an older/antiquated facility to bring in top recruits. Just ask Duke (Cameron Indoor 1940). Or Kansas (Allen Fieldhouse 1955). Or Illinois (Assembly Hall 1963). Or UCLA (Pauley Pavilion 1965). And outside of those traditional powers, I think it's safe to say Butler has found itself a nice little niche among the nation's top programs with little ole' Butler/Hinkle Fieldhouse (circa 1928).

I'm on board with getting Tubby a practice facility as soon as we can, but to suggest that elite players won't consider playing in a big-time conference at a Big Ten university with a proven big-time coach because it's arena doesn't have all the bells and whistles. ... that's pretty lame. Cameron Indoor is a piece of junk, and it doesn't seem to be holding back the Dukies too much.
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Well, they haven't yet. Duke and Kansas are different stories altogether since they are the cream of the crop in college basketball. At Minnesota, it's a different story and we need to have top notch facilities to bring in or even get the attention of recruits that Kansas or Duke would go after. You can try to prove me wrong all you would like, but the proof is in the pudding. Since 2008 our most heralded player coming from outside of MN is ummm Maurice Walker?

Edit: Kansas is now getting an official visit from Tharpe so we are in dire straights for him now. Here's hoping that Hollins decides to come because Tharpe is as good as gone imo.
 

I find it hilarious that FOT is quoting Kelvin Sampson about a recruiting issue.
 

Sour1729 said:
I find it hilarious that FOT is quoting Kelvin Sampson about a recruiting issue.
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You shouldn't make fun of that. FOT happens to be very good friends with Kelvin Sampson and he is a much better person than any of us know. I will allow FOT to provide us with some stats and evidence backing up this statement.
 

Back to Tharpe

I can see that this thread has morphed, as many threads do, into a debate about FOTs credibility but,

As to Tharpe: A tweet by AdamZagoria "Kansas assistant Joe Dooley was in to Brewster Academy today to see PG Naadir Tharpe"
about 4 hours ago via Mobile Web
Retweeted by TheRecruitScoop
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
You shouldn't make fun of that. FOT happens to be very good friends with Kelvin Sampson and he is a much better person than any of us know. I will allow FOT to provide us with some stats and evidence backing up this statement.
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I could have clipped him out but didn't. What he said is ACCURATE.

The Barn does as much for recruiting as Tim Brewster does for Gopher football glory.
 


JackiO said:
Well, they haven't yet. Duke and Kansas are different stories altogether since they are the cream of the crop in college basketball. At Minnesota, it's a different story and we need to have top notch facilities to bring in or even get the attention of recruits that Kansas or Duke would go after. You can try to prove me wrong all you would like, but the proof is in the pudding. Since 2008 our most heralded player coming from outside of MN is ummm Maurice Walker?

Edit: Kansas is now getting an official visit from Tharpe so we are in dire straights for him now. Here's hoping that Hollins decides to come because Tharpe is as good as gone imo.
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Good points throughout. Walker is the highest rated out-of-MN recruit since 2008.

Kansas gets pretty much the players they want. Not always but often. Case-in-point, Cole Aldrich (who was a big Gopher fan, I think).
 

Gold Vision said:
The Barn has been renovated multiple times. It looks nothing like it used to.
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That's good to know. Here's how the Gophers have done in The Barn since 1928, to wit:

1928–29 4–13 1–11 none none
1929–30 8–9 3–9 none none
1930–31 13–4 8–4 none none
1931–32 15–3 9–3 none none
1932–33 5–15 1–11 none none
1933–34 9–11 5–7 none none
1934–35 11–9 5–7 none none
1935–36 7–17 3–9 none none
1936–37 14–6 10–2 none none
1937–38 16–4 9–3 none none
1938–39 14–6 7–5 none none
1939–40 13–8 5–7 none none
1940–41 11–9 7–5 none none
1941–42 15–7 9–6 none none
1942–43 10–9 5–7 none none
1943–44 7–14 2–10 none none
1944–45 8–13 4–8 none none
1945–46 14–7 7–5 none none
1946–47 14–7 7–5 none none
1947–48 10–10 5–7 none none
1948–49 18–3 9–3 none none
1949–50 13–9 4–8 none none
1950–51 13–9 7–7 none none
1951–52 15–7 10–4 none none
1952–53 14–8 11–7 none none
1953–54 17–5 10–4 none none
1954–55 15–7 10–4 none none
1955–56 11–11 6–8 none none
1956–57 14–8 9–5 none none
1957–58 9–12 5–9 none none
1958–59 8–14 5–9 none none
1959–60 12–12 8–6 none none
1960–61 10–13 8–6 none none
1961–62 10–14 6–8 none none
1962–63 12–12 8–6 none none
1963–64 17–7 10–4 none none
1964–65 19–5 11–3 none none
1965–66 14–10 7–7 none none
1966–67 9–15 5–9 none none
1967–68 7–17 4–10 none none
1968–69 12–12 6–8 none none
1969–70 13–11 7–7 none none
1970–71 11–13 5–9 none none
1971–72 18–7 11–3 NCAA 2nd Round none
1972–73 21–5 10–4 NIT 2nd Round none
1973–74 12–12 6–8 none none
1974–75 18–8 11–7 none none
1975–76 16–10 8–10 none none
1976–77 24–3 15–3 none
1977–78 17–11 12–6 none
1978–79 11–16 6–12 none none
1979–80 21–11 10–8 NIT Runner-up none
1980–81 19–11 9–9 NIT 3rd Round none
1981–82 23–6 14–4 NCAA 2nd Round none
1982–83 18–11 9–9 NIT 1st Round none
1983–84 15–13 6–12 none none
1984–85 13–15 6–12 none none
1985–86 15–16 5–13 none
1986–87 9–19 2–16 none none
1987–88 10–18 4–14 none none
1988–89 19–12 9–9 NCAA 2nd Round none
1989–90 23–9 11–7 NCAA Elite 8 none
1990–91 12–16 5–13 none none
1991–92 16–16 8–10 NIT 1st Round none
1992–93 22–10 9–9 NIT Champions none
1993–94 21–12 10–8 NCAA 2nd Round
1994–95 19–12 10–8 NCAA 1st Round
1995–96 19–11 10–8 NIT 2nd Round
1996–97 31–4 16–2 NCAA Final Four
1997–98 20–15 6–10 NIT Champions
1998–99 17–11 6–10 NCAA 1st Round
1999–00 12–16 4–12 none none
2000–01 18–14 5–11 NIT 2nd Round none
2001–02 18–13 9–7 NIT 2nd Round none
2002–03 19–14 8–8 NIT 4th Place none
2003–04 12–18 3–13 none none
2004–05 21–11 10–6 NCAA 1st Round none
2005–06 16–15 5–11 NIT 2nd Round none
2006–07 9–22 3–13 none
2007–08 20–13 8–10 NIT 1st Round none
2008–09 22–11 9–9 NCAA 1st Round none
2009–10 21–14 9–9 NCAA 1st Round none
 


Why do people argue with people who have no interested in making any sense? FOT is full of hyprocrisy and excuses.

He talks about how great Tubby's recruits have been but then blames the barn for not being viable. He says school can't recruit with an old arena. Duke, Kansas, and UCLA have old arena's, then claims they are renovated. Is informed that the Barn has been renovated and has a response of a 12 year old, "Recruits are quite impressed with Pauley Pavilion, Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Allen Fieldhouse. I'm not so sure they are wowed by The Barn."

All I've heard from this guy is how great Tubby has been as a recruiter for the U and backs up his claims with whetever infomation he can find on the internet. Now he's making excuses? Amazing!!!

The bottom line is the Barn can compete. If FOT as ever been to the players lounge, locker room, or suit he would see the upgrades. It's right on par to land the type of players Tubby recruits (3 & 4 star). I've heard it plenty of times and it doesn't matter if they built a new arena, the only 5 star players that are coming to MN are MN born players. I would estimated that 4 out 5 of them love the Barn. As far as out-state recruits I thought we did a great job with some solid 4 star recruits mixed in with a few above average 3 star recruits who shoulda been 4 stars exept they had special circumstances that only made them a 3. That's what FOT and some others said. So the Barn must not be that bad after all.
 

SoMpls said:
Why do people argue with people who have no interested in making any sense? FOT is full of hyprocrisy and excuses.

He talks about how great Tubby's recruits have been but then blames the barn for not being viable. He says school can't recruit with an old arena. Duke, Kansas, and UCLA have old arena's, then claims they are renovated. Is informed that the Barn has been renovated and has a response of a 12 year old, "Recruits are quite impressed with Pauley Pavilion, Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Allen Fieldhouse. I'm not so sure they are wowed by The Barn."

All I've heard from this guy is how great Tubby has been as a recruiter for the U and backs up his claims with whetever infomation he can find on the internet. Now he's making excuses? Amazing!!!

The bottom line is the Barn can compete. If FOT as ever been to the players lounge, locker room, or suit he would see the upgrades. It's right on par to land the type of players Tubby recruits (3 & 4 star). I've heard it plenty of times and it doesn't matter if they built a new arena, the only 5 star players that are coming to MN are MN born players. I would estimated that 4 out 5 of them love the Barn. As far as out-state recruits I thought we did a great job with some solid 4 star recruits mixed in with a few above average 3 star recruits who shoulda been 4 stars exept they had special circumstances that only made them a 3. That's what FOT and some others said. So the Barn must not be that bad after all.
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Mostly inaccurate above.

His 2008 and 2009 recruits were good. His 2010 recruits are decent. His 2011 recruit is good.

But there are no bigtime, not-from-MN recruits anywhere in those 4 classes. If you want those recruits, you'll need to replace The Barn with a modern arena and practice facility.

If The Barn is a drawing card for bigtime recruits, where have they been hiding for 50 years?
 

This Part's Easy

Anybody who dreams to compare The Barn with Pauley, Cameron Indoor, or The Phog is just plain wrong. Those 3 are some of the greatest arenas in college basketball. The Barn is 1 of the oldest.
 


The Barn

Friend Of Tubby said:
Mostly inaccurate above.

His 2008 and 2009 recruits were good. His 2010 recruits are decent. His 2011 recruit is good.

But there are no bigtime, not-from-MN recruits anywhere in those 4 classes. If you want those recruits, you'll need to replace The Barn with a modern arena and practice facility.

If The Barn is a drawing card for bigtime recruits, where have they been hiding for 50 years?
Click to expand...

We need a practice facility. We don't need a new arena to recruit. That is silly. Players play games there...they don't live there, they don't buy hot dogs or sit in suites. There just isn't many places better to play and watch a game than in Williams Arena. FOT Attend a game versus Wisconsin or Michigan St and tell me we need a new arena! The locker rooms have leather chairs big screen tv's, video capabilities and computers and stuff....blah blah Again, they do need a practice facility but an arena will not help squat.

I ain't gonna look it up but the barn was old in the 70's and unrenovated. With different coaches we signed lots of 5 star guys. Ron Behagen, Clyde Turner, Mychal Thompson, Jim Brewer, Darrell Mitchell, Leo Rautins, Mark Hall, Ray Williams...all who were not from Minnesota and Archie Clark and Lou Hudson before that. Yes, it is a different world now but Coach K built his house to what it is....somebody could do the same at Minnesota. It just requires the right guy....and a practice facility is a necessity for many reasons in 2010. Just gym time...
 

I think the barn can stay because its a classic. If they would get going with the new practice facility, they could use that to wow recruits, I dont see a need for both.
 

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