I happened upon the scenario that would have to play out: Chicago goes 0-4 and Detroit goes 1-3 with their only win being against the Bears. AND other things would have to happen. This feels like a one in a million shot.
As a basketball fan, you have to objectively admire Painter for what he's done and continues to do there. Braeden Smith was a 3-star prospect out of high school, as was Zach Edey. Those guys are typical of how they find and develop players. It really is exemplary...and what the Gophers will need...
Steering this in a positive direction, maybe this makes a person appreciate what Tim Miles did there, at least initially--a fourth-place conference finish and an NCAA tournament invite in his second year.
I agree that, as a co-author of an entire movement (genre?), he's essential. And yes, how would history be different if he'd gone down in Clear Lake?!?
This has been a topic before, in other threads: how much time should they or should have they given him. There are two factors that recommended some patience:
His previous track record of winning at ISU. He's not an unproven commodity.
Nebraska is a historically tough place for basketball...
Well, we found out who the better team is.
It'll be interesting to see how resilient the Gophers are. When they got steamrolled in the second half at Missouri, they seemed to go into a tailspin. I'd say to them, hey, look at what just happened to Wisconsin, and they weren't even playing a top 5...
It was after I posted this that I happened upon someone who found a less than 1 percent chance...which is certainly larger now that they won a game. We'll have to keep refreshing the ice that the champagne is chilling on!