My opinion of him has zoomed! Too bad Ihnen doesntvhave a similar highlight film
They are night and day different players...Durant and Rodman don't have the same highlight tape either
Great comeback! Ragnar!
I actually have no idea who is more explosive but I imagine whatever difference there is must be minuscule. From their rebounding stats Murphy averaged slightly more at 2" less height and same weight (250lbs) so Murphy would have been my guess. Was hoping there were recorded vertical leap for both players published somewhere.
Intelligence, demeanor, humility, ability to relate with players and motivate effort and discipline. Superior game planning and game coaching which led to his team competing well despite inferior talent in most games.
Mbakwe is two inches taller than Murphy and has a 40-inch vertical jump and 7-4 wingspan. Murphy makes up for a lack of size with quick leaping ...
www.twincities.com
And see I would flip that to say we must have been watching very different teams because the team I saw was rarely blown out even though they were at a significant disadvantage most nights.
You are right, it will be awhile before we get to make more solid opinions on comparing the two. Pitino had a lot more to work with his first year though. Feels like things are looking up and I felt like it was the right decision to let Pitino go and hopefully Ben was also a good decision.
I will make a prediction that by the end of year two it will be very clear that Ben is a significant upgrade from Pitino.
A ham sandwich would have been a significant upgrade from Pitino.
Name the coach -- former Gopher coach or not -- who could have done more with that roster.
Actually, the point he and I are discussing is about the current roster and specifically Ihnen: will he be a better player for Ben Johnson than he was his first two years. I say -- if his knee is good -- he will be. Johnson is a better coach.
Everyone has their own opinion. We have plenty of fans who describe getting to the sweet 16 as going on a run ! It is two games ! I will take a conference title. Ben will do better than Pitino. It would be hard to do worse.
Now you're going silly. I don't know of anybody, and certainly not me, saying Pitino is the worst coach ever. He's a middling professional basketball coach who contributed to running down Minnesota basketball.
I'd rather have a season where we get to the second round of the NCAA than win the NIT. It means we likely were better during the season and got to play in the only tournament that matters. I watched several NCAA first round and second round games. I don't think I wanted any of the NIT.
Hey! We here on Gopherhole will take a 2 game win streak anytime we can get it!!
Didn't say he was a middling Big Ten coach. He was not. His career will be as a middle level college coach. A middling Big Ten coach would rank in higher echelons of college coaching.
I think that is more the exception than the rule for getting productive players. A player like Carr (consensus top 5 if not #1 transfer target last year) can wait as long as he wants and pick his spot, there will always be a spot open for him wherever he goes. We are not getting those type guys, if we wait until July to fill out the last two spots we are far far more likely to have the G versions of Daniels. The more we go here to me the likely outcome seems to be adding one more CG who probably starts at the SG but can play PG when Cooper is out and doesnt put all that pressure on Carrington and then this summer we end up giving Ramberg the last scholarship in July. If that does happen I dont know its this massive "failure" but I def think it would be mismanagement of the roster. I dont think we are getting 4 transfer studs but then you need to find the guy who can be great at that 1 thing for 10-15min a game, if thats a true pass first PG or a lock down defender or a stud 3pt shooter, just someone who gives you an elite skill for small bursts.
That is a pessimistic perspective. The optimists would throw out the first transition year and just be happy at 3 consecutive 12-8 records for a 3 year total of 36-24!
