All Things Kerwin Walton Recruitment Thread (Class of 2020)

[Livingat45north]

We're not far off from the day when a typical recruiting class will consist of equal parts high school athletes and transfer players. Coaches are embracing that concept and leaving scholarships open for the spring, and also taking into account likely transfer losses themselves.

Our recruiting class this year consists of:

1. Jamal Mashburn
2. Martice Mitchell
3. Brandon Johnson
4. Liam Robbins
5. Unnamed transfer (Peterson?)

I think that's a very good recruiting class.

Our ranking of 94.32 puts us fourth in the B1G, and that's without counting Robbins and Johnson (both transfers so they don't get ranking numbers). I'll take that any day. BADgers are 9th, and Iwoa is dead last.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Once your state has been identified as having a weak D1 program it is open season. Nj for football and mn for b-ball.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Too harsh. Not everyone who goes to a cheater school cheats. I'm going to assume Kerwin went to UNC because of the name and the opportunity. If he is not inclined toward class, he may benefit from the fraudulent classes available to all UNC students. I highly doubt this came down to a bidding war between corrupt programs. If our staff had any sense that was an issue with Waltons, they would have bugged out a long time ago.

Thank you for your reasonable posts Holy Man.

 

[Holy Man]

Thank you for your reasonable posts Holy Man.

Believe it or not faith and reason mesh together nicely.

 

[howeda7]

Disappointing but not surprising. Pitino's inability land in-state kids is his undoing.

 

[jmag21]

Too harsh. Not everyone who goes to a cheater school cheats. I'm going to assume Kerwin went to UNC because of the name and the opportunity. If he is not inclined toward class, he may benefit from the fraudulent classes available to all UNC students. I highly doubt this came down to a bidding war between corrupt programs. If our staff had any sense that was an issue with Waltons, they would have bugged out a long time ago.

Oh is it possible Kerwin isn't being paid to UNC? And hasn't been promised a fraudulent class system? Certainly it is possible, and perhaps the charitable thing is to assume he is the exception. Again, I think it's safe to presume that since most top recruits who go to these schools are receiving compensation, that it applies to him as well, but you could be right. Maybe he just likes powder blue. However, whether or not he is directly receiving the benefits of cheating, he is certainly indirectly receiving those benefits. The name UNC has been built on cheating. The strength of the team currently has been built on cheating. To the extent he has success at UNC, it will be influenced by and partially the result of cheating. And that's a disappointing choice. Could it come out, years hence, that the Gophers were cheating too, and just doing a poor job at it? Certainly. But we KNOW UNC is a cheating program, and choosing to be a part of it is sad.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Disappointing but not surprising. Pitino's inability land in-state kids is his undoing.

Disagree, losing games will be if it happens.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Oh is it possible Kerwin isn't being paid to UNC? And hasn't been promised a fraudulent class system? Certainly it is possible, and perhaps the charitable thing is to assume he is the exception. Again, I think it's safe to presume that since most top recruits who go to these schools are receiving compensation, that it applies to him as well, but you could be right. Maybe he just likes powder blue. However, whether or not he is directly receiving the benefits of cheating, he is certainly indirectly receiving those benefits. The name UNC has been built on cheating. The strength of the team currently has been built on cheating. To the extent he has success at UNC, it will be influenced by and partially the result of cheating. And that's a disappointing choice. Could it come out, years hence, that the Gophers were cheating too, and just doing a poor job at it? Certainly. But we KNOW UNC is a cheating program, and choosing to be a part of it is sad.

We know it was a cheating program. As far as we know they are now compliant.

 

[howeda7]

Disagree, losing games will be if it happens.

Sure. But chicken and egg. It's hard to win at Minnesota with a roster of 90% kids from other states.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Sure. But chicken and egg.

If he got more local kids it wouldn't make him a better or worse teacher or coach of the game. It also wouldn't have meant we would've had an identity. Those are and will be his undoing. He's gotten plenty of good enough players here to win.

 

[BarnBurner]

You good bro?

Sure thing. Dont like liars and BADGER is a disgusting liar.

 

[BarnBurner]

We know it was a cheating program. As far as we know they are now compliant.

And as usual, you avoid the ancillary benefits at UNC.

 

[MplsGopher]

So will we ever get a proper post-mortem on why it took so G-D long to make the decision everyone knew you were going to make??

 

[alchemy2u]

Oh is it possible Kerwin isn't being paid to UNC? And hasn't been promised a fraudulent class system? Certainly it is possible, and perhaps the charitable thing is to assume he is the exception. Again, I think it's safe to presume that since most top recruits who go to these schools are receiving compensation, that it applies to him as well, but you could be right. Maybe he just likes powder blue. However, whether or not he is directly receiving the benefits of cheating, he is certainly indirectly receiving those benefits. The name UNC has been built on cheating. The strength of the team currently has been built on cheating. To the extent he has success at UNC, it will be influenced by and partially the result of cheating. And that's a disappointing choice. Could it come out, years hence, that the Gophers were cheating too, and just doing a poor job at it? Certainly. But we KNOW UNC is a cheating program, and choosing to be a part of it is sad.

Excellent post. I suspect that Kerwin is a good kid, but going to such a program can rise doubts.

As you said, UNC and all of there current players benefit from the cheating. Any school that accepted that amount of systemic cheating for so long, and sold their academic reputation to escape punishment, will just find another way to cheat. It is in their values and how they operate.

It also reflects negatively on the person who chooses to join that type of culture. It is like joining an accounting firm that cooks the books, you may not do it yourself, but you support the efforts by choosing to represent the company.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

things we don't know:

could a different coach have convinced Walton to go to MN?

Are recruits saying 'no' to MN because of the program, or the coach, or both?

does MN have to cheat to get top players?

Who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp?
Who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong?

 

[tikited]

things we don't know:

could a different coach have convinced Walton to go to MN?

Are recruits saying 'no' to MN because of the program, or the coach, or both?

does MN have to cheat to get top players?

Who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp?
Who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong?

Barry the Mann!

 

[GoodasGold]

Kerwin Walton is dead. Long live the Gophers.

 

[Slim Tubby]

There was a good opportunity to play right away for Kelvin Walston with Willis transferring but apparently Cheaters Always Prosper University (also known as UNC or University of No Classes) was too good to pass up. Maybe I just drank a glass of Sour Grape Juice but I'm not really bothered by this loss compared to the others we've had the last 3-5 years. Pitino's lack of recruiting prowess, especially with the local talent, will be criticized exponentially when we have a Head Football Coach that has just been destroying it since he got here. Whether Richard needs to be replaced or not...I'll leave that up to the experts on here that love to debate that topic.

 

[jamiche]

I don't think 18 year old kids care about what happened five minutes ago, much less five years ago. They care about making it to the NBA, playing time, facilities, pretty girls, playing in front of large crowds, name brand schools, playing in front of family, swag and last and most definitely least, classes. That's the approximate order, assuming no cash is involved. Playing in front of family and classes is pretty much at the bottom.

If my ranking of factors is accurate, Kerwin made the best decision for himself. However, I don't think he will get anywhere near the playing time at UNC that he thinks he will get or he has been told he will get. That's the only thing I might question about his decision. In any case, we should wish him the best. He doesn't owe us anything.

 

[MplsGopher]

In any case, we should wish him the best. He doesn't owe us anything.

I would have been all good with that.

Then this weekend happened, where he proved he isn't a man of his word. Twice.

So, no thanks.

 

[Keyser Söze]

I would have been all good with that.

Then this weekend happened, where he proved he isn't a man of his word. Twice.

So, no thanks.

lol is this a bit? Or are you actually taking things this personally?

 

[MplsGopher]

Or are you actually taking things this personally?

As personally as a bad loss by the Gophers team. Just like you do. So you can quit pretending, any time.

I'll live. And I'll still go by principles.

 

[Keyser Söze]

As personally as a bad loss by the Gophers team. Just like you do. So you can quit pretending, any time.

I'll live. And I'll still go by principles.

Wait, you take losses personally? Like, you think the team lost on purpose because they wanted to upset you?

 

[MplsGopher]

Wait, you take losses personally?

Sure, so do you. By the definition of personal.

Like, you think the team lost on purpose because they wanted to upset you?

Oh I see, you're using some bizarre, made-up, trolling definition.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Sure, so do you. By the definition of personal.


Oh I see, you're using some bizarre, made-up, trolling definition.

Uhhh.....wut?

take (something) personally:
To be offended, upset, or negatively affected by something at a personal level; to consider something as being a direct, personal attack against oneself.

take personally

Definition of take personally in the Idioms Dictionary by The Free Dictionary

idioms.thefreedictionary.com

I'm disappointed that Kerwin went to UNC, but I don't feel like I, the team, or the fanbase was personally attacked nor do I think Walton had any ill-intentions. He just made the decision that he felt was best for him. No need to question his principles or be as butthurt as you are.

 

[MplsGopher]

I'm disappointed that Kerwin went to UNC, but I don't feel like I, the team, or the fanbase was personally attacked

Duh. No one does, including me. Never said I felt personally attacked.

He just made the decision that he felt was best for him. No need to question his principles

So back to what I actually said, which was correct then and stands correct now:

I would have been all good with that.

Then this weekend happened, where he proved he isn't a man of his word. Twice.

So, no thanks.

 

[Duker]

Too harsh. Not everyone who goes to a cheater school cheats. I'm going to assume Kerwin went to UNC because of the name and the opportunity. If he is not inclined toward class, he may benefit from the fraudulent classes available to all UNC students. I highly doubt this came down to a bidding war between corrupt programs. If our staff had any sense that was an issue with Waltons, they would have bugged out a long time ago.

Kerwin had offers from Vanderbilt and Georgetown, I think education may be more important to him than many of you are giving him credit for. You still can get a good education at NC.

 

[John Galt]

Get a life loser

Pitino is the loser. Again.

 

[leib0039]

I'm not naive enough to think we will get every in state kid, but Pitino has failed for the most part on local kids he should have a leg up on. Like a previous post said, you look at pitino and go well maybe we aren't that great of a landing spot or maybe we have Nothing to offer. Then go look at the football recruiting and realize a coach who has it figured out will have far less problem getting recruits here. To me the success PJ has going should show everyone Pitino will never make it work here

 

[Gopherfan84]

I'm not naive enough to think we will get every in state kid, but Pitino has failed for the most part on local kids he should have a leg up on. Like a previous post said, you look at pitino and go well maybe we aren't that great of a landing spot or maybe we have Nothing to offer. Then go look at the football recruiting and realize a coach who has it figured out will have far less problem getting recruits here. To me the success PJ has going should show everyone Pitino will never make it work here

PJ gettng the top instate recruits in that had offers from Blue Bloods and Wisconsin? Until we move on the narrative that in state recruiting is the end all, we will never be happy. Kids are more transient and I don't foresee that changing.