"Ben Johnson is a basketball genius," - former guard E.J. Stephens

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SanDiegoGopherFan said:
I would disagree at this point. Without a track record to point to, were hoping that he is a builder. The talent is there this year. Lets hope at end of year we see significant improvement in the record compared to last year where statistically we regressed.
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They overperformed a bit his first season and I think that was largely due to the experienced players he brought in through the portal. They weren't world-beaters, but they were solid fundamentally and knew the ropes. They swooned in the second half of the season because they had no depth and the talent gap showed up as other teams became more experienced.

I think we saw last year the bumpy ride that comes with a relatively inexperienced team. It's too bad that Battle moved on, but I think we'll see some improvement this year if all the gears mesh and Johnson can get the most out of the group. I think that will be the test.
 

50PoundHead said:
They overperformed a bit his first season and I think that was largely due to the experienced players he brought in through the portal. They weren't world-beaters, but they were solid fundamentally and knew the ropes. They swooned in the second half of the season because they had no depth and the talent gap showed up as other teams became more experienced.

I think we saw last year the bumpy ride that comes with a relatively inexperienced team. It's too bad that Battle moved on, but I think we'll see some improvement this year if all the gears mesh and Johnson can get the most out of the group. I think that will be the test.
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Battle needed a fresh start. Garcia has the 4 locked down. We have 3 or 4 better prospects for the SF/Wing. I am sure he wants to go pro somewhere. He doesn’t have the talent to get the minutes he needs on the 23 Gophers even at 21 levels of play. I hope he turns the corner at OSU. He has talent.
 
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Rockraven said:
Fleck’s success is largely based on his energy and optimism. He is a “can do” personality. CBJ is more cerebral and measured. He is a builder. Many Minnesota BB fans can not imagine that. He has recruited players that do. Just look which players portaled out.
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Maybe they struggle with the cerebral part?
 

Sane24 said:
Failed coaches are not necessarily bad coaches.
I have coached for 63 years and my successful teams all had good players and my UNsuccess teams had fewer good players.
I have had a few teams which shocked me with unexpected success, but it wasn't because I had a sudden surge in personal IQ.
The players were responsible for the unexpected success. My IQ was constant and predictable.
The oldest axiom in coaching is that no coach can make chicken salad out of chicken shit!
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How many times does CBJ have to fail for people to realize it? He's been a P5 AC/HC for 11 seasons and has ONE tournament appearance. He may very well be a good coach, but he's literally got nothing on his resume to suggest it.
 

Gophers7633 said:
How many times does CBJ have to fail for people to realize it? He's been a P5 AC/HC for 11 seasons and has ONE tournament appearance. He may very well be a good coach, but he's literally got nothing on his resume to suggest it.
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He needs to fail with a talented team or succeed with an un-talented team to prove his coaching ability level.
If this team shows obvious improvement, then he will have earned more chances.
 


Sane24 said:
He needs to fail with a talented team or succeed with an un-talented team to prove his coaching ability level.
If this team shows obvious improvement, then he will have earned more chances.
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He was a massive failure at Xavier. That's Xavier. They make the tournament, like every season, except the three he was there. He was at Nebraska for one season, he leaves and a year later they make the tournament. With largely the same team. I'd say he's already failed with teams talented enough to make the tournament. And he's clearly done nothing with his un-talented roster in two seasons. And I would hope improvement is obvious. Even if obvious, it still doesn't mean the team will be good.
 

I'll take Stephen's opinion of CBJ over anyone on this board. Who knows better than the players. I wish we could hear more interviews like this from past players.

CBJ had his back to the wall right from the get go trying to build a team. The UM hired a newbie as HC and are living with the results. This is not slam on the players but Sane's comment is spot on "no coach can make chicken salad out of chicken shit!

CBJ is no longer a newbie and now has a resume for others to view. In spite of that, he seems to be able to bring in some decent talent ala Payne, Garcia, JOJ, Betts, Christie, two experienced guards, and next year Asuma.

I think the majority here feel that CBJ has improved talent and decent depth. Now we need to see an improved team that CBJ will coach and move on up the BIG ladder and get to the NIT.
 

I have higher expectations than the NIT, but that would be a start point for building the program.
 




Bayfieldgopher said:
Higher than NIT? Not this season.

Next season if everyone returns plus add-on Asuma
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I love Asuma, but unless Mitchell and Hawkins are turnover machines he won’t start. Certainly he earns PT. We are in great shape on guards and wings. He will make us better. The fresh excitement for 23 is Carrington. He is making a huge jump!

Everyone isn’t returning.
 

Bayfieldgopher said:
I'll take Stephen's opinion of CBJ over anyone on this board. Who knows better than the players. I wish we could hear more interviews like this from past players.

CBJ had his back to the wall right from the get go trying to build a team. The UM hired a newbie as HC and are living with the results. This is not slam on the players but Sane's comment is spot on "no coach can make chicken salad out of chicken shit!

CBJ is no longer a newbie and now has a resume for others to view. In spite of that, he seems to be able to bring in some decent talent ala Payne, Garcia, JOJ, Betts, Christie, two experienced guards, and next year Asuma.

I think the majority here feel that CBJ has improved talent and decent depth. Now we need to see an improved team that CBJ will coach and move on up the BIG ladder and get to the NIT.
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Ben is great and lucky to have him. How could anyone have any other opinion
 

Ki
Rockraven said:
I love Asuma, but unless Mitchell and Hawkins are turnover machines he won’t start. Certainly he earns PT. We are in great shape on guards and wings. He will make us better. The fresh excitement for 23 is Carrington. He is making a huge jump!

Everyone isn’t retur
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Rockraven said:
I love Asuma, but unless Mitchell and Hawkins are turnover machines he won’t start. Certainly he earns PT. We are in great shape on guards and wings. He will make us better. The fresh excitement for 23 is Carrington. He is making a huge jump!

Everyone isn’t returning.
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Everyone returns except Wilson, Ramberg and (maybe) Fox.
We can survive that!
If we lose guys in the transfer portal who are unhappy with their current playing time, we should be able to survive that nicely if we can add the 2024 version of Mitchell and Hawkins through the portal.
 

Sane24 said:
The nicest guy and a basketball genius who is NOT a good coach?
I have coached for a long time and have never seen nor met anyone who fits that description.
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Where would you rate Pitino in that?

He seemed like a nice guy, and watching his dad since being a baby, did he not have some basketball genius to him? Or does Ben have some basketball genius and Pitino does not?
 



Ki
Rockraven said:
I love Asuma, but unless Mitchell and Hawkins are turnover machines he won’t start. Certainly he earns PT. We are in great shape on guards and wings. He will make us better. The fresh excitement for 23 is Carrington. He is making a huge jump!

Everyone isn’t retur
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Rockraven said:
I love Asuma, but unless Mitchell and Hawkins are turnover machines he won’t start. Certainly he earns PT. We are in great shape on guards and wings. He will make us better. The fresh excitement for 23 is Carrington. He is making a huge jump!

Everyone isn’t returning.
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Everyone returns except Wilson, Ramberg and (maybe) Fox.
We can survive that!
If we lose guys in the transfer portal who are unhappy with their current playing time, we should be able to survive that nicely if we can add the 2024 version of Mitchell and Hawkins through the portal
kg21 said:
Where would you rate Pitino in that?

He seemed like a nice guy, and watching his dad since being a baby, did he not have some basketball genius to him? Or does Ben have some basketball genius and Pitino does not?
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I am not close enough to either coach to know whether they are nice guys or geniuses. My guess is neither, but Stephen's has played for Ben, so his opinion is more valuable than my guess.
 


Gophers7633 said:
He was a massive failure at Xavier. That's Xavier. They make the tournament, like every season, except the three he was there. He was at Nebraska for one season, he leaves and a year later they make the tournament. With largely the same team. I'd say he's already failed with teams talented enough to make the tournament. And he's clearly done nothing with his un-talented roster in two seasons. And I would hope improvement is obvious. Even if obvious, it still doesn't mean the team will be good.
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This year will tell everything about whether Johnson will earn any more years as the head coach. If he doesn't produce significant improvement, he'll be gone. But to suggest that he is a massive failure because these teams made the tournament after he left as an assistant coach?

You can make credible judgements about his teams the last two years, when they did not have Big Ten caliber talent, and you can make credible judgements about his team after this next season while he's the head coach. Suggesting that his leaving Nebraska and Xavier as an assistant was a big factor in those teams making the tournament the next year?

I had no idea that assistant coaches were so influential!
 

Formerswish said:
This year will tell everything about whether Johnson will earn any more years as the head coach. If he doesn't produce significant improvement, he'll be gone. But to suggest that he is a massive failure because these teams made the tournament after he left as an assistant coach?

You can make credible judgements about his teams the last two years, when they did not have Big Ten caliber talent, and you can make credible judgements about his team after this next season while he's the head coach. Suggesting that his leaving Nebraska and Xavier as an assistant was a big factor in those teams making the tournament the next year?

I had no idea that assistant coaches were so influential!
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Rumor has it, that he's also responsible for climate change and Whenever Buxton has a slump.

Maybe he's in the Illuminati?
 

Formerswish said:
This year will tell everything about whether Johnson will earn any more years as the head coach. If he doesn't produce significant improvement, he'll be gone. But to suggest that he is a massive failure because these teams made the tournament after he left as an assistant coach?

You can make credible judgements about his teams the last two years, when they did not have Big Ten caliber talent, and you can make credible judgements about his team after this next season while he's the head coach. Suggesting that his leaving Nebraska and Xavier as an assistant was a big factor in those teams making the tournament the next year?

I had no idea that assistant coaches were so influential!
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What else do you want me to judge? He's been awful as the HC of the Gophers. He's a massive failure because he hasn't had success ANYWHERE at the P5 level. ONE tournament appearance, NO tournament wins in 11 seasons as a P5 AC/HC. Xavier is a really good program too. I mean his track record is something you can't really defend, yet here you are trying to do it.
 

Gophers7633 said:
What else do you want me to judge? He's been awful as the HC of the Gophers. He's a massive failure because he hasn't had success ANYWHERE at the P5 level. ONE tournament appearance, NO tournament wins in 11 seasons as a P5 AC/HC. Xavier is a really good program too. I mean his track record is something you can't really defend, yet here you are trying to do it.
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I suggest we give Ben a 10-year extension and a raise because in my opinion, his losses were all caused by a horrible Assistant Coach, who should be fired.
That suggestion uses the same logic that you are using to blame Ben for Xavier losses when Ben was their Assistant Coach. Horribly misguided logic!
Can I be fired for the mistakes of all of my incompetent bosses?
 


Sane24 said:
I suggest we give Ben a 10-year extension and a raise because in my opinion, his losses were all caused by a horrible Assistant Coach, who should be fired.
That suggestion uses the same logic that you are using to blame Ben for Xavier losses when Ben was their Assistant Coach. Horribly misguided logic!
Can I be fired for the mistakes of all of my incompetent bosses?
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I'm not blaming the losses on him. I'm just saying he was a failure at Xavier. The team was a failure. He was a failure as an AC at Xavier. There are successful AC's who become HC's like Kyle Neptune(AC at Villanova). And then there are unsuccessful AC's who become HC and Ben is one of those(probably the only one FWIW). He's never been part of a successful P5 team(outside one year, which resulted in a first round tournament loss)
 

Gophers7633 said:
I'm not blaming the losses on him. I'm just saying he was a failure at Xavier. The team was a failure. He was a failure as an AC at Xavier. There are successful AC's who become HC's like Kyle Neptune(AC at Villanova). And then there are unsuccessful AC's who become HC and Ben is one of those(probably the only one FWIW). He's never been part of a successful P5 team(outside one year, which resulted in a first round tournament loss)
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My argument is that a single assistant basketball coach has minimal responsibility for the total wins or losses of a college basketball team.
I agree that there is very little to judge his coaching ability so far. After this upcoming season, we will have his record for one season with a competitive roster as a valid data point. Until then, IMO we have no valid data points.
 

Sane24 said:
My argument is that a single assistant basketball coach has minimal responsibility for the total wins or losses of a college basketball team.
I agree that there is very little to judge his coaching ability so far. After this upcoming season, we will have his record for one season with a competitive roster as a valid data point. Until then, IMO we have no valid data points.
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Guess we'll find out. He's been a failure at every stop, and I don't really have a reason to believe next year will be much different.
 

Gophers7633 said:
Guess we'll find out. He's been a failure at every stop, and I don't really have a reason to believe next year will be much different.
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True...somewhat related.... look up all the Bill Belichick's assistant coaches who failed as head coaches in the NFL. It takes a different skill set for head coach vs. Assistant Coach.
I know because I have done both, although not in basketball.
 

Sane24 said:
True...somewhat related.... look up all the Bill Belichick's assistant coaches who failed as head coaches in the NFL. It takes a different skill set for head coach vs. Assistant Coach.
I know because I have done both, although not in basketball.
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Obviously being a good AC doesn't guarantee anything. But being a failure every step of the way doesn't help in my opinion.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Rumor has it, that he's also responsible for climate change and Whenever Buxton has a slump.

Maybe he's in the Illuminati?
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Gophers7633 said:
Obviously being a good AC doesn't guarantee anything. But being a failure every step of the way doesn't help in my opinion.
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No, you're right, being a good assistant doesn't guarantee anything. And in my coaching experience it would be pretty hard to define a coaching assistant as a "failure" if the team didn't have a good season-even at a number of different places. That seems to fall much more into the lap of the players and the head coach.

We can disagree, it just seems your definition of "failure" is a bit on the broad side. Is that fair?
 

Formerswish said:
No, you're right, being a good assistant doesn't guarantee anything. And in my coaching experience it would be pretty hard to define a coaching assistant as a "failure" if the team didn't have a good season-even at a number of different places. That seems to fall much more into the lap of the players and the head coach.

We can disagree, it just seems your definition of "failure" is a bit on the broad side. Is that fair?
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He's obviously not solely responsible for Xavier's failures while he was there, but he was a part of it. It was a failed AC tenure, no way of spinning that. He left to go to Xavier with them coming off being a #1 seed. Xavier was operating at the top of the sport. They couldn't even make the tournament while he was there. I'm sure if you asked him, he'd say it was a failure. I don't know how you can go to a program that prestigious, come away with those results and think anything else. Johnson just has no track record of being a success ANYWHERE he's been. Whether in charge or on staff. He's lucky he got this HC job, because he'd probably be an AC at a G5 school right now.
 

Gophers7633 said:
He's obviously not solely responsible for Xavier's failures while he was there, but he was a part of it. It was a failed AC tenure, no way of spinning that. He left to go to Xavier with them coming off being a #1 seed. Xavier was operating at the top of the sport. They couldn't even make the tournament while he was there. I'm sure if you asked him, he'd say it was a failure. I don't know how you can go to a program that prestigious, come away with those results and think anything else. Johnson just has no track record of being a success ANYWHERE he's been. Whether in charge or on staff. He's lucky he got this HC job, because he'd probably be an AC at a G5 school right now.
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Explain his hiring here.
 



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