Ben Johnson is a Disaster

[Off-GridTNgopher]

The person behind hiring Ben is out. She's going to pitt... Thank god... I'm willing to give coyle one last shot at this hire.

You mix the disaster that is Ben along with the buyout and Mark Coyle should be gone. We are talking one of the single biggest disasters in modern Minnesota sports.

 

[SPEGOPHER]

Almost incomprehensible how inept Ben has been. Can’t even fill the roster. Only saving grace is that we only have to do one more year after this. An unrelenting disaster from day one.

 

[crazysauce]

I dont know how one can defend Johnson at this point. I dont think things could be any worse at this point. I still can't believe they didn't fire him. It's crazy.

 

[goldengophers]

The person behind hiring Ben is out. She's going to pitt... Thank god... I'm willing to give coyle one last shot at this hire.

I agree on Coyle outside Ben and we can go around and around on who held the power in the hire but the buyout will never make any sense. Our competition for Ben's services as a HC were DII programs as he couldn't get low level mid major jobs... why is his buyout $8M?

 

[Bad Gopher]

So we lost Cooper, Henley, Battle and TT all with eligibility left. And replaced that with Mitchell and a former walk on football player?! I didn't think it was possible to be worse than last year, but Ben might just do it.

...and, to be fair, a 4-star freshman who looks the part. Add to that, we know Ihnen can play, at least a little, at least before his injuries. We don't know if Fox can play at this level. Still a negative roster shift, at least so far.

There's still hope a new target emerges, but Pride was an opportunity you just can't miss. This is a gigantic blow.

 

[Gopheritnow]

Not sure how men’s roster will turn out, but the new Gopher ladies coach is filling the roster with portal players daily!

 

[LongLiveMilesTarver]

We feared it was Christian Ponder and it turned out to be Spurgeon Wynn.

More like Garo Yepremian.

 

[Gophers_4life]

There will be 2,000 people in the Barn this season. They should have cut their losses and paid the buyout. Now an entire year is lost.

SR would not have been happy!!

 

[Gophers_4life]

We’re losing out on mid-level transfers to St. Bonaventure! This program has now reached the point where its loved ones need to discuss euthanasia for a more dignified death.

Call Liberty Medical.

They can help you live a better life.

 

[skiumah1]

Zero expectation at this point. Likely just a waiting game until this coming year finishes up and then move on.

Was never a good hire, but it was hard to ever see it going this poorly. Lesson learned.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Zero expectation at this point. Likely just a waiting game until this coming year finishes up and then move on.

Was never a good hire, but it was hard to ever see it going this poorly. Lesson learned.

Right? I mean, I sure as hell hope Coyle learned something.

Just incredible what he thought he saw. Oh well

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Not sure how men’s roster will turn out, but the new Gopher ladies coach is filling the roster with portal players daily!

Seriously? Haven’t been following. That is great and doesn’t speak well for what is going on with the Men’s.

 

[skiumah1]

Right? I mean, I sure as hell hope Coyle learned something.

Just incredible what he thought he saw. Oh well

I know there are some who are pretty committed to the idea that it wasn't Coyle's choice. I'd really like to hear more about that and learn what really happened.

Fleck and Motzko were such solid hires and I'd imagine that was Coyle. I like the new VB coach hire too. He missed on Whalen, but I think the vast majority were supporting that hire when it happened. I like the new coach trying to correct the womens' program.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I know there are some who are pretty committed to the idea that it wasn't Coyle's choice. I'd really like to hear more about that and learn what really happened.

Well yeah, we all would. That will never come out. There are no texts or emails. Burner phones. They were smart.

OR, it never happened. One of those is true.

 

[Crappie]

The apologists, sycophants, and eternally delusionals aren't here scolding us this morning.

Odd.

Huh. Where's Johnny/Mnvcguy?

 

[Crappie]

Right? I mean, I sure as hell hope Coyle learned something.

Just incredible what he thought he saw. Oh well

Iirc, Coyle was blown away.

 

[skiumah1]

Well yeah, we all would. That will never come out. There are no texts or emails. Burner phones. They were smart.

OR, it never happened. One of those is true.

Iirc, Coyle was blown away.

I actually would lean towards the fact that Coyle was the main decision-maker. He just made a really bad one.

I'd be offended as an AD not to be able to make the hire for a big time revenue producing sport. That's why you do the job.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I actually would lean towards the fact that Coyle was the main decision-maker. He just made a really bad one.

I'd be offended as an AD not to be able to make the hire for a big time revenue producing sport. That's why you do the job.

In a normal scenario, sure. I think things around Mpls immediately post George Floyd were pretty incredible. We'll never know. Maybe Coyle on his death bed will come out with it, may that be many years from now.

 

[skiumah1]

In a normal scenario, sure. I think things around Mpls immediately post George Floyd were pretty incredible. We'll never know. Maybe Coyle on his death bed will come out with it, may that be many years from now.

If it was the case that we wanted to hire a black head coach, there's too many to name out there that were more worthy than Ben.

 

[Gophers_4life]

If it was the case that we wanted to hire a black head coach, there's too many to name out there that were more worthy than Ben.

But any who were actually interested in coming here? Again, who knows, but that "situation" and "stigma" around Mpls at that time may have lessened their interest.

This is all wild speculation.

 

[skiumah1]

But any who were actually interested in coming here? Again, who knows, but that "situation" and "stigma" around Mpls at that time may have lessened their interest.

This is all wild speculation.

True, doesn't matter at this point. We are where we are now.

 

[howeda7]

Not sure how men’s roster will turn out, but the new Gopher ladies coach is filling the roster with portal players daily!

It's amazing what a competent coach can do.

 

[howeda7]

More like Garo Yepremian.

At least he had a useful skill

 

[howeda7]

321 days...

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

321 days...

Wish there was a gopher sport that had jerseys in the 300s and we could start a pictorial countdown

 

[BTChamp]

321 days...

Pretty close to the Kenpom.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

No amount of money should prevent this thing from being run into the ground. Also, what's the cost of missing out on revenue because ticket sales plummet? It's just gonna be a waste of a season.

well if paid attendance goes down 2500 per game, there are about 20 home games tops so thats 50K tickets. at 50 bucks each thats 2.5M Im guessing Im a little high so more like 1.5-2M

 

[gopherbadgerman]

Evans wouldn't of started over Payne...
Christie will be starting somewhere on this squad.. deserved or not

BS. No way a 5* recruit coming to one of the worst big conference programs in the country does not start. Maybe they both start.

 

[Go4]

If it was the case that we wanted to hire a black head coach, there's too many to name out there that were more worthy than Ben.

+o4

 

[GopherPlaya]

You mix the disaster that is Ben along with the buyout and Mark Coyle should be gone. We are talking one of the single biggest disasters in modern Minnesota sports.

I still don’t think Coyle should be gone but Ben yes immediately. If we start off 4-6 or worse before Big Ten play then cut bait early n start the coaching search. I honestly think we should target a coach from a mid to low who has been successful. I would even take SDSU coach over another Johnson type hire