Ben Johnson is a Disaster

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I can’t think of a Big Ten BB coach that had a four year run as bad as this is going to end. Didn’t Iowa end the Lickliter debacle after 3 years? Is there someone else I’m forgetting (you know, the most forgettable coaches in conference history 🙄). This is going to end up being Big Ten legendary bad. Not a label you want attached to your program.
 


goldenboy said:
I can’t think of a Big Ten BB coach that had a four year run as bad as this is going to end. Didn’t Iowa end the Lickliter debacle after 3 years? Is there someone else I’m forgetting (you know, the most forgettable coaches in conference history 🙄). This is going to end up being Big Ten legendary bad. Not a label you want attached to your program.
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Byrdsong may have CBJ beat.
 

CBJ lucked out a bit in my opinion last year. We locked in DG and Fox early and Hawkins left late. Combine that with 9 conf wins and a frugal athletic department, that combo basically got him another year.

If they don't go big with their next hire then we could just as well shut down the program because we will turn into 90s NW where going 5-13 in conference is a good year. Don't let this no NIL no money for coaches fool anyone. We have the ability to spend up, we've chosen not to. It is very similar to the Twins, sure we aren't the Yankees or Dodgers, but we shouldn't be the Rays or A's either.
 






RockChalk said:
Johnson was quoted in the paper today as saying "we aren't mature enough" to prevent us from caving in the 2nd half vs the Boilermaker. SERIOULY???

Isn't your team made up of 4th ,5th & 6th year seniors? If you are not mature enough with this team you never will be.
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This is one of those moments CBJ where less is more. Stop talking. What is next? "At least we got second."
 



RockChalk said:
Johnson was quoted in the paper today as saying "we aren't mature enough" to prevent us from caving in the 2nd half vs the Boilermaker. SERIOULY???

Isn't your team made up of 4th ,5th & 6th year seniors? If you are not mature enough with this team you never will be.
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Yeah.....with a team full of 1 year guys who have played a ton of basketball probably not a great idea to pick maturity as a reason for why you struggled in the second half.

Although I guess maturity can apply to things other than just game experience. Team desperately needs someone other than Mike Mitchell and Garcia to become a consistent offensive weapon.

In the end it probably doesn't matter what Johnson says during this long slow death march to the end of the season. Anyone watching the games can see this team just doesn't have the talent to compete in the Big Ten.
 


MNVCGUY said:
Yeah.....with a team full of 1 year guys who have played a ton of basketball probably not a great idea to pick maturity as a reason for why you struggled in the second half.

Although I guess maturity can apply to things other than just game experience. Team desperately needs someone other than Mike Mitchell and Garcia to become a consistent offensive weapon.

In the end it probably doesn't matter what Johnson says during this long slow death march to the end of the season. Anyone watching the games can see this team just doesn't have the talent to compete in the Big Ten.
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Be patient, let's see what happens. Your own words.
 




Garyisawinner said:
Need Asuma to hunt his shot a little harder.
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He probably will as he gets more experience/confidence, seems to have a decent looking shot.

Patterson actually shot the ball much better than usual against Purdue. If he can do that more consistently that would really help the offense because he has had some brutal shooting nights. Unfortunately, he shot better and Mike Mitchell couldn't make anything.
 

formerlybis said:
Just being pedantic here, but they probably won't be able to name the new coach until at least the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. This is true whether they fire CBJ now or later - the good coaching candidates have jobs to do through that period (unless you go after currently unemployed retreads).
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It home won't make a difference when Ben gets fired but I would assume Coyle is already doing the leg work as far as talking to agents and gaging interest on whoever is on his list.
 

Strongazzoffer said:
It home won't make a difference when Ben gets fired but I would assume Coyle is already doing the leg work as far as talking to agents and gaging interest on whoever is on his list.
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As would probably two-thirds of P5 ADs - even a school like MSU has to at least be on the lookout in case Izzo decides to retire.

A lot of business traditionally gets done at the Final Four - it’s also the convention for the NABC. I was a volunteer when it was here in 2019, and saw firsthand how it’s a networking-palooza for all levels, down to even NAIA and the junior colleges.

I wonder if that’s too late nowadays, though.

The problem is that as soon as the season is over, players go into the portal. Having a coaching vacancy puts you at a big disadvantage, even if it’s only for a few weeks. Especially for a team like Minnesota that has practically an entire roster to reconstruct.

However, I guess I rather wait for a better coach than to pull the trigger on someone just to get them in place for optimum timing. Coyle is undoubtedly thinking about the same things. Well, maybe doubtedly…
 

howeda7 said:
The Gophers single handedly knocked Rutgers out of the NCAAs two years in a row. In Ben's first year with the Iron 7 Covid game and the next year on that shot. It might be Ben's crowning achievement. We need a banner.
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Didn't Rutgers make the first four in 2022?
formerlybis said:
As would probably two-thirds of P5 ADs - even a school like MSU has to at least be on the lookout in case Izzo decides to retire.

A lot of business traditionally gets done at the Final Four - it’s also the convention for the NABC. I was a volunteer when it was here in 2019, and saw firsthand how it’s a networking-palooza for all levels, down to even NAIA and the junior colleges.

I wonder if that’s too late nowadays, though.

The problem is that as soon as the season is over, players go into the portal. Having a coaching vacancy puts you at a big disadvantage, even if it’s only for a few weeks. Especially for a team like Minnesota that has practically an entire roster to reconstruct.

However, I guess I rather wait for a better coach than to pull the trigger on someone just to get them in place for optimum timing. Coyle is undoubtedly thinking about the same things. Well, maybe doubtedly…
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I think there's a sweet spot. We hired Ben in late March and I believe Pitino got hired between the elite eight and the final four. Who ever it ends being I would imagine it will be a done deal in mid to late March. And if the coaches team is in the dance probably announced a day or two after they lose. Believe Tubby lost in the round of 32 at Kentucky and was here a couple days later. Monson was a weird scenario as I think we hired him in July. You mentioned the portal and I think that's why it'll be done as guys from eliminated teams will be portraying during the dance. You want somebody in so the four or five guys Asuama, Betts, Frank Mitchell, Grove and the three recruits can make up there minds or whoever the coach is can have honest conversations with those players.
 

DarthGopher said:
For me it wasn't about supporting him. It was about accepting the reality they were not going to make a change after year 2 and hoping the blind squirrel would find a nut in year 3. It improved, but that was following two historically bad seasons. Once the team imploded, it should have been ended IMHO.

I am past being upset. I just don't care, which is way worse. I wish he could have figured it out. Seems like a really good dude. I don't like to see him fail. But it is way past time. This experiment failed miserably. They have to nail the next hire. No more f'n around.
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Very well said.
 



BarnBurner said:
Be patient, let's see what happens. Your own words.
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Dude. For the love of Christ, let it go. The administration was not going to give him the hook after year 2. Optics, precedent, buyout, whatever. It wasn't going to happen. Some chose to make the best of a crappy situation. Others chose to wallow in the sh*t. You wallowed. Your original assessment proved correct. Congrats on being right all along. You still have zero control to do anything about it. That is a fact.

For the record, I did not like the hire in the first place. It was underwhelming by a country mile and I was concerned the lack of experience would lead to basically what has happened. In Han Solo's words, I had a bad feeling about it.

You have either never worked in corporate America or you have been extremely lucky to avoid bad managers. It takes exponentially longer to get rid of a crappy leader than anyone wants to admit. The higher up they are, the longer it takes. The quickest I've seen it happen is just shy of 2.5 years, and this was for a yahoo at a director level who was an unethical a**hole. If they are just incompetent but don't do anything that crosses any lines, it takes considerably longer. College sports are like corporate entities, not a roofing crew. CBJ is equivalent to a senior leader in a VP role. Senior leadership positions are not plug and play. There are contracts and all kinds of other little hooks that make separation a messy affair. You don't get to rifle through laborers like disposable diapers until you find one that doesn't stink. That is why they cannot afford to eff this next one up, and it is going to cost them more to rectify the situation to at least become competitive again. It is the price to pay for taking a high risk / high reward gamble with CBJ.

Hopefully in about 9 or 10 weeks, we are moving on to something better. I want to experience 1997 again, even if it didn't "officially" happen.

And hang the damn banner back up. :)
 

DarthGopher said:
Dude. For the love of Christ, let it go. The administration was not going to give him the hook after year 2. Optics, precedent, buyout, whatever. It wasn't going to happen. Some chose to make the best of a crappy situation. Others chose to wallow in the sh*t. You wallowed. Your original assessment proved correct. Congrats on being right all along. You still have zero control to do anything about it. That is a fact.

For the record, I did not like the hire in the first place. It was underwhelming by a country mile and I was concerned the lack of experience would lead to basically what has happened. In Han Solo's words, I had a bad feeling about it.

You have either never worked in corporate America or you have been extremely lucky to avoid bad managers. It takes exponentially longer to get rid of a crappy leader than anyone wants to admit. The higher up they are, the longer it takes. The quickest I've seen it happen is just shy of 2.5 years, and this was for a yahoo at a director level who was an unethical a**hole. If they are just incompetent but don't do anything that crosses any lines, it takes considerably longer. College sports are like corporate entities, not a roofing crew. CBJ is equivalent to a senior leader in a VP role. Senior leadership positions are not plug and play. There are contracts and all kinds of other little hooks that make separation a messy affair. You don't get to rifle through laborers like disposable diapers until you find one that doesn't stink. That is why they cannot afford to eff this next one up, and it is going to cost them more to rectify the situation to at least become competitive again. It is the price to pay for taking a high risk / high reward gamble with CBJ.

Hopefully in about 9 or 10 weeks, we are moving on to something better. I want to experience 1997 again, even if it didn't "officially" happen.

And hang the damn banner back up. :)
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Dude, FTLOG no lectures. I haven't indicated I could do a thing about the coach at Mn. Ever.

Mnvcguy was and is the greatest cheerleader for cbj. He protected him any way possible all along and never would or could see reality.

I wanted cbj to be successful at Mn. I remember well the late 80's and 90's at the barn. Nothing better than an electric barn, and it was electric many times. I was at the barn for the welcome home for the FF team. A blast.

I simply don't have time for those that can't acknowledge the obvious. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
 

leib0039 said:
CBJ lucked out a bit in my opinion last year. We locked in DG and Fox early and Hawkins left late. Combine that with 9 conf wins and a frugal athletic department, that combo basically got him another year.

If they don't go big with their next hire then we could just as well shut down the program because we will turn into 90s NW where going 5-13 in conference is a good year. Don't let this no NIL no money for coaches fool anyone. We have the ability to spend up, we've chosen not to. It is very similar to the Twins, sure we aren't the Yankees or Dodgers, but we shouldn't be the Rays or A's either.
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This program has already been disabled by this bizarre multi-year detour down the wrong road. I'm concerned that the effects of this disaster will be long lasting.
 

Bad Gopher said:
This program has already been disabled by this bizarre multi-year detour down the wrong road. I'm concerned that the effects of this disaster will be long lasting.
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The one great thing about the portal and free transfer is that IF and it is maybe a big IF they get the right coach they can potentially bring players with them and rebuild things fairly quickly. Whoever the next coach is he is going to have a ton of roster spots to work with because most of the current roster is done after this year regardless.
 

MNVCGUY said:
He probably will as he gets more experience/confidence, seems to have a decent looking shot.

Patterson actually shot the ball much better than usual against Purdue. If he can do that more consistently that would really help the offense because he has had some brutal shooting nights. Unfortunately, he shot better and Mike Mitchell couldn't make anything.
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Have you noticed that Patterson scores his points towards the end of the game when it’s already over? He rarely does anything during the game but stalls offensively.

I spoke with a coach who watched this game and shared how CBJ was out coached which is not a shocker to anyone. Anyway, he stated that Mike Mitchell will not be effective on the offensive end if he is chasing on the defensive side. I went back and looked at this miserable game to understand what he was talking about. There is no reason for a MM, who is about 65-70% healthy, to chase players like Loyer off ball screens and expect him to make shots. Big 10 coaches are exposing CBJ for his lack of basketball knowledge.
 

Dsigma42 said:
Have you noticed that Patterson scores his points towards the end of the game when it’s already over? He rarely does anything during the game but stalls offensively.

I spoke with a coach who watched this game and shared how CBJ was out coached which is not a shocker to anyone. Anyway, he stated that Mike Mitchell will not be effective on the offensive end if he is chasing on the defensive side. I went back and looked at this miserable game to understand what he was talking about. There is no reason for a MM, who is about 65-70% healthy, to chase players like Loyer off ball screens and expect him to make shots. Big 10 coaches are exposing CBJ for his lack of basketball knowledge.
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Haven't really paid attention to when Patterson gets his points just noticed that his shooting percentages were way better in the Purdue game then they have been in most of his other games this season where he has been brutal on offense.

Makes sense that Mitchell's offensive game will struggle some if he is forced to work really hard on defense as well but he was also just off against Purdue. He is too good of a 3 point shooter to go 0-6 most nights even if he is working hard on D.

For this team to have any shot in Big Ten play they need Garcia and Mike Mitchell to be on AND somebody else to step up on the offensive end. If all those things don't happen it is going to be tough for this team to win conference games.
 

MNVCGUY said:
The one great thing about the portal and free transfer is that IF and it is maybe a big IF they get the right coach they can potentially bring players with them and rebuild things fairly quickly. Whoever the next coach is he is going to have a ton of roster spots to work with because most of the current roster is done after this year regardless.
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I would say that the over under on returning players for next year is probably 2.
 

bga1 said:
I would say that the over under on returning players for next year is probably 2.
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No matter whether there's a change or not, I worry Asuma is already as good as gone. Johnson stubbornly refused to start Payne, and now he's stubbornly refusing to start Asuma. I don't get it. Are you trying to drive the kid away? What are you afraid of; losing games? You're already losing games!
 

Bad Gopher said:
No matter whether there's a change or not, I worry Asuma is already as good as gone. Johnson stubbornly refused to start Payne, and now he's stubbornly refusing to start Asuma. I don't get it. Are you trying to drive the kid away? What are you afraid of; losing games? You're already losing games!
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Ben is the king of being worried about losing games while simultaneously doing nothing but losing. You'd think he would have loosened up by now.
 

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