Ben Johnson is a Disaster

Donate To GopherHole
touchdownvikings said:
Here's what I see: A bunch of CLOWNS on this board. Impatient, unrealistic, demanding, entitled, uninsightful.

Except for a few. You, sir, are one of the few exceptions. You're one of the good ones.

Freshmen might be hesitant? Unsure? Feeling their collective way into things? Say it ain't so!

CLOWNS.
Click to expand...
Impatient.

Sure. Tell that to fans that have stuck by the team for 40-50 years.

Impatient. You, sir, have no clue.
 


Gopher Teeth said:
I have a sneaky suspicion that a lot of teams are going to shoot really well against us this year.
Click to expand...

Maybe. If we play defense like we did yesterday it will certainly be more likely. But even well contested shots were falling for Michigan at a pretty good rate last night.
 


howeda7 said:
Coyle not at least making a phone call to Musselman is unacceptable if true.
Click to expand...
Same guy did talk to Dutcher and tell him not to interview because Ben was getting the job.
I'll say it again, I don't think Coyle hired Ben.
 
Last edited:



I think Ben needs more time, but each bad loss is another bad data point.

Provided this year isn't a total trainwreck, he should get to at least get in his third year, but it's not good right now.
 

touchdownvikings said:
My beard is gray too. Patience is not age-bound. Sit your ancient ass tight a little longer - you'll be glad you did.
Click to expand...
You seem to know a lot more than the rest of us, when can we expect a mediocre team? Then when can we expect a team that is better than mediocre?

I just want to know and you are a self-proclaimed beacon of insight and patience.

Or is that too demanding to ask?
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
You seem to know a lot more than the rest of us, when can we expect a mediocre team? Then when can we expect a team that is better than mediocre?

I just want to know and you are a self-proclaimed beacon of insight and patience.

Or is that too demanding to ask?
Click to expand...
"Welcome to Mediocreville"
Enjoy the ride Bob!
 



Bob_Loblaw said:
You seem to know a lot more than the rest of us, when can we expect a mediocre team? Then when can we expect a team that is better than mediocre?

I just want to know and you are a self-proclaimed beacon of insight and patience.

Or is that too demanding to ask?
Click to expand...
Someone else - apologies, I forget who right now - asked me a similar question within the last week. Something to the effect of: when would I start looking at W's and L's? My answer was toward the end of next season. Things should start to being to come together then. ...Until then, relax. Drink. Drink some more. And then more still. It'll be right in the end.
 


touchdownvikings said:
Someone else - apologies, I forget who right now - asked me a similar question within the last week. Something to the effect of: when would I start looking at W's and L's? My answer was toward the end of next season. Things should start to being to come together then. ...Until then, relax. Drink. Drink some more. And then more still. It'll be right in the end.
Click to expand...

Taking 3 years to see progress in basketball is ridiculous. It sounds like you’ve drank plenty, which is why you can’t see how bad this team is.
 

Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
I understand that they are young…but our offensive / defensive schemes suck, our effort is garbage, we can’t make free throws…there are so many basic things that you can’t just revert to saying it’s all youth and we lack a leader. He can’t coach. Plus, his roster construction (as he is also the GM of the program) is horrendous. If this was pro sports and he was the GM of the team and someone else was the coach and he provided the coach with this roster that contained no guards with speed (which is a must and someone who played college basketball knows that…as he did), he would be fired as the GM)..

Which comes to…maybe he can recruit, but he clearly doesn’t think of roster construction (as we still don’t have a true PG with speed coming next year) or roster construction …massive logjam of Forwards and Centers… but he can’t coach offensive and defensive schemes effectively to produce winning basketball.
Click to expand...
All you guys lamenting about effort & schemes & roster construction & coaching....all that magically fixes itself - like a miracle - when our freshmen and next year's recruits get some experience.
 






I read somewhere that failure is growth. If this was Smith, Medved, or Musselman struggling in their second year here it wouldn't be doom and gloom; it would be "well they just need to adjust to the Big Ten."
 

"I think it'd be a big mistake to let Coach Johnson go...give him a chance." Well, where is Myra Fleener when you need her? Ben Johnson, a Minnesota kid, decent, intelligent, hard working and modest of speech- everything we are supposed to admire here- under such criticism?
I suspect, like Coach Dale, he understands that the Gophers are missing a true, scoring point guard that can lift the team to new heights. And I suspect, like the Huskers, that our Jimmy Chitwood is out there...watching and waiting.
 



MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
I read somewhere that failure is growth. If this was Smith, Medved, or Musselman struggling in their second year here it wouldn't be doom and gloom; it would be "well they just need to adjust to the Big Ten."
Click to expand...
Maybe. Do you not see the difference though? Those guys all had credible HC experience that people are willing to give the benefit of the doubt. There is no evidence that CBJ has it in him to turn this around. Is it possible? For sure, but there is no track record, and I think people are justifiably paranoid after giving Pitino 7 years (and presumably losing your shot at Muss in the process) and getting nowhere. CBJ learned under Pitino, and spent 3 years at Xavier where they didn’t make the tourney. I still have no idea what on his resume got him even an interview (other than the local angle and apparent “need” for a diversity hire). Add in we are paying him likely way more than necessary, but are doing it purely for optics, and people are justifiably asking what are we getting from this investment? To me, a lot depends on how the rest of this season goes. If they start to show improvement, you keep him on. If they tank, just cut bait at the end of the year if there is somebody out there you like.
 

forever a gopher said:
Maybe. Do you not see the difference though? Those guys all had credible HC experience that people are willing to give the benefit of the doubt. There is no evidence that CBJ has it in him to turn this around. Is it possible? For sure, but there is no track record, and I think people are justifiably paranoid after giving Pitino 7 years (and presumably losing your shot at Muss in the process) and getting nowhere. CBJ learned under Pitino, and spent 3 years at Xavier where they didn’t make the tourney. I still have no idea what on his resume got him even an interview (other than the local angle and apparent “need” for a diversity hire). Add in we are paying him likely way more than necessary, but are doing it purely for optics, and people are justifiably asking what are we getting from this investment? To me, a lot depends on how the rest of this season goes. If they start to show improvement, you keep him on. If they tank, just cut bait at the end of the year if there is somebody out there you like.
Click to expand...
I get it. It's ugly... but far from a disaster. Giving up on next year already is retarded. If there's a mass exodus at the end of the year, I say cut ties.
And I thought Thorson was supposed to be this defensive guru who would help Johnson. Seems to me that he's just a product of $$$ buying better athletes at the hs level.
 

forever a gopher said:
Maybe. Do you not see the difference though? Those guys all had credible HC experience that people are willing to give the benefit of the doubt. There is no evidence that CBJ has it in him to turn this around. Is it possible? For sure, but there is no track record, and I think people are justifiably paranoid after giving Pitino 7 years (and presumably losing your shot at Muss in the process) and getting nowhere. CBJ learned under Pitino, and spent 3 years at Xavier where they didn’t make the tourney. I still have no idea what on his resume got him even an interview (other than the local angle and apparent “need” for a diversity hire). Add in we are paying him likely way more than necessary, but are doing it purely for optics, and people are justifiably asking what are we getting from this investment? To me, a lot depends on how the rest of this season goes. If they start to show improvement, you keep him on. If they tank, just cut bait at the end of the year if there is somebody out there you like.
Click to expand...
Both coaches he lead assisted under were fired in the last two years, any local columnist worth their salt would be digging into why exactly he was the hire. After Pitino struggled to learn on the job hiring a Ben Johnson made zero sense.
 


In the last 15 years, I have never found it as easy for me personally to ignore Gopher basketball as I have now. Definitely regret buying tickets in Ann Arbor in January. Hopefully I can sell them.

Hopefully year 3 is the turning point.
 

touchdownvikings said:
Someone else - apologies, I forget who right now - asked me a similar question within the last week. Something to the effect of: when would I start looking at W's and L's? My answer was toward the end of next season. Things should start to being to come together then. ...Until then, relax. Drink. Drink some more. And then more still. It'll be right in the end.
Click to expand...
If he isn't winning until the end of next year he should be gone at that years end.

This years team supposedly has more talent than last years team. Next years team will supposedly have more talent than last years and this years. That being said his first year team could very well be his best team of his first three years. And if that is how the first three years go, Coyle brings him into the office in March of that third year, sits him down and has this to say to the young man. Can't thank you enough for all the time, here is a really nice severance, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Because by then it would be apparent that his staff can actually recruit but can't coach at this level.
 

goldengophers said:
Both coaches he lead assisted under were fired in the last two years, any local columnist worth their salt would be digging into why exactly he was the hire. After Pitino struggled to learn on the job hiring a Ben Johnson made zero sense.
Click to expand...
Exactly. When you fire Michael Scott (Pitino) you don’t promote Creed Bratton to office manager.
 

bga1 said:
Tonight was a disgrace. You don't fall 30 points behind at home, EVER, against a lower division Big Ten team. There is zero design to this team, from roster construction to their offense to the defensive side of the ball. Garbage.

There is only one saving grace- the 4 freshmen are all individually promising.
Click to expand...
Individually , that is the problem.
They all think the NBA IS NEXT FOR THEM
 

goldengophers said:
Both coaches he lead assisted under were fired in the last two years, any local columnist worth their salt would be digging into why exactly he was the hire. After Pitino struggled to learn on the job hiring a Ben Johnson made zero sense.
Click to expand...
Nutshell
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom