Ben Johnson is a Disaster

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3 bad losses in a row here at the end of the season and it’s lights out on the Ben Johnson show at Buffalo Wild Wings.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
Yes, hiring Ben was a gamble.

When you gamble, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

it is a lot easier to second-guess a losing gamble.

If the Gophers were winning, say, 40% of their B1G games, this thread would not exist - or certainly would not exist at its current length.

People on this board certainly have a right to criticize Johnson. I just wish some of them wouldn't seem as if they enjoyed it so much.

I have a theory that some people, including some media members, if given a choice, would rather criticize a bad team as opposed to praising a good team. Because for some reason, they think ripping a bad team is more fun.
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I would take discussion of what seed the Gophers are going to be in the NCAA tournament over starting this thread every day of the week.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
Yes, hiring Ben was a gamble.

When you gamble, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

it is a lot easier to second-guess a losing gamble.

If the Gophers were winning, say, 40% of their B1G games, this thread would not exist - or certainly would not exist at its current length.

People on this board certainly have a right to criticize Johnson. I just wish some of them wouldn't seem as if they enjoyed it so much.

I have a theory that some people, including some media members, if given a choice, would rather criticize a bad team as opposed to praising a good team. Because for some reason, they think ripping a bad team is more fun.
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I’ve been a fan of this program for a long damn time and I’m sick of what it’s been allowed to rot into. I get no pleasure from where we are now...at all. I desperately want them to win again. I want them to be competitive again. I want them to be entertaining again. I want the Barn to be a madhouse again. I want Minnesota alums and citizens alike to be proud of the team again. I hated the Johnson hire from the second it was announced (look back at the threads) because I knew he wasn’t capable of restoring any of that. I knew he didn’t have the background to be a successful head coach in a tough and talented conference. I just underestimated how bad it was going to get. I’m not going to apologize for being critical of Johnson’s hire or his performance, on this board or elsewhere. If we accept mediocrity (or worse) then we deserve what we get. I refuse to accept it.
 

FWIW - watched Coyle's press conference on the Lindsey Whalen announcement. someone asked what this means for the Men's program.

Coyle said (paraphrasing) - Ben is in year 2, Lindsey was in year 5. But Ben understands what we expect from all of our programs. There is no reason why MN cannot be successful.

later on, NIL came up. Coyle said MN is competitive with other schools in its NIL program, but "we can always do better." Coyle also said that many media reports of NIL deals are exaggerated and players are not getting as much money as some reports claim.

He said that Whalen's new role as a special assistant could involve working to bring in more NIL opportunities.

it's on youtube if anyone wants to watch.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I would take discussion of what seed the Gophers are going to be in the NCAA tournament over starting this thread every day of the week.
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Isn't there a scene in Austin Powers where he plays the worst blackjack in the history of the game? Technically, that was also a gamble.
 




This all simply reminds me we are here for entertainment. Unlike the OTB board where I think some believe they are saving the world.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
FWIW - watched Coyle's press conference on the Lindsey Whalen announcement. someone asked what this means for the Men's program.

Coyle said (paraphrasing) - Ben is in year 2, Lindsey was in year 5. But Ben understands what we expect from all of our programs. There is no reason why MN cannot be successful.

later on, NIL came up. Coyle said MN is competitive with other schools in its NIL program, but "we can always do better." Coyle also said that many media reports of NIL deals are exaggerated and players are not getting as much money as some reports claim.

He said that Whalen's new role as a special assistant could involve working to bring in more NIL opportunities.

it's on youtube if anyone wants to watch.
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Competitive in nil. Hmmm.

That's not what the excuse makers have insisted.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
I have a theory that some people, including some media members, if given a choice, would rather criticize a bad team as opposed to praising a good team.
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If only there was some way to force them to comment on a good team.
 
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short ornery norwegian said:
FWIW - watched Coyle's press conference on the Lindsey Whalen announcement. someone asked what this means for the Men's program.

Coyle said (paraphrasing) - Ben is in year 2, Lindsey was in year 5. But Ben understands what we expect from all of our programs. There is no reason why MN cannot be successful.

later on, NIL came up. Coyle said MN is competitive with other schools in its NIL program, but "we can always do better." Coyle also said that many media reports of NIL deals are exaggerated and players are not getting as much money as some reports claim.

He said that Whalen's new role as a special assistant could involve working to bring in more NIL opportunities.

it's on youtube if anyone wants to watch.
Click to expand...
Coyle essentially gave Johnson a no vote of confidence in the presser, in fact it leads me to believe Coyle is closer to pulling the plug at season's end than I thought.
 

goldengophers said:
Coyle essentially gave Johnson a no vote of confidence in the presser, in fact it leads me to believe Coyle is closer to pulling the plug at season's end than I thought.
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I liked the press conference comments I've seen. A competitive mindset.
 


Crappie said:
We will see by next weekend just how competitive.
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Yeah maybe not that competitive...I'll believe it when I see it to let Johnson go after this year.

Man would I be higher on Coyle though if he called this after 2 years. Takes stones.
 

Bad Gopher said:
This town would go ape shit for good basketball.
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For several decades, it didn't even take "good" basketball for the town and the Barn to go apeshit.

Watching a coach that is light years over his skis is just too much for most fans to take at the current moment. Just absolutely completely lost, and it's really not his fault.
 





goldengophers said:
Coyle essentially gave Johnson a no vote of confidence in the presser, in fact it leads me to believe Coyle is closer to pulling the plug at season's end than I thought.
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Wait! We don't have to put up with an identity of empty possessions?
 

MRJ said:
And so would the media. The coverage of the 1997 team (prior to the scandal) was front page news in the sports section.
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And the A section. And MPR. And Sports Illustrated. And... It was ape shit.
 





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