Ben Johnson is NOT a disaster....

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MNVCGUY

MNVCGUY

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Lot of season left and things could go sideways....but from what I have seen to this point I don't see Johnson getting canned at the end of this season. I don't know if he will prove to be the guy but maybe.....just maybe.....he isn't the disaster that some have him pegged to be.
 




howeda7 said:
10 years? No. 5? Maybe.
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Based on what? This is the best guard duo (trio?) we've had in a long long time. Payne is special. Dawson is an pro level talent. Pitino won games by having Carr or Coffey play hero ball, but the teams never looked cohesive. This team has faults for sure, but they play well together. Give them time (and hopefully no injuries) and I think this is going to be one of the best teams we've seen in a while.
 


Batc0017 said:
Based on what? This is the best guard duo (trio?) we've had in a long long time. Payne is special. Dawson is an pro level talent. Pitino won games by having Carr or Coffey play hero ball, but the teams never looked cohesive. This team has faults for sure, but they play well together. Give them time (and hopefully no injuries) and I think this is going to be one of the best teams we've seen in a while.
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The 2017 team won 11 B1G games and was a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament. The 2019 team also made the tournament and was also better than this one. You're getting out way over your skis on this.
 

howeda7 said:
The 2017 team won 11 B1G games and was a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament. The 2019 team also made the tournament and was also better than this one. You're getting out way over your skis on this.
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Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Let's see where it goes. Exciting stuff regardless compared to the past 3 years.
 

Always felt Ben Johnson was getting 4 years no matter what.

His third season is off to a good start.

However, still a long ways to go before stating with confidence Johnson and his program have turned the corner.
 

I'm not ready to start celebrating.

this team is better - but they have flaws, and I just don't think anything is going to come easy for them in the B1G.

in the most recent conference power rankings from Andy Katz, he had the Gophers at #12 and Michigan at #13. so on paper, this is a game where the Gophers should have been favored, and they struggled to pull out a 2-point win.

let me be clear - I hope they win a lot of games this season. but I suspect they are going to have to scratch and claw for every win. I don't see this as an NCAA team. Hopefully the NIT.
 



Batc0017 said:
Based on what? This is the best guard duo (trio?) we've had in a long long time. Payne is special. Dawson is an pro level talent. Pitino won games by having Carr or Coffey play hero ball, but the teams never looked cohesive. This team has faults for sure, but they play well together. Give them time (and hopefully no injuries) and I think this is going to be one of the best teams we've seen in a while.
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The 2020 team finished #27 at KenPom. This team has a while to go before they reach that. In terms of talent I think the 2019 team was more talented.
 

howeda7 said:
The 2017 team won 11 B1G games and was a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament. The 2019 team also made the tournament and was also better than this one. You're getting out way over your skis on this.
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We don’t know yet that they were better. Let’s see what happens with this club - a fun style of play, effective inside and outside play, move the ball well. Enjoy it.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I'm not ready to start celebrating.

this team is better - but they have flaws, and I just don't think anything is going to come easy for them in the B1G.

in the most recent conference power rankings from Andy Katz, he had the Gophers at #12 and Michigan at #13. so on paper, this is a game where the Gophers should have been favored, and they struggled to pull out a 2-point win.

let me be clear - I hope they win a lot of games this season. but I suspect they are going to have to scratch and claw for every win. I don't see this as an NCAA team. Hopefully the NIT.
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If only Vegas made betting lines based on Andy Katz' opinion
 

Batc0017 said:
Based on what? This is the best guard duo (trio?) we've had in a long long time. Payne is special. Dawson is an pro level talent. Pitino won games by having Carr or Coffey play hero ball, but the teams never looked cohesive. This team has faults for sure, but they play well together. Give them time (and hopefully no injuries) and I think this is going to be one of the best teams we've seen in a while.
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Dude. Its nice to see them surprising but this is insane.

On many levels. Lets get some Q1 wins first
 




scools12 said:
Always felt Ben Johnson was getting 4 years no matter what.

His third season is off to a good start.

However, still a long ways to go before stating with confidence Johnson and his program have turned the corner.
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It's not a corner. It's a curve. It's called getting steadily better.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
I'm not ready to start celebrating.

this team is better - but they have flaws, and I just don't think anything is going to come easy for them in the B1G.

in the most recent conference power rankings from Andy Katz, he had the Gophers at #12 and Michigan at #13. so on paper, this is a game where the Gophers should have been favored, and they struggled to pull out a 2-point win.

let me be clear - I hope they win a lot of games this season. but I suspect they are going to have to scratch and claw for every win. I don't see this as an NCAA team. Hopefully the NIT.
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Multiple power rankings (both quantitative and weekly power rankings) have them above #12. Secondly, this was a road game and Michigan was favored by 5.5 (6.5 before today).

And very few see them as an NCAA team. When you're coming off 4 straight losing seasons and losing seasons in five of the last six seasons, this looks good. Even you should understand that.
 

MUgopher32 said:
Dude. Its nice to see them surprising but this is insane.

On many levels. Lets get some Q1 wins first
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I agree with him that this is the best guard trio we've seen in some time. Actually, it's two really solid and mature guards and two others who provide something but still need to develop.
 

TwistingMyMelon said:
I agree with him that this is the best guard trio we've seen in some time. Actually, it's two really solid and mature guards and two others who provide something but still need to develop.
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That part you could argue but still needs a lot of BIG10 reps they are small. Lotta bigger guards could abuse them. And Dug McDaniel was one of our best players tonight, was constantly in stupid mode.

But yes that one I concede as possible

Anything team related was nuts tho way too early for that with how some teams did the last 8 or so years. Paynes statement I guess was too open ended. The Dawson one also nuts unless hes talking Serbia as Pro
 

LOL at the thread title. Yee of little memory. CBJ is 8-34 in B1G play. He will need to win 26 straight games just to get to .500.

I'm very pleased they beat Michigan (had to listen to the radio as I don't have Peacock), and the two guards are a breath of fresh air. But there are a number of things that give me pause as to whether this team can regularly compete with the teams that will finish in the top half of the conference. I'll patiently watch and wait to see what happens. But good gravy, pump the brakes.

edit: I am pleased to see them offer a ticket special for the Maryland game. Hopefully this win gets the placed more full then it's been. I'm going to the hockey game at the same time, otherwise I would have picked up a couple tix.
 

forever a gopher said:
LOL at the thread title. Yee of little memory. CBJ is 8-34 in B1G play. He will need to win 26 straight games just to get to .500.

I'm very pleased they beat Michigan (had to listen to the radio as I don't have Peacock), and the two guards are a breath of fresh air. But there are a number of things that give me pause as to whether this team can regularly compete with the teams that will finish in the top half of the conference. I'll patiently watch and wait to see what happens. But good gravy, pump the brakes.

edit: I am pleased to see them offer a ticket special for the Maryland game. Hopefully this win gets the placed more full then it's been. I'm going to the hockey game at the same time, otherwise I would have picked up a couple tix.
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Have you forgotten that this team is coming off four losing seasons and five of the past six?
People who have been watching faithfully all of that time have reason to celebrate this team. Few think they will compete particularly well with the top half of the league but they don't look like a team that will finish at the bottom and they don't look like a team that will finish with a losing record.

And Ben Johnson's previous record is irrelevant if his teams are improving and much more competitive in the league at this point and moving forward. We're not Kansas or Kentucky and we'd likely fail miserably if we tried to be.
 

forever a gopher said:
LOL at the thread title. Yee of little memory. CBJ is 8-34 in B1G play. He will need to win 26 straight games just to get to .500.

I'm very pleased they beat Michigan (had to listen to the radio as I don't have Peacock), and the two guards are a breath of fresh air. But there are a number of things that give me pause as to whether this team can regularly compete with the teams that will finish in the top half of the conference. I'll patiently watch and wait to see what happens. But good gravy, pump the brakes.

edit: I am pleased to see them offer a ticket special for the Maryland game. Hopefully this win gets the placed more full then it's been. I'm going to the hockey game at the same time, otherwise I would have picked up a couple tix.
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I said Maybe. :)
 



The prove it year has always been Payne’s junior year. It would be nice if we arrive early though.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
I'm not ready to start celebrating.

this team is better - but they have flaws, and I just don't think anything is going to come easy for them in the B1G.

in the most recent conference power rankings from Andy Katz, he had the Gophers at #12 and Michigan at #13. so on paper, this is a game where the Gophers should have been favored, and they struggled to pull out a 2-point win.

let me be clear - I hope they win a lot of games this season. but I suspect they are going to have to scratch and claw for every win. I don't see this as an NCAA team. Hopefully the NIT.
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Conventional thinking spots the home team 3-4 points. Agree that we need to be careful not to conclude that the season is a success based on a couple B1G wins. However, Ben coached against an ex-NBA player in Howard, a hostile crowd (I know all the students weren’t back), and it is hard for any team to win on the road in the B1G. I believe he deserves a fair shake. He has recruited well in MN and got 2 quality guards out of the portal. He has this team believing in themselves and sharing the ball as well as any team in the country.

They are definitely not the most talented team in the Big Ten, but Ben Johnson also is definitely NOT a disaster.
 



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