Ben Johnson: We know we’re really close to breaking through. (video)

Donate To GopherHole



What kind of bleeping bleep is that? Shut the hell up Ben.
 

Yep, I wish he would shut his mouth. He's so full of it now. I'm getting to the point I hope we have to pay the full buyout because that means no one is dumb enough to hire such a low IQ coach.
 


On a dark night for Minnesota sports, I appreciate Ben bringing some humor.

Oh wait he was serious. In that case, put the poor delusional guy out of his misery.
 



tjgopher said:
Would we rather him say "we know we won't have much of a chance tonight or any night this season, so we'll go through the motions." ?

Ben is at the unfortunate stage where he gets ripped for everything he says.
Click to expand...
He said the right thing here. I feel for him, but he did put himself in this situation. He did a very poor job of working the portal and fitting a team together. Perhaps if he would have coached and connected better his previous players he would not have had so heavy of a burden.
 




tjgopher said:
Would we rather him say "we know we won't have much of a chance tonight or any night this season, so we'll go through the motions." ?

Ben is at the unfortunate stage where he gets ripped for everything he says.
Click to expand...
Well said.

Those that feel the need to rip on everything he says need to get over themselves. What the hell else is he supposed to say at this point? We all know where this is headed but he isn't going to quit because then he wouldn't get the buyout. So he will keep coaching until he is fired and when a reporter sticks a microphone in his face he will try and find a way to say something positive about the team and their current plight.
 





Breaking through to what exactly?

A one win conference season in his 4th year running the program.

Holy F, this clown can’t be fired soon enough.
 


howeda7 said:
On a dark night for Minnesota sports, I appreciate Ben bringing some humor.

Oh wait he was serious. In that case, put the poor delusional guy out of his misery.
Click to expand...
Is he delusional? Or does he have assurances from Coyle he gets one more year?
Delusional or confident? I don't think Ben is dumb...you can make bad decisions and be smart.
I think he actually believes we are close to turning it around.
I agree to the point we might win a game, but it would be a major surprise to make the Big Ten Tournament....so what is the definition of turning it around? I say, it would be delusional to think we could win three games in a row...Ben would disagree. I admire him for that... given where we are at.
 

scools12 said:
Breaking through to what exactly?

A one win conference season in his 4th year running the program.

Holy F, this clown can’t be fired soon enough.
Click to expand...
Remember, he just needs the players to get older and more experienced. Lol

The best thing he can do at this point is to say we're going to keep working to get better. Otherwise, shut up. And I resent anyone trying to defend anything about him at this point. It's insulting.
 



60's Guy said:
Is he delusional? Or does he have assurances from Coyle he gets one more year?
Delusional or confident? I don't think Ben is dumb...you can make bad decisions and be smart.
I think he actually believes we are close to turning it around.
I agree to the point we might win a game, but it would be a major surprise to make the Big Ten Tournament....so what is the definition of turning it around? I say, it would be delusional to think we could win three games in a row...Ben would disagree. I admire him for that... given where we are at.
Click to expand...
Turning what around? This team is loaded with seniors. There's one meaningful player who MIGHT return next year. I get that there's nothing good he can say right now. Sure talk about keeping your head down, keep grinding etc. But don't try to sell us on some breakthrough coming. Yes, they might win a game or two. And then the entire team leaves and we should let him do this again next year? If Mark has given him any assurances of another year, then I give up.
 

60's Guy said:
Is he delusional? Or does he have assurances from Coyle he gets one more year?
Delusional or confident? I don't think Ben is dumb...you can make bad decisions and be smart.
I think he actually believes we are close to turning it around.
I agree to the point we might win a game, but it would be a major surprise to make the Big Ten Tournament....so what is the definition of turning it around? I say, it would be delusional to think we could win three games in a row...Ben would disagree. I admire him for that... given where we are at.
Click to expand...

Mostly agree with what you've written there. I doubt Coyle has given any assurances and I think Ben Johnson probably knows he's likely done at the end of this season. Realistically, there can't be any visions of a post-season including the Big Ten tournament. Nevertheless, there are 14 games remaining and the team owes it to the fans, and especially to themselves, to try to win as many as they can. If "turnaround" simply means improving and becoming more competitive, they may be in the process of doing that if last night's game is any indication. I intend to watch all of the remaining games and hope they will be competitive enough to win a few anyway. I've watched more than a few struggling teams in the past and it's never led to any lasting adverse consequences.
 

60's Guy said:
Is he delusional? Or does he have assurances from Coyle he gets one more year?
Delusional or confident? I don't think Ben is dumb...you can make bad decisions and be smart.
I think he actually believes we are close to turning it around.
I agree to the point we might win a game, but it would be a major surprise to make the Big Ten Tournament....so what is the definition of turning it around? I say, it would be delusional to think we could win three games in a row...Ben would disagree. I admire him for that... given where we are at.
Click to expand...
I actually believe that Ben thinks he can save this mess and is telling Coyle that. He is probably pointing out guys like Chris Collins who went through a 5 year drought before getting two straight NCAAs or even his predecessor, Pitino as an example of patience being required.

I think he's thinking that we were a few free throws and a few missed bunnies and silly turnovers from having two wins and being 2-4 with our NIL poor squad. You absolutely know he is talking about how good we would have been this year had he had enough NIL money. And if we only had Tyler Cochran and if only Mike Mitchell hadn't gotten a near fatal ankle injury....

I am indeed a little fearful that Ben is selling the idea that he can make the Gophers great again (MGGA) with revenue sharing. He's telling Coyle to hang on, the recruits coming are good, Asuma is good, Betts will find himself, Grove is going to be good and we will hit a massive homerun with revenue sharing in the 2025 free agent portal, then in years following we will be the builder program that was initially dreamed of.

We have to fire him. Have to. It has been horrible. But that is no doubt what he is thinking and selling. The U cares so little about the fans of the sport that there might be a remote possibility they buy his sales pitch.
 

bga1 said:
I actually believe that Ben thinks he can save this mess and is telling Coyle that. He is probably pointing out guys like Chris Collins who went through a 5 year drought before getting two straight NCAAs or even his predecessor, Pitino as an example of patience being required.

I think he's thinking that we were a few free throws and a few missed bunnies and silly turnovers from having two wins and being 2-4 with our NIL poor squad. You absolutely know he is talking about how good we would have been this year had he had enough NIL money. And if we only had Tyler Cochran and if only Mike Mitchell hadn't gotten a near fatal ankle injury....

I am indeed a little fearful that Ben is selling the idea that he can make the Gophers great again (MGGA) with revenue sharing. He's telling Coyle to hang on, the recruits coming are good, Asuma is good, Betts will find himself, Grove is going to be good and we will hit a massive homerun with revenue sharing in the 2025 free agent portal, then in years following we will be the builder program that was initially dreamed of.

We have to fire him. Have to. It has been horrible. But that is no doubt what he is thinking and selling. The U cares so little about the fans of the sport that there might be a remote possibility they buy his sales pitch.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid of this too. That's why I can't even really root for them win any games. Even a few wins makes it easier for Mark and Ben to delude themselves.

Either fire him and let Thorson finish it out or at least announce that he's out at the end of the season and let Ben finish the season if he wants to. That would be best for everyone.
 


I would be absolutely shocked if Johnson was back for another year.

I actually believe Coyle has expectations for the basketball program. He fired Pitino after a 6-14 Big 10 season, and had seen Pitino make the tournament in 2 of the 5 years that Coyle and Pitino were here together.

I know it's different because Coyle technically hired Ben and it's "his guy." No matter how little we do care about basketball program, Ben ain't comin' back.

I can't imagine any Division 1 school keeping a guy after 4 years like this.
 

Oneoldgopher said:
The honorable thing to do is to for Ben to notify Mark and tell him to find his replacement immediately and that he will remain until told otherwise. Failure is not cute, an option or simply fate.
Click to expand...
Lol I am sure you would forfeit millions of dollars too if you were in that situation. Ben living the dream. He's going to get paid life changing money to simply go away in two months and not work. He just has to force Coyle's hand.
 

skiumah1 said:
I can't imagine any Division 1 school keeping a guy after 4 years like this.
Click to expand...

Pretty rare at a power conference school. A bit more common at a lowly non-major program. For example, here is the six-year record of John Pelphrey at Tennessee Tech.

2019-20Tennessee TechOVC31922.290-13.64-4.67
2020-21Tennessee TechOVC27522.185-14.13-3.84
2021-22Tennessee TechOVC321121.344-7.27-3.03
2022-23Tennessee TechOVC331617.485-9.40-6.37
2023-24Tennessee TechOVC311021.323-15.04-6.29
2024-25Tennessee TechOVC1798.529-9.16-5.30
 

skiumah1 said:
I would be absolutely shocked if Johnson was back for another year.
Click to expand...
Me too.
skiumah1 said:
I actually believe Coyle has expectations for the basketball program. He fired Pitino after a 6-14 Big 10 season, and had seen Pitino make the tournament in 2 of the 5 years that Coyle and Pitino were here together.

I know it's different because Coyle technically hired Ben and it's "his guy." No matter how little we do care about basketball program, Ben ain't comin' back.

I can't imagine any Division 1 school keeping a guy after 4 years like this.
Click to expand...
Almost all of us were shocked when they hired him. That's the perspective on this. When 100 knuckleheads on a basketball site see the problem it before it happens and the AD can't- that might be a problem.
 

Continue to count me in the camp that this team is underperforming their talent and is still bound to win more than one conference game the rest of the year. I mean, heck, they HAD the OSU game won and yanked defeat out of the jaws of victory. The question to me is, what does Ben mean when he says breaking through? Breaking through...to where? A realistic goal at this point would be to get invited to the conference tournament. The NIT is a bridge too far now.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom