BREAKING: Mark Coyle and Lindsay Whalen announced today that Whalen will step down as head coach, effective immediately.

This will depend on who the new coach is.
That’s what I’m thinking. Maybe Rose would have been on the way out, and a more legit coach might give these players more hope.

I’m liking Megan Duffy out of Marquette, who has a little bit of a Minnesota connection (Lynx draft pick). Her team upset UConn this year. UConn is hobbled this season, but it was still an impressive win. You can tell Marquette is well-coached. She might help get the better Wisconsin recruits too.
 

I would be thrilled if he hired Megan Duffy. She's won 20+ games each year as a head coach except the year after covid, finishing 17-4. She would be a big get.
 

This will depend on who the new coach is.

I think that's why this is happening effective immediately. Job #1 for the new coach will be retention of the freshman. Keep the freshman and score a couple of good transfers and the right coach could pull a Shauna Green at Illinois turnaround for the Gophers.
 




Here's what "mutual decision" means when an AD says it.

The coach agreed to quit instead of get fired. By agreeing to quit, coach got a soft landing, income for a few more years, and we all get to save face.
 


I don’t see the mens players referred to as Ta’lon, Jamison, Joshua, or Dawson? Still weird!
 

The official story is that it was mutually agreed upon after a number of conversations. That rings true to me, and I believe it.
Still leaves open then question whether it was decision made collaboratively, which I doubt, or a decision made after Coyle said ”I feel we need to make a change. Would you like to resign, announce it as a mutual decision and accept a position as a special assistant, or do you want me to fire you?”
Problem is if I believe that, then I probably have to believe Coyle when he said that Ben Johnson blew him away in his interview. 😬
Yikes! :LOL:
 



I don’t see the mens players referred to as Ta’lon, Jamison, Joshua, or Dawson? Still weird!


At Gophers men's wrestling matches we yell first names. "Go Michael! Michael!! Michael!! Michael!!"

Here I don't know the protocol and was and do use last name or first name with last name but I admit I previously as a follower did follow another example of using the first name just because I thought people do that.

Are you helping the group by saying the proper protocol is for all people to use the last name?

I was at the game in Iowa talking in line to a well-dressed die hard Iowa fan who travels with the spouse to see Iowa play on the road who talking to me called Caitlin Clark "Caitlin."
 







These tweets sure make it sound not mutual…
Agreed. She had been talking about her plans for the team next year as recently as this week. I hope she can facilitate keeping most of our current players. I believe in the end she will do what is best for the players and team. I’m still sad.
 

She didn't perform well enough as a coach to keep her job. No tourney appearances in 5 years, and it was moving the wrong direction, culminating in a 4-14 B1G record and a weakling Wednesday exit.

None of that changes what she has accomplished in her career. I came to Minnesora as a freshman in 2006, so I missed her time at the U as a player, but I also recognize that sports existed before I follow the team and can appreciate she had a legendary career here. With the Lynx, she was a key part of what was one of the most successful runs of any of the many local pro and U of M teams I follow (gopher womens hockey 10ish years ago is the only other one that comes to mind). I'm going to remember her as Whalen the player.
 





The official story is that it was mutually agreed upon after a number of conversations. That rings true to me, and I believe it.

Problem is if I believe that, then I probably have to believe Coyle when he said that Ben Johnson blew him away in his interview. 😬
If it was true, Whalen would not have been fired up about the future in her comments yesterday. No indication she was going anywhere from her.
 


How is the University of MN attractive to a potential new coach?
Talented roster, great practice facility's and academic support. LAST time I checked we are in the Big 10 conference and the Minnesota job has a decent to good Salary base, with potential for good incentives. Williams arena is a dump and is totally showing its age. The bathrooms stink, concourse are old. This arena really needs to be modernized with some more modern amenities and better locker and training rooms for the teams.
 
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Lindsay Whalen is a true Minnesota and Gopher legend. It is time for the Gophers to pursue a new direction.

At the time she was hired, I felt it was a big gamble to hire a coach with no coaching experience.
 


Tweet from Nia Holloway's mom
Honestly I don't blame any parent feeling this way. Coaching transitions are never easy. As a Gopher WBB fan I'm hoping the players at least keep an open mind to staying. Gophers fans that attend games, love the effort this team brings to the court and the fan base was actually building as the season went on. Sad for Coach Whalen, I remember a lot of her games as a player, and I was in Norfolk VA for Regions those magical games against Boston College and Duke, and New Orleans for the final four short lived as it was. That was such a magical time 2004 and season, I was so hoping the current players and staff would get to enjoy that kind of run. This last season's team was building a closeness and effort level like similar to the McCarville and Whalen era teams of 2002 to 2004 time frame.
 

Whalen was a bad hire to begin with.

Both Coyle and Whalen get to save face by calling it “stepping down”.
I cannot agree, there was risk in hiring inexperienced coach. The staff and head coach seemed to have great rapport with the players and mutual respect. That's never a given, it is earned.
 



Why is this on this thread?

Someone in this thread raised the topic of calling athletes by first name. That video calls Caitlin Clarke "Caitlin."

I have also heard women announcers on TV call her "Caitlin."

This side topic started in this thread.
 




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