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

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walleye said:
Thank you for your comments and wish we had your perspective. I hope Gopher athletes do not read the Gopher Hole because there is too much negativity. I hope they listen to their coaches and focus on what they have to do on the court and in the classroom.
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Unfortunately, I read GH as a player (Coach told me not to but I couldn't resist, ha). At times some of the board's speculations provided a good laugh (like you said, perspective is everything), but at other times it was pretty brutal — makes me think I played against a few of your daughters' teams and ran it up on them ;)
 

GopherGal_ said:
Unfortunately, I read GH as a player (Coach told me not to but I couldn't resist, ha). At times some of the board's speculations provided a good laugh (like you said, perspective is everything), but at other times it was pretty brutal — makes me think I played against a few of your daughters' teams and ran it up on them ;)
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I can relate.

Speculation rarely mimics reality. Often, it is so far out of touch that it is almost laughable. Except that it masquerades as truth, people believe it, and then start parroting it like it is verified content. It takes on a life of its own.

Head over to the men's side. Gabel forced Coyle to hire Johnson to fulfill a need for diversity from the woke crowd. Multiple threads. Repeated over and over and over with zero evidence. Willing it into existence.
 




Yesterday really all came down to emotion for all. Whalen was completely on board with the press conference until her body told her no. Coyle wanted to celebrate her for giving her all and selling that the program is in good shape. The media is tearing it apart which is their job.

I can’t imagine how bad Whalen feels. Likely wrongfully embarrassed she let the state down. She will be a great ambassador of the U going forward.

This hire is huge for Coyle as MN loves our women’s sports teams.
 


MaxyJR1 said:
Yesterday really all came down to emotion for all. Whalen was completely on board with the press conference until her body told her no. Coyle wanted to celebrate her for giving her all and selling that the program is in good shape. The media is tearing it apart which is their job.

I can’t imagine how bad Whalen feels. Likely wrongfully embarrassed she let the state down. She will be a great ambassador of the U going forward.

This hire is huge for Coyle as MN loves our women’s sports teams.
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Excellent take.

That fiery competitor in her wanted so badly to build a BB powerhouse. But playing and managing are totally different animals. Just like in the regular job world, the things that made you a phenomenal individual contributor are not the same things that make you an excellent people leader. It is a hard transition for many to make, which is why starting out as an assistant or at a lower tier school is usually the route of best success. A place where you can experience and learn to resolve many of the same "organizational issues" at a higher tier job, but the microscope isn't on your every move. I can't imagine trying to do it while in a high profile role where if you scratch your nose with the wrong finger, a 17 paragraph article will be written questioning why you used that finger instead of a different finger.
 

DarthGopher said:
Excellent take.

That fiery competitor in her wanted so badly to build a BB powerhouse. But playing and managing are totally different animals. Just like in the regular job world, the things that made you a phenomenal individual contributor are not the same things that make you an excellent people leader. It is a hard transition for many to make, which is why starting out as an assistant or at a lower tier school is usually the route of best success. A place where you can experience and learn to resolve many of the same "organizational issues" at a higher tier job, but the microscope isn't on your every move. I can't imagine trying to do it while in a high profile role where if you scratch your nose with the wrong finger, a 17 paragraph article will be written questioning why you used that finger instead of a different finger.
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Well put.
 



MaxyJR1 said:
Yesterday really all came down to emotion for all. Whalen was completely on board with the press conference until her body told her no. Coyle wanted to celebrate her for giving her all and selling that the program is in good shape. The media is tearing it apart which is their job.

I can’t imagine how bad Whalen feels. Likely wrongfully embarrassed she let the state down. She will be a great ambassador of the U going forward.

This hire is huge for Coyle as MN loves our women’s sports teams.
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Maxy, you need to join the department as Associate AD for Communications. You do it a heck of a lot better than those in the department now.
 

Gopheritnow said:
Will be interesting to read this board if the freshman leave and Braun is dumping 25 on teams night after night for someone else. Whether Whalen is a good coach or not is still an open question. There were players the last few years who just had to go. As for this year anyone who thought this was going to be a big year with 4 freshman getting that many minutes hasn’t watched much major college BB. Just keeping those players here should have been worth another year. There was nothing to be gained by this happening now, that was any better than waiting a year.
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100% correct
 

goldengophers said:
The media really has had it out for Coyle after the Claeys firing but what did they expect from yesterday? Is there ever an elegant way of firing a legend?
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The media doesn't have it out for Coyle, he is just bad at communications and messaging, which are key parts of his job.
 




Her stint as coach didn't change my Gopher love for her. The way she rallied the team after Brenda left. The way she led that Final Four run was so awesome. Another reason from yesterday on the same day she no longer was the coach.

 


Mulligan said:
Her stint as coach didn't change my Gopher love for her. The way she rallied the team after Brenda left. The way she led that Final Four run was so awesome. Another reason from yesterday on the same day she no longer was the coach.

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My question is, where did Dawson Garcia disappear to?
 

PhiloVance said:
www.echopress.com

Shipley: Timing on Lindsay Whalen’s decision to step down seems odd

The Gophers haven’t been winning, but their coach finally seems to have the young core she’s been seeking
www.echopress.com www.echopress.com
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Mark Coyle : "When it was pointed out Thursday that the decision could put the program in another start-from-scratch situation, Coyle said, “I understand that.”

IF the team did not have an excellent base of young players who had publicly said they were staying I could see this move now. But this just borders on blatantly stupid!
Coyle acknowledging that they may leave makes it more so. There was absolutely no reason not to give Whalen a year to see this group mature, and see if she could build on her recruiting. Comments by the players before and after the "firing" indicate she was very well liked, something which is virtually mandatory in this era of the portal. I hope they all stay, but after years of trying to corral MN talent and keep it here, we finally get a modicum of success and then Coyle cans the one who made it happen.
What I don’t understand is why, if this was to be done, it wasn’t done last year. Anyone who thought you were going to play 4 freshmen starting and major minutes and win more than a handful of league games hasn’t been watching a lot of basketball.
 

Gopheritnow said:
Mark Coyle : "When it was pointed out Thursday that the decision could put the program in another start-from-scratch situation, Coyle said, “I understand that.”

IF the team did not have an excellent base of young players who had publicly said they were staying I could see this move now. But this just borders on blatantly stupid!
Coyle acknowledging that they may leave makes it more so. There was absolutely no reason not to give Whalen a year to see this group mature, and see if she could build on her recruiting. Comments by the players before and after the "firing" indicate she was very well liked, something which is virtually mandatory in this era of the portal. I hope they all stay, but after years of trying to corral MN talent and keep it here, we finally get a modicum of success and then Coyle cans the one who made it happen.
What I don’t understand is why, if this was to be done, it wasn’t done last year. Anyone who thought you were going to play 4 freshmen starting and major minutes and win more than a handful of league games hasn’t been watching a lot of basketball.
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She was not a good coach it’s real easy to see.
 

Gopheritnow said:
Mark Coyle : "When it was pointed out Thursday that the decision could put the program in another start-from-scratch situation, Coyle said, “I understand that.”

IF the team did not have an excellent base of young players who had publicly said they were staying I could see this move now. But this just borders on blatantly stupid!
Coyle acknowledging that they may leave makes it more so. There was absolutely no reason not to give Whalen a year to see this group mature, and see if she could build on her recruiting. Comments by the players before and after the "firing" indicate she was very well liked, something which is virtually mandatory in this era of the portal. I hope they all stay, but after years of trying to corral MN talent and keep it here, we finally get a modicum of success and then Coyle cans the one who made it happen.
What I don’t understand is why, if this was to be done, it wasn’t done last year. Anyone who thought you were going to play 4 freshmen starting and major minutes and win more than a handful of league games hasn’t been watching a lot of basketball.
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Thanks Whalen or similar. I do think we have multiple Whalen accounts here.

I am sure her financial advisors would have liked an extension.

Whalen needs to be fixed a second time.

Nobody paid attention to her Hall of Fame stuff. Attendance was down.
hdon't be duped by these new accounts talking for Whalen. She has not gravitas.

How many people attended the Whalen coaching clinic last time? I heard attendance dropped. Who wants to be coached by a bad coach.

This season coaching was bad and bad.

Mara Braun deserves better. So does Borowicz who looked not well coached. All of them deserve better.

Braun's season could have been a special rookie season.

The program had been razed under Whalen. The team had to bring in walk on players. Lowered to the level of walk ons just to practice. And give scholarships to players no other Big Ten would consider.

Do not pay attention to these new accounts. Nobody cares anymore about Whalen. Nobody responded to the posts about her Hall of Fa.e stuff.

Horrible coaching this year.

I will next post a detailed trashing of Whalen's coaching this seaso. if needed.

Coaching this season was so bad.

Last season Whalen lost to nobody school and bad Jacksonville. Bog Ten coaches don't lose to Jacksonville like Whalen does.


This year lost to NDSU.

Low attendance.

Coaching community is said to not respect the coaching.

Hiw many people would come to the Whalen coaching clinic to mean the horrible coaching this year.

The tournament game was awful. Looked unprepared.

Huge turnovers all season.

Bad coaching Rutger game

Both Wisconsin game.

Illinois shocking coaching bungle.

Tapegate.
 



Bfan said:
The tournament game was awful. Looked unprepared.

Huge turnovers all season.

Bad coaching Rutger game

Both Wisconsin game.

Illinois shocking coaching bungle.

Tapegate.
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Quite the rant, but I do appreciate hearing the other side. I haven’t followed the women’s hoops to closely. What was “tapegate”?
 

Bfan said:
Thanks Whalen or similar. I do think we have multiple Whalen accounts here.

I am sure her financial advisors would have liked an extension.

Whalen needs to be fixed a second time.

Nobody paid attention to her Hall of Fame stuff. Attendance was down.
hdon't be duped by these new accounts talking for Whalen. She has not gravitas.

How many people attended the Whalen coaching clinic last time? I heard attendance dropped. Who wants to be coached by a bad coach.

This season coaching was bad and bad.

Mara Braun deserves better. So does Borowicz who looked not well coached. All of them deserve better.

Braun's season could have been a special rookie season.

The program had been razed under Whalen. The team had to bring in walk on players. Lowered to the level of walk ons just to practice. And give scholarships to players no other Big Ten would consider.

Do not pay attention to these new accounts. Nobody cares anymore about Whalen. Nobody responded to the posts about her Hall of Fa.e stuff.

Horrible coaching this year.

I will next post a detailed trashing of Whalen's coaching this seaso. if needed.

Coaching this season was so bad.

Last season Whalen lost to nobody school and bad Jacksonville. Bog Ten coaches don't lose to Jacksonville like Whalen does.


This year lost to NDSU.

Low attendance.

Coaching community is said to not respect the coaching.

Hiw many people would come to the Whalen coaching clinic to mean the horrible coaching this year.

The tournament game was awful. Looked unprepared.

Huge turnovers all season.

Bad coaching Rutger game

Both Wisconsin game.

Illinois shocking coaching bungle.

Tapegate.
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Tell us how you REALLY feel. Tapegate? One of the signs of a coach who has her players respect is whether they compete in each game? This bunch did every game. Borowics looked poorly coached? So the one of the best point guards in the history of WBB didn’t tell her to quit throwing those idiotic cross court balloons? Whalen would bench her, and she would go out and immediately toss up another one. She plays hard so gets some slack. She really isn’t even a point guard, she loves to shoot way to much.
 
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Bfan said:
Thanks Whalen or similar. I do think we have multiple Whalen accounts here.

I am sure her financial advisors would have liked an extension.

Whalen needs to be fixed a second time.

Nobody paid attention to her Hall of Fame stuff. Attendance was down.
hdon't be duped by these new accounts talking for Whalen. She has not gravitas.

How many people attended the Whalen coaching clinic last time? I heard attendance dropped. Who wants to be coached by a bad coach.

This season coaching was bad and bad.

Mara Braun deserves better. So does Borowicz who looked not well coached. All of them deserve better.

Braun's season could have been a special rookie season.

The program had been razed under Whalen. The team had to bring in walk on players. Lowered to the level of walk ons just to practice. And give scholarships to players no other Big Ten would consider.

Do not pay attention to these new accounts. Nobody cares anymore about Whalen. Nobody responded to the posts about her Hall of Fa.e stuff.

Horrible coaching this year.

I will next post a detailed trashing of Whalen's coaching this seaso. if needed.

Coaching this season was so bad.

Last season Whalen lost to nobody school and bad Jacksonville. Bog Ten coaches don't lose to Jacksonville like Whalen does.


This year lost to NDSU.

Low attendance.

Coaching community is said to not respect the coaching.

Hiw many people would come to the Whalen coaching clinic to mean the horrible coaching this year.

The tournament game was awful. Looked unprepared.

Huge turnovers all season.

Bad coaching Rutger game

Both Wisconsin game.

Illinois shocking coaching bungle.

Tapegate.
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I for one am very disappointed she didn't get another year and feel it is a mistake. I felt she earned it by getting this years recruiting class and next years recruiting class as well as the tight bond players and coaches seemed to have this year. Lastly, I felt she deserved at least as many years as Pitino received since she had the drawbacks of being a first time head coach (learning curve), finished her WNBA career in year 1 and coached through COVID. I thought Pitino got exactly as many years as he earned and was let go at the right time, this was a year early in my opinion. Don't get me wrong I have had plenty of concerns with the team's performance and Whays ability to get the players to play the way they need to, and exhibit A was the many turnovers from the press in the B1G tournament without making the opponent pay for pressing with open shots. In the end we will never know what they could have done with a year of maturity and added depth. I may accept that and move on and hope all will heal and the program will succeed.

I don't understand how there is so much certainty in these words, especially "This season coaching was bad and bad." when the opposite was said less than 2 months ago. I think this would be a time of humility. I don't think now is the time to go scorched earth and dancing on someone's grave, it is almost like she murdered a loved one of yours.

The program doesn't need more negativity I think it needs to look forward.

I love your passion for the gophs and your long posts in general.
 


I was responding to criticisms of Coyle with a warning of what ongoing arguing may look like across social media. Arguing is a two way street.

I'm saying to put the brake on that arguing.

If people want to continue arguing then it just continues these arguments already in motion.

Do get one's side of the story out there and put a positive spin. That's important, I would imagine.

And yet all these arguments in motion for months and years if the just stay in motion then keep on happening.

I am in a Vikings group where the anti-Kirk Cousins sentiment is very strong. That's the QB who made the Pro Bowl and led his team to a winning season although statistically is probably around only the 12th best at his position. In that one game, criticism he did something questionable. And in the other game he did that bad thing. And they are lucky to win that other one since he did another incompetent thing. And the team just has no chance at all with him. None. They will never ever get past a certain point because of him. On and on. And by the way, the defense was actually historically bad and the cause of most of the teams woes.

And that is in all sports. Go look in the men's basketball group. Go to the Vikings sites. The criticisms are withering of people who aren't that bad. It just goes with sports.

Anyway... I would put my best spin on it and get my story out there.



At the same time, keeping these old arguments in motion, like bashing Coyle, just keeps the arguments going.

I was responding to the bashing and saying, ok, if these arguments are going to continue then people can throw out all kinds of continuing arguments.

Maybe it's time to relaunch. None of my business but maybe reload. Relaunch.

Another story:

There once were a butcher, a baker, and a candlestick maker.

And there was once was someone who know them and thought about being a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker. And then one day that person looked out into the world and saw a huge number of roles the person didn't realize.

Hey, there's more to come. None of my business. Just thoughtfully whatever...
 

short ornery norwegian said:
new coach will be announced within a week to 10 days. Coyle doesn't make this announcement unless he was already lining up interviews with candidates and doing back-channel discussions with agents.

But - even if the on-floor results were less than hoped for, Lindsey Whalen is still a HOF player - one of the greatest women's players in MN history. She had her fans and supporters.

So Coyle had better get this one right - especially considering the status of the Men's program.
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So, we are past 10 days...
 


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