Caledonia native Eli King in portal from Iowa State

[Wet_Blanket_Guy]

I am categorically opposed to "running off" any player for any reason - except for some off-court violation or criminal act of sufficient seriousness to warrant their dismissal.

commitment goes both ways - the player commits to the program and the program commits to the player.

If a coach offers a scholarship to a player who turns out to be not as good as expected, then the coach has to live with the consequences of his decision. the coach does not get a mulligan. you play the shot where it lies.

Ihnen isn’t a Ben player, in this case…guess we are lucky then

 

[bga1]

I am categorically opposed to "running off" any player for any reason - except for some off-court violation or criminal act of sufficient seriousness to warrant their dismissal.

commitment goes both ways - the player commits to the program and the program commits to the player.

If a coach offers a scholarship to a player who turns out to be not as good as expected, then the coach has to live with the consequences of his decision. the coach does not get a mulligan. you play the shot where it lies.

unfortunately-commitment doesn't go either way these days. In an age where players leave on a whim why should coaches then be forced to honor their commitments?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

unfortunately-commitment doesn't go either way these days. In an age where players leave on a whim why should coaches then be forced to honor their commitments?

With the portal and NIL, the coaches absolutely must treat them like pro athletes now too. It's the burden that comes with the increased freedom.

 

[Dave H]

How is expressing a preference towards an experienced guard vs. an unproven one defending Johnson?

If the team is going to get better quickly it isn't going to be with project players..

Of course the really silly part about this whole thread is that people are assuming the Gophers have no interest based on the dad's comment when the reality is that we have no clue what has happened since then or if there is any mutual interest coming from the player.

Maybe Johnson wants King but King has made it clear he doesn't want to go somewhere to be a backup....

How dare you bring logic into this

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Ben Johnson will get at least the same five years that Whalen got unless they keep bottoming out the next two years. Bad optics otherwise.

We gotta stop with comparing Ben to Lindsay.

They haven't been the same five years. Whalen won 21 Big 10 games in her first three seasons. Think of the kind of season the Gophers would have to have for Ben to get to 21 Big 10 wins next year.

Nothing is similar about their tenures.

 

[SoMpls]

Zero chance Ben gets as much leeway as Whalen. Not only did Whalen finish above .500 her first two seasons but she was literally the best player ever to come from the WBB program and LOVED by everyone.

Above .500 with someone else’s players then lost the players. Pitino was under .500 and got 7 years but y’all got Ben on the hot seat after a year full of injuries?!?!? What’s the difference between Ben and Whalen or Pitino beside… well we know

 

[SoMpls]

We gotta stop with comparing Ben to Lindsay.

They haven't been the same five years. Whalen won 21 Big 10 games in her first three seasons. Think of the kind of season the Gophers would have to have for Ben to get to 21 Big 10 wins next year.

Nothing is similar about their tenures.

So say it | round table is racism a one way street

youtube.com

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

So say it | round table is racism a one way street

youtube.com

It's about one fucking thing... Winning... And your boy Ben has never won... As a player, assistant coach..... And now head coach...

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

So say it | round table is racism a one way street

youtube.com

LOL. I'm shocked the Ben Johnson Apology Tour has so much overlap with this crowd.

Lindsay won 14 Big Ten games out of 36 in her first two seasons.
Ben won 6 Big Ten games out of 39 in his first two seasons.

I'm not even defending her, I think she should have been canned. However, she was just a run of the mill bad coach who didn't have enough success. Ben Johnson has been uniquely bad so far.

I get why you just had to share a clip without even attempting to articulate a counterpoint. The math and the logic aren't with you on this one bud.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Above .500 with someone else’s players then lost the players. Pitino was under .500 and got 7 years but y’all got Ben on the hot seat after a year full of injuries?!?!? What’s the difference between Ben and Whalen or Pitino beside… well we know

You can keep flaming on, but I hope you realize this same crowd didn't Pitino to have 7 years. We were the outspoken ones then too. Maybe then it was our anti-Italian sentiments getting the best of us.

But if you want to know the difference. . .
Richard had 14 Big 10 wins in his first two seasons.
Lindsay had 14 Big 10 wins in her first two seasons.
Ben Johnson mustered up 6 Big 10 wins in his first two seasons.

They were both won more than twice as many Big 10 games as Ben in their first two seasons. It's not even close. Pitino was not a good coach here and I'm glad he got canned. Lindsay the same. But their first two seasons were not even remotely comparable to Ben Johnson's.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

It's about one fucking thing... Winning... And your boy Ben has never won... As a player, assistant coach..... And now head coach...

It as tho his chosen career would be a failure but he’ll bank 12 million bucks.

 

[Big Dawg]

I am categorically opposed to "running off" any player for any reason - except for some off-court violation or criminal act of sufficient seriousness to warrant their dismissal.

commitment goes both ways - the player commits to the program and the program commits to the player.

If a coach offers a scholarship to a player who turns out to be not as good as expected, then the coach has to live with the consequences of his decision. the coach does not get a mulligan. you play the shot where it lies.

Ihnen was promised 4 years. He has already had that. Fox was promised one (I think). He has already had 2 and looks like he will be here one more. So, the U has honored it's commitment to these 2 fine student athletes. If for some reason they both blow out their knees again this summer they then get even one more year? PHD maybe. Hire them as faculty. Now starting at the 2, 29 year old Isaiah Ihnen. Now starting at forward, 30 year old Parker Fox.

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

Ihnen was promised 4 years. He has already had that. Fox was promised one (I think). He has already had 2 and looks like he will be here one more. So, the U has honored it's commitment to these 2 fine student athletes. If for some reason they both blow out their knees again this summer they then get even one more year? PHD maybe. Hire them as faculty. Now starting at the 2, 29 year old Isaiah Ihnen. Now starting at forward, 30 year old Parker Fox.

That t.e. in Oregon got a 9th year or something like that

 

[formerlybis]

I am categorically opposed to "running off" any player for any reason - except for some off-court violation or criminal act of sufficient seriousness to warrant their dismissal.

commitment goes both ways - the player commits to the program and the program commits to the player.

If a coach offers a scholarship to a player who turns out to be not as good as expected, then the coach has to live with the consequences of his decision. the coach does not get a mulligan. you play the shot where it lies.

This world is what we all grew up with, but it no longer exists. I think people started to notice when Tom Crean started running end of the bench guys off every year to make room for the new recruits he overcommitted to numbers-wise. Now, it’s the norm and fully expected. Players from a high major always can find a landing spot at a lower level. Adapt or die.

 

[cjbfbp]

Ihnen was promised 4 years. He has already had that. Fox was promised one (I think). He has already had 2 and looks like he will be here one more. So, the U has honored it's commitment to these 2 fine student athletes.

In principle, I more or less agree with the views you state here although I think Johnson owes Ihnen a little extra as he was the only returning player who stuck around when he was hired (if you don't count Curry who pretty much "unretired" for one final season). Under the current circumstances, both of these players should remain if they can play. The last thing this coach or any other coach should want is to have to recruit 6 instead of 4 players from the portal.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

I wouldn't OFFER King right now but I would at least reach out and tell him we are interested.

The kid already didn't want to come here. The program is currently a dumpster fire and your gonna tell him we're thinking about offering you? If I'm Eli, I'm telling you to get [email protected]#d, if I even take the call.

 

[jovs]

I am categorically opposed to "running off" any player for any reason - except for some off-court violation or criminal act of sufficient seriousness to warrant their dismissal.

commitment goes both ways - the player commits to the program and the program commits to the player.

If a coach offers a scholarship to a player who turns out to be not as good as expected, then the coach has to live with the consequences of his decision. the coach does not get a mulligan. you play the shot where it lies.

Interesting question, under the student/athlete model running any player out of the program has to be questioned from an ethical viewpoint.

At the D1 level are they really student/athletes though or more of an athlete that requires being a student to compete. Is anything really owed to an athlete that gets NIL money where academics is secondary.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Ihnen was promised 4 years. He has already had that. Fox was promised one (I think). He has already had 2 and looks like he will be here one more. So, the U has honored it's commitment to these 2 fine student athletes. If for some reason they both blow out their knees again this summer they then get even one more year? PHD maybe. Hire them as faculty. Now starting at the 2, 29 year old Isaiah Ihnen. Now starting at forward, 30 year old Parker Fox.

That’s Drs. Ilhen & to you, sir

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

That t.e. in Oregon got a 9th year or something like that

He’s got enough Duck gear at this point to join a flock when he’s done

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I am categorically opposed to "running off" any player for any reason - except for some off-court violation or criminal act of sufficient seriousness to warrant their dismissal.

commitment goes both ways - the player commits to the program and the program commits to the player.

If a coach offers a scholarship to a player who turns out to be not as good as expected, then the coach has to live with the consequences of his decision. the coach does not get a mulligan. you play the shot where it lies.

Great post Son!

For all of Pitino’s obvious issues , he had a great sense of self-deprecating wit AND most importantly, never ran off Gas and Bakary, hopefully putting their lives (on a different trajectory) - his mother, must be a hell of a gal, as I don’t think he inherited those ethos from the other side.

 

[MNVCGUY]

How dare you bring logic into this

I know.....I try not to but it is just so hard to not point out when people fly off the handle based on little to no information.

 

[MNVCGUY]

In principle, I more or less agree with the views you state here although I think Johnson owes Ihnen a little extra as he was the only returning player who stuck around when he was hired (if you don't count Curry who pretty much "unretired" for one final season). Under the current circumstances, both of these players should remain if they can play. The last thing this coach or any other coach should want is to have to recruit 6 instead of 4 players from the portal.

That last part is the part I don't get from those that want Ihnen and Fox out of here. We have lots of open roster space already....what is the point of adding to it?

Fill the spots we have with guys that can hopefully help and if we get anything from Ihnen and/or Fox it is a bonus. Zero reason to try and get them out of the program right now.

 

[Holy Man]

Interesting question, under the student/athlete model running any player out of the program has to be questioned from an ethical viewpoint.

At the D1 level are they really student/athletes though or more of an athlete that requires being a student to compete. Is anything really owed to an athlete that gets NIL money where academics is secondary.

On the whole, you are right, but I would add that the D-1 description doesn’t fit completely. There is a wide chasm in D-1 sports, ranging from basically pro to real students playing sports. It’s the thing that torques me off most about NIL, etc. it benefits a few but not many. When people make pronouncements about “college sports “ they are really talking about very few schools and programs. The vast majority are playing with students who will never make money at sports and programs that can barely pay the bills and can’t without external subsidy.

 

[Dakota2]

Well, a good coach would be able to do both.

Think of it like a race car driver, I have the one I intend to drive and a second one that could be ready if needed.

You do both by winning and making Minnesota more attractive next year to recruits and transfers.

 

[Bad Gopher]

He’s got enough Duck gear at this point to join a flock when he’s done

I'm laughing because, after our daughter spending four years on the UW-Stout gymnastics team, we have enough Blue Devils gear to fully clothe the poor of this city.

 

[Dakota2]

The kid already didn't want to come here. The program is currently a dumpster fire and your gonna tell him we're thinking about offering you? If I'm Eli, I'm telling you to get [email protected]#d, if I even take the call.

His Dad is well known in coaching circles. If King had an interest in Minnesota Ben would have known before he entered the portal.

 

[Dakota2]

That last part is the part I don't get from those that want Ihnen and Fox out of here. We have lots of open roster space already....what is the point of adding to it?

Fill the spots we have with guys that can hopefully help and if we get anything from Ihnen and/or Fox it is a bonus. Zero reason to try and get them out of the program right now.

And always unmentioned is that the coaching staff actually knows something about the recovery status of each player. It is quite possible that Ben thinks they can contribute.

 

[mkAz]

Have they reached out to King yet? I wouldn’t be opposed to adding him, they need 2-3 guards. A Mitchell/King PG combo is probably as good as they can do.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

His Dad is well known in coaching circles. If King had an interest in Minnesota Ben would have known before he entered the portal.

Appreciate the info. The idea that we're in a position to put Eli on the back burner is hilarious.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Appreciate the info. The idea that we're in a position to put Eli on the back burner is hilarious.

Indeed.

Being from Minnesota is about the only reason, right now, why any DI player that would be a big help to us who is in the portal would actually consider transferring here.


At this point: Until Ben proves that he can turn it around, and starts putting up wins, guys who aren't from MN aren't going to want to touch this program with a ten foot pole.