Coyle view from a GH favorite

I know that I am in the minority here but I appreciate the U for trying to hold on to the quaint idea of amateur athletics. My lack of interest in the U over the last couple of years has nothing to do with Ben Johnson and the team's lack of success. I am just not interested in following a 'pro' league where athletes are paid without any rules and regs. I'll follow the world's best in the NBA rather than watch senseless annual transfers.
Add to that mega-Conference expansion, transfer Portal and games on a myriad of networks or streamers, it's no wonder I have emotionally checked out on College Hoops in general.
 

Reusse isn't wrong about anything he said regarding the factors that hurt Johnson.

The Barn is a dump, NIL sucks here, the fan base isn't great (due to years of ineptitude), etc.

Johnson still wasn't the right person for the job.

The University needs a plan for basketball.

Look at St. Thomas' Division 1 plan.

They're investing hundreds of millions, building facilities, courting donors, etc. And they're largely succeeding ahead of schedule.

The U has no plan or vision.

Where's the plan for a new arena? Where's the plan to fill the NIL coffers? Where's our GM?

All we have are words about hopefully spending on a new coach. That's not enough. Where's the infrastructure to support him?

If you want someone to hire from St. Thomas, it's not Tauer. It's Esten.
Reusse is wrong that those factors hurt Johnson. Johnson failed because he's an awful coach. If we want to have a conversation about how we can go from being a solid program to a really good program, some of those points are viable. If we're talking about Ben's failures, those are on Ben. He had an incredibly low bar to jump over and he tripped trying to jump.

Reusse's column is 100% written to annoy Gopherhole. He isn't trolling, it hurts his feelings we think he's a moron and he obsesses over it like a miserable old woman.
 


You’re right. He dislikes self promoting blowhards.
Reusse pals around with Souhan.

Reusse is fine with blowhards, he hates exercise and his own irrelevance to a large portion of MN sports fans.

What you've diagnosed as a hatred for blowhards is just self loathing and bitterness.
 

Add to that mega-Conference expansion, transfer Portal and games on a myriad of networks or streamers, it's no wonder I have emotionally checked out on College Hoops in general.
Amen... I don't need to see a coast to coast conference. The product is just not as interesting to me when it is a just a AAA league to the NBA.
 


The athletics department has 150 million in revenue. Quaint? If you are going to take in that kind of cash, put out a quality product or move to a non- revenue league and stop the music on the whole thing. Operating in a pretend world is not going to fool anyone. I liked it the way it was 20 years ago.
Those days are gone.
I used to follow NCAA basketball nationally with a passion up until a decade or so ago. The inconsistent NCAA followed by this new game of paid players and free transfers has me watching less and less each year. I haven't watched any conference games or tournaments outside of the B1G this year... that tells you all there is to know! I imagine that there are others like me who will drift from the game.
 

I used to follow NCAA basketball nationally with a passion up until a decade or so ago. The inconsistent NCAA followed by this new game of paid players and free transfers has me watching less and less each year. I haven't watched any conference games or tournaments outside of the B1G this year... that tells you all there is to know! I imagine that there are others like me who will drift from the game.
Until this week outside of games involving the Gophers, I watched 2 D1 games and both involved Colgate (family connection) at home.

I did catch a couple at a Sports Book in Vegas while on vacation back in December. Obvious reason.

Pre-Portal/NIL it was probably 3-4 per week. 10 years ago double.

I'll still fill out an NCAA Bracket and enter a couple of Pools. Mostly out of obligation, but maybe I will catch March Madness.
 

  • The U isn't in California.
  • The Fair Pay for Play Act in CA was about endorsement deals (NIL) in addition to their scholarships.
  • The Supreme Court ruling opening the door to NIL occurred in June 2021- 3 months after Ben Johnson was hired.
  • NIL allows student athletes to profit off of their Name, Image, and Likeness. Names on jerseys, shilling for Bob's Chevy, etc.
  • Paying athletes 6 and 7 figures for just attending the school is NOT NIL.
  • The NCAA is still without any solid NIL rules. It's the lawless Wild West out there.
  • The NCAA is still actively lobbying Congress to apply some legally defensible benchmarks.
  • Congress held a hearing this month on NIL and will meet again in the coming months.
The U travels to California and must comply with California law when in California. The NIL money from endorsements created the conditions which allowed the Supreme Court to agree with California. The point about the Supreme Court and The Fair Pay for Play Act is that the writing was on the wall and it was a well discussed topic where many lawyers were arguing that the students were employees, not students. SCOTUS ruled 9-0 with language that said out loud that fact, particularly if you read the transcripts around the hearing. Paying athletes 6 and 7 figures is NIL. Any argument that those athletes are not showing their image while they play is simply sophistry. The NCAA is not the employer and doesn't matter--at all. Lobbying to alter the rules is simply not going to stand scrutiny by a SCOTUS that has already opened the door. Congress be damned. Congress can hold as many hearings as members like. There are no bills in Congress that have a chance in hell of returning to the prior rules before 2021. That door was shut quite loudly by SCOTUS.
 

I used to follow NCAA basketball nationally with a passion up until a decade or so ago. The inconsistent NCAA followed by this new game of paid players and free transfers has me watching less and less each year. I haven't watched any conference games or tournaments outside of the B1G this year... that tells you all there is to know! I imagine that there are others like me who will drift from the game.
We ALL hate it. While I am hating the new landscape- I'd enjoy it a little more ( a lot more honestly) if we start winning big. Let's admit that this is now a pro sport. The U needs to admit it. That's where we are at. Now, either A) take advantage of it and win....or B) rip your dying fan base off.
 



Reusse is wrong that those factors hurt Johnson. Johnson failed because he's an awful coach. If we want to have a conversation about how we can go from being a solid program to a really good program, some of those points are viable. If we're talking about Ben's failures, those are on Ben. He had an incredibly low bar to jump over and he tripped trying to jump.

Reusse's column is 100% written to annoy Gopherhole. He isn't trolling, it hurts his feelings we think he's a moron and he obsesses over it like a miserable old woman.
Great post!
 

Reusse's column is 100% written to annoy Gopherhole. He isn't trolling, it hurts his feelings we think he's a moron and he obsesses over it like a miserable old woman.
I have no idea if Reusse is trolling or not? It is quite possible. But having listened to him for years, I highly doubt he gives a flying bleep what GH’s think of him. Pro or con. You don’t last in that business for 50-60 years if critical thoughts of your musings hurt your feelings.

Plus remember this. He signs his name to his opinions, none of us on here do that! 🙀
 

I have no idea if Reusse is trolling or not? It is quite possible. But having listened to him for years, I highly doubt he gives a flying bleep what GH’s think of him. Pro or con. You don’t last in that business for 50-60 years if critical thoughts of your musings hurt your feelings.

Plus remember this. He signs his name to his opinions, none of us on here do that! 🙀
Yeah, I have seen countless digs and comments that are clearly in response to Gopherhole's reaction to things. He used to bring up Gopherhole, even when it was tiny and was very likely one of the posters.

As to your second point, I hope you aren't arguing there are not thin-skinned journalists.
 

If by second point you mean the 50-60 years, I am arguing that. I agree there are things skinned ones, but not ones who have done it that long. You simply could not be sensitive to readers comments and stay in the business. You may disagree with you detractors, but you really don’t give a bleep what they think.

Like a good politician. You may be incensed by an op ed piece or a comment at a town hall, but you don’t really give a crap what they think, or would would change your ways!
 



If by second point you mean the 50-60 years, I am arguing that. I agree there are things skinned ones, but not ones who have done it that long. You simply could not be sensitive to readers comments and stay in the business. You may disagree with you detractors, but you really don’t give a bleep what they think.

Like a good politician. You may be incensed by an op ed piece or a comment at a town hall, but you don’t really give a crap what they think, or would would change your ways!
Finding a good politician is less likely than finding Bigfoot.
 





Top Bottom