Doogie: Partial list of Gophers to connect with Johnson: McHale, Thompson, BJax, Saunder, Orr, Bickerstaff, Hoff, Monson, Pitino, Coffey's, Hagen, etc

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very good to hear some positive news around the hire. I was certainly skeptical at first, but am slowly warming to this decision. I, like many, felt we needed a proven head coach, to gain much needed and immediate credibility to the program. I also felt that something was wrong with the previous coaching staff that we weren't reading about in the papers. I just had a hunch that if you peeled back the onion, that there was something "off" about the relationships with local coaches. OR, it could certainly be something else, but something wasn't quite right about not being able to get any MN recruits in the last few years. Sorry for rambling, btw. Anyway, it now looks like Ben and the staff he hires, along with the support of people that Doogie mentions in his tweet, will be able to overcome that hidden something, in fairly short order. That is my hope and I wish him all the best.
 



2nd Degree Gopher said:
If he's really spoken to Richard Pitino multiple times, I am impressed. That's more than an obligatory reach out to a former assistant who now has your old job, that's a class act.
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Pitino said in an interview with Dan B right after he took the New Mexico job that he already thought he knew was getting the job. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pitino knew he was the leading candidate when he was let go. Pitino and the U of M both knew it was best for both parties to move on. I think it’s a credit to both him and the organization to do it so amicably
 



Some guy said:
Pitino said in an interview with Dan B right after he took the New Mexico job that he already thought he knew was getting the job. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pitino knew he was the leading candidate when he was let go. Pitino and the U of M both knew it was best for both parties to move on. I think it’s a credit to both him and the organization to do it so amicably
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Gaard said on the air that Johnson wasn't the guy Pitino thought would get the job, but he declined to reveal who Pitino thought it would be.
 

Well I doubt it was totally amicable, but I have to say that both parties (Richard Pitino and the UMN brain trust, e.g. Coyle et. al.) have handled the issue with class
 





assuming the Orr is Townsend Orr. Always liked him. 13 ppg his senior year. As I recall, he seemed to have a knack for hitting shots at key moments.
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
If he's really spoken to Richard Pitino multiple times, I am impressed. That's more than an obligatory reach out to a former assistant who now has your old job, that's a class act.
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Agreed. But I wonder how much of it was individual texts/convos about stuff like: where are the keys to the desk? Do you want this jacket you left? Where did you leave things with Omersa? Etc.
 



BleedGopher said:


Go Gophers!!
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Genuine affection for the guy is not a data point about readiness to be head coach at at a Big Ten institution. What it means is that he is known by those reaching out. Nothing else. I still find it strange that there has been nothing (in my sphere, anyway-which is small with no social media) publicly said by leadership of the local club teams. If they were an influence in the hire, it would be nice that they extend some public congratulations and a commitment to support the program.

All this public nicety stuff seems like a version of virtue signaling without making any commitment to help and is at no cost to the one making the statement. Ironically, the closest thing we've had so far is a tweet from Mychal Thompson to Chet. If it's legal, and the alumni are so on board, shouldn't we see more of this?
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
Gaard said on the air that Johnson wasn't the guy Pitino thought would get the job, but he declined to reveal who Pitino thought it would be.
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Makes sense. When he got the job at the U everybody thought Shaka Smart was gonna get it.
 

Holy Man said:
If it's legal, and the alumni are so on board, shouldn't we see more of this?
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Do's and Don'ts Regarding Recruitment and Prospective Student-Athletes.​

Although recruitment of prospects is reserved for authorized university staff members, YOU MAY ...

  • Write, email, text, or telephone a prospect inan effort to recruit him or her to the university. Contact a prospect'shigh school coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of recruiting the prospect (e.g., meeting with the counselor, picking upa videotape of the prospect, etc.)
  • If permission from the college/university is given, make recruiting contacts and evaluations with prospective student-athletes and four-year college prospective student-athletes.
  • Forward information (e.g., via newspaper clippings, internet postings, telephone calls to coaching staff members, etc.) about a prospect to coaching staff members.
  • Attend high school, prep school, club events and two-year college athletics events at your own initiative (i.e., not at the direction of a university staff member) provided you do not have contact with the prospect or his/her parents, guardians, relatives, high school/Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach, guidance counselor, etc. unless permissible through NCAA recruiting legislation.
  • Display normal civility if you "run into" a prospect somewhere other than the prospect's educational institution, practice or competition site. Such contact must be truly incidental and not prearranged by anyone.
  • Continue established relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts with these individuals should not be for recruiting purposes. Any benefits provided should be similar in nature to benefits provided prior to the individual entering ninth grade.
  • Prospects may attend luncheons or dinners in their immediate locale which are sponsored by the college/university and are open to all prospective students (not prospective student-athletes only). Contact with prospects at such events is permissible.
But, please DO NOT...

  • Directly or indirectly make any arrangement for a prospect to receive cash, financial aid of any kind, or loans of any kind (including signing or co-signing for a loan).
  • Provide, arrange for or pay for any type of transportation to any location for a prospect.
  • Provide a prospect with any cost-free or discounted gifts or services, including tickets to a home or away event, and payment of camp registration fees.
  • Provide or arrange employment for a prospector a prospect's relatives or friends.
  • Provide gifts of clothing or equipment, or any tangible item including merchandise.
  • Provide free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchase of any type or free or reduced-cost housing.
  • Finance or arrange the use of recruiting aids to publicize the institutions interest in a particular prospect.
  • Contact a student from another institution to encourage him or her to transfer.
  • Provide anything to a prospect without prior approval from the director of athletics.
 



I'm pretty sure no matter who the coach was, most all those guys would welcome him.
To me it's not so much an indication they are on board with Ben...but more the Gophers.
And maybe it's a little bit .... this guy is going to need some help...I'll offer encouragement and touch base.
 

60's Guy said:
I'm pretty sure no matter who the coach was, most all those guys would welcome him.
To me it's not so much an indication they are on board with Ben...but more the Gophers.
And maybe it's a little bit .... this guy is going to need some help...I'll offer encouragement and touch base.
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I disagree. I think this is a show of enthusiasm that the job went to “one of our own.” Maybe not exclusive to Ben, but very different than if it were Gates, Smith, etc.
 

Musselman would have been the home run hire...BJ is a bases loaded bunt with two strikes and fouling it for an out....BJ needs all the help from the alumni he can get....
 




millions2spare said:
Musselman would have been the home run hire...BJ is a bases loaded bunt with two strikes and fouling it for an out....BJ needs all the help from the alumni he can get....
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What evidence do you have that Musselman would even have answered the phone when the Gophers called? He’s got a top ten team in a job he’s held for two years, and more money than Pitino was making with a likely extension/raise on the way. Do you think he’s nostalgic for the program his dad left for the ABA after committing over 100 NCAA violations? Try making sense.
 


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