Doug Gottlieb: Brian Dutcher isn’t leaving Montezuma Mesa for Minneapolis.

[Bad Gopher]

What gives any indication that Ryan Saunders is a good basketball coach? I like Ryan. I knew him a bit in college and he was a super nice guy and by all accounts still is, so I'm not coming from some spoiled brat angle. However, he has really had three jobs in basketball and two of them were being hired by his dad. The other one was obviously a hire that he wasn't ready for.

I think he might be a good college coach. But he's never recruited and I haven't seen anything to suggest that he really is a good coach. I'm not saying he's bad, I would just think AT BEST, he's a crap shoot. He would definitely up the suit game of the Gopher bench though, I'll give him that.

That's a fair question. I've never heard anything negative and plenty positive about Ryan as an assistant coach at all levels, and I've reasoned that his rising to head coach in the NBA had something to do with his performance as an assistant.

 

[Wally]

If I were in Dutcher's shoes, I'd stay in SD and get a nice raise. Too nice of a gig.

Depends on how driven he is. Coaches have big egos, why not go for it in the best conference in College basketball? This will probably be his one and only chance.

 

[bizzle22]

Exactly smart move by his agent will likely help Dutcher get a bump in pay no matter what.

Their AD has publicly stated they are paying him as much as they possibly can.

Plus, it’s terrible for him in terms of negotiating for a raise. Any other school that is interested will have to pay almost $7M to get him which almost surely isn’t happening. If anything, that contract is pretty prohibitive in terms of him seeking a pay raise. “What’s that? Arizona is interested in you? Hey, before you interview let me send them the wire instructions for where they can send the $7M.”

 

[MplsGopher]

Perhaps. My only point is that he didn't have the Minnesota clause put in their just as a 5D chess move to maybe get a raise out of it some day.

If it didn't hurt anything, and there was a chance he needed to move back to Minn ... why not have the clause in there like that?

I think you and folks are reaching a bit on that.

 

[howeda7]

If it didn't hurt anything, and there was a chance he needed to move back to Minn ... why not have the clause in there like that?

I think you and folks are reaching a bit on that.

Because it's not like he could have the job anytime he "needed" it. This is a one time opportunity to take this job that he specifically negotiated into his contract. It's now or never. When the job opens next time, it's a virtual certainty he will be too old to be a viable option.

Usually when coach's have these specific opt outs, it's because they intend to use them if the opportunity arises.

 

[MplsGopher]

Because it's not like he could have the job anytime he "needed" it. This is a one time opportunity to take this job that he specifically negotiated into his contract. It's now or never. When the job opens next time, it's a virtual certainty he will be too old to be a viable option.

On the contrary, if it goes to Gates then it could easily be open again in three years.

The buyout isn't a benefit to himself financially. He's saying that he's willing to forgo a huge chunk of buyout that would be owed to him, if he needs to go to Minnesota.

Does it even say he has to be a head coach?

 

[PhiloVance]

Their AD has publicly stated they are paying him as much as they possibly can.

Plus, it’s terrible for him in terms of negotiating for a raise. Any other school that is interested will have to pay almost $7M to get him which almost surely isn’t happening. If anything, that contract is pretty prohibitive in terms of him seeking a pay raise. “What’s that? Arizona is interested in you? Hey, before you interview let me send them the wire instructions for where they can send the $7M.”

$7M chump change. Maybe we can tap into the $1.9T bail out bill congress passed.

 

[alchemy2u]

If the Gophers want Dutcher, they will get him. He may not be on their short list.

 

[UMwolverine]

Gottlieb seems to just making shi$ up I doubt he knows anything, but having grown up in Southern California, just has to let his bias color his guess. Btw, I now live in Oklahoma, and the last two searches for HC at Oklahoma State, he tried to insert himself as a candidate (with the help of a local sports radio host) despite having almost no coaching experience. It was a laughable PR move with no substance.