Enjoying Gopher Basketball

Next 4 games are NW, MSU, @ Iowa, @Purdue. I'd say you best win one of the next two. Otherwise you're looking at another 4 game losing streak and 1-8 stretch overall. Hard to keep the "we have momentum" "we're so close" argument at that point.
 


If so, the answer must be obvious. What is it?
Because it’s completely normal and in-fact expected for players to follow coaches and assistant coaches to other schools when leaving Minnesota.
However, a recruit or player following a coach to Minnesota is an absolutely preposterous scenario. Doesn’t even warrant a response obviously. Even more ridiculous than actually convincing someone to stay.
 

In my opinion it's splitting hairs between 13th-14th. They both suck. Pitino's 2 win team finished 13th because Rutgers was the worst team in the history of the B1G (which we lost to).

To act like the program in the current year has taken some gigantic step back from where we were is disingenuous at best. That's my biggest issue. Haven’t won constinently with a coach without scandal or cheating ever. If the team collapses down the stretch fire the coach and start again. If they don't give him another year to continue to build the program.
I think cbj has shown enough to get a significant extension, along with the commensurate increase in salary. His record through 2.5 seasons justifies that much.
 

I think cbj has shown enough to get a significant extension, along with the commensurate increase in salary. His record through 2.5 seasons justifies that much.
Wholly crap! My sarcasm alert is screaming right now.

He should get a (negative) performance bonus. Like pay the school back at least half his salary.
 


What does Ben Johnson need to do to get an extension? NIT, NCAA tourney? Wasn't pitino fired because the team failed to make NCAA tournament
 

What does Ben Johnson need to do to get an extension? NIT, NCAA tourney? Wasn't pitino fired because the team failed to make NCAA tournament
They failed to make any post-season for 2 consecutive years and his last season made it apparent he was not ready to coach at the B1G level. No excuses that year with one of his better teams and only won 6 games in conference.
 

What does Ben Johnson need to do to get an extension? NIT, NCAA tourney? Wasn't pitino fired because the team failed to make NCAA tournament
My guess? Not a specific #. Not a NIT or NCAA bid. It has to do with a couple of things. How does the team look. Do we win the games we should win. Are our losses close and we don't look like a dumpster fire on the court. So, more than a decent W-L record. Intangibles. If the second half goes like the first half of the season, he will definitely be here next fall. If for some reason things totally fall apart, he may be gone. I would prefer he and the team continue to show progress, we add a good player or 2 from the portal and next season looks promising. Eternal Gopher hope.
 

Because it’s completely normal and in-fact expected for players to follow coaches and assistant coaches to other schools when leaving Minnesota.
However, a recruit or player following a coach to Minnesota is an absolutely preposterous scenario. Doesn’t even warrant a response obviously. Even more ridiculous than actually convincing someone to stay.

Players following their head coach who was fired to their next stop is WAY different than a player following an assistant to a new school when their head coach remains at the school they're currently playing at.

If you can't figure out why your question was stupid.....well......hopefully you inherit a lot of money or win the lottery.
 



What does Ben Johnson need to do to get an extension? NIT, NCAA tourney? Wasn't pitino fired because the team failed to make NCAA tournament
cbj's current contract runs through the 2026-2027 season. isn't it too early to be concerned about an extension?
 



A little off topic, but talking about bringing guys with him when Ben came, weren't there two players from Texas A&M that were supposed to transfer in early in Ben's time here? It was so long ago, I can't remember the details, or even their names.
 



A little off topic, but talking about bringing guys with him when Ben came, weren't there two players from Texas A&M that were supposed to transfer in early in Ben's time here? It was so long ago, I can't remember the details, or even their names.
Yes. They were supposed to follow former A&M Assistant Coach Jamie McNeilly. No one was quite sure why it fell through.
 


maybe. i think coyle gives him 5 years as long as he continues to recruit in minnesota and his team doesn't create any dramas

I don't know what Coyle will do but I would hope that Johnson's performance requires a little more than that to get a guarantee of five years.
 

isn't he on the hot seat

Seat is warm. Team is good enough this year (with a lot of upside) to warrant another. But next year could land him on the hot seat if the team isn't competing for a tournament bid at the very least.

maybe. i think coyle gives him 5 years as long as he continues to recruit in minnesota and his team doesn't create any dramas

It would take a pretty disappointing season next year to cut ties prior to a fifth year.....but you never know. A couple of key guys decide to transfer out after this year or the team just massively underperforms.....who knows.
 

This might eventually be included in one of those "what might have been" threads, like Tommy Hammonds, Doug Wren, and Glenn Rice.

Well, I guess the difference is that almost everyone (who is old enough) remembers Glenn Rice, many remember Tom Hammonds, some might remember Doug Wren but hardly anyone remembers the names of those two guys who were rumored to be coming here from Texas A&M.
 

Seat is warm. Team is good enough this year (with a lot of upside) to warrant another. But next year could land him on the hot seat if the team isn't competing for a tournament bid at the very least.



It would take a pretty disappointing season next year to cut ties prior to a fifth year.....but you never know. A couple of key guys decide to transfer out after this year or the team just massively underperforms.....who knows.
Good enough this year? Currently in 9th. Will that be "good enough" if we end the season in 9th?

Put metrics to that statement. What would "pretty disappointing" be to you? To me, we are already there.

If we finish 10th or better (no weakling Wednesday) I am good with a 4th year. To warrant a 5th, I will need at a min, NIT and 8th or better in the BIG.
 

Seat is warm. Team is good enough this year (with a lot of upside) to warrant another.

I'm on your side, of course, but I'm not sure the team's overall performance is quite there yet to deserve another season. Five more wins: definitely; four more wins: quite likely; three more wins: maybe but grudgingly; two more wins: no.
 

Well, I guess the difference is that almost everyone (who is old enough) remembers Glenn Rice, many remember Tom Hammonds, some might remember Doug Wren but hardly anyone remembers the names of those two guys who were rumored to be coming here from Texas A&M.
This is true. But as bad as the program has been recently, we need to dig deeper for our “what might have beens” as well. Once I dig up the names, I’ll remind people who they are.
 

Good enough this year? Currently in 9th. Will that be "good enough" if we end the season in 9th?

Put metrics to that statement. What would "pretty disappointing" be to you? To me, we are already there.

If we finish 10th or better (no weakling Wednesday) I am good with a 4th year. To warrant a 5th, I will need at a min, NIT and 8th or better in the BIG.

Yes. This team is showing enough potential to warrant seeing what they develop into next year.
 

I'm on your side, of course, but I'm not sure the team's overall performance is quite there yet to deserve another season. Five more wins: definitely; four more wins: quite likely; three more wins: maybe but grudgingly; two more wins: no.
Five more wins is a for sure return. Two more definitely gone. The scary part is three and four which I consider roadkill because the decision based on wins and losses is not automatic. If the roster returns, there is a stronger case for return. But that is data that might not be available until after the hiring season. Yuk.
 


Yes. This team is showing enough potential to warrant seeing what they develop into next year.
If we are playing on weakling Wednesday this year, you think he deserves a 4th? If we are the same next year (weakling Wednesday) you think he deserves a 5th? How low is the bar for you Stoker?
 

All these posts could become moot, if Tennessee and that other school, win their lawsuit to allow wealthy athletic sponsors to basically hire players for their schools. That’s curtains for college athletics as we know it. I liked the good old days when Wooden and his bagman handed out the cash, and Pitino and his ilk handed out the hookers and strippers…. Now THAT was what real amateur athletics was all about!
 

If we are playing on weakling Wednesday this year, you think he deserves a 4th? If we are the same next year (weakling Wednesday) you think he deserves a 5th? How low is the bar for you Stoker?

The team would have to bomb the remainder of the season. Next year we should be competing for the NCAA Tournament. If we aren't.....that's probably where I'd say it's time to cut bait and move on.
 

Five more wins is a for sure return. Two more definitely gone. The scary part is three and four which I consider roadkill because the decision based on wins and losses is not automatic. If the roster returns, there is a stronger case for return. But that is data that might not be available until after the hiring season. Yuk.

Yes, these days, if you're going to fire a coach and hire another one, you have to do it ASAP after the season. The new coach needs to be in place quickly enough to convince key players to stay and recruit the portal as soon as he can.
 

If we finish 10th or better (no weakling Wednesday) I am good with a 4th year.

Depends how the distribution of conference records shakes out. Last year, Nebraska and Wisconsin tied for 11th (Wisconsin got the 12th spot in the conference tournament) even though they both had 9-11 conference records. Based on what we've seen so far, the distribution of records could be similar this season. A 9-11 conference record for the Gophers means five more wins and certainly should be good enough for another year. Being in Weakling Wednesday has some advantages. You get a chance at an easier Top 100 win to start the tournament and frequently at least one WW winner wins a game in the next round.
 

All these posts could become moot, if Tennessee and that other school, win their lawsuit to allow wealthy athletic sponsors to basically hire players for their schools. That’s curtains for college athletics as we know it.

We're only talking about this season. Who knows what happens after that. I mean the big comet could hit and it would be all moot too.
 




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