Former Gopher Jim Petersen says to be patient with Pitino and Minnesota

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BarnBurner said:
Is sacrificing this season worth it if the long term benefits actually come to fruition? Meaning Lynch and Fitz make next year and the following good teams?
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Good question. I think if Lynch/Fitz play a significant role for a top half BT, tourney qualifying team (and ideally winning a game or two in the Tourney) then yes, I think it is. It's certainly a gamble for this staff, especially when the staff had to know that four of our big men had significant limitations heading into this season.

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Good question. I think if Lynch/Fitz play a significant role for a top half BT, tourney qualifying team (and ideally winning a game or two in the Tourney) then yes, I think it is. It's certainly a gamble for this staff, especially when the staff had to know that four of our big men had significant limitations heading into this season.

Go Gophers!!
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Agreed.

Does Pitino and his assistants have the capability to make these players better? That, to me, is a big question. And I am on the fence whether this staff has the capability.

It has been difficult, at best, to watch the games this season due to the horrific defense and nearly non-existant post play. If the team had a post that was even mediocre, some of the other issues lessen.
 

BleedGopher said:
Good question. I think if Lynch/Fitz play a significant role for a top half BT, tourney qualifying team (and ideally winning a game or two in the Tourney) then yes, I think it is. It's certainly a gamble for this staff, especially when the staff had to know that four of our big men had significant limitations heading into this season.

Go Gophers!!
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He's Houdini if if he pulls that off.
 

BarnBurner said:
Agreed.

Does Pitino and his assistants have the capability to make these players better? That, to me, is a big question. And I am on the fence whether this staff has the capability.

It has been difficult, at best, to watch the games this season due to the horrific defense and nearly non-existant post play. If the team had a post that was even mediocre, some of the other issues lessen.
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It's funny how Pitino was lauded in year 1 for taking a mediocre roster and winning the NIT. The players that were on the roster last year have improved and he replaced a bunch of SRs with freshman. But now he can't coach...
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
It's funny how Pitino was lauded in year 1 for taking a mediocre roster and winning the NIT. The players that were on the roster last year have improved and he replaced a bunch of SRs with freshman. But now he can't coach...
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+1

Some posters on here were back in after the strong effort against msu. This is the hole.
 


Winasota Gopher said:
But it's still the same team that played msu tough is all I'm trying to say. Pitino and this team shouldn't be evaluated on a game by game basis.

I agree. Terrible loss. But I disagree with what it means.
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Evaluating Pitino on a game by game bases? We've lost 8 of the last 9 games....we got beat on our home court to Milwaukee and South Dakota....blown out on our home court by South Dakota State and Northwestern....blew a big lead at Penn State....played MSU tough, but they didn't have their All-American that game. If we don't beat Nebraska....I don't know if we will get to 3 wins in the B1G this year. Thankfully we play Rutgers twice...but I'm sure they are thinking thankfully we play Minnesota twice.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
It's funny how Pitino was lauded in year 1 for taking a mediocre roster and winning the NIT. The players that were on the roster last year have improved and he replaced a bunch of SRs with freshman. But now he can't coach...
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This is BS. Year 1 was some of Tubby's players and a couple transfers who did well in the NIT, not conference. Then, a bad year 2 with new Pitino players. And. Year 3 is going to be the worst year of Gopher basketball in modern history, maybe ever. Give the players a chance with a coach!
 

go 31 said:
This is BS. Year 1 was some of Tubby's players and a couple transfers who did well in the NIT, not conference. Then, a bad year 2 with new Pitino players. And. Year 3 is going to be the worst year of Gopher basketball in modern history, maybe ever. Give the players a chance with a coach!
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Those transfer were pitinos guys you don't get to not pick. Two starters and the 6th man were his guys. Ur post is what's BS
 

I'm fine with giving Pitino ONE more year. Takes some time for a new coaches players to mature. We aren't Kentucky where we can expect to pull in 15 5* and be in the championship game every year. The process for evaluating a coach for a not so prestigious basketball program is difficult and takes time.

ANYONE who thinks that a couple of 3 star guys and maybe a 4 star recruit would compete instantly is insane.

People here were getting wet when Lourawls Nairn and Anas Mahmoud considered committing and so far they have been bad; like so bad they would be hated here.
 



Former Goofer said:
I'm fine with giving Pitino ONE more year. Takes some time for a new coaches players to mature. We aren't Kentucky where we can expect to pull in 15 5* and be in the championship game every year. The process for evaluating a coach for a not so prestigious basketball program is difficult and takes time. ANYONE who thinks that a couple of 3 star guys and maybe a 4 star recruit would compete instantly is insane. People here were getting wet when Lourawls Nairn and Anas Mahmoud considered committing and so far they have been bad; like so bad they would be hated here.
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I agree with giving Pitino one more year. But my problem with this season isn't the losing. It is the total lack of effort the team often shows. If a guy/team makes mistakes, the wrong play, etc. but is working his butt off and at least trying to help the team. I can overlook losing. It is the lack of intensity and effort we so often see for extended stretches of game time.
 

Pitino did try to address the post problem with Boucher. He went to Oregon instead.
 

scher215 said:
I agree with giving Pitino one more year. But my problem with this season isn't the losing. It is the total lack of effort the team often shows. If a guy/team makes mistakes, the wrong play, etc. but is working his butt off and at least trying to help the team. I can overlook losing. It is the lack of intensity and effort we so often see for extended stretches of game time.
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Honestly, I think thats as much a maturity thing as it is a "coaching thing". I agree, it's difficult to watch these games this year and those have been some of my observations as well is the head hanging and the effort. The flip side, however, I will say I've noticed that at the end of games when he pulls our two seniors off the court and goes with the "future" lineup that only includes Sophomores and Freshmen the intensity and effort generally picks up. Not sure if there is a correlation.
 

Otis said:
Pitino did try to address the post problem with Boucher. He went to Oregon instead.
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We don't know how enthusiastically he tried to recruit Boucher. Boucher was listed as having interest in Minnesota well before he was offered. As I recall, he wasn't offered until around the time of the junior college national championship tournament. A number of us on this site were following him and checking his stats well before he was offered and could see that this guy must have had some special qualities. For the season he is averaging 12.1 pts., 8.1 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game and there hasn't been much drop off in the PAC 12 conference games. I sometimes think Pitino thinks his scholarships are worth more than they actually are.
 



Former Goofer said:
ANYONE who thinks that a couple of 3 star guys and maybe a 4 star recruit would compete instantly is insane.

People here were getting wet when Lourawls Nairn and Anas Mahmoud considered committing and so far they have been bad; like so bad they would be hated here.
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Insane? Jordan Murphy has been competitive right away although he's slumped (along with the rest of the team) in Big Ten play. Mason was competitive right away. Aaron White was very good as a freshman for Iowa. These were all three star guys. I could find plenty more if I wished to take the time.

Three and four star guys can be really competitive right away. They key is being able to guess which ones will be and putting them in the best position to compete.
 

cjbfbp said:
Insane? Jordan Murphy has been competitive right away although he's slumped (along with the rest of the team) in Big Ten play. Mason was competitive right away. Aaron White was very good as a freshman for Iowa. These were all three star guys. I could find plenty more if I wished to take the time.

Three and four star guys can be really competitive right away. They key is being able to guess which ones will be and putting them in the best position to compete.
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I could give you a ton of examples where they weren't. Criticize his wording of the argument if you want, but you get his point.
 

cjbfbp said:
Insane? Jordan Murphy has been competitive right away although he's slumped (along with the rest of the team) in Big Ten play. Mason was competitive right away. Aaron White was very good as a freshman for Iowa. These were all three star guys. I could find plenty more if I wished to take the time.

Three and four star guys can be really competitive right away. They key is being able to guess which ones will be and putting them in the best position to compete.
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I didn't mean individual players, I meant an entire team full of them...ESPECIALLY in the B10. Sorry for the confusion

Of course there will always be individual exceptions
 

cjbfbp said:
We don't know how enthusiastically he tried to recruit Boucher. Boucher was listed as having interest in Minnesota well before he was offered. As I recall, he wasn't offered until around the time of the junior college national championship tournament. A number of us on this site were following him and checking his stats well before he was offered and could see that this guy must have had some special qualities. For the season he is averaging 12.1 pts., 8.1 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game and there hasn't been much drop off in the PAC 12 conference games. I sometimes think Pitino thinks his scholarships are worth more than they actually are.
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Its when you make posts like this that I cannot stand you sometimes. When you do the data dumps and the analytics, I love ya....

You're right, we don't know how enthusiastically he tried to recruit Boucher.... For all we know, he offered him a personalized sex slave.
 


BleedGopher said:
You are correct - I am assuming that and who knows what we tried or what was available. Bottom line is, Fitz and Lynch better be impact players. We've mortgaged a big part of this season on that analysis.

Go Gophers!!
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Its obvious the staff has bet the farm on next year.. which is fine. We have a lot of talent next year and hopefully the minutes given to the young guys this year pays off. Graduate the seniors, get talent, and see if the big man transfers can plug the gaps. I am guessing they will.

I don't think next year is make or break in terms of the final record and how far the team goes, but if next year doesn't produce some nice bright spots (upsets, signs of life) then its likely the end of the line for Pitino. That said, I think it will work out and we will be very happy in two years.
 

Rouser said:
Its obvious the staff has bet the farm on next year.. which is fine. We have a lot of talent next year and hopefully the minutes given to the young guys this year pays off. Graduate the seniors, get talent, and see if the big man transfers can plug the gaps. I am guessing they will.

I don't think next year is make or break in terms of the final record and how far the team goes, but if next year doesn't produce some nice bright spots (upsets, signs of life) then its likely the end of the line for Pitino. That said, I think it will work out and we will be very happy in two years.
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Bingo!
 

I agree with Rouser and am cautiously optimistic about next year but...the Monson years taught me to believe my eyes and I'm not liking what I see right now. Hope is always a component regarding Gopher hoops so I hope Richard can pull this together. I like the way the roster shapes up for next year but this season is looking to be a unparalleled wreck. Coach is getting quite a lesson in "humility and big time hoops from the ground floor up 101". Rebound from this and Pitino will have earned his bones. Again, I'm cautiously optimistic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

If memory serves me correctly before Monson's one NCAA appearance the year before he went 3-13 in the big ten with Kris Humpheries
 

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