How did Coyle let this happen?

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TeamTubby

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Yes, Pitino deserved to be let go but how in the world did he land on Ben Johnson? What made his interview so impressive that this is who Coyle landed on?

This is arguably the lowest point in Gophers Men's basketball history. I don't see them winning a single conference game this year. The attendance is at an all time low.

Johnson will be safe for this year. But how in the world do you justify giving him a 4th if next year is also a disaster? He has managed to kill the entire fan base. It's gone and won't come back until there is SIGNIFICANT improvement. Do you see that happening under him? I don't.
 

part of me thinks MNJay is Coyle…all kidding aside, there is nothing to see here. The on court play and shockingly low attendance are all part of the rebuild. Move along, nothing to see here.

Honestly, he was probably forced to hire Ben due to two factors:

1) George Floyd and riots timely pushed with media calls for diversity in UofMN coaching diversity. No longer does being the most qualified candidate matter, checking the box on diversity is step 1 (IMO - gophers should’ve hired the best candidate possible, especially after 8 years with a coach who had essentially a 1 year track record prior to being a head coach in the B10)

2) Ben must have had great connections that are specific to MN but not applicable to the other jobs he lost (Northern Illinois & Montana State). Coyle had to have been put in CBJ’s trans (think hypnosis) with this pitch. 50% of our 2022-23 class is from MN, but 0% of our 2023-24 class is Minnesotans… Question…if some of his classes don’t have Minnesotans, can he really claim he is repairing the damage of past coaches…or is it really more of the same?
 

This is how

If not now, Mark Coyle, when? Past time to diversify Gophers Leadership​

www.startribune.com

If not now, Mark Coyle, when? Past time to diversify Gophers leadership

Coyle needs to hire a coach who will be a distinct upgrade from the fired Richard Pitino. And he knows this might be his last chance for a while to hire a person of color.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

The University of Minnesota's administration above Coyle, and well before Coyle, has a long history of caving to the mob over putting a winning product on the floor.

Gates was their first target, he turned the U down. Craig Smith was next in line to come on campus for an interview, but they did a complete 180 and interviewed/hired Ben Johnson two days after this was published, and one day before Smith was supposed to be on campus for an interview. Then Smith took the Utah job 6 days later.
 


Was about to write a lengthy frustration piece, but ultimately I just feel abandoned by the university as a sports fan. This low point was not difficult to predict, but was an acceptable gamble for Coyle (or whomever you believe made the hire).
 



stocker08 said:
Hire a guy who has Minnesota HS connections? How did this happen!?
Click to expand...
We were in a spot where you don't hire a guy without any experience.

I mean, come on.
 

TeamTubby said:
Yes, Pitino deserved to be let go but how in the world did he land on Ben Johnson? What made his interview so impressive that this is who Coyle landed on?

This is arguably the lowest point in Gophers Men's basketball history. I don't see them winning a single conference game this year. The attendance is at an all time low.

Johnson will be safe for this year. But how in the world do you justify giving him a 4th if next year is also a disaster? He has managed to kill the entire fan base. It's gone and won't come back until there is SIGNIFICANT improvement. Do you see that happening under him? I don't.
Click to expand...
New year, new troll!
 

kg21 said:
We were in a spot where you don't hire a guy without any experience.

I mean, come on.
Click to expand...

The opinion of the armchair athletic director means jack shit. I'll hold judgement for another year or two. We gave Pitino eight to accomplish very little.
 



TeamTubby said:
Yes, Pitino deserved to be let go but how in the world did he land on Ben Johnson? What made his interview so impressive that this is who Coyle landed on?

This is arguably the lowest point in Gophers Men's basketball history. I don't see them winning a single conference game this year. The attendance is at an all time low.

Johnson will be safe for this year. But how in the world do you justify giving him a 4th if next year is also a disaster? He has managed to kill the entire fan base. It's gone and won't come back until there is SIGNIFICANT improvement. Do you see that happening under him? I don't.
Click to expand...
My❤️⛽🐪💦4U
 

TeamTubby said:
Yes, Pitino deserved to be let go but how in the world did he land on Ben Johnson? What made his interview so impressive that this is who Coyle landed on?

This is arguably the lowest point in Gophers Men's basketball history. I don't see them winning a single conference game this year. The attendance is at an all time low.

Johnson will be safe for this year. But how in the world do you justify giving him a 4th if next year is also a disaster? He has managed to kill the entire fan base. It's gone and won't come back until there is SIGNIFICANT improvement. Do you see that happening under him? I don't.
Click to expand...
Not even close to the low point
TeamTubby said:
Yes, Pitino deserved to be let go but how in the world did he land on Ben Johnson? What made his interview so impressive that this is who Coyle landed on?

This is arguably the lowest point in Gophers Men's basketball history. I don't see them winning a single conference game this year. The attendance is at an all time low.

Johnson will be safe for this year. But how in the world do you justify giving him a 4th if next year is also a disaster? He has managed to kill the entire fan base. It's gone and won't come back until there is SIGNIFICANT improvement. Do you see that happening under him? I don't.
Click to expand...
Not even close to the low point “Chicken Little”. I’m guessing you didn’t see Clem’s initial 2 years and he at least benefited because Dutcher had a few decent players signed before the infamous trip to Madison but Clem was looking for warm bodies during the summer so they would have enough players to practice. I believe Richard Coffey got his military discharge in August. We need to be patient for at least another year before we declare that the sky is falling…
 


JUMP OFF.......the deep end much!!!


.....16 months of recruiting or so... first real recruiting class..... good Lord man!!!! Stop watching then.

I saw promise the last 2 games. I saw talent the last 2 games. I will support this team and coach.

Go Gophers!!
 



stocker08 said:
The opinion of the armchair athletic director means jack shit. I'll hold judgement for another year or two. We gave Pitino eight to accomplish very little.
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True, but no one thought we'd be worse this year, and here we are,.

And thanks for the reminder on giving Pitino 8 years. What a flipping joke that was. That was another roll of the dice

Ben was a massive roll of the dice.

Someday, we have to hire someone with a track record.
 
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MennoSota said:
Bull💩
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Aren’t emojis fun?

Either way it’ll be considered his fault if Ben fails, but there is no way someone whose job depended on it would hire a guy who couldn’t get a job in the MAC or Big Sky conference.

I know, this will probably send you into a frenzy where you send a string of emojis at me, but it’s true.
 

perhaps coyle was too busy fixing gymnastics, wrestling and swimming? (insert sarcasm emoji here)
 

BBEERMAN said:
Not even close to the low point

Not even close to the low point “Chicken Little”. I’m guessing you didn’t see Clem’s initial 2 years and he at least benefited because Dutcher had a few decent players signed before the infamous trip to Madison but Clem was looking for warm bodies during the summer so they would have enough players to practice. I believe Richard Coffey got his military discharge in August. We need to be patient for at least another year before we declare that the sky is falling…
Click to expand...
A lot of this is true, but Clem also had a history as a successful coach. He had just had Western Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA, like it or not, someone with a proven track record will (and shoukd) get the benefit of the doubt.

We hired someone with no resume and absolutely no track record of building a winning basketball program. No one is going to give that same person the same benefit of the doubt.

I do agree with you that Ben deserves next season, but we will know who he is by the middle of next year.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Aren’t emojis fun?

Either way it’ll be considered his fault if Ben fails, but there is no way someone whose job depended on it would hire a guy who couldn’t get a job in the MAC or Big Sky conference.

I know, this will probably send you into a frenzy where you send a string of emojis at me, but it’s true.
Click to expand...
I thought lawyers used evidence to win a case rather than speculation. 🤔
 

stocker08 said:
The opinion of the armchair athletic director means jack shit. I'll hold judgement for another year or two. We gave Pitino eight to accomplish very little.
Click to expand...
Who cares how many years Pitino got? How does that impact the performance of cbj teams?
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
A lot of this is true, but Clem also had a history as a successful coach. He had just had Western Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA, like it or not, someone with a proven track record will (and shoukd) get the benefit of the doubt.

We hired someone with no resume and absolutely no track record of building a winning basketball program. No one is going to give that same person the same benefit of the doubt.

I do agree with you that Ben deserves next season, but we will know who he is by the middle of next year.
Click to expand...
I think it's fairly obvious "who" he is now.
 

TeamTubby said:
Yes, Pitino deserved to be let go but how in the world did he land on Ben Johnson? What made his interview so impressive that this is who Coyle landed on?

This is arguably the lowest point in Gophers Men's basketball history. I don't see them winning a single conference game this year. The attendance is at an all time low.

Johnson will be safe for this year. But how in the world do you justify giving him a 4th if next year is also a disaster? He has managed to kill the entire fan base. It's gone and won't come back until there is SIGNIFICANT improvement. Do you see that happening under him? I don't.
Click to expand...
Why are you racist?
 


MennoSota said:
I thought lawyers used evidence to win a case rather than speculation. 🤔
Click to expand...
You think lawyers hold all of their opinions to evidentiary standards? Lol. That’s as dumb as anything you’ve ever posted.
 


Crappie said:
Who cares how many years Pitino got? How does that impact the performance of cbj teams?
Click to expand...

It doesn't. The point is that a year and a half isn't nearly long enough to pass judgement. We have a few talented freshmen and a couple of very highly regarded recruits coming in. Lots to look forward to. All the chicken littles will crawl back to their dark, damp hole when/if things turn around.
 


Joan acts like an idiot in public too!
 

I can't believe there are people defending Ben Johnson or worse Mark Coyle (or whoever made this hire). Ben Johnson had no business even being granted an intereview for a power 5/6 job much less getting hired. It's beyond concerning that anyone in a position of power thought this was an acceptable way to handle the basketball program.

People talking about more time? MORE TIME? Otz and Shaka Smart are well on their way to their 2nd tournaments taking over programs that were in a similar (Marquette) or far worse (Iowa State-worst power 5 team in the country) state than Minnesota. Oh yeah, both have better recruiting classes coming in next year (by ranking) than Minnesota too. Otz lost the two best players off his first team (one to NIL) and is STILL running circles around Ben Johnson this year. How about Penn State? An absolutely terrible job that nobody wants and Shrewsberry has been better than Ben Johnson by a wide margin too. Dennis Gates and Jerome Tang took over programs THIS year that were worse last year than the Gophers were in Ben Johnson's first year. Both are currently way better than Minnesota and on pace for tournament berths. The latest bracketology has Utah and Craig Smith sneaking in the tournament as well. We're in F'ing LAST place in the conference and have lost 9 straight conference games going back to last year. Ben Johnson is 4-20!!!! in Big Ten conference play and 4-21 overall against Big Ten opposition.

The Michigan game was the final straw for me, and I haven't watched a minute since. This is from someone that was up at 2 AM watching feeds of Gopher foreign tours years ago and this product has become so bad that I won't watch it. By every measure the Gophers are terrible on both ends of the floor and play an excuricatingly slow, boring style of basketball. It's sad that the only message the University seems to get is when people don't show up to the games. It seems like losing itself, even absoutely egregious losing like this, doesn't spur any action.
 

Oh boy.....time to hide the bottles with the yucky face stickers before Gopherholers start trying to end themselves.

st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.u1.jpg
 


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