If Pitino stays on to coach next year

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Gold Rush

Gold Rush

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First off, I will continue to say I like Pitino as he seems to be a good guy and a good coach. Firing him will not be an easy choice for Coyle. I think Mashburn will turn out to be a good player and he most certainly will be gone if Pitino leaves. If Oturu stays, the team will probably be a bit better and I just don't see them losing all the games in the last 2 minutes that they did this year.

However, this is how I see this playing out if Pitino stays. Number one, undeniably he will be on the MAJOR hot seat heading into next year. This heat will be there the entire year and the number one topic any time this team gets discussed, as it is right now. The talent level compared to the rest of the Big Ten will not be good - you are looking at them being about the 11th or 12th best team in the league again. If you want to keep him on another year fine but I think you will see a continued apathy toward the program and a continued decline in ticket sales. I think that if you do not fire him this year, you will almost certainly be firing him at the end of next year and you essentially just throw next year away. And that is it in a nutshell. You either fire him now or you will be firing him at the same time next year.

Right now it doesn't look like the Gophers will be playing in the NCAA or NIT Tournaments so their season probably comes to an end 1 or 2 games into the Big Ten tournament unless something miraculous happens. My guess is Coyle has been doing a lot of thinking about what he will do here. I have confidence in Coyle he will make the right decision. It will be tougher firing Pitino than it was Tracy Claeys (who ironically was more successful) but if Coyle finds the right guy I think Pitino is gone. We should know something within the next few weeks what Coyle is going to do.
 


Gold Rush said:
If Oturu stays, the team will probably be a bit better and I just don't see them losing all the games in the last 2 minutes that they did this year.
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Your gift for understatement is excellent! The return of a finalist for B1G player of the year and first team B1G might just make the team slightly better.

PG: Carr/Mashburn/Greenlee
SG: Kalesheur/Willis/Williams/Mashburn
SF: Ihnen/Willis/Williams/Mashburn/Mitchell
PF: Curry/Ihnen/Omersa/Michell
C: Oturu/Curry/Freeman/Mitchell?

Taking Oturu out forces us to play Curry out of position at Center coming off a 2nd ACL recovery and multiple foot problems. Ouch! Or starting a very little used sophomore at Center.

We do have a scholarship that lots of you would like to use on Walton. But if Oturu leaves we have a gaping wide hole at Center! A new coach who keeps all the recruits will almost certainly try to sell a grad transfer center to come here and play in the B1G.

Losing Oturu affects about 45% of our offense and quite a bit of our defensive % as well. Differnce in record would be night and day.
 

GopherCountry said:
IMO it will be either Beilein or Pitino and either way something will be announced within a day or two of their final game at the B10 Tourney.
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I think you are right - it will be done quietly and it will be done quickly! That seems to be the MO that Coyle has shown. Coyle would like another PJ Fleck type of hire that immediately transforms the team in a very big way. The big problem is can he find that guy who will be interested in this job! It can be done, though!
 



The uncertainty, and there is uncertainty, about how much longer Pitino will be HC makes recruiting difficult.
To me the recruitment of Washington firmed up the perception, right or wrong, that Pitino preferred recruits from outside of MN.
 

Plato said:
The uncertainty, and there is uncertainty, about how much longer Pitino will be HC makes recruiting difficult.
To me the recruitment of Washington firmed up the perception, right or wrong, that Pitino preferred recruits from outside of MN.
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I was always under the impression that Wright had the first shot at the spot and didn't take it- so they took Washington. At any rate, I think there is zero chance that Pitino prefers kids from outside the state versus in state if talent is equal. I cannot imagine any coach thinking that. If you get a local kid who has equal talent, character and intangibles to the alternative recruit and they really want to be here every coach takes him every time.
 

GO4FAN65 said:
Coyle won't make a move until he has the right (in his mind) coach lined up. When that happens Pitino is gone. It might be this year, but surely next year.
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I just don't think it works that way. He may have an idea if certain guys are interested in the position but I don't think there is usually someone lined up necessarily unless it is a guy like Penny Hardaway that wasn't coaching in college but has a strong connection to the program.
 

I don't remember if the big "2%" fight/running joke a few years back was a thing here in the BB forums or over in the Football forums, but that's about how much chance i think there is that Oturu plays for the Gophers next year.

Next year will either feature a new coach, or another 'developmental' year. (Frankly, all years should be full of development - but when you have to use that as a justification because it's all you've got going, that's a horrible sign). Whatever the state of the team next year, Oturu will not be here.
 



WhoFellDownTheGopherHole? said:
I don't remember if the big "2%" fight/running joke a few years back was a thing here in the BB forums or over in the Football forums, but that's about how much chance i think there is that Oturu plays for the Gophers next year.

Next year will either feature a new coach, or another 'developmental' year. (Frankly, all years should be full of development - but when you have to use that as a justification because it's all you've got going, that's a horrible sign). Whatever the state of the team next year, Oturu will not be here.
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Yeah it looks like Oturu will potentially be a lottery pick and most likely a late 1st rounder at the minimum. I don't know how as a coach, or anybody close to him, you don't tell that kid to go out. I understand we all would love to have him back but these projections he's just gotta go.
 

skiumah1 said:
Yeah it looks like Oturu will potentially be a lottery pick and most likely a late 1st rounder at the minimum. I don't know how as a coach, or anybody close to him, you don't tell that kid to go out. I understand we all would love to have him back but these projections he's just gotta go.
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If he is in the top 20 and I was a coach- I tell him to go for it. Below that is worth discussion both ways. Money is huge but it isn't everything. If he is projected at 25, for example and he chooses to stay he would win big if he could elevate himself into the top 10 the next year. As much as 8-10 million would be at stake there over 3 years. I think he is top 20 though- so I expect him to be gone.

If he was my kid- I would consider advising him to stay in school for another year either way. The NBA at age 20 is a grind and the lifestyle....
 

GopherCountry said:
IMO it will be either Beilein or Pitino and either way something will be announced within a day or two of their final game at the B10 Tourney.
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Has there been any chatter about Beilein? He's a really good coach, but isn't he pushing 70? And his "gaffe" w/ Cleveland can't help things with players.
 

BballJones said:
Has there been any chatter about Beilein? He's a really good coach, but isn't he pushing 70? And his "gaffe" w/ Cleveland can't help things with players.
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If a change is made I think it would be highly unlikely Beilein takes this job.
 
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If we stick with the status quo for next year, I will have little interest until the team can prove they can win B1G basketball games. That means I don't care until mid-January at best.
If we start with a new and promising coach, I will have interest from the moment the hire is made.
At this point, I am ready for this Gopher team to end their season. I'm bored with a team that has so many holes in the lineup.
 

No Oturu next year.............I predict 6 big 10 wins......that's the high end.

Start this boring program over.
 

If Pitino does get another year don’t you have to give him the following year after that too? Without a contract extension he basically is a lame duck coach. He isn’t that great of recruiter to begin with and pretty much everyone knowing he is coaching for his job recruiting would be near impossible.
 



I forgot we had a game tonight and instead got some stuff done. I think I want Pitino back next year - the indifference to Gopher basketball makes me more productive.
 

Can they make a change to the coaching staff. Conroy has been here the longest. Get rid of him and bring in Rick.
 

bga1 said:
So the next coach will be worse?
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Yes, the f-----g cupboard is totally bare.

Thanks RP.

I may up it a win or two just because of coaching, but what a schit show this roster will be next year.
 






golfing18now said:
Got sick of complaining about this year so now we need to move on to complaining about next year too?
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All day and all night if Pitino is back with no Oturu. Yes, complain all day and night.

You would be too behind closed doors.
 

GO4FAN65 said:
Coyle won't make a move until he has the right (in his mind) coach lined up. When that happens Pitino is gone. It might be this year, but surely next year.
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This is the best take yet... and I've said before. Coyle will not move unless there is someone he has lined up
 


I feel as though Coyle has had plenty of time to talk around if he had the intention of letting Pitino go. I can't imagine guys would need more than a week or a couple days to think about if they want the job at Minnesota or not. He still has time now to have those conversations but he's realistically had a while to talk to guys. It's easy to connect nowadays too. I would think he has his answers or will have his answers over the next week or so. I'm having a hard time thinking you give Pitino another year just waiting on a coach. That coach should either wanna be here or he doesn't. I can't imagine a coach saying come back to me in a year and we'll have a deal, at least I hope not, or having to wait on somebody's contract situation although I'm sure that is possible if you really have one specific coach in mind. I don't feel like going through another year just to be waiting on somebody though.
 

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