Judd Zulgad: What's going on with 'U' search? It's anyone's guess at this point

[BleedGopher]

per Judd:

This is pure speculation but at this point that's all we have to go on. And please don't tell me that fans and reporters should just wait for this process to play out because in 2013 it's beyond naïve to think that will happen.

The feeling here is that Teague should at least tell people he's alive and well and looking for a coach. First impressions in this town are critical - Brad Childress made such a bad first impression as Vikings coach that he never fully recovered - and right now Teague is in the process of making one of the most important hires he will oversee as the boss of the athletic program at Minnesota.

Let's make one thing clear: This is not asking Teague to reveal any great detail about what he's doing. There is a difference between giving out important inside information and simply communicating with your fans to enable them to know that everything is fine.

Teague has a Twitter account, so why not use it?

Right now, this Gophers search appears to be off the tracks and the message is being controlled by the media. That isn't a good idea. Not when it appears that all you're doing is swinging and missing.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/..._search_Its_anyones_guess_at_this_point033113

Go Gophers!!

 

[zipsofakron]

More rampant speculation being paraded as fact. We all want confirmation and insight from Teague, but this is a prime example of visible media being unable to show restraint when it comes to rumor mongering. It's irresponsible.

 

[GoldenHerbs]

I think Woody is giving the TC media a big middle finger, and no one deserves it more for the lack of overall respect they have given the Gophers over the years. Constantly creating a negative image to all the rubes out there, instead of supporting the kids like they do in Lincoln or any other college town.

 

[station19]

Apparently Judd wasn't paying attention the other day when Souhan was explaining to him how wrong he was.

 

[EG#9]

I disagree with Judd, I think that by making any sort of public statement, Teague would appear to be acknowledging that media reports on the search have been accurate. I can't think of anything he could say at this point that would persuade those who are angry and/or panicked to change their current state of feeling. I think Teague is better off maintaining his silence and letting his hire speak for itself.

 

[westcoastgopher11]

Teague gives zero f***s about what the media thinks.

Liking Woody more everyday.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Anyone that is too concerned with the search at this point is working themselves into an unneeded frenzy. It hasn't been a week, these things take a while, especially when you're not an ideal place for coaches to end up. He's offered the real big names (like he should) and now we are down to the realistic coaches. Teague shouldn't give a presser, he should just keep doing his job.

 

[lugnard]

I disagree with Judd, I think that by making any sort of public statement, Teague would appear to be acknowledging that media reports on the search have been accurate. I can't think of anything he could say at this point that would persuade those who are angry and/or panicked to change their current state of feeling. I think Teague is better off maintaining his silence and letting his hire speak for itself.

Ariel Sharon when he was defense minister of Israel and involved in one of their many messes was being hounded by press as he went to and from the Prime Minister's office... One reporter yelled out "So is this a 'no comment'?" Sharon stopped looked at him and said "No. 'No Comment' is a comment." Then continued on his way silently.

 

[Rouser]

per Judd:

This is pure speculation but at this point that's all we have to go on. And please don't tell me that fans and reporters should just wait for this process to play out because in 2013 it's beyond naïve to think that will happen.

The feeling here is that Teague should at least tell people he's alive and well and looking for a coach. First impressions in this town are critical - Brad Childress made such a bad first impression as Vikings coach that he never fully recovered - and right now Teague is in the process of making one of the most important hires he will oversee as the boss of the athletic program at Minnesota.

Let's make one thing clear: This is not asking Teague to reveal any great detail about what he's doing. There is a difference between giving out important inside information and simply communicating with your fans to enable them to know that everything is fine.

Teague has a Twitter account, so why not use it?

Right now, this Gophers search appears to be off the tracks and the message is being controlled by the media. That isn't a good idea. Not when it appears that all you're doing is swinging and missing.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Zulgad_Whats_going_on_with_U_search_Its_anyones_guess_at_this_point033113

Go Gophers!!

Judd gets more annoying everyday. The sky is always falling with him. Souhan was voice of reason on this topic. Judd needs to calm the heck down. He has a forum and all he does is contribute to the panic. He's a fool.

 

[bga1]

Anyone that is too concerned with the search at this point is working themselves into an unneeded frenzy. It hasn't been a week, these things take a while, especially when you're not an ideal place for coaches to end up. He's offered the real big names (like he should) and now we are down to the realistic coaches. Teague shouldn't give a presser, he should just keep doing his job.

Media- who needs 'em? Fans? Don't need them either. Boosters? No need. Recruits? Who cares about them? Don't even bother calling the ones we have signed. Villa 7 and NT are here, everybody just shut up and stand by.

 

[howeda7]

Teague should tweet 'I'm alive, I can still compose this tweet, and the rest is none of your business. We'll give you at least 2 hours heads up for the press conference.'

 

[sec105]

Originally Posted by Bob_Loblaw
Anyone that is too concerned with the search at this point is working themselves into an unneeded frenzy. It hasn't been a week, these things take a while, especially when you're not an ideal place for coaches to end up. He's offered the real big names (like he should) and now we are down to the realistic coaches. Teague shouldn't give a presser, he should just keep doing his job.

If anyone was working themselves into a frenzy it was you. I have never seen such a frenzied response on this board as was displayed for the possibility of Flip being named coach. JMO

 

[MNVCGUY]

Media- who needs 'em? Fans? Don't need them either. Boosters? No need. Recruits? Who cares about them? Don't even bother calling the ones we have signed. Villa 7 and NT are here, everybody just shut up and stand by.

Why should they feel any obligation to bring the fans and media into the inner workings of the coaching search? Judd is frustrated because of the lack of info leaking out and to me that is a great thing. The fans and media don't need to be part of the search, hell look at what has been going on around here the past few days. People fly off the handle at the smallest tidbit of info.

 

[920/414 Gopher]

Why should they feel any obligation to bring the fans and media into the inner workings of the coaching search? Judd is frustrated because of the lack of info leaking out and to me that is a great thing. The fans and media don't need to be part of the search, hell look at what has been going on around here the past few days. People fly off the handle at the smallest tidbit of info.

EXACTLY. We have no idea who NT is talking to, who they've swung and missed on, etc. Every little bit of the frenzy has been fueled by the Twitter-driven, instant-gratification media goons in the Twin Cities. They speculate, then tell us how we should feel based on the rumors they make up. I'll believe who our coach is/isn't going to be when I see a press conference.

The sooner this gets settled, the better. But raising Hell outside of Bierman isn't going to rush Teague into a decision. And I respect him for that.

 

[bga1]

Teague should tweet 'I'm alive, I can still compose this tweet, and the rest is none of your business. We'll give you at least 2 hours heads up for the press conference.'

No, actually what he should tweet (if he believes it) is as follows. " We are continuing the process and expect you will be pleased with what we are confident will be a great hire for this great University. The search is going well." I guess that's what I would do if I was depending upon public donations to support all of the plans that will be crucial to success. If I owned the Gophers and didn't care about my customers (who include the media btw) I would tell them to stick it and it's none of their business who I hire and when I do it.

 

[bga1]

Why should they feel any obligation to bring the fans and media into the inner workings of the coaching search? Judd is frustrated because of the lack of info leaking out and to me that is a great thing. The fans and media don't need to be part of the search, hell look at what has been going on around here the past few days. People fly off the handle at the smallest tidbit of info.

"Dear fans- you are on a need to know basis. The great NT has things under control and we'll tell you what we want to tell you when we please. Get lost. We'll let you know when we need some donations for the practice facility and the other portions of our $170 million plan." Woody

 

[920/414 Gopher]

"Dear fans- you are on a need to know basis. The great NT has things under control and we'll tell you what we want to tell you when we please. Get lost. We'll let you know when we need some donations for the practice facility and the other portions of our $170 million plan." Woody

I guess I assume that anyone who has the ability to make significant financial contributions to the program also has the business sense to understand that this is a process that doesn't happen overnight. Until Norwood Teague gives us a factual reason to believe that he's not doing a thorough, competent job of handling this hiring process, I'll trust that he knows what he's doing. His track record speaks for itself.

We, as Gopher fans, have been trained not to trust.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Media- who needs 'em? Fans? Don't need them either. Boosters? No need. Recruits? Who cares about them? Don't even bother calling the ones we have signed. Villa 7 and NT are here, everybody just shut up and stand by.

You are so caught up in all of this stuff on the periphery.

We need to be concerned about getting wins. The media's reaction to the coaching search does not matter, the initial buzz matters very little. All of that stuff wears off quickly. What this program needs is someone who can win. I don't care if it comes from the Villa 7 or not. The only thing that will sustain LASTING success is winning basketball games.

Media. . . loves winners.
Fans . . . love winners
Boosters . . . give a lot more to winners
Recruits . . . want to play for winners.

So I care about those things, I just want them to be sustained.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

"Dear fans- you are on a need to know basis. The great NT has things under control and we'll tell you what we want to tell you when we please. Get lost. We'll let you know when we need some donations for the practice facility and the other portions of our $170 million plan." Woody

Yep, exactly.

An AD that is trying to keep the fans plugged in during this process is not doing his job. He'll tell you when he fires someone and when he hires them. Is this that complicated?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

If anyone was working themselves into a frenzy it was Bob. I have never seen such a frenzied response on this board as was displayed for the possibility of Flip being named coach. JMO

What? Why don't you go back and scroll, I'll do it for you, since I know you won't.

 

[sec105]

What? Why don't you go back and scroll, I'll do it for you, since I know you won't.

Thanks. That will save me a lot of time.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Thanks. That will save me a lot of time.

Hey, no problem.

I started 1 thread and it merely was pointing out the KIND of offense that Flip ran in the pros. If you read that thread, I didn't say 1 bad thing about Flip. I even said that I realize that a lot of good teams player slower and shoot a lot of jump shots. It wasn't criticizing Flip it was pointing out the reality of the situation. Brad Stevens teams play slow. It wasn't an insult but to the Flip fans, it pissed them off. In fact, that one strange guy said he wanted to beat me up with Ryan Saunders because I said his teams don't run much and they shoot a lot of free throws. But you're right, I was the one in the frenzy.


In the Hartman thread, I didn't say a single negative thing about Flip.

I said his teams were mostly veteran based - - - they were. It's not a bad thing or a good thing.
I said he didn't have a chance to develop a lot of younger guys (because of McHale and his teams in Detroit were all vets) - - - how scathing?
I said that Ryan Saunders is unqualified - - - he is, by everyone's calculation.

What did I say that was so bad? I know, you disagreed with it? But how was I in a frenzy when I start 1 thread and commented on little things like the kind of offense he ran. You want to see a frenzy, look at the irrational people calling the search botched already, look at the countless silloquay's by beege about FLip being OUR ONLY prayer.

 

[Dr.Don]

If GopherLady has nothing accurate to report from her moles she has out and about, there is nothing to report. How hard is that to understand? Judd is pissed, and is looking for the public to help him find some scuttlebutt that would be worth less than my Mid-July car trunk warm can of Blatz Light.

 

[MNVCGUY]

No, actually what he should tweet (if he believes it) is as follows. " We are continuing the process and expect you will be pleased with what we are confident will be a great hire for this great University. The search is going well." I guess that's what I would do if I was depending upon public donations to support all of the plans that will be crucial to success. If I owned the Gophers and didn't care about my customers (who include the media btw) I would tell them to stick it and it's none of their business who I hire and when I do it.

Do you really believe a PR tweet like the one you wrote there would really make that big of a difference? Are you assuming that because he is not saying that then it in fact means he is not confident they can make a good hire? NT has made it clear he is not going to involve the fans in the hiring process. Good. He has decided he is not going to give the media a ton of info while they work out the details. Even Better. In the end they are going to hire a guy they feel is a great fit for the job and then people can second guess them for the next few months.

The people who give money to the University and who will be counted on to continue giving big money are not foolish enough to pull their support based on 5 days of not being included in every detail of the hiring process. Hopefully most of them are smart enough to reserve their decision on whether or not to continue supporting the program till after the new coach is hired. If they hate the hire they can pull their support at that point.

 

[Dr.Don]

Do you really believe a PR tweet like the one you wrote there would really make that big of a difference? Are you assuming that because he is not saying that then it in fact means he is not confident they can make a good hire? NT has made it clear he is not going to involve the fans in the hiring process. Good. He has decided he is not going to give the media a ton of info while they work out the details. Even Better. In the end they are going to hire a guy they feel is a great fit for the job and then people can second guess them for the next few months.

The people who give money to the University and who will be counted on to continue giving big money are not foolish enough to pull their support based on 5 days of not being included in every detail of the hiring process. Hopefully most of them are smart enough to reserve their decision on whether or not to continue supporting the program till after the new coach is hired. If they hate the hire they can pull their support at that point.

You are right spot on. In this day and age of the Instant Gratification Crowd, the Crowd is gonna be pissed continuously. They would be less pissed if they would just go about their own business, feel free to chat and talk about possibilities, and relax


Whiskey for my men, Beer for my horses.