Just when i was starting to like Myron...

Donate To GopherHole


"The following teams could tumble in 2013-14. Just so we’re clear: that potential “tumble” is based on last season’s position for every team listed. Doesn’t mean these squads will finish at the bottom of the standings. But I think they’ll fall in comparison to their respective peaks from last season.

2. Minnesota: Can a team that went 8-10 in the Big Ten tumble? Yep, especially if that team is implementing a new system with a limited talent pool. Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins could be all-Big Ten performers next season. But the void created when Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams exhausted their collective eligibility will be a challenge for new coach Richard Pitino. Plus, Joe Coleman transferred from a team that reached the Big Dance and beat UCLA in the second round. Pitino’s fast-paced, pressure system could work in the Big Ten. But he needs the right pieces to make that happen. And he just doesn’t appear to have them yet."

Myron, Myron, Myron... he's like that crazy ex-girlfriend that won't leave us alone!
 

This is great news based on the fact none of his 10 predictions for the NCAA tournament last year happened.
 

I really can't see us being worse than the 6-12 outfits we put out the prior two years. If that's a tumble, then so be it. I wouldn't classify it as such, but I guess when you win a tourney game, then not making postseason at all is a tumble I suppose. But assuming this is an ordered list, there's no way we're the 2nd best candidate to "tumble" IMO.
 


I can understand us losing Mbakwe and Rodney is big, but to be honest, Rodney wasn't a huge factor besides on the offensive glass at times. If we get Buckles here, with the addition to Malik, I don't think we are going to be much worse, if at all. Our best guards are a year older, we have better shooting, and our frontcourt is gaining/losing the right weight. He should do his homework first. Nothing is mentioned on Malik or Buckles.

Plus, I don't think the Big Ten will be as tough this year.
 

GopherDude said:
"The following teams could tumble in 2013-14. Just so we’re clear: that potential “tumble” is based on last season’s position for every team listed. Doesn’t mean these squads will finish at the bottom of the standings. But I think they’ll fall in comparison to their respective peaks from last season.

2. Minnesota: Can a team that went 8-10 in the Big Ten tumble? Yep, especially if that team is implementing a new system with a limited talent pool. Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins could be all-Big Ten performers next season. But the void created when Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams exhausted their collective eligibility will be a challenge for new coach Richard Pitino. Plus, Joe Coleman transferred from a team that reached the Big Dance and beat UCLA in the second round. Pitino’s fast-paced, pressure system could work in the Big Ten. But he needs the right pieces to make that happen. And he just doesn’t appear to have them yet."

Myron, Myron, Myron... he's like that crazy ex-girlfriend that won't leave us alone!
Click to expand...

Not specifically asking you, but i wonder how many BCS teams with at least 2 all conference performers didn't make the tournament?

I know it's not an easy stat to look up, but id guess most do.
 


scher215 said:
Not specifically asking you, but i wonder how many BCS teams with at least 2 all conference performers didn't make the tournament?

I know it's not an easy stat to look up, but id guess most do.
Click to expand...

That is a very good question and very good point. Unfortunately, I have no Idea, but I would tend to agree with you in thinking that most make the tournament that have two all conference players (from major conferences of course).

Myron cannot pass up a single opportunity to Sh*t on the Gophers. In this article he brings up some valid points, but it is the fact that he takes every opportunity to put down a program from the state in which he lives that bothers me. I mean, some of the articles he wrote in the few weeks after Tubby was fired about the program were absolutely nasty. Where does this hatred come from?
 



GopherDude said:
That is a very good question and very good point. Unfortunately, I have no Idea, but I would tend to agree with you in thinking that most make the tournament that have two all conference players (from major conferences of course).

Myron cannot pass up a single opportunity to Sh*t on the Gophers. In this article he brings up some valid points, but it is the fact that he takes every opportunity to put down a program from the state in which he lives that bothers me. I mean, some of the articles he wrote in the few weeks after Tubby was fired about the program were absolutely nasty. Where does this hatred come from?
Click to expand...

Actually I don't think he offers bad analysis in this case. There was never any question that losing the seniors would be a major hit and that last year was our chance to make some hay. We'll miss those guys' physical presence and play-making ability to be sure. I think it's best if people don't have unrealistic expectations of this year's squad.
 


Bad Gopher said:
Actually I don't think he offers bad analysis in this case. There was never any question that losing the seniors would be a major hit and that last year was our chance to make some hay. We'll miss those guys' physical presence and play-making ability to be sure. I think it's best if people don't have unrealistic expectations of this year's squad.
Click to expand...

I just think people don't realize how good Andre can be/is. They say oh they lost Mbakwe and Williams. Neither of which, by the way, are going to be lighting up the NBA next year. I love them both as players, but I think their necessity to the team is over played and Andre's contributions are under appreciated. Reading a lot of these articles, you'd think it was 2 on 5 every night.

I don't see making the tournament as some huge long shot. Michigan made the title game with Burke and Hardaway as their best players. I think Gophers can make the tournament with Hollins and Hollins as theirs. Especially with a new offensive system and hopefully some new found confidence. This is a benefit to me, not a weakness. It's not like they fired Tubby 3 games into the season and are learning Pitino on the fly.
 

Unregistered User said:
Really? We made it to the Sweet 16?

I'll alert the media. So I guess that means I will not alert Myron.
Click to expand...

Take it easy there buddy. They changed the verbiage a few years back when the "play-in" games were changed to "First Round" games. Now when the field has been dwindled to 64 teams, these games which were formerly known as "first" round games are now considered "second" round games. Deep breaths my boy...
 



Unregistered User said:
Really? We made it to the Sweet 16?

I'll alert the media. So I guess that means I will not alert Myron.
Click to expand...

With the addition of the play-in games, most people have started calling the Round of 64 the "second round". I think it's strange, but it's not Myron being an idiot.
 


scher215 said:
I just think people don't realize how good Andre can be/is. They say oh they lost Mbakwe and Williams. Neither of which, by the way, are going to be lighting up the NBA next year. I love them both as players, but I think their necessity to the team is over played and Andre's contributions are under appreciated. Reading a lot of these articles, you'd think it was 2 on 5 every night.

I don't see making the tournament as some huge long shot. Michigan made the title game with Burke and Hardaway as their best players. I think Gophers can make the tournament with Hollins and Hollins as theirs. Especially with a new offensive system and hopefully some new found confidence. This is a benefit to me, not a weakness. It's not like they fired Tubby 3 games into the season and are learning Pitino on the fly.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think there's reason for hope, but people should temper their expectations. We lost a couple of big, athletic forwards. If Buckles is eligible, that will help fill the void.
 

I think we'll be better than last year, by the time the season is over. I wouldn't bet a large sum of money on that, but I'd bet a small sum.

I feel like of the 4 players we've brought in (5 if Buckles comes), at least a couple of them are going to turn out to be good players for us. I think the returning players are rejuvenated by the energy of a new coach and a couple of them will be significantly improved...even more than you'd expect simply from the year to year progression. And I speculate that Pitino will do a better job of in-game coaching than Tubby and it'll be worth one or two more wins.

Myron ... well, it's the offseason, he needs something to write about, and for better or worse he's vaguely familiar with the Gophers so we show up in his piece.
 

I love how most of the top teams on his list were extremely high seeds in the NCAA tournament. The Gophers were an #11 seed and are the number 2 team to Tumble? Isn't an 11 seed one of the lowest at large bids? Eat *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#, Myron.
 

afurry91 said:
I love how most of the top teams on his list were extremely high seeds in the NCAA tournament. The Gophers were an #11 seed and are the number 2 team to Tumble? Isn't an 11 seed one of the lowest at large bids? Eat *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#, Myron.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure we were the last at large bid to make the tournament without having to play a play-in game.
 

scher215 said:
I just think people don't realize how good Andre can be/is. They say oh they lost Mbakwe and Williams. Neither of which, by the way, are going to be lighting up the NBA next year. I love them both as players, but I think their necessity to the team is over played and Andre's contributions are under appreciated. Reading a lot of these articles, you'd think it was 2 on 5 every night.

I don't see making the tournament as some huge long shot. Michigan made the title game with Burke and Hardaway as their best players. I think Gophers can make the tournament with Hollins and Hollins as theirs. Especially with a new offensive system and hopefully some new found confidence. This is a benefit to me, not a weakness. It's not like they fired Tubby 3 games into the season and are learning Pitino on the fly.
Click to expand...

I would not dismiss the big guy in the middle for Michigan. IMO, he was the best player on their team last year.
 

to be honest i don't think Myron rips on the gophers that much, we get alot more exposure on ESPN.com because of him then if he wasn't there, there have been alot of articles where they would have never written it about the gophers on ESPN, also i like the big ten bias of the 4 bloggers with big ten ties, we all know Myron, Eamonn Brennan is from Iowa and lives in Chicago, Andy Katz is an IU alum and i believe Dana O'niel is a PSU alum, Katz and Brennan talk about the gophers a lot in their blogs, O'niel is the only one i don't like, she has more east coast bias
 

Although Myron hates on us pretty frequently, at least we're getting press notice. Any press is good press right?
 



If you look at the standings over the last ten years, things are pretty consistent....

You could probably count on three teams at the top...

Ohio State
Michigan State
Wisconsin (sadly)

You could probably count on three teams at the bottom....

Northwestern
Penn State
Nebraska

Then that leaves six teams in the middle

Indiana (has moved into the upper tier)
Michigan (has moved into the upper tier)
Minnesota
Purdue
Illinois
Iowa

Seems to me that we probably won't be passed by the three bottom and might not be as good as the top three (now five). So it's back to how do we compete with Purdue/Iowa/Illinois.

A big drop from 8 wins seems unlikely to me.
 

golfing18now said:
If you look at the standings over the last ten years, things are pretty consistent....

You could probably count on three teams at the top...

Ohio State
Michigan State
Wisconsin (sadly)

You could probably count on three teams at the bottom....

Northwestern
Penn State
Nebraska

Then that leaves six teams in the middle

Indiana (has moved into the upper tier)
Michigan (has moved into the upper tier)
Minnesota
Purdue
Illinois
Iowa

Seems to me that we probably won't be passed by the three bottom and might not be as good as the top three (now five). So it's back to how do we compete with Purdue/Iowa/Illinois.

A big drop from 8 wins seems unlikely to me.
Click to expand...

especially with the drop off that indiana and michigan will have (not saying they'll be bad, just not as good). 8 wins seems pretty likely.
 

BarnBurner said:
I would not dismiss the big guy in the middle for Michigan. IMO, he was the best player on their team last year.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be a jerk or go off the the topic of this thread... But calling Mitch McGary Michigan's best player is absurd. There were 2 guys on that team last year that were easily better than him in Burke & Hardaway Jr... Robinson III was about the same IMO and Stauskas was a little worse. Don't get me wrong, he's a stud and had an incredible tournament (until scoring 6 points in the championship vs. Louisville), but to think that he was the best player on the team (ahead of BURKE and hardaway) is absolutely insane. Again, sorry if this came off as me being a jerk, but trey burke >>> mitch mcgary.
 

If Coach P. could go 8-10, make the dance, and win a tourney game, he would be so happy he would let EE win the push-up contest. Give him time to get his type players to Dinkytown.
 

GopherDude said:
Not trying to be a jerk or go off the the topic of this thread... But calling Mitch McGary Michigan's best player is absurd. There were 2 guys on that team last year that were easily better than him in Burke & Hardaway Jr... Robinson III was about the same IMO and Stauskas was a little worse. Don't get me wrong, he's a stud and had an incredible tournament (until scoring 6 points in the championship vs. Louisville), but to think that he was the best player on the team (ahead of BURKE and hardaway) is absolutely insane. Again, sorry if this came off as me being a jerk, but trey burke >>> mitch mcgary.
Click to expand...

You could possibly argue that he was their most valuable player during the tournament because he gave them an element that they didn't have during the regular season. He just happened to shine in a couple games with very high visibility. But I agree that he wasn't in their top four during most of the year. I think Morgan started most of the season, if memory serves.
 

It seems most of you are taking the non-conference schedule for granted and 8-10 or 9-9 would be good enough to make the Tourney.

I say we loose 3-4 games in the non-conference schedule. Not being a gopher basher(I'm a big homer), but things will be different for sure!

go Gophs! and Go Pitino!
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom