Next Gopher Head Coach


They do when your argument for rentention is "ignore my 12-47 record and keep me due to the potential of next year's team. By the way, our best player is likely leaving."
No, but they do get fired by taking LAST place in the conference 3 years in a row. Their(Ben's) first 3 years on the job and their first 3 years as a HC at ANY LEVEL.
They are getting worse. This coach should be gone. Same team, same result as last 2 years. On the positive side, the women's team gave an even worse effort tonight.
Since you didn't reply before I'll try again. Your only rebuttal in any all all posts that don't agree with you are "none of you know jack so your opinion doesn't count" so why does yours? What do you know about basketball we don't. What do you know about the players we don't.

You are aware this is a public forum?
You are aware our current head coach is 9-38 in conference?
We can have our opinions, and just because you dug in on the wrong side doesn't mean most of us are wrong
Who needs to win games, just lose close ones!

I think that there's reason for optimism. If you all want to be pessimists....so be it. All you are doing is setting yourselves up for disappointment when Johnson returns next year.....which is incredibly likely based on the step forward this year. But until then....you instant gratification folks can keep at it. :ROFLMAO:

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Even just losing Garcia means you're subtracting the best player or 2nd best player from a bad team and then saying you're going to get significantly better somehow.

And last year at this time we were "full" and ended up losing Evans. And Battle. And Cooper. And Henley. And Thompson. But you think this year surely everyone will be back except Garcia and Fox?

I think Gopher fans have said that guys will improve every year.

My favorite part of it, is that it completely ignores other teams improving too. The BIG10 SUCKS this year. Sure, Purdue will be worse next year(still really good), Wisconsin maybe, Illinois likely not worse

Literally everyone else would have to almost try to be worse next year. So if we go 6-14 this year I am not sure how anyone can objectively be optimistic about next season with the same roster.
 

I think that there's reason for optimism. If you all want to be pessimists....so be it. All you are doing is setting yourselves up for disappointment when Johnson returns next year.....which is incredibly likely based on the step forward this year. But until then....you instant gratification folks can keep at it. :ROFLMAO:

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You got one thing right...if Johnson is back next year everyone will be disappointed in the results.
 

I think that there's reason for optimism. If you all want to be pessimists....so be it. All you are doing is setting yourselves up for disappointment when Johnson returns next year.....which is incredibly likely based on the step forward this year. But until then....you instant gratification folks can keep at it. :ROFLMAO:

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Not pessimistic at, just being a realist. Johnson accomplished exactly what he was hoping too with that garbage OOC.
 


I think Gopher fans have said that guys will improve every year.

My favorite part of it, is that it completely ignores other teams improving too. The BIG10 SUCKS this year. Sure, Purdue will be worse next year(still really good), Wisconsin maybe, Illinois likely not worse

Literally everyone else would have to almost try to be worse next year. So if we go 6-14 this year I am not sure how anyone can objectively be optimistic about next season with the same roster.
That too. But my point is that Hawkins and Mitchell are already veteran players. They are who they are. Same with Garica. JOJ plays like a veteran, which is a compliment, but I also think what we see is what we get. Same with Carrington. Smart. Good defender and rebounder. Can't shoot. Very limited because of that.

So the only hope for substantial internal improvement is really Christie and Payne IMO. Now subtract Garcia and maybe one of Mitchell/Hawkins and add Asuma/transfer PG. Tell me how that's better much less significantly better?
 



That too. But my point is that Hawkins and Mitchell are already veteran players. They are who they are. Same with Garica. JOJ plays like a veteran, which is a compliment, but I also think what we see is what we get. Same with Carrington. Smart. Good defender and rebounder. Can't shoot. Very limited because of that.

So the only hope for substantial internal improvement is really Christie and Payne IMO. Now subtract Garcia and maybe one of Mitchell/Hawkins and add Asuma/transfer PG. Tell me how that's better much less significantly better?

Tbh not sure how Payne improves a whole lot either. He can be an absolute load down low and hes a good one to have.

But guy cant shoot a lick and doesnt have the athleticism or passing to be used for anything but a dump and score guy. That can have games where hes completely rendered a non factor.
 



If I hadn't already seen enough, I saw enough tonight. Our guy got outfoxed, and I'm not seeing any progession that makes me think he'd figure enough out to catch up with a guy like Gard in 20 years. It's amazing (depressing, actually) to think we could've gotten someone like Smith or Medved as easily as ordering up a pizza. Easier, maybe, compared with some pizza delivery I've experienced.
 

I try to talk myself in to other guys, but we really NEED Muss. He checks the 3 biggest boxes for me in a way nobody else does.

1. He's won at both Nevada and Arkansas
2. He's experienced and successful in both getting talent out of the portal and getting that talent to gel together in to teams capable of making runs in March. He's had huge roster turnover year after year and still won (not this year)
3. Hiring him sends a message that Minnesota is serious about basketball and his personality/track record would immediately bring some interest back to a dead program.

I am not saying Muss would even come. Minnesota would likely need to put a contract together in realm of 6 years 30 million. Nothing this University has done recently suggests they would be willing to do this.

Why Muss might come:

1. Bad year at Arkansas and the SEC is much more difficult than the B1G currently. Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State are all way down. Meanwhile a school like Ole Miss all of a sudden has Chris Beard on the sidelines.

2. One of Muss's sons is an assistant on his staff and another is a grad assistant. Coming home to coach with his kids where his dad made his name could be really appealing. Make a couple runs here like he did at Arkansas and he's viewed as the savior of Gopher Basketball. He's 59 and that could make for a storybook type last decade or so of his coaching career.

Obviously there are a lot of reasons why he wouldn't come even if the money was great given the current state of our program. I just hope someone competent is in charge at Minnesota that puts Muss in a position to make that decision.
 

Speaking of JOJ

He played 5 minutes and Ilhen played 12.

What's up with that?
Evidently, BJ likes the, run around the three point line, chuck up three's and let's see how we do, line of thinking. Rather than try to pound it inside or at the very least try to have some kind of inside game.
He is just a bad coach at this point in his career. I hope by his second or third try as a HC he will be better.
 




I think Gopher fans have said that guys will improve every year.

My favorite part of it, is that it completely ignores other teams improving too. The BIG10 SUCKS this year. Sure, Purdue will be worse next year(still really good), Wisconsin maybe, Illinois likely not worse

Literally everyone else would have to almost try to be worse next year. So if we go 6-14 this year I am not sure how anyone can objectively be optimistic about next season with the same roster.
100%
 

With a big night from Cooper, who you know, wasn't good enough to play here.

Amazing what competent roster construction and coaching can do in a short amount of time.

It will be exciting to see what a night and day difference a new coach does for the Gophers next season.
Is Ben getting a makeover?
 



If your defense to keep Johnson is because of this SO class, I present to you:

52 minutes, 6-17fg, 0-4 from 3, 4-8ft. JOJ played 5 minutes. Carrington hasn't improved IMO and PP basically is what he was last year.
Not going to scare me with some guys might transfer out.
 

Why would Arkansas fire him after 1 down year? They went to the Sweet 16, and the Elite 8 twice over the last 3 years. They hadn't been to the Sweet 16 since the mid 90s prior to that.

His seat was a bit warm last year and is warmer this year. Use the google.
 





MEDVED!!!!!!
Smith was the better choice at the time, and would still be worth asking how much he really loves the state of Utah and the idea of playing in the new Big 12 as opposed to the current PAC 12.

He may tell Coyle to pound sand. In which case we move on.
 




As success and hope for a program diminishes, so does our patience and attention. I've unknowingly distanced myself from this program over the last 10 years without making a conscious decision to do so.

We are where we're at today due to the apathy and poor leadership shown by the U Admin. Ben's not the cause of our problems...he's the result.
 

Muss job hops for a reason. He rubs administration's the wrong way and Minnesota compliance office will never hire him.

Yep, and dad having a bad scandal in the 70's doesn't help his chances. Father/son are pretty similar personality wise
 

As success and hope for a program diminishes, so does our patience and attention. I've unknowingly distanced myself from this program over the last 10 years without making a conscious decision to do so.

We are where we're at today due to the apathy and poor leadership shown by the U Admin. Ben's not the cause of our problems...he's the result.
Well, its Wednesday January 24, 2024 and I agree with Slimmer D completely. The U admin has completely abandoned any will to win on the court, and its been happening since Clem left.
 




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