RandBall: For Gophers basketball coaches Lindsay Whalen, Ben Johnson there's no time anymore for a break

[BleedGopher]

per RandBall:

As recently as four years ago, when Whalen took the Gophers women's head coaching job and Johnson was transitioning from being a Gophers assistant to a Xavier assistant before returning a year ago as the U's men's head job, there might have been at least a little down time once the season ended.

But in 2022? With the transfer portal changing team dynamics and with competition as fierce as ever, slowing down and reflecting aren't really part of the jam-packed calendar.

"Gone are the days of after the season taking a few days to catch your breath and collect your thoughts," Whalen said on Wednesday's Daily Delivery podcast, a joint appearance with Johnson. "You have a meeting the next day because you're re-recruiting your team, you're recruiting high school kids, recruiting the portal, and then you are trying at some point to analyze what just happened this year and try to get better. You have to be really good at multi-tasking."

Said Johnson, when asked if he has had time to think about the impact of the transfer portal on college basketball: I don't know if you have time to sit back … We're all learning as this process goes, and every year you get more comfortable. To say you have time to sit back and reflect, I don't know if you do. There are no breaks. You are right into the portal. It is what it is. Part of the game now."

For Gophers basketball coaches Lindsay Whalen, Ben Johnson there's no time anymore for a break

The high-profile basketball coaches are constantly recruiting or evaluating in 2022.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Oh, diffident Ben.

 

[Drake University Gopher]

Boohoo. They get millions of dollars to do it. It’s almost like most jobs where we don’t get “breaks”.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Boohoo. They get millions of dollars to do it. It’s almost like most jobs where we don’t get “breaks”.

I thought the same thing. Not many professions pay what they make for being considered a master of your craft

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Don’t forget, St Thomas would probably not have hired Ben as the bball HC.

 

[60's Guy]

I'm sure my thoughts won't resonate or be in agreement with hardly anyone but...
I just listened to Tony Robbins being interviewed about a range of topics. The contrast couldn't hardly be any greater. Tony has energy and amazing informative thoughtful educated content gleaned from interviews of experts that he shares with the listener. Very fun listen.

Then, I listen to Ben and Whalen and I wanna speed up the tape. I would suggest any body save the 15 minutes. It wasn't inspiring or informative. Being they are coaches hoping to transform students lives, I think their content should be more interesting and not presented in such boring fashion.

 

[ecoperson]

I don't think either Whalen or Johnson are complaining about the change. They are just telling it how it is and has it has changed.

Tony Robbins is a motivational speaker and many think he is a snake oil salesman. He is literally paid millions for whipping a crowd into a frenzy so they buy into his next experience or product or book. Robbins has honed his shtick for over 4 decades.

I have listened to many of Johnson's interviews over the last year since he was hired. (Note: I have not listened to this one yet.) I have been impressed by his thoughtful in-depth analysis. I have never come away thinking Johnson is just using coach speak. The man loves hoops and loves talking hoops with anyone who will listen.

Johnson comes across as a very genuine caring individual and I am sure that this resonates on the recruiting trail. I know he also has a fire burning in him and we have seen that on occasion. He isn't going to go Tom Izzo on the refs for 40 minutes each game. Most refs just tune that crap out.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Ben is as good as Tom Izzo. Noted

 

[Chico Gopher]

I don't think either Whalen or Johnson are complaining about the change. They are just telling it how it is and has it has changed.

Tony Robbins is a motivational speaker and many think he is a snake oil salesman. He is literally paid millions for whipping a crowd into a frenzy so they buy into his next experience or product or book. Robbins has honed his shtick for over 4 decades.

I have listened to many of Johnson's interviews over the last year since he was hired. (Note: I have not listened to this one yet.) I have been impressed by his thoughtful in-depth analysis. I have never come away thinking Johnson is just using coach speak. The man loves hoops and loves talking hoops with anyone who will listen.

Johnson comes across as a very genuine caring individual and I am sure that this resonates on the recruiting trail. I know he also has a fire burning in him and we have seen that on occasion. He isn't going to go Tom Izzo on the refs for 40 minutes each game. Most refs just tune that crap out.

Snake Oil Salesman is exactly what I'm thinking every time I hear Tony Robbins and others like him go into their spiel. I never take them seriously. I prefer a calm, rational, in-depth, conversational approach.

I know some would prefer their coaches be excellent and dynamic public speakers. What's important to me is that they are honest and passionate when talking to their teams at practice, in the locker room and during the game. If they can be both, that's awesome. I know that in many places, it's becoming a requirement that coaches be great public speakers with the press, with the boosters, fans in general and with the players. I'm probably a minority when I say I don't care if a coach is great with the press or boosters, just so he get his players to play well for him. I think we've all seen coaches that weren't very comfortable with a mic in their face, but were very good at communicating what they want to their players on the sideline.

 

[Drake University Gopher]

I actually thoroughly enjoy a few Tony Robbins books and love him as a motivational speaker. I also don’t think Ben or Lindsay have to be like him at all to be successful. You certainly have to be able to sell yourself and the school, but I would rather have Ben, Lindsay, and Coach Fleck (opposite end of the spectrum for reference) be themselves as long as they win ball games.

 

[Gopherfan84]

I actually thoroughly enjoy a few Tony Robbins books and love him as a motivational speaker. I also don’t think Ben or Lindsay have to be like him at all to be successful. You certainly have to be able to sell yourself and the school, but I would rather have Ben, Lindsay, and Coach Fleck (opposite end of the spectrum for reference) be themselves as long as they win ball games.

It’s hard to win games if you don’t be yourself. In fact I’d argue that’s what happens when guys fail that were previously successful. Winning is hard already, you can’t fake it on these kids and expect them to play for you.