Ranking Big Ten men’s basketball coaches (#18. Ben Johnson, Minnesota)

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

Also 5-0 against Weakling Wednesday teams. 4-11 against everyone else. 1 quad one win. Had to overcome a 20 point deficit against PSU to avoid an 0-6 finish in the B1G.

Do we really have to play this game?

Can't we just say we were 9-11 ?

Or do I have to go through a laundry list of the positives now? Like we also lost a 20-point lead at Iowa because Garcia got injured...we played some good teams tough...etc., etc.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

Johnson is certainly at the right number. Debate all you want with the other 17 and where they should be. However, there is zero debating where the Gopher coach should be on the list...

It's an idiotic endeavor to put together a list like this.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

They beat bad teams. Lost to good teams. Improvement over previous years but that’s not enough.

That's not enough?

What's enough? What would it take to stop the bitching & moaning.

 

[Rocksoldier]

Do we really have to play this game?

Can't we just say we were 9-11 ?

Or do I have to go through a laundry list of the positives now? Like we also lost a 20-point lead at Iowa because Garcia got injured...we played some good teams tough...etc., etc.

20 point lead at home against Missouri or the horseshit game we played against San Francisco, which I was at. But yes, we were 9 and 11. I picked the gophers to win 10 conference games outside at 12. They had a good year of things go right I’m hoping next year could be better.

 

[Gophers7633]

That's not enough?

What's enough? What would it take to stop the bitching & moaning.

1. Having a team better than what got the previous coach fired
2. Beating a ranked team
3. Not playing a 300+ ranked OOC Schedule
4. Coming close to making the tournament, or actually making it
5. Having an identity

Any of the above would be great. And honestly, isn't all that difficult, but none have happened after 3 years.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

1. Having a team better than what got the previous coach fired
2. Beating a ranked team
3. Not playing a 300+ ranked OOC Schedule
4. Coming close to making the tournament, or actually making it
5. Having an identity

Any of the above would be great. And honestly, isn't all that difficult, but none have happened after 3 years.

I agree that it's very simple. We could have already done it by paying Christie and Payne.

 

[Bad Gopher]

I agree that it's very simple. We could have already done it by paying Christie and Payne.

Are you saying they would have both played better last year and the team would've been better and ranked in the top 25, and the non-conference schedule would've been better last year if those two players had been paid more money?

I tried to resist replying to this idiocy but I couldn't. That is one of the strangest and most illogical things I've ever read.

 

[Gophers7633]

I agree that it's very simple. We could have already done it by paying Christie and Payne.

Interesting, I didn't know they weren't on the roster last year.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

Are you saying they would have both played better last year and the team would've been better and ranked in the top 25, and the non-conference schedule would've been better last year if those two players had been paid more money?

I tried to resist replying to this idiocy but I couldn't. That is one of the strangest and most illogical things I've ever read.

Interesting, I didn't know they weren't on the roster last year.

I mean bringing them back for next year. That's the simple way to improve.

 

[Gophers7633]

I mean bringing them back for next year. That's the simple way to improve.

Yeah, I know what you meant. You asked a question, I answered with expectations that are very modest that haven't been achieved. I mean, hell, you don't even have to be a good team to achieve 3 of those.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

Yeah, I know what you meant. You asked a question, I answered with expectations that are very modest that haven't been achieved. I mean, hell, you don't even have to be a good team to achieve 3 of those.

I don't think we'll ever win big if we lose starters to money every year. No matter who the coach is.

Unless we get lucky on occasion.

I don't think a new coach can reset our team every year and win big. I think Ben is putting the pieces in place...and it's up to the administration now.

 

[Gophers7633]

I don't think we'll ever win big if we lose starters to money every year. No matter who the coach is.

Unless we get lucky on occasion.

I don't think a new coach can reset our team every year and win big. I think Ben is putting the pieces in place...and it's up to the administration now.

Yeah, I hope we can get so lucky that we can compete with Northwestern.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

Yeah, I hope we can get so lucky that we can compete with Northwestern.

Ben won't have an empty roster anymore like he did his first 2 years. You don't need to obsess over his first 2 years anymore.

Going forward...Ben's teams will be better than Northwestern if our administration keeps our starters...and about equal to Northwestern if we lose starters every year.

 

[Gophers7633]

Ben won't have an empty roster anymore like he did his first 2 years. You don't need to obsess over his first 2 years anymore.

Going forward...Ben's teams will be better than Northwestern if our administration keeps our starters...and about equal to Northwestern if we lose starters every year.

I don't obsess over his first 2 years. Maybe the 4th year will be the charm to check off one of those extremely attainable boxes.

 

[EasyThere Pilgrim]

I don't obsess over his first 2 years. Maybe the 4th year will be the charm to check off one of those extremely attainable boxes.

If Christie returns it's for sure. A place like Minnesota also needs this kind of luck. We can't overcome much bad luck.

 

[Gophers7633]

If Christie returns it's for sure. A place like Minnesota also needs this kind of luck. We can't overcome much bad luck.

No luck is needed to schedule a good OOC schedule, beat one ranked team, or have some type of identity. Hoping year 4 is the year.

 

[Bad Gopher]

I mean bringing them back for next year. That's the simple way to improve.

Next year's games haven't been played yet. You said all those things would have been remedied (past tense) if the U would've paid more.