Reality

Disagree with your entire list and conclusions. Biggest problem for Gophers is that we are not in Lincoln or Iowa City, Ann Arbor or Columbus etc where the local team is the college team. Gophers come after the Vikings, Twins, T Wolves, Wild, (whoever the soccer team is? United Loons?) Gopher players are not the biggest thing in town...they are are at other schools.

The barn sold out and full is an asset and an advantage....(we need a new arena) but it has nothing to do with why we lose.

Having stated the above: It still comes down to the right coach just ignores it all and accentuates all the positives and wins. He makes it a place people want to be. It is all the right coach with the ability and balls to convince the administration of the things he needs to be successful and the ability to recruit and coach.
PJ gets a few breaks and he has things on track to become elite. Will it happen? dunno...but it's the right coach...nothing else. Rest is excuses.

Small college towns don't have Fortune 500 companies and pro sports or the Mall of America...turn the uniqueness of the Gophers into assets versus problems.
Your post is correct in all respects. But Fortune 500 companies? How are they assets in recruiting?
 

Your post is correct in all respects. But Fortune 500 companies? How are they assets in recruiting?
The right coach could parlay NIL relationships, internships, introductions to management with those Fortune 500 companies to players and explain to mom and dad their athlete is set for life as a Gopher. He/she would have a career following the pro sports career that may or may not happen due to life's unknowns. The introduction of opportunities that are not available in Iowa City or Madison etc but you gotta cultivate the relationships, paint the picture, make the introductions, walk the walk to convince parents and recruits it is real. Can't just leave it up to the prospects....set the meetings up, attend the meetings with the families. This is an opportunity for life unlike anywhere else you can go to school.
"83% of players like yourself from other states who choose to become Gophers...they choose to live here in the Twin Cities and a raise a family after graduation. People like it here. We can set you up to live a prosperous life." (whatever the number is a lot of Gophers, Vikings etc choose to live here after their sports are done....point it out...set em up for life)
 

Rockraven- In another thread you claimed that if the Gophers landed Pride and Brown that they would win 20 games next season. Would you care to make a wager on that? I am open to something friendly/small or something larger if you would prefer. A donation to DT athletes, a donation to a charity, or cash. I'd be very happy to lose my bet on the under 20, but would like my side of the bet a lot. You seem to think quite highly of your basketball knowledge (pot meet kettle) and even claimed you would outcoach GopherPlaya to a 30 point victory if you had identical teams.
 

Rockraven- In another thread you claimed that if the Gophers landed Pride and Brown that they would win 20 games next season. Would you care to make a wager on that? I am open to something friendly/small or something larger if you would prefer. A donation to DT athletes, a donation to a charity, or cash. I'd be very happy to lose my bet on the under 20, but would like my side of the bet a lot. You seem to think quite highly of your basketball knowledge (pot meet kettle) and even claimed you would outcoach GopherPlaya to a 30 point victory if you had identical teams.
Witness!
 

The right coach could parlay NIL relationships, internships, introductions to management with those Fortune 500 companies to players and explain to mom and dad their athlete is set for life as a Gopher. He/she would have a career following the pro sports career that may or may not happen due to life's unknowns. The introduction of opportunities that are not available in Iowa City or Madison etc but you gotta cultivate the relationships, paint the picture, make the introductions, walk the walk to convince parents and recruits it is real. Can't just leave it up to the prospects....set the meetings up, attend the meetings with the families. This is an opportunity for life unlike anywhere else you can go to school.
"83% of players like yourself from other states who choose to become Gophers...they choose to live here in the Twin Cities and a raise a family after graduation. People like it here. We can set you up to live a prosperous life." (whatever the number is a lot of Gophers, Vikings etc choose to live here after their sports are done....point it out...set em up for life)
I understand the thinking and the appeal that might have for the occasional recruit. However, do not believe that is on the minds of most kids who play basketball here. And I do not believe 83% of kids from out of state stay in the Twin Cities after school.

It would be a rare 18-tear-old who sees himself in the corporate world. Not doubting some parents would like to hear that message.
 



Almost. Minnesota sports often defy those odds. What are the odds of blowing a 12 point lead in the NBA in 3 minutes? What are the odds of losing 18 play-off games in a row?
When the reality is UNreality...
 

The right coach could parlay NIL relationships, internships, introductions to management with those Fortune 500 companies to players and explain to mom and dad their athlete is set for life as a Gopher. He/she would have a career following the pro sports career that may or may not happen due to life's unknowns. The introduction of opportunities that are not available in Iowa City or Madison etc but you gotta cultivate the relationships, paint the picture, make the introductions, walk the walk to convince parents and recruits it is real. Can't just leave it up to the prospects....set the meetings up, attend the meetings with the families. This is an opportunity for life unlike anywhere else you can go to school.
"83% of players like yourself from other states who choose to become Gophers...they choose to live here in the Twin Cities and a raise a family after graduation. People like it here. We can set you up to live a prosperous life." (whatever the number is a lot of Gophers, Vikings etc choose to live here after their sports are done....point it out...set em up for life)
I am with 60's Guy!!!
 

I understand the thinking and the appeal that might have for the occasional recruit. However, do not believe that is on the minds of most kids who play basketball here. And I do not believe 83% of kids from out of state stay in the Twin Cities after school.

It would be a rare 18-tear-old who sees himself in the corporate world. Not doubting some parents would like to hear that message.
I asked Mark Coyle...he said that sounded accurate to him. :). You know, "the top rated public university in the country" guy.
 



I generally agree that the right coach makes all the difference. They fix the issues they can, work around those they can't and create a system and culture and reputation that makes kids want to play for them. Yes, Johnson came into a bad situation but not sure I see him capable of fixing it. Hope I'm wrong.
 

Mn has been behind the 8 ball the entire time with respect to nil. That's an athletic dept and leadership failure.
How, since they can't run the NIL? What exactly should AD and leadership do to make NIL successful? People in MN don't donate, that's the problem. FAU didn't succeed due to NIL.
 

How, since they can't run the NIL? What exactly should AD and leadership do to make NIL successful? People in MN don't donate, that's the problem. FAU didn't succeed due to NIL.
Notice that they appointed Dinkytown Athletes as the official NIL company recently. hmmm Why now? Obviously they can be involved and have to be- they just can't directly deal the money. People in Minnesota don't donate because there is no leadership. They just now figured it out. Oh whoops, we have to participate in this or we won't get players!

Do you think for one second that ALL NIL money isn't in some way coordinated with coaches? How would anyone know who to award deals to? The colleges and universities are heavily involved. The U got in late and failed to push it.
 

Notice that they appointed Dinkytown Athletes as the official NIL company recently. hmmm Why now? Obviously they can be involved and have to be- they just can't directly deal the money. People in Minnesota don't donate because there is no leadership. They just now figured it out. Oh whoops, we have to participate in this or we won't get players!

Do you think for one second that ALL NIL money isn't in some way coordinated with coaches? How would anyone know who to award deals to? The colleges and universities are heavily involved. The U got in late and failed to push it.
I knew where to send money to and that it was necessary. I have no coordination with coaches. Corporations can do the same.
 



How, since they can't run the NIL? What exactly should AD and leadership do to make NIL successful? People in MN don't donate, that's the problem. FAU didn't succeed due to NIL.
Even after seeing how other programs apply nil, you still say this?
Exactly why mn will never win big.
 

Notice that they appointed Dinkytown Athletes as the official NIL company recently. hmmm Why now? Obviously they can be involved and have to be- they just can't directly deal the money. People in Minnesota don't donate because there is no leadership. They just now figured it out. Oh whoops, we have to participate in this or we won't get players!

Do you think for one second that ALL NIL money isn't in some way coordinated with coaches? How would anyone know who to award deals to? The colleges and universities are heavily involved. The U got in late and failed to push it.
Programs are nose deep in all aspects. Some fans refuse to believe their own eyes.
 

The reality is that there's no rational reason that Minnesota can't compete with other programs. It's just that Minnesota hasn't been doing very well lately and has been slow on the uptake with NIL. Even so, the last two years of competition have been embarrassing and inexcusable.

The other reality is that, unless Johnson pulls a rabbit out of his hat late in the transfer portal, he's a dead man walking. People are talking about 8 conference wins or more. Really? It takes star power to even tread water in the Big Ten, and they'll have no more star power than they did last year.
 

Even after seeing how other programs apply nil, you still say this?
Exactly why mn will never win big.
I have donated, have you? I buy lots of merch, have you? I've been to games home and road, have you? If the answer to any of these is no, you're part of the problem. If corporations don't know how to donate, WTF? They just don't want to because of the MN mindset and the other sports in town. Exactly why mn will never win big(I'm just repeating what you said, I believe MN can win big).
 

I have donated, have you? I buy lots of merch, have you? I've been to games home and road, have you? If the answer to any of these is no, you're part of the problem. If corporations don't know how to donate, WTF? They just don't want to because of the MN mindset and the other sports in town. Exactly why mn will never win big(I'm just repeating what you said, I believe MN can win big).
Ah, personal spending angle. Instead of acknowledging the obvious flaws in your nil logic regarding mn.
 

The reality is that there's no rational reason that Minnesota can't compete with other programs. It's just that Minnesota hasn't been doing very well lately and has been slow on the uptake with NIL. Even so, the last two years of competition have been embarrassing and inexcusable.

The other reality is that, unless Johnson pulls a rabbit out of his hat late in the transfer portal, he's a dead man walking. People are talking about 8 conference wins or more. Really? It takes star power to even tread water in the Big Ten, and they'll have no more star power than they did last year.
I disagree with you a little on that. I think that Payne and Garcia will be on the borderline of the all Big Ten teams. Garcia was 3rd team this year. If we get solid guard play (which will take some work), play very good defense, and Payne makes the jump I think he will....we have a chance to do that.
 

I disagree with you a little on that. I think that Payne and Garcia will be on the borderline of the all Big Ten teams. Garcia was 3rd team this year. If we get solid guard play (which will take some work), play very good defense, and Payne makes the jump I think he will....we have a chance to do that.
I'll give you this: Payne will improve. That will add star power. We will see if Garcia has reached his ceiling or if there's room for improvement. My basic premise is that this team was awful last year WITH both of those guys, so you have to add star power to be something better than awful...and they lost Battle.
 

I'll give you this: Payne will improve. That will add star power. We will see if Garcia has reached his ceiling or if there's room for improvement. My basic premise is that this team was awful last year WITH both of those guys, so you have to add star power to be something better than awful...and they lost Battle.
You aren't wrong. I will say this- when Payne improved late season and learned to post up early and pass out of the post, we started competing a lot better and our guard play was still substandard. I think he will add a little range to his game as well as becoming a rebounding beast.

I consider Battle to be almost no loss considering how poor he performed on both ends this past year. He is a sizable loss if you consider the Battle of two years ago. Battle was not a good player last year- the least efficient guy we had, an offensive flow killer and a minus defender.
 


I'll give you this: Payne will improve. That will add star power. We will see if Garcia has reached his ceiling or if there's room for improvement. My basic premise is that this team was awful last year WITH both of those guys, so you have to add star power to be something better than awful...and they lost Battle.
They were pretty average later in the year when Garcia was healthy.
 


Even after seeing how other programs apply nil, you still say this?
Exactly why mn will never win big.
What programs, that are comparable to ours, are the ones benefitting from NIL? Specifically what surprises are you seeing to call our leadership a failure compared to others?
 


You aren't wrong. I will say this- when Payne improved late season and learned to post up early and pass out of the post, we started competing a lot better and our guard play was still substandard. I think he will add a little range to his game as well as becoming a rebounding beast.

I consider Battle to be almost no loss considering how poor he performed on both ends this past year. He is a sizable loss if you consider the Battle of two years ago. Battle was not a good player last year- the least efficient guy we had, an offensive flow killer and a minus defender.
He's already a top-notch post player. The improvement that needs to happen is his ability to hit short jumpers and free throws. That would constitute star power. I'm hoping...but it's up to him and his coaches, not me.
 

Ah, personal spending angle. Instead of acknowledging the obvious flaws in your nil logic regarding mn.
So you don't know how to have a normal discussion. I asked for you to be specific, you didn't. I was specific in how people can help and why there are not enough donations. Nothing here for me to state, lots for you to answer which you didn't.
 

The reality is that there's no rational reason that Minnesota can't compete with other programs. It's just that Minnesota hasn't been doing very well lately and has been slow on the uptake with NIL. Even so, the last two years of competition have been embarrassing and inexcusable.

The other reality is that, unless Johnson pulls a rabbit out of his hat late in the transfer portal, he's a dead man walking. People are talking about 8 conference wins or more. Really? It takes star power to even tread water in the Big Ten, and they'll have no more star power than they did last year.
I said 8 wins was the bar he had to jump over. I didn't say he would. The current roster would win 3-4 B1G games and Charlie Pride and co won't increase it by more than 1-2.
 





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