Since the '72 Ohio St./MN fight under Musselman which involved a groin kick and many other ugly incidents, MN basketball has been affected negatively. As Hannibal Lector stated in "Hannibal", "People don't always say what they are thinking. They just make sure you don't... advance".
Since that date, MN has been under the microscope of the NCAA, suffered multiple infractions of varying scope and severity. 1. Coach Musselman's low-brow "Circus" marketing the program via on-court acts prior to games, intensity training and intimidation techniques in efforts (successful) to get people into the Barn. 2. Foreign student Mychal Thompson in a 1974 period of Gopher resurgence admittedly sold his issued tickets for $178 under Coach Jim Dutcher. Thompson was prohibited from playing by the NCAA, and MN refused to abide by that ruling and played anyway. MN was issued 2 yrs probation, played remarkable basketball with McHale, Saunders, Williams--and Dutcher resigned. 3. After a Wisconsin road win in 1986, three players were arrested at the airport for sexual assault of a student who pointed them out as they boarded the plane home. The players were thrown off the team without due process, and MN considered forfeiting the rest of the season. After a few days of thought, MN elected to play out the games in fairness to the rest of the players who were uninvolved. No convictions, and the case was tossed but the damage had been done. 4. Under Clem Haskins a jilted tutor, Jan Gangelhof wrote some classwork for scholarship basketball players, blew the whistle after 3 years, and Haskins was forced out. MN was placed on 4 years probation without scholarships-basically a death penalty. 5. Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Lynch accused of sexual misconduct April 2016 was thrown off the team, expulsion from UofM under Richard Pitino. No charges ultimately filed but Lynch was forced to move on and play pro ball in Europe. Other smaller incidents not mentioned.. Royce White.
With this history, combined with the George Floyd incident in Mnpls, MN basketball was very selective in hiring Ben Johnson, a former player and asst. at MN. I believe he was charged by AD Coyle to stay away from recruiting trouble makers , build a culture squeaky clean, free of controversy. Also, do so under the assumption that administration did not approve of NIL or paying players, taking a very high road of elite snobbery from such things. Thus, Johnson wasn't supported by the school or the City due to team record/performance, and not "competing for championships".
Although MN as an urban campus has far more distractions for student athletes than most P5 schools, they have kept a clean reputation since the Lynch-ing. Coach Medved HAS been given some tools to succeed--about $5M, and PJ Fleck has done superbly with his resources building a competitive football program. We'll see what the future holds, but as a long-term fan I can't help but believe the powers that be--Univ. Regents, NCAA incl. officials are out to make sure MN "doesn't...advance".
