Sid Hartman: Pitino, Gophers exceed expectations

[BleedGopher]

per Sid:

Many thought this would be more of a rebuilding year, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. The Gophers have played only two Big Ten games but seem to be continuing to improve, losing 63-60 to Michigan on Thursday and beating Purdue 82-79 on Sunday.

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, even though one must admit the Gophers didn’t play a strong preseason schedule, you have to salute the job Pitino has done with a group of players without any big stars, unless you put guards Andre and Austin Hollins in that category.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/238807371.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Go Gophers!!

 

[station19]

per Sid:

Many thought this would be more of a rebuilding year, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. The Gophers have played only two Big Ten games but seem to be continuing to improve, losing 63-60 to Michigan on Thursday and beating Purdue 82-79 on Sunday.

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, even though one must admit the Gophers didn’t play a strong preseason schedule, you have to salute the job Pitino has done with a group of players without any big stars, unless you put guards Andre and Austin Hollins in that category.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/238807371.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter



Go Gophers!!

"The search for a Gophers basketball coach after Tubby Smith was unjustly fired ended with a big surprise when Richard Pitino was hired, after several bigger-name coaches turned the job down. Nobody expected Minnesota to boast of a 12-3 "

Bullsh!t Sid.

 

[GoodasGold]

Beside the first paragraph, that was a rather complimentary opinion piece.

 

[PitinoFan]

"The heart of the 2012-13 team was forwards Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams, who sparked the team to a season that ended with the Gophers beating a heavily favored UCLA team before losing to Florida in the NCAA tournament."

Gophers were favored by 3 against UCLA.

http://linemakers.sportingnews.com/...-ncaa-tournament-betting-lines-las-vegas-odds

"Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, even though the Gophers didn’t play a strong preseason schedule, you have to salute the job Pitino has done with a group of players without any big stars. Guards Andre and Austin Hollins are fine players, but don’t quite fit the star profile."

Andre was arguably their best player down the stretch last year. Particularly in the UCLA game.

"The search for a Gophers men’s basketball coach after Tubby Smith was unjustly fired ended with a big surprise when Richard Pitino was hired, after several bigger-name coaches turned the job down. Nobody expected Minnesota to boast of a 12-3 record at this point.....

....Even though the so-called experts picked the Gophers to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten, Pitino said he has a lot of confidence in his players. He knows conference road games will be difficult."

Including you, Sid!

What a jacka$$.

 

[Moonlight]

"The search for a Gophers basketball coach after Tubby Smith was unjustly fired ended with a big surprise when Richard Pitino was hired, after several bigger-name coaches turned the job down. Nobody expected Minnesota to boast of a 12-3 "

Bullsh!t Sid.

How hard is it to see that Tubby didn't develop his player's BB skills? Tubby is a good man, and wanted to help his players be good human beings. But it was obvious that his team was scared to make a mistake and the atmosphere dragged them down, instead of building them up. Only guys with an innate sense of confidence, like Andre, were going to do well w/Tubby. This was obvious and recruiting was going to continue to plummet. That Rodney left really no better than he came in was damning to Tubby. He just doesn't have the ability to work with the players today and develop and bring out their best. But I think Pitino does. Watch the way he interacts w/Mathieu on the sidelines - intense, directive, but clearly receptive to his player's responses and perspectives.

Look to see all our returning players improve this year. I know this is an exaggeration, but in a way, Oto is now back to performing at the level he came in at. Take a look at his stats - he played waaay better his first year than last. He's back to his RS freshman level of play.

 

[Gopherbbdude]

Sid is a putz

 

[Holy Man]

How hard is it to see that Tubby didn't develop his player's BB skills? Tubby is a good man, and wanted to help his players be good human beings. But it was obvious that his team was scared to make a mistake and the atmosphere dragged them down, instead of building them up. Only guys with an innate sense of confidence, like Andre, were going to do well w/Tubby. This was obvious and recruiting was going to continue to plummet. That Rodney left really no better than he came in was damning to Tubby. He just doesn't have the ability to work with the players today and develop and bring out their best. But I think Pitino does. Watch the way he interacts w/Mathieu on the sidelines - intense, directive, but clearly receptive to his player's responses and perspectives.

Look to see all our returning players improve this year. I know this is an exaggeration, but in a way, Oto is now back to performing at the level he came in at. Take a look at his stats - he played waaay better his first year than last. He's back to his RS freshman level of play.

Okay, Moonlight, I hear you. I've been to only three games this year (the last three) and what I see is a team that plays a lot more relaxed than any under Tubby's tenure. I also see a team that knows what it is trying to do, even if they don't execute and hit the shots all the time. That has to be fresh air from the coaching change.

Where I will differ is that I think Oto is much better than he was two years ago, and there is no way a D-1 scholarship athlete should be lacking in confidence. That I just don't get. All D-1 players should have an "innate sense of confidence." Andre succeeded because he was a good player, not just because he had a little more confidence than the bretheren.

 

[Gopherguy0723]

This is Sid sucking up to the coach du jour. He'll never bash a current coach, and he'll always praise the current coach. Always.

It's way too early to say Pitino has exceeded expectations.

This is Sid being Sid.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Answers the question of whether Sid was offended by being "put in his place" by RP.

 

[Gopher Warrior]

Pitino and the Gophers have exceeded expectations only of those who are dumb. They're 11-3 (1-1) against D-I teams. What was Sid expecting at this point? If they win 11 Big Ten games during the regular season, then yes... but they've only won 1.

As for Tubby, the only thing unjust was that it took as long as it it did to part ways with him. This year will mark 9 seasons in a row with double-digit losses for Smith. What started off as a 7-3 team could wind up with 20 losses. Gonna be some continued rough times at TTU.

 

[bga1]

Pitino and the Gophers have exceeded expectations only of those who are dumb. They're 11-3 (1-1) against D-I teams. What was Sid expecting at this point? If they win 11 Big Ten games during the regular season, then yes... but they've only won 1.

As for Tubby, the only thing unjust was that it took as long as it it did to part ways with him. This year will mark 9 seasons in a row with double-digit losses for Smith. What started off as a 7-3 team could wind up with 20 losses. Gonna be some continued rough times at TTU.

You make some good points there Warrior. Record wise- I think you are right- 11-3 is about what we might have hoped for to the moment considering the roster we have and the opponents we have faced.

He has exceeded my expectations in two areas:

1. Floor coach- I viewed him as a guy who was going to be able to recruit and relate to players and also as perhaps a coach that might have to get better as a game coach as time went on. From what I have seen- and in my amateur opinion- he's a pretty darn good game coach and innovative on play design. It's fun to watch.

2. Player evaluation- Whether he will recruit up to expectations remains to be seen in the coming couple of years. However, his evaluation of players so far appears to be really good. Matheui has been an absolutely great find and terrific system fit. McNeil appears to be better than I expected and Smith is working out well. Had Buckles been approved by the NCAAs Pitino would have had an amazing first class in terms of filling the holes. That's not easy to do.

 

[Thugunin]

I still love the Reusse tweet from late November that jokingly supported Tubby.

It read that Tubby would have won that Syracuse game because he was the greatest November coach in Gophers history.

On the article, it seems too quick for judgement. The Michigan loss is really going to hurt the gophers in the long run though.