So ... How was the Clem reception?

Donate To GopherHole
J

jags1998

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2008
Messages
491
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Those who were there ... and I don't know that we need to argue what should have happened all over again ... but how was Clem received?
 

Mixed. Probably 80% cheers though. Noticed he didn't participate in rouser ever.
 


I don't think it was even close to "mixed" ChemE; he got a 40 second standing ovation?

It was an overwhelmingly positive to almost jubilant reaction from the crowd.
 

He got a standing ovation which he deserved, but he also got Sid's nose so far up his ass I could see it from the other side of the court.
 


Seeing that team on the floor brought back some great memories. I loved seeing the team huddle and later Willie Burton playing it up for the crowd! It was a very special night for Gopher basketball.
 

Clem

It was actually an awesome moment. Tubby delayed going in for halftime to give the team and Clem an introduction. Clem was just going to be in the stands with his wife while the players were honored, but the crowd gave him a huge ovation and Willie Burton and Sid Hartman basically manhandled him onto the court where he hugged all the players and coaches from the 89-90 team while the crowd cheered. It looked like it meant a lot to Clem and the players and I was surprised by how ready to cheer for Clem everybody seemed to be. Of all the halftime introductions of former players and coaches I don't think I've ever seen one with more emotion. Unique and special and I'm glad I got to see it.

It was also fun seeing everybody stopping by to hug Clem during breaks. I believe there was even a Hosea Crittenden appearance.

Also Willie Burton still looks good enough to drop 30 on somebody right now.
 

ShowinGoldyLove said:
I don't think it was even close to "mixed" ChemE; he got a 40 second standing ovation?

It was an overwhelmingly positive to almost jubilant reaction from the crowd.
Click to expand...

+1

I'm not sure if it was the intention to kind of have Clem hang out by his seat at 1st - instead of being on the court, to kind of see the reaction when Tubby introduced him...but right when he did, it was an overwhleming applause. I personally, didn't hear anyone booing, and I'm happy about that. After seeing the thread about Clem, it seemed our board was 90% anti-cheering, and that would have just been tacky. That is booing that 1989 team, and it looks horrible - to fans, recruits, anyone there. Glad it didn't happen!

As for the Sid thing, oh my god - give me a few minutes to upload my photos, so you can see, in photos - the Sid show!
 

All that talk of getting boooooo'd was a joke, at least 1/2 - 3/4 of the people were standing - he is still adored. Willie was quite the showman... was a great night. Big Ten play is going to be a grind, as always.
 



It was a great moment. The fans did the right thing and gave him a great response. Tubby did a nice job requesting that the fans give a "respectful" welcome to Clem. There's a time to forgive, move on and remember the good things. It had to feel good to Clem and that's nice to see. Despite the problems he was a terrific coach here and the love of his old players was obvious.
 

LOL! I find it so hilarious that the same folks on this board that think Clem deserved the response he got tonight all rip on the likes John Calipari, Bob Huggins, Pete Carroll, etc.
 

Art Vandelay said:
LOL! I find it so hilarious that the same folks on this board that think Clem deserved the response he got tonight all rip on the likes John Calipari, Bob Huggins, Pete Carroll, etc.
Click to expand...

I'll be the 1st one to say I rip on guys like Calipari and Huggins - so I'll respond to this comment. I personally, did not use the word "deserve." It was the right thing to do. I would understand if people chose to say nothing, or do nothing - but as I said, if you're booing, when the entire team is on that court, men that gave their heart and souls to the Gophers, and Tubby is giving Clem a warm welcome, that's just tacky.
 

bga1 said:
There's a time to forgive, move on and remember the good things.
Click to expand...

I forgive people that ask for forgiveness.

"I'm not perfect, but I never did anything that would embarrass or hurt the university, the community or the program." - Clem Haskins - ESPN.com

Maybe we'll see some contrition in tomorrow's paper, but frankly, tonight's display was nauseating. Silence would've been Golden.
 



I always thought Clem had the best interest of the players at heart. In my opinion, guys like Calipari have their own interests at heart. Clem screwed up in a big way but what did he do? Helped players (illegally) to stay in school and gave money out of pocket for legit expenses.

No one was driving around campus in Escalades.

I think Clem understood too well what it meant to be extremely poor without a middleclass support system.
 

>>He got a standing ovation which he deserved...<<

I'm not sure which universe you call home.

Cheering the biggest villain in Gopher BB history is taking Minnesota Nice a bit too far. Shame on Clem and shame on the homers who gave him an ovation.
 

Winnipegopher said:
I always thought Clem had the best interest of the players at heart. In my opinion, guys like Calipari have their own interests at heart. Clem screwed up in a big way but what did he do? Helped players (illegally) to stay in school and gave money out of pocket for legit expenses.

No one was driving around campus in Escalades.

I think Clem understood too well what it meant to be extremely poor without a middleclass support system.
Click to expand...

I've spoken to a few of his players about this - and they said the exact same thing. He was a "Father Figure" to them. And although he didn't do the right things, I don't think there was any malice or selfishness behind the intent. Once again, not saying it's right, what he did was wrong, wrong, wrong....but I can see where he's coming from. You get to know these kids, and you want to help them. Many come from poor and troubled backgrounds, and you want to take them under your wing. As a coach, you need to stay within NCAA policies, and he didn't. I'm not excusing it, just saying I can certainly see why he did the things he did - and had no idea he was hurting the kids instead of helping them.
 

Gopher4Life said:
Shame on Clem and shame on the homers who gave him an ovation.
Click to expand...
Which was probably 11-12k of some of the most ardent Gopher basketball fans in the state tonight in Williams Arena.

Seems like regardless of what happened, the vast majority were willing to overlook his transgressions in order to show their support of what he and that Elite 8 team DID bring to the University of MN.
 

Art Vandelay said:
LOL! I find it so hilarious that the same folks on this board that think Clem deserved the response he got tonight all rip on the likes John Calipari, Bob Huggins, Pete Carroll, etc.
Click to expand...

Calipari and Huggins (not sure how Carroll fits in other than Reggie Bush) have coached at multiple schools and have never been shunned in the way Clem was. Clem didn't cheat to recruit or he probably would have had Webber on campus and the Gophers would have had a minimum of another final four during his tenure. Calipari can leave a trail from UMass to Memphis, to Kentucky, and Huggins can go from Cincinnati to Kansas State to West Virginia. Clem has been out of the game for a decade now.

I'd like a level playing field and a chance to compete for championships.
 

Clem was flawed but tonight's cheers were the right thing. This from Reusse's column on the night:

<"Oh, man, I'm checking my heart," Haskins said. "I've had three attacks and I think I'm going to have a fourth. I thank everybody for this.">
 

"Blame" Tubby

Tubby Smith got on the floor and made sure that the man and the moment would be respected. It gives you an idea of how he manages a basketball team when he can manage to get a crowd of people to know that whatever has happened in the past, this is not the moment for retribution. And it was the response of the players that truly prompted the standing O. This team had a connection. You could watch them laughing and talking in the section they were sitting - Randy Carter, who played with some of them, had joined them.

This was not about Clem, this was about a team that went to the Elite 8 and was honored for it tonight.
 

I guess I have a bit of a minority opinion on whether Clem got a standing ovation: I don't think the crowd was on its feet because of Clem. The team was first introduced on the court before Clem and the crowd gave the team the standing ovation.

The crowd pretty much remained standing when Clem was introduced and remained standing when the several of the team went and pulled Clem up on the court. But it was hardly as if the crowd rose to their feet when Clem was introduced.

It had the potential of being somewhat awkward but I think Tubby (and the marketing folks) finessed the situation to avoid any embarrassment.

edit: I see Moonlight had the same general reaction so I guess it's a minority of two ... ...
 

Rick, I think the crowd responded to the team's affection for Clem and each other - and of course - the most important man of the night (Cough, hack) SID.
 

Gopher4Life said:
>>He got a standing ovation which he deserved...<<

I'm not sure which universe you call home.

Cheering the biggest villain in Gopher BB history is taking Minnesota Nice a bit too far. Shame on Clem and shame on the homers who gave him an ovation.
Click to expand...

Good for you, Gopher$Life. It's all those damn amoral, situational ethicalists with falling standards that let anything go (and who are Minnesota Nice.) Now there are some folks who are still simply angry at Clem because of what he did and how he acted, but you are the man to bring this to a whole different level. Seeing that this is a pivotal moment in the demise of our society.

We really should be ashamed because we either showed forgiveness, or, more likely, because we were caught up in a neat moment and showed affection and nostalgia for an entire group of people that gave us such great memories.

As usual, with your superior code and insight, you have now dictated how an entire group should think and act; and you are now free to go back to the Off Topic Forum where you can continue to save America. Thanks a bunch. By the way, are you aware the Gophers won last night?
 

EG#9 said:
Calipari and Huggins (not sure how Carroll fits in other than Reggie Bush) have coached at multiple schools and have never been shunned in the way Clem was. Clem didn't cheat to recruit or he probably would have had Webber on campus and the Gophers would have had a minimum of another final four during his tenure. Calipari can leave a trail from UMass to Memphis, to Kentucky, and Huggins can go from Cincinnati to Kansas State to West Virginia. Clem has been out of the game for a decade now.

I'd like a level playing field and a chance to compete for championships.
Click to expand...

Ever heard of Bobby Jackson?
 


Winnipegopher said:
I always thought Clem had the best interest of the players at heart. In my opinion, guys like Calipari have their own interests at heart. Clem screwed up in a big way but what did he do? Helped players (illegally) to stay in school and gave money out of pocket for legit expenses.

No one was driving around campus in Escalades.

I think Clem understood too well what it meant to be extremely poor without a middleclass support system.
Click to expand...

I recall reading that Willie had a nice 'vette.

Clem would not have gotten the response without the "cover" from Tubby. It was handled well in terms of avoiding a cascade of boos. The moment kind of built on itself. It was hard not to become emotional seeing the former players literally surround and embrace Clem. There was a protective element to it and I think the crowd responded to it.

I didn't boo or cheer Clem but I thought it was handled unusually well.

No Maturi and, of course, no Bruininks.
 

It was a very odd positivity. Myself and the people around me all seemed to stand and applaud all while discussing with each other the strangeness and irony? of the situation, and how it mightve been minnesota niceness to a vault.

Was it just me or was Clem sitting in the seat where Maturi usually sits?

Gotta love those players though. Newburn, Burton, Coffey, good memories!


Who's excited for the 15 year reunion of the final four team, that should be coming up in a couple of years eh?
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom