Souhan: If not now, Mark Coyle, when? Past time to diversify Gophers leadership

I hope I live long enough to see the day that MLK’s words ring true and everybody is judged be their character. Unfortunately we are not at that point and it’s a fact that African Americans are underrepresented as coaches in many top sports, both collegiate and pro. I think that in many cases white coaches have gotten more chances after being fired both for performance and NCAA related infractions. Haskins never coached after here but guys like Bruce Pearl still are. That being said this hire will not solve the problem in itself and I do hope Coyle hires the guy he feels is the best candidate. If that ends up being Gates I will trust Coyles judgement and be ready to support this program.

The ADs, despite what the average public thinks, don't have that type of sway. It starts at the top, the boosters, the regents, etc.

If minorities can climb those ranks, change would occur a lot faster. It takes time.
 

What about Kalvin Sampson, Dwayne Casey, or Avery Johnson? I just don't get the Sam Mitchell chatter. He played in Minnesota? Who cares.. no nba team has hired him and that should tell us something
 

What about Kalvin Sampson, Dwayne Casey, or Avery Johnson? I just don't get the Sam Mitchell chatter. He played in Minnesota? Who cares.. no nba team has hired him and that should tell us something
Kalvin Sampson is old and has major baggage. Dwayne Casey has never coached college that I'm aware of. Avery Johnson pretty much flopped at Alabama.


I'd take Sampson, personally, but there's zero chance of the U allowing that. The other two, hard pass.
 

Kalvin Sampson is old and has major baggage. Dwayne Casey has never coached college that I'm aware of. Avery Johnson pretty much flopped at Alabama.


I'd take Sampson, personally, but there's zero chance of the U allowing that. The other two, hard pass.
I would pass on all as well, they're all better candidates then Sam Mitchell though..
 





What about Kalvin Sampson, Dwayne Casey, or Avery Johnson? I just don't get the Sam Mitchell chatter. He played in Minnesota? Who cares.. no nba team has hired him and that should tell us something
Avery could recruit well but how could you command a team with that voice?
 







Kalvin Sampson is old and has major baggage. Dwayne Casey has never coached college that I'm aware of. Avery Johnson pretty much flopped at Alabama.


I'd take Sampson, personally, but there's zero chance of the U allowing that. The other two, hard pass.
Dwayne Casey was an assistant for Clem for 5 years at WKU.
 



As a black man, I'm cool with Coyle not hiring a black guy to be the men's bball head coach if he's getting a great pick. Now if Coyle passes over black coaches to pick some random assistant at the Univ. of Montana that no one has ever heard of, then that's problematic. But Clem and Tubby have been coaches, so I don't think there's something inherently racist about Gopher bball. HOWEVER, I can't say the same for other sports and also in the athletic administration. If there is not diversity in the coaching ranks, then there should be in the office. There's no excuses for that.
 

A great basketball coach is part psychologist, part chess grand master, part hiring manager, part marine drill sargeant, lets get one of those.
 

Richard Pitino is a better candidate than Sam Mitchell.
I disagree. What is PJ Fleck's biggest strength? Is it his x's and o's? Is it his ability to recruit? I'd argue that it's his vision for what the Gopher Football program can become. For the first time in my lifetime we had a coach talking about winning B1G and National Championships who believed it...and I'm almost 55 years old! Some of the posters on this board think so freaking small. I think some people think if we can just get so we aren't playing in the first day of the B1G tournament they would be happy. I'm sorry....being 9th or 10th in the B1G isn't good enough. Being 6th, 7th or 8th in the B1G isn't good enough. At least Sam Mitchell has the right attitude....and I'm not sure that any of the other candidates we are looking at do.

I'm not saying Sam Mitchell would be my choice....and I don't think he is a leading candidate for the job. But he has worked in youth basketball, is known in basketball circles and is known in the basketball community in the Twin Cities. I'm sorry to burst some of your bubbles, but GopherHole isn't the basketball community in the Twin Cities.
 

As a black man, I'm cool with Coyle not hiring a black guy to be the men's bball head coach if he's getting a great pick. Now if Coyle passes over black coaches to pick some random assistant at the Univ. of Montana that no one has ever heard of, then that's problematic. But Clem and Tubby have been coaches, so I don't think there's something inherently racist about Gopher bball. HOWEVER, I can't say the same for other sports and also in the athletic administration. If there is not diversity in the coaching ranks, then there should be in the office. There's no excuses for that.
THIS.

Much more reasonable take than trying to force it for one, extremely high profile position.
 


Diversity will destroy these universities, its already happening. Wokeness over common sense or best PERSON for the job.
maybe hit up miami beach for some candidates from last weekend.
 
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As a minority i despise the idea of not having things being decided on merit. Also support the idea of freedom for Coyle to decide who the best for this job is without worrying about pigmentation. Universities are treading dangerously to telling you what to think instead of teaching you how to think.
 

Diversity will destroy these universities, its already happening. Wokeness over common sense or best PERSON for the job.
maybe hit up miami beach for some candidates from last weekend.
Certainly illiterate. Almost unintelligible.
 

Diversity will destroy these universities, its already happening. Wokeness over common sense or best PERSON for the job.
maybe hit up miami beach for some candidates from last weekend.

Feeling better about your team after yesterday?
 

I disagree. What is PJ Fleck's biggest strength? Is it his x's and o's? Is it his ability to recruit? I'd argue that it's his vision for what the Gopher Football program can become. For the first time in my lifetime we had a coach talking about winning B1G and National Championships who believed it...and I'm almost 55 years old! Some of the posters on this board think so freaking small. I think some people think if we can just get so we aren't playing in the first day of the B1G tournament they would be happy. I'm sorry....being 9th or 10th in the B1G isn't good enough. Being 6th, 7th or 8th in the B1G isn't good enough. At least Sam Mitchell has the right attitude....and I'm not sure that any of the other candidates we are looking at do.

I'm not saying Sam Mitchell would be my choice....and I don't think he is a leading candidate for the job. But he has worked in youth basketball, is known in basketball circles and is known in the basketball community in the Twin Cities. I'm sorry to burst some of your bubbles, but GopherHole isn't the basketball community in the Twin Cities.
I’m going to go ahead and disagree with you on Sam Mitchell.
99% of the basketball community of Minnesota has never had an interaction with Sam Mitchell.

You can’t just say “so and so is known in basketball circles” and have it mean something. That statement doesn’t mean anything.
 

I’m going to go ahead and disagree with you on Sam Mitchell.
99% of the basketball community of Minnesota has never had an interaction with Sam Mitchell.

You can’t just say “so and so is known in basketball circles” and have it mean something. That statement doesn’t mean anything.
That may be....I have no idea if he has had conversations with the EP, the LN or the Bloomington Jefferson coach ever. I heard his interview with Doogie where he said Richard Coffey was one of his best friends. They listed off other guys in the Twin Cities who he is close to....

I've also read where he was given a lot of the credit for Wiseman going to Memphis. The bigger point I was trying to make is that his attitude isn't one where we want to compete with the middle of the B1G....which is the attitude it feels like a lot of people have on this forum.
 

That may be....I have no idea if he has had conversations with the EP, the LN or the Bloomington Jefferson coach ever. I heard his interview with Doogie where he said Richard Coffey was one of his best friends. They listed off other guys in the Twin Cities who he is close to....

I've also read where he was given a lot of the credit for Wiseman going to Memphis. The bigger point I was trying to make is that his attitude isn't one where we want to compete with the middle of the B1G....which is the attitude it feels like a lot of people have on this forum.

Penny gave Wiseman's family $11,500 to pay for moving expenses when he transferred to Penny's HS team. Wiseman's relationship with Penny is why he went to Memphis, not Sam Mitchell.
 

As a minority i despise the idea of not having things being decided on merit. Also support the idea of freedom for Coyle to decide who the best for this job is without worrying about pigmentation. Universities are treading dangerously to telling you what to think instead of teaching you how to think.
Our universities have been telling students what to think for quite a long time now.

I trust Coyle to make a solid hire infinitely more than the last couple of people who sat in that chair at the U. I have faith they'll do their due diligence and make a great hire.

This is a big hire for the Gophers, a BIG hire. Gopher basketball has a relevancy issue right now and the right hire can go a long ways towards pulling them back out of the depths and reignite the fan base. Coyle needs to hit at least a triple with this one
 

That may be....I have no idea if he has had conversations with the EP, the LN or the Bloomington Jefferson coach ever. I heard his interview with Doogie where he said Richard Coffey was one of his best friends. They listed off other guys in the Twin Cities who he is close to....

I've also read where he was given a lot of the credit for Wiseman going to Memphis. The bigger point I was trying to make is that his attitude isn't one where we want to compete with the middle of the B1G....which is the attitude it feels like a lot of people have on this forum.
Richard Coffey isn’t prominent in the twin cities basketball scene either.

what you just said in rebuttal doesn’t make your point that he is well connected. That’s just straight up not true.

wiseman isn’t from Minnesota? Don’t see how that supports you even if it was true. Him recruiting one recruit who played a couple games to Memphis after going to high school in Memphis and talking to Richard Coffey a couple of times makes him well connected to MN AAU basketball and high school basketball?
 

Penny gave Wiseman's family $11,500 to pay for moving expenses when he transferred to Penny's HS team. Wiseman's relationship with Penny is why he went to Memphis, not Sam Mitchell.
Wiseman played 3 college games.

and this is the argument Mitchell is the man for the job. Lol

I might argue Mitchell’s time at Memphis should be a disqualifying factor, not a reason to hire him.
 

My God I'm glad the Strib isn't in charge of hiring/firing at the U!
 

A great basketball coach is part psychologist, part chess grand master, part hiring manager, part marine drill sargeant, lets get one of those.
Today's players have a different reactions to coaches than players from before so not sure part drill Sargeant works anymore. Ask Izzo and Gabe Brown
 




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