Source tells Chad Hartman that Flip Saunders has now emerged as the leading candidate

[gopherdad]

I am surprised that many think they "know" his coaching style.

He has always adapted his style to his talent. Don't forget...he cut his teeth in the CBA. The CBA rosters changed weekly, and he was known as a coach who would adapt his teams to the talent he had. He had pretty good success at that level, sometimes having to change offensive strategies weekly.

 

[phipho]

I disagree. We fire Maturi to bring in Teague, and things were supposed to be different. Amateur hour was supposed to be over. Hiring Flip is a hire Maturi could've made. Hell, it's a hire my 6-year-old son could make. If we're excited about this kind of hire, what did we get rid of Maturi for? And not only that, we fire a future HOF coach coming off the most successful Gopher season in 23 years (paying him $2.5 MM on his way out the door) to hire a guy in his late 50s who hasn't coached at the college level in 27 years? It is sad on a number of levels.

You have to ask why we fired Maturi? he's the reason we are going to end up paying 3 million plus to Tubby and why we will end up paying lots of cash to Barton.

 

[Juicer]

So you guys want to a hire a 58 year old who needs to make major adustments to win? ohhhhhhhkay then. And am I supposed to be impressed by three free-throw attempts per game?

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/free-throws/sort/avgFreeThrowsAttempted

I am shocked at people actually questioning Flip's ability to coach basketball. That should frankly be the least of people's concerns. The dude can coach. The big question IMO is his level of motivation to recruit and stay engaged at the college level. That has nothing to do with Xs and Os; we know that he can do that part.

 

[Section201]

Here's Flip's story to potential recruits:

- I've been a coach forever, and I know basketball.
- I love the U of MN and I'm an alum.
- I know EVERYONE in the NBA.
- I know what it takes to get to the NBA and stay.

What kid would not want to hear that? I'd be more than happy with Flip as the coach.

he could also say, "was a point guard!"

Wouldn't it be great if we could recruit a real point guard?

 

[John Galt]

How many different ways do I have to explain it?

What's the single most important facet of the job for any college coach in any sport at any level?

If you said anything other than "recruiting", you're wrong.

How much recruiting has Flip done since 1986?

The same amount as I have.

Couple that with his jump-shot offense, and I'm tingly all over.

I'm not thrilled with Flip either, but let me get this straight. You defend Brewster as a great recruiter, Brewster's teams were bad despite his "great" recruiting, yet recruiting is the most important facet of the job?

Coaching is the most important aspect of the job.

 

[John Galt]

Flip's coaching history did not start in the NBA with the Timberwolves. He was an even better coach with lesser talent down in the CBA prior to that - his teams were very good. He knows how to coach, recruiting will not be an issue for a former NBA-guy, and he loves the U. What else do you want?[/QUOTE]

Someone who has been a successul college basketball coach in the last 20 years.

 

[G0 4]

Flip's coaching history did not start in the NBA with the Timberwolves. He was an even better coach with lesser talent down in the CBA prior to that - his teams were very good. He knows how to coach, recruiting will not be an issue for a former NBA-guy, and he loves the U. What else do you want?[/QUOTE]

Someone who has been a successul college basketball coach in the last 20 years.

ISU would have missed out on Hoiberg with that criteria.

 

[dpodoll68]

Coaching is the most important aspect of the job.

Incorrect. Give Bobby Knight in his prime your local rec league squad, and give Scott Drew the 1996 Kentucky squad, and Drew will win 100 times out of 100. You need to have a reasonable baseline of talent to work with, or it doesn't matter how good of a coach you are. Coaching is obviously very important, but it is completely meaningless if you don't have players to work with. See: Flip Saunders at Washington. See: Rick Adelman this year after all the injuries. Adelman is a brilliant coach (one of the best ever), and he has squeezed a lot out of a depleted roster, but he is angling for a top 5 pick because he doesn't have a reasonable baseline of talent.

 

[Scoreboard]

Sources have said Flip is now a part of V7.

 

[AShreve20]

Flip's coaching history did not start in the NBA with the Timberwolves. He was an even better coach with lesser talent down in the CBA prior to that - his teams were very good. He knows how to coach, recruiting will not be an issue for a former NBA-guy, and he loves the U. What else do you want?[/QUOTE]

Someone who has been a successul college basketball coach in the last 20 years.

Tubby Smith?

 

[John Galt]

Incorrect. Give Bobby Knight in his prime your local rec league squad, and give Scott Drew the 1996 Kentucky squad, and Drew will win 100 times out of 100. You need to have a reasonable baseline of talent to work with, or it doesn't matter how good of a coach you are. Coaching is obviously very important, but it is completely meaningless if you don't have players to work with. See: Flip Saunders at Washington. See: Rick Adelman this year after all the injuries. Adelman is a brilliant coach (one of the best ever), and he has squeezed a lot out of a depleted roster, but he is angling for a top 5 pick because he doesn't have a reasonable baseline of talent.

Thanks for stating the obvious! I could also write several paragraphs on how Tim Brewster, despite having the 17th best recruiting class in the nation, lost to South Dakota at home, which didn't have one player who was ever offered a scholarship by a Big Ten school. I could also write about Kentucky, which despite having the #1 recruiting class in the nation, failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament and lost to something called Bob Morris in the NIT.

YMCA rec leagues aside, coaching is the most important aspect assuming similar talent levels.

 

[Stan]

Flip is on with KFAN right now talking about the Sweet 16.

 

[dpodoll68]

coaching is the most important aspect assuming similar talent levels

Obviously. But you can't have similar talent levels without (at least) solid recruiting. If recruiting were not the single most important thing, you could just roll out there with 13 walk-ons, save a ton of money on scholarships, and roll to a ton of victories. Huge disparities in talent are not the result of coaching. They are the result of recruiting. You can obviously lose with a huge talent advantage, but it's virtually impossible to win consistently with a huge talent deficit.

 

[WorkingMyTailOff]

After reading this thread, you guys have convinced me. Flip is our guy

Seriously, I like the idea of it from a recruiting and energizing the fan base perspective. The one concern I have is that he will run a loose program and kids will get into trouble either inside outside the classroom.

Also, I still can't get the memory of Flip checking into the Whitney Hotel when he first was hired as the Wolves coach (the Wolves used the Whitney as their team hotel), and he was driving a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am. I think he was living pretty modestly at the time, but I always thought that was cool and funny.

 

[tikited]

I'm pretty excited if true. Huge upgrade from Tubby imo. I wanted a few others before Flip but never really felt we had an actual chance with any of them. The next few years with Flip will be exciting no matter what. That's if it is true?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I am surprised that many think they "know" his coaching style.

He has always adapted his style to his talent. Don't forget...he cut his teeth in the CBA. The CBA rosters changed weekly, and he was known as a coach who would adapt his teams to the talent he had. He had pretty good success at that level, sometimes having to change offensive strategies weekly.

You're right. I am only talking about his time in the NBA. I know nothing of what he did in the CBA or Golden Valley Lutheran.

I was only correcting some statements people made about his style of coaching. His NBA teams played a certain way and that is all ANY OF US know, so when we're talking about his style, that's what we're talking about.

He could change it, maybe he was a run and gun, drive the lane and shoot 3's coach in the CBA, it's perfectly possible.

 

[DMB123]

Incorrect. Give Bobby Knight in his prime your local rec league squad, and give Scott Drew the 1996 Kentucky squad, and Drew will win 100 times out of 100. You need to have a reasonable baseline of talent to work with, or it doesn't matter how good of a coach you are. Coaching is obviously very important, but it is completely meaningless if you don't have players to work with. See: Flip Saunders at Washington. See: Rick Adelman this year after all the injuries. Adelman is a brilliant coach (one of the best ever), and he has squeezed a lot out of a depleted roster, but he is angling for a top 5 pick because he doesn't have a reasonable baseline of talent.

Do you think you're actually making a point here? Thanks for pointing out the obvious!

I'm not sure if Flip should be everyone's first choice, but the people who are completely against the idea need to get a clue.

 

[Slim Tubby]

I don't know if Flip will turn out to be he right hire, but if he fails, it won't be due to lack of energy and a lethargic approach to recruiting. Those against the hire argue that he can't coach and the biggest crock of horse-*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# ever spewed here. As for recruiting, I can understand the argument that he hasn't been in the game for a while. However, his reputation does carry a lot of weight, especially in this market, and I'm predicting right now that he will land at least 2 of the Big 3 with a shot at adding Tyus as well. I'll come back for a deserved shellacking if this doesn't prove true.

I'm already thinking about the first home game next season and the crowd's response when he is announced as our Head Coach...should be special.

 

[Tater]

Really, if we're talking about whether he's an upgrade, the basic questions are (1) whether Flip can regularly finish .500 or better in the B1G and (2) whether he can win more than one NCAA tourney game in less than 6 years. I agree that Flip is not necessarily a sure thing (as far as becoming the next great B1G coach) but I also have no doubt that he can accomplish both goals and then some.

 

[Governor Sibley]

My problem is that I'm an incurable Gopher homer.

Which means I couldn't possibly form an objective opinion on our boy Flip.

 

[scher215]

I don't think this thing is over though. I'm not believing anyone is the guy until either every MN media outlet is reporting it or I see NT standing at the podium.

Still not convinced Flip is the hire yet.

 

[alchemy2u]

Obviously. But you can't have similar talent levels without (at least) solid recruiting. If recruiting were not the single most important thing, you could just roll out there with 13 walk-ons, save a ton of money on scholarships, and roll to a ton of victories. Huge disparities in talent are not the result of coaching. They are the result of recruiting. You can obviously lose with a huge talent advantage, but it's virtually impossible to win consistently with a huge talent deficit.

Come on, you sure are beating this one to death. He are only talking about recruiting 3-4 players each year and you don't think he and assistant can't do that? It is a matter of finding the players with the right potential and selling them on the U and his experience in the NBA. It is all about developing the players. Even laid back Tubby was able to get good players to come here, his problem was he didn't develop them and communicate with them. Not many B1G teams are loaded with the top rated players in each class, they develop the players into the best conference in the country.

 

[Nate]

We'll never know the truth until richmondinsider posts. Man, i really hope he can clear the air.

 

[jamalo]

The small handful of people who wouldn't like this hire confuse me.

Flip Saunders > Anthony Grant and Tony Bennett

 

[sonnygarcia]

I disagree. We fire Maturi to bring in Teague, and things were supposed to be different. Amateur hour was supposed to be over. Hiring Flip is a hire Maturi could've made.

Sure, Maturi could have hired Flip, but could be have fired Tubby? With Maturi we were in for another 3 yrs of Tubby Time and would have gotten down to the end of the Monson era levels by the time it was all over. Tubby's recruiting dropped off and combine that with his lazy coaching = disaster.

 

[scher215]

Still hoping Lionel forces his way out of Memphis and coaches the Gophers.

The biggest hater of the slow pace of college basketball will force the Gophers to shoot within 24 seconds no matter what. Andre will be forcing shots with 11 seconds on the shot clock to beat the buzzer.

And yes I'd love that.

 

[XMan]

This team would have been further along if they had fired Tubby and hired Flip last Spring. I would have loved to see what he could have done with our players this year.

 

[station19]

Reusse saying one of the reasons Teague and Ellis wanted Tubby gone was because they felt 'he didn't work at it'.

Mike Max saying Flip will take the job if the money is right. Some of his salary might go towards the practice facility.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I don't think this thing is over though. I'm not believing anyone is the guy until either every MN media outlet is reporting it or I see NT standing at the podium.

Still not convinced Flip is the hire yet.

I hope it gets done or everyone is going to look really bad.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Flip Saunders > Anthony Grant and Tony Bennett

All you're doing is stating an opinion as if it were fact.

The fact that a small minority of people on here aren't into the hiring shouldn't be surprising. Like Flip or not, he has question marks. He hasn't coached college ball in a really long time. I'm not saying it's a bad hiring, I don't really like it, but I can understand why some people do. It shouldn't take much stretching of your imagination to understand why people wouldn't be ecstatic about Flip either. I mean, people wouldn't be pumped here if Mike Fratello got hired. That doesn't make my opinion right and your opinion wrong, but both opinions should at least be able to be comprehended.