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Here are the current number of players entered into the portal from all the Big Ten teams, with Illinois, Purdue still playing in NCAA tournament.

Indiana--3
Iowa--3
Maryland--4
Michigan--4
Michigan St.--0
Minnesota--3
Nebraska--4
Northwestern--0
Ohio St.--1
Oregon--0
Penn St.--5
Rutgers--6
UCLA--0
USC--3
Washington--2
Wisconsin--5
 

SplitDecision said:
Here are the current number of players entered into the portal from all the Big Ten teams, with Illinois, Purdue still playing in NCAA tournament.

Indiana--3
Iowa--3
Maryland--4
Michigan--4
Michigan St.--0
Minnesota--3
Nebraska--4
Northwestern--0
Ohio St.--1
Oregon--0
Penn St.--5
Rutgers--6
UCLA--0
USC--3
Washington--2
Wisconsin--5
Click to expand...
We are at 5
 

SplitDecision said:
Here are the current number of players entered into the portal from all the Big Ten teams, with Illinois, Purdue still playing in NCAA tournament.

Indiana--3
Iowa--3
Maryland--4
Michigan--4
Michigan St.--0
Minnesota--3
Nebraska--4
Northwestern--0
Ohio St.--1
Oregon--0
Penn St.--5
Rutgers--6
UCLA--0
USC--3
Washington--2
Wisconsin--5
Click to expand...
LOL.
Great post. Only off by 67% on the locals
 




I posted at the beginning of the end of the season slide that I wondered whether there were some players who’d already given up on the season. Now that it appears JOJ, Payne, and Carrington may have been talking about leaving before the season ended, I gotta wonder if this did impact team morale and even coaching decisions. Carrington is very likely leaving in search of PT at a mid major. With Asuma coming in, his PT would’ve likely dropped even more.

As to Ben having trouble connecting, total BS. Talk to high school coaches, his former teammates (did you see Rickert’s recent comments in the Strib?), and families of kids he’s recruited. Kids leave for a lot of reasons. Losing is hard. They want PT. Some think they can get more NIL.
 





WilliamsArenaGuy said:
No one here believes they will make more. Those PLAYERS believe it. Big difference.

They are delusional, like a lot of people.
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Quality big men are tough to find so Payne will probably be able to cash in pretty big on this. Disappointing to hear that Carrington and JOJ were malcontents in the locker room but not all that shocking, especially with the cut in minutes for JOJ. If he was being a pain in the butt off the court he didn't deserve a ton of minutes on the court.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Quality big men are tough to find so Payne will probably be able to cash in pretty big on this. Disappointing to hear that Carrington and JOJ were malcontents in the locker room but not all that shocking, especially with the cut in minutes for JOJ. If he was being a pain in the butt off the court he didn't deserve a ton of minutes on the court.
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Payne can, yes. I was referring to the others. It was a response to an earlier post by GWG, but for some reason the quote didn’t show up.
 


bga1 said:
I hope they keep trying. It's also possible that Payne was dead right. The way Ben handled his time was a complete head scratcher. Yeah I know, he's the coach. Let's put it this way, based on his career so far- I don't trust his instincts. He is one stubborn dude. In a lot of ways I like Ben and have said so. But then he does things that just are whacked - like never letting kids like Betts or Keinys see the floor in a blowout....
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Do you think Ben's handling of Payne had anything to do with his chronic back condition both seasons?
 





Dave H said:
I don't disagree that we need to improve through the portal...Payne was not one of the players we needed to get rid of to do it. Payne is a cornerstone piece...he isn't Carrington or JOJ.

And now it seems you are already hedging...saying "sometimes these players do hit". You made it seem that we could get a Big Ten Quality starter because he is gone. Anyone who is proven to be on that level isn't a gamble that needs to hit. The gamble is banking it can happen. And any player that wouldn't come here because of Payne isn't on that level anyways...
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Nobody wanted to get rid of Payne. He made his own decision apparently based on the notion he can get more NIL somewhere else than he was offered here.

There were six guys on the roster we didn't want to replace -- the starting five and Fox. Replacing any of them is fighting to stay even or not lose much production. Losing Payne puts us in that spot, fighting to stay even with replacements.

Losing any of the remaining roster spots is a plus. Each one gives Johnson the opportunity to bring in someone better.

CBJ's longevity here rides almost solely on his ability to attract better players from the portal than the ones he loses.
 

bga1 said:
No worries, we are building a great culture featuring the closing of Minnesota borders.
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Anybody who watched Indiana State play will by now have disabused himself of the idea that Twin Cities high school basketball is extra special.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
So Ben had issues with the only player he could keep from Pitino's final team, and everyone from his first HS class. And that's why they're all now leaving. How convenient.

Ryan James also makes up a lot of shit to defend this terrible coach and program in order to sell subscriptions.

Even if I pretend this is true, then it's just another example of how the players Ben recruits, don't want to play for him long term. He couldn't get anyone to stay from Pitino's last team even though he had relationships with many of them. Couldn't get anyone to follow him from Xavier. And now several players from his first few classes, which includes mostly local kids, can't wait to get out with multiple years of eligibility despite the teams improvement.
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Incredible you think it's the end of the world that Carrington and JOJ left.
 



Go4POV said:
I posted at the beginning of the end of the season slide that I wondered whether there were some players who’d already given up on the season. Now that it appears JOJ, Payne, and Carrington may have been talking about leaving before the season ended, I gotta wonder if this did impact team morale and even coaching decisions. Carrington is very likely leaving in search of PT at a mid major. With Asuma coming in, his PT would’ve likely dropped even more.

As to Ben having trouble connecting, total BS. Talk to high school coaches, his former teammates (did you see Rickert’s recent comments in the Strib?), and families of kids he’s recruited. Kids leave for a lot of reasons. Losing is hard. They want PT. Some think they can get more NIL.
Click to expand...


Excellent post and yes, there’s going to be lots of besmirching comments; fans are angry and lashing out.

Thank God for The Serenity Prayer.
 



Dakota2 said:
Incredible you think it's the end of the world that Carrington and JOJ left.
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I don't think it is. They weren't the only ones.

What's incredible is that we have heard for the last two years that we need to give him more time for his early recruiting classes to develop. Especially since they were made up of a lot of local kids.

What's also incredible is that they all left within 2 years.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
I don't think it is. They weren't the only ones.

What's incredible is that we have heard for the last two years that we need to give him more time for his early recruiting classes to develop. Especially since they were made up of a lot of local kids.

What's also incredible is that they all left within 2 years.
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Can't be argued, yet some are excusing the portal fun.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
So they all weren't good enough to play more here, yet they are going to transfer to a better program to get more money and more playing time.

If you actually believe that, I have ocean front property in Shakopee to sell you.
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We don't have to believe it but Carrington and JOJ might very well believe it. In Payne's case, he no doubt will get more money but possibly less playing time.
 

It will be ok if Ben is Garcia, Hawkins, Christie, Mitchell, Fox, Betts come back and Ben is able to land some good fish in the portal. Plenty out there! Ben did get Hawkins and Mitchell, but Wilson and Keiny's late to round up the squad really put the depth short. He may have thought more for JOJ, Ihnen, etc but still waiting for a long time and then coming up short getting help for the post really hurt. If we are unable to improve the post position, we will definitely not be a top 25 team at all.
Beside Morgan haven't heard anymore of Gophers reached out. Can't snooze and lose.
 

howeda7 said:
Everyone has struggles. What are his strengths again?
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You might say his strengths are being a young man with three years run as a head basketball coach in the Big Ten, a multi-million dollar a year salary and a pretty well set future. That compares to you exactly how again????
 

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