Was firing Richard Pitino a panic move?

[forever a gopher]

Oh sure, technically the exact words "I am calling for Pitino to return" haven't been written here. Or "I am calling for Dennis Gates" or "I am calling for Ben to be fired".

But this headline, the Gates headline, the 'Ben is a disaster' headline, etc., etc., etc....you guys want to have your cake and eat it too. Blast Ben daily but still claim you know it's a rebuild.

For someone that is constantly telling others to take a step back and not pay attention to the basketball program, maybe you should take your own advice and take a step back and not pay attention to the internets for a bit. You seem to get more worked up than the people you are constantly arguing with.

 

[Angry]

Pitino and BJ are the same. Not ready for a B1G coaching job. Unless you give them 10+ years they’re not going to have the opportunity to succeed. Knowing the sports IQ of Minnesota fans we’ll be back in the same boat in 5 years. Hiring an established coach or taking another chance on someone unproven. The U of M leadership could surprise me but, seeing how they are just like politicians going which ever way the wind blows, I’m not holding my breath.

 

[Otis]

9/14 current players are from Minnesota

And what’s our record?

 

[Full Speed Ahead]

This Sports Illustrated article predicts Pitino making it to this year's Final Four. Meanwhile, we're predicted to solidly land in the bottom four of our conference...

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/gophers/richard-pitino-has-new-mexico-getting-final-four-hype

 

[mnhoopboy]

This Sports Illustrated article predicts Pitino making it to this year's Final Four. Meanwhile, we're predicted to solidly land in the bottom four of our conference...

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/gophers/richard-pitino-has-new-mexico-getting-final-four-hype

Got thumped at St. Mary's the other night and it was worse than the actual final score. Don't think I'm taking that prediction to the bank.

 

[jovs]

This Sports Illustrated article predicts Pitino making it to this year's Final Four. Meanwhile, we're predicted to solidly land in the bottom four of our conference...

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/gophers/richard-pitino-has-new-mexico-getting-final-four-hype

How is a team that doesn't play defense going to make it to the final four. They had better be miles ahead of the competition as far as skill set and athleticism goes.

 

[60's Guy]

Got thumped at St. Mary's the other night and it was worse than the actual final score. Don't think I'm taking that prediction to the bank.

OR, you could compliment Pitino for scheduling the tough non conference game on the road two years in a row.
And you might mention their all conference guard House is dinged up and didn't play...and Nelly Joseph couldn't get visa out of Nigeria until a little more than a week ago.
And oh by the way New Mexico won the second half.
So, ya...worse than the final score by what logic?

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

This Sports Illustrated article predicts Pitino making it to this year's Final Four. Meanwhile, we're predicted to solidly land in the bottom four of our conference...

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/gophers/richard-pitino-has-new-mexico-getting-final-four-hype

Click bait bro, you’re better than that.

 

[mnhoopboy]

OR, you could compliment Pitino for scheduling the tough non conference game on the road two years in a row.
And you might mention their all conference guard House is dinged up and didn't play...and Nelly Joseph couldn't get visa out of Nigeria until a little more than a week ago.
And oh by the way New Mexico won the second half.
So, ya...worse than the final score by what logic?

Take all that whining to Albuquerque

 

[Spaulding!No!]

We
Ended up hiring the guy Pitino told ‘quit or be fired’. Gold!

 

[60's Guy]

Take all that whining to Albuquerque

No excuses, just reasons.

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

I'm seeing a lot of false dichotomies on the boards these days. If premise A is true than B cannot be true even if they have nothing to do with each other.

Yes, to some people, the universe of possibilities appears to be limited.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

A .360 conference winning percentage is unacceptable. That’s true even if your successor has a .154 winning percentage.

Pitino deserved to be fired regardless of where we are now.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Can we at least admit Pitino knew how to find guards? Nate Mason, Dupree McBrayer, Amir Coffee, Isaiah Washington, Marcus Carr, Payton Willis, and Jamal Mashburn would all be standouts on this year's team.

The Peyton Willis that Ben Johnson got was a lot better than the one Pitino got.

But no, he actually did recruit guards but not enough of them. He shoehorned Coffee into a PG position (played him 37 minutes per night) and then played Carr 38 minutes per night.

Also, you can’t include IW. He was awful. If he gets credit for IW, CBJ gets credit for Samuels.

 

[LesBolstad]

Pitino was/is the worst X's and O's coach in D1 basketball. He's an above average recruiter. He was allowed to stay hear 3 too many years

 

[gophernut1]

Pitino was way to early of a hire and he wasn't going to grow up and get better staying here. New Mexico is a perfect place for him to thrive and he is doing it.

Ben Johnson was a way to early of a hire and I am not sure if he was to go elsewhere, he would thrive. I thought it was a great hire if he could get the cream of the crop MN recruits here and supplement with some outside help. However, now we are a team that is competing with St. Thomas for best in state. I am sure Ben is a great guy and a good coach, he is just not a coach who can take inferior talent and win against the best.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Pitino was way to early of a hire and he wasn't going to grow up and get better staying here. New Mexico is a perfect place for him to thrive and he is doing it.

Ben Johnson was a way to early of a hire and I am not sure if he was to go elsewhere, he would thrive. I thought it was a great hire if he could get the cream of the crop MN recruits here and supplement with some outside help. However, now we are a team that is competing with St. Thomas for best in state. I am sure Ben is a great guy and a good coach, he is just not a coach who can take inferior talent and win against the best.

Well stated

 

[Dave H]

No excuses, just reasons.

Uh no those were excuses...and we won't even get into the laughable "they won the second half" garbage. Yippie...that is a classic Pitino PC talker. Lost the first half by 15...won the second half by a point!

Hell everything about the game was classic Richard Pitino. Bunch of hype, a lot of "what ifs" and "oh this player couldn't play for X reasons", never really in the game but have a decent enough showing in the second half to give people something to hope for.