What are we waiting for?

[Swaggerson]

Are we waiting for Cory to decide or are we waiting for him to communicate his decision? Is he waiting for additional information that may influence his decision or is he just having a hard time pulling the trigger?

 

[Minnie Soda]

Are we waiting for Cory to decide or are we waiting for him to communicate his decision? Is he waiting for additional information that may influence his decision or is he just having a hard time pulling the trigger?

He's sitting back with a smile on his face, reading the reactions of stressed-out fans on Message Boards at five different schools. I've posted this idea before, but Cory sure is good at playing hard-to-get. It just goes on-and-on. There have already been two weekends where he was "supposed" to have made his announcement, only to get the date pushed back even further. But I bet he loves making us nervous wrecks.

 

[eker0016]

I'm glad we are still in the running for him but I think it really hurts a school like the U of M to hang in these high stakes chases (Cory, Seantrel) that we don't have much of a chance at winning. We end up having to sign plan B, C or D guys. Texas, OSU, Kansas etc. can afford it since they have pretty good chances of winning and perennially reel these guys in.

 

[Minnie Soda]

I'm glad we are still in the running for him but I think it really hurts a school like the U of M to hang in these high stakes chases (Cory, Seantrel) that we don't have much of a chance at winning. We end up having to sign plan B, C or D guys. Texas, OSU, Kansas etc. can afford it since they have pretty good chances of winning and perennially reel these guys in.

I don't agree with this line of thinking. People need to change their perspective about the Minnesota men's basketball program. Don't factor anything that took place before Tubby Smith was hired into your view of what this program "is." This team isn't Dan Monson's. It's not Clem Haskins' guys. Right now, Minnesota has one of the better coaches in the country, a big name guy, and we have to stop thinking of Minnesota in terms of its past. Does that make sense?

I mean, sure, with Monson as coach, Texas, OSU, and Kansas would all have a better chance at getting top-tier talent signed. But with Tubby Smith, I think the Gophers have as good a chance as any to compete for great recruits. So, as fans, we need to end this defeatist mentality that there's no hope for Minnesota to be able to land one of the nation's top prep stars.

 

[Tater]

Agreed. It is still tough to wait it out as a fan though.

 

[Gopher Teeth]

I don't agree with this line of thinking. People need to change their perspective about the Minnesota men's basketball program. Don't factor anything that took place before Tubby Smith was hired into your view of what this program "is." This team isn't Dan Monson's. It's not Clem Haskins' guys. Right now, Minnesota has one of the better coaches in the country, a big name guy, and we have to stop thinking of Minnesota in terms of its past. Does that make sense?

I mean, sure, with Monson as coach, Texas, OSU, and Kansas would all have a better chance at getting top-tier talent signed. But with Tubby Smith, I think the Gophers have as good a chance as any to compete for great recruits. So, as fans, we need to end this defeatist mentality that there's no hope for Minnesota to be able to land one of the nation's top prep stars.

Agreed. Take for example Kansas State, a completely irrelevant program, in comes Huggins they immediately became a factor.

 

[Minnie Soda]

Agreed. Take for example Kansas State, a completely irrelevant program, in comes Huggins they immediately became a factor.

Yeah, that is a great example. Before Bob Huggins/Frank Martin, would KSU have been able to get a 5-star kid to come to Manhattan?! I don't think so. Which is why I get so upset when I see people give up on the idea that Minnesota can be a major player in recruiting, or when people say that Texas or Villanova would be a better place for a guy like Cory to go if he wants to get to the NBA in a year or two. That's hogwash! Minnesota plays in the Big Ten. The Twin Cities is a fantastic Metro area (much better than Manhattan, Kansas, by the way). Anyone who thinks that a guy like Cory Joseph couldn't get the type of attention he needs by playing at Minnesota is crazy.

And, I'm sure someone will try to respond to this by saying that Cory wouldn't get enough minutes per game in Tubby Smith's system. That's absurd. First of all, Tubby hasn't had a five-star point guard at Minnesota yet. Take a look at Rajon Rondo's stats at Kentucky. He got plenty of time on the floor, playing 30 minutes or more in 22 games during the 2004-05 season. A player like Cory would earn the right to be running the show for the Gophers.

 

[bga1]

Yeah, that is a great example. Before Bob Huggins/Frank Martin, would KSU have been able to get a 5-star kid to come to Manhattan?! I don't think so. Which is why I get so upset when I see people give up on the idea that Minnesota can be a major player in recruiting, or when people say that Texas or Villanova would be a better place for a guy like Cory to go if he wants to get to the NBA in a year or two. That's hogwash! Minnesota plays in the Big Ten. The Twin Cities is a fantastic Metro area (much better than Manhattan, Kansas, by the way). Anyone who thinks that a guy like Cory Joseph couldn't get the type of attention he needs by playing at Minnesota is crazy.

And, I'm sure someone will try to respond to this by saying that Cory wouldn't get enough minutes per game in Tubby Smith's system. That's absurd. First of all, Tubby hasn't had a five-star point guard at Minnesota yet. Take a look at Rajon Rondo's stats at Kentucky. He got plenty of time on the floor, playing 30 minutes or more in 22 games during the 2004-05 season. A player like Cory would earn the right to be running the show for the Gophers.

Correct Minnie. Al Nolen averaged 22.6 minutes per game his Freshman year. Tubby will play Cory a lot- as much as he earns. If he's as good as we think he'll get 25 -30 mins.

 

[scools12]

I don't agree with this line of thinking. People need to change their perspective about the Minnesota men's basketball program. Don't factor anything that took place before Tubby Smith was hired into your view of what this program "is." This team isn't Dan Monson's. It's not Clem Haskins' guys. Right now, Minnesota has one of the better coaches in the country, a big name guy, and we have to stop thinking of Minnesota in terms of its past. Does that make sense?

I mean, sure, with Monson as coach, Texas, OSU, and Kansas would all have a better chance at getting top-tier talent signed. But with Tubby Smith, I think the Gophers have as good a chance as any to compete for great recruits. So, as fans, we need to end this defeatist mentality that there's no hope for Minnesota to be able to land one of the nation's top prep stars.

I disagree with your line of thinking. This is Smith's 3rd recruiting class and he has yet to sign a true impact type of player. Don't even and try and count Royce White as an impact player. He never even played one minute of college basketball here so there is no way to judge how good he would have been or if would have been just another player. Besides that he was a local recruit.

3rd year and no true big time recruit to speak of says a lot about where this program is truely at.

 

[eker0016]

I don't agree with this line of thinking. People need to change their perspective about the Minnesota men's basketball program. Don't factor anything that took place before Tubby Smith was hired into your view of what this program "is." This team isn't Dan Monson's. It's not Clem Haskins' guys. Right now, Minnesota has one of the better coaches in the country, a big name guy, and we have to stop thinking of Minnesota in terms of its past. Does that make sense?

I mean, sure, with Monson as coach, Texas, OSU, and Kansas would all have a better chance at getting top-tier talent signed. But with Tubby Smith, I think the Gophers have as good a chance as any to compete for great recruits. So, as fans, we need to end this defeatist mentality that there's no hope for Minnesota to be able to land one of the nation's top prep stars.

I think he is slowly changing our culture, with emphasis on slow. Royce was a big signing (but he was local and had plenty of asterisks). Sampson and Devoe were nice signings over big schools, but I believe they signed in the early period. My point is that it really does hurt us to wait on a guy who drags it out until the LAST possible second to sign...now it puts Tubby in the awkward position of courting Brust and Loyd but not being able to tell him that he really wants them, he simply wants them as a contingency. I still advocate going for big time recruits but if we start to recruit a "Cory" every class, that means every time we don't get him it really stunts our growth.

I think we need to face the reality that we aren't an elite program that can consistently attract that kind of talent. The only reason Cory is still considering us is because of his brother. I like Tubby and MN a lot but they aren't that big a draw that we will be able to attract this caliber of a player at this point without some serious help. Just musing.

 

[Minnie Soda]

I think he is slowly changing our culture, with emphasis on slow. Royce was a big signing (but he was local and had plenty of asterisks). Sampson and Devoe were nice signings over big schools, but I believe they signed in the early period. My point is that it really does hurt us to wait on a guy who drags it out until the LAST possible second to sign...now it puts Tubby in the awkward position of courting Brust and Loyd but not being able to tell him that he really wants them, he simply wants them as a contingency. I still advocate going for big time recruits but if we start to recruit a "Cory" every class, that means every time we don't get him it really stunts our growth.

I think we need to face the reality that we aren't an elite program that can consistently attract that kind of talent. The only reason Cory is still considering us is because of his brother. I like Tubby and MN a lot but they aren't that big a draw that we will be able to attract this caliber of a player at this point without some serious help. Just musing.

While I do agree that an elite player like Cory dragging his feet makes it hard for the Gophers to recruit others as fall-back options, I don't agree with you at all that Minnesota can't be an elite program that has the ability to attract recruits who rank among the nation's finest. Without wanting this to sound racial, I think there's an attraction for some kids to be able to play for a minority coach who's been to the top of the mountain. There's not a recruit in the country who hasn't heard of Tubby Smith, and most would be pretty excited to have Coach Smith sitting in their living room making a pitch to come play at Minnesota. But there are kids who couldn't name the new coach at Iowa (Fran McCaffery), or the coach at Penn State, or numerous other Division I schools. With Tubby Smith, Minnesota is ALWAYS going to at least have a chance to get on talented kids' radars, and that's all you can ask for.

 

[eker0016]

I don't agree with you at all that Minnesota can't be an elite program that has the ability to attract recruits who rank among the nation's finest.

I agree with your post, and I never said we can't be an elite program. We can...it's just not going to happen overnight, unless we are willing to sell our soul to the devil (a Calipari). Tubby isn't that way and I like it. We are on the right trajectory to eventually become an elite program, but it isn't going to happen overnight. Of course you have the chicken and the egg problem -- do we need elite players to reach elite status? I think we start to attract the elite players once we go further than the first day in the tournament.

 

[Minnie Soda]

I agree with your post, and I never said we can't be an elite program. We can...it's just not going to happen overnight, unless we are willing to sell our soul to the devil (a Calipari). Tubby isn't that way and I like it. We are on the right trajectory to eventually become an elite program, but it isn't going to happen overnight. Of course you have the chicken and the egg problem -- do we need elite players to reach elite status? I think we start to attract the elite players once we go further than the first day in the tournament.

I couldn't agree more. One step at a time, but landing a player like Cory might just help the Gophers jump two or three steps.

 

[Unregistered User]

Agreed. Take for example Kansas State, a completely irrelevant program, in comes Huggins they immediately became a factor.

Sure...but if a slimebag like Huggins was hired here, I would stop watching. Can't stand that idiot.

 

[MinneMike]

Cory has said the same thing to Texas, UConn, etc.: That the past several weeks have been extremely busy, that he is this week (and possibly next) considering his options. He is discussing the decision with his family and coaches. Cory stated that this is the biggest decision of his life (to date), considering it will effect his present and future profoundly.

I find this terribly refreshing that a young man his age is so patient and deliberate with his decision. I also find it encouraging that he is discussing his decision with his family, given that that same family helped make the decision as to where Devoe would go to college.