What are you most looking forward to this season?

[The SF Rock]

Beat Iowa, it's time. Wait, wrong board.

I agree with nooram, a more electric Barn. We need that so desperately. All the other options above will lead to a better atmosphere in the Barn, including Rockraven's meltdown.

Go Gophers!!

I was going to put, “Rockraven’s eventual loss of optimism and descent into Gopher basketball fan depression, joining the majority of Gopherhole.”

But that is more of a certainty given enough time and majority of life span following Minnesota sports.

And another one rides the blimp! And another one. And another one. And another one rides the blimp!

 

[USAF]

By season's end CBJ will be a bad memory.
As will Rockraven and his alt accounts.
Let the healing then begin.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Dennis Evans not having been mentioned is weird. I think he’ll be such an impact defensively and a major help to our guards who can overplay more on the perimeter knowing they have a great shot blocker behind they.

 

[The SF Rock]

By season's end CBJ will be a bad memory.
As will Rockraven and his alt accounts.
Let the healing then begin.

The USAF blimp.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

Dennis Evans not having been mentioned is weird. I think he’ll be such an impact defensively and a major help to our guards who can overplay more on the perimeter knowing they have a great shot blocker behind they.

If you're being serious, I'm sorry... check out the threads back in mid March.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

If you're being serious, I'm sorry... check out the threads back in mid March.

I am not being serious. I follow the board pretty closely.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

I am not being serious. I follow the board pretty closely.

My bad. I had almost forgot before you mentioned it. I must have supressed that along with most of my other Gopher basketball memories.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

I went with ‘the new guys’. More than half the roster is new. Right now it’s this order for me.
Hawkins
Christie
Betts
Mitchell
Ihnen (considering him a new guy, even though he’s not)
Fox
Wilson
K K
Reader
(I reserve the right to re-shuffle this if I become upset with the player, am happy with the player, etc)

 

[The SF Rock]

That list could be upside down or shuffled any which way. It is potentially a great list. I am confident your rights are reserved.

 

[go_gophers]

I'm looking most forward to the program taking a decided step forward in competitiveness. This roster should be able to compete every night and beat some teams we weren't supposed to beat.

 

[EG#9]

Voted for the new guys, Ben's eventual dismissal, and the search commitee's selection.

I hope the new guys turn out better than anyone outside of a few Gopher fans project and this can be a middle of the pack Big Ten team and play in the NCAA tournament. Failing that, I will be excited to end what will have unquestionably been a disasterours tenure and very curious to see where the University of Minnesota goes next. Bleed had a very interesting note on another section of the board that Coyle used a search firm for both Women's Volleyball, and Women's Basketball after having never used one at Minnesota before. It's hard to think that it's a coincidence that the hires made after Ben Johnson suddenly used a search a firm. It's certainly notable that both searches ended with sitting, successful, high major coaches (Washington State, West Virginia) filling those positions. I am not sure that is realistic for basketball, but it would be nice to dream about in February if things are not going well.

 

[60's Guy]

Voted for the new guys, Ben's eventual dismissal, and the search commitee's selection.

I hope the new guys turn out better than anyone outside of a few Gopher fans project and this can be a middle of the pack Big Ten team and play in the NCAA tournament. Failing that, I will be excited to end what will have unquestionably been a disasterours tenure and very curious to see where the University of Minnesota goes next. Bleed had a very interesting note on another section of the board that Coyle used a search firm for both Women's Volleyball, and Women's Basketball after having never used one at Minnesota before. It's hard to think that it's a coincidence that the hires made after Ben Johnson suddenly used a search a firm. It's certainly notable that both searches ended with sitting, successful, high major coaches (Washington State, West Virginia) filling those positions. I am not sure that is realistic for basketball, but it would be nice to dream about in February if things are not going well.

I disagree there was a search firm involved in the hiring of the women's basketball coach. I didn't follow the volleyball hire at all...so no opinion there. But, in the case of PJ, Coyle already had info PJ was interested in the job very close to firing Tracy. It happened quickly....one candidate offered.

In the case of Ben Johnson there was a search committee with people mentioned and introduced.
That was a collaborative effort. Other people were contacted to interview. Not sure about a search firm but there was an active search committee participating because of the political climate.

In the case of Dawn P., she said in an interview she got a call from Coyle very soon after the firing of Lindsay. They agreed to speak the next day or day after. Her West Virginia team was still playing games. And in like three or four days it was done. One candidate offered.

The press release mentions a search committee for Coach P. Maybe so, but all they were was a sounding board. If there was a search firm involved they provided names of possible coaches during the winter...or in a very quick phone conversation after the firing but I doubt it. It happened way too quickly in football and women's basketball for a search firm to be involved in the hiring. When they are, there are multiple interviews and it is a long muddy process.
Search firms typical have participation in the interview process. Not so for football and women's basketball.

Coyle is prepared and acts quickly when he hires the coach. Ben is the only hire I'm aware of that was collaborative.

(Didn't see the article and Google search does not turn it up.)

 

[bga1]

Voted for the new guys, Ben's eventual dismissal, and the search commitee's selection.

I hope the new guys turn out better than anyone outside of a few Gopher fans project and this can be a middle of the pack Big Ten team and play in the NCAA tournament. Failing that, I will be excited to end what will have unquestionably been a disasterours tenure and very curious to see where the University of Minnesota goes next. Bleed had a very interesting note on another section of the board that Coyle used a search firm for both Women's Volleyball, and Women's Basketball after having never used one at Minnesota before. It's hard to think that it's a coincidence that the hires made after Ben Johnson suddenly used a search a firm. It's certainly notable that both searches ended with sitting, successful, high major coaches (Washington State, West Virginia) filling those positions. I am not sure that is realistic for basketball, but it would be nice to dream about in February if things are not going well.

So if we don't make the NCAAs this year, that should be it in your view?

From a management perspective, the best way to look at things is in view of the options going forward. If Coyle believes after this year that Ben is still his best chance to turn this program around - he stays. That should not boil down to NCAAs or bust this year when we are coming off a 2 win season. It should be a combination of development, progress on the court, likelihood that current players will stay to continue the growth and Ben's recruiting. If Coyle feels that Ben gives him a better option than what he can hire from the outside- then he stays.

I don't think it is NCAAs or bust but certainly Ben and team have to show big improvement and 6 or 7 Big Ten wins has to be a minimum to allow those other factors above to decide.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

A certain demographic of student athlete has said ‘no thanks’ to the u mens bball for 25 years. Ben and Mark are currently working with those groups that still want to play at the u. Ben and Mark have my support to create a successful program with those individuals.

 

[Ragnor]

I'm most looking forward to; 1st: a more competetive team, 2nd: seeing Fox and Ihnen back on the court, 3rd: the Sophomores performance, 4th: Freshman performance, 5th: Wilson moving people inside.

 

[Otis]

I'm most looking forward to; 1st: a more competetive team, 2nd: seeing Fox and Ihnen back on the court, 3rd: the Sophomores performance, 4th: Freshman performance, 5th: Wilson moving people inside.

Wilson setting the screen on a pick and roll almost made my list!

I’d like to see him set it on Rockraven.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

So if we don't make the NCAAs this year, that should be it in your view?

From a management perspective, the best way to look at things is in view of the options going forward. If Coyle believes after this year that Ben is still his best chance to turn this program around - he stays. That should not boil down to NCAAs or bust this year when we are coming off a 2 win season. It should be a combination of development, progress on the court, likelihood that current players will stay to continue the growth and Ben's recruiting. If Coyle feels that Ben gives him a better option than what he can hire from the outside- then he stays.

I don't think it is NCAAs or bust but certainly Ben and team have to show big improvement and 6 or 7 Big Ten wins has to be a minimum to allow those other factors above to decide.

I look at it in terms of total body of work. If he narrowly misses the NCAAs, his body of work includes two historically bad seasons (even by year 0 standards), and if that is two of your three data points, then the third season being better because it was only a mildly disappointing outcome can't be the saving grace.

 

[Dakota2]

I look at it in terms of total body of work. If he narrowly misses the NCAAs, his body of work includes two historically bad seasons (even by year 0 standards), and if that is two of your three data points, then the third season being better because it was only a mildly disappointing outcome can't be the saving grace.

If year three is bad it is part of the total body of (bad) work. If year three is a big improvement and team is competitive, a new body of work is created and first two years are neutralized.

 

[JZABR]

Agreed, and all of those things (except for the rebounding) can be addressed by the new guards showing the kind of quickness that was absent last year. We had one of the slowest backcourts in Div 1 last year, and just getting the ball up the court against pressure was a challenge.

If Mitchell, Hawkins, and Christie show they can get the ball up the court in a hurry, lead an occasional fast break (that's when people rebound and run up the court quickly before the defense.....well, you probably know but didn't see that last year..), and can stay in front of opposing guards on defense, this team will be MUCH better.

Big Ten teams win with good guard play. We didn't have it last year. It needs to happen this year.

There is reason for hope.

Cooper was such a methodical/ slow PG last year AND we didn't have depth that fast breaks. It'll be nice to see us push the ball because we have speed and depth and more experience.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

If year three is bad it is part of the total body of (bad) work. If year three is a big improvement and team is competitive, a new body of work is created and first two years are neutralized.

I don't accept that two awful years plus a mediocre one is better than three mediocre years in a row just because we are showing improvement. I don't think coaches should be rewarded for being bad enough that they have lowered the bar to the point where making the NIT is a giant leap forward.

 

[Rocksoldier]

I don't accept that two awful years plus a mediocre one is better than three mediocre years in a row just because we are showing improvement. I don't think coaches should be rewarded for being bad enough that they have lowered the bar to the point where making the NIT is a giant leap forward.

I don’t think it either, but have you watched gopher basketball in the last 25 years.

 

[The SF Rock]

Wilson setting the screen on a pick and roll almost made my list!

I’d like to see him set it on Rockraven.

We need to have him a good back up to Payne and can not afford an injury to him.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I don’t think it either, but have you watched gopher basketball in the last 25 years.

I have. They were pretty bad. And somehow, amongst the low standards of the last quarter century, the last two years sunk even lower and stick out as the worst of the worst.

 

[Rocksoldier]

I have. They were pretty bad. And somehow, amongst the low standards of the last quarter century, the last two years sunk even lower and stick out as the worst of the worst.

I grew up watching players like Willie, Burton, Vashon Leonard and Bobby Jackson. I’m about to turn 50 which means half of my life. I’ve had to watch this disgusting display of basketball. It seems worse because it’s back to back seasons, Monson and patino had seasons just as bad or worse but they weren’t back to back, and they did that with establish teams, where been showed up with an empty cupboard. If Ben can somehow turn this around and get going more power to him and that would be great I don’t know how many times I can handle starting over with nothing to show for it.

 

[bga1]

I look at it in terms of total body of work. If he narrowly misses the NCAAs, his body of work includes two historically bad seasons (even by year 0 standards), and if that is two of your three data points, then the third season being better because it was only a mildly disappointing outcome can't be the saving grace.

Coyle is going to look at things differently.

 

[Dakota2]

Cooper was such a methodical/ slow PG last year AND we didn't have depth that fast breaks. It'll be nice to see us push the ball because we have speed and depth and more experience.

Yet Cooper was a great rebounder.

 

[Dakota2]

I don't accept that two awful years plus a mediocre one is better than three mediocre years in a row just because we are showing improvement. I don't think coaches should be rewarded for being bad enough that they have lowered the bar to the point where making the NIT is a giant leap forward.

If there is significant improvement in year 3, that will not be viewed as mediocre. Perception is created by comparison with a base. The base is very low. Therefore the perception is elevated quickly with improvement.

Actually, making NIT would be a big step forward.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Coyle is going to look at things differently.

Yes he will without the president around who was responsible for the hiring of BJ.

 

[highwayman]

Winning 1-2 more games than the football team!

 

[GoodasGold]

Wilson setting the screen on a pick and roll almost made my list!

I’d like to see him set it on Rockraven.

ROCKhard is Special Ops. He can avoid all picks.