Teague says he'll look at Tubby's body of work, talks fan frustration, facilities etc

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
60,762
Reaction score
16,151
Points
113
Teague was on with Barreiro yesterday. I just listened to the podcast (link) and here are my notes. I did my best to type them as close to verbatim, but I did leave out some of the comments that don't make sense when reading, but do when you are listening.

Teague on staff/administrative changes in the athletic department: When you believe in the decision and know it’s the right thing you are 90% even if people call you Darth Vader. I’ve been OK with that. I’m not going to separate anyone from the organization or make a change if its not in the best interest. In some ways some of the change needed to be made in that area. Our coaches needed more support. We needed to be more aggressive in fundraising and new marketing ideas. The areas where I’ve made the changes I think we can produce some good results quickly. We need to do extraordinary things, not good things but extraordinary things. Change needed to be made to achieve that.

Teague on facilities: We know where we are going. We’re down to the very end. We can’t announce now. If we were a free agent we could announced it two months ago, but we have to work with other departments. We’re part of the University enterprise and we can’t operate independently. We have to get more departments in sync. We know what we want and we’re sorting through the details.

The basketball facility will cost between $15-25 million. We’d like to build it by Bierman. It will likely to be there. We will be putting a $5 million roof on Williams. What we’ll probably do is extend out towards University Avenue. We need food court, we need movement, we need restrooms. The inner bowl we can do some things but I like it. I think 90% want to preserve it and 10% want to blow it up. It’s a great home court advantage. What we’re lacking is when you leave your seat. We may do a two story (then he was cut off).

Teague on hoops season: We obviously hit a rough patch. We didn’t have a horrible feeling when we left the arena at Indiana. I am going to let the season play out and will evaluate the whole body of work. Gosh I hope we win tonight (Michigan State game) but I’ll let the season play out.

Teague on if there is a scenario where Smith would not being back next year: I hope not. Unless, well, I know he’s committed to being here and coming back. He’s working hard. He wants to do the right thing. We’ll just see.

Teague on possible disappointment of fans this year: I think so. I sense the fans are frustrated. Trust me, I have a Twitter account. I listen. Expectations were high. Let’s let it play out. If we had beat Iowa it would be different. We’ll see. I’ll wait and see how it plays out.

Teague on not having a true PG: He’s (Andre) has done a good job. He’s done a pretty good job. I don’t agree with that being an issue. The bench hasn’t played quite as well as they wanted to and that’s an issue right there. The Big Ten is a wrestling match and you have to have bench strength.

Go Gophers!!
 

"Body of work" is important in college basketball. While it's hard not to view every win and loss as a true barometer of where the team is it's also unfair to flame a guy (Tubby) when the season isn't close to over. It's not easy, but I think it's important to reserve judgement until the final buzzer of the final game. Then take stock.
 

"Body of work" is important in college basketball. While it's hard not to view every win and loss as a true barometer of where the team is it's also unfair to flame a guy (Tubby) when the season isn't close to over. It's not easy, but I think it's important to reserve judgement until the final buzzer of the final game. Then take stock.

I agree. I think that we cannot pass judgment on this team until the most important part of the season (the postseason) is over. At the same time, Tubby does have 5 complete seasons in the books, so I do not think it is unreasonable to draw some conclusions about Tubby's tenure at the U. I am disappointed with where we are at (5-5 in a season that, SS said it best, I expected us not to be "farting" around .500), but I cannot call a season a success or failure til we see where the chips fall in the playoffs.
 

"Body of work" is important in college basketball. While it's hard not to view every win and loss as a true barometer of where the team is it's also unfair to flame a guy (Tubby) when the season isn't close to over. It's not easy, but I think it's important to reserve judgement until the final buzzer of the final game. Then take stock.

fair enough, but then you have to ask "are we getting better, or getting worse?" progress can be rewarded (with a job next year), stagnation cannot.

and you hate to leave this sort of decision with 17 year old kids, but it sure would be nice to know what Tyus, Rashad, Reid and the rest of the up and comers think. If you find out too late we are 2 more years behind.
 

fair enough, but then you have to ask "are we getting better, or getting worse?" progress can be rewarded (with a job next year), stagnation cannot.

and you hate to leave this sort of decision with 17 year old kids, but it sure would be nice to know what Tyus, Rashad, Reid and the rest of the up and comers think. If you find out too late we are 2 more years behind.

The bolded is important. I think most people (myself included) cannot separate between actually getting better or worse and just playing different levels of competition. It is nearly impossible to tell. You also have to factor in the normal deviations... Looking good one night (against MSU at the barn, for example) and bad against another team (Iowa), could be just normal deviations between some shots falling and players playing near the top of their ability to players just playing an average (or below average) game.

I don't think we've improved much in B10 play. But I don't think we're worse, either, and I tend to think we've improved since the beginning of the year.
 


Hopefully he'll look into his AD Bank Account and find a surplus of 2.5 mil that he can spend.
 

On KFAN Teague said he couldn't make any promises if Tubby goes .500 in the Big Ten this year. Teague comes from VCU, I would take their current coach!
 

On KFAN Teague said he couldn't make any promises if Tubby goes .500 in the Big Ten this year. Teague comes from VCU, I would take their current coach!

No way he came from VCU? Is he good friends with Shaka???? #sarcasm
 

On KFAN Teague said he couldn't make any promises if Tubby goes .500 in the Big Ten this year. Teague comes from VCU, I would take their current coach!

That's about as close to an ultimatum as AD's give in public interviews. Wow! That's pretty big news if true.

Sounds like he's basically saying Tubby must finish 10-8 or I can't promise he'll be back. I'm starting to like this AD...Not afraid to turn the screws tighter on the established, big name coach. Love it!
 



Teague was on with Barreiro yesterday. I just listened to the podcast (link) and here are my notes. I did my best to type them as close to verbatim, but I did leave out some of the comments that don't make sense when reading, but do when you are listening.

Teague on staff/administrative changes in the athletic department: When you believe in the decision and know it’s the right thing you are 90% even if people call you Darth Vader. I’ve been OK with that. I’m not going to separate anyone from the organization or make a change if its not in the best interest. In some ways some of the change needed to be made in that area. Our coaches needed more support. We needed to be more aggressive in fundraising and new marketing ideas. The areas where I’ve made the changes I think we can produce some good results quickly. We need to do extraordinary things, not good things but extraordinary things. Change needed to be made to achieve that.

Teague on facilities: We know where we are going. We’re down to the very end. We can’t announce now. If we were a free agent we could announced it two months ago, but we have to work with other departments. We’re part of the University enterprise and we can’t operate independently. We have to get more departments in sync. We know what we want and we’re sorting through the details.

The basketball facility will cost between $15-25 million. We’d like to build it by Bierman. It will likely to be there. We will be putting a $5 million roof on Williams. What we’ll probably do is extend out towards University Avenue. We need food court, we need movement, we need restrooms. The inner bowl we can do some things but I like it. I think 90% want to preserve it and 10% want to blow it up. It’s a great home court advantage. What we’re lacking is when you leave your seat. We may do a two story (then he was cut off).

Teague on hoops season: We obviously hit a rough patch. We didn’t have a horrible feeling when we left the arena at Indiana. I am going to let the season play out and will evaluate the whole body of work. Gosh I hope we win tonight (Michigan State game) but I’ll let the season play out.

Teague on if there is a scenario where Smith would not being back next year: I hope not. Unless, well, I know he’s committed to being here and coming back. He’s working hard. He wants to do the right thing. We’ll just see.

Teague on possible disappointment of fans this year: I think so. I sense the fans are frustrated. Trust me, I have a Twitter account. I listen. Expectations were high. Let’s let it play out. If we had beat Iowa it would be different. We’ll see. I’ll wait and see how it plays out.

Teague on not having a true PG: He’s (Andre) has done a good job. He’s done a pretty good job. I don’t agree with that being an issue. The bench hasn’t played quite as well as they wanted to and that’s an issue right there. The Big Ten is a wrestling match and you have to have bench strength.

Go Gophers!!

When did this happen? I watched that game and was under the impression that if we had more points than them we won. Am I wrong? :rolleyes:
 






Thanks for transcribing that Bleed. I hope this season goes one way or the other (good better than bad obviously) and doesn't fall in to that 9-9/10-8 range of too "good" to fire not "good" enough to put any energy in to the program (better recruits/excited fan base/ real reasons for optimism).
 

why the extension if Tubby is on a short leash?

Because the extension had basically been done for 2 years with our pal Joel. They were probably on the hook whether they got it 'finalized' or not.
 

Thanks for transcribing that Bleed. I hope this season goes one way or the other (good better than bad obviously) and doesn't fall in to that 9-9/10-8 range of too "good" to fire not "good" enough to put any energy in to the program (better recruits/excited fan base/ real reasons for optimism).

That's where it will be.
 

Shaka Smart's VCU team is headed towards NOT making the NCAA tourney this season. Their RPI is #51 and has been on a steady decline for weeks now. Started with his leading his team to a 2 game LOSING streak very comparable to our losses to NW and Wisconsin. VCU doesn't play Top 5 ranked teams, much less on the road, so its not fair to compare the two teams straight up.

His team had a nice lead vs Richmond and BLEW IT. They had a lead and LOST the game. Richmond is #74 in the RPI, not much better than NW. And their loss to La Salle was a HOME GAME!!

VCU hasn't won a single road game vs a Top 120 ranked team. They best win is a home win over BELMONT.

Their losses to Missouri and Wichita St are not looking as understandable as they did earlier.



Remember, Shaka almost coached that VCU FF team INTO the NIT that year. They barely got into the NCAA tournament. And those weren't his recruited players, either.


Everyone who has this "the grass is always greener" attitude deludes themselves and they help to make this Minnesota job a job that outsiders are not going to want.

Who wants to go somewhere where they have very little history, are lacking in facilities, have crappy weather, and fans with expectations on par with blue-blood programs. It's a losing situation.
 

Shaka Smart's VCU team is headed towards NOT making the NCAA tourney this season. Their RPI is #51 and has been on a steady decline for weeks now. Started with his leading his team to a 2 game LOSING streak very comparable to our losses to NW and Wisconsin. VCU doesn't play Top 5 ranked teams, much less on the road, so its not fair to compare the two teams straight up.

His team had a nice lead vs Richmond and BLEW IT. They had a lead and LOST the game. Richmond is #74 in the RPI, not much better than NW. And their loss to La Salle was a HOME GAME!!

VCU hasn't won a single road game vs a Top 120 ranked team. They best win is a home win over BELMONT.

Their losses to Missouri and Wichita St are not looking as understandable as they did earlier.



Remember, Shaka almost coached that VCU FF team INTO the NIT that year. They barely got into the NCAA tournament. And those weren't his recruited players, either.


Everyone who has this "the grass is always greener" attitude deludes themselves and they help to make this Minnesota job a job that outsiders are not going to want.

Who wants to go somewhere where they have very little history, are lacking in facilities, have crappy weather, and fans with expectations on par with blue-blood programs. It's a losing situation.

Tbh I mostly agree with your point so my comment may be counterproductive. The devil's advocate in me though needs to point out that the bolded has to work both ways. Everything you said is true but I think the vast majority would say there are several reasons Minnesota should be better than VCU.
 

I don't mean to make excuses, and I'm not that happy with the season at this point, BUT, please realize that the Gophers have 6 total losses at this point:
2 road losses to top-15 teams (@Indiana, @MSU)
1 loss at neutral site to top-5 team (who at the time was also injury-free) (Duke)
1 home loss, that to a top-5 team (Michigan)
1 road loss to a team hovering around top-30, who has the B1G's best home record this decade (@Wisconsin)
1 road loss to a top-100 rpi team (@Northwestern)

The only embarrassment here is the @Northwestern game, and truthfully, every team good or bad has their blips. The '97 Gophers team lost @Alabama in the non-conference season. The '98 Vikings lost at 8-8 Tampa Bay. Didn't Kansas just get beat by TCU?

I think even 2 of 3 of Clem's great teams were really not that amazing. The first Sweet-16 team only earned a #11 seed, and the first Final 8 team was only a #6 seed. Only because they over-achieved in the Tournament do we remember them in such a fond manner.

What should have been our expectations at this point? 8-2 in the B1G (wins @UW, @NU, and one of @MSU, Mich, @Ind)? 7-3, 6-4, 5-5? I think, given the rough schedule, 6-4 would have been reasonable and 7-3 hopeful. If the Gophers hadn't laid an egg at Northwestern, and/or Wisconsin hadn't gotten lucky like usual, they'd be at one of those "reasonable" marks.

The things I'm frustrated in are not record-related, as such, they're lack-of-fundamental basketball and correctable-problem related, as I posted yesterday. If the record is a reflection of those problems, so be it, but the record itself is not the problem here.
 

Shaka Smart's VCU team is headed towards NOT making the NCAA tourney this season. Their RPI is #51 and has been on a steady decline for weeks now. Started with his leading his team to a 2 game LOSING streak very comparable to our losses to NW and Wisconsin. VCU doesn't play Top 5 ranked teams, much less on the road, so its not fair to compare the two teams straight up.

His team had a nice lead vs Richmond and BLEW IT. They had a lead and LOST the game. Richmond is #74 in the RPI, not much better than NW. And their loss to La Salle was a HOME GAME!!

VCU hasn't won a single road game vs a Top 120 ranked team. They best win is a home win over BELMONT.

Their losses to Missouri and Wichita St are not looking as understandable as they did earlier.



Remember, Shaka almost coached that VCU FF team INTO the NIT that year. They barely got into the NCAA tournament. And those weren't his recruited players, either.


Everyone who has this "the grass is always greener" attitude deludes themselves and they help to make this Minnesota job a job that outsiders are not going to want.

Who wants to go somewhere where they have very little history, are lacking in facilities, have crappy weather, and fans with expectations on par with blue-blood programs. It's a losing situation.

If Tubby can get us in on the bubble, but then run us to the Final Four, I will be a perfectly happy fan.
 

I don't mean to make excuses, and I'm not that happy with the season at this point, BUT, please realize that the Gophers have 6 total losses at this point:
2 road losses to top-15 teams (@Indiana, @MSU)
1 loss at neutral site to top-5 team (who at the time was also injury-free) (Duke)
1 home loss, that to a top-5 team (Michigan)
1 road loss to a team hovering around top-30, who has the B1G's best home record this decade (@Wisconsin)
1 road loss to a top-100 rpi team (@Northwestern)

The only embarrassment here is the @Northwestern game, and truthfully, every team good or bad has their blips. The '97 Gophers team lost @Alabama in the non-conference season. The '98 Vikings lost at 8-8 Tampa Bay. Didn't Kansas just get beat by TCU?

I think even 2 of 3 of Clem's great teams were really not that amazing. The first Sweet-16 team only earned a #11 seed, and the first Final 8 team was only a #6 seed. Only because they over-achieved in the Tournament do we remember them in such a fond manner.

What should have been our expectations at this point? 8-2 in the B1G (wins @UW, @NU, and one of @MSU, Mich, @Ind)? 7-3, 6-4, 5-5? I think, given the rough schedule, 6-4 would have been reasonable and 7-3 hopeful. If the Gophers hadn't laid an egg at Northwestern, and/or Wisconsin hadn't gotten lucky like usual, they'd be at one of those "reasonable" marks.

The things I'm frustrated in are not record-related, as such, they're lack-of-fundamental basketball and correctable-problem related, as I posted yesterday. If the record is a reflection of those problems, so be it, but the record itself is not the problem here.

Well obviously our RPI is #10 in the country for a reason. We don't really have any truly "bad" losses, we do have a lot of good wins, but right now, it just feels like we've missed some opportunities and like you kind of noted, you're starting to see some bad habits creep up from the team. These next two games are very important to keep winning at home, and also keep up decent momentum that was gained from winning the previous two home games. I think the NW game really left a bitter taste in most people's mouths, and it was enough to wipe away a lot of good. Plus, the reason that game sticks out is because it's the continuation of a problem that's been here throughout Tubby's tenure. It wasn't just THAT bad game, it's that we've had quite a few that look similar through the years, with the too many turnovers, inability to hit shots, lack of flow on offense period, etc. If the team keeps it's current pace up though, we'll be alright, the schedule does lighten up overall with only 2 ranked teams left. But they gotta step it up a little bit from what they've been doing recently, regain some of that swagger they accumulated in non-conference.
 

Sounds like he has a solid vision for our facilities, particularly Williams Arena. Building up is an interesting idea if it can be done from an engineering stand point. Then you could actually add some luxury suites. I think extending it towards TCF is a no brainer. We just need some wealthy alums to step up and make some decent donations. Wish I could say that was me. Haha
 

Teague on staff/administrative changes in the athletic department: When you believe in the decision and know it’s the right thing you are 90% even if people call you Darth Vader.

Teague on if there is a scenario where Smith would not being back next year: We’ll just see.

"You have failed me for the last time."
 

Well obviously our RPI is #10 in the country for a reason. We don't really have any truly "bad" losses, we do have a lot of good wins, but right now, it just feels like we've missed some opportunities and like you kind of noted, you're starting to see some bad habits creep up from the team. These next two games are very important to keep winning at home, and also keep up decent momentum that was gained from winning the previous two home games. I think the NW game really left a bitter taste in most people's mouths, and it was enough to wipe away a lot of good. Plus, the reason that game sticks out is because it's the continuation of a problem that's been here throughout Tubby's tenure. It wasn't just THAT bad game, it's that we've had quite a few that look similar through the years, with the too many turnovers, inability to hit shots, lack of flow on offense period, etc. If the team keeps it's current pace up though, we'll be alright, the schedule does lighten up overall with only 2 ranked teams left. But they gotta step it up a little bit from what they've been doing recently, regain some of that swagger they accumulated in non-conference.

I think that part was spot on. If we had been having strong conference performances in recent history, it is easy to look at that game and say "eh, things like this happen." But given some of the meltdowns that we have seen, seeing a game like that this year gives fans the eye-roll and the "here we go again". Also, thus far, NU has not been beating top-end Big Ten talent. We say they are a reasonably tough team, but we are their only conference win against a team in the top half of the standings. Outside of us, they beat 0-10 Purdue, 3-7 Illinois, and 5-5 (but with an unbelievably easy first half including 2 against 0-10 Penn State) Purdue.

If Tubby really wants to shed this image of choking down the stretch in B1G play, he should find a way to win all of the ones he should the rest of the way out and steal one vs. Indiana or at OSU. The best way to break a bad image is to perform in a way totally incompatible with that image.
 

If Tubby really wants to shed this image of choking down the stretch in B1G play, he should find a way to win all of the ones he should the rest of the way out and steal one vs. Indiana or at OSU.

Yep. More than anything what I'd like to see down the stretch is a win over Ohio State and/or Indiana. I could excuse another "should win" loss if we got one or both of those scalps. Michigan State is clearly the Gophers' signature win, but another one (one that didn't happen in 2012) would tell me 2012-13 isn't the same old story. ... can't rise up for ONE NIGHT (see Illinois, see Arkansas, see frickin' TCU) to beat an elite opponent LATE IN THE REGULAR SEASON.

And while we're at it, beating the Badgers would soothe my soul, too.
 

The basketball facility will cost between $15-25 million. We’d like to build it by Bierman. It will likely to be there. We will be putting a $5 million roof on Williams. What we’ll probably do is extend out towards University Avenue. We need food court, we need movement, we need restrooms. The inner bowl we can do some things but I like it. I think 90% want to preserve it and 10% want to blow it up. It’s a great home court advantage. What we’re lacking is when you leave your seat. We may do a two story (then he was cut off).

This was the most intriguing part and he got cut off. Nice work Dan.

This could mean many things, the most extreme blowing out the upper level on that side, supporting it with conventional methods; losing the obstructed views (on the south side lower level) new suites, club rooms, restrooms and food venders on the second level.
 

This was the most intreaging part and he got cut off. Nice work Dan.

This could mean many things, the most extream blowing out the upper level on that side, supporting it with conventional methods; loosing the obstructed views (on the south side lower level) new suites, club rooms, restrooms and food vendeos on the second level.

My take from that was the the south side add-on would be expanded and include two levels for that part only, thereby giving restroom and concourse availability to the upper level.

Sounded like the main arena area(bowl area in his words) would not structurally change.
 

My take from that was the the south side add-on would be expanded and include two levels for that part only, thereby giving restroom and concourse availability to the upper level.


That is most likely, but it should be structurally possible to gut that side of the second level and make serious improvements, most importantly luxury suites with access to amenities on the second level.
 

That is most likely, but it should be structurally possible to gut that side of the second level and make serious improvements, most importantly luxury suites with access to amenities on the second level.

True, but I don't think they would/could change the original roof line.

All in all, it sounds like the inner part of the arena won't really change, or should I say it won't be gutted.

I wonder what the plans will be for the present day Sports Pavilion. Will that be incorporated or not.

Notice how the court runs in the opposite direction of the building/roof line at Hinkle Fieldhouse(unlike the Barn).

hinkle.jpg
 





Top Bottom