Doogie on U/Pitino: I don’t see them paying him 1.75 to leave then committing 6 for 18 or more to a replacement. This isn’t the SEC.

Isn't Pitino making more than 2 million per season? If so, you are saving money by letting him go, first off. That isn't a bad buyout at all.

If you are dead set on hiring a Mountain West "Gopher Connection", those guys are pretty cheap. Head Coach salary wise.

Doogie's argument only makes sense if Coyle goes for a Beilein level hire. That would require more than $3M per year for the coach and a boat load for the assistants.

That's not Coyle's style. He is more of a hire an up and coming young coach. Minnesota ties are meaningless to him. He wouldn't be deterred by the buyout or the pandemic if the Gophers keep playing like the past two games.

So, you know, cheer up.
 

Isn't Pitino making more than 2 million per season? If so, you are saving money by letting him go, first off. That isn't a bad buyout at all.

If you are dead set on hiring a Mountain West "Gopher Connection", those guys are pretty cheap. Head Coach salary wise.

Doogie's argument only makes sense if Coyle goes for a Beilein level hire. That would require more than $3M per year for the coach and a boat load for the assistants.

That's not Coyle's style. He is more of a hire an up and coming young coach. Minnesota ties are meaningless to him. He wouldn't be deterred by the buyout or the pandemic if the Gophers keep playing like the past two games.

So, you know, cheer up.
Quite the opposite April 2020......
 

I'm sure calls are being made at this point. Even though we've been ranked much of the season and probably have a record many of us would have been happy with on Feb 1 before the season started it just feels like we're drowning right now.

Tubby was fired after winning an NCAA tourney game.
 

I know it's a big leap, but I love Ben McCullum at Northwest Missouri State. It's Division II, but, what the hell, can't be any worse. See article below about latest win (14th road victory in a row). Ranked #3 in Div II. Has won it all. If you read about him and his philosophy, it's exactly what I think we need. He's only 39 and from Iowa originally, so Midwest guy. Anyway, sure it won't happen, but someone is going to get a great coach somewhere down the line.

 

1. Beilein

2. Craig Smith
3. Eric Musselman

4. Medved
5. Dutcher
 


On the other hand, we've won one game since January 3rd and are likely to lose the next one too.
Its pretty close to being over for the season after the lack of effort shown the last 2 games.

They have about 3-4 wins left on the schedule. And what's sad if that 7-8 of them should be a W.

You just flat out cannot win games, especially on the road when you rebound so poorly. This is 100% effort, lack of focus and coaching. Rebounding is all about team and hard work.

I see them finishing with about 14-16 wins and being on the stupid bubble(because of who we beat early) as always. Pretty bad considering the talent we have this season.

They NEED 6-7 wins yet to make the tourney IMO.
 


I know it's a big leap, but I love Ben McCullum at Northwest Missouri State. It's Division II, but, what the hell, can't be any worse. See article below about latest win (14th road victory in a row). Ranked #3 in Div II. Has won it all. If you read about him and his philosophy, it's exactly what I think we need. He's only 39 and from Iowa originally, so Midwest guy. Anyway, sure it won't happen, but someone is going to get a great coach somewhere down the line.

Sold. I am not a fan of hiring to win tiny press conferences. I like guys who build.
 

Who cares about this year?...He has been here eight years now...He has a 52-88 B10 conference record...How is that good enough for any fan?....The program is destined for 7-12 B10 standing finish every year he is the coach...Maybe that is good enough for you, but a lot of fans have seen enough and want a change.
Ya, ya me too...my point is nothing is going to happen coaching wise until the season is over. We got 10 games left. Give it a chance. Past results are not indicative of future results with certainty.
Let’s see. I’m not ready to give up on this year.
 



We're 1-4 since January 3rd with one game cancelled.
5 games in 30 some days is not normal is my point. Extremely hard to achieve a winning rhythm or keep it when you had it.
 

The most likely scenario if RP gets fired, is Coyle hires a guy and most the people on this board say Who?!!!
 

The most likely scenario if RP gets fired, is Coyle hires a guy and most the people on this board say Who?!!!

Why do you say that? We are not going to hire a guy who is in a power 5 job currently unless he's in hot water. Still can get a good mid major coach though.
 

Why do you say that? We are not going to hire a guy who is in a power 5 job currently unless he's in hot water. Still can get a good mid major coach though.
Why not? Sounds a lot like closing a door before it was ever installed.
 



Why not? Sounds a lot like closing a door before it was ever installed.

Of the the majority of one's we want it'd be a lateral move at best. Also just know our resources and what we can afford to pay. If we got a power 5 guy, it'd be one on the hot seat or it'd have to be their dream job and I don't know any of them. Could happen, but it's highly highly unlikely and honestly I'm good with it. I have always liked going and finding a diamond in the rough that will truly appreciate this job and the chance we gave them.

I don't see guys like Hurly, Nate Oates, Musselman, or even a Tad Boyle coming to the U and truthfully I don't know if any of those scream that much more excitement to me over getting an up and comer from a mid major.
 

Of the the majority of one's we want it'd be a lateral move at best. Also just know our resources and what we can afford to pay. If we got a power 5 guy, it'd be one on the hot seat or it'd have to be their dream job and I don't know any of them. Could happen, but it's highly highly unlikely and honestly I'm good with it. I have always liked going and finding a diamond in the rough that will truly appreciate this job and the chance we gave them.

I don't see guys like Hurly, Nate Oates, Musselman, or even a Tad Boyle coming to the U and truthfully I don't know if any of those scream that much more excitement to me over getting an up and comer from a mid major.
That's just an excuse at a Big 10 school, imo. If you truly want to be competitive, $$ must flow. If being competitive is secondary or tertiary, fine. Just admit it and hire accordingly.

As your friend BADGER points out, finding the diamond is exceedingly difficult and damn near impossible. The number of those type of coaches, as BADGER points out, is rare.

You dont view the MN job in the Big as better than the Alabama job in the SEC? Seems to me Big BB is better and more coveted than SEC BB.
 

That's just an excuse at a Big 10 school, imo. If you truly want to be competitive, $$ must flow. If being competitive is secondary or tertiary, fine. Just admit it and hire accordingly.

As your friend BADGER points out, finding the diamond is exceedingly difficult and damn near impossible. The number of those type of coaches, as BADGER points out, is rare.

You dont view the MN job in the Big as better than the Alabama job in the SEC? Seems to me Big BB is better and more coveted than SEC BB.
Minnesota is not a B1G destination school. The B1G schools people want to coach at are:

1. Indiana
2. Michigan State
3. Michigan
4. Maryland
5. Ohio State
6. Purdue
7. Wisconsin
8. Illinois
9. Iowa

10. Minnesota

Rutgers, Nebraska, Penn State and Northwestern are the only B1G programs Minnesota can currently claim to be more prestigious than. Alabama in the SEC has a much better chance of rising to the top than the Gophers at present.
Keep in mind, Indiana is only up there because of their history. But they are slipping.

Minny is barely above the dregs of the B1G, Burner. I know you would choose to coach at at least 8 of those 9 schools before you would take the Minnesota job.
 

That's just an excuse at a Big 10 school, imo. If you truly want to be competitive, $$ must flow. If being competitive is secondary or tertiary, fine. Just admit it and hire accordingly.

As your friend BADGER points out, finding the diamond is exceedingly difficult and damn near impossible. The number of those type of coaches, as BADGER points out, is rare.

You dont view the MN job in the Big as better than the Alabama job in the SEC? Seems to me Big BB is better and more coveted than SEC BB.

Nate Oates gets paid more than Pitino does already. Bama is better resources and not a meat grinder that the B1G can be as well. It just depends on the person. It's kind of a chicken or the egg thing with resources and winning. Winning brings more donors and resources, but it's hard to recruit and get dudes without them. Right now with the budget we have and the lack of large donors we have, it'll be hard to pony up tons of money.

Honestly there are very few power 5 coaches I'd want to pony up for anyways and they are not taking the job. Chris Beard isn't coming here with our resources. You can throw out some other names and the price, and I'll share my reasoning, but I would take some mid major guys who've proven they can win their conference at tough jobs over most of them too.
 

Perspective...we have been in the Top 25 in the country for about month. We play wildly inconsistent and look horrible. Our record is respectable at present...if we would make a modest run we are in the NCAA 3 of 4 years and maybe back in the Top 25.
Win one game in the tournament...I’d be surprised if he was fired.
Hard to coach in a pandemic.
Probably has proven it is very unlikely he will ever win a Big Ten title but guessing he’s here next season unless we disintegrate.

How do other coaches manage to coach in a pandemic? I would think it would be the same disadvantage for all programs.
 

Why do you say that? We are not going to hire a guy who is in a power 5 job currently unless he's in hot water. Still can get a good mid major coach though.
I’m just more realistic and old enough to remember when a lot of people on this board thought we were going to get Shaka. :ROFLMAO:
 

I’m just more realistic and old enough to remember when a lot of people on this board thought we were going to get Shaka. :ROFLMAO:
When he was at VCU or when he was in hot water at Texas. Nothing different then what was said above. He's no longer in hot water at Texas, so it's not happening.
 

When he was at VCU or when he was in hot water at Texas. Nothing different then what was said above. He's no longer in hot water at Texas, so it's not happening.
VCU. I alluded to it in another thread that the top 3-4 mid major coaches aren’t coming here. They’ll wait for something better. I actually think we have a better chance at someone like Beilein if we were to shell out the money.
 
Last edited:

Minnesota is not a B1G destination school. The B1G schools people want to coach at are:

1. Indiana
2. Michigan State
3. Michigan
4. Maryland
5. Ohio State
6. Purdue
7. Wisconsin
8. Illinois
9. Iowa

10. Minnesota

Rutgers, Nebraska, Penn State and Northwestern are the only B1G programs Minnesota can currently claim to be more prestigious than. Alabama in the SEC has a much better chance of rising to the top than the Gophers at present.
Keep in mind, Indiana is only up there because of their history. But they are slipping.

Minny is barely above the dregs of the B1G, Burner. I know you would choose to coach at at least 8 of those 9 schools before you would take the Minnesota job.
It's useless to talk about the past or even the present. The right hire will only care about the future: the future they envision creating here. In the meantime they get to live in one of the nicer big cities in the country. That's the way I look at it.
 

Nate Oates gets paid more than Pitino does already. Bama is better resources and not a meat grinder that the B1G can be as well. It just depends on the person. It's kind of a chicken or the egg thing with resources and winning. Winning brings more donors and resources, but it's hard to recruit and get dudes without them. Right now with the budget we have and the lack of large donors we have, it'll be hard to pony up tons of money.

Honestly there are very few power 5 coaches I'd want to pony up for anyways and they are not taking the job. Chris Beard isn't coming here with our resources. You can throw out some other names and the price, and I'll share my reasoning, but I would take some mid major guys who've proven they can win their conference at tough jobs over most of them too.
And you make my first point. Much of the rest is excuses. And, I have been told, excuses are for losers.

If MN wants to have the success of its peers (WI for example), step up. Or dont, just stop pretending otherwise.

Lack of large donors? Has Marky been doing anything on this front? I'm thinking that is a good portion of his position. If there are none, I would put that at the feet of Marky.

I am not advocating a power 5 coach; just saying to dismiss it really does tell us a lot about MN BB.
 

VCU. I alluded to it in another thread that the top 3-4 mid major coaches aren’t coming here. They’ll wait for something better. I actually think we have a better chance at someone like Beilein if we were to shell out the money.
John is not coming here.
 

And you make my first point. Much of the rest is excuses. And, I have been told, excuses are for losers.

If MN wants to have the success of its peers (WI for example), step up. Or dont, just stop pretending otherwise.

Lack of large donors? Has Marky been doing anything on this front? I'm thinking that is a good portion of his position. If there are none, I would put that at the feet of Marky.

I am not advocating a power 5 coach; just saying to dismiss it really does tell us a lot about MN BB.

I'm not pretending or making excuses. I'm just stating the truths of where we are right now. I don't like it and believe we can get out of it, but it's gonna take some work and some support. Coyle is helping and our current spending for PJ's staff is an example, but the fact is it's going to be hard for a department to fund a buyout when they cut sports. I hope Coyle can find the money for it. Next year could end up being extremely ugly otherwise if we continue to wait for cheaper buy outs. The fact we can't get the money for buy outs also show you the resources we have or in this case don't.

We do agree, we should not dismiss a power 5 guy, but it's just highly unlikely. We will need to find our dynamic builder another way.
 

It's useless to talk about the past or even the present. The right hire will only care about the future: the future they envision creating here. In the meantime they get to live in one of the nicer big cities in the country. That's the way I look at it.
This is the myopic Minnesota viewpoint. Minneapolis is an awesome vibrant city! Which is true.

unfortunately, most of the country views Minnesota as a chunk of ice.
 

I continue to work on the theory that, when a coach is replaced, the next coach tends to be a contrast to the previous coach.

i.e. - get rid of a "tough" coach and bring in a "players" coach.
- get rid of an older coach - bring in a younger coach and so on.

In the case of MN, Richard Pitino was a very young inexperienced coach - so my theory says the next coach will have more D1 experience. Pitino also comes off as fairly laid-back, so the next coach could be more 'intense.'

I don't follow college hoops that closely, so one of you will have to tell me if there is a coach out there who fits my criteria.
 

I'm not pretending or making excuses. I'm just stating the truths of where we are right now. I don't like it and believe we can get out of it, but it's gonna take some work and some support. Coyle is helping and our current spending for PJ's staff is an example, but the fact is it's going to be hard for a department to fund a buyout when they cut sports. I hope Coyle can find the money for it. Next year could end up being extremely ugly otherwise if we continue to wait for cheaper buy outs. The fact we can't get the money for buy outs also show you the resources we have or in this case don't.

We do agree, we should not dismiss a power 5 guy, but it's just highly unlikely. We will need to find our dynamic builder another way.
If MN cant compete resources wise, and the expectations are to complete for the top of the conference and regular ncaa appearances, a whole lot of fans and folks are pretending. It may the the truth, and it is an excuse not to make a move or provide the required resources to compete at the level most want, including Coyle if we are to believe him.

MN has a brand new practice/training facility. I am counting that as a huge plus on the resource side. Are you saying the buyout isn't possible? Increasing salary for a new coach? For a new staff? Other resources? New arena?

Cutting others sports is a reality. Moving on from a coach and staff that aren't delivering the on court success is simply leadership decision. Again, to have expectations for greater success than the current level without being fully committed is pretending, imo. How many times over the last decade has there been a post on GH about the success of our friends to the east and how their approach changes decades go, and the success that has followed?
 

John is not coming here.
Based on what? If he wants to coach and stay in the B1G, we will be an attractive option. I'm sure he will have other options, but I would say we have a shot if we're willing to pay the going rate.
 

VCU. I alluded to it in another thread that the top 3-4 mid major coaches aren’t coming here. They’ll wait for something better. I actually think we have a better chance at someone like Beilein if we were to shell out the money.
That was also based on his relationship with Mega Tongue. I think we would have had a shot at getting him to leave Texas last Spring if we had made a move. Irrelevant now. I agree, Beilein should be the first offer. Then move on if he says no.
 




Top Bottom