How do you feel about the state of program right now?

[howeda7]

We have numerous wealthy and successful alumni in a major metropolitan area. Not like this is easy or anything, but a robust NIL apparatus is certainly possible at Minnesota.

It may never be top 5 in the B1G, but it also doesn't need to be the lowest in the power 5. Much like the basketball program itself.

 

[jamiche]

The hundreds of millions for a new arena is easy.

Starting next year they’ll be bringing in $80M a year from the Big Ten. That’s easy justification for couple hundred mill in bonds paid back over 30 years or whatever.


The impossible part, the part that you’re making up out of thin air, is that effort can make people donate significant NIL money. Not a thing.

OK, Mark.

 

[howeda7]

Clem came in at a low point in the program: only separated from a conference championship by four years, but the public was disgusted by the Madison scandal and was staying away from Williams Arena. I know; I was there; it was bad. Clem had charisma, and his teams were hard nosed and likable, and it was the toughest ticket in town before you knew it. This thing could turn around, but it takes the right person, and it has to be someone about 15 times more interesting and charismatic as Johnson.

The Wolves will be leaving for Seattle around 2027. It would be nice to be peaking around that time.

 

[howeda7]

CBJ as a coach is like a walk-on player at a B10 school. The player was noticed at the previous level and serves a role at the next level but is not expected to do well compared to others. As an X's and O's coach he's much better than Pitino, but he doesn't have the acumen to coach in the b10 regardless of the cost and that's the same as Pitino. CBJ and MC (Coyle) both need to be shown the door and NOT get the prize L Whalen received (a contract to work in the athletic department).

He is? Based on what?

 

[TD12]

Clem came in at a low point in the program: only separated from a conference championship by four years, but the public was disgusted by the Madison scandal and was staying away from Williams Arena. I know; I was there; it was bad. Clem had charisma, and his teams were hard nosed and likable, and it was the toughest ticket in town before you knew it. This thing could turn around, but it takes the right person, and it has to be someone about 15 times more interesting and charismatic as Johnson.

Clem was a great COACH!!

 

[Holy Man]

What gives you any indication that either of those guys give an ounce about the program? They are rarely around it. Heck, Paul Molitor, Greg Olson, Richard Coffey, even Big Will Humphries are around the program MUCH more than McHale or Thompson. They left the program 45 years ago and outside of a few tweets from Bells Thompson and a once-in-a-decade appearance from McHale, they aren't around at all.

Go Gophers!!

Especially with McHale, that just seems weird. He was Minnesota through and through. As far as I know, raised his family in the Twin Cities (I bid against him at an auction for the school his kids were at-he had considerably more resources than I did). I know people he went to high school with who say he's a regular guy to them and not too big for his britches. He's never said anything about not caring, or being insulted along the line or anyhitng like that. Mychal wasn't from here, and all of his career was elsewhere. People move on. I get that. But McHale, on the surface, should be more connected to the program.

 

[MplsGopher]

Can’t make it up. No wait, you can make it up!

Regular joes and season ticket holders refusing to donate needle-moving money to NIL is the AD’s fault.

Not being able to solicit large NIL donation out of wealthy Gopher football/MBB fans — who don’t exist — is the AD’s fault.


Luckily the Regents are smarter than that. Or are they?

 

[LesBolstad]

Can’t make it up. No wait, you can make it up!

Regular joes and season ticket holders refusing to donate needle-moving money to NIL is the AD’s fault.

Not being able to solicit large NIL donation out of wealthy Gopher football/MBB fans — who don’t exist — is the AD’s fault.


Luckily the Regents are smarter than that. Or are they?

any chance you can be banned for another year?

-Everyone on GH

 

[Holy Man]

Not sure about deeper, but I have zero doubt St. Thomas as an institution is more invested in "Playing to Win" than the U of M. That's pretty much why UST got booted out of the MIAC.

In the end, best thing that ever happened to St. Thomas. Very intrigued to see how their D1 journey progresses over the years.

For St. Thomas, this is about much more than basketball. It's about raising the profile of the university nationally. We have known for at least two generations that there is a culture within the U academic world that hates sports and sees them as a detriment to the high and mighty world of research and important smart people gathering at cocktail parties reminding themselves how much better they are than the unwashed athletic world. I'm sure it is at many other large universities, but it feels like it more powerful and prevalent here.

 

[FinnGopher]

I have played, coached and refereed for almost 40 years. I can spot a real coach. Plitzuweit is one.

She comes from a great coaching tree in Kevin Borseth. You can see the difference from last year to this year in the woman's program.

Ben seems like a genuinely nice person. He just can't succeed as a head coach at this level.

 

[goldenboy]

Answering the OP…

I forgot there was a game last night until 9:45 PM. Checked the score and felt nothing.

Me too, except I didn’t look at a score until this morning. Heavy sigh. Glad I didn’t watch.

 

[fmlizard]

Me too, except I didn’t look at a score until this morning. Heavy sigh. Glad I didn’t watch.

I forget most of the games these days. I remembered and tuned in for Mizzou and got a classic Gopher sports finish.

I saw the Gophers lost by 20 to San Francisco in basketball and they didn't have Bill Russell or Steph Curry and let out the same heavy sigh at 6 am

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Well, they haven’t had a Chicago St or Western Il game yet this year.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

It's too early to claim Plitzuweit a huge win. We are 7ish games into her first year. Motzko is good, but I think many people would have been good as the hockey program was a sleeping giant that needed to get out from under Lucia's run.

*but on Plitzuweit, the one game I watched, was much crisper than any of the Whalen games I ever watched...so there is that.

Dawn P can coach. Has fared well at other stops. Built an identity and resume. Huge win? Maybe not. But she’s capable and has good talent from her own doing and also Whalen’s. Battle, Braun, etc are good/very good players.

 

[bc2211]

Me too, except I didn’t look at a score until this morning. Heavy sigh. Glad I didn’t watch.

Between the on the court performance and the ads on this mobile app, gopher fan engagement has to be at an all time low.

 

[DarthGopher]

Crowdsourcing NIL doesn’t work. It was a nice pipe dream.

You need sugar daddies. That’s the only way it works.

Gophers have none


And even if crowdsourcing was the way, how can you fault Coyle for that??

No need to crowdsource. I've got the answer right here:

Gopher Gummies

Even if the team sucks, a bag of Doritos is all a Gopher Gummies eater will need to see them through until the sun shines again.

 

[DarthGopher]

Clem was a great COACH!!

I just ripped my jacket off to honor him.

 

[USAF]

"Program?"
What program? There is no program.

 

[kg21]

any chance you can be banned for another year?

-Everyone on GH

Not until he comes to the Vikings thread and tells us what a good team the Vikings are. I couldn't find him with a search light, last night.

 

[RockChalk]

What gives you any indication that either of those guys give an ounce about the program? They are rarely around it. Heck, Paul Molitor, Greg Olson, Richard Coffey, even Big Will Humphries are around the program MUCH more than McHale or Thompson. They left the program 45 years ago and outside of a few tweets from Bells Thompson and a once-in-a-decade appearance from McHale, they aren't around at all.

Go Gophers!!

Notice I said former alum and used those two as examples? Let me rephrase, is there a chance any former alum BB players form a group of concerned former players for their beloved program to take a stand where they say, enough is enough.

 

[Go Gophs]

Clem was a great COACH!!

And the day the U didn't stand behind him and fired him, they signed us all up 20 years off the state we are in for right now. No other University would have fired him. When they did that, they flat out told the CBB world that they care ZERO about winning.

I'm telling you, Mason as head coach in football with a little momentum and Clem as basketball with new arena's some big wins and tourney runs for a few more years this whole athletic department would have turned out different. Not to be though, but I'm sure glad that now ALL the players in our programs do their homework just like every other power 5 team's kids do.

 

[Go Gophs]

For St. Thomas, this is about much more than basketball. It's about raising the profile of the university nationally. We have known for at least two generations that there is a culture within the U academic world that hates sports and sees them as a detriment to the high and mighty world of research and important smart people gathering at cocktail parties reminding themselves how much better they are than the unwashed athletic world. I'm sure it is at many other large universities, but it feels like it more powerful and prevalent here.

Agree with this. St. Thomas is about winning. They did in in the MIAC because they put more resources towards it than anyone else. And they will do the same thing where they are at now.

It'll take some time, but at least they have the gumption to go for it.

U of M has never been about sports or especially winning at them. That has been obvious for decades.

 

[DarthGopher]

And the day the U didn't stand behind him and fired him, they signed us all up 20 years off the state we are in for right now. No other University would have fired him. When they did that, they flat out told the CBB world that they care ZERO about winning.

I'm telling you, Mason as head coach in football with a little momentum and Clem as basketball with new arena's some big wins and tourney runs for a few more years this whole athletic department would have turned out different. Not to be though, but I'm sure glad that now ALL the players in our programs do their homework just like every other power 5 team's kids do.

UNC ran a fraudulent degree program for over 2 decades just to keep athletes eligible.

They vacated nothing. They paid very little penalty for it. They really didn't miss a beat.

The loop hole - the classes were available to "everybody", technically, although nobody else seemingly knew about it except for FB and BB athletes.

By the same token, Ganglehoff's Writing Center was technically available to anybody, too. It just so happened the BB team were the only group of students that knew about this service.

Put the friggin' banner back up and grow a set.

 

[Bad Gopher]

No need to crowdsource. I've got the answer right here:

Gopher Gummies

Even if the team sucks, a bag of Doritos is all a Gopher Gummies eater will need to see them through until the sun shines again.

This. And sell them the Doritos, too. We'll be practically printing money.

 

[leib0039]

This was pretty funny i thought, and also about how the program is viewed.

 

[SplitDecision]

Jeez, talk about a bunch of Negative Nellies. As disappointing as the SF loss was, it was merely a road non-conference loss to a very good team. Gophers looked terrible on both ends of the floor. The turnovers were completely ridiculous, and off-ball defense non-existent. OK get it out of your system. Its very early in the season, and there are reasons MN looked terrible that we don't know about. The season is just starting, and consistency is lacking. Mizzou loss was NOT CBJ issue, that was a player loss. Every team has BAD nights. That said,
*MN talent is adequate to be competitive in the BTN, and improving yearly.
*CBJ is not over his head, and after the next meaningful win everyone will be happy.
*Back court ball handling issues will be cleaned up, despite opposition seeing tape.
*Shooting woes will take care of themselves, with proper ball movement, cutting.
*This team will have an identity in two weeks, and roles will be defined more clearly. Best TV broadcast every was MN/OSU mic'd coach game last year where CBJ (in game) outcoached Chris Holtmann-("Let's go-right now. OK-right now, play hard-right now... right now, right now.."). You can talk all you want about MN Admin. not caring, CBJ over his head, etc., but the biggest issue in Gopher sports is the stubborn defiance against NIL money and the late start gopherhole they put themselves in. Anyway,

Two scenarios: MN will straighten things out vs. New Orleans, lose close at OSU, and beat NEB at home going 1-1 prior to 4 cupcake wins, and BTN play in Jan. We already know Jan. will be rough and MN likely win 2 games before a 4 win Feb. (CJB contract extended), and 3 win Mar. or...

MN claws into BTN play after 0-2 Dec. start, and struggles to win 4-5 BTN games, followed by a portal exodus, CBJ release and a complete rebuild, or maybe dropping basketball as a sport in favor of field hockey. I'll go with #1 option above and not fall into MN depression this early.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

BadGopher has a 2 word response for you.

 

[howeda7]

Jeez, talk about a bunch of Negative Nellies. As disappointing as the SF loss was, it was merely a road non-conference loss to a very good team. Gophers looked terrible on both ends of the floor. The turnovers were completely ridiculous, and off-ball defense non-existent. OK get it out of your system. Its very early in the season, and there are reasons MN looked terrible that we don't know about. The season is just starting, and consistency is lacking. Mizzou loss was NOT CBJ issue, that was a player loss. Every team has BAD nights. That said,
*MN talent is adequate to be competitive in the BTN, and improving yearly.
*CBJ is not over his head, and after the next meaningful win everyone will be happy.
*Back court ball handling issues will be cleaned up, despite opposition seeing tape.
*Shooting woes will take care of themselves, with proper ball movement, cutting.
*This team will have an identity in two weeks, and roles will be defined more clearly. Best TV broadcast every was MN/OSU mic'd coach game last year where CBJ (in game) outcoached Chris Holtmann-("Let's go-right now. OK-right now, play hard-right now... right now, right now.."). You can talk all you want about MN Admin. not caring, CBJ over his head, etc., but the biggest issue in Gopher sports is the stubborn defiance against NIL money and the late start gopherhole they put themselves in. Anyway,

Two scenarios: MN will straighten things out vs. New Orleans, lose close at OSU, and beat NEB at home going 1-1 prior to 4 cupcake wins, and BTN play in Jan. We already know Jan. will be rough and MN likely win 2 games before a 4 win Feb. (CJB contract extended), and 3 win Mar. or...

MN claws into BTN play after 0-2 Dec. start, and struggles to win 4-5 BTN games, followed by a portal exodus, CBJ release and a complete rebuild, or maybe dropping basketball as a sport in favor of field hockey. I'll go with #1 option above and not fall into MN depression this early.

I believe Payne and Garcia will dominate Mike Hall and Rick Pizzo in BTN play. Those guys are chumps.

 

[Bad Gopher]

BadGopher has a 2 word response for you.

I'm sure I do. (Um, what are the words?)

 

[leib0039]

Jeez, talk about a bunch of Negative Nellies. As disappointing as the SF loss was, it was merely a road non-conference loss to a very good team. Gophers looked terrible on both ends of the floor. The turnovers were completely ridiculous, and off-ball defense non-existent. OK get it out of your system. Its very early in the season, and there are reasons MN looked terrible that we don't know about. The season is just starting, and consistency is lacking. Mizzou loss was NOT CBJ issue, that was a player loss. Every team has BAD nights. That said,
*MN talent is adequate to be competitive in the BTN, and improving yearly.
*CBJ is not over his head, and after the next meaningful win everyone will be happy.
*Back court ball handling issues will be cleaned up, despite opposition seeing tape.
*Shooting woes will take care of themselves, with proper ball movement, cutting.
*This team will have an identity in two weeks, and roles will be defined more clearly. Best TV broadcast every was MN/OSU mic'd coach game last year where CBJ (in game) outcoached Chris Holtmann-("Let's go-right now. OK-right now, play hard-right now... right now, right now.."). You can talk all you want about MN Admin. not caring, CBJ over his head, etc., but the biggest issue in Gopher sports is the stubborn defiance against NIL money and the late start gopherhole they put themselves in. Anyway,

Two scenarios: MN will straighten things out vs. New Orleans, lose close at OSU, and beat NEB at home going 1-1 prior to 4 cupcake wins, and BTN play in Jan. We already know Jan. will be rough and MN likely win 2 games before a 4 win Feb. (CJB contract extended), and 3 win Mar. or...

MN claws into BTN play after 0-2 Dec. start, and struggles to win 4-5 BTN games, followed by a portal exodus, CBJ release and a complete rebuild, or maybe dropping basketball as a sport in favor of field hockey. I'll go with #1 option above and not fall into MN depression this early.

I dont even know where to start with this one. This has to be a CBJ burner account right??