Kedall and Dame Podcast


Damian say a MVC head coach (who he said is usually pessimistic) told him that Liam will make an all Big Ten Team next season. Mentioned all players ...but not a word on Curry
 

Damian say a MVC head coach (who he said is usually pessimistic) told him that Liam will make an all Big Ten Team next season. Mentioned all players ...but not a word on Curry
Honorable mention I could see or maybe defensive team.
 

Thanks for sharing. I wonder why it's not available on Apple Podcasts? I'll give it a listen on Spotify. I listen to another Gophers podcast and their barely deeper than surface level knowledge of the program leaves something to be desired.

Side note: I met Kendall Shell's mom back when I lived in St. Louis. Ran into her at Schnuck's and I had Gopher gear on. She was super nice. She also talked about how excited Kendall was to play for Tubby (I can't remember if he had already played for him at that point or had committed). She just left me with a really positive impression -- glad he is part of the Gopher family.
 

Thanks for sharing. I wonder why it's not available on Apple Podcasts? I'll give it a listen on Spotify. I listen to another Gophers podcast and their barely deeper than surface level knowledge of the program leaves something to be desired.

Side note: I met Kendall Shell's mom back when I lived in St. Louis. Ran into her at Schnuck's and I had Gopher gear on. She was super nice. She also talked about how excited Kendall was to play for Tubby (I can't remember if he had already played for him at that point or had committed). She just left me with a really positive impression -- glad he is part of the Gopher family.
It was a live stream on youtube, not sure it would be available anywhere but there

Edit: i might be thinking of something else, i see above that it was released on spotify
 


Recommended listening for sure. Some of their comments:
- Dobbins, Johnson, Peterson, Gabe, Carr as starters. Ihnen will be pushing Peterson for starting at the 3. Starters this season will be better than starters last season.
- More depth will lead to more competitive practices - a big deal.
- Pitino should get at least two more years because the virus makes this upcoming season difficult preparation wise.
- The length of this team lends itself to better defense. Maybe throw in more zone as a changeup.
- Very high on Mashburn. Impressed with his confidence and leadership.
- Felt that it hurt Pitino 's local rep by not going after Wright. However feel since he has been going hard after local kids and prep coaches need to get on board more.


Anyway, some of the highlights. They used a nickname for Ihnen so took me awhile to figure out who they were talking about. Also, honestly thought Kendall would be talking with a female, so was caught off guard with that.
 


Recommended listening for sure. Some of their comments:
- Dobbins, Johnson, Peterson, Gabe, Carr as starters. Ihnen will be pushing Peterson for starting at the 3. Starters this season will be better than starters last season.
- More depth will lead to more competitive practices - a big deal.
- Pitino should get at least two more years because the virus makes this upcoming season difficult preparation wise.
- The length of this team lends itself to better defense. Maybe throw in more zone as a changeup.
- Very high on Mashburn. Impressed with his confidence and leadership.
- Felt that it hurt Pitino 's local rep by not going after Wright. However feel since he has been going hard after local kids and prep coaches need to get on board more.


Anyway, some of the highlights. They used a nickname for Ihnen so took me awhile to figure out who they were talking about. Also, honestly thought Kendall would be talking with a female, so was caught off guard with that.
Just listened. Great summary. To add to your points:
- Pitino didn't give Minnesota kids the time of day at the beginning of his tenure and is trying to repair that now
- Kendall was stressing that sometimes the U of M is just not the right fit for Minnesotans. We should embrace the Hollinses and Masons and Damian Johnsons and Marcus Carr's of the world that say no to a local school and play for us. And celebrate the Daniel Oturu's that say no to KU. And let the other Minnesotan's go when it's not the right fit.
- They thought Tre Holloman could turn the tide of MN kids leaving
- Relevant to our roster construction thread: They thought Robbins/Johnson/Peterson/Gabet took them a while to remember Omersa/Freeman were on the team and they never remembered Curry was.
- Damian thinks Mashburn will be our 6th man, brings elements of toughness and ability to pick his man up full court that we don't have right now. Kendall thought Greenlee would get some run, Damian disagreed
- Damian talked about how Brandon Johnson adds so much more than Demir, how Robbins can score over either shoulder, and how his blocking ability similar to Lynch helps the guards defend better and starts fast breaks
- Nickname was "German KD" (Kevin Durant) for Ihnen which took me a minute, too. They think he will start as our 7th man but could work his way into the starting lineup
- Talked about how Johnson and Ihnen could play together -- Ihnen plays outside/wing on offense, but then Johnson guards his man on defense with his quickness. Also mentioned Johnson or even Ihnen or Omersa as potential 5's in different lineups.
 

Just listened. Great summary. To add to your points:
- Pitino didn't give Minnesota kids the time of day at the beginning of his tenure and is trying to repair that now
- Kendall was stressing that sometimes the U of M is just not the right fit for Minnesotans. We should embrace the Hollinses and Masons and Damian Johnsons and Marcus Carr's of the world that say no to a local school and play for us. And celebrate the Daniel Oturu's that say no to KU. And let the other Minnesotan's go when it's not the right fit.
- They thought Tre Holloman could turn the tide of MN kids leaving
- Relevant to our roster construction thread: They thought Robbins/Johnson/Peterson/Gabet took them a while to remember Omersa/Freeman were on the team and they never remembered Curry was.
- Damian thinks Mashburn will be our 6th man, brings elements of toughness and ability to pick his man up full court that we don't have right now. Kendall thought Greenlee would get some run, Damian disagreed
- Damian talked about how Brandon Johnson adds so much more than Demir, how Robbins can score over either shoulder, and how his blocking ability similar to Lynch helps the guards defend better and starts fast breaks
- Nickname was "German KD" (Kevin Durant) for Ihnen which took me a minute, too. They think he will start as our 7th man but could work his way into the starting lineup
- Talked about how Johnson and Ihnen could play together -- Ihnen plays outside/wing on offense, but then Johnson guards his man on defense with his quickness. Also mentioned Johnson or even Ihnen or Omersa as potential 5's in different lineups.

Thanks for the solid recap! Also thanks to OP for linking it
 




They seem to be really high on the incoming recruits and transfers. Also Damian suggests Gameli Ahelegbe at South Dakota or Al Harris from D1.
 

Recommended listening for sure. Some of their comments:
- Dobbins, Johnson, Peterson, Gabe, Carr as starters. Ihnen will be pushing Peterson for starting at the 3. Starters this season will be better than starters last season.
- More depth will lead to more competitive practices - a big deal.
- Pitino should get at least two more years because the virus makes this upcoming season difficult preparation wise.
- The length of this team lends itself to better defense. Maybe throw in more zone as a changeup.
- Very high on Mashburn. Impressed with his confidence and leadership.
- Felt that it hurt Pitino 's local rep by not going after Wright. However feel since he has been going hard after local kids and prep coaches need to get on board more.


Anyway, some of the highlights. They used a nickname for Ihnen so took me awhile to figure out who they were talking about. Also, honestly thought Kendall would be talking with a female, so was caught off guard with that.

Thank you for the recap. Their comments all sound reasonable.
 

Just listened. Great summary. To add to your points:
- Pitino didn't give Minnesota kids the time of day at the beginning of his tenure and is trying to repair that now
- Kendall was stressing that sometimes the U of M is just not the right fit for Minnesotans. We should embrace the Hollinses and Masons and Damian Johnsons and Marcus Carr's of the world that say no to a local school and play for us. And celebrate the Daniel Oturu's that say no to KU. And let the other Minnesotan's go when it's not the right fit.
- They thought Tre Holloman could turn the tide of MN kids leaving
- Relevant to our roster construction thread: They thought Robbins/Johnson/Peterson/Gabet took them a while to remember Omersa/Freeman were on the team and they never remembered Curry was.
- Damian thinks Mashburn will be our 6th man, brings elements of toughness and ability to pick his man up full court that we don't have right now. Kendall thought Greenlee would get some run, Damian disagreed
- Damian talked about how Brandon Johnson adds so much more than Demir, how Robbins can score over either shoulder, and how his blocking ability similar to Lynch helps the guards defend better and starts fast breaks
- Nickname was "German KD" (Kevin Durant) for Ihnen which took me a minute, too. They think he will start as our 7th man but could work his way into the starting lineup
- Talked about how Johnson and Ihnen could play together -- Ihnen plays outside/wing on offense, but then Johnson guards his man on defense with his quickness. Also mentioned Johnson or even Ihnen or Omersa as potential 5's in different lineups.

Was indeed interesting how they talked about Tre Holliman's influence with other players. German KD - I like it.
They seem really positive about the new recruits for sure. None too late for Coach Pitino. His coaching skills are excellent but needs a recruiting uptick imo - Kendall and Damian seem to agree.
 
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I like how optimistic they are on the new guys...although it looks like we will have to wait a year on at least Peterson...thanks NCAA.
 




NCAA transfer committee is recommending to not allow the one time transfer rule at this time. Sounds like they may consider it in the future.

I wonder how often the masses vote against the board recommendations. Probably not often.

What often got lost in this discussion is that a majority of D-1 programs and schools are understandably opposed to the no-sit transfer rule. A lot of sentiment toward this being a done deal, but it's a huge alteration of the college basketball landscape.

It's also going to create massive bottle necks in the waiver application process. We might not find out until December whether Liam is okayed to play or not.
 

I wonder how often the masses vote against the board recommendations. Probably not often.

What often got lost in this discussion is that a majority of D-1 programs and schools are understandably opposed to the no-sit transfer rule. A lot of sentiment toward this being a done deal, but it's a huge alteration of the college basketball landscape.

It's also going to create massive bottle necks in the waiver application process. We might not find out until December whether Liam is okayed to play or not.
Very concerning moving forward for our squad. We have a chance to be a pretty interesting team if everything falls into place. Peterson sitting would be a piece not falling into place (for this coming season). We still have other question marks as well: the status of Marcus and Liam being the most important, imo. Add in Curry's health, Gabe bouncing back, and improvement from Ihnen, Williams, Omersa, Freeman and Greenlee.

Hopefully we have a full roster (with at least Marcus and Liam). Outside of Curry's health, about which we know nothing, it seems reasonable to expect at least incremental improvements from the others. Add Mashburn and Mitchell (who I think can contribute as long as he's not matched up with someone Garza-sized). If Liam is among the more effective bigs in the league, there's a chance to see a big leap. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If Peterson and Liam have to sit, it could be trouble. We'll be scrappy, but overmatched (especially inside) most nights and I fear a similar record to this year results in a new coaching staff. Who knows which players stick around after that.

I understand fan frustration with our coach and think calls to move on are justified (though I think Pitino is a genuinely likable guy). If we don't see results next year, it would be hard to justify keeping things as they are. IMO, our best hope is that we see real progress from our coach in establishing a true identity and direction for the program. Even though he's been in place for while, we haven't exactly had a lot of stability. A rebuild might be hard to stomach, depending on who would be hired.

There have been numerous distractions and bad luck with injuries that weren't the fault of the coach, but it is his responsibility to find a way to navigate those challenges. I'm very hopeful that we see progress in the next calendar year.

Sorry for the long post.
 

Thanks golf and eker for your summaries for those of us who haven't had a chance to listen yet. Any mention of the search for Jeter's backfill, by chance?
 

Thanks golf and eker for your summaries for those of us who haven't had a chance to listen yet. Any mention of the search for Jeter's backfill, by chance?
As alchemy2u mentioned, Damion pointed toward Gameli Ahelegbe at South Dakota or Al Harris from D1 as they both have local ties and would boost local recruiting. Kendall gave his support to Damian. It might not be a terrible idea to have a guy who had to work for everything he achieved and also has local high school coaching experience. The kids may not know him, but nearly all the coaches do. I really appreciated their takes on local recruiting.
 

As alchemy2u mentioned, Damion pointed toward Gameli Ahelegbe at South Dakota or Al Harris from D1 as they both have local ties and would boost local recruiting. Kendall gave his support to Damian. It might not be a terrible idea to have a guy who had to work for everything he achieved and also has local high school coaching experience. The kids may not know him, but nearly all the coaches do. I really appreciated their takes on local recruiting.

Count me in the anti Al Harris boat. Gameli would be intriguing. Dame is someone I want so bad to be ready and the guy, just don't know if he is yet? I really think this staff needs a "defensive" expert more than a recruiter.
 

Count me in the anti Al Harris boat. Gameli would be intriguing. Dame is someone I want so bad to be ready and the guy, just don't know if he is yet? I really think this staff needs a "defensive" expert more than a recruiter.
Why Anti Harris? Not enough experience coaching in general?
 

Count me in the anti Al Harris boat. Gameli would be intriguing. Dame is someone I want so bad to be ready and the guy, just don't know if he is yet? I really think this staff needs a "defensive" expert more than a recruiter.
I agree. Dame definitely wants it, but he seemed to know he wasn't ready yet. Although Dame might be a solid back-up plan if more prepared guys (like Gameli) are, for some reason, not a fit. The fan in me likes the idea of taking a flyer on a guy who gave us his heart and soul on the court. The practical side of me hopes there's a great local recruiter that can help turn the tide on the high end local talent.
 

I agree. Dame definitely wants it, but he seemed to know he wasn't ready yet. Although Dame might be a solid back-up plan if more prepared guys (like Gameli) are, for some reason, not a fit. The fan in me likes the idea of taking a flyer on a guy who gave us his heart and soul on the court. The practical side of me hopes there's a great local recruiter that can help turn the tide on the high end local talent.
I think DJ could be a good recruiter he used to coach with D1 & as a high school he schedules the best teams in the state so he must have some connections or communication with those guys. I dont if he is ready to coach in the Big Ten but he def would be worth a shot.
 

Count me in the anti Al Harris boat. Gameli would be intriguing. Dame is someone I want so bad to be ready and the guy, just don't know if he is yet? I really think this staff needs a "defensive" expert more than a recruiter.

Dame was certainly a big time defender as a player. I wonder if he's good at coaching it too. I'm biased, as we all are, but I would love to hire him.
 

Why Anti Harris? Not enough experience coaching in general?

I'm not huge on hiring AAU guys in general. Harris seems like a decent dude. Kids like him, but I want someone with more realistic in game experience, scouting, and player development. AAU just doesn't do much of that imo.
 

As alchemy2u mentioned, Damion pointed toward Gameli Ahelegbe at South Dakota or Al Harris from D1 as they both have local ties and would boost local recruiting. Kendall gave his support to Damian. It might not be a terrible idea to have a guy who had to work for everything he achieved and also has local high school coaching experience. The kids may not know him, but nearly all the coaches do. I really appreciated their takes on local recruiting.

Sorry, I missed that note from alchemy. It will be interesting to see what qualities Pitino prioritizes (defensive guru, recruiter, etc.) in that search. I don't have a ton of confidence in Conroy and Linstead, so I hope they get an experienced coach who can bring a dominant skillset.
 


His HS teams defend well. Seems like he's a good teacher of the game.
I watched them 3 times last year vs Wayzata, Edina & Spring Lake Park both times I came away impressed with their ability to compete when his teams were clearly undersized & had less talent. They were up 20 on Wayzata who has 2 legit D1 players & a couple of D2 D3 kids. Spring Lake Park & Edina games they held leads at halftime and both those teams had more talent. I dont know how well he can handle gameplanning but you can tell his players love playing for him
 




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