Marcus: I think the Gophers will have top 30 talent next season.

Can't argue with that. Proof that there are several ways to argue whether the Gophers were a "top 30 program for the 2013 season".

Personally, I'd say the Gophers were a "top-30 team" that season when everything is factored in (regular season, quality of their best wins (6 in the RPI top 50), overall strength of schedule (#5), NCAA performance, etc.), but I would agree with Winasota that the Gophers were not a "top 30 program" when Tubby was let go. I was simply offering an argument with facts based on the way Fitzgerald presented it (Round of 32 = top-30 program in 2012-2013 season).

Seriously? That felt like a top-30 team to you? A losing conference record?
 

Winning a game in the NCAA tourney doesn't make you a top 30 program. Dayton made the elite 8 two years ago as an 11 seed, were they a top 8 program in the country?

Don't confuse the man with logic!
 

Seriously? That felt like a top-30 team to you? A losing conference record?

Looking at the entirety of the season, start to finish, yes. The good with the bad, the promise followed by the disappointment, yes. A top-30 team (that season) seems about right. 30-40 range at worst. We've had a lot worse seasons to get up in arms about?
 

Top 30 talent with a bottom 30 coaching staff. I wonder which one will win out next year.

Not sure that's true. I'm not sure Coach K could go .500 with the talent we have this year. That said, basketball teams can turn it around in 1 year with a good infusion of talent. And with that said, I think we'll miss the NCAA's next year too. I don't see enough talent coming in to make a 15 game swing in wins versus losses...
 

Not sure that's true. I'm not sure Coach K could go .500 with the talent we have this year. That said, basketball teams can turn it around in 1 year with a good infusion of talent. And with that said, I think we'll miss the NCAA's next year too. I don't see enough talent coming in to make a 15 game swing in wins versus losses...

I agree with we don't have 15 games worth of talent coming in. But I also don't think this team is a 6-8 win team either. They lost some games early they likely wouldn't lose today. So it's probably +3-5 from current talent and another 5 or so from new talent.
 


If the Gophers finish the season the way they've played the last 5 games, keep competing, win a few games, + maybe 1 or 2 in Indy, I'll be much more encouraged about the prospects for 2016-17. Don't want to see a backslide this last month plus. Very important they not return to the back-to-back Northwestern/Nebraska debacle.

Should Be Better in 2016-17
Illinois
Minnesota
Northwestern
Ohio State
Penn State
Wisconsin

About the Same or Better
Michigan
Michigan State
Nebraska
Rutgers

Not As Strong
Indiana
Iowa
Maryland (assuming no Melo)
Purdue
 

This response is all you need to know about Larry Fitzgerald Sr. He doesn't come back with anything to back up his claim.

 

Larry Fitz Sr. has always seemed like a hack. Easy to see why his son didn't go to the U, he's obviously not a fan.
 

Larry Fitz Sr. has always seemed like a hack. Easy to see why his son didn't go to the U, he's obviously not a fan.

Or Larry Jr. was quite happy to get away from Larry Sr. That would be a hard father to have.
 



Or Larry Jr. was quite happy to get away from Larry Sr. That would be a hard father to have.

Do you know this or are you just talking. Maybe you have insight into their home life? I'd be curious. As someone that actually knew the man I'm especially interested in your perspective
 


In a Twitter exchange between Larry Fitzgerald and Marcus Fuller, Marcus is bullish on our talent next season:

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Go Gophers!!

If Tubby could have coached with the talent he had over the years he would have still been here. Lets see what Richard can do with new talent the next two years. One example was how he made Mo Walker in a functional player after he was a complete bust under Tubby.
 

Larry Fitz Sr. has always seemed like a hack. Easy to see why his son didn't go to the U, he's obviously not a fan.

Sr. appears from time to time on Almanac. It amazes me how uninformed he is on all sports.
 



If Tubby could have coached with the talent he had over the years he would have still been here. Lets see what Richard can do with new talent the next two years. One example was how he made Mo Walker in a functional player after he was a complete bust under Tubby.

STAAAAAAPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STOP BRINGING UP TUBBY!!!!!!!

You'll never prove the bolded part because it's not remotely close to true.
 


STAAAAAAPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STOP BRINGING UP TUBBY!!!!!!!

You'll never prove the bolded part because it's not remotely close to true.

Well he didn't bring much in Tubby's last year, him and oto looked like lost causes as Andre Ingriem took their minutes
 


Bolded part????????????????? Explain

How was he a complete bust under Tubby? I'll answer for you, he wasn't. He played a bit his freshmen year, he got injured sat out sophomore season as a redshirt. Played sparingly behind two seniors his "sophomore year" and then Pitino came.

2 seasons is hardly enough time to call him a bust. You will throw out that he would have been fat and a waste of space had Tubby been around, you cannot prove it.
 

Yes we can. Mo credited Pitino with motivating him to lose the weight.
 

Yes we can. Mo credited Pitino with motivating him to lose the weight.

And there never has been a 10 point 7 rebound overweight center in a hi lo offense before? The question wasn't whether Pitino got him to loose weight, it was whether or not Mo was a bust under Tubby. He wasn't.
 

Do you know this or are you just talking. Maybe you have insight into their home life? I'd be curious. As someone that actually knew the man I'm especially interested in your perspective

Nope just talking and not really talking smack about Sr. It is hard for a child in a public field to have so public a father.
 

Nope just talking and not really talking smack about Sr. It is hard for a child in a public field to have so public a father.
I am not that much younger than Larry Fitzgerald Jr so was his dad a big deal in the 90's or is the JR reason anyone pays attention to SR? Did SR write for the Strib or the Pioneer Press?
 

That's actually hilarious coming from you, king of technicalities.

Lets also not forget there is a difference between top 30 team and top 30 program. Not even you, the guy that often cites Alabama as a better job than Minnesota (not saying your wrong), could argue that Minnesota has or ever will be a top 30 program and certainly was not that when Tubby left and will not be with arguablly top 30 talent next season.

Well even though we finished tied for 9th place in the B1G that year....we still were ranked 30th in RPI that year with a strength of schedule ranked 5th....so yes they were a top 30 program....sorry to break it to you.
 

Well even though we finished tied for 9th place in the B1G that year....we still were ranked 30th in RPI that year with a strength of schedule ranked 5th....so yes they were a top 30 program....sorry to break it to you.
I think you're confusing "team" with "program"
 




Where is mo now? I wonder if he has kept the weight off?
 

Where is mo now? I wonder if he has kept the weight off?

He's playing in Italy and looks to be in shape:

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Go Gophers!!
 

I am not that much younger than Larry Fitzgerald Jr so was his dad a big deal in the 90's or is the JR reason anyone pays attention to SR? Did SR write for the Strib or the Pioneer Press?
Senior was one of the first talk show hosts for KFAN. He did alright until he started talking about racism on his show and shortly after that KFAN dropped him.
Connect the dots...
Personally, I liked listening to Sr. He had his hand on the pulse of the Metro, but people weren't ready to listen to what he had to say about race relations. I'm guessing most people still aren't ready to hear what Sr has to say and Sr has probably burned some bridges along the way. It's too bad. He had some good things to add to the conversation.
 




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