***OFFICIAL IOWA AT MINNESOTA IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

Why do you assume Ben didn't try to get another guard who was good enough to help? You don't get guys in the portal based on recruiting relationships. Good players choose where they want to play.
I said this before, but let's assume he did try to find more G depth. That doesn't work for you CBJ backers either because BFAN and the boys proclaim him to be the best recruiter in gopher history. That would imply the only G he was able to land both should be playing D2. Either way giant L for CBJ.
 


I said this before, but let's assume he did try to find more G depth. That doesn't work for you CBJ backers either because BFAN and the boys proclaim him to be the best recruiter in gopher history. That would imply the only G he was able to land both should be playing D2. Either way giant L for CBJ.
Really both Cooper and Samuels are giant recruiting Ls. Recruiting Cooper as your start PG is really a poor judge of talent. He's a nice 6th man at the 2G in this league. Most could tell a couple weeks in that he was slow. Everyone on this team plays one position off of where they should it seems.
 

Why do you assume Ben didn't try to get another guard who was good enough to help? You don't get guys in the portal based on recruiting relationships. Good players choose where they want to play.

If this is the best Ben could do at the guard position, then there is no hope for the future.
 

I said this before, but let's assume he did try to find more G depth. That doesn't work for you CBJ backers either because BFAN and the boys proclaim him to be the best recruiter in gopher history. That would imply the only G he was able to land both should be playing D2. Either way giant L for CBJ.
Agreed. They want both sides of the coin.
 



They wouldn’t play on a real team at this point.

I like JOJ and Payne long term…but they are forced to play. If they did not have those stats it was be much much worse as we really only played 7 people…4 of which were freshmen.

You fail to mention Payne…our potentially best freshmen (along with JOJ)…how was his game since you care so much about game
By game freshmen stats?
Clearly mentioned Payne Soggy
 





Ramburg wasn't quitting the team if he wasn't given a scholarship, so that's irrelevant. They needed another guard badly. They had two unused scholarships that were given to Ramburg and Betts rather than go unused. Not one. Two.

Johnson decide to reward a walk-on rather than get a similarly capable player through the transfer portal. In hindsight....with this many injuries....he probably would have done things differently. But knowing that Samuels was taken....chances are that the scholarship would have been used on a guy that hardly improved the team outside from being another warm body to soak up minutes.

And how exactly was Betts scholarship "unused". He was considered a top 100 player in the 2023 class by some and Johnson had the opportunity to sign him for 2022 if he reclassed. I get that bitching for the purpose of bitching makes you feel better about your life for some reason....but another low level transfer who's unlikely to translate to wins is not worth missing out on a talented recruit. But I get that this doesn't fit your narrative.

Not that I suppose it matters but I would like to know if after getting Cooper CBJ was planning on low low end guys like Samuels and Ramburg or if he totally whiffed on other guys. Either way it's a huge L on his resume but more concerns me that next year we don't add any G and roll with the same garbage as this year.

The guard position is an absolute mess and it's the biggest issue that I have with Johnson right now. While a healthy roster would make the team look better.....there is still a huge hole at the point. I like Cooper....but even he isn't a great ball handler. It's imperative that he hunts down a guy in the transfer portal.

Well, let's hope that he can envision such things now after two consecutive years of having a roster short of capable players. After hanging out here for almost a decade, I'm used to naive and overly optimistic fans who never envision players getting hurt, leaving the team, or just not being nearly as good as expected but I would hope that a head coach whose livelihood depends upon the quality of his roster is always a little more concerned about the adequacy of it than those fans.

Having two straight years of having a couple guys looking at decent minutes out for the entire season is not super common. That's downright bad luck....and it shortens a bench tremendously. Then you have a couple more guys out....including your best player? It's naive to think that having this kind of injury trouble is typical for teams. But I've been on this board long enough to know that certain fans get joy out of complaining.
 



Johnson decide to reward a walk-on rather than get a similarly capable player through the transfer portal. In hindsight....with this many injuries....he probably would have done things differently. But knowing that Samuels was taken....chances are that the scholarship would have been used on a guy that hardly improved the team outside from being another warm body to soak up minutes.

And how exactly was Betts scholarship "unused". He was considered a top 100 player in the 2023 class by some and Johnson had the opportunity to sign him for 2022 if he reclassed. I get that bitching for the purpose of bitching makes you feel better about your life for some reason....but another low level transfer who's unlikely to translate to wins is not worth missing out on a talented recruit. But I get that this doesn't fit your narrative.



The guard position is an absolute mess and it's the biggest issue that I have with Johnson right now. While a healthy roster would make the team look better.....there is still a huge hole at the point. I like Cooper....but even he isn't a great ball handler. It's imperative that he hunts down a guy in the transfer portal.



Having two straight years of having a couple guys looking at decent minutes out for the entire season is not super common. That's downright bad luck....and it shortens a bench tremendously. Then you have a couple more guys out....including your best player? It's naive to think that having this kind of injury trouble is typical for teams. But I've been on this board long enough to know that certain fans get joy out of complaining.
Excellent post - amazing that these posers/posters continue to watch with all the angst it causes them.

Some people are only happy if they bitch and complain about something/anything in life.
 
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If you're old enough, you remember how the TV show "Nightline" began as a nightly update on the Iran hostage crisis.

I think we need some kind of modern equivalent - a daily or nightly update on "it's been # days with no sign of Gopher AD Mark Coyle."

this is an under-reported story. the men's and women's basketball programs are each having hugely disappointing seasons, and the AD is a bleepin' ghost.

at this point, I really don't care what he says. I just want him - assuming he actually exists - to put his ass in front of a camera and make some kind of public statement.

at this point, I envision Coyle in his bunker with jars of urine and stacks of old newspapers, just like Howard Hughes. How long are his fingernails by now?
 

If you're old enough, you remember how the TV show "Nightline" began as a nightly update on the Iran hostage crisis.

I think we need some kind of modern equivalent - a daily or nightly update on "it's been # days with no sign of Gopher AD Mark Coyle."

this is an under-reported story. the men's and women's basketball programs are each having hugely disappointing seasons, and the AD is a bleepin' ghost.

at this point, I really don't care what he says. I just want him - assuming he actually exists - to put his ass in front of a camera and make some kind of public statement.

at this point, I envision Coyle in his bunker with jars of urine and stacks of old newspapers, just like Howard Hughes. How long are his fingernails by now?
Turned you down for an interview, huh?
 

Asuma, Mr. cloudy as f

So now we're waiting 2 more years for a mid level PG to maybe come here as a freshman? Good lord.

The once comparable TJ Otzelberger, also in his 2nd year, has cooled on Asuma because he's already recruited over him multiple times.
 



So now we're waiting 2 more years for a mid level PG to maybe come here as a freshman? Good lord.
I didn’t say that did I? The point was, help is likely it’s way based on what MN recruiting experts feel, especially as IA State just signed A PG in the same class and has backed off.

U, I and no one else has any idea of who might be available via the portal or a late spring commit possibly for the incoming class - so if you choose to wallow in your misery, feel free to belly up to the bar brother!

Mid - level based on what?

Per 24/7, he’s ranked as the 23rd best PG in his class (top 25%)

If you have any factual data that disputes that, I’m here 2 learn.


The once comparable TJ Otzelberger, also in his 2nd year, has cooled on Asuma because he's already recruited over him multiple times.
I don’t give a sheet about the IA coach. If you are using that to decide on Asuma, why don’t you just take you keister to the IA State board then?

I’m
 

If you're old enough, you remember how the TV show "Nightline" began as a nightly update on the Iran hostage crisis.

I think we need some kind of modern equivalent - a daily or nightly update on "it's been # days with no sign of Gopher AD Mark Coyle."

this is an under-reported story. the men's and women's basketball programs are each having hugely disappointing seasons, and the AD is a bleepin' ghost.

at this point, I really don't care what he says. I just want him - assuming he actually exists - to put his ass in front of a camera and make some kind of public statement.

at this point, I envision Coyle in his bunker with jars of urine and stacks of old newspapers, just like Howard Hughes. How long are his fingernails by now?
I understand He was lost at sea.
 

If you're old enough, you remember how the TV show "Nightline" began as a nightly update on the Iran hostage crisis.

I think we need some kind of modern equivalent - a daily or nightly update on "it's been # days with no sign of Gopher AD Mark Coyle."

this is an under-reported story. the men's and women's basketball programs are each having hugely disappointing seasons, and the AD is a bleepin' ghost.

at this point, I really don't care what he says. I just want him - assuming he actually exists - to put his ass in front of a camera and make some kind of public statement.

at this point, I envision Coyle in his bunker with jars of urine and stacks of old newspapers, just like Howard Hughes. How long are his fingernails by now?
He's the kind of leader who likes to disappear and remain silent for as long as possible whenever leadership is needed.
 

If you're old enough, you remember how the TV show "Nightline" began as a nightly update on the Iran hostage crisis.

I think we need some kind of modern equivalent - a daily or nightly update on "it's been # days with no sign of Gopher AD Mark Coyle."

this is an under-reported story. the men's and women's basketball programs are each having hugely disappointing seasons, and the AD is a bleepin' ghost.

at this point, I really don't care what he says. I just want him - assuming he actually exists - to put his ass in front of a camera and make some kind of public statement.

at this point, I envision Coyle in his bunker with jars of urine and stacks of old newspapers, just like Howard Hughes. How long are his fingernails by now?
So anything from "I really screwed up" to "Ben Johnson is our coach for now" to "I'm going to give Ben at least (fill in the blank) years" to "Yes, it's been a tough year with the injuries, but I still think the future is bright" will placate you? What the hell is he supposed to say that won't be met with howls of anger or laughter? But nice try at being clever and snarky as if there wasn't enough of that here.
 


Encouraged by the game today despite running out of steam. Wish they could have taken the lead there late in the first half but they battled hard. Payne is an immovable force in the low post thats for sure. Really excited to see him develop. Ditto JOJ. Really hope they can get at least one, better yet two, speed merchant guards in the transfer portal. They need someone who can break down a defense at the point of attack. It would work wonders for their offense.
 

This is not an AD moment. It's just a game.

He was at the post-game several games ago.

I assume the end of the season is the time to say something.

The reality is that University of Minnesota has committed to a four-year rebuild with Ben Johnson. A contract exists right now that cannot be bought out until year four, realistically. The contract is basically a poison pill commitment to four years.

The more relevant AD issue is the women's basketball program. Lindsay Whalen is on her fifth year without any NCAA tournament success or other tournament success. Now the levy has broken with online criticism after the loss to Wisconsin and some other bungled games. I would say the women's program is more damning since it's now been several years of bad. Plus half the team left after last season. Plus Pitts had left. It's been bad and more bad for 5 years.

Anyway, there's nothing AD to comment on with men's basketball. Garcia is injured. Others are injured. We are in year 2 of a 4 year rebuild. The contract has a poison pill for another two years of the rebuild.
 




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