Suggs interview on Kare 11 at 6:30

[alchemy2u]

Suggs did not want to go to MN. He wanted to go to Gonzaga.

that is not his fault.

The Gopher program - at this point - is not attracting the top players from MN. That is not on Suggs - it's on the people who run the Gopher program.

We're not talking about one player here. We are talking about player after player after player. They have different circumstances - different goals - and one common denominator. They did not want to play college basketball for the Gophers.

Is it all just with the U or do the AAU programs have an issue?

 

[oleboy41]

Sorry could care less about Minnesota kids once they leave the state. I'm not going to care for a kid just because he is from MN. I didn't know him and could care less unless he played for the U. I care about the kids that represent the U and never even think of the state they came from.

That's your prerogative. And that's fine. The issue is with people acting like other voices don't exist or like those kids no longer represent the city/state just because you've decided you don't care about him anymore

 

[builtbadgers]

Is it all just with the U or do the AAU programs have an issue?

How did other programs get built so tremendously without being able to get the best instate kids or the highly rated kids from the best AAU programs. They got really good players from all over , they got great coaches. Sure NBA level talent helps but you act as though Oturu and Coffey would not have even been better playing for a great coach some where else. This has all been laid out before. Great coaches win , they get players from all over because they find them early, before the blue bloods, the kids believe in them because they built a identity that proved , over and over that it would win. They did not care if it won over a hot AAU program, a very temporary thing i might add. We have taken great players from the state and still not won.

 

[oleboy41]

Do you think that Oturu would have developed better as a player at another school? Do you think a school like Duke would have let Amir play PG to develop his ball handling? If anything, Hurt looks like a worse player after a year at Duke. You know very well that the cream of the crop players will get their shot at the NBA no matter where they play. It is not like playing at the U is like playing at Macalester College.

A good portion of the early NBA draft picks are from Europe where they learn better fundamentals than kids do in the "win over development" AAU. We all know that Pitino has made more than his share of "learning on the job" mistakes early in his career, but the anti-U environment of the AAU group in this state is not fair to the players or the U.

It becomes a catch 22 situation. A program can never reach "that level" unless some big time players are willing to give it a chance. How do you expect any out of state top players to come if the local kids wont even try it? Some local kids have to have the courage and the confidence in their abilities to bring the U to that top level. And it is not loyalty to the fickle fans, it is loyalty to the family, his band of brothers that can join together at the U, his school and his hometown fans helped him grow up, the little kids that see him as a role model, etc.

Ehhhh

Basically you're saying a kid should 'give it a shot'. Thats crazy. A kid should come here because he likes it and its a good fit. As a fan we watch players come and go. If it doesn't work out here for a player we don't really care as long as the team is ok. You can't expect a kid, who has one shot at this, to just 'give it a shot'. And to do so only in the name of helping a school they don't yet attend.
Its up to the coach/school to RECRUIT. That means convince a player why they could be successful here in the ways that matter to them. Fact is MN hasn't done enough to convince local kids AND their families that MN is the best place for them and their future. The Suggs' have deep roots in this community. Holmgrens dad played here. There are other examples. I'm sure they'd all love for their kid to be a hometown hero and be able to attend all their games. But still, they feel that there are other schools that are better for their kid for whatever reason.
Instead of dissing the kids, lets put that frustration on the school that's failing to get them here. My son may have D1 potential. Its a real possibility though he's still a few years away. If part of the reason to go to a school is about having the 'courage' to 'give it a shot' then that means there isn't enough else there to make it a good choice in comparison to the others. PJ is on the other side convincing players to come be apart of his culture. What is Richard's pitch?
And lastly, as we see here, loyalty to hometown fans is silly. Many only care about the kid if they go to the U. The people that watched them grow up will be happy for them no matter what they do (unless its WI).

 

[CPTMidnight]

He will represent a great deal to many people. Not everyone is bound by a border. Not everyone is provincial. Countless people could care less where you came from. He had no say in being born in Minnesota. People from Minnesota that know and love him will be glad he represents them. Many fans that watched him in high school are not even Gopher fans. Most Gopher fans never even saw him play. Gonzaga fans will live in the moment and cheer for him there. Over the years Gopher fans loved players that came from out of state.

I could listen to about anyone on the planet pontificate about a person that a person born in one place is actually was born to represent another place. A Creten Duram hall football player was actually born to represent Eden Prairie (who knew?), A hockey player born to be in Roseau hockey was actually really an Edina guy. A Minnesota kid was actually meant to play basketball in Spokane Washington. I might even agree on the arguments.

I could have that conversation with about everyone on the planet except a person that has a company that represents college teams from outside Minnesota to help take the local talent and send them out of state to other "big time" colleges.

What is it your business does again Badger?

What a bunch of bs...

 

[Spaulding!No!]

I could listen to about anyone on the planet pontificate about a person that a person born in one place is actually was born to represent another place. A Creten Duram hall football player was actually born to represent Eden Prairie (who knew?), A hockey player born to be in Roseau hockey was actually really an Edina guy. A Minnesota kid was actually meant to play basketball in Spokane Washington. I might even agree on the arguments.

I could have that conversation with about everyone on the planet except a person that has a company that represents college teams from outside Minnesota to help take the local talent and send them out of state to other "big time" colleges.

What is it your business does again Badger?

What a bunch of bs...

He business is 85 yr old who has enjoyed 20 years of badger basketball success if success = zero national championships.

 

[stocker08]

He will represent a great deal to many people. Not everyone is bound by a border. Not everyone is provincial. Countless people could care less where you came from. He had no say in being born in Minnesota. People from Minnesota that know and love him will be glad he represents them. Many fans that watched him in high school are not even Gopher fans. Most Gopher fans never even saw him play. Gonzaga fans will live in the moment and cheer for him there. Over the years Gopher fans loved players that came from out of state.

Ummm.....so how exactly does he represent Minnesota at all? As you said....players that stay here represent Minnesota. Players from out of state that choose to come here and wear maroon and gold represent Minnesota.

Suggs doesn't represent Minnesota.

 

[builtbadgers]

I could listen to about anyone on the planet pontificate about a person that a person born in one place is actually was born to represent another place. A Creten Duram hall football player was actually born to represent Eden Prairie (who knew?), A hockey player born to be in Roseau hockey was actually really an Edina guy. A Minnesota kid was actually meant to play basketball in Spokane Washington. I might even agree on the arguments.

I could have that conversation with about everyone on the planet except a person that has a company that represents college teams from outside Minnesota to help take the local talent and send them out of state to other "big time" colleges.

What is it your business does again Badger?

What a bunch of bs...

I do not have a company that represents college teams. Quit making things up.

 

[oleboy41]

Ummm.....so how exactly does he represent Minnesota at all? As you said....players that stay here represent Minnesota. Players from out of state that choose to come here and wear maroon and gold represent Minnesota.

Suggs doesn't represent Minnesota.

He represents MN basketball because he's a MN basketball player. He's been doing it for years. All the articles and stories about MN high school basketball being comparable to some of the best areas in the country are because of kids like Suggs competing against the best nationally and representing MN ball. You do know that the University isn't the only way to represent the state, right? You don't lose your citizenship if you don't attend the U. You don't get erased from the record books if you don't attend the U. Khalid El Amin is STILL more famous in MN and means more to the MN basketball community than Michael Bauer or Dan Coleman. Some of ya'lls arguments are just silly and my guess is that you don't really have or feel any connection to the state's basketball community and in particular the TC basketball community other than rooting for the U.

Put it this way: I went to a HS that has put a ton of kids into college basketball, including some to the U. Everyone from the school that I'm aware of is happy for all of those guys, even if they didn't go to MN. They are still representatives of the school and the city and the state.

 

[alchemy2u]

How did other programs get built so tremendously without being able to get the best instate kids or the highly rated kids from the best AAU programs. They got really good players from all over , they got great coaches. Sure NBA level talent helps but you act as though Oturu and Coffey would not have even been better playing for a great coach some where else. This has all been laid out before. Great coaches win , they get players from all over because they find them early, before the blue bloods, the kids believe in them because they built a identity that proved , over and over that it would win. They did not care if it won over a hot AAU program, a very temporary thing i might add. We have taken great players from the state and still not won.

No, my point was Oturu and Coffey learned how to play better at the U and didn't have to go to another school to make it to the NBA. So many time people make it sound like a player has no hope if they choose the U versus a school with a higher reputation (even if the school cheated to get it).

 

[alchemy2u]

Ehhhh

Basically you're saying a kid should 'give it a shot'. Thats crazy. A kid should come here because he likes it and its a good fit. As a fan we watch players come and go. If it doesn't work out here for a player we don't really care as long as the team is ok. You can't expect a kid, who has one shot at this, to just 'give it a shot'. And to do so only in the name of helping a school they don't yet attend.
Its up to the coach/school to RECRUIT. That means convince a player why they could be successful here in the ways that matter to them. Fact is MN hasn't done enough to convince local kids AND their families that MN is the best place for them and their future. The Suggs' have deep roots in this community. Holmgrens dad played here. There are other examples. I'm sure they'd all love for their kid to be a hometown hero and be able to attend all their games. But still, they feel that there are other schools that are better for their kid for whatever reason.
Instead of dissing the kids, lets put that frustration on the school that's failing to get them here. My son may have D1 potential. Its a real possibility though he's still a few years away. If part of the reason to go to a school is about having the 'courage' to 'give it a shot' then that means there isn't enough else there to make it a good choice in comparison to the others. PJ is on the other side convincing players to come be apart of his culture. What is Richard's pitch?
And lastly, as we see here, loyalty to hometown fans is silly. Many only care about the kid if they go to the U. The people that watched them grow up will be happy for them no matter what they do (unless its WI).

I thought you were talking about Minnesota kids that were right up there with the best in the country? Kids that don't want to go to the U because the U has 0% chance of getting the big time players. That is who I was taking about. Those type of big time players are not concerned about losing their one shot at this at the U. They are already on the NBA radar and just need to continue developing for a year or two in college.

Getting back to your earlier comments about kids like Suggs want to go to a place where they can get "big time" players. Well, Gonzaga is not one of those places. They have been built on getting the international recruits and a few good US players and playing in a very weak conference. Here is the Zags recruiting history from 247, not exactly filling up with "big time" players:

2011 ranked 28
2012 unranked ---
2013 ranked 149
2014 ranked 45
2015 ranked 112
2016 ranked 20
2017 ranked 120
2018 ranked 69
2019 ranked 13 (had seven recruits)
2020 ranked 11 (Suggs made it that high)

Just for reference, here is Minnesota:

2011 ranked 54 - tubby
2012 ranked 75 - tubby
2013 ranked 91
2014 ranked 64
2015 ranked 34
2016 ranked 30
2017 ranked 71
2018 ranked 45
2019 ranked 37
2020 ranked 52 (one spot still open)

 

[alchemy2u]

He represents MN basketball because he's a MN basketball player. He's been doing it for years. All the articles and stories about MN high school basketball being comparable to some of the best areas in the country are because of kids like Suggs competing against the best nationally and representing MN ball. You do know that the University isn't the only way to represent the state, right? You don't lose your citizenship if you don't attend the U. You don't get erased from the record books if you don't attend the U. Khalid El Amin is STILL more famous in MN and means more to the MN basketball community than Michael Bauer or Dan Coleman. Some of ya'lls arguments are just silly and my guess is that you don't really have or feel any connection to the state's basketball community and in particular the TC basketball community other than rooting for the U.

Put it this way: I went to a HS that has put a ton of kids into college basketball, including some to the U. Everyone from the school that I'm aware of is happy for all of those guys, even if they didn't go to MN. They are still representatives of the school and the city and the state.

You do know that being good in high school ball is not the end all? It gets you noticed and may give you the chance to play college basketball. I heard we had a few good little league baseball teams also, but you don't see them thinking that the world revolves around them.

Khaid chose to come back and be involved with the youth, so of course he will mean a lot to players growing up. His playing at U Conn probably has much less to do with his popularity than what his current actions do. If he had stayed out in Connecticut, most youth player would never have heard about him.

 

[CPTMidnight]

I do not have a company that represents college teams. Quit making things up.

I stand corrected. You have only said that you get paid by these schools and also advising the local high school players on where to go.

 

[oleboy41]

I thought you were talking about Minnesota kids that were right up there with the best in the country? Kids that don't want to go to the U because the U has 0% chance of getting the big time players. That is who I was taking about. Those type of big time players are not concerned about losing their one shot at this at the U. They are already on the NBA radar and just need to continue developing for a year or two in college.

Getting back to your earlier comments about kids like Suggs want to go to a place where they can get "big time" players. Well, Gonzaga is not one of those places. They have been built on getting the international recruits and a few good US players and playing in a very weak conference. Here is the Zags recruiting history from 247, not exactly filling up with "big time" players:

2011 ranked 28
2012 unranked ---
2013 ranked 149
2014 ranked 45
2015 ranked 112
2016 ranked 20
2017 ranked 120
2018 ranked 69
2019 ranked 13 (had seven recruits)
2020 ranked 11 (Suggs made it that high)

Just for reference, here is Minnesota:

2011 ranked 54 - tubby
2012 ranked 75 - tubby
2013 ranked 91
2014 ranked 64
2015 ranked 34
2016 ranked 30
2017 ranked 71
2018 ranked 45
2019 ranked 37
2020 ranked 52 (one spot still open)

When did I say that? But even still, Gonzaga has consistently been a top 10 program and consistently produced NBA players over the last 5-10 years. Regardless of recruiting rankings Gonzaga has clearly had a number of big time players.
And I'm simply talking about local recruits in general.

 

[oleboy41]

You do know that being good in high school ball is not the end all? It gets you noticed and may give you the chance to play college basketball. I heard we had a few good little league baseball teams also, but you don't see them thinking that the world revolves around them.

Khaid chose to come back and be involved with the youth, so of course he will mean a lot to players growing up. His playing at U Conn probably has much less to do with his popularity than what his current actions do. If he had stayed out in Connecticut, most youth player would never have heard about him.

my man what are you talking about? You're going off a deep end lol. And if you're really trying to argue that Khalid is still revered in the city because he does some work with local players then please explain why others that do as much and more locally aren't. You're making some silly arguments my man. I remember being in HS and Khalid happened to be working out with our coach, trying to get back in the league. Sometimes during lunch or before school he'd be in the gym working out and we'd crowd around watch. He was a legend here way before he started working with anyone. Dan Coleman was never a legend. Shoot Al Nolan was never a legend here. You're making bad faith arguments and I'm starting to wonder if you live in or are from Minneapolis or if you really know anything about the things we're talking about. Kids take a lot of pride playing 'for their city' in the youth/HS ball circuit. Somehow you're trying to turn this into them 'thinking the world revolves around them' when your ENTIRE argument is that the only way they can be representatives of the area is by attending your favorite college. Cmon son. Smarten up.

 

[GopherJake]

I do not have a company that represents college teams. Quit making things up.

You could clear things up pretty easily here. I respect it if you choose not to do that. But I am now wondering about your motives posting here. You are pretty rough on Pitino. I like your comments for the most part, but I think my view would sour if I knew you had motivation to troll a message board to sow discord and steer recruits away.

 

[stocker08]

He represents MN basketball because he's a MN basketball player. He's been doing it for years. All the articles and stories about MN high school basketball being comparable to some of the best areas in the country are because of kids like Suggs competing against the best nationally and representing MN ball. You do know that the University isn't the only way to represent the state, right? You don't lose your citizenship if you don't attend the U. You don't get erased from the record books if you don't attend the U. Khalid El Amin is STILL more famous in MN and means more to the MN basketball community than Michael Bauer or Dan Coleman. Some of ya'lls arguments are just silly and my guess is that you don't really have or feel any connection to the state's basketball community and in particular the TC basketball community other than rooting for the U.

Put it this way: I went to a HS that has put a ton of kids into college basketball, including some to the U. Everyone from the school that I'm aware of is happy for all of those guys, even if they didn't go to MN. They are still representatives of the school and the city and the state.

High school basketball doesn't hit the radar. Leave the state....no longer someone that I care about. Dismiss the Gophers to go play overseas....different story. Leave to go play for a different state school? You are willingly choosing NOT to represent your state. Goodbye and good luck. Unless you are are badger. In that case....bad luck.

 

[Livingat45north]

You could clear things up pretty easily here. I respect it if you choose not to do that. But I am now wondering about your motives posting here. You are pretty rough on Pitino. I like your comments for the most part, but I think my view would sour if I knew you had motivation to troll a message board to sow discord and steer recruits away.

Hmmm, follow the money trail

 

[oleboy41]

High school basketball doesn't hit the radar. Leave the state....no longer someone that I care about. Dismiss the Gophers to go play overseas....different story. Leave to go play for a different state school? You are willingly choosing NOT to represent your state. Goodbye and good luck. Unless you are are badger. In that case....bad luck.

Thats you and how you feel. And again, that’s perfectly fine. You are not obligated to care or follow the careers of any player. The only point Im making is that to many players and to many others in the area they are still representing the city/state. Khalid had a big Minnesota tat on his arm while playing in the national title game. That meant a lot to young dudes like me, even as a Hopher fan

 

[stocker08]

Thats you and how you feel. And again, that’s perfectly fine. You are not obligated to care or follow the careers of any player. The only point Im making is that to many players and to many others in the area they are still representing the city/state. Khalid had a big Minnesota tat on his arm while playing in the national title game. That meant a lot to young dudes like me, even as a Hopher fan

I understand that. Certainly understand it if you follow high school basketball closely.

 

[BarnBurner]

When did I say that? But even still, Gonzaga has consistently been a top 10 program and consistently produced NBA players over the last 5-10 years. Regardless of recruiting rankings Gonzaga has clearly had a number of big time players.
And I'm simply talking about local recruits in general.

They may have a top 10 -15 program over the last decade and a half. Would they fare as well, in terms of being a top program, if they played in the Big 10?

 

[BarnBurner]

You could clear things up pretty easily here. I respect it if you choose not to do that. But I am now wondering about your motives posting here. You are pretty rough on Pitino. I like your comments for the most part, but I think my view would sour if I knew you had motivation to troll a message board to sow discord and steer recruits away.

Took you this long to wonder about Badger's motives?

 

[builtbadgers]

I stand corrected. You have only said that you get paid by these schools and also advising the local high school players on where to go.

I have been paid to scout for many,many years. I have not been paid for my opinion on what a good fit looks like, who is a better coach etc,, if in fact they would even ask that.

 

[builtbadgers]

You could clear things up pretty easily here. I respect it if you choose not to do that. But I am now wondering about your motives posting here. You are pretty rough on Pitino. I like your comments for the most part, but I think my view would sour if I knew you had motivation to troll a message board to sow discord and steer recruits away.

Would never steer a player anywhere. Never put myself in a position of having that kind of influence. These kids are smart, they are on it. I have never made it personal with Coach Pitino. His record is a point of fact and speaks loudly.The defensive rankings are facts. My opinions of his ranking as a coach in the conference are no better than 10th, my opinion. I do not attack posters who somehow have him ranked top 3-4 in the conference or people that think he is better than Gard. That is their opinion. Suggs picked Gonzaga for several reasons. One of those is that it has a far better coach and it is a far larger national brand.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Would never steer a player anywhere. Never put myself in a position of having that kind of influence. These kids are smart, they are on it. I have never made it personal with Coach Pitino. His record is a point of fact and speaks loudly.The defensive rankings are facts. My opinions of his ranking as a coach in the conference are no better than 10th, my opinion. I do not attack posters who somehow have him ranked top 3-4 in the conference or people that think he is better than Gard. That is their opinion. Suggs picked Gonzaga for several reasons. One of those is that it has a far better coach and it is a far larger national brand.

It's a players choice, I struggle to understand why people can't comprehend that others think there are better coaches than Pitino. That doesn't mean I think Pitino is horrible either. I think he has some strong suits and some weak ones. I also believing in earning your keep and he has simply not done that here yet.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

He’s a pro. Gonzaga is preseason #1 next year. If he’s gonna play one year of college why not try to win a NC. Don’t think finding a job is in his immediate future

you're probably right. But I feel like other prospects ranked around where he is left for different schools and didn't end up as a pro after a year. No one knows what his future holds, as good as he is.

I agree he made a good decision for him though.

 

[CPTMidnight]

I have been paid to scout for many,many years. I have not been paid for my opinion on what a good fit looks like, who is a better coach etc,, if in fact they would even ask that.

You could say anything you want on this board. You could claim to a simple fan, a television sports personality, DB Cooper, or the spirit of John Wooden.

Instead you claim to be a guy that takes checks from other big time programs to help them to win games and find prospects(say for example, Wisconsin which you claim pays you), claim to advise local phenoms on how they should think about signing with a program (say for example: Minnesota players that end up at Wisconsin), have nothing but bad things to say about Pitino, spend a huge amount of effort board of making sure the the big time talent know they have much better options than the home town, are an apologist for any player that chooses to leave, deny that any prospect or prospect's family would show up on the main gopher fan board to research the team(cuz that's crazy talk!), and your moniker is "builtbadgers" - which you gotta admit is an appropriate name for an talent advisor that loves the Badgers and helps recruits away from MN.

Hmmmm... you are either a savvy sports industry exec cultivating your talent pool or the worst gopher fan ever. I have still not figured it out. (Does not matter to me how much you claim to donate to the Gopher Fund).

I dont have a degree in math but this is how it adds up for me alone. I will let others there do their own math.

 

[builtbadgers]

You could say anything you want on this board. You could claim to a simple fan, a television sports personality, DB Cooper, or the spirit of John Wooden.

Instead you claim to be a guy that takes checks from other big time programs to help them to win games and find prospects(say for example, Wisconsin which you claim pays you), claim to advise local phenoms on how they should think about signing with a program (say for example: Minnesota players that end up at Wisconsin), have nothing but bad things to say about Pitino, spend a huge amount of effort board of making sure the the big time talent know they have much better options than the home town, are an apologist for any player that chooses to leave, deny that any prospect or prospect's family would show up on the main gopher fan board to research the team(cuz that's crazy talk!), and your moniker is "builtbadgers" - which you gotta admit is an appropriate name for an talent advisor that loves the Badgers and helps recruits away from MN.

Hmmmm... you are either a savvy sports industry exec cultivating your talent pool or the worst gopher fan ever. I have still not figured it out. (Does not matter to me how much you claim to donate to the Gopher Fund).

I dont have a degree in math but this is how it adds up for me alone. I will let others there do their own math.

Think what you want. UW is not paying me. I do not help recruits stay away from Minnesota. I cheer for the Gophers when we play UW. I am retired and even having a family law firm i never referred to myself as a sports executive. Your right, on a message board people can claim whatever they want.

 

[LesBolstad]

I could listen to about anyone on the planet pontificate about a person that a person born in one place is actually was born to represent another place. A Creten Duram hall football player was actually born to represent Eden Prairie (who knew?), A hockey player born to be in Roseau hockey was actually really an Edina guy. A Minnesota kid was actually meant to play basketball in Spokane Washington. I might even agree on the arguments.

I could have that conversation with about everyone on the planet except a person that has a company that represents college teams from outside Minnesota to help take the local talent and send them out of state to other "big time" colleges.

What is it your business does again Badger?

What a bunch of bs...

This is virtually incomprehensible.

Once again, I know BB and he's forgotten more about basketball than most of us will ever know.

 

[Livingat45north]

Think what you want. UW is not paying me. I do not help recruits stay away from Minnesota. I cheer for the Gophers when we play UW. I am retired and even having a family law firm i never referred to myself as a sports executive. Your right, on a message board people can claim whatever they want.

Well, we know this is false.