Gophers Basketball Hires Ben Johnson as HC

[Hoop Dreams]

[j2j]

[feekdogg]

Common Man has it all figured out. "I knew they were going to hire a black man, an African American because they didn't have anyone like that in leadership. McKinley Boston was there, then Coyle, but Boston is gone and he's running the Big Ten now."

[Hoop Dreams]

A lot of chatter that Ed Conroy will stay on the coaching staff. This would ensure Liam Robbins remains a Gopher.

[UnFadeable21]

Video of his press conference

[KevinBaconIsNotMyHero]

Common Man has it all figured out. "I knew they were going to hire a black man, an African American because they didn't have anyone like that in leadership. McKinley Boston was there, then Coyle, but Boston is gone and he's running the Big Ten now."

The obsession with some that he was hired mainly because of race is misguided imho. I wasn’t a big fan of the hire because of his experience but this idea that Coyle was desperate for any black candidate seems ridiculous.

[jffl_commish]

Let's hope there is something to this.

[Sid Hartman]

Let's hope there is something to this.

Unless they are physically going to get the kids to sign with Minnesota I’ll believe it when I see it with the coaches being on board

[UnFadeable21]

Any chance Ryan Saunders becomes Ben’s new lead assistant? Lol

[cmd24]

If Johnson somehow managed to wrestle Thorson away from Medved, I would be so freaking giddy. Absolutely love Dave Thorson. That guy knows the game of basketball. And, while his sideline antics are funny, or maybe give the idea that he’s this serious hard ass, he absolutely loves his players. I can’t link it right now, but check out the Bare’s Den podcast interview of Thorson. One thing I loved about the interview was when Matt Bare asked him to name the five best players he’s ever seen, he skipped pros. He named five from De La Salle.

I’m excited about the potential of Johnson working at getting these local kids to stay home. You add Thorson to the mix, and I think those odds go even higher.

[ForCaleb]

No I don't. Most fans are not happy with this hire.

Most fans are morons. This hire may end up backfiring but nothing locked in stone.

Also worth pointing out these fans didn't attend games during the Pitino era, won't attend games now either. Too bad, so sad. Get some good local talent in there and people who love basketball will attend.

I agree with this. The initial high of landing Pitino didn't last more than a year or two. His tenure seemed more of a grind, not a lot to get excited about. His teams had a few solid players, but just couldn't coach up a team to run a half court offense. I think this will be Ben's greatest challenge. I don't doubt he can recruit and keep good players in MN.

[HeHateMe]

If Johnson somehow managed to wrestle Thorson away from Medved, I would be so freaking giddy. Absolutely love Dave Thorson. That guy knows the game of basketball. And, while his sideline antics are funny, or maybe give the idea that he’s this serious hard ass, he absolutely loves his players. I can’t link it right now, but check out the Bare’s Den podcast interview of Thorson. One thing I loved about the interview was when Matt Bare asked him to name the five best players he’s ever seen, he skipped pros. He named five from De La Salle.

I’m excited about the potential of Johnson working at getting these local kids to stay home. You add Thorson to the mix, and I think those odds go even higher.

I think Thorson is going to end up here.... lots of noise surrounding it.

[Hoop Dreams]

[feekdogg]

Not that Richard is hurting for dough, but it's gotta sting a little bit that Ben Johnson is now making more than 2x what he is.

[UnFadeable21]

Pitino is salty for sure. Went from making 2.2 million to 600k and replaced by a guy who left him for Xavier because they didn’t agree on recruits

[full force five]

Pitino is salty for sure. Went from making 2.2 million to 600k and replaced by a guy who left him for Xavier because they didn’t agree on recruits

Also living in Albuquerque is a little different than Edina. Hope he stays safe there, not exactly like Edina in that regard.

[ForCaleb]

Nothing like some back-handed compliments after he took the job he wanted for a couple of years.

[Sid Hartman]

Shaka to Marquette...told you all he was available

[HeHateMe]

Shaka to Marquette...told you all he was available

He was... but wasn't coming here.

Shaka will be recruiting Minnesota hard, guaranteed.

[RubeTube]

Shaka to Marquette...told you all he was available

Breaks my heart.

[Hoop Dreams]

[Hoop Dreams]

Shaka to Marquette...told you all he was available

He was... but wasn't coming here.

Shaka will be recruiting Minnesota hard, guaranteed.

I don't like this. There's going to be some tough recruiting battles going on between Shaka and Ben.

[RubeTube]

Let's hope there is something to this.

Unless they are physically going to get the kids to sign with Minnesota I’ll believe it when I see it with the coaches being on board

This.

Every time a new HC is hired here, we hear the same thing. There is excitement for the first couple of years that starts to dwindle year after year.

It's happened with every guy after Clem.

[HeHateMe]

Let's hope there is something to this.

Unless they are physically going to get the kids to sign with Minnesota I’ll believe it when I see it with the coaches being on board

This.

Every time a new HC is hired here, we hear the same thing. There is excitement for the first couple of years that starts to dwindle year after year.

It's happened with every guy after Clem.

Ben is the first local guy they've actually hired. We'll see what happens.

[HeHateMe]

Shaka to Marquette...told you all he was available

He was... but wasn't coming here.

Shaka will be recruiting Minnesota hard, guaranteed.

I don't like this. There's going to be some tough recruiting battles going on between Shaka and Ben.

Bring it on... I'm sure this ends the Dawson to Minnesota speculation.

[RubeTube]

Unless they are physically going to get the kids to sign with Minnesota I’ll believe it when I see it with the coaches being on board

This.

Every time a new HC is hired here, we hear the same thing. There is excitement for the first couple of years that starts to dwindle year after year.

It's happened with every guy after Clem.

Ben is the first local guy they've actually hired. We'll see what happens.

And I doubt most of these kids give a shit where he is from.

There is a guy in every city, state etc plugged into the basketball community. If it was that easy as "He's the local guy" everyone would be making these hires. It's so Minnesota though.

At the very least you may be able to get by with it if you were some legendary player on a legendary team that these kids grow up hearing about like a Whalen and that is starting already starting to lose it's luster.

Ben Johnson is none of those things here. He's going to have to win ball games or no one is going to care what he has to say in a couple of years.

[Slap Shot]

Shaka Smart did dick in the NCAA tournament at UT. Stop sucking his dick.

[RubeTube]

Shaka Smart did dick in the NCAA tournament at UT. Stop sucking his dick.

Well Johnson hasn't coached a college game and plenty here are doing that.

Shaka has been to the tourney I believe 8 out of the last 11 years. I could be wrong on that but I thought that's what I heard. We would do about anything for success like that.

Complete non factor though as we found out that nobody does want this job. It's the second time with two different ADs that we had to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

[Slap Shot]

Shaka Smart did dick in the NCAA tournament at UT. Stop sucking his dick.

Well Johnson hasn't coached a college game and plenty here are doing that.

Shaka has been to the tourney I believe 8 out of the last 11 years. I could be wrong on that but I thought that's what I heard. We would do about anything for success like that.

Complete non factor though as we found out that nobody does want this job. It's the second time with two different ADs that we had to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

What we've found out is you knew nothing about the process from start to finish.

And I'm not sniffing Johnson's anything as I'm not yet sold on him in the least. Doesn't change the fact Smart did dick in the NCAAs at Texas.

HTH.

[HeHateMe]

This.

Every time a new HC is hired here, we hear the same thing. There is excitement for the first couple of years that starts to dwindle year after year.

It's happened with every guy after Clem.

Ben is the first local guy they've actually hired. We'll see what happens.

And I doubt most of these kids give a shit where he is from.

I think you're wrong but ok.