2010-2011 Gophers

[Scott M]

Mbakwe misses a huge putback with 2 minutes left, defense breaks down, gives up a 3, the Gophers offense goes stagnant, Sampson can't get the ball away from the 6'4" guard Zach Novak, he creates a run out, and-1, Gophers come down and rodney gets fouled no call but it wouldn't have mattered. Noticing a theme yet? You play this game with confidence and the Gophers have zero after dropping 7 of 8. Sick of it. This sealed it. I have to watch them a week from tomorrow and it'll be for nothing. What a pathetic slide.

[harvey lee]

I said a long time ago the Gophers were pretenders. They proved it again today.

One can dream all they want but they simply are not that good and cannot close a game.

[Bryce]

Commitment to excrement. The failure of the administration and coaching staff has finally caused the players to give up. Al Nolen is not the missing piece. Only reason for NIT invite is that they can somehow continue to fill the barn. Embarrassing.

[goblueM]

they should have gone inside more - MN had a huge size advantage, but never fully exploited it.

Something else I noticed is Michigan never respected any of their big men, they wouldn't even take a shot from the free throw area when left wide open. Looks to me that MN needs another shooter in the starting 5.

Seems to me that Minnesota played their best ball at the start of the year and has gone downhill, whereas Michigan has kept improving all year

[Duffman]

I just hope Mbakwe comes back next year. And the rest of the team finds that thing called "confidence" this summer.

[hunter76]

They are painful to watch.

[merc]

I was at the game and all I can say is there are so many things they are doing wrong it would take all day to type it on here. There starting five is basically a starting three and the four bench players are all freshmen. That's pretty much it. They do play much better when they go to the smaller lineup. No excuse they didn't win the last two games when you have a lead with three minutes to go on your home court. I would like to see at least one of the freshmen starting, If you start Hof at point guard at least have someone at the shooting guard that can hit the rim from three point land. Try a smaller lineup the last two games at least they can run the floor and they actually show some hustle. They have nothing to lose now.

[Snag]

Hoffarber at point experiment 1-7. Should have tried one of the three freshman at point and kept Hoffarber at the two.

Williams and Hollins both take it strong for two steps then stop. Tubby needs to take the reins off of those two.

16 and 4 with Nolen. The only big ten teams that could probably still play decent without their point guards are Ohio State and Purdue.

Top 10-15 team with Nolen, NIT maybe worse without.

[CJH]

Tubby has failed the season. Drove two of the top 3 PG's off the team - the most important postion on the team. The Hoff experiment should only have been for a game or two until they got a freshman ready to take the point. Hoff isn't a point, plus you are taking your best offensive player out of his game. What's a matter Tubby, are you just being stubborn or do you really not get it?

I was excited this year to get Nolen back, have the three bigs, and having Hoff and Joseph lighting it up from the guard spot. I thought they had the talent to at least get past the first round of the Dance. What a disappointment.

Stopped watching two weeks ago, couldn't watch that garbage anymore.

[harvey lee]

It may be better if Tubby left.

[CJH]

This was an interesting note from Sid in Sunday's Star Trib:

• It was obvious on Saturday how much the Gophers missed guard Devoe Joseph, who transferred to Oregon. Joseph's AAU coach convinced him that Tubby Smith's style would keep him from playing in the NBA, unlike what they play at Oregon. Joseph will not be eligible to play until the second semester next season with the Ducks, and if he chooses to play then he will exhaust his college eligibility in that final semester. He could have played out this season, transferred and played a full year at Oregon in 2012-13. Great advice the kid got from somebody who was not looking out for Joseph's best interests.

[EBass]

Early this seaon after winning the PR tourney I thought they could win or at least compete for the Big Ten Title, wow was I wrong.

[Willy]

I said a long time ago the Gophers were pretenders. They proved it again today.

One can dream all they want but they simply are not that good and cannot close a game.

They weren't pretenders with their full roster. Quite the contrary.

This team with Nolen, or Joseph, or both, is a top 10-15 team in the country. Without them, they are what you see right now. Injuries played a huge part this year. Hard to win without any guards. College b-ball is all about guards and we have none right now.

As far as Tubby leaving, who do you want to coach us? You want another DAn Monson or other no-name coach like a Jerry Kill? MN is not a destination job.

[rundrave]

I dont think most folks would dispute the argument about the injuries and people leaving that they are obviously a better team.

But you dont see schools like Purdue completely derail after losing a key player like Robbie Hummeel. Look how well they have played while he was out, much different attitude than the gophers.

[goblueM]

Purdue has a far better team than Minnesota, heck most of the conference, WITHOUT Hummel. I don't think its fair to the Gophers to compare the two teams in that respect

[Bryce]

Do they not have a team doctor to check if Sampson has a pulse?

[Scott M]

That was it folks, the nail in the Gophers NCAA coffin. There won't be any repeat of last year, this team doesn't have the stones to make any sort of run. They have an 10 point lead in Northwestern in the second half and lose by 11. If they had beat Northwestern and could win at home against Penn State, they could have positioned themselves better for the Big Ten tournament. Instead, they will be in the 8-9 game with Northwestern, the winner getting a date in the barbershop with Ohio State where they get cut up. They might have had a chance if they got wins # 18 and 19 to close the season, then won a couple games in the tournament, but OSU is shooting for a #1 seed and won't be taking the tournament lightly. Tubby will probably get his 20 wins in the NIT, but what's the point?

There's a lack of leadership all the way around, from players to coaches. Getting outhustled to loose balls, not being strong with the ball or taking care of it, poor free throw shooting. The endings are all the same. No players could ratchet up the intensity and grit out a game or two? UNC and West Virginia are doing all they can to help the Gophers but they can't even help themselves. It's sad and pathetic to know how much talent this team had and then to see it swirl down the drain.

Now I have to go to a meaningless game on Sunday...what a disappointing season.

[Dotch]

Well at least your worries about growing another apendage out your backside are over! Oh yeah, so are my Kim Kardashian worries. Yupper, when the Gophers were up by 10 early in the 2nd half I told the wife they were going to lose by at least 10. I should be betting her for some kind of favors but I hate taking advantage of her! They showed no fire, were lapsing on D, putting up lousy shots, and as you aptly put it, no one was showing any kind of leadership. Hoffarber had a terrible game and the rest of the team just seemed to follow right along.

It's been a major disappointment the last half of the season to come in from chores after freezing our hineys off and know this team will find a way to lose games after blowing sizeable leads. This team deserves nothing more than the NIT. Then again, deserve's got nothing to do with it. They made their bed now they've gotta sleep in it. Will they be better next year and go somewhere? They better be or the rumors of Flip Saunders returning to the Barn will be about the only thing to warm us up.

[zepman]

Tubby will be gone next year.....

[Harmonica Bear]

Tubby will be gone next year.....

Two weeks ago I would have and did argue that statement. After the last two game and comments made, it wouldn't surprise me at all. And maybe almost want it to happen, but finding a quality replacement isn't so easy. Flip isn't going to coach college kids, thats crazy talk.

[CJH]

Tubby needs to stop criticizing Hoff. Tubby is the jackwagon that put him in the position he is. He is giving him everything he has, and hasn't complained. He is criticizing to cover up for his weak coaching effort.

[goblueM]

my question is, who would you find that is better than Tubby?

correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't he greatly improved the program?

[zepman]

If you consider 9th place in the conference an improvement...then yeah, he has.

[goblueM]

hmmm I guess I was thinking more big picture, you know, the recent NCAA tournament appearances, and making it to the BTT championship as well

are y'all that much of bandwagon fans? I mean I know the season started out with a lot of promise and has since been a trainwreck, but Tubby is an excellent coach, and he's not going anywhere

Who would be better than Tubby Smith right now? I'm hard pressed to think of available coaches with his resume and track record

[CodyDawg]

I dont think they are better off with Tubby. He has 0, yes 0, NCAA tourney wins in 4 years here. His players have defected or given up and he is lashing out at them. The wheels are off. Do I see an upward trend? Actually, quite the opposite. We are trending downward. So, what has Tubby done to inspire us? 1 nice run in 1 big ten tourney that didnt result in winning the tourney? that is it? How can you defend a guy like that? If he didnt have a big reputation, everyone would be frothing at the mouth to get rid of him. Remember, he was ran out of Kentucky for much the same result. He won it all, one time, with Pitino's players, then trended downward. his whole coaching rep is based on the 1 season with Pitinos players. I think you roll the dice and find another coach. Offer Flip the keys to the University.