2011-2012 Gophers

[schweady]

Hard to believe you can stink this bad and still only lose by 10.

[Scott M]

Didn't watch a lick, Gophers didn't get blown outta the barn, losing by 10, but they also were behind the whole game. Box score looks like Rodney and Julian played well together and they got little help. Forgot to turn on the DVR, I will have to read the fish wrap recap.

[Dotch]

You were lucky da chise. I dunno who the ESPN yakety yaks broadcasting the game were but they were as bad as the game was, blabbing incessantly about how intentionally hitting a defender with an inbound pass should be a technical along with other assorted "wisdom". Thank god the Westminster dog show was on. There was a lot less yapping by both the canines and the announcers. Let's see, Ohio St. coming off a loss at home + Ed Hightower officiating + the Gophers needing a win to get anywhere important + they're just not very good team = a Gophers loss. They deserve an NCAA berth like I deserve a night with Halle Berry.

[schweady]

...Gophers didn't get blown outta the barn, losing by 10...

Actually, they were. Something about a 20-0 run that will get you on your feet... heading out for more popcorn.

[Scott M]

lol, that would do it for me allright! Like I said, I didn't watch it.

[Scott M]

Didn't watch a lick of Saturday's game, didn't need to.

Wow, how embarassing. The freshman PG from N'western goes for 22 after being scoreless in Minneapolis, Shurna and Crawford got loose too.

How can Sampson give an interview and talk about being excited to try to play basketball at the next level and writing "Tears of a Champion" and turn in an effort like that? 4 points, 2 rebounds in 18 minutes? In his senior year, no less? He is going to go down as one of the biggest disappointments in Gopher history. Expectations and potential can be damming, but it was a matter of heart and intensity not of abilities. What a shame.

Austin Hollins goes scoreless? Welch and Coleman were the only ones that came to play?

They're only halfway through 6 straight losses. I expect a win at home against Nebraska, but by then their fate will be sealed. The next AD better not be too quick to renew Tubby's contract.

[CJH]

From the Pioneer Press:

In case anyone missed it, point guard Justin Cobbs, who left the University of Minnesota after his freshman season to play for California, scored 28 points in an 86-83 victory over Oregon last week. Oregon was led by another former Gophers point guard, Devoe Joseph, who scored 33 points. Joseph left Minnesota after his sophomore season.

Cobbs also had eight assists, four steals and no turnovers.

Another former Gopher, guard Royce White, who transferred to Iowa State, is averaging a team-high 13.2 points and 9.2 rebounds for the Cyclones.

Tubby, why do you run off all your GOOD players???

[Snag]

I can hardly watch Tubby Ball. He seems to take all the spirit out of his players. No smiles, nobody upset when they get outscored on a 20-0 run against Ohio State. It's got to be an ego thing that his is too big for the team. They all play scared to make mistakes. His plan to go inside to Sampson against Northwestern was terrible. I'm still waiting for one player to get considerably better under his coaching.

Injuries and transfers are part of it, but I have no confidence in our coach and the players need to care. They have enough talent this year to be .500 in the Big Ten.

[Dotch]

No question. Given their remaining schedule, if they win 3 maybe 4 games I'd be surprised. They can start packing their bags for the NIT, maybe. And, after last night's performance, I could envision them getting picked off by Nebraska at least once and winning at Northwestern is certainly no gimme.

Horrific performance against Northworstern. Rodney must've taken some lessons from Randy Moss, plays only when there's a chance to make a highlight reel then disappears. Good to see Joe Coleman reassert himself. It's a good thing they managed to win at Nebraska or I'd be sticking with this prediction. They could beat Indiana at home but think they'll manage to win only 1 more game before tournament. At least the hockey team righted the ship over the weekend.

[schweady]

...Tubby, why do you run off all your GOOD players???...

Just goes to show what these guys could be like under a decent coach.

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[PierBridge]

Quote:

Tubby, why do you run off all your GOOD players???

HUH?

So it's Tubbys fault White was a thief?...LOL... tubby gave that clown every chance he possibly could and then some.

And the Joseph Transfer was even more bizarre.... I want more playing time and I want to shoot more even though he averaged more than 25 minutes a game and shot more than anybody else on the team including 80 shots in his previous 3 games or 150 less then he has in 20 games this year for Oregon.... but hey I'm going to transfer mid-season and go be the 7th man on a Pac-10 team ....LOL

And to imagine where we would be with "Tex" Cobb all 12 points per game of him if he stuck around....LOL

In a nutshell transfers happen every day in college sports for various reasons.

I'm all for criticizing Tubby on things of merit but this is just another total over-reaction.

[Scott M]

I mostly agree with you Pier, I think the circumstances with most of the transfers during Tubby's tenure here have been out of his control (the rash of injuries crippling this team the last few years make it look really bad) and there was little more he could do for the players BUT

I also see what CJH may be implying...how has Tubby made players better? How has Tubby utilized his roster on offense and defense? Those players look pretty good right now because they have matured and developed elsewhere while our players have not done the same while here.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Transfers, injuries, excuses, ect...... Bottom line is Tubby is 6-18 in the big ten in the last 24 games. PATHETIC!!!!!!! Dan Monson could have easily matched that mark... He better start producing some wins because its getting very old watching his teams try to put the ball in the hoop... they look like middle schoolers in gym class trying to scores sometimes!

Judging by the players they have right now, there not going to be much better next year. Oh and by the way- ZERO tourney wins since he showed up

To me tubby is all reputation and no substance until proven otherwise

[Scott M]

If Mbakwe gets an extra year, this will be a dangerous team. Sampson graduating is actually a plus, Rodney can stay at the 4, we get Mo back, and 1-3 gets filled by committee. That's a NCAA team right there. Ellenson and Buggs are good incoming freshmen.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Maybe, if Mbakwe is at all himself after major knee surgery.... I dont really see them finishing in the top 5 of the big ten next year the way they look now

[CJH]

HUH?

So it's Tubbys fault White was a thief?...LOL... tubby gave that clown every chance he possibly could and then some.

And the Joseph Transfer was even more bizarre.... I want more playing time and I want to shoot more even though he averaged more than 25 minutes a game and shot more than anybody else on the team including 80 shots in his previous 3 games or 150 less then he has in 20 games this year for Oregon.... but hey I'm going to transfer mid-season and go be the 7th man on a Pac-10 team ....LOL

And to imagine where we would be with "Tex" Cobb all 12 points per game of him if he stuck around....LOL

In a nutshell transfers happen every day in college sports for various reasons.

I'm all for criticizing Tubby on things of merit but this is just another total over-reaction.

No overreaction at all, just reality. Pull your head out of the sand. Royce may have been immature, but do you know he was a thief? Last time i checked he wasn't found guilty of anything. Hasn't stopped Tubby from keeping a stalker/violent player on his team (Mbawkwe). College athletics is full of egos and less than angelic athletes, good coaches know hot to manage it and be successful.

Those would be the three best players on this team. Who do we have that is better?? No one. Did Iverson have a bad attitude too, or did he get sick of being poorly utilized by Tubby in favor of the smallest 7 footer I have ever seen, Ralph Sampson?

If we have those 3-4 kids on this team we are in the Dance. Period. Don't forget Joseph basically willed us into the Tourney that last we made it.

[Scott M]

Well put CJH and Pier. You both sum up Gopher fans' love/hate relationship with Tubby. I won't pick sides on the issue of all those transfers, but I will say Tubby ain't earning that big paycheck!

[schmitty3]

HAHAHAHA What a joke! I could go on a huge rant right now, but everything has probably been said in other posts from similar games... Rodney seems scared to be a playmaker at end of games.

[schweady]

The saddest 10 minutes of basketball I have ever seen. They led by 7 in the final minutes and then just looked like they figured the jig was up. Crazy.

[Scott M]

I missed the coverage, what were the Minnesota coaches wearing blue bow ties for?

Is it any surprise they lost the game? No. Even when they had the lead it was never enough for it to be secure, they needed about a 10 point cushion because you knew they would freeze against MSU's defense in the final couple minutes. Sure enough, they get outscored

3 straight turnovers, a missed off balance three pointer, and a turnover. Wow. It's groundhog's day, same result every game for the last how many years in big games? The team expects to lose, they expect to crumble. They have never known how to finish games under Tubby. 12-0 run by MSU to end the game, except for Dre Hollins pointless triple with 2 seconds left and a couple free throws by Thornton to close it.

Is there a moral victories tournament? The NIT has been the redheaded stepchild of postseason tournaments since the early 1970's, but at least you have to be somewhat competent to get in...The gophers need a moral victories tournament, this is getting ridiculous. It must be nice to be Bo, Tom, Thad, John, or Matt and know you are guaranteed two wins a year against the Gophers.

Even though I knew this was coming (page back to my nonconference comments), it just makes you sad to see them compete for 38 minutes and lay down in the last 2.

[schweady]

HAHAHAHA What a joke! I could go on a huge rant right now, but everything has probably been said in other posts from similar games... Rodney seems scared to be a playmaker at end of games.

Left side of the floor totally cleared out for Williams twice in the final few minutes, and he just passes it back out to the top... And how many times did we just weave around until 8 seconds to shoot?... And if we ever did get it in on the post, Ralphie found a way to roll it around on the floor... Sheesh.

[schmitty3]

Left side of the floor totally cleared out for Williams twice in the final few minutes, and he just passes it back out to the top... And how many times did we just weave around until 8 seconds to shoot?... And if we ever did get it in on the post, Ralphie found a way to roll it around on the floor... Sheesh.

Exactly! They get him completed isolated with just him and his defender with 8 seconds left on the shotclock, and what does he do? Tries to get rid of the ball like it's a hot potato. They were in the bonus, a hard drive to the bucket likely would've brought a fairly uncontested layup, or a couple free throws.

[Dotch]

I think the blue bow ties were for black prostate cancer awareness if I caught what they said correctly. I too don't know why I continue to torture myself watching these games especially when I know how they're gonna turn out no matter how large the lead is against any team with half a chance. I've been watching Gopher's games since the late 60's when we had a black and white TV and I just don't get it. There is no fire, no killer instinct and certainly no idea about how to close out a game. Putting up that 3 pt. air ball when the shot clock was off with that much time left on it took everyone by surprise. Absolutely assinine. I may watch the Nebraska game but anything else, they have zero chance to win so it is a waste of time. Screw it.

[CodyDawg]

It all starts and ends with the coach. I can't figure out how anybody can defend Tubby; his players dont develop, he has 0 tourney wins, he rarely makes the tourney, his is not bringing in top tier talent (both '12 recruits are 3 star recruits), he blames his players, his teams have no clue toward the end of the game....that boys, is coaching. Sure a team can blow it here or there at the end of the game, but if it is a habit, that is coaching. His offense is awful....how many times did they have NO CLUE in that game? Oh man, I am just disgusted. I have refrained from even reading this thread for awhile, but I just had to chime in. I cannot believe I am considering not watching them. Like Dotch, I have been watching them for a long time (although not the 60's, I aint as old as that ol' dinosaur Dotch!). I totally agree Tubby keeps running off good players. Does it happen once in awhile? Sure, but guess what, not as much as it happens to us. Please name all the guys who have transferred in under Tubby? I cant think of one. And dont forget, they ran him out of Kentucky for the same basic stuff. Fire him!

[Huskie]

We (the u), needs better players and better coaching. If Trevor comes back strong next year, he will be one of the few players that could help them get to the dance. If nothing else Tubby needs to reshape/shuffle his staff. Bring in a proven assistant coach who can relate to and motivate his players if he or no one else on his staff can. I was thrilled when Tubby was hired, but the thrill is gone. I think the new AD should give him one more year and if there is no major improvement, send him packing and bring in an energetic younger coach who can recruit better players and help them improve their game, they are out there.