(03-25-2013 07:33 PM)Wiessman Wrote: (03-25-2013 06:51 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote: 46-62 in the Big 10 isn't success.
Agreed. However, this is Minnesota, and they are in a conference with several established, powerful programs. Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin aren't going anywhere, and now Michigan and Indiana appear to be back. Combine that with Purdue and Illinois cycling in and out of success, and I just don't see where Minnesota gets off thinking they deserve a higher station. There was mobility in that conference maybe 15 years ago, but not now. Conference play is zero-sum; Minnesota needs a reality check.
Minnesota isn't going to move up in the pecking order overnight. They needed to distance themselves from that academic fraud scandal (In the Big Ten? Say it ain't so.) while improving incrementally. They got a coach who achieved both of those objectives for them, and now he is out of a job. Brilliant.
BTW, I think Florida is going to win the title, so Smith will have been dismissed for putting up a good fight against the eventual national champion. That makes total sense.
Whatever happens, Minnesota does not deserve a pass on this. I wish them nothing but failure in the coming decades.
I agree that Gopher fans are kidding thinking that the program can compete (as it is right now) with the upper half of the Big 10. Tubby was seen as the one who could do that but in crunch time, February, came their worst performances:
2013: 3-4
2012: 1-7
2011: 1-6
2010: 4-3
2009: 2-5
2008: 4-4
It is going to take someone very dynamic to change the mindset of the players and fans. Tubby had his problems with players and had a number of key transfers (along with injuries just to be fair). One of the things that has to be addressed is their arena. Williams Arena (aka The Barn) is historic, has a raised floor, and is loved by the fans but it doesn't sell well with recruits who didn't grow up playing HS ball in Minnesota. The infrastructure is poor with locker rooms, training rooms, and offices small and cramped. Even the HS tourney finishes at Target these days (earlier round games are divided between Target and Williams). Replacing Williams will be extremely difficult both financially and emotionally.
The U is still trying to overcome the days of having separate Mens and Womens ADs and programs until 2002. The competition between programs for donors dollars brought about some bad feelings for both sides. The baseball program had since the early 2000s wanted a new baseball stadium to replace Siebert Field that was falling apart. John Anderson the baseball coach since 1981 claimed to have the money to start the project but was not allowed to proceed while the U built a women's rowing house and their own hockey arena Ridder (interestingly without money dedicated for upkeep...sound familiar?). With the Metrodome being razed Siebert Field has finally been redone (playing surface only) and plans are in place to replace the partially condemned seating areas. As far as basketball both teams share Williams and Pam Borton (womens BB coach) makes sure that her teams has equal access at prime hours for practice and games as well as comparable locker, training, meeting rooms in the 2007 renovation. The wrestling coach was reprimanded for speaking out against the gender-equity legislation. There still is distrust between both sides of the program. I sense that Tubby at $2M plus a season not winning the Big 10 (or even finishing high in the Big 10) was a sore point among the women's supporters.
Footballs lack of success since opening TCF is also an increasing problem.
Dodging UNC while losing to North Dakota State, South Dakota, and others has increased the unhappiness. Glenn Mason's firing at first was welcomed but the disaster hire of Tim Brewster and now Jerry Kill has just brought more empty seats that has really hurt the bottom line of the program. While not as bad as what Rice and UH face in terms of pro sports dominating (the U actually has more support away from the Twin Citites than in) each year they fall a bit farther behind. Fortunately for them the Vikings have been down, the Twins have stumbled the last few years, and the Timberwolves have never been a must have ticket. The Wild are based in St Paul and really don't compete with Gopher hockey as there is a group of college hockey fans and a group of NHL fans both big enough to fully support the teams.
I think that Tubby's fate was sealed and for the most part I agree with the decision. Whether the new coach gets a practice facility or just promises remains to be seen. They will have interest in the opening simply because they are in the Big 10 (and not Northwestern). Crucial hire to be sure on many levels.
