FINALLY! A Serious Coach with Big Time Experience. Oh, Wait.
Well, I don't know what's sadder. That this is our choice. Or that this is the best we can do.
December 5, 2010
Contributors
Previous Posts
- A Rant from 30,000 Feet - We Root For Losers
- The Weekend in Review
- Happy Thanksgiving to FTLOSBW and to all a good ni...
- Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niederme...
- Gopher Hoops - A solid start
- Gardy Wins AL Manager of the Year
- Vikes v. Bears - The Collective Crap in our Pants
- Save Gopher Football
- Vikes v. Cards - The (Almost) Turd in the Tundra
- FTLOSBW - Living up to its name
Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]
5 Comments:
Oh, and if his lack of resume doesn't help lure in some key talent, i'm sure the fact that his kidney cancer is in remission will be very reassuring to the nation's top recruits.
December 5, 2010 at 7:33 PM
This coaching hire needed a WOW factor to it. It does not. I really think that this is the best the Gophers can do at this point. I would put the head coaching position at Minnesota in the same class as Vandy and Indiana. I would have rather hired Miami cast off Randy Shannon. Glenn Mason is laughing his ass off right now, although he still deserved to get the boot.
December 6, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Yeah...this is tough. Maturi needs a lesson in PR. You simply cannot overpromise at the beginning of the process ("we want to find another Tubby Smith") and then bring a MAC guy. According to some anonymously quoted coaches, the problem with the MN position is that the AD and President are both lame ducks, and potential hirees were hesitant to commit to a program where they weren't going to know their two bosses. Also, I'm guessing they took a look at the talent and said: "I'll pass." It's too bad, because the bar really isn't very high, so someone who comes in and goes 8-4 or 9-3 will be considered a hero. So, in terms of making a splash, this hire gets a C-.
Now, in looking at the glass half full, the guy has been very successful at NIU and SIU. If he wins, no one will care about his lack of big-time pedigree. Keep in mind that Urban Meyer and Brian Kelly both came from the MAC and that Jim Tressel came from Youngstown State. I have no doubts that he's a better game coach & developer of talent than was Brewster, my biggest worry is that he won't be able to recruit.
The bottom line is that this hire won't sell tickets, so he's going to have to win quickly to get the fans interested again.
December 6, 2010 at 12:25 PM
I'm not as down on this as some of you. I agree with BG's thoughts re: the collossal PR fuck-up Maturi dumped on us by saying he was surprised at how much interest there was, and then not bringing in someone with a big name. That's on Maturi, though - we shouldn't dump on Kill for actions he had nothing to do with.
Couple additional thoughts:
- if I recall correctly, didn't Kill just march his MAC team into the Bank and whip the Gophers a couple months ago? Sounds like an instant upgrade to me.
- There's little doubt in my mind the guy knows how to coach fundamental football. I feel like he'll have a team that's well-prepared and ready to play evey week. Again, improvement. First impression is that Kill is sort of the anti-Brewster in some important respects, including most positively knowing what the fuck he's doing. Maybe anti-Brewster in terms of charisma, too, but by the end that had turned to a negative for Timmy, as well. All hat, no cattle and all that.
- Recruiting will probably be the big question. I actually feel like, having now watched a press conference with Kill, his ability to present authority and sound like he knows what he's talking about and doing will help him vis-a-vis Brew. I'm sure his sales act worked on some, but guys like Seantrel Henderson and Michael Floyd are wise enough to see right through that crap. From what I can tell, Kill did OK putting together a team in Dekalb without an indoor practice facility, so I'll assume he can produce at least somewhat with more resources.
- I sort of disagree with BG's last contention. Take out the word "quickly," though, and I'm on board. The program's close to rock bottom and hasn't really been relevant for most of the last four+ decades, so patience is required. If we had hired Leach, expectations would be set higher, sooner. But if Kill builds a consistent team the right way over 5 years, fans will come back. It's the media who will attempt to skewer him if we don't make a bowl game by 2012.
I see this as most likely to be something similar to returning to the Mason days, but hopefully without the consistent late game, late season collapses. Didn't we all think that would be acceptable a couple months ago?
December 6, 2010 at 6:46 PM
Just to be clear, I'm not terribly psyched about this hire. I can't be that much of a contrarian. Just trying to be as glass half full as possible. "Olllways look on the braaaaaight soiide of loiiife" - whistle whistle whistle.
December 7, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home