Minnesota's new coach

[Billy Hoyle]

Because POC don't coach hockey or softball?

they are overwhelmingly white sports. There is only one Black HC in college hockey - women's hockey.  There is only one Black coach in women's softball. Less than five percent of college softball players are Black. There are only 19 Black players in college hockey. It's not like basketball and football. When there isn't a pool of minority applicants you can't hire one.

[rocky_warrior]

Yep. A lot of people thought Minnesota would go after Smith and/or Gates. Less competition is always better, regardless of whether these guys are primary or secondary candidates for MU.

As far as we know, these are only candidates in the internet's mind.  I've heard no solid info from MU about them (not that we will)

Also Wojo was fairly well respected in the coaching circles, and never threw anyone under the bus.  Other head coaches might think MU fans are too finicky for their liking.  We'll see.

[DefinitelyNotPorterMoser]

This was entirely about recruiting.

Maybe Gates and Smith said no, and Minnesota couldn’t pay Musselman’s salary, but this specifically addresses the issue of the Gophers not keeping local talent at home.

[naginiF]

This was entirely about recruiting.

Maybe Gates and Smith said no, and Minnesota couldn’t pay Musselman’s salary, but this specifically addresses the issue of the Gophers not keeping local talent at home.

that's the worst reason to hire a HC I've ever heard. Unless there is a correlation between players staying in state and winning percentage an AD should be fired for using that rationale

[Pakuni]

they are overwhelmingly white sports. There is only one Black HC in college hockey - women's hockey.  There is only one Black coach in women's softball. Less than five percent of college softball players are Black. There are only 19 Black players in college hockey. It's not like basketball and football. When there isn't a pool of minority applicants you can't hire one.

I won't derail the thread further, but I'll just note that not all minorities are Black.  And your insinuations are offensive.

[naginiF]

Xavier assistant Ben Johnson.  To the extent MU and MN were competing in the same coaching pool, there's this.

https://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/threads/gophers-hiring-ben-johnson.100900/

I don't spend much time on other teams forums but I'm glad I read through that thread as it confirms that ALL fan bases are the same. I swear some Scoopers have accounts on that forum and were posting in that thread.

[DefinitelyNotPorterMoser]

that's the worst reason to hire a HC I've ever heard. Unless there is a correlation between players staying in state and winning percentage an AD should be fired for using that rationale

They’ve completely whiffed on the state’s best players three of the last four years. The last time they got the top ranked player in the state was 2016 in Amir Coffey. The assistant who got him? Ben Johnson.

Gophers fans are sick of seeing their state’s best players play for the Badgers, and to a lesser extent, Marquette.

There’s a slight concern that another DI school in the area will muddy the waters even more, even if St. Thomas isn’t remotely on the same level.

[PhillyWarrior]

UNLV is also off the table hiring Kevi Kruger.

[Tha Hound]

From what I heard, they were prioritizing Craig Smith and Dennis Gates. I was told Gates was out at Minnesota yesterday. Maybe this indicates those two already have their futures in mind?

To add to this, on the gopherhole board, one of their posters said "Also, Smith is suppose to still interview. I call BS. This makes no sense and kills the fan interest". I have no idea if this is true, but if so, why would Minn make a decision on this assistant coach  if you have an interview with Smith already lined up, unless something changed for Smith..

[PhillyWarrior]

Yeah ouch.

The AD was "Blown away" when he talked to Johnson on Sunday

[cheebs09]

The AD was "Blown away" when he talked to Johnson on Sunday

We know how that goes.

[JWags85]

We know how that goes.

Wonder if Wojo shared his PowerPoint template with him

[NickelDimer]

As far as we know, these are only candidates in the internet's mind.  I've heard no solid info from MU about them (not that we will)

Also Wojo was fairly well respected in the coaching circles, and never threw anyone under the bus.  Other head coaches might think MU fans are too finicky for their liking.  We'll see.

This is pretty ridiculous

[StillAWarrior]

Gophers fans are sick of seeing their state’s best players play for the Badgers, and to a lesser extent, Marquette.

In light of the fact that it appears to be the consensus that the reason for this hire is Johnson’s ability to recruit Minnesota, does anybody know anything about his relationship (if any) with Dawson Garcia?  I’d think DG would have better options if he’s inclined to leave, but was wondering about this.

[willie warrior]

Wonder if Wojo shared his PowerPoint template with him

Beat me to it.

[JWags85]

I won't derail the thread further, but I'll just note that not all minorities are Black.  And your insinuations are offensive.

At least for hockey, even if you broaden your scope to Asians, Latinx, and any other BIPOC, it’s not gonna move the needle. I went to a fairly successful hockey school and in the time since I enrolled in the early 2000s, there has been 2, one who was a quarter Asian on his mother’s side and, funny enough, John Saunder’s biracial nephew who I had classes with and  used to joke that he was the only minority in the conference. 

The NHL is making efforts to be more diverse and attract a broader base, but if a minority hire is a major focus for a major D1 hockey program, you’re going to be severely handcuffing yourself with your pool.  This isn’t a blatant disparity like SEC football

[connie]

Canadians play hockey.

[Pakuni]

At least for hockey, even if you broaden your scope to Asians, Latinx, and any other BIPOC, it’s not gonna move the needle. I went to a fairly successful hockey school and in the time since I enrolled in the early 2000s, there has been 2, one who was a quarter Asian on his mother’s side and, funny enough, John Saunder’s biracial nephew who I had classes with and  used to joke that he was the only minority in the conference. 

The NHL is making efforts to be more diverse and attract a broader base, but if a minority hire is a major focus for a major D1 hockey program, you’re going to be severely handcuffing yourself with your pool.  This isn’t a blatant disparity like SEC football

Someone should tell Craig Berube, i.e. the coach who won the 2019 Stanley Cup, that it's impossible to find POC to lead a hockey team. Or former coach of the year Ted Nolan. Or former Blackhawks coach Dirk Graham. Or NHL assistants Mike Grier, Paul Jerrard and Fred Brathwaite.

Look, I'm not suggesting that it would be easy to find a qualified coach who also happens to be a POC, or even that it should be a priority. But Billy's insinuation that Minnesota chose to hire a Black basketball coach since it's impossible to find a minority softball or hockey hire is not only offensive, but false.

[JWags85]

Someone should tell Craig Berube, i.e. the coach who won the 2019 Stanley Cup, that it's impossible to find POC to lead a hockey team. Or former coach of the year Ted Nolan. Or former Blackhawks coach Dirk Graham. Or NHL assistants Mike Grier, Paul Jerrard and Fred Brathwaite.

Look, I'm not suggesting that it would be easy to find a qualified coach who also happens to be a POC, or even that it should be a priority. But Billy's insinuation that Minnesota chose to hire a Black basketball coach since it's impossible to find a minority softball or hockey hire is not only offensive, but false.

Nobody said it’s impossible, but like I said, the pool is so entirely small that it being a priority would be silly.  And not for nothing, the majority of your list are Canadians than were never involved with NCAA hockey.  I don’t entirely agree with Billy, but clamoring for a diversity hire for a college hockey coach would be like placing on emphasis on a town electing a minority mayor when their demographic is 97% white

[warriorfred]

Every MU coach search in the internet age, has had big names thrown around, and then it ends up being an assistant.  Starting with Mike Deane's replacement onwards.

Could be different this time, but in the past a lot of big names mentioned, and then the guy who gets the job is an unknown (except for Wojo, he has been our highest profile new coach, maybe ever).

Agree, and expect an Assistant Coach with great PowerPoint skills to be hired.

[WarriorPride68]

In light of the fact that it appears to be the consensus that the reason for this hire is Johnson’s ability to recruit Minnesota, does anybody know anything about his relationship (if any) with Dawson Garcia?  I’d think DG would have better options if he’s inclined to leave, but was wondering about this.

Minny 247 mod all but alluding to García hitting portal any day now and Ben is extremely tight with Dawson

[Galway Eagle]

Minny 247 mod all but alluding to García hitting portal any day now and Ben is extremely tight with Dawson

Shame. But expected

[brewcity77]

Minny 247 mod all but alluding to García hitting portal any day now and Ben is extremely tight with Dawson

I suggested that possibility to my Minnesota buddy after they announced Johnson.

[JWags85]

I assume he was the lead recruiter on him at Minny?  Why wasn’t Xavier a player in his recruitment then?

[StillAWarrior]

Shame. But expected

I’d expect them all to put they’re names in the portal. They’d be crazy not to.