Tag Archives: university of minnesota

What would Wooden have done with Gophers?

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The sporting world lost what might be its most famous coach on Friday. Longtime UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden died at the age of 99.

One thing I was reminded of yesterday when reading his obituary story that moved on the AP wire was how Wooden nearly ended up coaching the University of Minnesota.

The bespectacled former high school teacher ended up at UCLA almost by accident. Wooden was awaiting a call from the University of Minnesota for its head coaching job and thought he had been passed over when it didn’t come. In the meantime, UCLA called, and he accepted the job in Los Angeles.

Minnesota officials called later that night, saying they couldn’t get through earlier because of a snowstorm, and offered him the job. Though Wooden wanted it more than the UCLA job, he told them he already had given UCLA his word and could not break it.
 

You wonder how different college basketball would be had he taken the Gophers job.

Williams gives Gophers fans a freshman to cheer for

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As a true freshman, it matters not that University of Minnesota men’s basketball player Rodney Williams has opened his career against such patsies as Stephen F. Austin and Tennessee Tech.

Williams has looked good in both games, and now it appears he might be rewarded for it.

Gophers head coach Tubby Smith is considering making Williams a starter after having seen Williams play alongside the starters in the second half of Monday’s win over SFA.

Williams is doing a lot of things right, according to the Star Tribune’s Myron Medcalf. Everyone knew he was a heck of an athlete, as the video at the bottom proves. He had quite the highlight reel of dunks before ever joining the Gophers.

While Royce White remains on the outside looking in, Williams will be leaned on to give this freshman class some legitimacy, or at the very least a face. White is facing theft and fifth-degree assault charges stemming from an incident at the Mall of America.

Get your piece of Gophers history!

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The University of Minnesota is selling pieces of its famed floor at Williams Arena on the homepage of its athletic Web site, www.gophersports.com.

The floor at Williams Arena is being replaced for the first time in the building’s history.

Pieces of the 81-year-old floor can be purchased for prices ranging from $45 to $200.