Back in 2004, I was a 13-year kid who was just discovering what would become a life-long love for Women’s and Girls Basketball. It was in large part due to being from Marshall, MN at the time of the Minnesota Golden Gophers Magical Final Four run and we had a hometown girl on that very team and starting in Shannon Bolden. It was after the team’s second round thumping of the 2 seed Kansas State at Williams Arena (The Barn) that ESPN Analyst Debbie Antonelli said a statement that has always stuck with me. She said, “Minnesota had its first rockstar in Prince, and ladies and gentlemen, they now have a second one in Lindsay Whalen.”
Looking back, Debbie was absolutely right about what a love affair Lindsay Whalen and the state of Minnesota would experience. When you think about her run as a Gopher, that 2004 season can only be summed up with the word magical. She gave the entire state something to rally around, cheer for and follow. Even as the Timberwolves were in the Western Conference Finals, Whalen was the name anybody and everybody wanted to talk about anytime sports were mentioned.
Then it was a couple of years before that magical name would be back in the state of Minnesota as 2010, Hutchinson’s own finally was back in the land of 10,000 lakes after being traded to the Minnesota Lynx. Now not to rehash the history of the Lynx pre-Whalen, but all you need to say was there had only been two playoff appearances in their history and playoff record of 1-4. Then magic happened again. In a state that was title-less for well over 20 years, Lindsay Whalen helped spearhead not one, not two, not even three, but four, YES FOUR Championships for the State. A state that some thought was cursed from winning just apparently needed the magic that is Lindsay Weezy F Whalen.
To tie one last little bow on her playing career, she secured her fourth and final title in that place where it all started at the Barn on the Campus of the University of Minnesota. She also returned to the Playoffs that season after recovering from a hand injury, eerily similar to 2004 when she returned from, you guessed it, a hand injury to lead the run to that noted Final Four. Who says fairytales don’t happen in real life?
Now if you look at the history of the Gopher WBB program since that historic Final Four run, it has been an exercise in patience, at times historically joyous moments and sadly some frustrating moments. However, in all of that and two coaches later, they were in the hunt for a new coach in the spring of 2018. As always, the media (and yes, I will get to you media members a little later) was speculating who would be the next name hired. Well sprinkle some fairy dust and click your heels as the magic was ready to enter the building again.
Lindsay Whalen, yes that Lindsay Whalen was named the next WBB coach for the program. It both overjoyed and stunned fans that someone who had never really publicly mentioned a desire to coach would take a job in the mightily competitive Big Ten. Yes, she came in with no official coaching experience, but it was widely viewed as a calculated risk that was worth the risk taking. My personal thoughts were that there was never going to be another person who wanted the women’s basketball program to succeed more than Lindsay. To confirm, I still feel no one will have wanted the success of the program more than her.
Now over the next five years, there were ups, there were downs, there was buzzer-beaters, there were departures and there were notable recruits and then some in that five-year run. However, in that, from an outside perspective, Lindsay was always Lindsay. That means someone who loved the game, cared deeply for the people she coached and worked with each and every day. For this as a fan, as a Jr-All Star contributor, as that one-time 13-year who learned his love for this game from her, as the Lynx fan nearly brought to tears watching her lead us to four championships and as a human; Thank you Lindsay. Thank you for lifting up the game of basketball in the state of Minnesota. Thank you for giving boys and girls a dream they can dream and hope to obtain. Thank you for providing a steady presence in rocky times in the college game. You have been and always will be an icon, a legend, a HOF and you will always be Minnesota and once again, Thank you for everything.
Now to some more people affected by this decision. To the Players, Parents, Coaches, Managers, and everything else in the program. Thank you for an exciting and fun season. Thank for the memorable game winners, hard work, smiles, and showing up each and every day. I know there is nothing I can write right now that means much, but know that I am sending all positive vibes, respect, and admiration to you as people and players. Right now, you are likely feeling nervous, sad, mad, confused and many other things and all of those feelings are valid. I just want to say to each and every one of you, thank you and you got a lifelong fan in me no matter what the future holds.
Some More Thoughts:
Media: Some of y’all are wild! You will tweet or say to people’s face that this is sad or that you are a fan of this player or coach but maybe you should have let your social media and articles know that. You wrote how bad the team was, talking about if she should be let go or whatnot and then act shocked when you got what you basically have been saying could or should happen. Take several seats, you look foolish.
Fans: I say this word lightly as some of y’all need to check yourselves. It literally is the worst of both worlds at times with some of these fans. It was interesting that some people who have never coached pee-wee league of any sport let alone a D1 Women’s basketball program had a lot of feelings of what makes a good coach and blah blah blah. Y’all also sure like to take things to a personal level. So, with full offense, kindly shut up.
However, the other fans who feel we are still in 2004 or early 2000s, college sports and frankly the world has changed. Have an opinion on it but how some of you come for coaches/players and you have ZERO idea what is going on, you can shut up as well. The portal is here, and these players/young women have a right to decide their future. Be a fan or don’t, no one is forcing you to watch or attend these games. If you got nothing positive to say, say it yourself.
One last thing to fans, if you see the players or interact with them and your first question is “are you leaving” you are not a fan. Your TMZ. Ask how they are doing! How is school going! Let them feel their feelings as they have literally had their carpet pulled out from them. Just give them grace and support as people and players.
Final Thoughts:
One last time, I can’t say it enough, thank you Coach Whalen, Thank you Players, Thank you Parents, Thank you managers, Thank you every single person who makes the Gophers WBB one of my favorite things in the entire world to watch and enjoy. It is truly appreciated more than you know.
