High-profile hires are a rarity among Minnesota's major league coaches

We look at the hiring of the high-profile Tom Thibodeau as the coach of the Timberwolves as quite a departure for owner Glen Taylor, although in a way it goes along with what he has done previously in this decade.

Rick Adelman, a long-serving NBA coach with a resume that will get him to the Basketball Hall of Fame, was hired in September 2011 to take over when the NBA lockout ended.

If Adelman was coming in with full power to make personnel decisions, the public might have been more revved up by this hire. The fact David Kahn still held that responsibility as president of basketball operations caused skepticism to remain high with Minnesota's basketball fans (and for good reason).

Flip Saunders came in as Kahn's replacement in May 2013. He waited a year to take over the coaching duties from Adelman. Plus, Flip's familiarity to the Wolves and to Minnesota made it less of a dramatic event than the hiring of Thibodeau as a coach with full personnel power.

Add it up and I rate Thibodeau at the top of list for national profile when hired as a Timberwolves' coach.

Also: If I trace Minnesota's major league era to 1961, I would put only two coaching hires ahead of Thibodeau's with our pro teams in national profile, and both arrived with expansion teams.

The first coach on such a list would be Jacques Lemaire. It was a surprise to the public that the Wild was able to secure Lemaire – legendary player, legendary tactician, already the coach of a Stanley Cup champion – to launch its product.

Bud Grant, successor to Van Brocklin? Nationally, hiring a coach away from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers came with the sound of one hand clapping.

Herb Brooks was a huge name when hired by the North Stars. Still, he was a Minnesotan and as with Flip's return, there was no surprise when Herbie was hired by the North Stars. It also turned into a one-season failire and bitter parting.

Gene Mauch was the highest-profile managerial hire by the Twins in 1976. Billy Martin was not yet certified as a dugout madman when hired for 1969 (only).

PLUS THREE FROM PATRICK

Coaches with a national profile when hired by the Gophers:

Tubby Smith, men's basketball (2007-13). "Tubby, Tubby, Tubby.'' It sure sounded good on that April afternoon as he was introduced in Williams Arena.