University of Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague fired Tubby Smith last Monday, and after a week of searching, the Gophers have no men's basketball coach, no hints of who it might be and no clue as to when an announcement of a hire might take place.
Speculation has drenched the state like a blanket of gasoline and from it has emerged a wildfire of panic, anger and overreaction as fans look ahead to Week 2.
But make no mistake, state of Minnesota: this is what you asked for. Rarely do these processes get wrapped up quickly, predictably or with a tidy bow.
At this point, not much is known about the Gophers administration's plan or progress because anything that has been reported has come from anonymous sources, and none of it has originated from the men leading the search.
In the days ahead, the Gophers likely will set their sights on Marquette's Buzz Williams, whose team was eliminated from the NCAA tournament Saturday. He is Minnesota's last remaining top target, after VCU's Shaka Smart and Butler's Brad Stevens made it clear they weren't interested in leaving their schools.
Xavier's Chris Mack could be a candidate, as could Florida Gulf Coast's Andy Enfield, Alabama's Anthony Grant, Virginia's Tony Bennett or any number of other coaches. Admittedly, at this point, there is a lot of educated guesswork involved.
In the days and weeks leading up to the season's end, Gophers fans loudly made their wishes clear. E-mails criticizing the former coach filled Teague's inbox. A "Fire Tubby" Twitter account appeared and quickly gained a staunch following.
Now, one week later, a "Fire Norwood" Twitter account has been created and the social media site is filled with more vitriol, hysteria and distrust than ever before. Get ahold of yourselves, Gopher Nation.
