University of WisconsinGreen Bay committed to Doug Gottlieb for the long haul
Dec 20, 2024
(WFRV) - It was a domino effect that caught on fire this week for UW-Green Bay men's basketball head coach Doug Gottlieb as he made headlines across the country.
First, there was a viral internet feud between Gottlieb and Adam Schefter where ESPN's NFL Insider took a direct jab at Green Bay's head coach on social media regarding the team's spot in the Horizon League standings.
And Jeezus, Doug. A seven-game losing steak and last place in the Horizon League? Less time on social media and more time in the gym. pic.twitter.com/r58Fpwfvb8— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2024
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A few days later, the Phoenix lost to a Division Two school, Michigan Tech, as their losing streak extended to eight straight.
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The internet took a life of its own after the loss, misinterpreting Gottlieb's 'nobody U' comment that he made a week prior postgame after falling to in-state rival UW-Milwaukee.
The 'nobody U' comment was referred to not finding value in playing weaker teams which is why the Phoenix's strength of schedule could be seen as tougher than other mid-major programs this year, having played Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Providence, etc.
The consensus around the internet was that Gottlieb had referred to Michigan Tech as 'nobody U' and the Phoenix would 'win by 20 points'.
In reality, Gottlieb never brought up the Michigan Tech Huskies during his postgame press conference that you see in the viral clip shared across the internet.
Gottlieb followed up his statement with 'every game on our schedule is a game that we can lose. Nobody else does that'. Which would include, of course, Michigan Tech.
Gottlieb even doubled down on his respect for the Huskies on his FOX Sports Radio Show a day before the game saying, "We play a really good team tomorrow. We're playing our first Division Two opponent, but they're Michigan Tech. They just beat the No. 3 Division Two team in the country. They're good and we have to learn how to win".
From there, it was a firestorm that plastered Gottlieb's name across the internet, dragging UWGB with him in these viral moments.
"He would tell you, is there a better way he can communicate on X and have a better flow with that? That's his feelings. He's going to have to figure that out. I can't do that for him," Green Bay Athletic Director Josh Moon told Local 5. "He's got to figure that out better, right? He's got to figure out what's best for the program, how to balance that with his public profile, and there's a fine line."
Gottlieb was the first to acknowledge the internet feud with Schefter after losing to Michigan Tech and issued an unpromoted apology to Moon at the podium.
"Not my finest moment, but I think one thing you'll learn and it will work eventually in the positive is whatever I do is going to draw attention," Gottlieb expressed.
Moon has a nine-year professional background in Division Two athletics and acknowledged that the 'Nobody U' comments were taken out of context.
Despite all of the internet drama that took place this week, the Green Bay men's basketball program is 2-11 on the season and currently riding an eight-game losing streak.
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Just like the highs the Phoenix are hoping to have in this new era, the lows are also what they signed up for when they offered a first-year head coach the job.
Simply? Doug Gottlieb isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Moon and the university is fully backing the process behind signing a national radio analyst to a five-year contract in May to lead Green Bay as its men's basketball head coach.
"That's crazy talk," Moon said to those wanting the program to move on from Gottlieb through just half of a season. "We're in year one. There are 13 new players. There's a lot of youth and a lot of freshmen playing. Do we want to be 2-11? Obviously not."
"It's crazy for people to say that we should make a change. That's not happening. From me to our chancellor, we believe in what Doug can do here," Moon said. "Our job here is to help him and the student-athletes get all the fuel they need to be successful."
The expectations were automatically raised once Sundance Wicks led the program to one of the most historic single-season turnarounds in NCAA Division One basketball history just a year prior.
There's no doubt that Gottlieb had big shoes to fill; however, it's not fair to compare the two paths. But, year one is turning into a year filled with learning lessons rather than winning.
"I'm as dedicated to this job as any human being has ever been," Gottlieb said. "I'm going to see it through until we win a Horizon League championship."
Moon hasn't seen any conflict of interest from Gottlieb working as, both, a division one head basketball coach and a national radio host Monday through Friday for two hours a week.
"He's working, probably, 18 hours a day. I don't know how much he sleeps, but of those two to three hours that he's doing his [radio] show, the rest of that is spent on Green Bay basketball," Moon said. "[Doug's] either recruiting, watching tape, breaking down tape, putting stuff together, going on recruiting visits, on phone calls, texts or scheduling, our concern is not the time he's putting in."
Moon did add that the results have to show up though, especially in the world of athletics.
"You need to see the results at some point, right? I get that," Moon said. "He lives in a profession that is results-based. As do I. So, we understand the frustration."
As Gottlieb and the Phoenix try to salvage what has been a rough first season under the new head coach, Moon encourages the community to be supportive with 18 regular season games remaining.
"Stay positive. Stay with us. I think Doug is going to do this the right way. Have some patience. Have some grace," Moon said. "I understand people's disappointment. Just give this team and this coach the time they need to figure it out. I believe they will figure it out."
On a phone call with Moon, Green Bay's athletic director told Local 5 that the university and its athletic department are excited about the possibility of schools paying players. A judge granted preliminary approval back in October with a final hearing set for April 7, 2025.
"With what's going on in the national landscape of Division One, the exciting thing for us is when the settlement happens here in April, we feel like we can be competitive in this space and chapter of Division One athletics based on where Green Bay is, where this community is, and I think that's what we're excited about moving forward."
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Moon did acknowledge the road ahead with the men's basketball program as they hope it'll blossom into years of winning rather than sinking into a dark hole like the Will Ryan era.
"Obviously, you can't feel that right now based on where we are at," Moon said. "I'm excited about the future of this program, not just basketball, but because we can be competitive in that [NIL] space based on our niche with primarily basketball."