Walker Follows Monson Out the Door: A small controversy has broken out in Minnesota’s camp involving former Gopher basketball coaches Dan Monson and Bill Walker and new interim head coach Jim Molinari. Molinari fired Walker, Monson’s close friend and top assistant, a week after the school forced out Monson. That led to talks that Walker had been walking on thin ice after the coaching change.
The story thickens because Walker’s father-in-law has terminal pancreatic cancer. Although Walker will receive pay through June to provide economic stability, he had been torn inside trying to balance his time between home and work.
His downfall, however, may have come when he started to miss Gophers games while going on recruiting trips ordered by Monson before his departure. Molinari had not approved the trips, creating a feeling of distrust. Molinari also said he and Walker were philosophically “miles apart.” Walker’s friends in the coaching community are furious about the situation. They view the move as cold-hearted, specially considering his present situation. [12/13/06]
