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Green Bay basketball head coach Doug Gottlieb downplayed concerns over his Super Bowl 59 issue amid a brutal stretch for his team. The Phoenix have had a poor season under their first-year head coach so far. Green Bay currently sits at 2-22 overall and 0-13 in the Horizon League. And Gottlieb has, unfortunately, had a few embarrassing moments during this stretch.
Currently riding a 19-game losing streak, the Phoenix head coach briefly traveled to New Orleans during the week of Super Bowl 59 to host his radio show. While Green Bay basketball wasn't playing a game during this time, there were plenty of critics of Gottlieb's decision to travel amid this skid. Gottlieb bluntly responded to this backlash.
“I respect anybody who wants to question whether that (traveling to New Orleans) is the reason we have lost 19 games in a row. The simple answer is, if you believe it is, there is nothing I can do to convince you otherwise. Nothing. Zero.”
Green Bay basketball continues to get bad press amid a dismal season
To clarify this situation, according to Green Bay Press-Gazette reporter Scott Venci, Gottlieb was away from his team from Tuesday night to early Friday. Green Bay's athletic director was aware of this situation in advance. The Phoenix were off of practice on Wednesday, and Gottlieb could not attend practice on Thursday.
The Phoenix's next game is at Purdue Fort Wayne, one of the top teams in the Horizon League. Gottlieb went on to say that respective college coaches leave campus for recruiting visits all the time, and he still is reviewing the tape and preparing for the upcoming game while traveling.
Green Bay basketball shocked many fans when it hired the basketball analyst as its head coach. Gottlieb had no notable coaching experience before taking on this position, but he does know the area well as a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Overall, there are a lot of players in the NBA who do have weekly podcasts and shows. However, it's also not the best look on Gottlieb that he's continuing his radio show, which takes place five days a week. Being a head coach, especially on the college level, is more than a full-time job.
With NIL, coaches are busier than ever, coaching their teams, recruiting, and dealing with collectives. This evolving job is one reason why many legendary leaders of programs are retiring sooner than expected. In comparison, Lakers head coach JJ Redick immediately stopped doing his weekly podcast when he was hired for his new position. While it's a different level, Redick's decision shows a full commitment to his new responsibilities.
Nevertheless, if Gottlieb were winning while hosting his shows, he would probably not be criticized as much. However, the losing and this kind of negative publicity has been a trend for Green Bay basketball throughout the season. And it's safe to say that, so far, the Phoenix's bold gamble this past offseason has not paid off.
