March Madness in Kentucky

[need4cognition]

BREAKING NEWS: Tubby expected to leave UK for Minnesota job UK Athletics is expected to release a statement tonight regarding the status of head basketball coach Tubby Smith. Local media are reporting that sources close to Smith and the team have said he is resigning to accept the head coaching job at the University of Minnesota.

Comments

[daysprings]

I know Kentucky's had their problems in recent years, but EVERYONE has; it's harder to win and win consistently than it used to be. And it goes without saying, but Tubby Smith is a very good coach. I hope he's appreciated at Minnesota.

[need4cognition]

He is a great coach. It's been 10 years and that's about the limit for most recent Kentucky coaches. Our Coach-K retired over 30 years ago. People can be very vicious around here when it comes to UK basketball. I personally know the guy who started the "Fire Tubby!" Facebook group.

Michael was speculating that Kentucky would do well with A&Ms coach Billy Gillispie. The things that man has done with a football school's basketball program in three years is amazing. I think it would be a good thing for Kentucky if we got him but a bad thing for him personally.

[daysprings]

Any idea who the replacement will actually be? Dan was speculating that, while any coach would jump at the chance to head up such a prestigious and successful program, he may hesitate just a little if he's comfortable where he's at, because Kentucky fans will be calling for his head if he doesn't reach the Final Four. Those are high standards for anyone to think about living up to.

A few of the criticisms of Tubby were fair, I think, but it's nothing that couldn't have been worked out, probably. And fans seem to think that great top-tier coaches are strewn over the ground like daisies. They also seem convinced that THEY could do better, which is very irritating to me.

I was not impressed with the fans in San Antonio who stayed for the A&M game and then left HUNDREDS OF EMPTY SEATS for the Ohio State/Tennessee game, which ended up being an incredible game, too. You can tell that people in S.A. aren't big basketball fans. But come on, it's the Sweet 16, and think of what you paid for those seats, people.

[need4cognition]

These names are floating around:

1: Mark Few, Gonzaga
2: Mike Montgomery, former Stanford head coach
3: Billy Donovan, Florida
4: Tom Crean, Marquette
5: Billy Gillispie

I think Billy Donovan could do great things here. He was on the short list back when we were looking for Pitino's replacement.

[thefolksinger]

I can't believe Tubby's coming to the Big Ten - or as Tim calls it, the Little Big Ten. He's leaving one of the biggest programs in the country to go to... one of the smallest biggest. Weren't there any better jobs out there?

ISU just got a big coaching upgrade - the head coach is one of Bill South's assistants.

[need4cognition]

I'm sure he's just looking for a quiet place to rest after enduring the last 10 years! People around here can get pretty darn vicious.