Who is the better coach--
Rich Brooks or Tubby Smith (someone brought this up and it spurred my interest).
Tubby has had a LOT of talent, and can't seem to seal the deal.
Rich has been around, and seems to be making some progress.
I know we are talking about 2 different sports--but if you switched the 2--would the programs be better or worse?
I don't like Rich Brooks as a coach.. He's starting to get some in state talent but i don't know if that will be enough.
I dont' like Tubby as a coach.. Never really have... He just can't seem to seal the big one..
But i think Tubby is still a better coach at bball than Brooks is in Fball.
Can't seal the big one. You can say it was Rick's boys or not but he still sealed the biggest game that he could.
I'm still not convinced Tubby has what it takes to win "the big one." Sure, he won it in '98, but I'm a firm believer it was Pitino that got the players to UK, and h's the reason they won. Don't get me wrong, Tubby is a fine coach, I've just never really been impressed. The Cats have not made it to the Final Four with a team Tubby has put together himself, and they always seem to get knocked off by a team no one thinks would be there (Alabama-Birmingham & Southern California). I'm not saying those schools are push-overs, but let's be serious, UK should have beaten both of them....EASILY!
Rich Brooks on the other hand...I've never liked Brooks! I just don't think he has the right "mind" to coach a team like Kentucky. The talent is there to have a competitive football team, but I don't think Brooks knows how to use what he has. I read in the Lexington-Herald Leader a while back......In Brooks' first year, Lorenzan was a senior. Sure, he was big, but he would've been a perfect "option" quarterback (rememebr Arkansas?). But instead, Brooks brought in the scheme of using a "pocket" passer, which did not suit Lorenzan at all. He had a First Team All-American in Dereck Abney, and one of the best offensive lines in school history...Now tell me....Why didn't the Cats do any good that year? The talent and ability was there.
I'm not a big fan of either Smith or Brooks, but Smith has obviously had better success with his respected sport...So, I'm going 'ole Tubby!!!!
"StrikeoutKing" Wrote:I'm still not convinced Tubby has what it takes to win "the big one." Sure, he won it in '98, but I'm a firm believer it was Pitino that got the players to UK, and h's the reason they won. Don't get me wrong, Tubby is a fine coach, I've just never really been impressed. The Cats have not made it to the Final Four with a team Tubby has put together himself, and they always seem to get knocked off by a team no one thinks would be there (Alabama-Birmingham & Southern California). I'm not saying those schools are push-overs, but let's be serious, UK should have beaten both of them....EASILY!
Rich Brooks on the other hand...I've never liked Brooks! I just don't think he has the right "mind" to coach a team like Kentucky. The talent is there to have a competitive football team, but I don't think Brooks knows how to use what he has. I read in the Lexington-Herald Leader a while back......In Brooks' first year, Lorenzan was a senior. Sure, he was big, but he would've been a perfect "option" quarterback (rememebr Arkansas?). But instead, Brooks brought in the scheme of using a "pocket" passer, which did not suit Lorenzan at all. He had a First Team All-American in Dereck Abney, and one of the best offensive lines in school history...Now tell me....Why didn't the Cats do any good that year? The talent and ability was there.
I'm not a big fan of either Smith or Brooks, but Smith has obviously had better success with his respected sport...So, I'm going 'ole Tubby!!!!
Wow--did this post really say that Jared Lorenzon should/could have been an option quarterback? That, my friend, is a very interesting perspective that I would have never figured would/could have came out of this discussion.
In all fairness, when you take the specific sport out of the occaison, I think that they both have the same qualities. They have both improved programs on a slightly smaller level (not level--but not the same as Kentucky)--and, when they have gotten to Kentucky--they have managed to maintain the same level of performance that the program was experiencing at the time.
With that said--a lot of coaches could have done the same thing.
They have both shown signs of stepping up the level of performance--but they usually fall a little short. (I get the feeling that they are the same guy sometimes). But if I had to pick--it would be Tubby (I would decide by flipping a coin).
Someone said switching the talent level around....I'm sure that if when Brooks came UK had just won a National Title and been runner-up, along with a tradition rich program in football, then he would still be right at that level now. He is a good coach, and he is starting to show with the talent that he is bringing to Lexington. Some have said that UK had tallent in football, ummm NO. They have had some good players, but never the 22 guys needed. Or hell, never even like 10 guys playing at the same time.
Both are good coaches and both seem to be able to motivate their guys. Give Brooks a freshman class that is 2/3 All-Americans and see what he can do :thumb:
"StrikeoutKing" Wrote:I'm still not convinced Tubby has what it takes to win "the big one." Sure, he won it in '98, but I'm a firm believer it was Pitino that got the players to UK, and h's the reason they won. Don't get me wrong, Tubby is a fine coach, I've just never really been impressed. The Cats have not made it to the Final Four with a team Tubby has put together himself, and they always seem to get knocked off by a team no one thinks would be there (Alabama-Birmingham & Southern California). I'm not saying those schools are push-overs, but let's be serious, UK should have beaten both of them....EASILY!
Rich Brooks on the other hand...I've never liked Brooks! I just don't think he has the right "mind" to coach a team like Kentucky. The talent is there to have a competitive football team, but I don't think Brooks knows how to use what he has. I read in the Lexington-Herald Leader a while back......In Brooks' first year, Lorenzan was a senior. Sure, he was big, but he would've been a perfect "option" quarterback (rememebr Arkansas?). But instead, Brooks brought in the scheme of using a "pocket" passer, which did not suit Lorenzan at all. He had a First Team All-American in Dereck Abney, and one of the best offensive lines in school history...Now tell me....Why didn't the Cats do any good that year? The talent and ability was there.
I'm not a big fan of either Smith or Brooks, but Smith has obviously had better success with his respected sport...So, I'm going 'ole Tubby!!!!
awesome post....I would have to go with Tubby.....but I dont think he has the potential to win the big one.....I mean he gets alot of good players but he doesnt know what to do with them