[Batpuff]

Catdawg we have been friends a long time and you know i bleed blue but i have to agree to disagree with you on this one. Tubby has done nothing with the plyers he has brought in and look at the players that Rick put in the NBA from his time at UK and then look at the kids in the NBA during Tubbys time at UK! Its just like why in the world did he not give Carter more playing time knowing that there was a chance that Morris may not be back. Carter by far has the most talent out of all there centers on the team at the time. I have never liked Tubby and of all people you should know that, i didnt like it when they hired him and even in his first year when he won the Championship. I guess its just me but there needs to be a change in both the B-Ball program and the Football program.

[CatDawg]

I disagree with what you are saying! He was out of the game based on an injury not because he was going to the NBA! That is crazy! Yes maybe he could have played that game but no way was he 100%! That team was built around him and you know it! That was the reason that they lost! It was a good game without him but UK needed him to get the title that year!

That would be reinjured not injured!

Yes he was ready to play and he did have the NBA camp coming up. I think I still have a copy of the article when Pitino made the comment that he should have played him. He stated something to the fact that he was ready to play but that he was just afraid to let him because he could be risking his NBA career. On second thought I'm not sure if he entered to shoot the free throws or not I know at the time they started to but now thinking about it not sure if he did or not. I'll have to break my game tape out and watch. But he was ready to play and that is fact. The team was built around him but they did find the entire time he was getting healthy.

[crazytaxidriver]

Plain and simple if Rick is such a good coach and Tubby won the championship with his players then why did Pitino blow it with the same players the year before?

Cause arizona was a better team.. But at least he made it to the big one.. 2 years in a row..

[CatDawg]

I'm not saying that he's perfect or even the best coach in the nation. That belongs to Coach K IMO but UK in general is spoilled. I mean come on lets enjoy it and yes we will be back to the final four. But as long as Tubby is there I don't even think UK fans would be happy with a final four. If he wins another championship great but most fans will expect another one within 5 years or it was a fluke also. We had gone 18 years without a championship and Batp I think I only missed two or three granted most in those days were on the radio but we made it. Now its been seven going on eight and you would think it had been 30 years. UCLA won all those in a row then went almost 20 years before winning another and now its been what 9 - 10 years since they've won and they have really sucked in that time and you don't hear all the crying about them like UK. We need to be happy that we can compete every year. Or we can schedule nothing but cupcakes go undefeated the first half of the season and then get our butt's handed to us come tourney play. We need to chill.

[CatDawg]

I was right and wrong. Derek Anderson didn't play at all against Arizona. It was against Minnesota in the National Semi-Final. He came in and hit 2 free throws. Pitino started to play him against Arizona and eveyone expected it. Pitino decided better due to the NBA tryout. Here's the link with the box score.

http://www.ukfans.net/jps/uk/Statistics/...esota.html


If he could play on Saturday night I'm sure he could play on Monday.

[BelfryJustice]

I was right and wrong. Derek Anderson didn't play at all against Arizona. It was against Minnesota in the National Semi-Final. He came in and hit 2 free throws. Pitino started to play him against Arizona and eveyone expected it. Pitino decided better due to the NBA tryout. Here's the link with the box score.

http://www.ukfans.net/jps/uk/Statistics/...esota.html


If he could play on Saturday night I'm sure he could play on Monday.

I could shoot free throws on a bad ankle! He was only in there due to a foul and a player that had to leave the game! Yes he might could have played , but it was based on the fact that Rick didn't want him to reinjure his ankle with a chance at a career in the NBA! Rick would have played him if he would have been 100%! You know and I know that he wasn't or he would have played! Later Rick did say that he wished that he would have played him, but he didn't because of the injury!

:HitWall: :HitWall: :HitWall:

[CatDawg]

It was his KNEE not his ankle. If he was well enough to go through and NBA workout the following weekend he could of and should of played.

[CatDawg]

I could shoot free throws on a bad ankle! He was only in there due to a foul and a player that had to leave the game! Yes he might could have played , but it was based on the fact that Rick didn't want him to reinjure his ankle with a chance at a career in the NBA! Rick would have played him if he would have been 100%! You know and I know that he wasn't or he would have played! Later Rick did say that he wished that he would have played him, but he didn't because of the injury!

:HitWall: :HitWall: :HitWall:

You say Rick would have played him if he had been 100% but then you say that Rick had wished that he had played him. So he must have thought he was 100%.

In the interview that I watched and read Rick said he was 100% but he didn't want him to Reinjury the knee and that be on his head. UK put the NBA chances of Anderson infront of UK in that instance. Maybe that was the right thing to do but then again maybe Rick didn't want him to get injuried because they're would be a chance that he could end up playing for him in the NBA.

This is just something that we won't agree on. But the facts remain he could of and should of played.

[BelfryJustice]

You say Rick would have played him if he had been 100% but then you say that Rick had wished that he had played him. So he must have thought he was 100%.

In the interview that I watched and read Rick said he was 100% but he didn't want him to Reinjury the knee and that be on his head. UK put the NBA chances of Anderson infront of UK in that instance. Maybe that was the right thing to do but then again maybe Rick didn't want him to get injuried because they're would be a chance that he could end up playing for him in the NBA.

This is just something that we won't agree on. But the facts remain he could of and should of played.

I have to agree with you on that! That we will never agree on this! How many players would Rick not have played because they were go to the NBA during his time at UK if there wasn't some thing else behind it! It was the injury bottom line! Rick at game time wasn't sure if he was 100%. I also said that Rick said that LATER!

:fight: :loveya: You make me feel smart!

[CatDawg]

This is from March 19th 1997 Cincinnati post.

http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/knees031997.html

UK basketball coach Rick Pitino announced today that although several doctors pronounced Anderson fit to return to action, he will not play the senior guard Thursday against St. Joseph's. Pitino said he didn't want to put Anderson's NBA career at risk.

As stated several doctors pronounced him fit to return at least a week prior to the final four. So he could have played.

[CatDawg]

Cincinnati Post on 3-18-97

http://www.kypost.com/sports/derek031897.html


''I didn't think there was any way possible Derek could play, but today he actually practiced with the team, full out, no-holds barred,'' Pitino said Monday during a broadcast of his radio show from San Francisco. ''And I'm happy to report he was without question the best player in practice.

[CatDawg]

I have to agree with you on that! That we will never agree on this! How many players would Rick not have played because they were go to the NBA during his time at UK if there wasn't some thing else behind it! It was the injury bottom line! Rick at game time wasn't sure if he was 100%. I also said that Rick said that LATER!

:fight: :loveya: You make me feel smart!

Shouldn't feel to smart you said ankle injury not knee. You said that Rick had later stated he should have played him. Didn't see anything about the 100%.

I've given you two articles where he was to be 100% and that Rick said he was the best player in practice over a week before the semi's and he stated he wasn't for sure if he would play him in the regional rounds due to the NBA future and that was the same and only reason he didn't play in the final four.

[CatDawg]

And UK lost Derek Anderson, Ron Mercer, Jared Prickett and Anthony Epps off that team and Tubby was still able to get back and win the championship.

[BelfryJustice]

The first one does nothing but question the fact that he recovered form a 8 to 12 month injury in 2 months! I think that says a lot for me! How many more could have Rick not played due to the NBA? You never answered!

[PHSFAN]

Pitino will never coach at UK again and some fans will never be able to accept that.

[CatDawg]

He didn't want to risk Anderson because of the previous injury. If he hadn't had a injury prior he would have played. But the fact was he was afraid that if he played and hurt it again that it would look bad on him for letting him play again so soon.

As always he was afraid of how something would reflect on him.

UK basketball coach Rick Pitino announced today that although several doctors pronounced Anderson fit to return to action, he will not play the senior guard Thursday against St. Joseph's. Pitino said he didn't want to put Anderson's NBA career at risk.

Right there in the article.

[CatDawg]

Here's a real good article in the sporting news the week after the 1997 championship game. In the article Pitino talks about how he's trying to change from the players that play a couple of years and jumps to the NBA. Wants to get those that stick it out. Sound familar. Also they predict UK to be an Elite Eight team at best in 1998 due to what they would be losing. That's right Tubby took that Pitino team all the way.

[BelfryJustice]

Here's a real good article in the sporting news the week after the 1997 championship game. In the article Pitino talks about how he's trying to change from the players that play a couple of years and jumps to the NBA. Wants to get those that stick it out. Sound familar. Also they predict UK to be an Elite Eight team at best in 1998 due to what they would be losing. That's right Tubby took that Pitino team all the way.

UK coach Rick Pitino kept his postseason promise not to let Anderson take a chance on ruining his rehabilitated right knee, which he tore up Jan. 18

Whatever, you can have Tubby! He will never bring Kentucky to the level that Rick did! Rick took them from the bottom to the top! Now Tubby will take them from the top to the bottom!

[BelfryJustice]

Pitino will never coach at UK again and some fans will never be able to accept that.

I have never said that Pitino would come back to KY! I don't think he ever will! I want Billy D! You would see that if you read the entire thread! This has to do with what fans think about Tubby and if he needs to go! I say yes due to the fact that he isn't as good as past coaches (Pitino comes to mind)! I have never liked Tubby's style and never will! I hope you love it, because it may be closer to the end! I have never watched Uk and got sick like I did this weekend and the NC game! I think many more will be sick again come this weekend!


:Sad04:

[CatDawg]

Sounds like fair weather cheering to me. But I guess you loved the entire Joe B. years and man I bet you were on cloud nine when Eddie was there.

[AshlandTcat06]

Whatever, you can have Tubby! He will never bring Kentucky to the level that Rick did! Rick took them from the bottom to the top! Now Tubby will take them from the top to the bottom!

Just how is UK going from the top to the bottom with Tubby? Tubby has been at UK eight years, and even though he hasn't won it all since his first year, I'm yet to see UK reach the bottom.

[CatDawg]

And we won't.

[PHSFAN]

I have never said that Pitino would come back to KY! I don't think he ever will! I want Billy D! You would see that if you read the entire thread! This has to do with what fans think about Tubby and if he needs to go! I say yes due to the fact that he isn't as good as past coaches (Pitino comes to mind)! I have never liked Tubby's style and never will! I hope you love it, because it may be closer to the end! I have never watched Uk and got sick like I did this weekend and the NC game! I think many more will be sick again come this weekend!


:Sad04:

Sorry I keep clicking on edit instead of quote...I was talking about a lot of UK fans in general not you.

[BelfryJustice]

Just how is UK going from the top to the bottom with Tubby? Tubby has been at UK eight years, and even though he hasn't won it all since his first year, I'm yet to see UK reach the bottom.

Lets do a little comparison!

Tubby's years at UK?
Tubby's final four appearances?

Pitino's years?
Final four?

What level was the team at when Pitino took over and what level when Tubby took over?

[BelfryPride]

NO !

[AshlandTcat06]

Lets do a little comparison!

Tubby's years at UK?
Tubby's final four appearances?

Pitino's years?
Final four?

What level was the team at when Pitino took over and what level when Tubby took over?

Tubby Smith has been at UK for eight years and has had one final four apperance.

Rick Pitino was at UK for eight years and had three final four appearances, two national championship game apperances, and one national chamionship.

When Rick Pitino took over, UK was in a mess that was started by previous coach Eddie Sutton. In 1988-89, UK had a losing record (13-19) for the first time since 1926. The next year, Pitino took over as coach and turned the program around. He took UK to the national championship in 1996, and led them back to the national championship game in 1997.

When Tubby Smith took over, UK was on top. He won a national championship his first year, but in all reality, the only place for the UK program to go was down. UK isn't making the final for every year, but it is still one of the top programs in the country. I don't see what is making you think that UK is going down completely. Tubby has been at UK eight years, and I'm yet to see his teams perform bad enough to where a coaching change should be considered. Just because Tubby doesn't win the national championship every year (like every coach), doesn't mean that he is a bad coach.

Even if the UK program was in bad shape when Tubby came in, I'm sure he would have turned it around. Tubby was the head coach at Georgia before he came to UK, and in both of his years at Georgia, he took them to back to back 20 win seasons, which had never been done at that school before he coached there. The first year he made the NCAA tournament and reached the sweet 16, upseting #1 seeded Perdue to get there. Tubby lost all five starters from that team that reached the sweet sixteen and eight seniors. Even though he lost a lot of players from that team, he managed to lead the Bulldogs to a 24-9 record the next season, which ties the school record for wins in a season. If he can do that at Georgia, I'm sure if UK was in bad shape he could do that there as well.

I really don't get the point of that post other than saying Pitino has put up better numbers than Tubby at UK, but even though he has, Tubby is still keeping UK in contention for another title and he could possibly win another one sometime in the future. Even though Tubby may not be as great of a coach as Pitino was, he is still a great coach, and I'm glad he is the coach at UK.

[PHSFAN]

Good post Tomcat...

[BelfryJustice]

Tubby Smith has been at UK for eight years and has had one final four apperance.

Rick Pitino was at UK for eight years and had three final four appearances, two national championship game apperances, and one national chamionship.

When Rick Pitino took over, UK was in a mess that was started by previous coach Eddie Sutton. In 1988-89, UK had a losing record (13-19) for the first time since 1926. The next year, Pitino took over as coach and turned the program around. He took UK to the national championship in 1996, and led them back to the national championship game in 1997.

When Tubby Smith took over, UK was on top. He won a national championship his first year, but in all reality, the only place for the UK program to go was down. UK isn't making the final for every year, but it is still one of the top programs in the country. I don't see what is making you think that UK is going down completely. Tubby has been at UK eight years, and I'm yet to see his teams perform bad enough to where a coaching change should be considered. Just because Tubby doesn't win the national championship every year (like every coach), doesn't mean that he is a bad coach.

Even if the UK program was in bad shape when Tubby came in, I'm sure he would have turned it around. Tubby was the head coach at Georgia before he came to UK, and in both of his years at Georgia, he took them to back to back 20 win seasons, which had never been done at that school before he coached there. The first year he made the NCAA tournament and reached the sweet 16, upseting #1 seeded Perdue to get there. Tubby lost all five starters from that team that reached the sweet sixteen and eight seniors. Even though he lost a lot of players from that team, he managed to lead the Bulldogs to a 24-9 record the next season, which ties the school record for wins in a season. If he can do that at Georgia, I'm sure if UK was in bad shape he could do that there as well.

I really don't get the point of that post other than saying Pitino has put up better numbers than Tubby at UK, but even though he has, Tubby is still keeping UK in contention for another title and he could possibly win another one sometime in the future. Even though Tubby may not be as great of a coach as Pitino was, he is still a great coach, and I'm glad he is the coach at UK.

I do respect your opinion, but I have never liked Tubby's style of coaching or recruiting! He isn't a bad coach! I just don't like him at UK and feel as if a change is needed! May be we don't see eye to eye, but just respect my opinion! Pitino did more for UK than most have and that is very true! No coach stays forever! Thank God, I have hope!

:yesno:

[CatDawg]

I to respect your opinion but one of the reason's Pitino did so much for UK was due to the fact we could only go up. But he to made mistakes just like coach K and every other coach. That's just life. And don't forget we we're 1 point away from a final four last year and everything would have been just great.

[AshlandTcat06]

I do respect your opinion, but I have never liked Tubby's style of coaching or recruiting! He isn't a bad coach! I just don't like him at UK and feel as if a change is needed! May be we don't see eye to eye, but just respect my opinion! Pitino did more for UK than most have and that is very true! No coach stays forever! Thank God, I have hope!

:yesno:

BelfryJustice, I do respect your opinion. We don't see eye to eye, but I enjoy reading your posts on here and you prove a lot of good points. There are a lot of people that post on this site and everyone sees things in a different way, but I respect everyone's opinion on here. Pitino did do a lot for UK, more than most, as you said. He built the program back up despite the penalties and such that wouldn't allow him to do a lot when he was first there. He is a great coach, no question.

But out of curiosity, what is it about Tubby's style of coaching and recruiting that you don't like? I know we don't see eye to eye, but I thought Tubby has done a great job in both of those categories. He's made some good calls on the sidelines for UK, and in recruiting, he has done a good job. In fact, here is a link that shows the talent he is bringing in next year. From the looks of it, he's bringing in a darn good recruiting class this year.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/commitlist.asp