[Observing]

Man, the Gophers administration must have battered wife syndrome.
"Please honey, just give me another chance and it will never happen
again. This time I'll play uptempo, won't hold my players back,
and we really will go to the NCAA, This time I MEAN IT"

Man this guy HAS to be the greatest snake oil salesman of all time.
He pulls the biggest con job in D-1 history and gets our job,
then after irrefutably proving he can't do the job, parlays it
into another D-1 gig, where he now gets an EXTENSION
after thoroughly proving he hasn't changed. I feel sorry
for the Gopher fans, they've got some MAJOR self esteem
issues.

[judgementday]

Cannot DISAGREE with you more.

Tubby Smith brought that program from the basement to averaging 20 wins a season. The season before he arrived they went 9-22. His first season, 20-14. Now, he will never win a title at that program, but the Gophers seem content with 20 win seasons and there is nothing wrong with that.

Tubby is a good coach and more importantly a good person.

[zaga_fan]

It isn't like Minnesota is looking to win a title lol

They've improved and that's all they're looking for.

[OrangenowBlue]

Man, the Gophers administration must have battered wife syndrome.
"Please honey, just give me another chance and it will never happen
again. This time I'll play uptempo, won't hold my players back,
and we really will go to the NCAA, This time I MEAN IT"

Man this guy HAS to be the greatest snake oil salesman of all time.
He pulls the biggest con job in D-1 history and gets our job,
then after irrefutably proving he can't do the job, parlays it
into another D-1 gig, where he now gets an EXTENSION
after thoroughly proving he hasn't changed. I feel sorry
for the Gopher fans, they've got some MAJOR self esteem
issues.

Tubby is a good coach and an honorable man and this is the right fit for him. He has consistently won at every school he has coached at. The problem at UK is that he wasn't a "good snake oil salesman" and you have to now be a master "bulls@#ter at UK to be a successful coach. Most of the fans disliked him from day one and he finally decided to leave which I thought was a good choice for both him and the school. All these Anti-Tubby(many were racist bastards) fans were so happy when UK hired Billy Gillespie. They were all stating that "yeah man, we got us a good young coach now" and "yeah man, he is a lot better recruiter then Tubby". Then everyone learned what we really got, the sorriest piece of horse@#$t to ever coach in NCAA basketball. A coach with no redeeming qualities who was a cancer for the whole program. The good thing is the cancer was removed and sunny days are here again.

[Mr. Pike Central]

Good for Tubby.

[toussaints]

Tubby's time at UK was not bad for a D1 coach, it just didn't meet Kentucky's high standards. he's got minnesota going in the right direction in one of the toughest basketball conferences in the country. he's a good coach, and a lot of people forget that if uk brought in someone that didn't know pitino's system and couldn't translate it, then uk doesn't win a title in 98

[Observing]

Cannot DISAGREE with you more.

Tubby Smith brought that program from the basement to averaging 20 wins a season. The season before he arrived they went 9-22. His first season, 20-14. Now, he will never win a title at that program, but the Gophers seem content with 20 win seasons and there is nothing wrong with that.

Tubby is a good coach and more importantly a good person.

What kind of person Tubby Smith is, has no bearing upon whether or not
he is a good coach. As a coach, MEDIOCRITY is the summit to which
he can apsire. And whether you've forgotten, or whether you didn't
hear, the Gopher adminstration and fans were all aglow with their
predictions of how Tubby was going to put them in Big 10 title
contention, and bring the NCAA bids and wins. He has not,
and CANNOT do so. Why? He doesn't have the ability. If the Gophs
are satisfied wtih that, more's the pity for them, but it's NOT
what they expected, though lord knows HOW they could have expected
more.

[Observing]

Tubby's time at UK was not bad for a D1 coach, it just didn't meet Kentucky's high standards. he's got minnesota going in the right direction in one of the toughest basketball conferences in the country. he's a good coach, and a lot of people forget that if uk brought in someone that didn't know pitino's system and couldn't translate it, then uk doesn't win a title in 98

It's debatable whether the WORST time for UK was Tubby's tenure,
or Sutton's tenure. Both severely damaged the program, but at least
Sutton's tenure didn't damage the fan base like Tubby's. By the end
of Tubby's time, far too many fans were accepting the unacceptable.
Far too many fans were trotting out the B.S. Smith company line
that exceptional performance wasn't possible for most of the time.
Even with probation and a losing record, Sutton didn't debase
the fans expectations to that point.

As for UMinn going in the right direction, what a laugh. They're
not going in ANY direction. Tubby came in at a low point of
a program falling apart, there was nowhere to go but up.
So they plugged back in to a point of mediocrity, and are
stuck in the wannabe part of the Big 10, and will go no
higher, They've had 2 NCAA bids, one undeserved, and aren't
likely to get any more. Aren't going to get in to the first
division of the Big 10. And all at a time when the Big 10
has been well below it's historical strength.

For some reason, while the national press has been quick to point
out how the SEC had fallen way off in basketball, and shockingly even admitted that the ACC has been underperforming as a whole,
they have ignored the reality that as a whole, the Big10
has stunk on ice over the last 4-5 years. Ohio St and Mich St,
have been decent to good, but overall the conference was
WAY DOWN in historical strength. With teams like IU Iowa
and Illinois becoming pretty much laughingtstocks. And Purdue
flaimgin out on a yearly basis, even if it was due to injury.
Yet Tubby clawing in to .350-.500% against them is viewed
as a fantastic accomplishment. Give me a break.

[Hoot Gibson]

Wow. What ignorance of UK basketball history. Eddie Sutton did more damage to the UK program than any coach ever has. Billie Gillispie probably damaged the program more for the short time that he was there but he was sent packing before NCAA penalities crippled the program.

Tubby Smith is an outstanding coach. He is not an outstanding recruiter and that made him an underachiever at UK. Sutton was also an outstanding coach but he, like Gillispie, was a drunk. Everybody who had a hand in hiring Gillispie, especially after seeing what the first alcoholic UK basketball did for the program, should have been sent packing along with their stupid hiring mistake. Gillispie is a bad coach and a worse person.

Eddie Sutton and Billy Gillispie humiliated the University of Kentucky with their behavior. To even compare a class act like Tubby Smith to either one of those fall-down drunks is inexcusable. There have been many great coaches who never one an NCAA title. Tubby won one. He may not win another but bad basketball coaches do not win titles, regardless of the talent that they have on their bench.

[LWC]

^Agreed. Tubby was a good coach at a program that expects great coaches. I do not fault him for that.

[Real Badman]

What kind of person Tubby Smith is, has no bearing upon whether or not
he is a good coach. As a coach, MEDIOCRITY is the summit to which
he can apsire. And whether you've forgotten, or whether you didn't
hear, the Gopher adminstration and fans were all aglow with their
predictions of how Tubby was going to put them in Big 10 title
contention, and bring the NCAA bids and wins. He has not,
and CANNOT do so. Why? He doesn't have the ability. If the Gophs
are satisfied wtih that, more's the pity for them, but it's NOT
what they expected, though lord knows HOW they could have expected
more.

For someone who has never won a NCAA championship you sure are doing a lot of hating on Tubby.

[zaga_fan]

Observing only observes what he wants to observe.

[zaga_fan]

I have no idea what rabid UK fans gain every time they trash Tubby Smith.

The man brought us a title, several years of contention and he started several charities in Kentucky that he and his wife still support to this day.

But I guess some people like to turn everything into a pissing contest.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

I have no idea what rabid UK fans gain every time they trash Tubby Smith.

The man brought us a title, several years of contention and he started several charities in Kentucky that he and his wife still support to this day.

But I guess some people like to turn everything into a pissing contest.

Alot of has to do with the same reason alot of people don't like Joker Phillips, unrealistic expectations, then add a touch of racism and you get what happened. UK's football program has not been relevant for 40 years but people act like it is Jokers fault. You might as well get used to it.

[OrangenowBlue]

Wow. What ignorance of UK basketball history. Eddie Sutton did more damage to the UK program than any coach ever has. Billie Gillispie probably damaged the program more for the short time that he was there but he was sent packing before NCAA penalities crippled the program.

Tubby Smith is an outstanding coach. He is not an outstanding recruiter and that made him an underachiever at UK. Sutton was also an outstanding coach but he, like Gillispie, was a drunk. Everybody who had a hand in hiring Gillispie, especially after seeing what the first alcoholic UK basketball did for the program, should have been sent packing along with their stupid hiring mistake. Gillispie is a bad coach and a worse person.

Eddie Sutton and Billy Gillispie humiliated the University of Kentucky with their behavior. To even compare a class act like Tubby Smith to either one of those fall-down drunks is inexcusable. There have been many great coaches who never one an NCAA title. Tubby won one. He may not win another but bad basketball coaches do not win titles, regardless of the talent that they have on their bench.

Excellent post!

[OrangenowBlue]

Alot of has to do with the same reason alot of people don't like Joker Phillips, unrealistic expectations, then add a touch of racism and you get what happened. UK's football program has not been relevant for 40 years but people act like it is Jokers fault. You might as well get used to it.

You are 100% correct.

[Real Badman]

Alot of has to do with the same reason alot of people don't like Joker Phillips, unrealistic expectations, then add a touch of racism and you get what happened. UK's football program has not been relevant for 40 years but people act like it is Jokers fault. You might as well get used to it.

Going to disagree with this. Rich Brooks left the program in a great shape.

[zaga_fan]

Alot of has to do with the same reason alot of people don't like Joker Phillips, unrealistic expectations, then add a touch of racism and you get what happened. UK's football program has not been relevant for 40 years but people act like it is Jokers fault. You might as well get used to it.

People act like it's Joker's fault because he was handed a mediocre program and started going backwards?

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

Going to disagree with this. Rich Brooks left the program in a great shape.

So did pitino.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Your never going to prove Joker doesnt suck ass.
Get off the kick. Trust me when i say it has nothing to do with race. If he was winning 10 games a year people wouldnt be doing this and true racist wouldnt be satisfied with any record.

Point being, give all the love to joker that you want, because after this 3-9 year, hes done.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

^
Your never going to prove Joker doesnt suck ass.
Get off the kick. Trust me when i say it has nothing to do with race. If he was winning 10 games a year people wouldnt be doing this and true racist wouldnt be satisfied with any record.

Point being, give all the love to joker that you want, because after this 3-9 year, hes done.

We have always sucked is the point. Joker isnt the beggining of that nor will he be the end.

[judgementday]

Going to disagree with this. Rich Brooks left the program in a great shape.

And so did Tubby smith, until they hired that drunken fool...

IMO, Tubby Smith in Minnesota is comparable to when we had Rich Rooks; was he ever going to win a National Title? No....How about an SEC title? Probably not, but the fans were content with going to a bowl game every year even if we only had 7 or 8 wins. Same for Tubby in Minnesota. I wish him the best.

Besides, why does Observing even care? He is coaching somewhere else that isn't even in the SEC.......pointless....

[Observing]

And so did Tubby smith, until they hired that drunken fool...

IMO, Tubby Smith in Minnesota is comparable to when we had Rich Rooks; was he ever going to win a National Title? No....How about an SEC title? Probably not, but the fans were content with going to a bowl game every year even if we only had 7 or 8 wins. Same for Tubby in Minnesota. I wish him the best.

Besides, why does Observing even care? He is coaching somewhere else that isn't even in the SEC.......pointless....

Tubby SMith didn't leave the program in great shape. He left it in a
SHAMBLES. Recruiting was bust, fans were accepting that we would
sneak into the NCAA and be a first round victim. ANd he elft the program
in such poor shape that a losing season was all but a certainty.
Blast Gillispie all you want, at least he WAS able to get Patterson
to go ahead and sign(which he wouldn't go ahead and do for Tubby).
And he got some mileage out of Bradley and Crawford hsi first
season. He was a disaster, but an 11th year of Tubby would have
been WORSE.

[LWC]

^Gillespie has proven that he isn't a good coach. When he was at A&M he got leftovers, lol. What has he done since?

[judgementday]

Tubby SMith didn't leave the program in great shape. He left it in a
SHAMBLES. Recruiting was bust, fans were accepting that we would
sneak into the NCAA and be a first round victim. ANd he elft the program
in such poor shape that a losing season was all but a certainty.
Blast Gillispie all you want, at least he WAS able to get Patterson
to go ahead and sign(which he wouldn't go ahead and do for Tubby).
And he got some mileage out of Bradley and Crawford hsi first
season. He was a disaster, but an 11th year of Tubby would have
been WORSE.

Again, why pick at Tubby? He hasn't coached her in what, 5 years and he doesn't coach in the SEC so more than likely we will never play him......who cares if he got an extenstion.........unless you are a diehard Badger fan...

[Observing]

Again, why pick at Tubby? He hasn't coached her in what, 5 years and he doesn't coach in the SEC so more than likely we will never play him......who cares if he got an extenstion.........unless you are a diehard Badger fan...

I'm not picking at Tubby. I started by making fun of the doofuses
at UMinn for falling for yet another round "Tubby's going to get the job done". Now I am just refuting b.s. from other posters.

[Observing]

^Gillespie has proven that he isn't a good coach. When he was at A&M he got leftovers, lol. What has he done since?

Hmm, I said BCG was a "disaster", not a "good coach".

[toussaints]

Comparing Tubby to Gillespie, Tubby won the SEC 5 times, 6 Sweet 16s, 4 Elite 8s, and a National Title. Gillespie lost in the 1st round of the NCAA, then lost in the NIT with better recruits. Don't forget he lost to Gardner Webb and VMI, both at home in different seasons. How in world was Gillespie's tenure better than Tubby's? I know Tubby was struggling and he wasn't the type of head coach Kentucky needed to feed the beast, but Tubby was winning a lot more than Gillespie.

[zaga_fan]

^Gillespie has proven that he isn't a good coach. When he was at A&M he got leftovers, lol. What has he done since?

He's been getting PAID is what he has been doing.

And now that UK is almost done paying him to sit at the house and drink - he's going to coach at Texas Tech (Bobby Knight couldn't win there, so Billy G can't either)

[Observing]

Wow. What ignorance of UK basketball history. Eddie Sutton did more damage to the UK program than any coach ever has. Billie Gillispie probably damaged the program more for the short time that he was there but he was sent packing before NCAA penalities crippled the program.

Tubby Smith is an outstanding coach. He is not an outstanding recruiter and that made him an underachiever at UK. Sutton was also an outstanding coach but he, like Gillispie, was a drunk. Everybody who had a hand in hiring Gillispie, especially after seeing what the first alcoholic UK basketball did for the program, should have been sent packing along with their stupid hiring mistake. Gillispie is a bad coach and a worse person.

Eddie Sutton and Billy Gillispie humiliated the University of Kentucky with their behavior. To even compare a class act like Tubby Smith to either one of those fall-down drunks is inexcusable. There have been many great coaches who never one an NCAA title. Tubby won one. He may not win another but bad basketball coaches do not win titles, regardless of the talent that they have on their bench.

Sutton and Gillipsie humiliated THEMSELVES with their behavior.
Smith certainly did no such thing, but he did embarass the program
by reducing it to irrelevancy as an NCAA contender.