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Dickey V Endorses Tubby
- Thread starter jovs
- Start date
Vitale joined the show to talk about Williams' retirement and more. He said the decision was the culmination of a two-year process for Williams, and that his recent marriage was one of the factors that convinced him to walk away right now. He added that Williams wants to get into television, joking that he'd take Vitale's job.
Later, he was asked who he would endorse to replace Williams at Maryland, and he said he didn't think Notre Dame's Mike Brey or Arizona's Sean Miller would take the job. Therefore, he put his support behind Tubby Smith, the Minnesota coach that once coached Kentucky.
"My choice would be Tubby Smith. Instant credibility, he's a winner, he's a guy who's a class guy," Vitale said. "There's never any problems in terms of the NCAA. I think personally, and he might not say this, but he's available. I think he would leave Minnesota. He has family still living in the Baltimore area, and I think he would leave to come to Maryland."
Later, he added this:
"Whoever comes in is following a guy who was popular and well liked by the student body. They're coming in to a tough situation. Well, [Smith] had the same scenario replacing Rick Pitino. Think about it."
Later, he was asked who he would endorse to replace Williams at Maryland, and he said he didn't think Notre Dame's Mike Brey or Arizona's Sean Miller would take the job. Therefore, he put his support behind Tubby Smith, the Minnesota coach that once coached Kentucky.
"My choice would be Tubby Smith. Instant credibility, he's a winner, he's a guy who's a class guy," Vitale said. "There's never any problems in terms of the NCAA. I think personally, and he might not say this, but he's available. I think he would leave Minnesota. He has family still living in the Baltimore area, and I think he would leave to come to Maryland."
Later, he added this:
"Whoever comes in is following a guy who was popular and well liked by the student body. They're coming in to a tough situation. Well, [Smith] had the same scenario replacing Rick Pitino. Think about it."
Tubby would be far more valuable to a program in slump business-wise because his “instant credibility” can mobilize any dormant fan base. Maryland can still get the business going with a less known coach. With that in mind, if I were the AD at Maryland, I would experiment with a younger coach capable of a long term project of dynasty building while I can afford to do so.