GopherHole Column: Tubby Smith, Gopher Program Face Most Critical Year in Decades

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As the 2011-2012 Golden Gopher basketball season officially starts Friday night, the Gopher program and Tubby Smith each face the most critical year in more than two decades. It can’t be overstated how important it is for the program’s health and Tubby’s reputation that the team has a true breakthrough season. It’s time for the program to make a move up the Big Ten standings and a run that matters in March.

When Tubby was hired in 2007, many Gopher fans and administrators hoped Smith would bring a couple of battles for a Big Ten title, a few Sweet 16 or better runs and a fan base willing to pump money into the program making the fundraising for a new practice facility easy, and the move to a point system and donation based-season ticket program a no-brainer. Instead, the Gophers haven’t cracked the top half of the Big Ten, haven’t won an NCAA or even NIT game and apparently are not close to breaking ground on the practice facility. Not to mention, anecdotal response to the new ticket program has been met with skepticism at best.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1547
 


Well done, Bleed, and a very fair analysis. You touched on all the key points. Certainly it's an important season for Gopher hoops.
 

Great article Bleed. Very fair. I think a whole lot of people are up in the air about the new ticket arrangement. I think it may be premature, but we shall see....
 



Rob hit the nail on the head with this article. We're in year 5 of the Tubby era and there simply cannot be an excuse for a season that does not include a minimum of one NCAA tournament win. I think the issue of the extension is particularly interesting because of both the likelihood of a new A.D. soon and the recent history of coaching hires across the nation. It certainly doesn't make sense to extend Tubby after 5 years of no tournament wins, but do we want Maturi in charge of another coaching search? Didn't think so. If we do have a new A.D. (and I sure hope we do), we still have to face reality that established coaches are not moving around as freely as they did a few years ago. Oklahoma had to settle for Lon Kruger, Missouri had to settle for Frank Haith. Outside of Arkansas luring Mike Anderson back home, I can't think of a recent school who has landed a coach that would have been on their "A" list. If the choice is extending Tubby or hiring someone like Tim Miles, I think I would extend Tubby and hope for the best.

I think the University had every intention of having a much better basketball program by the team this new pricing policy went in to effect. Tubby still has a chance to get things going with a good season this year (and I think a 5th in the Big Ten and one NCAA win would likely be just enough to get some momentum), and I sure hope it happens. However, if the Gophers finish 7th and are on either side of the bubble, how do you market this team next year with Trevor, Ralph, and possibly Rodney all moving on?
 

Well done Bleed. It is really important to the program that Tubby succeeds and does so this year. If Tubby starts to lose serious support and momentum and eventually leaves, this would be the program that Tubby Smith couldn't win at. That would be a terrible blow and make it tough to find a coach that could turn it around. He has done a good enough job at recruiting such that there is enough talent to have a good year.
 

bga1 said:
Well done Bleed. It is really important to the program that Tubby succeeds and does so this year. If Tubby starts to lose serious support and momentum and eventually leaves, this would be the program that Tubby Smith couldn't win at. That would be a terrible blow and make it tough to find a coach that could turn it around. He has done a good enough job at recruiting such that there is enough talent to have a good year.
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Nice analysis, Bleed. BGa, you have made that comment before and it is as right now as it was then. We could be in a football like decline of multiple generations if Tubby does not succeed, and I think most people know that, both in the fan base and in the adminstration. The hardest part of all this for me is that we head into this critical season with freshman and/or unproven guards. The down B10 may be to our advantage. I have never believed you could count on freshman to lift you to the next level, and I have been proven wrong in a few instances. I hope I am wrong here, too, and these newcomers do the job. Bleed is correct that the recruiting is on an uptick with decent talent and less chance for off court drama, but no homeruns, yet. It could be too little, too late.

Count me in the fan base that will probably pony up a little (not much) to keep the current seat, or slightly improve, but the jury is still out on that one.
 

GopherHole Staff said:
As the 2011-2012 Golden Gopher basketball season officially starts Friday night, the Gopher program and Tubby Smith each face the most critical year in more than two decades. It can’t be overstated how important it is for the program’s health and Tubby’s reputation that the team has a true breakthrough season. It’s time for the program to make a move up the Big Ten standings and a run that matters in March.

When Tubby was hired in 2007, many Gopher fans and administrators hoped Smith would bring a couple of battles for a Big Ten title, a few Sweet 16 or better runs and a fan base willing to pump money into the program making the fundraising for a new practice facility easy, and the move to a point system and donation based-season ticket program a no-brainer. Instead, the Gophers haven’t cracked the top half of the Big Ten, haven’t won an NCAA or even NIT game and apparently are not close to breaking ground on the practice facility. Not to mention, anecdotal response to the new ticket program has been met with skepticism at best.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1547
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Nice read Bleed - well done.

A couple of points:

1. Tyus Jones - I dont care how old the young man was when the Gophs last graced the college BB world. If Tubby cant land him, it will be a big loss, imo. It seems to me the slant is that if Tubby doesnt land him, there are plenty of excuses for it. BS.

2. The only thing that matters is results. On the court and in the classroom. Big 10 Titles and NCAA wins. Nothing else.

3. It is refreshing to see you take a position. Do it more often.
 



The thing about all of this is that basically 5,6 weeks of horrid basketball changed all perspective. We were 16-4, riding high, top 15 rankings during the year at one point, and it all just fell apart.

Don't get me wrong, that crucial stretch exposed things about this program that Tubby's gotta get right. A broken foot from one guy (and yes, the transfer) should not lead to THAT bad of a stretch. The saving grace of it is about 8 of those 11 games down the stretch probably should have been won really. We had leads in so many of them, even half would have been respectable at least. But the lack of leadership on the floor, and lack of guard play was so obvious, it's really concerning we could be in that kind of position in Year 4 of Tubby.

It's good that Tubby has re-evaluated his coaching and how he was handling players. Sometimes you have to hit a low before you feel prompted to make necessary changes in your management style. This year is no doubt critical, and another non-NCAA year could be trouble for the program. But a good year could be just enough to get momentum back in our favor (assuming we can actually keep some players on the team this time).
 

BarnBurner said:
Nice read Bleed - well done.

A couple of points:

1. Tyus Jones - I dont care how old the young man was when the Gophs last graced the college BB world. If Tubby cant land him, it will be a big loss, imo. It seems to me the slant is that if Tubby doesnt land him, there are plenty of excuses for it. BS.
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My context on Jones wasn't to present an excuse for Tubby. It was merely to provide context for Gopher fans to try to understand what we would be asking Tyus to turn down if Tubby can't get this thing going like we all want it to get going. By the time Tyus signs, Tubby and only Tubby will be responsible for the condition of the program (assuming Tubby is still here, like I hope/expect he will be). It's just amazing to consider what recruits have to evaluate our program on: an old arena, no practice facility, no second weekend Tourney appearances for Tubby since 2005 and no tourney wins for our program since 1997...couple this with the dramatic change in season ticket pricing and we absolutely need a breakthrough season.

Go Gophers!!
 

BarnBurner said:
1. Tyus Jones - I dont care how old the young man was when the Gophs last graced the college BB world. If Tubby cant land him, it will be a big loss, imo. It seems to me the slant is that if Tubby doesnt land him, there are plenty of excuses for it. BS.
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There are multiple reasons a 5-star recruit wouldn't come here. If I was a 5-star recruit I would be hesitant of joining the Gophers right now. Why should the 5-stars join us, no matter where they are from, if they can go to Duke, UNC, or MSU?
 

zambam said:
There are multiple reasons a 5-star recruit wouldn't come here. If I was a 5-star recruit I would be hesitant of joining the Gophers right now. Why should the 5-stars join us, no matter where they are from, if they can go to Duke, UNC, or MSU?
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Dont want to get too hung up on 5 start kids - however, this one is in your back yard.

And, it has been proven time and again you dont need 5 star kids to win.
 



BarnBurner said:
Dont want to get too hung up on 5 start kids - however, this one is in your back yard.

And, it has been proven time and again you dont need 5 star kids to win.
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I realize all of this. But for a 5-star recruit it would be hard to justify staying in your home-state just because it's your home-state. That would be like a 5-star basketball prospect from Alaska deciding to stay in Alaska for basketball (exaggeration, I know).
 

I agree with BB. Truly elite local kid like that. ... Tubby needs to get Jones. It's as simple as that. It falls under the category of why we paid Tubby (as we should have) a large chunk of change to come here.

In order for that to happen, the Gophers probably need to show significant signs of life the next couple seasons. That also falls on Tubby (and the players).
 

BleedGopher said:
My context on Jones wasn't to present an excuse for Tubby. It was merely to provide context for Gopher fans to try to understand what we would be asking Tyus to turn down if Tubby can't get this thing going like we all want it to get going. By the time Tyus signs, Tubby and only Tubby will be responsible for the condition of the program (assuming Tubby is still here, like I hope/expect he will be). It's just amazing to consider what recruits have to evaluate our program on: an old arena, no practice facility, no second weekend Tourney appearances for Tubby since 2005 and no tourney wins for our program since 1997...couple this with the dramatic change in season ticket pricing and we absolutely need a breakthrough season.

Bleed, Tubby and only Tubby is responsible for the condition of the program RIGHT NOW, and has been since he arrived. He is the boss, and has the accountability. Making 2 large each year, responsibility and accountability come with the program. It is too easy for some folks to provide a pass. Tubby is responsible to have Jones in a Gopher uniform. Right?

An old arena? Finely aged, if you ask me. Again, stop with the excuses. No need. No practice facility? Fans need to get over it.

What is interesting to me is the manner in which the fans(holers) have given Tubby plenty of leash. IIRC, by this time in his regime he should have been winning consistently????

Just the opposite has happened.
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zambam said:
There are multiple reasons a 5-star recruit wouldn't come here. If I was a 5-star recruit I would be hesitant of joining the Gophers right now. Why should the 5-stars join us, no matter where they are from, if they can go to Duke, UNC, or MSU?
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My reason for not coming here would because of a small group of fans who are not supportive of the players and coaches. I would play for a team whose fans would support me even if I have a bad game. I would go to a place that people would not make me nervous when I walk on the court even if I play a D II team. I would play for a team to win not for a team that has been playing for 4 year to avoid losses.

During the madness, we all saw these Gophers working so hard to get pumpped up in front of only 100-200 students and a bunch of old people like me. What did we do? After 2 meaningless game, we come right back here and start bitching how bad this team is.

How would you feel if you were an Arizona's fan? They have a winning tradition don't day? They have been really bad this year as a 16th team in the nation.

Go Gophers
 

The-Real-Truth said:
My reason for not coming here would because of a small group of fans who are not supportive of the players and coaches. I would play for a team whose fans would support me even if I have a bad game. I would go to a place that people would not make me nervous when I walk on the court even if I play a D II team. I would play for a team to win not for a team that has been playing for 4 year to avoid losses.

. ... After 2 meaningless games, we come right back here and start bitching how bad this team is.
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Respectfully, you don't think that happens anywhere else? On the message boards of other major programs? I'm guessing all-out panic and cynicism play a large part on any major program's primary message board.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Respectfully, you don't think that happens anywhere else? On the message boards of other major programs? I'm guessing all-out panic and cynicism is a large part of any major program's primary message board.
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As always, you are correct sir. I am used to seeing Belmont's fan-base that was so much more supportive of the program than these fans. However, Belmont wasn't in NCAA then.

Go Bruins and Go Gophers
 

zambam said:
I realize all of this. But for a 5-star recruit it would be hard to justify staying in your home-state just because it's your home-state. That would be like a 5-star basketball prospect from Alaska deciding to stay in Alaska for basketball (exaggeration, I know).
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Bronson Koenig turned down his "dream school" (his words) UNC to stay closer to home and play for the Badgers. Apple Valley is closer to the barn than La Crosse is to Madison.
 


related to the contract extension or lack thereof-- a note on the Badger Board about Bo Ryan getting a raise to $2,111,364 which puts him 4th in the conference. Does someone have the whole list handy? also Ryan's deal is $436,364 base from UW Athletics and the rest from the UW Foundation, does the U work big contracts the same way?
 

The-Real-Truth said:
My reason for not coming here would because of a small group of fans who are not supportive of the players and coaches. I would play for a team whose fans would support me even if I have a bad game. I would go to a place that people would not make me nervous when I walk on the court even if I play a D II team. I would play for a team to win not for a team that has been playing for 4 year to avoid losses.

During the madness, we all saw these Gophers working so hard to get pumpped up in front of only 100-200 students and a bunch of old people like me. What did we do? After 2 meaningless game, we come right back here and start bitching how bad this team is.

How would you feel if you were an Arizona's fan? They have a winning tradition don't day? They have been really bad this year as a 16th team in the nation.

Go Gophers
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Shoot, I invite you to go to some boards in the next few days of teams that get upset. I agree with you that this board can get a little carried away, but that's the nature of it from what I can see. All things considered, I enjoy the board. Heck, tune in later this evening no matter the outcome of the game and you'll see all kinds of viewpoints.
 

Unfortunately, the same people who still use AOL for internet access because it was once the top means for internet access will defend Tubby no matter how he performs this year. As a fan of Gopher BB dating back to the late 1970s, I hope that we have a NCAA tournament run and Tubby gets an extension. I do not want to see, however, a bottom 6 Big Ten finish and Tubby extension. I've lived outside of Minnesota for 20 years, but have never understood the inferiority complex (i.e., we can't demand excellence from Tubby as one of the highest paid men's BB coaches because he won a national championship).
 

Minnesconsin fan said:
Bronson Koenig turned down his "dream school" (his words) UNC to stay closer to home and play for the Badgers. Apple Valley is closer to the barn than La Crosse is to Madison.
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Wisconsin has had success the past decade though.
 

How many of you vacation on the North Shore? Major overnite shopping trips to downtown or the MoA? No, ya go to New York. Can't ask the kids to do what we won't.
 

The top priority for Jones is going to be exposure, having success, and getting to the NBA. Minnesota just isn't going to rate at the top in any of those categories. I don't think the success of the program is going to be dependant on someone like that.

I think it is essential that people like Washington and Vaughn become Gophers though. People that are likely to be in the program for four years and make huge contributions. If Tubby loses all three of those players then it will be no different than Monson from a recruiting standpoint and competing for the B1G title is just not going to be a reality.
 

jovs said:
The top priority for Jones is going to be exposure, having success, and getting to the NBA. Minnesota just isn't going to rate at the top in any of those categories. I don't think the success of the program is going to be dependant on someone like that.

I think it is essential that people like Washington and Vaughn become Gophers though. People that are likely to be in the program for four years and make huge contributions. If Tubby loses all three of those players then it will be no different than Monson from a recruiting standpoint and competing for the B1G title is just not going to be a reality.
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+1

Jones obviously is our top priority for 2014. However, I also have my doubt that he is going to be as important to the program as many here think. I get a little apprehensive when some talk about him as if he is going to be our program maker.

Having him here is axiomatically better than not having him at all. In that sense, Tubby’s gotta do his best to land him. But, if the cost of it is too high, I will not complain much about not landing him.

For instance, if another PG somehow becomes a priority for the 2013 class for whatever reason, I think we should get or at least try to get a good one without getting obsessed about how it may affect our chance of recruiting Jones. If he is a legit top 100 prospect though not as highly regarded as Jones and is willing to commit, we shall not have to think twice about it.

Jones will be a big victory for sure (also from a publicity and marketing standpoint). We may be able to land him if we try to do so at all costs. But, isn’t there a possibility that such may be a pyrrhic victory when we are not even sure how long he may be with us?
 

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