KentuckySports on Tubby

[CollegeBBallFan]

Smith happy for Cats

Tubby Smith had great seats Saturday night, first row in fact, but they weren't quite as good as the last time Kentucky was in the national semifinals.

Smith led the Wildcats to their seventh national title in 1998, the only time during his decade in Lexington the school made the Final Four. He abruptly left following the 2007 season to coach at Minnesota.

Four years later, any bad feelings about his sudden departure have subsided. Smith says he could barely get inside the stadium because so many Kentucky fans were stopping him to shake hands.

He looks back at his 10 seasons in Lexington with pride, saying, "I think we did right by Kentucky, and Kentucky did right by me." Smith called the job done by current Kentucky coach John Calipari "remarkable."

Smith was joined by his wife, Donna, and son Saul — a former Kentucky player — in the front row. Asked if he ever thinks about still working the sidelines at Rupp Arena, he demurred.

"It was a matter of what was best for everyone, and I think UK found the right fit. They're back on track where they need to be," Smith said.

Smith was hardly the only coach with a national championship on his résumé watching the Final Four as a spectator. Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and former Louisville coach Denny Crum also scored prime seats inside massive Reliant Stadium.

 

[The-Real-Truth]

Smith happy for Cats

Tubby Smith had great seats Saturday night, first row in fact, but they weren't quite as good as the last time Kentucky was in the national semifinals.

Smith led the Wildcats to their seventh national title in 1998, the only time during his decade in Lexington the school made the Final Four. He abruptly left following the 2007 season to coach at Minnesota.

Four years later, any bad feelings about his sudden departure have subsided. Smith says he could barely get inside the stadium because so many Kentucky fans were stopping him to shake hands.

He looks back at his 10 seasons in Lexington with pride, saying, "I think we did right by Kentucky, and Kentucky did right by me." Smith called the job done by current Kentucky coach John Calipari "remarkable."

Smith was joined by his wife, Donna, and son Saul — a former Kentucky player — in the front row. Asked if he ever thinks about still working the sidelines at Rupp Arena, he demurred.

"It was a matter of what was best for everyone, and I think UK found the right fit. They're back on track where they need to be," Smith said.

Smith was hardly the only coach with a national championship on his résumé watching the Final Four as a spectator. Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and former Louisville coach Denny Crum also scored prime seats inside massive Reliant Stadium.

It is so sad that some of the UK fans come over here to bash Tubby when he did nothing but winning for them. He came very close to have another FF every year almost but as OSU and KU fans can tell you only need one bad night to be send home. Tubby did it then and he will do it here too.

Go Gophers