Lexington Herald: Tubby Smith is too decent, too 'normal' for what major-college hoop

[BleedGopher]

per Mark Smart:

For those of us who would like to think there is still a place for decency in the highest ranks of college basketball coaching, March 25 was a dark day. After six seasons that included five 20-win teams and three trips to the NCAA Tournament, the University of Minnesota fired ex-Kentucky head man Tubby Smith.

Of all the major basketball coaches I've covered, Smith is the most "normal," the personality that seemed the most balanced. In a profession now rife with cutthroat workaholics and deal-cutting confidence men, I wonder whether that normalcy has become an insurmountable weakness.

http://www.kentucky.com/2013/03/25/2573802/mark-story-tubby-smith-is-too.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[disco]

Spare me. The same people who are saying this in Kentucky are likely rooting for teams coached by Pitino and Calipari and conveniently ignoring what goes on in those programs.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

SOme of this Tubby adoration is going over the top. He seemed like a nice guy but to pretend that it was his moral character that prevented him from having a lot of success here is over the top. I understand why Tubby did what he did, it's the nature of the game, but their were plenty of times in his tenure when the players under Tubby's watch were less than model citizens. Trevor had issues, Saul had issues, we had massive transferring issues, Saul Smith's ordeal, a couple players had academic issues. Now, I'm not blaming Tubby for this things, but a program that is too morally superior to have success doesn't have those issues. There is no need to sanctify the guy, he didn't die, he has a lucrative buyout and he still has a good reputation.

I think he's a nice guy, but lets not go overboard with giving the coaching tenure of Saint Orlando Smith a eulogy that isn't fitting. He was a typical college basketball coach, seemed like a good guy, and he ran a relatively clean program.

 

[goldengophers]

I guess Tubby could've underhanded his way to recruiting enough talent to make coaching irrelevant, but ultimately remaining clean didn't do him in.

 

[bigticket1]

The main reason Tubby took this job in the first place was that he saw the handwriting on the wall that Kentucky would shortly be doing the same thing to him as Minnesota did yesterday. Kind of hypocritical of Kentucky to get all self-righteous on us now.

 

[jmag21]

I have to say, I think it's possible to win clean in this day and age, but it's increasingly difficult. I feel bad for Tubby, because I think in some sense, it's true that he's too honest to win at a high level anymore. Calipari, unfortunately, is the new paradigm.

 

[MRJ]

SOme of this Tubby adoration is going over the top. He seemed like a nice guy but to pretend that it was his moral character that prevented him from having a lot of success here is over the top. I understand why Tubby did what he did, it's the nature of the game, but their were plenty of times in his tenure when the players under Tubby's watch were less than model citizens. Trevor had issues, Saul had issues, we had massive transferring issues, Saul Smith's ordeal, a couple players had academic issues. Now, I'm not blaming Tubby for this things, but a program that is too morally superior to have success doesn't have those issues. There is no need to sanctify the guy, he didn't die, he has a lucrative buyout and he still has a good reputation.

I think he's a nice guy, but lets not go overboard with giving the coaching tenure of Saint Orlando Smith a eulogy that isn't fitting. He was a typical college basketball coach, seemed like a good guy, and he ran a relatively clean program.

Agree with everything said here.

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

Obnoxious that the majority of the sporting press outside of Minnesota thinks that they U should be a charity case for a great coach, past his prime, and over his head during Big Ten play. Yes, we all liked having a likeable coach with integrity, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to finish better than sixth in the Big Ten either. Teague is going to put his stamp on our basketball program, that's what he was brought in to do. If we wanted the status quo, we could have just had Maturi pick our next AD hire.

 

[station19]

Obnoxious that the majority of the sporting press outside of Minnesota thinks that they U should be a charity case for a great coach, past his prime, and over his head during Big Ten play. Yes, we all liked having a likeable coach with integrity, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to finish better than sixth in the Big Ten either. Teague is going to put his stamp on our basketball program, that's what he was brought in to do. If we wanted the status quo, we could have just had Maturi pick our next AD hire.

+19

 

[Bad Gopher]

This isn't about who's normal or who's a good guy. This was completely and totally about performance. As far as running a clean program, why is that seen as such an uncommon badge of honor? OK, I know how rare Tubby's high integrity is, but that should be looked at as a base expectation, not a Nobel Prize qualification.

Bandana Guy nails it. I know Tubby wanted to win here, and I don't think it was any kind of calculated semi-retirement plan on his part, but there is this notion out there - even if it's a subconscious one - that he should just have been allowed to do whatever here as an achievement award for his career of hard work, and we should just be happy with any results. Even he might have subconsciously wondered how we couldn't just be happy having him here and living with whatever outcome. Or maybe not; just pop psychology on my part.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Let's not forget his flirting with LSU, Auburn, and whoever else. Tubby is a nice guy, but it's not like he doesn't put himself first.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Obnoxious that the majority of the sporting press outside of Minnesota thinks that they U should be a charity case for a great coach, past his prime, and over his head during Big Ten play. Yes, we all liked having a likeable coach with integrity, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to finish better than sixth in the Big Ten either. Teague is going to put his stamp on our basketball program, that's what he was brought in to do. If we wanted the status quo, we could have just had Maturi pick our next AD hire.

Great post!

All of these writers are infuriated that Tubby isn't here anymore, yet I don't think I've read a single article where they were hoping that their program would go out and get Tubby.

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

All of these writers are infuriated that Tubby isn't here anymore, yet I don't think I've read a single article where they were hoping that their program would go out and get Tubby.

You are exactly right. Somebody go and make Tubby an offer he can't refuse if he is so desireable. I'll wait.

It will be interesting to see if Tubby ends up coaching anywhere else, or just sitting on his buyout money, a la Grinnin' Glen. My guess is the latter, as not a lot of desireable jobs will come a-callin', once they look at Tubby's recent resume.

 

[Governor Sibley]

Will Bilas be "sick" if another major program doesn't hire him?

Exactly.

 

[lewiscountybrarhopper]

LHL

The main reason Tubby took this job in the first place was that he saw the handwriting on the wall that Kentucky would shortly be doing the same thing to him as Minnesota did yesterday. Kind of hypocritical of Kentucky to get all self-righteous on us now.

That article in no way represents the opinion of "Kentucky". That was printed in the Liberal Herald Liar of Lexington (unanimously despised by UK fans) and written by one of their sports writers, each of which was in love with tubby. Wait until you see the one that tubby's biggest fan, Jerry Tipton (even more despised by BBN) , is no doubt preparing. The BBN will always feel indebted to Minnesota and universally hope your basketball team nothing but the best in the future except when playing UK. Thankfully for you yankees, you were able to fire tubby without being labeled racist by the liberal news media and the much loathed Duke Vitale:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZPJQrHsIng

 

[lewiscountybrarhopper]

SOme of this Tubby adoration is going over the top. He seemed like a nice guy but to pretend that it was his moral character that prevented him from having a lot of success here is over the top. I understand why Tubby did what he did, it's the nature of the game, but their were plenty of times in his tenure when the players under Tubby's watch were less than model citizens. Trevor had issues, Saul had issues, we had massive transferring issues, Saul Smith's ordeal, a couple players had academic issues. Now, I'm not blaming Tubby for this things, but a program that is too morally superior to have success doesn't have those issues. There is no need to sanctify the guy, he didn't die, he has a lucrative buyout and he still has a good reputation.

I think he's a nice guy, but lets not go overboard with giving the coaching tenure of Saint Orlando Smith a eulogy that isn't fitting. He was a typical college basketball coach, seemed like a good guy, and he ran a relatively clean program.

Tubby may have been a nice guy at Minnesota. At UK he took credit for each win and after every loss he singled out some player, kicked him to the curb and then threw him under the bus. Every spring he declared he would play the uptempo game next fall that UK fans expected. This was a bald faced lie. He played Saul on a scholarship while making nearly 3 million dollars/year. In my opinion, some more deserving and talented young man did not get a scholarship because of tubby's greed. Tubby selfishly refused to recruit a true point guard during Saul's reign because Saul could not compete with a talented point guard. Tubby broke the UK record for most years w/o a FF and many feel he costs us a championship or two.
That being said, some still believe that tubby was a good man and I respect that opinion. No doubt there are a lot of "good men" who frequent this board but that does not entitle them to 3 million a year coaching the Gophers.