BleedGopher
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per Forde:
For Smith at Minnesota, the constant roster churn and melodrama inhibited the program. There are several former Golden Gophers who transferred away and thrived: Royce White at Iowa State; Colton Iverson at Colorado State; Justin Cobbs at California; Devoe Joseph at Oregon. White was in and out of legal trouble at Minnesota, as was current big man Trevor Mbakwe. Assistant coach Saul Smith, Tubby's son, was placed on administrative leave earlier this season after being arrested for driving under the influence.
In addition to those issues, Tubby Smith was continually campaigning for a basketball practice facility and never got the desired results. Second-year athletic director Norwood Teague has that on his to-do list, but Tubby won't be the beneficiary if it gets built.
That might be part of the reason why Smith put out feelers for several other jobs during his six years at Minnesota. He never left of his own accord, but that's not because he never looked. Most recently, sources said Smith had his eye on Auburn should the school choose to let go of Tony Barbee after three struggling seasons. That would have been akin to the exit Smith orchestrated at Kentucky – beating the posse out of town to Minnesota and then hearing outsiders pile on the school for running off a good coach.
So Tubby Smith was willing to entertain the idea of jumping, but he got pushed first. And now that makes Minnesota the bad guy in the Cult of the Coach worldview.
I'm not buying the outrage. Not for Tubby Smith and not for Ben Howland.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab-...gs-of-ben-howland--tubby-smith-000403175.html
Go Gophers!!
For Smith at Minnesota, the constant roster churn and melodrama inhibited the program. There are several former Golden Gophers who transferred away and thrived: Royce White at Iowa State; Colton Iverson at Colorado State; Justin Cobbs at California; Devoe Joseph at Oregon. White was in and out of legal trouble at Minnesota, as was current big man Trevor Mbakwe. Assistant coach Saul Smith, Tubby's son, was placed on administrative leave earlier this season after being arrested for driving under the influence.
In addition to those issues, Tubby Smith was continually campaigning for a basketball practice facility and never got the desired results. Second-year athletic director Norwood Teague has that on his to-do list, but Tubby won't be the beneficiary if it gets built.
That might be part of the reason why Smith put out feelers for several other jobs during his six years at Minnesota. He never left of his own accord, but that's not because he never looked. Most recently, sources said Smith had his eye on Auburn should the school choose to let go of Tony Barbee after three struggling seasons. That would have been akin to the exit Smith orchestrated at Kentucky – beating the posse out of town to Minnesota and then hearing outsiders pile on the school for running off a good coach.
So Tubby Smith was willing to entertain the idea of jumping, but he got pushed first. And now that makes Minnesota the bad guy in the Cult of the Coach worldview.
I'm not buying the outrage. Not for Tubby Smith and not for Ben Howland.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab-...gs-of-ben-howland--tubby-smith-000403175.html
Go Gophers!!