Reusse Sheds Light On Tubby Wanting Out Rumors

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Ridiculous

Here's my two cents on the Tubby being mad because he doesn't have a practice facility ordeal. College basketball coaches are the most oblivious beings in existence, next to buffalo. We are in the middle of a recession, tuition is spiking, faculty and staff are about to take a pay cut, and now he's frustrated because he doesn't have a luxurious practice facility? Something is wrong with this logic. As being the highest paid governmental employee in this state, he should be able to take some concessions just like everyone else, because I can grantee you damn well that Smith will never get a pay cut like the rest of the faculty and staff are about to experience.

Don't get me wrong, I love Tubby. But if his rumored frustration is true, well, he should open his eyes to the current economic situation.

This is ridiculous close-minded thinking, it's laughable. The state of the economy is not Tubby's concern and not his problem. He's in the business of winning games, attracting the best talent, and making the Univ. of Minnesota the best it can possibly be. If you think Tubby should be taking pay cuts and "making concessions like everyone else", you just flat out don't get it.

Tubby and the basketball team are revenue generators. Period. This is a notion that some people just can't seem to get their head around. In life, there are people who CREATE, who bring in revenue, and then there are those that are the worker bees. Both are important cogs in the machine, but one group is MUCH more replaceable than others.

This f'n notion some people have that everybody should be created equal is absolutely ridiculous. We're not all equal, and shouldn't be treated as such.

 

[figi]

It seems to me that the question here is: was Tubby promised a practise facility or not. If he was given this promise one can hardily be down on him for reminding the university of this.

 

[ruralgopher]

It seems to me that the question here is: was Tubby promised a practise facility or not. If he was given this promise one can hardily be down on him for reminding the university of this.

Exactly, but on the other hand if he wasn't promised anything he is being a tool for trying to twist arms in this economic climate.

 

[howeda7]

It seems to me that the question here is: was Tubby promised a practise facility or not. If he was given this promise one can hardily be down on him for reminding the university of this.

I'm sure it's a question of degree and perception. It's obvious he probably was not told 'Tubby, if you come here we'll begin building you a practice facility immediatly. It'll be open by 2010." It's obvious he probably was told "Tubby, if you come here, building a practice facility will be a top priorty for us."

Is that a promise? Yes. Has it technically been broken? No. It is reasonable to assume that Tubby feels it has been, since 3 years have passed and not one shovel of dirt has been moved? Yes.

 

[ilovethebarn]

I really do think it comes down to whether or not, as Gopher fans, do we want to play with the big boys? Whoever said it on this thread was right, there is an arms race in college sports, most notably football and basketball. Tubby is not dumb and he realizes that we need this facility sooner rather than later. We went out and got the coach that we needed to get, now we can't just sit back and relax. We need to push further. We as fans clamor for more from our programs like football and basketball and these types of things are what is required. We want to go to the tournament every year and we need the recruits to do it. I see this issue as something we need to compete and future proof our program for when Tubby does leave. Our athletic department needs to provide our big time programs with the tools necessary to meet our expectations.

 

[DMB123]

If it is true then Tubby is turning out to be a whiny, cry baby who is acting like a twelve year old. The next sports facility that gets built at the U is the new baseball stadium. That has a much greater priority right now. Tubby is going to have to wait his turn. If he decides to leave then good riddance to him.

How anyone can possibly think a new baseball stadium is more important than building a new basketball practice facility is beyond me. There are three sports at the U that matter... football, basketball, and hockey. When John Anderson's baseball team brings in millions of dollars in revenue he can expect a new stadium ahead of a basketball facility. Until then baseball waits while basketball is tended to.

 

[bga1]

I really do think it comes down to whether or not, as Gopher fans, do we want to play with the big boys? Whoever said it on this thread was right, there is an arms race in college sports, most notably football and basketball. Tubby is not dumb and he realizes that we need this facility sooner rather than later. We went out and got the coach that we needed to get, now we can't just sit back and relax. We need to push further. We as fans clamor for more from our programs like football and basketball and these types of things are what is required. We want to go to the tournament every year and we need the recruits to do it. I see this issue as something we need to compete and future proof our program for when Tubby does leave. Our athletic department needs to provide our big time programs with the tools necessary to meet our expectations.

They are counting beans instead of investing in growth. Small thinking will keep you the same at best or send you to decline at worst.

 

[forestlaker]

Mason???

Mason was the main fundraiser for TCF????? I don't think anyone on this board has the knowledge as to how many dollars Mason brought into the TCF fund. Did he want a new stadium? Yes. How much money did he bring in? Who knows.

 

[Tater]

Exactly, but on the other hand if he wasn't promised anything he is being a tool for trying to twist arms in this economic climate.

-100

Unbelieveable. People calling Tubby a "tool" or "crybaby" need to stop and actually think about the situation for a minute.

Tubby is a competitive coach who wants to lead a championship basketball program. At the moment, our program is simply not delivering the same infrustructure or support as other programs that have championship aspirations. Other programs like--say, oh, I don't know--Oregon, are investing in their programs and actually act out on their desire to build championship programs.

Bottom line: We all want a championship program as does Tubby. Don't rip on Tubby because he is demanding support he could easily get elsewhere. If you want a championship-type coach of any stripe you better give him championship-type support. Whether you agree with him or not, Tubby believes a practice facility is important to ability to build a top-notch program. Therefore, bad economy or not, Tubby is not getting market value by staying here let alone the same level of program support he is able to get from the free market elsewhere.

I'm sure ruralgopher and other fans are also demanding of the Gophers generate championship sports programs. Ironically, many of these same fans complain when the U makes investments to that end -- unbelieveable.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Ding, Ding, Ding!!!

They are counting beans instead of investing in growth. Small thinking will keep you the same at best or send you to decline at worst.

Very true.

If anything, I would argue that there will NEVER be a better time to push for a practice facility than right now. The Gophers have a heavyweight coach who can make a push for something like this.

Don't forget, the practice facility will be here long after Tubby, and therefore will help carry the program post-Tubby, attract a high caliber coach post-Tubby, and attract recruits now and later.

It's more important to get this done now than at any other time.

 

[howeda7]

I really do think it comes down to whether or not, as Gopher fans, do we want to play with the big boys? Whoever said it on this thread was right, there is an arms race in college sports, most notably football and basketball. Tubby is not dumb and he realizes that we need this facility sooner rather than later. We went out and got the coach that we needed to get, now we can't just sit back and relax. We need to push further. We as fans clamor for more from our programs like football and basketball and these types of things are what is required. We want to go to the tournament every year and we need the recruits to do it. I see this issue as something we need to compete and future proof our program for when Tubby does leave. Our athletic department needs to provide our big time programs with the tools necessary to meet our expectations.

This is true. It's also not realistic to simply sit on our hands and wait for $20 million to be raised for the practice facility and however many more for the baseball stadium. If we did everything via fundraising we'd never have built a football stadium or many other new buildings around the campus. If Ol Joel can't get the money through fundraising, then he needs to backtrack on his intentions and ask the state for help. To let the basketball program wither on the vine for the sake of adhering to some notion of no state money when the football stadium received hundreds of millions is silly. The same goes for the baseball stadium. Right now, the Metrodome is basically thier home. If the Vikings have intentions of replacing it, it's reasonable that the Gopher baseball team be given a new home as well. By comparison it will be a drop in the bucket.

 

[ruralgopher]

-100

Unbelieveable. People calling Tubby a "tool" or "crybaby" need to stop and actually think about the situation for a minute.

Tubby is a competitive coach who wants to lead a championship basketball program. At the moment, our program is simply not delivering the same infrustructure or support as other programs that have championship aspirations. Other programs like--say, oh, I don't know--Oregon, are investing in their programs and actually act out on their desire to build championship programs.

Bottom line: We all want a championship program as does Tubby. Don't rip on Tubby because he is demanding support he could easily get elsewhere. If you want a championship-type coach of any stripe you better give him championship-type support. Whether you agree with him or not, Tubby believes a practice facility is important to ability to build a top-notch program. Therefore, bad economy or not, Tubby is not getting market value by staying here let alone the same level of program support he is able to get from the free market elsewhere.

I'm sure ruralgopher and other fans are also demanding of the Gophers generate championship sports programs. Ironically, many of these same fans complain when the U makes investments to that end -- unbelieveable.

If he was promised a facility, live up to the promise, if he was not promised a facility but is using it as a strongarm technique, then I stand by my statement.

 

[RodentRampage]

You could ask the state for money, but this is about the worst possible time to ask given the state budget.

 

[howeda7]

You could ask the state for money, but this is about the worst possible time to ask given the state budget.

This is true. But if the Vikings have as much momentum as they claim (I doubt they do) then getting a small (in relation) amount added in to ensure Gopher baseball and perhaps even Gopher basketball get thier needed facilities might not be that tough. The Gopher baseball team would be directly impacted by the taking away of the Metrodome, so that could be justified at minimum.

Any Vikings bill that has a chance of passing will not have general fund money, any more then the Twins did. It will most likely be lottery/slot machine revenue. In reality, having some of that go to U might make it more palatable.