Thad Matta.... classless

Although Tubby won the title with a far inferior team talent-wise than Matta's Conley-Oden juggernaut that failed.

But...No you're right, he must know something about coaching. Though IMO if you give Izzo, Tubby, or Painter the conveyor belt of 5-stars that Matta enjoys, they would field better teams.

AND he ran up the score needlessly today and ticked me off.

I think the Gators that year were truly one of the best teams in recent college basketball history - Matta was just unlucky that they had to go up against that team - you can count on one finger the number of teams in the modern era of college basketball that won a national title and returned three guys who were certain lottery picks for another go-around.
 

the two situations, scores of the games, rivals vs. not traditional rivals are/were completely different. your argument by trying to compare the minny vs. becky game and the minny vs. bucks game does not hold water. so QUIT trying to act like you are the "arbiter" of what is class and not class because i don't really think you have a clue. what matta did today during the last 5 minutes of the game was classless and a total d-bag move at the highest level. that is a point that there is no debating.

Im just giving my opinion. Sorry if you do not like it. There was tons of trash talking in the OSU game at the Barn, and I am guessing that OSU remembers it. Also, they had an outside chance at a #1 seed (although I dont think they deserved one) and might have been trying to impress with a blowout. Just speculation, but regardless everyone is entitled to their opinion. I respect yours, and ask that you respect mine. No reason to bold words during a civil discussion, your point is well taken. What about the gophers pressing Purdue in the 2nd half of the game on Saturday? no discussion on that...all I am saying is that it goes both ways.
 

Would you hate him if he coached the Gophers? I think most would love him. Not his job to be liked by opposing teams fans...He is a very good coach who has done a lot more than anyone here in decades...

I hope never to have to ponder such a thing as the Gophers hiring the likes of Matta, Cal, Huggins, etc. If they do it will make me slightly ill before each game, even if I gamely root for them anyway. Kind of like when I see Brett Favre take the field.
 

I hope never to have to ponder such a thing as the Gophers hiring the likes of Matta, Cal, Huggins, etc. If they do it will make me slightly ill before each game, even if I gamely root for them anyway. Kind of like when I see Brett Favre take the field.

I would not put Matta in the group of Huggins and Cal, but to each their own with grouping coaches...Matta has never been involved with any sanctions, and has won every place he has been. I think he is a very good coach and recruiter...
 

Embarrassingly we decided to go and get take out food with about 5:00 minutes to go in the second so we wouldn't miss the selection show. If you've ever been to Orlando around Disney, if you don't eat early it's really, really, tough to find anything quickly, anyway, I guess I don't have a tremendous problem with Matta leaving the starters in, yes, it didn't make sense to me, give your bench some work. You're up 20 plus, get your starters off the floor.

Here's what I don't get about it and what I think is completely moronic-

Those five guys are your team. You have no bench to speak of - whatsoever - so you're up over 20 points and you're leaving those players, who likely will carry you far into the tourney on the floor?

Imagine if one of those guys would have went down with an injury and Ohio State was up 20 some points and a literal two minutes left in the game?

They would have been calling for Matta's head. And rightly so. What an idiot.
 


I don't particularly like Matta, but I agree w/ a PP who thought they were going for a #1 seed. I further agree, that we didn't lay off of Purdue on Saturday long after the Boilers were out of it. if we don't like what OSU was doing during the game, then I guess we should have just played better and not allowed the Buckeyes to destroy us in the 2nd half. these are college athletes out there, not babies. I don't agree w/ needlessly running up a score, but at this point in the season everyone is playing for seeding, positioning, getting into the field, etc., hence it is not "needless".

we got beat, plain and simple. let's move on. after all, deservedly or not, we play on Friday!!!!!!
 

Well, to be perfectly honest, Ohio State has never been known for their classy behavior. All the care about over there is wins, wins and more wins.


and that is bad why? I wish that was Maturis attitude
 

I don't particularly like Matta, but I agree w/ a PP who thought they were going for a #1 seed. I further agree, that we didn't lay off of Purdue on Saturday long after the Boilers were out of it. if we don't like what OSU was doing during the game, then I guess we should have just played better and not allowed the Buckeyes to destroy us in the 2nd half. these are college athletes out there, not babies. I don't agree w/ needlessly running up a score, but at this point in the season everyone is playing for seeding, positioning, getting into the field, etc., hence it is not "needless".

we got beat, plain and simple. let's move on. after all, deservedly or not, we play on Friday!!!!!!

They either had the #1 seed before the game started or they didn't. The Selection Comitte was NOT sitting there 30 minutes before the Selection Show disecting OSU or Minnesota's performances and changing seeds around. Anyone with any sense knows that. They were running up the score and risking injuries to thier starters just because that's who they are. Classless jerks.
 

If we return the favor next time we have a big lead on Ohio State, I'm sure they won't mind. :D
 



I don't particularly like Matta, but I agree w/ a PP who thought they were going for a #1 seed. I further agree, that we didn't lay off of Purdue on Saturday long after the Boilers were out of it. if we don't like what OSU was doing during the game, then I guess we should have just played better and not allowed the Buckeyes to destroy us in the 2nd half. these are college athletes out there, not babies. I don't agree w/ needlessly running up a score, but at this point in the season everyone is playing for seeding, positioning, getting into the field, etc., hence it is not "needless".

we got beat, plain and simple. let's move on. after all, deservedly or not, we play on Friday!!!!!!

One last point and then I'm done.

Ok . two. Ok. Maybe like 5.

1. I think Matta is a great recruiter, a mediocre, fortunate coach, and a pr_ck. For some reason he thought it wise to risk injury to his starters so he could hit us when we were down (and NO, not like the Purdue game, we weren't full-court pressing with 2:00 to go and throwing up garbage three's with .2 on the clock) . Best of luck to OSU.

2. We absolutely DESERVE to playing in the tourney. I am proud to be a fan of this team and am amazed at Tubby Smith's work. GO GOPHERS!!!!
 

Does anyone else think that Thad tried to run up the score against the Gophers in hopes of keeping them out of the NCAA?

It is obvious that there was bad blood between the teams the last two years.

And looking forward to our game against Xavier ... Thad coached there 2001-2004. Think he my contribute to Xavier's scouting report?
 

Hypocrites....

Against Becky, Westbrook just stands at mid-court dribbling out the clock at the end of the game up by 17 and then with 5 seconds left he takes off and attempts to dunk at the buzzer. That was not considered unclassy according to 99.9% of the folks on this board.
 

Hypocrites....

Against Becky, Westbrook just stands at mid-court dribbling out the clock at the end of the game up by 17 and then with 5 seconds left he takes off and attempts to dunk at the buzzer. That was not considered unclassy according to 99.9% of the folks on this board.
Not hypocritical at all...completely different actually.

The difference is that Westbrook's was self-serving, and an action that Tubby was visibly upset about.

Matta is the head coach, the face of the program, and someone that should have more class and know better than a 20 year old with an attitude.
 



P.S. In regards to "running the score up" on Purdue; it wasn't anything of the sort.

We had our bottom bench players in with 10-12 min left in the game (they kept their starters in until there was 1:40 left, up by 30), and didn't press once the entire second half (they pressed the entire 2nd half). We also ran offensive sets (they pushed every possession and continued jacking 3's), and didn't try to run them out of the gym; they just weren't hitting their shots and we were.

Anyone who can't tell the difference between our approach the Purdue blowout and OSU's approach on Sunday really didn't watch either game too closely.
 

Then stop them! I have a problem with how we played, not anything tOSU did.

Agree 100%. We embarrassed ourselves by not being able to match their intensity. Gophers deserved a butt kicking and they got one. They were looking for a no. 1 seed. So lets move on.
 


P.S. In regards to "running the score up" on Purdue; it wasn't anything of the sort.

We had our bottom bench players in with 10-12 min left in the game (they kept their starters in until there was 1:40 left, up by 30), and didn't press once the entire second half (they pressed the entire 2nd half). We also ran offensive sets (they pushed every possession and continued jacking 3's), and didn't try to run them out of the gym; they just weren't hitting their shots and we were.

Anyone who can't tell the difference between our approach the Purdue blowout and OSU's approach on Sunday really didn't watch either game too closely.

I watched them both, thought they both ran it up, but I agree OSU was more aggressive in doing so. I have no problem burying someone and working on your game in preperation for the NCAA tourney, although if Turner had twisted an ankle with 5 minutes Matta would never have heard the end of it...
 

Running up the score

Perhaps tOSU running up the score was due in part to the confrontation after the game at Williams arena earlier this year. Clearly the Bucks took note and they appeared to really enjoy taking the Westbrook & Co to the woodshed (twice).
 

Xavier fan here again. While I agree about a lot of things said about Matta on here, I have to disagree that he is a bad coach and/or a dirty recruiter. Do any of you remember what his Butler coached team did to Wake Forest in the NCAA tourney back in 2001? It was 43-10 at halftime! We had 3 very successful seasons with him at the helm. He helped bring in Justin Doellman, Justin Cage, Brandon Cole, Anthony Myles, etc. Yes, then he lied through his teeth about his interest in the OSU job and has become a villain to most Xavier fans. Not to mention Greg Oden's best MMA impression on Justin Cage that wasn't called as an intentional foul 3 years ago. So I don't like Matta either, but to say he's a bad coach or dirty recruiter (when nothing's ever even been whispered about him being so), just sounds like jealousy.
 

Perhaps tOSU running up the score was due in part to the confrontation after the game at Williams arena earlier this year. Clearly the Bucks took note and they appeared to really enjoy taking the Westbrook & Co to the woodshed (twice).

I don't have a problem with the players wanting to do this, it is a competitive sport after all. Again, the coach should know better than to risk injury to his starters when they're up by 30 with a few minutes left. Stupidity, especially acknowledging the assumed bad blood between the players. Who knows if we would have cheap shotted someone.
 

Hypocrites....

Against Becky, Westbrook just stands at mid-court dribbling out the clock at the end of the game up by 17 and then with 5 seconds left he takes off and attempts to dunk at the buzzer. That was not considered unclassy according to 99.9% of the folks on this board.


Are you kidding? :confused: I'd say more than 1/2 of the responses to LW's actions believed it was classless.
 

The Buckeyes were up by 20 and jacking up threes with 15-20 seconds left on the play clock.. Pretty classless to me. Sure, you could say the Gophers should have stopped them, but enough is enough. If they were making those shots with less than 10 on the shot clock I wouldn't have cared.
 

Classic Art, leaving out important facts and completely exaggerating to make his argument look better. For one, Westbrook is just a player, not the coach, and I think it's safe to say that he wouldn't have done that if the shot clock wasn't going to expire. Did Westbrook look like a jacka$$ for doing that? Yes, and tons of people on here thought it was classless, I just think they thought it was funny at the same time and didn't really care since they were just happy that we won. Obviously you're going to see more fans complain about a classless act when it's committed against your team, not by it. It was a completely classless move by Matta. There's nothing wrong with people complaining about that.

Hypocrites....

Against Becky, Westbrook just stands at mid-court dribbling out the clock at the end of the game up by 17 and then with 5 seconds left he takes off and attempts to dunk at the buzzer. That was not considered unclassy according to 99.9% of the folks on this board.
 

This thread just won't die...

Maybe we'll meet OSU in the NCAA's and we can pay their biatch asses back!
 




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