What do you think of the decision to fire Tubby?

What do you think of the decision to fire Tubby?

  • I disagree with it. Tubby should have been given 1 more year.

    Votes: 7 8.0%

  • I think it's a gamble and will reserve judgment until I see who's hired.

    Votes: 33 37.5%

  • I completely agree with it, Tubby needed to go.

    Votes: 48 54.5%
  • Total voters
    88
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Given how Tubby's teams fold down the stretch every year, if it didn't happen this year it probably would next year. But in regards to the high school recruits coming out of Minnesota soon, firing Tubby next year would be disastrous in regards to signing them. If he did sign any of them and then got fired, they could open their recruitment back up and the big schools would be all over them again. By the time a new coach was hired, it might be too late.

I think that we have a better chance at getting them by making a coaching change this year. Someone new to get new energy flowing into our basketball program, and a new coach most certainly would be here after they signed.

If it were to happen this year or next year, this year was the better option. Just my opinion though, not sure how others see it.
 

My response wasn't an option, but my gut tells me that they should have resolved, not just promised to resolve, the infra structure problems (practice facility one but not only) before moving in another direction. That makes this move more of a crapshoot.
 

Holy Man said:
My response wasn't an option, but my gut tells me that they should have resolved, not just promised to resolve, the infra structure problems (practice facility one but not only) before moving in another direction. That makes this move more of a crapshoot.
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It's possible to do both at the same time which is what I believe is happening here.
 


goldengophers said:
It's possible to do both at the same time which is what I believe is happening here.
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I tend to think that too. Teague seemed very certain he'd be getting a check from Denny soon. And maybe Tubby out was step one to making that happen. Especially if the rumors as to how the buyout was covered are true.

Could be a very exciting/interesting off season for Gopher Basketball. I am hopeful Teague will end up making the national media look foolish.
 

scher215 said:
I tend to think that too. Teague seemed very certain he'd be getting a check from Denny soon. And maybe Tubby out was step one to making that happen. Especially if the rumors as to how the buyout was covered are true.

Could be a very exciting/interesting off season for Gopher Basketball. I am hopeful Teague will end up making the national media look foolish.
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I think if Maturi was still AD the one thing at a time model would've been advisable. Teague and co are far more equipped to deal with multiple moving parts at the same time.
 

scher215 said:
I tend to think that too. Teague seemed very certain he'd be getting a check from Denny soon. And maybe Tubby out was step one to making that happen. Especially if the rumors as to how the buyout was covered are true.

Could be a very exciting/interesting off season for Gopher Basketball. I am hopeful Teague will end up making the national media look foolish.
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I hope you guys are right on this. I really do. But I have lived in this state too long and been connected with the university too long to believe before I see.
 

Holy Man said:
I hope you guys are right on this. I really do. But I have lived in this state too long and been connected with the university too long to believe before I see.
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Definitely agree there. I have cautious optimism Teague and Kaler have a plan. I could be wrong obviously, that is just my gut feeling right now.
 



MN Highschool Ball was in a down phase during Tubby's tenure and Key Big Ten Prospects were few. Now with an upswing of local talent the news staff will be starting from ground zero. Bad time to fire Smith. Still the local prospect level is way higher now then anytime during Tubby's tenure a plus oppurtunity for the next guy ! Fact is that Big Ten has few soft spots and it will take Bo Ryan Type coaching Genius to win with the talent the Gophs can recruit year in and year out. To think a new coach is going to bring in better out of state players then Tubby did is a Pipe Dream. Tubby had the resume and was a very big name so no logical reason to believe the next coach will carry the same weight as Tubby did on a national scale.
 

THE SCOUT! said:
MN Highschool Ball was in a down phase during Tubby's tenure and Key Big Ten Prospects were few. Now with an upswing of local talent the news staff will be starting from ground zero. Bad time to fire Smith. Still the local prospect level is way higher now then anytime during Tubby's tenure a plus oppurtunity for the next guy ! Fact is that Big Ten has few soft spots and it will take Bo Ryan Type coaching Genius to win with the talent the Gophs can recruit year in and year out. To think a new coach is going to bring in better out of state players then Tubby did is a Pipe Dream. Tubby had the resume and was a very big name so no logical reason to believe the next coach will carry the same weight as Tubby did on a national scale.
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Tubby appeared to be comfortable in resting upon his National Championship laurels rather than putting in the time and effort required to succeed here. A name gets you in the door but effort is required to seal the deal. That's why we need a young, up and comer with a strong staff AND a style of play that appeals to today's players
 

I loved Tubby and on a personal level am sad he got fired, but I think it had to be done.

He stabilized the program, but that was about it. He never accomplished any of the lofty goals we all envisioned when he was brought here six years ago.

His recruiting was sub-par and the fact that this year ended so poorly even though it was definitely Tubby's most talented team proved his coaching ability had slipped as well.

I wish him the best and thank him for his time, but Teague was right. We needed to move in a different direction.
 

THE SCOUT! said:
MN Highschool Ball was in a down phase during Tubby's tenure and Key Big Ten Prospects were few. Now with an upswing of local talent the news staff will be starting from ground zero. Bad time to fire Smith. Still the local prospect level is way higher now then anytime during Tubby's tenure a plus oppurtunity for the next guy ! Fact is that Big Ten has few soft spots and it will take Bo Ryan Type coaching Genius to win with the talent the Gophs can recruit year in and year out. To think a new coach is going to bring in better out of state players then Tubby did is a Pipe Dream. Tubby had the resume and was a very big name so no logical reason to believe the next coach will carry the same weight as Tubby did on a national scale.
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Better keep scouting, cuz this analysis is wrong on many levels.
 



Hiring Tubby was just another of Maturi's long line of screw-ups.
 


I completely agree with the move and don't understand the opposite feelings.
 


lakesgopher said:
Wow you really hate tubby! I still think hiring tubby was a good decision but the extension was brutal.
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No I don't hate Tubby. History has proven it was a poor hire. Maturi got caught up in the 'Tubby name'.
 



station19 said:
Norwood Teague seems to think so. I assume Kaler agreed.
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Hahahahaha hate...brew was a terrible hire, tubby was not. The program became stagnant the last 2 yrs. tubby wasn't a failure but I understand the removal. You must not know the history of gopher hoops if you believe tubby was a complete bust!
 

Thanks for NOT pointing out what was wrong with THE SCOUTS! post ....
 

lakesgopher said:
Hahahahaha hate...brew was a terrible hire, tubby was not. The program became stagnant the last 2 yrs. tubby wasn't a failure but I understand the removal. You must not know the history of gopher hoops if you believe tubby was a complete bust!
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When did I say Tubby was a 'complete bust'? I said it was a 'screw-up by Maturi'. If you believe Teague(that it was the total body of work), it was poor enough of a job performance to be fired.

I've been following Gopher Hoops since the early 60's, so I think I know a little bit about the history of the program.
 


I think Tubby was a good hire and the program is in better shape than it was 6 years ago. That being said, I am torn with this decision. I think Tubby had good integrity and ran a respectable program. He did bring in some good out of state talent, but he also ran off some talent with his stubbornness. I really hope that someone is lined up behind the scenes. I have a problem with the local and national attitude that says "who does the U of M think they can get that is better than Tubby". We have every right to demand and expect a top 25 bball and football program.
 

So, the self proclaimed SCOUT!!!! says we would need someone like Bo Ryan type genius to compete with the lack of talent in the state of MN. Two things: First, I'm pretty sure we can compete with Tyus, Rashad, and Reid and Tubby was probably going to get at most one of those guys. Second, you're admitting that Tubby is a sub-standard coach. We should fire him and hire a genius that has the coaching talent to win here...Tubby apparently did not.
 

station19 said:
When did I say Tubby was a 'complete bust'? I said it was a 'screw-up by Maturi'. If you believe Teague(that it was the total body of work), it was poor enough of a job performance to be fired.

I've been following Gopher Hoops since the early 60's, so I think I know a little bit about the history of the program.
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Poor hire=complete bust
 

Hiring Tubby was awesome...at the time. This was my take, season-by-season...

Year 1: He took us from one of the crappiest seasons in memory to 6th in the Big Ten, the BTT semis and then nearly making the NCAA in a single season. That was awesome.

Year 2: We improved! We had an exciting freshman class. We had a better record (Big Ten placement not as good). We made the NCAA tournament!

Year 3: Awesome incoming class. Royce, Rodney, Trevor and Justin. For me, the Midnight Madness that fall was almost the high point of Tubby's tenure. After that, the wheels slowly started coming off the bus. A somewhat disappointing season given everything we had going for us in October. Still, we made the NCAA tournament.

Year 4: Awesome non-conference season. But transfers...Injuries...Who's fault is it? Who cares. We were barely .500 on the season after starting 11-1. Didn't even bother accepting post-season offer. Wow. Worst season of Tubby's tenure to date...but the injuries aren't his fault. But some questionable decisions on point guard.

Year 5: Awesome non-conference season. Trevor goes down. No viable backup. Ralph regresses. Rodney emerges somewhat. Another crappy season. Only saving grace was the NIT run, which gave us hope for year 6.

Year 6. TREVOR IS BACK!!! Our most experienced and supposedly deepest club in years. No excuses this time, assuming we're injury free! We start season 15-1!!! We're ranked #8...then we get a 9th seed in the BTT, go out in the first round and get a #11 seed in the NCAA. Yes, we win the first round...but Hopkins probably could've beaten that UCLA club at that point. Blown out in second round.

In summary, Tubby's tenure had about the same profile as each of the last 3 of his seasons. A lot of hope and excitement in the beginning, a lot of things happened to screw it up in the middle and a pretty disappointing finish. Couple all of that with many really questionable decisions, crazy substitution patterns, inability to take responsibility for anything...it was time to move on.
 


I think at the time Tubby Smith was a great hire but it just didn't work out. I think if you look at Tubby's problems at Minnesota it starts with his recruiting and goes from there. His game planning has been terrible and his unwillingness to bring in some new blood to his coaching staff has hurt him. I thank him for coming here but to me Tubby thought Minnesota would be a nice place to come and retire and found out Minnesota fans though they are not Kentucky Blue Bloods still want a team that can win when it counts.
 

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