Jerry Tipton's UK Notebook today

[ImForKy]

Bilas is not afraid to make a pointed on-air observation. He agitated some UK fans recently by linking the Cats' struggles this season to their desire, ill-conceived in his mind, to replace then-coach Tubby Smith.
Bilas stands by that opinion.

"I said that for those that believe the honeymoon is over, they need to have patience and let Billy (Gillispie) put his system in and do it his way," Bilas wrote in the e-mail. "For those that wanted change to get to the next level, or if they grew tired of 27 wins per year and nothing but NCAA Tournaments, they now have the change they wanted, so let him do his job. ...

"I also said that Billy may very well be the better recruiter, but I don't believe he is a better coach than Tubby Smith. That is not a slight to Billy, who is a very fine young coach. It is in recognition of Tubby as one of the finest coaches in college basketball. I am happy to stand by that judgment."

Also some "stuff" on Dick Vitale.

http://www.kentucky.com/276/story/284967.html

[Sticeman]

you can't really disagree with those statements IMO...

[NOWIS]

Its an opinion so of course you can disagree with it, impossible to prove either way. IMO Gillispie will have more consistent recruiting classes and will have a more mentally tough team. This will make for teams more to my liking.

[matt colvin]

Bilas is my favorite ESPN talking head because he makes rational statements and will at least back them up. They're not statements out of emotion, as some of their personnel like to rely on (cough....Vitale).

[RP_McMurphy]

Apparently he didn't watch much Kentucky basketball last year as lining up for simple free throws cost Kentucky a game. Lining up for free throws and turning in lineup cards is a coaching thing plain and simple. Tubby at one time was a great in game coach and a fair developer of talent but the last two years at Kentucky he was lacking in both areas. It was readily apparent to all that watched Kentucky he was mailing it in and daring Kentucky to fire him or his assistants.

[BALou]

When Tubby's UK departure was announced I seem to remember Bilas being one of the few national sports media to mention Tubby's lack of recruiting, and acknowledgment that the fans were not to blame for Tubby's resignation. Tipton's notebook quotes from Bilas seem to be somewhat in conflict with his initial statements. I really like Bilas, but if he does make it a point of filling in for Vitale to the extent of editorializing about Tubby's treatment at UK then I will lose a lot of respect for him. I agree that Tubby is a good game coach, but there were essential areas of the job that he wasn't doing well.

It irritates me to no end that we are still talking about Tubby, but since he continues to be shoved at us by good ole Tipton lets review what Tubby has done since leaving UK. He hired an excellent recruiting coordinator in Vince Taylor, and seems to be much more involved in a phase of the job that he admittedly hates....something he refused to do at UK. He NOW is emphasizing conditioning, and changing his style of play to a much more physical, and uptempo style. HMMMMMM......anybody else think that Tubby is doing now what he should have been doing all along at UK? Anybody want to offer up a theory as to why he couldn't or wouldn't do these things while at UK? The very fact that he has made all these changes in his methodology, and coaching style since leaving UK only confirms to me that he KNEW he wasn't doing it right at UK, and for some unknown reason had to go elsewhere to do it right. My theory is that he was too stubborn, and prideful to change at UK. I welcome other theories to this mystery.

Don't get me wrong. I am no Tubby basher. I think he is a wonderful, good hearted man, and a good coach, but he was not performing his job at the necessary level to sustain a traditional, successful, powerhouse program at UK. The more I hear about all the changes he has made at Minnesota only makes me lose respect more for how he DIDN'T do his job while at UK.

[zachkyzach]

When Tubby's UK departure was announced I seem to remember Bilas being one of the few national sports media to mention Tubby's lack of recruiting, and acknowledgment that the fans were not to blame for Tubby's resignation. Tipton's notebook quotes from Bilas seem to be somewhat in conflict with his initial statements. I really like Bilas, but if he does make it a point of filling in for Vitale to the extent of editorializing about Tubby's treatment at UK then I will lose a lot of respect for him. I agree that Tubby is a good game coach, but there were essential areas of the job that he wasn't doing well.

It irritates me to no end that we are still talking about Tubby, but since he continues to be shoved at us by good ole Tipton lets review what Tubby has done since leaving UK. He hired an excellent recruiting coordinator in Vince Taylor, and seems to be much more involved in a phase of the job that he admittedly hates....something he refused to do at UK. He NOW is emphasizing conditioning, and changing his style of play to a much more physical, and uptempo style. HMMMMMM......anybody else think that Tubby is doing now what he should have been doing all along at UK? Anybody want to offer up a theory as to why he couldn't or wouldn't do these things while at UK? The very fact that he has made all these changes in his methodology, and coaching style since leaving UK only confirms to me that he KNEW he wasn't doing it right at UK, and for some unknown reason had to go elsewhere to do it right. My theory is that he was too stubborn, and prideful to change at UK. I welcome other theories to this mystery.

Don't get me wrong. I am no Tubby basher. I think he is a wonderful, good hearted man, and a good coach, but he was not performing his job at the necessary level to sustain a traditional, successful, powerhouse program at UK. The more I hear about all the changes he has made at Minnesota only makes me lose respect more for how he DIDN'T do his job while at UK.
Since you wanted a theory I will throw one out there. Perhaps he is adjusting his coaching to the players that are there until he can get his own in. Or perhaps he got tired of hearing people say he wasnt a good in game coach anymore and he is showing them what he can do. There is a whole list of possibilities really.

[BALou]

Since you wanted a theory I will throw one out there. Perhaps he is adjusting his coaching to the players that are there until he can get his own in. Or perhaps he got tired of hearing people say he wasnt a good in game coach anymore and he is showing them what he can do. There is a whole list of possibilities really.

Thanks for offering up your opinion, but I highly doubt that UM had the horses leftover for him to suddenly decide that uptempo is the way to go based on personnel. I don't think I or anyone else I've spoken with about Tubby ever said he wasn't a good game coach. He is NOW doing the other aspects of the head coaching job that he wasn't doing at UK, so yeah, I think he has something to prove. That's my problem....he is only proving to me that he heard the criticism, and seems to acknowledge that the critics were right, but for some reason he just couldn't make those changes while at UK.

I don't want to rehash the whole Tubby-UK saga, but if the primary UK sportswriter for the hometown newspaper is going to continue to give us a weekly to biweekly love fest update on our previous coach then I'll just say that Tipton did not improve my opinion of Tubby in his last offering.

[JOHN BLUEBLOOD]

When Tubby had his presser in Minnesota, he responed to a reporter that "November" was his first contact with Minnesota. It's obvious to me, that he was looking for an "out" before the season began. I don't blame him for this but it seems now that his heart wasn't in it last season.

He made his choice, IMHO, before the season began - he's gone now, BCG left a top-10 team that he developed and we should give him respect for that and quit throwing Tubby in his face.

[BALou]

When Tubby had his presser in Minnesota, he responed to a reporter that "November" was his first contact with Minnesota. It's obvious to me, that he was looking for an "out" before the season began. I don't blame him for this but it seems now that his heart wasn't in it last season.

He made his choice, IMHO, before the season began - he's gone now, BCG left a top-10 team that he developed and we should give him respect for that and quit throwing Tubby in his face.

I can honestly say I was happy for Tubby while watching the Minnesota press conference announcing his hiring. He seemed to be stunned, but relieved. I do wish him well at Minnesota. He did what was best for all parties in resigning.

I watched the Texas A&M vs Colorado game last night, and all I can say is that Turgeon was handed a gift. The freshman Jordan is very good, and the majority of the team are freshmen and sophomores.

I don't think Tipton cares about respecting UK or BCG. I'm just hoping he retires sooner rather than later.

[JOHN BLUEBLOOD]

I don't think Tipton cares about respecting UK or BCG. I'm just hoping he retires sooner rather than later.


Boy, if that isn't the truth!!!!

[UKcat]

When Tubby had his presser in Minnesota, he responed to a reporter that "November" was his first contact with Minnesota. It's obvious to me, that he was looking for an "out" before the season began. I don't blame him for this but it seems now that his heart wasn't in it last season.

He made his choice, IMHO, before the season began - he's gone now, BCG left a top-10 team that he developed and we should give him respect for that and quit throwing Tubby in his face.
You're right; he is gone; and chose to go early last season. But, there are people on here and in the media that won't ever quit bringing him up. If you don't believe it; read the postings here EVERY day.:icon_rolleyes: