Respect the Tub

[freethrow]

Tubby Smith gets a ton of respect from other top coaches.

http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=709

[Will Lavender]

Interesting piece. I don't agree with this, however:

What was also interesting is to listen to what other coaches say about the criticism Tubby takes. One told me that if Tubby were to be perceived to have been run off, “you would have to pay ten million dollars a year to get a proven coach to take that thing on.”

I don't think UK, unless there are malfeasances in our future, will have a problem filling a coaching vacancy. Being "run off" is a fact of life now, not just at UK. Coaches are "run off" at places like St. Mary's College and Marist. Professionals love challenges, and they love love. Rather, they love to be loved. To be recognized. Like money, it drives them. Kentucky offers just that: the challenge of building a winner while taking heat for every misstep from the fanbase, and the love that the head man gets when that winner is built.

[jpay]

Class aact all the way. This recruiting class with Nash or without him will go down as one of if not the best classes in UK history. The Tubby bashers will be going away. You can take that to the bank!!!!!:thumbup

[BigBlueLuke]

jpay wrote: Class aact all the way. This recruiting class with Nash or without him will go down as one of if not the best classes in UK history. The Tubby bashers will be going away. You can take that to the bank!!!!!:thumbup
:thumbup

[ukgrad]

I am as dissapointed as the next fan of our lack of Final Four appearances in recent years, however, I am 100% behind Tubby and truly believe he is the coach to take us back. Keep me believin Tubby!!!!

[scathendo]

"I spoke with every coach in the SEC except Jeff Lebo and Dennis Felton, Coach K, Tommy Amaker, Mark Fox (Nevada), and a few others."

"In ALL of the cases, the coaches, both publically and privately, said to me that they believed Tubby Smith to be one of the best handful of coaches in America."

who is matt jones and how does someone get to interview all these great coaches whenhe can't even write?

[BigblueDrew]

Will Lavender wrote: Interesting piece. I don't agree with this, however:

What was also interesting is to listen to what other coaches say about the criticism Tubby takes. One told me that if Tubby were to be perceived to have been run off, “you would have to pay ten million dollars a year to get a proven coach to take that thing on.”

I don't think UK, unless there are malfeasances in our future, will have a problem filling a coaching vacancy. Being "run off" is a fact of life now, not just at UK. Coaches are "run off" at places like St. Mary's College and Marist. Professionals love challenges, and they love love. Rather, they love to be loved. To be recognized. Like money, it drives them. Kentucky offers just that: the challenge of building a winner while taking heat for every misstep from the fanbase, and the love that the head man gets when that winner is built.



If and when Orlando Tubby Smith leaves UK there will be no shortage of top flight people wanting the job. The kind of ego neccessary to make it in big time sports will attract all kind of candidates. It is still one of the top five or so jobs in the buisness.The money will not hurt either.

[ColoradoWildcat]

As he should and also gets from me.

[WildcatDan]

I did ask a couple about recruiting issues and off the record, one coach said this. “Its all about the staff. People give the head coach the credit for recruiting wins and losses, but these decisions are made based on the job of the assistants….period. If there are recruiting problems there, that is where to look.
Ouch.

[Art Vandelay]

WildcatDan wrote: I did ask a couple about recruiting issues and off the record, one coach said this. “Its all about the staff. People give the head coach the credit for recruiting wins and losses, but these decisions are made based on the job of the assistants….period. If there are recruiting problems there, that is where to look.
Ouch.




Assuming for the sake of argument that this assertion is true, how good is a head coach that refuses to make staff changes in the face of obvious recruiting problems? Being a head coach at a program like Kentucky is much more than just Xs and Os. You have to recruit at the highest levels, you have to develop players, you have to use your elevated visibility to promote the program, and you have to embrace the fanbase.

Tubby is a great situational bench coach, but he is lacking in those other areas, IMO.

[BrassowFan]

Buck Naked wrote: WildcatDan wrote: I did ask a couple about recruiting issues and off the record, one coach said this. “Its all about the staff. People give the head coach the credit for recruiting wins and losses, but these decisions are made based on the job of the assistants….period. If there are recruiting problems there, that is where to look.
Ouch.




Assuming for the sake of argument that this assertion is true, how good is a head coach that refuses to make staff changes in the face of obvious recruiting problems? Being a head coach at a program like Kentucky is much more than just Xs and Os. You have to recruit at the highest levels, you have to develop players, you have to use your elevated visibility to promote the program, and you have to embrace the fanbase.

Tubby is a great situational bench coach, but he is lacking in those other areas, IMO.




That is my biggest issue with Tubby at the moment. I, like everyone else, expected major firings at the end of last season... at least more shakeup than losing a strength coach.

[RCS]

Coaches always say that about being run off because they don't want to be run out of their job. They want the perception to be that if you run off coaches no one will come there. I like Tubby and he has done a decent job but few coaches would look at UK and think they couldn't do as well or better. Maybe they do,maybe they don't but good coaches always think they can do it. It is not hard to win at UK. I do think Tubby is a top 10 coach and should be respected, but his recruiting has to improve and some of his management skills are lacking. That may include finding new, better assistants.

[TrueblueCATfan]

NICE read..............and I agree with every last one of those coaches

[ukbob]

Buck Naked wrote: WildcatDan wrote: I did ask a couple about recruiting issues and off the record, one coach said this. “Its all about the staff. People give the head coach the credit for recruiting wins and losses, but these decisions are made based on the job of the assistants….period. If there are recruiting problems there, that is where to look.
Ouch.




Assuming for the sake of argument that this assertion is true, how good is a head coach that refuses to make staff changes in the face of obvious recruiting problems? Being a head coach at a program like Kentucky is much more than just Xs and Os. You have to recruit at the highest levels, you have to develop players, you have to use your elevated visibility to promote the program, and you have to embrace the fanbase.

Tubby is a great situational bench coach, but he is lacking in those other areas, IMO.



I agree

[poodoo]

ukgrad wrote: I am as dissapointed as the next fan of our lack of Final Four appearances in recent years, however, I am 100% behind Tubby and truly believe he is the coach to take us back. Keep me believin Tubby!!!!

Good post, ukgrad. I really feel the same way. HOWEVER, I also agree with RCS that recruiting needs to improve and that there can be some improvement in management (and communication) skills.

Regardless, like you, I still believe Tubby is the "coach to take us back." Although some here tire of hearing about those "narrow misses" (the two Elite Eight losses to MSU and the Elite Eight loss to Marquette with an injured Bogans), it is those "narrow misses" that make meuse logic andthink that Tubby can do it. Yes, also keep me believing, Tubby! :)