Poor Recruiter Tubby Smith

Fans that do not follow UK basketball intimately don't have a clue. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE!!!!!!!

Check these nice little stats out about the Tubster:

First UK coach to go 8 straight years without a final four.

First UK coach to have to play on Thursday in an SEC tournament since the expansion to the current 12 team format.

The First UK coach to lose 10 or more games three years in a row, and 4 of the last 7 years.

The first UK coach to lose to Vandy in Rupp

The first UK coach to be swept by Vandy in a season in 32 years

The first UK coach to lose 4 straight to an SEC opponent in 30 years.

Only coach to lose to Ole Miss at Rupp

Only coach to lose to Vandy twice at Rupp

Only coach to lose 4 home games to SEC Opponents

More Home losses than any previous UK coach

Most Double Digit loss seasons of any UK coach

1st UK coach to not finish at least 2nd in the East since the SEC expansion

Most transfers and problem players of any UK coach

Never recruited a player to play in a final four in 16 years as a head coach

Fewest NBA draft picks of any coach with at least 5 years (only 2 1st rounders in 10 years)

47% of his recruits don't make their senior year

Current 5 game losing streak to florida could soon be a new record

Only coach with the overall #1 seed in the NCAA to lose in the 2nd round

Lowest Average Points Scored Per Game since the 3 point shot was introduced

Worst loss to Indiana ever (26 points)

Only UK coach to lose consecutive games to Kansas

Worst Loss on Senior Day since 1919

Only UK coach with a losing record vs Michigan State (2-4)

Only coach to ever lose to a number 1 ranked team at rupp.

Only coach to ever begin the season ranked in the top 10 and finish the season unranked.

Worst average attendance at Rupp Arena for one season, under Tubby (00-01 avg.21,014), since it opened in 1976.

Rupp Arena hasn't averaged 23,000+ since the 98-99 season.
First UK coach to go 8 straight years without a final four.

First UK coach to have to play on Thursday in an SEC tournament since the expansion to the current 12 team format.

The First UK coach to lose 10 or more games three years in a row, and 4 of the last 7 years.

The first UK coach to lose to Vandy in Rupp

The first UK coach to be swept by Vandy in a season in 32 years

The first UK coach to lose 4 straight to an SEC opponent in 30 years.

Only coach to lose to Ole Miss at Rupp

Only coach to lose to Vandy twice at Rupp

Only coach to lose 4 home games to SEC Opponents

More Home losses than any previous UK coach

Most Double Digit loss seasons of any UK coach

1st UK coach to not finish at least 2nd in the East since the SEC expansion

Most transfers and problem players of any UK coach

Never recruited a player to play in a final four in 16 years as a head coach

Fewest NBA draft picks of any coach with at least 5 years (only 2 1st rounders in 10 years)

47% of his recruits don't make their senior year

Current 5 game losing streak to florida could soon be a new record

Only coach with the overall #1 seed in the NCAA to lose in the 2nd round

Lowest Average Points Scored Per Game since the 3 point shot was introduced

Worst loss to Indiana ever (26 points)

Only UK coach to lose consecutive games to Kansas

Worst Loss on Senior Day since 1919

Only UK coach with a losing record vs Michigan State (2-4)

Only coach to ever lose to a number 1 ranked team at rupp.

Only coach to ever begin the season ranked in the top 10 and finish the season unranked.

Worst average attendance at Rupp Arena for one season, under Tubby (00-01 avg.21,014), since it opened in 1976.

Rupp Arena hasn't averaged 23,000+ since the 98-99 season.

Already the most losses over a two year period (outside of probation era) in the history of our school.

Chance to go an entire regular season without beating a ranked opponent for the first time since 1974 (33 years).

Has only defeated one Top 20 team in the NCAA tourney since 1998 (#18 Utah in 2005). Also, has not defeated a single team seeded 1 - 4 in the NCAA tourney since 1998.

Outside of probation, this will mark the first time we have finished back to back seasons unranked since 1959-1961 (46 years).

I like Tubby personally and think he is a good coach and a good person. But UK needs a great coach! His style doesn't fit to well with UK basketball either.

I could go on and on...

 

It sounds like you did go on and on, frankly. :BangHead: :laugh:

Oh a couple of more little stats you conveniently forgot to mention:

Only coach in SEC history in 50 years to have an undefeated regular season in the conference, if I'm not mistaken. (And this was with players he, not someone else, recruited.)

Only UK coach in at least the last 45+ years to win 20 or more games in every season he has coached. I grant that Rick Pitino came in under sanctions, but the record still stands.

Uh' are there any other Div. 1 coaches that have won twenty or more games in each and every one of the last ten years at one school, aside from maybe Coach K, Pat Summitt or the two UConn coaches, Jim Calhoun or Gene A.? I don't honestly know.

Ed

 

My list is bigger than yours, LOL! :laugh:

Ed, do you think we can go far this year in the tourney?

I will cheer them on no matter who coaches, but my responses were just trying to prove that Tubby had lots of stats that were negative. I am sick of people throwing out the race card on why UK fans want Tubby gone. If Tubby does leave after this season you can bet your bottom dollar that the national sports media will talk as if the only reason he left was due to race...

 

Do I think we can? Yeah! Do I think we will? Probably not, for I don't think we (and 300 other Div. I teams, including the rest of the top 25) are all that talented, compared to a couple of other teams, namely UCLA, Fla., and Wisconsin. However, talent alone will not decide this tourney, SEC or NCAA, for there are no schools head and shoulders, top to bottom, more talented than any others that are playing all that much better than someone else, IMO. As to talent, only defending NCAA champ Florida with the two seven footers and Vandy with the three point shooting have shown to be better in the two areas, and league celler-dwelling and defending NIT champ, SC was one missed hot away from knocking off Vandy last night. The way KY played defense, last evening would have given most teams fits. The offense still left a few holes, IMO, especially with the three-headed monster at point guard, of Meeks, Bradley, and Jasper. IMO, the teams to beat in the NCAA top-to-bottom, are Wisconsin, Ohio State, and UCLA, for right now they seem to be playing the most consistent and best overall, and BTW, don't overlook Nevada, with the best record in the NCAA, currently. Overlook them, and you better have the plane reservations booked on the next flight. My opinion could change in a week, and probably will, depending on this next week and the following week of conference tourneys.

Whether or not Tubby stays or goes, or is fired or extended in contract, I do hear less and less of the racial bit as time goes on, and I am personally glad for that. I hear more about style, just as I heard during the Joe Hall years. (Run 'em out of the gym or get run out! What difference does it make? It's still 'exciting'! )

IMO, Kentucky has not had a solid and consistent player at the #4 (Perry and Crawford are both threes) since Chuck Hayes, and the possibility that they might have had one developing went down with Carter, and that has surely hurt this year. I did recently notice that both Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azabuke were both playing in the NBA, despite the fact that neither was drafted at all. Just FWIW.

Maybe we need Vicki DeMoss to sing "My Old Kentucky Home" in a blue UK cheerleader uniform. "Rocky Top" seemed to work for Pat Summit, at UT. :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

AFGuy,
As moderator, I need to ask you to remove the duplicate in your lengthy post of your list of Tubby's "faults." The list is listed twice.

Now, some of those items are rather subjective (Most problem players?). I knew some of the players during Pitino's reign. Just because you didn't see the problems in the Courier Journal or the Herald Leader doesn't mean they didn't happen. Also, you're comparing him to Pitino only when you speak of divisional expansion, since there's only been two coaches at UK since the SEC split. Some of the things you list contradict each other. UK had a longer dry spell than eight years between final fours. Wasn't there at least a ten year lapse from the mid 80s to mid 90s? Some items are redundant. Naturally if you don't finish 1st or 2nd in the division, you have to play on Thursday in the SEC tourney. It just seems like you're making any excuse possible to throw stones. I can feel your frustration. Heck, if UT went 8-4 or 9-3 for several years, don't think Fulmer's job wouldn't be in jeopardy.

And I'm sorry: While I'm no fan, because of where I lived and now live, I follow UK fairly closely. I have some very well-connected donors and supporters as friends and acquaintances. Before one of Tubby's teams ever dribbled a ball in Rupp, Tubby's fate was sealed in the mind of many because he is not the same color as Rupp, Sutton, Hall or Pitino. It hasn't been 24 hours since I heard "C.M. should've never hired that (N-word)"

UK helped it seeding by beating GA last night. Florida is on a slide. You'll open with a western div team, and they can't beat anyone. UT can't hit free throws. You could get some breaks in the SEC tourney.

Ed wrote:

No...UK should shoot as well at UT did against FLA and should defend the perimeter and shut down Noah as well as the Vols did. That would help :laugh:

 

UK also managed to shut down to a great degree Horford and Noah, but shot poorly, so lost a game they should have won.

BTW, if you list 'em twice, most will be overwhelmed by the length, rather than the substance. :laugh: :laugh:

Fortunately, on a serious note, I am hearing less and less of the racial bigotry all the time, where I live and work.

Ed



Ed

 

I can't seem to edit it. My mistake for the duplication. It didn't take the first time so when I tried it the second time it must have copied it twice.

 

There will always be a few fans of any program that will form an opinion of a coach based on race. However, in my section of KY, feelings about Tubby have nothing to do with race. KY fans consider the program to be one of elite status. The peers of the program are UNC, Duke, Kansas, UCLA. Therefore the standards and expectations are very high. Success is measured in conference championships and deep runs into the NCAA tournament. 20 win seasons coupled with double digit losses and "middle of the pack" finishes in the SEC are not good enough. Tubby had some very good seasons at KY early in the tenure. However, the trend is poor and the existing roster coupled with known recruits for next year don't indicate things are about to change. Too many "projects" have gotten scholarships. KY is not normally filling out the roster with these type players. Any coach who takes this job and the huge paycheck that comes with it also accepts the expectations and the corresponding pressure. Same is true for the other elite programs. If a coach wants to be accepted for just winning 20 games, this is not the job for him. Jobs with annual income measured in "millions" require excellence. No need to feel sorry for Tubby. KY has made him a wealthy man.

 

RE: Poor Tubby

I have always supported Tubby Smith as UK's coach, but in the last two years, look at the slide. It's not a slide where we say, "weeeeeeee", but "AHHHHHH!!!" They haven't been able to find a way to close games out. They are 1-7 against current teams in the top 25, the only win versus Louisville....they weren't very good at the time they played each other, too. They have had two overall number 1seeds in the NCAA tourney, but also 5 ten-plus loss seasons, as well. They don't have SEC caliber talent, except for Morris- who doesn't always show up, and Joe Crawford...ditto to the Morris comment. Who is to blame? Tubby. I know they were McDonald's All-Americans, but they would have probably flourished in an actual offense.....not the plodding type that Tubby employs. They are looking at 12losses this season. 12 LOSSES!! They had 13 last year!!! 25 losses is inexcusable for any program, especially for UK. Look at UNC, UCLA, Florida, they have been as good, if not better, than last years teams, but UK is falling fast and hard. I think they need a coaching change. I know that Patrick Patterson said it would affect his decision, but I think he ends up at Florida either way. But if Tubby can land Patterson(6'8" PF) and Jai Lucas(PG) he needs to have another chance. But if they go elsewhere, Tubby needs to go. UK, without PP and JL, will struggle to be a .500 team. I have one question for all in here, is this UK BB? I thought not.

 

I frequent those boards all the time as well such as the Cats Pause and kysportsreport ones. They have some very knowledgeable fans on there that overwhemingly agree with us saying that Tubby needs to go.

Of course, you will have the few knuckleheads that hate any coach regardless of what they do. But as I listed above and others have also shared the program has fallen significantly and we are no longer in the conversations with other programs such as Duke and NC. And btw Tubby is the highest paid coach in the land I do believe and that should dictate to our success.