Tubby Smith from KY to Minn????

I think you are right. I would do it for half the price, with a full price buy out for 4 or 5 years. I don't think I would do as well Tubby. My players had better have good grades first, you know something like the Ivy League, I might not be able to brag about winning, but in the class room they would do fine. I would have to have something good.

 

Soft landing for Tubby. UK fans are nuts about basketball and anything short of a final four every year just won't due!

If they want a big name such as Donavan or Callipari they are going to have to open up the wallet. I'm thinking 3 to 5 million per year, easy.

BTW, don't you think Tubby's style will fit in better at Minnesota anyway?

 

If you put such emphasis on good grades, you wouldn't be able to brag about having a job, either!

If I were a coach, if I had a choice between average players with good grades and highly-skilled players with borderline grades, give me the skill. I'd try to have so much success that their mediocre grades majoring in basketweaving wouldn't matter because they'd go pro.

Good grades are a plus, and they'd make the difference between two equally talented athletes, but you aren't going to win the NCAAT with brainiacs. Period.

 

I was just using good grades because I know I wouldn't be a good basketball coach, and I need something good to talk about. I do wish they had to keep their grades up to play ball, but you can't turn the clock back. But the money would still be there.

 

That is the problem I have with college sports. I run across every month ex players for Miami, Fl. FSU, Ga. and from time to time in Ar. and Memphis in come across Ar. ex players and other schools. They didn't make it or got hurt and they are hand loading and unloading trucks for very little money. Why??? They aren't educated enough or smart enough to get a good job, but they got into school because they could play ball. I don't think that is fair to the school or the kids. In south Florida it starts in HS or before. You have to have some skills to earn a living and if you can't read or write at about 9 grade level you are going to have a hard time. Lets be sure these kids can do the work in HS before we pass them on.

 

I am here in San Antonio watching the Regionals (2 great games by the way down to the wire) and I think more people around me were talking to me about Tubby (I had my UK shirt on) than about the games that were going on.

I am hearing our top 3 choices would be:

Donovan
Calipari
Gillespie

But this could change daily and many others are on the list even Pitiino! I think that would be a longshot and most fans wouldn't want him back. I also hear that Tom Crean will be visiting Lexington next week. It will be very interesting to see how things shake out but I think we land a top name unless we go after someone like Ford or Pelphrey.

I am happy to see the change and we will be back on top in a couple of years.

 

Word is that UK will open up the wallet and pay 2.5, give or take, to the new coach. That's going to be a huge increase for almost anyone on the list. The right guy could command near 3 million fish, and UK will pay it. Maybe Bama's troubles have taught some folks a lesson.

Speaking of all this, I'm hearing that Bruce Pearl will be given an extension and/or raise at UT, as early as next week. He deserves it.