Tubby Smith to leave Kentucky for Minnesota

General111

Tubby Smith will leave Kentucky to take over the head coaching job at Minnesota, multiple sources told ESPN.com’s Andy Katz.

Let the coaching circus begin…

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111 Responses to Tubby Smith to leave Kentucky for Minnesota

  1. BJD95 03/22/2007 at 3:40 PM #

    Just passing along what I hear. If I were them, I’d go with Gillispie.

  2. Andy 03/22/2007 at 3:42 PM #

    They’ve already gotten quite a tongue lashing for running tubby off from Vitale and others

  3. McPete 03/22/2007 at 3:44 PM #

    If one month goes by and UK still doesn’t have a coach, then yes i would expect the national media to start piling on. and just so you know, Tubby Smith gets paid alot more money than Sendek did at a more prestigious basketball school, so we’re not talking about apples to apples here.

  4. noah 03/22/2007 at 3:44 PM #

    “any wagers on if we will hear this out of the national media?????”

    I’ve already heard it. Michael Wilbon and Dan Patrick were talking about it.

    If I were Crean, I’d take that job (just because I hate Milwaukee). But I still UK is overrated as a coaching destination.

  5. BJD95 03/22/2007 at 3:47 PM #

    Noah – do you not consider KY one of the “golden” jobs with inherent advantages over everyone else? I list UCLA, UNC, and KY (probably in that order). I used to put Indiana on that list, but crossed it off. Sounds like maybe you did that with KY?

  6. BJD95 03/22/2007 at 3:48 PM #

    From what I remember, Crean really wants the Big Ten. He’d kill for Michigan State if Izzo ever left.

  7. Trout 03/22/2007 at 3:49 PM #

    “They’ve got a Final 4 (1997) — incidentally enough, it was Kentucky that beat them that year.”

    Wasnt Minn stripped of that Final 4, due to the probation under Clem Haskins?

  8. joe 03/22/2007 at 3:50 PM #

    These days a lot more coaches are saying no thanks to these high pressure jobs , especially if they are secure where they are. They may not get their 1st choice.

  9. Trout 03/22/2007 at 3:51 PM #

    I think Kansas and Duke would be on a list like that, BJD.

  10. Texpack 03/22/2007 at 3:52 PM #

    So does anyone have the ID # for the booster’s plane that’s flying him to Minnesota?

  11. joe 03/22/2007 at 3:52 PM #

    The NCAA did take away the Minn. 1997 Final 4. Haskins got them on 4 years of probation for all the academic cheating.

  12. branjawn 03/22/2007 at 3:54 PM #

    How about Ashley Judd as HC. Imagine her showing up at your house for recruiting.

  13. branjawn 03/22/2007 at 3:55 PM #

    It won’t happen, but I’d like to see Rick Barnes at UK.

  14. choppack1 03/22/2007 at 4:01 PM #

    Crean would be a solid hire, but I think his style may be too much like Tubby’s. If I was AD, I would see how interested the following folks were:
    1) Gillespie
    2) Donovan
    3) Pitino
    4) Calipari

    Don’t be surprised if the SIU coach Lowery gets a look as well. Bill Self may be an attractive candidate, as will Lon Kruger…With a job like this, almost anyone is fair game….Finally, don’t be surprised if the name Beilein pops again. Mike Montgomery needs a job too.

  15. primacyone 03/22/2007 at 4:02 PM #

    Here is a thread starter on one of the KY Boards. Seems familiar.

    “My source within UK athletics says Mitch is going for a HOMERUN in hiring the next Basketball coach. Lets hope he gets a great pitch to hit and bring his guy home!!”

    http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1383&tid=91755504&mid=91755504&sid=888&style=2

    There are close to 12,000 viewers on that board now.

    Jamie Dixon is coming off the top of my head, but I would not be suprised if they look to the NBA either. You konw – follow the Sidney Lowe route.

    Calimari is already counting his money. I heard him on Jim Rome tuesday claiming his PROGRAM was as good as UCLA, Duke, UNC, and KY. Says his conference makes no difference how good his program is. He didn’t say anything about whether or not his conference record effected his NCAAT seeding. He’s a JA.

  16. mafpack 03/22/2007 at 4:09 PM #

    Guess who’s leaving Tobacco Road? McBob is going bye bye.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2007/news/story?id=2808295

    With only 2 SF and 1 SG on the list for next years team, they’re reallllly going to need to pick up Patterson now to fill the PF/C spot.

    Life just keeps getting better 🙂

  17. primacyone 03/22/2007 at 4:10 PM #

    Too familiar. Here is another quote from the KY board I couldn’t help but repost.

    “Andy Katz is a douchebag”

    I’m still laughing about that one – don’t know when I’ll stop.

  18. mafpack 03/22/2007 at 4:11 PM #

    PS – Sorry for posting OT in this thread, though I felt the topic kind of fit the “breaking news” category – obviously not the same status as Tubby leaving but newsworthy just the same.

  19. packbackr04 03/22/2007 at 4:12 PM #

    so Mcbob bolts duke for the nba too….. they could be down again next year

  20. primacyone 03/22/2007 at 4:17 PM #

    These dang KY fans are just like us. Here’s another qoute I could not help but repost since it ralates to mafpack an packbkr’s post, but I’m done after this one.

    “Has Dick Vitale jumped off a tall building yet? Between Duke losing, McRoberts leaving, and now Tubby being ran off, I fear for the man’s well-being.”

    Maybe there is a shade of blue I like????

  21. vtpackfan 03/22/2007 at 4:26 PM #

    Pitino made Tubby tainted goods last week when he backed him up “as the best guy for the job.” Just like K couldn’t think of a better man or coach the HS when he was down the road in Raleigh. It’s not a coincidence that when your number one backer is your rival coach, it’s time to look else where. Good luck Tubby, look forward to hearing you on the Prairie Home Companion.

  22. primacyone 03/22/2007 at 4:27 PM #

    Okay. One more. From the KY board. I think this one was posted by “cedargrovewildcat”.

    “Well, you so called “fans” really screwed us this time…”

  23. BJD95 03/22/2007 at 4:29 PM #

    I do not put KS on the list, maybe they are a poor man’s Indiana, in between “gold standard” and the rest of the “have what it takes to succeed” pack. Duke is entirely Coach K-dependent, not inherent to the program. Duke has nothing on myriad other schools (including NC State) without Coach K.

  24. chris92heel 03/22/2007 at 4:32 PM #

    The name that my UK friend has been saying for the last few weeks is Jay Wright.

  25. Dan 03/22/2007 at 4:34 PM #

    I’d be shocked if Calipari got a whisper. I know a bunch of Memphis grads who donate. If it was up to them Cal would be fired the first time he had a losing season. They tolerate the slime as long as they win.

    They think they are getting Donovan or Pitino. Man, that would be a shock. Although, Florida better break out out the cash. Huge cash. UK is going to be throwing around record dollars.

    If I was a odds maker, not only would I be broke, but I’d be guessing that Billy Gillepsie was the front runner.

    Something tells me this happened right after Tubby found out that Patrick Patterson and Jai Lucas were not coming. Man, I bet the Gophers are stoked.

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