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My View
Feb 27, 2007 12:02:46 GMT -5
Post by TheSpectre on Feb 27, 2007 12:02:46 GMT -5
This is my own personal opinion of the situation. The dynasty of Kentucky basketball has been knocked down a couple of notches over the last couple of seasons. The program has an "all-time" elite status, but is not regarded as one of today’s elite programs. Some of the criticisms of Tubby have taken a life of their own through the national media, which I consider to consist mostly of left-wing sheep. How many times do we have to hear "Kentucky fans expect a national championship every year"? Idiots. Nonetheless, some of the formerly baseless rumors of the last few years seem to have legs now as Mitch Barnhart didn't exactly give a ringing endorsement of Tubby yesterday. My opinion is that Tubby has let the program slip. You really can't look at it any other way. With the resources available and all of the tradition, Tubby is underachieving. The Final Four drought remains the catalyst of this situation and is a huge problem. However, I don't think Tubby should just be fired. I think he deserves to have a year to correct things in the program. With that year should be a list of goals (ultimatums) that must be reached. Tubby needs to show himself as willing to make changes as needed. He needs to embrace the role, in all facets, that makes up being the coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. He needs to own it, embrace it. I think Tubby is a good man and a good coach. Is he the man to turn this around? I don't know. Is he the man for UK? I don't know. But I believe that his winning % and the fact that he's run a clean program with class has earned him the right to make one last stand. That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
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My View
Feb 27, 2007 12:37:23 GMT -5
Post by blue2dabone on Feb 27, 2007 12:37:23 GMT -5
I pretty much agree with everything you have said here. However, I am kind of ambivalent about whether Smith stays or goes. Kentucky basketball isn't about Smith, and there are lots of good coaches out there who might come to Kentucky if the position was open. I believe any number of coaches could do a good job here, although I have no idea whether it would be better or worse than Smith, and neither does anyone else.
If Smith wants to stay and turn it around, I'm reasonably sure he will be allowed to do so. He may have to institute some staff changes and agree to some benchmarks, but I have no trouble with that.
If he feels like those conditions are too tough for him, he and the University will have to come to some kind of agreement. It would be costly for UK to breach their contract with Smith, but it wouldn't be the first nor the last. Booster buyouts are possible, but it is also possible Smith wouldn't accept that proposal.
Bottom line - if Smith thinks he can turn it around, I'm fine with it. If he decides its better to call it a deal, I'm fine with that also. My feeling is if Lucas and Patterson decide to come, Smith will be staying. If not, I predict he will not. I don't think the results of this season really matter as far as his employment goes, though - I doubt even a national championship would make much of a difference - opinions have become too calcified.
As a natural born contrarian, I wouldn't mind seeing some of the Smith-haters stew in their own juices for several years to come. Reminds me of a commercial:
UK tickets: $50
Beer Diet Coke and a hot dog: $10 UK hat: $20 Watching Katman's head explode on YouTube: Priceless ;D
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My View
Feb 27, 2007 14:26:37 GMT -5
Post by BlueCat on Feb 27, 2007 14:26:37 GMT -5
: Now that's something I'd pay to see.
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My View
Feb 27, 2007 16:47:57 GMT -5
Post by Forrest4Three on Feb 27, 2007 16:47:57 GMT -5
Tubby dont think he NEEDS to turn anything around that is just it. He thinks everything is fine and dandy.
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seymour
Leading Scorer
Its better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
Posts: 433
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My View
Feb 27, 2007 17:41:15 GMT -5
Post by seymour on Feb 27, 2007 17:41:15 GMT -5
Tubby dont think he NEEDS to turn anything around that is just it. He thinks everything is fine and dandy. I don't think that I agree with that. Mitch had his performance review after the seaso last year and will have another after this season. IMO, Mitch set some goals for OTS and I doubt that they have been met, at least not yet. IMO, the review this year will have a lot more short sentences and even shorter answers. If those answers are not what Mitch wants to hear, he will set some standards for the coming year. Those standards will have an "or else" included and OTS will either get them done or he will get an offer that cannot be refused this time next year. Kind of like what Bill Curry heard from C M Newton. I just hope that we don't have to suffer through a series of medium grade coaches. We can do worse that OTS and why should we expect the person who signed Smith to a 20 mil contract to do a better coach evaluation with someone he knows very little about. Look out Bama, here we come.
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