Comments on: Mr. Smith Goes to Minnesota http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/ Where humor comes to die Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:49:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: mojotek http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-30140 mojotek Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:29:20 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-30140 <b>Joyce:</b> Lofton is really just one recruiting miss among many. Joyce: Lofton is really just one recruiting miss among many.

]]> By: mojotek http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-30139 mojotek Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:28:18 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-30139 <b>Reggie:</b> Yes, Tubby did get support when he first got here. But to say that under-the-table racism wasn't a factor is to be naive. You can't tell me you've never heard "get that nigger out of here" or "why the hell is that nigger still here" while you were watching a UK game out at a bar or even at someone's house. <b>John V:</b> I will admit to everyone commenting that Tubby Smith leaving UK was probably in the best interest of both parties. But I'm still sticking with my opinion that the fact he was black played a role in how a lot of fans viewed him. Reggie: Yes, Tubby did get support when he first got here. But to say that under-the-table racism wasn’t a factor is to be naive. You can’t tell me you’ve never heard “get that nigger out of here” or “why the hell is that nigger still here” while you were watching a UK game out at a bar or even at someone’s house.

John V: I will admit to everyone commenting that Tubby Smith leaving UK was probably in the best interest of both parties. But I’m still sticking with my opinion that the fact he was black played a role in how a lot of fans viewed him.

]]> By: Reggie Burnett http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-29268 Reggie Burnett Sat, 24 Mar 2007 02:29:45 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-29268 Joyce Not recruiting Lofton and Brewer were likely caused by assistants who can't judge talent but then again it's the head coach that selects the assistants. Yes, Tubby did "pretty well" and "pretty well" is good enough for Minnesota and other average teams. "Pretty well" doesn't cut it at UK, or Duke, or UNC, or UCLA. You have to be a serious challenger for all the marbles with good regularity or you got some explaining to do. Sure it's daring for UK to force out it's first black coach but that only shows that they are serious about getting back to it's winning ways and are not going to be bullied by assertions of non-existent racism. They might get a dud of a coach, and I sure hope they don't, but if they get someone like Calipari or Donovan (or even Pitino back) then you see how they are in a couple of years. Believe me, they won't look like they do now. Joyce

Not recruiting Lofton and Brewer were likely caused by assistants who can’t judge talent but then again it’s the head coach that selects the assistants. Yes, Tubby did “pretty well” and “pretty well” is good enough for Minnesota and other average teams. “Pretty well” doesn’t cut it at UK, or Duke, or UNC, or UCLA. You have to be a serious challenger for all the marbles with good regularity or you got some explaining to do.

Sure it’s daring for UK to force out it’s first black coach but that only shows that they are serious about getting back to it’s winning ways and are not going to be bullied by assertions of non-existent racism. They might get a dud of a coach, and I sure hope they don’t, but if they get someone like Calipari or Donovan (or even Pitino back) then you see how they are in a couple of years. Believe me, they won’t look like they do now.

]]> By: Joyce http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-29267 Joyce Sat, 24 Mar 2007 02:15:34 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-29267 Has anyone given thought that maybe if TUBBY had recruited UT star Chris Lofton, who was high school "Mr Kentucky", instead of allowing personal feelings to dismiss the idea, that maybe his basketball team would have been at a level that KY fans would have wanted him to stay?? Probably not, since they probably thought he "was not quick enough" for KY basketball! Excuse me---seems like he's done pretty well! Has anyone given thought that maybe if TUBBY had recruited UT star Chris Lofton, who was high school “Mr Kentucky”, instead of allowing personal feelings to dismiss the idea, that maybe his basketball team would have been at a level that KY fans would have wanted him to stay?? Probably not, since they probably thought he “was not quick enough” for KY basketball! Excuse me—seems like he’s done pretty well!

]]> By: John V http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-29249 John V Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:32:33 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-29249 Nothing entitles you to a winning program, but when you have the highest paid coach in college ball, you expect more than half of your seasons to have double digit wins, and you expect that coach to be able to take a team of his recruits to a Final Four at some point. I'm white. I was 100% behind Tubby until the last two years. As a true fan, I don't give a damn what your ethnicity is, as long as you win games. Tubby had UK in a downward spiral. He could have chosen to stay and right his mistake, but he cut and ran. I think that's actually better for UK and for Tubby in the long run. It doesn't matter one bit how nice of a guy you are. If you aren't performing at a level commiserate with your salary and the associated expectations, then white or black, get your ass outta there. Sure Smith did well at Tulsa and Georgia, but he wasn't a Final Four caliber coach before he inherited Pitino's team. He'd never been there before. Sutton had taken Creighton to the Elite 8, and Arkansas and OSU both to the Final Four. Pitino had taken Providence, of all places, to the Final Four. These are the people Smith had to follow, and he simply wasn't as good as either, meaning, he wasn't good enough for UK. Nothing entitles you to a winning program, but when you have the highest paid coach in college ball, you expect more than half of your seasons to have double digit wins, and you expect that coach to be able to take a team of his recruits to a Final Four at some point. I’m white. I was 100% behind Tubby until the last two years. As a true fan, I don’t give a damn what your ethnicity is, as long as you win games. Tubby had UK in a downward spiral. He could have chosen to stay and right his mistake, but he cut and ran. I think that’s actually better for UK and for Tubby in the long run. It doesn’t matter one bit how nice of a guy you are. If you aren’t performing at a level commiserate with your salary and the associated expectations, then white or black, get your ass outta there.
Sure Smith did well at Tulsa and Georgia, but he wasn’t a Final Four caliber coach before he inherited Pitino’s team. He’d never been there before. Sutton had taken Creighton to the Elite 8, and Arkansas and OSU both to the Final Four. Pitino had taken Providence, of all places, to the Final Four. These are the people Smith had to follow, and he simply wasn’t as good as either, meaning, he wasn’t good enough for UK.

]]> By: Reggie Burnett http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-29239 Reggie Burnett Fri, 23 Mar 2007 23:19:23 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-29239 You are wrong. Sure, no one is entitled to being an elite program. It comes from years and years of winning tradition. Same as at UNC, Duke, and UCLA. I consider them all elite schools. And you are wrong that he never got support. When a state constantly fills your arena even getting 23,000+ to come to Midnight Madness practice, you have support. He coached 10 years before they ran him off and if racism was the factor they would want him gone even if he had got us back to the final 4 but you and I both know that as long as we were truly competitive for final 4 positions and SEC titles, Tubby was loved. It was only after multiple seasons of #8 seeds and middle of the pack finishes did it get old. He got alot more support in KY than he will ever get in Minnesota! And the next coach will too and there are at least a dozen coaches that would give their left arm to be on the short list right now. Anyone who is a student of the game will tell you there is a *HUGE* difference in how UK played under Pitino and under Tubby. And the results are apparent as well. You are wrong. Sure, no one is entitled to being an elite program. It comes from years and years of winning tradition. Same as at UNC, Duke, and UCLA. I consider them all elite schools.

And you are wrong that he never got support. When a state constantly fills your arena even getting 23,000+ to come to Midnight Madness practice, you have support. He coached 10 years before they ran him off and if racism was the factor they would want him gone even if he had got us back to the final 4 but you and I both know that as long as we were truly competitive for final 4 positions and SEC titles, Tubby was loved. It was only after multiple seasons of #8 seeds and middle of the pack finishes did it get old.

He got alot more support in KY than he will ever get in Minnesota! And the next coach will too and there are at least a dozen coaches that would give their left arm to be on the short list right now. Anyone who is a student of the game will tell you there is a *HUGE* difference in how UK played under Pitino and under Tubby. And the results are apparent as well.

]]> By: mojotek http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-29220 mojotek Fri, 23 Mar 2007 22:09:56 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-29220 <strong>Reggie:</strong> I'll [kinda] concede to all your points except the racism one. It may not be the only reason he didn't have a chance from the start, but it was a contributing factor. I was at UK from 1996-1998, so I'm one of the spoiled ones. I want another National Championship as much as the next Kentucky fan, but I'm sure we're not going to get the optimum replacement under these conditions. The first replacement is going to be rushed, and then we're either going to have a down couple of years, or he's going to do something stupid and get the program in trouble. My biggest issue though, is looking at UK as an "elite basketball school".  Fans only consider us elite because we have tradition on our side. Tradition doesn't entitle you to shit. A rabid fan base doesn't entitle you to shit. Nothing "entitles" you to a winning college basketball program. Fans are supposed to be supportive of a team no matter what. That's my rub. Tubby never got support. He's got to be one of the top ten basketball coaches still coaching, and he never got the support he deserved from the Kentucky fan base. Maybe I'm wrong.  Maybe Mitch Barnhart isn't the idiot I think he is and he'll lure some stud away from his team and we'll have our National Championship in two years.  I HOPE I'm wrong... but the basketball gods don't think kindly of fans that just "think" they deserve a championship team because, by golly, we've ALWAYS BEEN the most winningest team. Just think of me as your friendly college hoops 'karma' reminder... and if I'm wrong, come back and tell me, "I told you so, you lousy Tubby-lovin' piece of shit!" Cause if I'm wrong, then I'd be more than happy to admit it. Reggie: I’ll [kinda] concede to all your points except the racism one. It may not be the only reason he didn’t have a chance from the start, but it was a contributing factor.

I was at UK from 1996-1998, so I’m one of the spoiled ones. I want another National Championship as much as the next Kentucky fan, but I’m sure we’re not going to get the optimum replacement under these conditions. The first replacement is going to be rushed, and then we’re either going to have a down couple of years, or he’s going to do something stupid and get the program in trouble.

My biggest issue though, is looking at UK as an “elite basketball school”.  Fans only consider us elite because we have tradition on our side. Tradition doesn’t entitle you to shit. A rabid fan base doesn’t entitle you to shit. Nothing “entitles” you to a winning college basketball program. Fans are supposed to be supportive of a team no matter what. That’s my rub. Tubby never got support. He’s got to be one of the top ten basketball coaches still coaching, and he never got the support he deserved from the Kentucky fan base.

Maybe I’m wrong.  Maybe Mitch Barnhart isn’t the idiot I think he is and he’ll lure some stud away from his team and we’ll have our National Championship in two years.  I HOPE I’m wrong… but the basketball gods don’t think kindly of fans that just “think” they deserve a championship team because, by golly, we’ve ALWAYS BEEN the most winningest team.

Just think of me as your friendly college hoops ‘karma’ reminder… and if I’m wrong, come back and tell me, “I told you so, you lousy Tubby-lovin’ piece of shit!” Cause if I’m wrong, then I’d be more than happy to admit it.

]]> By: Reggie Burnett http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/rant/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota/#comment-29218 Reggie Burnett Fri, 23 Mar 2007 22:03:16 +0000 http://www.gangstas-hugs.com/2007/03/mr-smith-goes-to-minnesota.html#comment-29218 That is utterly ridiculous. Sure, there are some elements of racism still lurking in many states but not to the degree that you describe. Perhaps you should move to Minnesota if average basketball floats your boat. Consider Duke this year. Even given their history, I'm quite certain when they became unranked this year for the first time in, oh forever, that the AD and Coach K didn't say "Oh well, those things happen with parity". I'm sure it was more like, ok, more practice, harder work because we're Duke and we just don't fall out of the top 25. Not here. Well, that's an elite school that doesn't accept mid-major performance. UK is as well. Winning the national championship in '98 would have been the same as the jockey of Secretariat winning the race and then getting off and putting another jockey on. Sure, they could still lose but you've still got that horse under there so your odds of winning are high. Look at Pitino's years and you see a steady increase from nothing to the pinnacle of college basketball. Look at Tubby's 10 years and you see a steady decline in performance. Who cares that everyone else is happy with just appearing in the NCAA tourney. We're not just anyone. Duke would not happy with just appearing either. UNC either. THey expect to win and often. With UK's name, we should be able to draw top shelf recruits but I heard the other day that we don't have a top-150 recruit signed for next year. Why? Chris Lofton (great guard for TN) almost begged to come to UK and wasn't offered a scholarship. Corey Brewer of FL wanted to come to UK. No scholarship. And Tubby is the one who gives the scholarships. Instead of those two we get Shegari Alleyne and Sheray Thomas? Tubby is a good game coach but a terrible recruiter and in today's game you have to have both. That is utterly ridiculous. Sure, there are some elements of racism still lurking in many states but not to the degree that you describe. Perhaps you should move to Minnesota if average basketball floats your boat.

Consider Duke this year. Even given their history, I’m quite certain when they became unranked this year for the first time in, oh forever, that the AD and Coach K didn’t say “Oh well, those things happen with parity”. I’m sure it was more like, ok, more practice, harder work because we’re Duke and we just don’t fall out of the top 25. Not here. Well, that’s an elite school that doesn’t accept mid-major performance. UK is as well. Winning the national championship in ‘98 would have been the same as the jockey of Secretariat winning the race and then getting off and putting another jockey on. Sure, they could still lose but you’ve still got that horse under there so your odds of winning are high.

Look at Pitino’s years and you see a steady increase from nothing to the pinnacle of college basketball. Look at Tubby’s 10 years and you see a steady decline in performance. Who cares that everyone else is happy with just appearing in the NCAA tourney. We’re not just anyone. Duke would not happy with just appearing either. UNC either. THey expect to win and often.

With UK’s name, we should be able to draw top shelf recruits but I heard the other day that we don’t have a top-150 recruit signed for next year. Why? Chris Lofton (great guard for TN) almost begged to come to UK and wasn’t offered a scholarship. Corey Brewer of FL wanted to come to UK. No scholarship. And Tubby is the one who gives the scholarships. Instead of those two we get Shegari Alleyne and Sheray Thomas?

Tubby is a good game coach but a terrible recruiter and in today’s game you have to have both.

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