Basketball is as big in Kentucky as football is in Texas. Right now, the whole state is focused on the high school "Sweet Sixteen" state tournament in Lexington. That's why Coach Tubby Smith's leaving the University of Kentucky for the University of Minnesota is big news.
In Kentucky, UK basketball is styled as "the Roman Empire of College Basketball." Personally, I don't like all the imperial pretence. I'd rather be rooting for a scrappy underdog like Tulsa. In Kentucky, Louisville's the more attractive choice because Rick Pitino seems like a scrappy underdog even when he's on top.
But I always liked Tubby Smith who's an honest kind of old school guy. Unfortunately, Tubby's teams have been slipping below "Roman Empire" standards for the last three years. As a result, Tubby decided to take up the coach's perogative to move to where he's yet to be disgusted with the big shot alumni, sanctimonious sportswriters, or maniacs who call in to talk radio programs.
People in Kentucky might find that the new coach won't do much better than Tubby. A "middle of nowhere" state, Kentucky is separated out from other states by the Appalachians on the East, the Ohio River to the North, and the Mississipi to the West. It's an odd kind of isolation in an information age, but it's there nonetheless. On top of that, Lexington is not a particularly fun place. As a result, the University of Kentucky has not been very competitive for the big national recruits for the 17 years I've lived here. The only really big-time guys that Kentucky has recruited have been Rodrick Rhodes, Ron Mercer, and Antoine Walker. Even Jamal Mashburn wasn't all that highly recruited out of New York.
Even without the high profile guys, Kentucky has been very good because Kentucky high school basketball has been very good. Not any more though. Kentucky high school ball has been down for about ten years and doesn't come anywhere near the standard of North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, or Michigan high school basketball.
Consequently, UK coaches have no fall back if they can't recruit the big name national guys. That's what happened to Tubby Smith at UK and that's why Rick Pitino has not exactly been burning things up at Louisville since his return to college basketball.
With his move to Minnesota, Tubby Smith now has more access to the mother lodes of great recruits in Chicago, Gary in Indiana, and Flint and Detroit in Michigan.
Smith's replacement at UK will have to figure out a way to tap into similar pools of basketball talent if UK hopes to return to Final Four status.
I wish him well.
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2 comments:
Tubby Smith will be absolutely impossible to replace. Since his arrival as the head man of the "Roman Empire of college basketball" a term Pitino coined by the way, Smith has conducted himself as a gentleman in the face of constant pressure and scrutiny. He was well compensated, but was it enough? A very vocal fanbase agitated against him from the beginning. A black coach in Rupp's house, perposterous! He didn't win enough, by enough, or with enough swagger. When he did win, someone else received the credit. The 1998 championship in the minds of the fanbase is really Pitino's; it was his players is the rationale. Tubby never recieved credit, for being an excellent bench coach. His ability to create good gameplans, and make excellent in game adjustments were what really what won that final championship.
Tubby replaced a legend in Kentucky, and his down to earth, open, honest attitude never seemed to inspire the frenzy and loyalty that the former baron and the little emperor inspired.
Tubby was an excellent ambassador of the University and of college athletics in general. He is a man of impecable character and tremendous personal courage. Notice that he recieves the utmost respect from the coaching fraternity, and everyone associated with basketball, everyone but UK fans that is.
In truth there were issues with UK basketball. Winning and recruiting did not meet expecation nor dollars invested, which led to more pressure. Winning in major college basketball is a big business, and a corrupt one. Tubby just didn't fit at an institution that has a history of winning, and cheating. He was not about glitz and glamour.
No doubt Kentucky will replace it's headcoach with a "better recruiter" and a "winner". The better question is where will they find a better human being?
Oprichnina, you should sent that reply into the Lexington Herald-Leader as either a letter or an op-ed. They might be interested in publishing it.
RSI
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