USA-Today reports Tubby Smith leaving UK
 

Here's a link to a USA Today article which is reporting that UK basketball coach Tubby Smith is leaving to go to Minnesota.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...innesota_N.htm

Also, Steve Alford is reported to be leaving Iowa for New Mexico

As a Minnesota alum, I am extremely happy about this news :D

I hope Iowa gets someone who doesn't suck.

If true, y'all got a damn good coach!

It's official: http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php...ange_well_id=2

I've been sick for the past week and finally have something to celebrate. Smith is a class act, he just wasn't the right coach for Kentucky.

I am baffled that Alford (who probably is not Bobby Knight Jr. after all) is leaving a major conference to go to New Mexico. That's all.

I think there are plenty of Hawkeye fans who are glad, though.

Agreed! I'm excited to see what new coach will come along.

If I sucked at life, I'd leave Iowa to go to New Mexico, too.

(Hi, I'm a disgruntled Hawkeyes fan.)

Who do yall think UK will get? It'll be interested to see if they go for Donovan and if he's willing to make the jump. After him I'd go for Mark Few, Billy G or Jamie Dixon.

I'm sure they are all on the short list. And my guess is that we won't know anything - other than the usual speculation - until after the tournament. Frankly, any one who may "still be in play" - as it were - isn't going to be discussing the UK job at this time.

For what it is worth, money won't be an issue at all. The issue will be the following. Of those who want the UK job, who is the best fit for the program.

It'll be interesting to see how money plays out if UK wants Billy G. UK is obviously the more prestigious job, but A&M is tough to beat on the money front.

I'm wondering if Calipari wouldn't want the job; Memphis is ok, but UK would be a big step up, and he's the type that could handle the pressure.

Donovan and Dixon are excellent coaches as well, although I'm not sure they'd be as willing to leave their current places as Calipari.

I agree that many schools have just as deep as - or even deeper pockets than - Kentucky.

However, the difference between Kentucky and those that might - Texas A&M, Florida, Texas, and say Ohio State (just picking some schools whose coaches have been named and could afford to keep up with UK) - is that these schools consider themselves to be football schools. And as such, they pay their football coaches more than their basketball coaches.

At UK, on the other hand, we consider ourselves a basketball school (that loves football) and already pays our basketball coach more than our football coach. We - UK - don't have to worry about upping the coach's salary since it is already one of the highest (first or second) in the nation. Actually, we could most likely get some coach that most schools dream of getting for much less than we paid Mr. Smith when he was at UK.

Frankly, football schools are unlikely to pay a higher salary for their basketball coach than their football coach. But lets say they do. Or that they are willing to do so *now* to keep their current coach. Then I would bet dollars to donuts these schools will have to "adjust" the salary of their football coaches as well.

Thus, any football school willing to compete with UK "salary wise" may not only have to match or beat Kentucky's offer, but also budget money for their football coaches' salary as well. Otherwise they may risk loosing their football coach.

And that - not having to factor in other salaries to the athletic budget - is where UK has an edge in the bidding war. And why I don't feel money will be an issue for UK.

I don't doubt that Mr. Calipari would crawl over broken glass to get to Lexington. And that he could handle the pressure. But is he on the short list? At this time, I don't have a guess one way or the other.

I agree for the most part.

Still... Florida's and Pitt's programs are not Kentucky's. Nor is either school viewed as a basketball school. Thus the allure of coaching at The University of Kentucky, and a coaches' ego, might be enough for them to seriously consider coaching at what most would consider a "better" program then where they are currently coaching.

Perhaps one of the questions to be considered is how much "love" (loyalty) do they - or any of the other coaches being considered - have for their current school?

They had it before you, they had it during you, they'll have it when you're gone...." - Al McGuire on Kentucky Basketball Tradition

I agree somewhat. I think Dixon would be a fool to stay at Pitt if he had a chance for the UK job. Now Donovan? Not so sure. Florida is a great all around school (despite my general disdain for the type of people who live in FL) and has just about everything UK has, minus the history. I'm a person who favors the classic type jobs, so I personally would choose UK, but who knows. Unless Donovan has always had the UK job in the back of his mind, I don't see him bolting.

As for deep pockets, I think you're right mostly. However, A&M seems to be a school devoted to building up their program, and they've got the money to do so. I don't think UK will have problems with money either because of the program's elite status, but I don't see them outbidding a school like TAMU if A&M really wanted to keep Billy G at all costs. A&M is somewhat of an oddity, because their financial situation allows them to outbid even the mega programs possessing a higher stature than their own.

For some reason I can't see Donovan coaching at UK. Not saying he won't, just seems like a weird proposition. I think Dixon would be a strong choice.

All things equal, the question for most coaches is if they want to coach at an elite program now (The University of Kentucky), or do they want to stay were they are and try to build one? Some want to build their own, and they won't even consider coming to UK. Money or not. Others, want the challenge of being coach at a premier program.

Personally, I don't see Donovan coming to UK. However, this is how I see his situation.

As good a coach as he is, I doubt that he can build an elite program at Florida that rivals the traditional basketball schools. But it may not matter. He may feel he doesn't need to prove anything. Especially if he wins a consecutive championship this season. Then again, maybe you hit the nail on the head. UK is a "classic job". The question for Donovan becomes the following. Does he want to coach at a traditional school like UK - where basketball is king? Win a title at UK and he goes down as a legend. Or perhaps he stays at Florida as a well paid and perhaps two time champion yet continues to play second fiddle to the football program. (Nothing wrong with that.) He will always be respected in the college basketball community, but is that enough for him? The whole ego factor.

I'd like to add to the discussion what other UK Alumni and Wildcat fans have been reminding me. Donovan coached at Kentucky (assistant under Pitino) and has ties to the Commonwealth. He was very well respected and well liked during his stay at Kentucky. And Kentuckians were very supportive of him when he took over the Florida program. So while *I* feel that his Kentucky ties may not be enough to get him to leave UF for Kentucky, it certainly may be a factor in his decision. Perhaps more than just how much UK or UF will pay. Cause frankly, he knows both schools will pay.

Now on the subject of Gillispie, I'm sure that A&M can - and perhaps would - surpass UK's salary offer. But frankly, I don't see it coming to that. UK is the kind of program that you either accept their offer or you don't. There isn't going to be a UK offer, then a counter offer by A&M, followed by UK countering etc. The same with any other coach.

So if Gillispie wants to coach at UK, I'm sure he will. But with his Texas ties, I wouldn't be surprised if he stays at A&M (assuming UK offers him the position) and try to build up the A&M program. The whole "home state boy makes good at state school" scenario.

Frankly, I'm not as familiar with Dixon. I know what he has done at Pitt and as such, I'm sure he is on the mythical list. But again, UK isn't just looking for "a" coach. We are looking for "the" coach. The question about Dixon - and Gillispie and or any other coach - is if UK feels they are a fit for UK. Winning records aren't enough.

"When you see Kentucky's fans, you just wonder. You think how wonderful it would be to go to their school. You wish you could trade places for a day, just so you could experience that feeling." - UCLA player Kris Johnson

So I heard on ESPN today that Billy Gillespie will be announced as our new coach at 12:45 today!

We got our man and I'm pleased that's it's Billy G. and not any of the other non-Billy coaches that have been mentioned. I have to admit I was extremely caught up in the BD mania from the past few days though! If I could get myself to Lexington by 12:15 I'd be there for the pep rally and press conference. Stupid five hour drive! :D

I'm kinda pissed Billy G left TAMU, hope they find a good replacement.

I steamed the live news conference today and I am very impressed with Coach Gillispie. Especially his dedication to college basketball. And more importantly, he seems to be the right coach (in addition to all the usual acolytes) because he understands and respects the tradition and legacy of UK basketball.


"That uniform is not just a uniform; it’s a sacred piece of cloth. It demands our best - all of our sweat and tears - because of the great players who came before us. And there are many. No, it’s not just another jersey. It’s a matter of the heart." --- John Pelphrey (UK ’92) on wearing the Kentucky uniform.

If they were smart they'd consider South Alabama HC John Pelphrey. Rumor has it that he might end up at Arkansas, but I think he'd be perfect for A & M.

Too late. Arkansas got Pelphrey. This may already be known, but A&M hired former Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon yesterday.

"Apparently the University of Kentucky basketball dynasty is to continue forever." - Philadelphia Inquirer, December 23 1954