USA-Today reports Tubby Smith leaving UK

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

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.

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

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

[shinerbock]

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.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

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.

[shinerbock]

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.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

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.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

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.

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.

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 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

[shinerbock]

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.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

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 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.