OT - Rumor: Tubby Smith To Auburn
Dodd had this little two bit piece over at cbssports.com.
http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/20528708…
That can't be serious, right? Would he really leave Minnesota for Auburn? Especially when it looks like his team could be a force next year?
March 19th, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^
Seems very unlikely
March 19th, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^
there would be no benefit in leaving minnesota for auburn. Seems like a step down to me. Tubby will forever be beloved in minnesota if he can continues his success. Hope he doesnt leave
March 19th, 2010 at 12:37 PM ^
But.. they just added a new floor.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^
Tubby stays at Minnesota forever and builds them into a huge contender, on a never-count-them-out-to-win-an-NC level. Because that's 2 double digit wins for Michigan over a good/great team every year, because Tubby just can't seem to beat Beilein, whatever the circumstances :-D
EDIT: I probably shouldn't base this on such a small sample size and am currently knocking on wood.
If Beilein can own Tubby while his team is full of 30% 3-point shooters, just wait 'till his teams can actually fill it up.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^
Minnesota has much more basketball tradition than does Auburn, and the Big 10 is a more prestigious basketball league than is the SEC.
I have often wondered if Tubby would wander elsewhere given the depth of the Big 10 and the fact that Tubby, a high profile coach, is at one of the mid/low profile schools. He may leave eventually but I hope he would take a job that is a step up (Texas Tech or something) as opposed to a step down.
Then again, if you throw enough money at a coach, anything can happen.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^
That "mid/low profile school" in the Twin Cities has been to the Final Four (and had its appearance erased) more recently than Michigan.
And, neither Texas Tech nor Auburn is a step up at a school which has produced Kevin McHale, Mychal Thompson, Voshon Lenard, Bobby Jackson, Miles Tarver (Google him and be in awe of his forehead) and the infamous phone book throwing Courtney James.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:58 PM ^
don't forget Ray Williams(one of my favs and the younger brother of Gus Williams}, Trent Tucker, Dave Winfield, Randy Breur (sp) and my all time favorite Kris Humphries
I googlged Miles Tarver him and came up with this beauty ... quite a forehead indeed!
The haircut kinda reminds me of the flat top rocked by Christopher Reid in House Party 1
The haircut kinda reminds me of the flat top rocked by Christopher Reid in House Party 1Who the hell is Christoper Reid. Kid rocked the hair in house party.
Touche...while the actor that played "kid" was named Christopher Reid, I agree that most would know him better as Kid.
I respectfully give you a +1
still, it's Minnesota. It's not MSU, Wisky, Purdue, Illinois, or Indiana. That would make it a mid-to-low profile Big 10 basketball school in my book, along the lines of Iowa and yes, Michigan.
Illinois has been to a BCS game more recently than Michigan, but does that mean they are not a mid/low profile football school? No, every team in the Big 10 has their moments.
Look, Minny has a solid basketball program, but if you think Tubby is happy being the coach at the 6 or 7th best basketball school in his conference, you're mistaken. There are plenty of schools that would be a step-up from Minnesota that could be interested in Tubby, especially given the success he's had there.
I wouldn't classify Texas Tech as a step up for any coach in the Big 10. They basically rode Bobby Knight to a couple of nice seasons (and before him they did have a nice run with Darvin Ham), but that's about it. Minny is a far better fit for Tubby and is also a more high-profile position.
Though to be fair, I remember seeing this live and possibly having my first sports orgasm ever - my second one being when Marquise Walker had the finger-tip TD against Iowa.
Fair points. UM football probably gives me sports orgasms on a regular basis. Stonum taking back the kick for a TD, Forciers 31 yard TD run, and Forcier-to-Hemmingway #1 are a few that I had just this past season.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:31 PM ^
Would be a little more likely, IMO. Assuming NC State has an opening in the near term.
Seems to me that NC State would be a sideways move from Minnesota. NC State has more history than Minnesota but will always play second (third?) fiddle to Duke/NC. I would think it would be easier to win (and be more appreciated by the faithful) at Minnesota than NC State.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:16 PM ^
If we consider Wake above NCSU now.
Do I smell another Raback Lock of the week?
"but will always play second (third?) fiddle to Duke/NC. "
Always?? Roy Williams is 60. K is 63.
The Dean Smith coaching tree has pretty much dried up. It's not like they're going to bring in King Rice next.
Johnny Dawkins is going to be the next coach at Dook. While he's a nice coach, he's certainly three or four steps back from K.
I'd say that in five years, there is going to be a pretty sizable vaccuum at the top of the ACC. Maryland, Wake and Ga. Tech are going to be looking for new coaches in the next couple of years as well. The teams that can grab a good young coach are going to be well-positioned to be next power in the ACC.
Plus, if you think about it...through 1993, UNC, NC State and Dook had each won two national titles. UNC and NC State had both won 10 ACC titles (dook has since overtaken everyone), which was more than anyone else.
Once Valvano was fired, that concentrated the power on the top two teams in the league. Donald Williams, Rodney Rogers, Jamie Watson, Jerry Stackhouse, Jeff Mccinness...those guys PROBABLY end up at NC State if Valvano is the coach.
I think you're about to see a significant change in the pecking order of the ACC. Only question will be which teams take advantage of the opportunity.
But Tubby is 58, so I don't necessarily see him coaching any longer than Roy or Coach K. So that's why I find it hard to see Tubby going to a school like NC State.
Very classy of Dodd to print this just before Minny's NCAA game. Since this is CBS sports, I wonder if any of the "big boys" at the network have chided him yet?
Was because there was less pressure there to win. He was miserable at Kentucky. He was leery of Michigan (though I’m not sure that had a huge impact on the eventual outcome). I’m pretty sure he wanted to go someplace like Minn. where he thought he could win but wouldn’t be demanded to. I don’t know why he would leave that situation that he wanted for another that probably a lateral move at best.
My brother-in-law is a grad student at Auburn and took my parents to the last game at the old one before it is torn down. From what he says, they want to spend $$ and become a serious basketball program.
Don't forget, Tubby was at Georgia before Kentucky so he does have roots in the south.
The main point is that Tubby isn't happy with the relationship he has with the administration at Minny. He wants a few new facilities that he isn't getting and he has to obviously be concerned with the ability to compete with the new state-of-the-art centers at places like UM and Indiana. There's also been some word that Tubby isn't happy with admissions/the administration again for not being willing to take chances on some kids.
Whether or not you agree with his philosophies it does seem like the marriage at Minny isn't lasting much longer.
this is good info - but i'm genuinely curious as to how/where you got it.