Tubby Smith Out

I wouldn't say it's a large segment. That's just stereotyping, but the racist minority are a loud bunch, that's for sure. And ask Joe B. Hall if a white guy will be tolerated longer than a black one. The man won 297 games, a national title and went to three final 4s and still got treated like crap. And that was before talk radio and message boards.

http://bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Coaches/Joe_B_Hall.html

So no, I doubt a black coach would be on a shorter leash than a white one.

 

UK Basketball revolves around two figures -- Adolph Rupp, who laid the foundation, and Rick Pitino, who led the Renaissance. Hall and Tubby Smith were/are very good coaches who had the misfortune to be the successors to Rupp and Pitino.

 

Well, Hall had it worse I think, following Rupp. No matter what he did, it wasn;t enough, especially in teh days when college powers could still routineily dominate.

Sure Tubbby had a tough act to follow, but I doubt there's going to be a Pitino Arena any time soon.

 

Time to introduce you to somebody none of us have heard of: UF J-school student (and Independent Florida Alligator staff writer) Jenna Marina. She seems to have found an angle the national media didn't think of ... and made it work.

http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070329hoops.php

Those of you scrambling to talk to Donovan's UF recruits tonight should remember to credit the Alligator with the scoop. And columnists, you might wish to credit Miss Marina herownself.

 

Good point, very good point. Hall and Tubby are only guilty of one thing and one thing only: being the guy to replace "the guy." No matter how successful they were, they were not The Baron or Slick Rick. Never had, never will.

Now that you brought it up, I've been guilty of making the large assumption that Wildcat Nation wouldn't embrace Tubby Smith due to race. If that was the case, then Walter McCarty, Jamal Mashburn, Randolph Morris, et al wouldn't be playing for UK. The fans liked Tubby, but his name isn't Rick Pitino.

 

Well, my original opinion came after my experience at this year's South Carolina-Kentucky game in Columbia. What I learned: Kentucky fans still travel like you wouldn't believe, and the loudest of their fans (at least that night) can't stand Tubby.

 

It would appear that Billy is eager to take the job if it's offered. Billy Gillispie, that is....

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/big12/stories/MYSA032907.EN.BKCaggies.gilliespie.b.130b409d.html

 

Interesting. Gillespie was interviewed at the 3-point/Slam Dunk thing tonight and said he was confident his deal would be approved at A&M. That was at like, 8 p.m.?

 

According to AP, Gilllispie is not a candidate at Arkansas.

 

Damn, I wish I'd been confident enough to offer you a wager on this.