UK basketball question

[durl]

I believe Barnhart will force Tubby to make a LOT of changes with his coaching staff. And I believe it's a good tactic on the AD's part because:

1- It can help avoid the PR nightmare that coaches and writers are predicting if Tubby were to be let go. Of course, we should ignore the PR and do what's right for the team, but these days people are concerned about how something looks.

2- If wholesale changes in his staff turns the team around, everybody's happy.

3- If wholesale changes do NOT work, Barnhart can say that UK gave Tubby every chance to improve but it's now evident that other changes are necessary to turn the program around.

I'd be content to see Tubby go after this year, especially if they lose in the first round. I'd also be perfectly happy to see Tubby remain as coach IF he can get this program back to where it was when he took over the reins. If Tubby can win here, he's welcome for as long as he wants to stay as far as I'm concerned. He just hasn't inspired much confidence over the past several years.

[cincy jacket]

I agree durl but if the rumors of bringing in someone like Rod Barnes is true; then all it is is relpacing Tubby's current bad coaches with more bad coaches. When bringing in Ole Miss rejects is considered enjecting fresh blood into your program you know something is wrong with your program.

[WMR]

Please Barnfart, keep playing that fiddle while the great institution which used to be Kentucky Basketball continues to burn.

[durl]

I agree durl but if the rumors of bringing in someone like Rod Barnes is true; then all it is is relpacing Tubby's current bad coaches with more bad coaches. When bringing in Ole Miss rejects is considered enjecting fresh blood into your program you know something is wrong with your program.

I'm with you. If they're going to force changes, bring in PROVEN recruiters and coaches. I would think that a less-than-successful head coach can be a very good assistant coach...it depends on their abilities. I just believe a program like Kentucky should be able to attract the best coaches available.

[Javy Pornstache]

If Tubby actually does stick (and this comment from Mitch doesn't necessarily END hopes that he will be gone, but it certainly does deflate them), then expect nothing more than such stalwarts as the aforementioned Rod Barnes and Sean Finney (who's already in a figurehead position in the UK office) or Buzz Petersen to be the "big changes".

Yes, the same Barnes whose Mississippi club started playing real basketball once he left town.

Yes, the same Petersen whose Tennessee club started playing real basketball once he left town.

They're TUBTASTIC!

[Blimpie]

Please Barnfart, keep playing that fiddle while the great institution which used to be Kentucky Basketball continues to burn.

I tried to warn you that Barnhardt wasn't doing anything with Tubby. You coulda saved yourself some aggravation....

[WMR]

I tried to warn you that Barnhardt wasn't doing anything with Tubby. You coulda saved yourself some aggravation....

Can coups be staged within D-1 athletic departments?

[durl]

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news;_...yhoo&type=lgns

A few good quotes that stood out to me:

"It seems no amount of Smith coaching acumen can overcome his program's chronic and repeated failures in recruiting, roster building and chemistry. For Smith, the challenge has never been coaching, but managing a basketball program that is far more cultural force than team."

"And so it is disingenuous to denigrate those same fans for unreasonable expectations, as seems to happen every time Smith’s precarious employment status is raised in the media. The fans’ emotional and financial commitments through the years are what made Kentucky. They have every right to expect a return on investment."

"UK shouldn’t have back-to-back 13- and 12- (eventually) loss seasons. It shouldn't have 10-loss seasons in five of the last eight years. It shouldn’t go since 2004 without signing a top 25 recruit. It shouldn’t have the mass transfers it has suffered through the past decade. It shouldn’t have two seasons – last year and 2001-02’s “Team Turmoil” – blown by chemistry issues stemming from recruiting mistakes"


Wetzel sums it up very well, in my opinion.

[MrsHammer]

I agree....the writer of the Yahoo! article was right on. That is the best summary of the state of UK basketball that I have read in a long time.

[FutureRedsGM]

Sent to me via e-mail this morning, as a UK fan it's painful, but the truth hurts!!!




ST LOUIS, MO - (Begin Bud Light theme music)

Announcer: Bud Light Presents, "Real Men of Genius"

Backup singer: Reaaaaal Men Of Genius

Announcer: Today we salute you, Mr. Delusional, Irrational UK Fan.

Backup singer: Mr. Delusional, Irrational UK Faaaaaan!

Announcer: Season after season, year after year, you try to justify your absurdly high preseason ranking.

Backup singer: Why aren't we number one?

Announcer: You scramble to make futile attempts at damage control
when the Cats lose to a grossly inferior opponent.

Backup singer: Neeeeeed to hire Billy Donovannnnn!

Announcer: Inevitably, you'll bring up the past, and boast of championships won 20 years before you were born.

Backup singer: Those were the daaaaaays!

Announcer: You will point out that you have more wins than any other program, as though that is relevant to the current season.

Backup singer: Been playing since the 1880ssssss!

Announcer: Go on, ignore that loss to your archrival in the regular season finale for the 6th consecutive time in a row, and continue to believe that you'll defeat your first round opponent with striking ease.

Backup singer: We'll still whoop that a-- and win by thirteeeeeeey!

Announcer: So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, oh Emperor of Excuses, and take comfort knowing that when you don't finish in the top 25, you'll be back to number three when the preseason polls come out next year.

Backup singer: Mr. Delusional, Irrational UK Fannnnnnn!

Anheiser-Busch, St Louis, Missouri

[WMR]

That 'parody' (being kind) might have been accurate 3-4 years ago... I think just about everyone who loves UK is painfully aware of how 'non-elite' we have become.

[TeamSelig]

Yeah, definitely.

No UK fan believes UK is an elite team anymore. I barely consider us a mediocre team right now.

[macro]

Yep, and they weren't even ranked in the preseason polls this year, and probably won't be next year, either.

[KronoRed]

I had a UK fan talk to me about the football team, the NCAA's never came up, to me that is the ultimate sign that there is trouble in basketball town.

[WMR]

What's a UK bball fan going to say to a Florida fan?

What's a UK fan going to say to a Florida fan, PERIOD??