UK basketball question

[cincy jacket]

To answer my own question from earlier if anyone else was interested, the last time UK went the entire season without beating a ranked team was 33 years ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...pat&id=2781315

[FutureRedsGM]

As an anti-Tubby guy, I appreciate where my measly "senior night' thread has gone. However, Senior Night is upon us and I have a littel question. Tip off is scheduled for 8:00. What time should I plan in being in my seat to ensure that I see all of the senior night festivities?

[Sweetstop]

They will start around 7:40 p.m.

[dabvu2498]

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- First place is out of reach. Second place looks doubtful. With two tough games left, it'll even take some work for Kentucky to finish as high as fourth in the Southeastern Conference East.

The Wildcats (19-9, 8-6), the winningest college basketball program in history, have lost four of their last five games, and some fans are placing the blame squarely on coach Tubby Smith.

But Tuesday, the two-time national coach of the year brushed aside speculation his job is in jeopardy if the team doesn't finish strong. When his players host Georgia (17-10, 8-6) Wednesday in their home finale, they should have no fears about preserving his 10-year tenure as Kentucky's coach, Smith said.

"They don't have to worry about my job being on the line," Smith said. "They need to be concentrating on playing to the best of their abilities."

Speculation about Smith's future was amplified Monday when athletic director Mitch Barnhart released a statement acknowledging fans' dissatisfaction with the season, but urging them not to make any evaluations until March.

Smith, who led the Wildcats to the 1998 national championship in his first season at the helm, said he spoke with Barnhart before the statement was released. He said he perceived it as a sign of support, not a threat about improving the program's record by tournament time.

"Certainly sitting here at 19-9 ... I'm not going to defend my record or anything else," Smith said. "But I guess Mitch felt like he needed to make a comment, from what I understand. I'm sure he gets calls just like everybody else."

Kentucky's leading scorer, junior center Randolph Morris, said pressure is just part of the job description for any coach of the Wildcats because of the sky-high expectations. The players don't expect his job to be on the line, regardless of how the team finishes, Morris said.

"I feel it," Morris said. "He lets us have a little fraction ... of the heat he's facing. He's under extreme scrutiny. There's no place in the country like the heat he's taking personally."

If Smith is the biggest rumored departure in Lexington, Morris probably ranks second. On Tuesday, he said he hadn't yet made up his mind whether to return to Kentucky for his senior season or turn pro. Without Morris, next year's Wildcats could lack a major inside scoring presence.

Seniors Bobby Perry and Lukasz Obrzut, who are preparing to make their final appearance at Rupp Arena, said the criticism of Smith is the result of impatient fans who don't recognize the growth the program has made.

"Coach is a really strong individual," Obrzut said. "He's been coaching basketball for 35 years. I'm not even that old. I know he cares a lot about us as players. He cares a lot about this program."

All the same, barring an undefeated run ending with a national championship, the Wildcats are guaranteed a second straight double-digit loss season and fifth overall under Smith. They also are in line to miss a first-round bye in the SEC tournament in back-to-back years.

While Kentucky has made the NCAA Tournament every year under Smith and is expected to qualify again this season, the team hasn't advanced to the Final Four since the 1998 championship run.

Many fans point out that while Smith coached that team, the players were recruited by his predecessor, Rick Pitino, now the coach at rival Louisville. The recent success of the surging Cardinals likely hasn't helped matters for Kentucky fans.

"I know it's a tough job, probably the toughest job in college basketball as far as coaching," Perry said. "We know the pressures that come with that job. He's very qualified for what he does. He wouldn't be in this position if he wasn't."

Smith said he thinks the team has had a relatively good season and needs to work on finishing games and cutting down on turnovers. As for the recent slump, including a heartbreaker Sunday at Vanderbilt in which the Wildcats led until the final seconds, Smith is confident there will be a swift turnaround.



"Certainly I'm not happy with four out of five losses, but I'm not going to jump off a building," Smith said. "I don't think anybody else should either."



Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/s...=NCAAHeadlines

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Javy Pornstache

No single player, Patterson, Lucas, whoever, is going to make a difference with what's been wrong with UK basketball the last few years. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better incoming class at UK in quite a spell than we had a few years ago with Morris, Bradley, Rondo and Crawford (not to mention Sparks' transfer) and that didn't exactly turn out roses.

I don't think Patterson and Lucas are even locks for Kentucky at the moment. If Patterson had wanted to come to UK, I believe he would have already committed by now. I think he is waiting to see what happens with Noah at Florida before making a decision.

The D'antoni rumors seem a little far fetched, although. I would be more in favor of a John Calipari or even a John Beilein, even though he hasnt had the success this season. I think with Kentucky's name and his style of play he would generate some recruiting interest that West Virginia cannot offer.

[WMR]

Hahahaha... Yeah Bobby Perry you exemplify perfectly the "growth" UK has had the past 4 seasons. HAhahahaha too funny.

[WMR]

Smith said he thinks the team has had a relatively good season and needs to work on finishing games and cutting down on turnovers. As for the recent slump, including a heartbreaker Sunday at Vanderbilt in which the Wildcats led until the final seconds, Smith is confident there will be a swift turnaround.



"Certainly I'm not happy with four out of five losses, but I'm not going to jump off a building," Smith said. "I don't think anybody else should either."

Nah, I'm not worried about you jumping off a building, Tubby, you've got too many big unearned checks left to cash.

[WMR]

I'm halfway rooting for UK to lose their final two games, and first games of the SEC tourney and NCAA tourney. I think that really would be enough to get Tubby canned.

[Sweetstop]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

I'm halfway rooting for UK to lose their final two games, and first games of the SEC tourney and NCAA tourney. I think that really would be enough to get Tubby canned.

Hope your other half cheered last night.

[WMR]

Well out of the 4 games remaining, last night was the one that I most expected them to win.

[dabvu2498]

They will win one game in the SEC tourney.

[Blimpie]

It is not just that UK would have to eat $ 4,000,000 to keep Tubby from coaching here. Barnhardt is a big Tubby backer and I think he realizes that there are no lead-pipe locks in this day and age in college basketball. Not many coaches can handle the pressure of these ridiculous fan expectations...and yes, they are ridiculous. Mitch knows that Tubby has the demeanor to handle the fellowship of the miserable. These are the same people who extrapolate statistics about the UK record during the last two years; however, they see fit to omit the statistics from the prior eight.

Smith has been one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Southeastern Conference and college basketball. His 384 career victories rank fifth all-time for coaches in their first 16 seasons. His .700 winning percentage in the NCAA Tournament ranks sixth among active coaches.

In his 10 seasons for UK, Smith's teams have won or shared five regular-season league championships, seven divisional titles and five SEC Tournaments. The regular-season titles rank third all-time behind two former UK coaches, Adolph Rupp (27) and Joe B. Hall (eight). No SEC coach has won more divisional titles. Rick Pitino (UK) and Billy Donovan (Florida) are second with four each.

Smith's five SEC Tournament titles tie for second most with Pitino and Wimp Sanderson of Alabama. Rupp won 13 such championships.

Barnhardt realizes that parity is everywhere and everybody always comes gunning for the marquis programs. It is just a matter of time that a # 16 seed beats a # 1 in March. Personally, I think it could even happen in two weeks. UK has been abysmal versus the Top 25 this year, but this wasn't exactly playing against # 22-24. They have consistently played one of the toughest schedules in the nation for about five straight years.

By the way, riddle me this: Who the hell is UK going to get this April who is better suited to coach UK than Tubby? Donovan? That's crazy talk. Billy Donovan and his rapidly growing family are more firmly entrenched in Gainesville than Tubby is in Lexington. He can write his own ticket down there and wants to leave his own legacy somewhere. That's something Tubby could have cared less about when he came to UK. Kelvin Sampson? Not with his recent slap from the NCAA. Let's hear the list, people...

Further, don't discount the Patterson factor in all of this. I agree with what WV Red said about Patterson leaning towards Florida depending upon which of their players depart. However, because Patterson is waiting until after the tournament to decide, he is essentially buying Tubby job security in the process.

Heralded prospect Patrick Patterson, one of the most highly coveted recruits in UK basketball history, told the Herald-Leader that Smith was the "main reason" he was considering Kentucky. If UK were to dismiss Smith as coach, "I'd be very disappointed," Patterson said. "It'd affect my decision."

Asked whether he'd scratch UK from his list of six schools, Patterson said, "Probably."

Patterson, a 6-foot-8 power forward and McDonald's All-American from Huntington, W.Va., plans to narrow his list of schools to three by mid-March. He's also considering Duke, Florida, West Virginia, Wake Forest and Virginia. He plans to make his college choice April 3.

That's the same date UK is contractually obligated to pay Smith a $1,500,000 retention bonus.

Smith's contract runs through the 2010-11 season. His compensation through that period is $8.8 million.

If UK dismissed Smith as coach, the school would be obligated to pay him $1 million for each season remaining in the contract.
UK spokesman Scott Stricklin said rumors of boosters being approached to contribute to a buyout fund were "completely inaccurate."

[WMR]

LOL Blimpie so you're drinking the Tubby kool-aid? I'm just plain sick of it.

[Blimpie]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

LOL Blimpie so you're drinking the Tubby kool-aid? I'm just plain sick of it.

Nah, not really much of a Kool-Aid fan. Admittedly, I have lots of problems with Tubby's X's and O's. I gripe constantly while I watch the games. I swear up and down that his style of offense might harm us in our recruiting efforts.

On the other hand...

I have a real hard time completely discounting what he has done while he has been here. The numbers speak for themselves--and they are damn impressive. There have been many fine players who have come through Lexington and Tubby was responsible for their recruitment. In fact, I have a wonderful feeling about the current freshman class. I feel that Jodie Meeks is the best player on the team...right now--NO B.S.

But mostly, I am just sick of people whining with a false sense of entitlement. Instead of trying to hang him in effigy, how about let me know who might be better suited to run this program.

We have so much to be thankful for with this program. But remember that this winning legacy has been about they guys who have worn the suits and have barked out the calls for all of those decades. The legacy is NOT because of the idiot fans who are clogging the airways with their inane perspectives. I have been a UK basketball fan literally my entire life and I am embarrassed to admit that when I hear some of the crap that comes out of the mouths of some of my peers.

So, I ask once again, who would YOU like to turn the keys over to??

[WMR]

Well I think it's important to say that there's plenty of idiot UK bball fans but that doesn't mean that Tubby deserves carte blanche...

Mike D'Antoni??? Supposedly he's become disenchanted with the NBA... tell me any player that wouldn't love to play for a coach running Mike's offense with his obvious NBA credentials? There's a name for ya.