Tubby Smith Gophers coach!!!

[ozzie]

So what does everyone think about this hire.....

[james_walleye]

Man i just heard this on TV, i dont think they could have gotten anyone better in my opinion!

[Down to Earth]

I just heard as well on ESPN Radio. Definately a "big name" name coach. Should bring respectability to the Gophers and improvement on the court.

[Anti PETA Guy]

Didn't see that coming...but I will definately take it!!

[Coach1310]

Being MN is the 3rd best job open in the Big Ten...this is a great hire. If someone would have told you we will be hiring a coach with a National Championship, you would have laughed.... great hire....I just hope he can get Jai Lucas to come to the "U".. can't believe they gave a coach 1.8 million. Big move for Maturi.

[Dotch]

Yup, to get him before Iowa or Michigan were able to get their act together is fantastic. Of course, they may want someone who can throw a mean chair instead... The Barn and Tubby; great combination!

[nofishfisherman]

he should be able to bring better players to MN then Monson could.

If you were a 18 year old kid picking colleges would you rather play for a coach with a national title or Dan Monson who's only accomplishment was to get Gonzaga a few rounds deep into the NCAA tourney?

[IFallsRon]

The knock is that he hasn't been able to recruit. We've already had too many years of that.

[nofishfisherman]

Well if he can't recruit good players he seems to get good run out of average players. Multiple trips to the sweet 16 and a national title look good to me.

Is there a better option out there? This guy is proven and thats not something MN has been willing to pay for EVER.

[Scott M]

I'll take it. He'll sell seats. He'll be a better X's and O's. But can he recruit. I would take Jai Lucas too. That would be huge. And stop the loss of in-state talent.

[james_walleye]

If he couldnt recruit than how did he bring Tulsa too where they were back in the day? And why did Georgia hire him from Tulsa? Then he built Georgia up and what he did at Kentucky would have been considered mighty good at 99.9% of the schools in this country.

[basssmasher*]

his name alone should help recruiting!! How can you not wanna play for a guy named TUBBY???

[kaz2611]

tubby smith wow what a shocker guess everyone is so used to gophers bringing in the unknowns this is a very pleasant suprise. there has been some issues of recruitment problems in his most recent years but im sure recruiting top talent is not an easy task. we will see im sure the gophers will be in good shape in a season or 2 .

[TNFL]

I honestly don't know if it will help. To me the problem hasn't been the coaching, the facilities, or the school. The problem is the geography. Kids want to go to greener(warmer) pastures. I'm 27 now and have an established life here. But, when I was 18 and had the world by the almonds I thought really hard about moving south and starting fresh. These recruits not only have that option but are encouraged by numerous other coaches, my gosh why would they even stay. Basketball players spend their winters in a gym. Not out Ice fishing etc. they hate the cold.

Heck even everyones precious Joe Mauer signed to play football at Florida State. And I think he has a winter home down in Florida.

Fact is most people learn to tolerate Minnesota, and most young people would not want to come here.

The only people that want to come here are those looking for better welfare benefits, but thats another topic.

[Bagley]

Quote:

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I honestly don't know if it will help. To me the problem hasn't been the coaching, the facilities, or the school. The problem is the geography. Kids want to go to greener(warmer) pastures. I'm 27 now and have an established life here. But, when I was 18 and had the world by the almonds I thought really hard about moving south and starting fresh. These recruits not only have that option but are encouraged by numerous other coaches, my gosh why would they even stay. Basketball players spend their winters in a gym. Not out Ice fishing etc. they hate the cold.

Heck even everyones precious Joe Mauer signed to play football at Florida State. And I think he has a winter home down in Florida.

Fact is most people learn to tolerate Minnesota, and most young people would not want to come here.

The only people that want to come here are those looking for better welfare benefits, but thats another topic.

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You may be right but Michigan State's climate is much the same and they aren't having any problem recruiting. This year they have signed 1 player that's a top 25 recruit and 2 players that are top 50 recruits.(According to CSTV)I'd say Tom Izzo has a lot to do with it.

[Scott M]

Dickie V says MN got a heck of a deal. I want to get tickets for next year, but I know who is still on the roster and I am not encouraged by this group. We'll see what he says at the press conference I guess. Maybe go watch some practices next fall or something and then decide if I'd rather catch stunted metro fish through the ice or go to the barn and watch maroon and gold basketball.

[Mudcutter]

Driving down the road to work today , in the midst of all the Alford talk of him going to NM, I heard that the Gophs got Tubby Smith. I almost went in the ditch!!! The guy is a great hire. Like Alabama/Huntsville getting Lucia as their coach!!!! 1.8 mil for Tubby Smith is a great deal. The guy who fills in for him at UK will make more.

As far as recruiting, he can recruit. AT UK, he had to go up agst Louisville, Cinncy, Ohio State and the list goes on and on within only a few 100 miles. Yes he coaches at UK and the prestige it brings, but come on, the guy is a jewel for the Gophs. I can't wait to see that press and intensity from a Gophs squad, thou it may take a few years to get the athletes to execute his fundmentals. He should get the best MN has to offer, and even some Kent kids.

As far as MN being a "cold" school and kids wanting to go "warm", look at Wiksy,Michigan State, Illinios, even U Conn. HE will get my interest to a level not seen in 8-10 yrs for Goph B-ball come this fall.

Excellent hire!!!!

[bucketmouth64]

I was in complete shock when I heard this on the radio. Wonder if any in state recruits are having second thoughts now. Tubby signed for 7 years for under 2 million/season. What a great deal. I hope there is no clause in the contract for him to leave if certain college openings come up like the way we lost Holtz to Notre Dame.

[tealitup]

I went to college at Tulsa University. I was a student in 1994 when we made it to the Sweet 16. I have met Tubby many times at athletic events (I played soccer for TU). He is a very honorable man and tough on his players to make grades.

This is a better hire then Flip IMO. Welcome to Minnesota!

[Scott M]

Must be some truth to that teal....Maturi said the first thing he wanted to look at was grades and graduation rates, and overall university basketball academic standing across the country.

[Down to Earth]

I agree that this is a good hire for Minnesota, and probably better than what was expected, but just to put a different spin on it, here is an article I found on CBS.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10080776

[eyepatrol]

I wouldn't give this guy's comments much weight or credibility. I'd put more weight into what Dicky V said than this guy.

I think it's a good hire for MN. I hope he can turn the program around and get the barn rocking again, the way it used to.

[james_walleye]

I dont think the weather is an issue. There isnt a big 10 team that has nice weather too offer. That goes for basketball as well as football. And the big 10 is consistently near the top of both.

[Bryce]

Clem Haskins buddy.... that's enough for me to be pesimistic.

[TNFL]

As far as the weather is conderned, you guys are all used to looking at FLAT maps. If you follow longitude (or latitude I can't remember which) we are on the same plane as Maine and further north than toronto.

I do however agree that this is a great hire. I just don't seeing the Gophers as being dominant ever again. Sure we may have a good year here and there, but to be a consistent contender for the Big 10 title, I just don't see it.

If you do, i hope you're right.

[james_walleye]

Well it isnt exactly balmy in Madison, Lansing MI, Iowa City, or Champagne IL. People dont migrate too these cities because of the easy winters. I dont see the U of Miami dominating college basketball either.

[uffdapete]

I'd have to disagree with the geography thing too. In fact the TC has far more to offer than any of those cities, not to mention greater MN. Granted 18 yr old kids have a different perspective than 30-40 retired professional athletes but MN has become home to quite a few athletes who have played for MN teams. If you create a quality program they will play here.

[lawdog]

I'm late here because I've been gone, but I would just say that I am ecstatic about this hire. Tubby has 10 straight 20 win seasons, can't recruit my hiney! This is huge, I am just shocked the U pulled this off. I was just reminiscing last Thursday when I was at the state high school tourney watching Luverne about how fun it used to be going to Gophers games at the barn and the place would just be a mad house. I can't wait for Tubby to bring that back. GO GOPHERS!!!!

[TNFL]

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fact the TC has far more to offer than any of those cities

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I've said that many time, but then why are these kids not coming here. Maybe its the great journalism at the Pioneer Press and channel 9. Or lack of it at other colleges. I don't promote cheating in class, but lets be real here. You know it happens everywhere! The question is do you want to win or don't you.

[Scott M]

I wonder what Kentucky thinks of their decision to fire Tubby now? Gillespie is out after 2 years and none of the big names will leave their schools to go to Lexington. KY lost for the first time in like 20 years in the first round last year, and lost in the second round of the NIT this year (Run of consecutive NCAA tournament postseason appearances since 1991 ends). And Gillespie was a lightning rod with the media and fans.

Who's next for KY? A 22-14 loss season was the 2nd most losses in the school's over 100 year history.