Tubby Smith out at UK

[RedskinRyan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2808406

going to minny, your reactions?

UK wasnt the same program it was under patino, but you cant be an elite team every single year. too much pressure for tubby i suppose, and he'll probably do good in minnesota too.

[CarMike]

WOW! I really didn't see this happening!

Sounds like was treated like Sendek was last year at NCSU.

I'm very surprised.

[Skaggsrules]

He shouldn't have turned UVA down, but hey, I'm happy with Leitao.

[GolfFreak]

Wow!!!

[fent]

anyone seen a list of potential replacements?

[RedskinsDave]

Kentucky will regret this.

[smoot]

huzzah, this means that jai lucas is pretty much done to maryland now. it was btween ky and md. now with tubby out i cant imagine him going anywhere else

[CarMike]

He shouldn't have turned UVA down, but hey, I'm happy with Leitao.

Leitao's name is already being mentioned for the Kentucky job. lol

[CarMike]

anyone seen a list of potential replacements?

Mark Few
Tom Izzo
Bruce Pearle
Dave Leitao
Rick Pitino
Billy Donovan
John Calipari
Tom Crean
Jay Wright
Rick Barnes

Pretty much every big name coach except for Roy Williams and coach K.

[RedskinRyan]

Mark Few
Tom Izzo
Bruce Pearle
Dave Leitao
Rick Pitino
Billy Donovan
John Calipari
Tom Crean
Jay Wright
Rick Barnes

Pretty much every big name coach except for Roy Williams and coach K.

kentucky is a prestigious school, and im sure a lot of candidates would love to be coaching there at any other time, but they have been on a downslide(for their standards).

[CarMike]

From that list, I can Mark Few going there.

No way Tom Izzo leaves MSU
Bruce Pearle will not be leaving UT for a while. He has them in the sweet 16.
Dave Leitao....maybe. Not sure how strong his ties are to the ACC or UVA.
Rick Pitino....i'd be surprised if he would leave UL for UK. Who knows.
Billy Donovan....No way he leaves UF. Sunny weather and a top program in the making.
John Calipari....I suppose that's a posibility. But he just got a fat raise thanks to NCSU.
Rick Barnes....same as Calipari.
Tom Crean....possible. But he has Marquette on a roll. And its all due to him. will he be willing to leave right now?
Jay Wright....hmmmm. Not sure. He seems to like Villanova and has them respectable. But I could see him leaving for UK.

It'll be interesting. I think this could turn into another Alabama search for a coach. High prestige school but with a fan base that is hard as hell to keep happy.

I can see Tom Crean, Jay Wright, and Mark Few willing to give it a go.

Once again, it's only my opinion...

[LadyNRedskinsfan]

wow, it was definitely a surprise when i heard it. kentucky shouldnt have a problem at all finding a suitable replacement.

[SkinsKY]

Mark Few
Tom Izzo
Bruce Pearle
Dave Leitao
Rick Pitino
Billy Donovan
John Calipari
Tom Crean
Jay Wright
Rick Barnes

Pretty much every big name coach except for Roy Williams and coach K.

I've also heard gillespie from A&M may be looked at, but outside of him and those four, I don't really care for too many others.

[TonyStewart]

If I had a comfortable job at an ACC, Big East, PAC 10 or BigTen school, I would not want to go to an over zealous group of boosters in the SEC. I am not sure if I would even leave the Big 12 for the SEC but Kentucky is just a school some people might not be able to say no to. I would think the only HIGH profile coaches that might say yes if their name is called by UK are John Calipari, Bruce Pearl, Thad Matta, and maybe Mark Few.

[rskinsfan10]

He shouldn't have turned UVA down, but hey, I'm happy with Leitao.That was my initial reaction to this as well. What in the hell makes Minnesota more attractive then UVA?

[HAWGZHEAD]

Umm wow, I didn't expect to hear this. Man if Pitino were to return it would be one heck of a rivalry between Louisville and Kentucky more now than ever.

[SkinsKY]

Umm wow, I didn't expect to hear this. Man if Pitino were to return it would be one heck of a rivalry between Louisville and Kentucky more now than ever.

Pitino won't come back. I don't think he'd want it.

[CarMike]

That was my initial reaction to this as well. What in the hell makes Minnesota more attractive then UVA?
Kenny, no way is Minnesota more attractive than UVA. Timing my friend. If the UVA job was open now, it would be a no brainer.

That is unless Tubby is looking for a place to rebuild and the pressure isn't there. Which I doubt. Tubby doesn't seem like that type of guy who would just go somewhere because of the expectations being low.

[CarMike]

SkinsKY, who do you want to see as next coach?

I know most UK fans want Billy D. I just don't see him leaving UF. Thoughts?

[rskinsfan10]

That is unless Tubby is looking for a place to rebuild and the pressure isn't there. Which I doubt. Tubby doesn't seem like that type of guy who would just go somewhere because of the expectations being low.To me it seems as though that is exactly what is going on here, and I would hate it if that is/was the case.

[shally]

Kenny, no way is Minnesota more attractive than UVA. Timing my friend. If the UVA job was open now, it would be a no brainer.

That is unless Tubby is looking for a place to rebuild and the pressure isn't there. Which I doubt. Tubby doesn't seem like that type of guy who would just go somewhere because of the expectations being low.

what saved tubby was winning in his first year.. it bought him time.. but the lack of performance based upon the ultra high expectations would have gotten him fired soon anyway.. it was just a prememptive move on his part

[SkinsKY]

SkinsKY, who do you want to see as next coach?

I know most UK fans want Billy D. I just don't see him leaving UF. Thoughts?

I would love Donovan. Absolutely the top of my list. He has not said anything that indicates a "no" at this point, but it's way to early to tell. I've heard anyone's name from Tom Crean to Bill Self to John Thompson III, but most is pure speculation. I think the list for UK looks something like (in no particular order):

Donovan
Crean
Billy Gillespie
Calipari (maybe)
Tim Floyd
Mark Few

It's too hard to say though. I think Billy D is the only one who will bring any significant momentum with him (which is what I think our AD is looking for). Anyone else would seem to enter with a "I hope this guy's good enough" type feeling. It's probably going to be a tense couple of weeks here in Lexington, so we'll see how it turns out.

[SkinsKY]

To me it seems as though that is exactly what is going on here, and I would hate it if that is/was the case.

I think it's a case of Tubby going because he was probably going to be squeezed out this year or next year and I have to believe that anything other than 25+ wins or a final four trip would save his job next year. That's the pressure he's come under and he would sit in that pot all year long and every loss would bring out the (surprisingly few, but surprisingly vocal) Tubby bashers who would say "I told you so." That's a tough place for anyone to be for that whole year considering he went through nearly the same thing this year. That's why he left. Why he went to Minnesota? I have no idea. I think Michigan would have been a great spot for him and a little ahead of the curve on where he is in Minny, but that's his call.

[smoak]

That was my initial reaction to this as well. What in the hell makes Minnesota more attractive then UVA?

My guess is that the annoying pressure has mounted more this season and he just wanted away from it all. Or maybe they told him he would have been fired unless he quit.