UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USShould Tubby stay or go?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Covering the SEC Tournament today and tonight. Kentucky is putting it on Alabama pretty good as I write this (‘Cats by 8 at halftime). It didn’t look good for the UK in the early going.
Lots of Cats fans, as always, a few holding up signs that say “Vote Smith,” a reference to the split opinion among the fan base as to whether Tubby Smith should stay or go.
It’d be interesting if Kentucky got hot and made a run in the postseason. What would the Big Blue reaction be then? There might not be a coaching position in the country that gets more scrutiny that UK basketball.
Do you guys believe Tubby Smith deserves to be in Lexington as long as he would like to or has the program peaked during his tenure? The biggest criticism he gets is that he’s let the talent level fall. You agree?
Or should Tubby just pack his bags on his own and go because he’s not appreciated there? I’d bet there are one or two programs out there - not to mention an NBA team or two - that would take him.
Comments
By Big Blue Fan
March 8, 2007 2:49 PM | Link to this
It is time to go! he can’t recruit and is not so talented coach
By otis
March 8, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
Tubby is a great coach and those who are critical of him need to get over it. He has won a national championship and sets a great example for his young men. Kentucky faces more competition now than they ever have in the conference. Get off his back and let him coach.
By OlDawg
March 8, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
The SEC has become more competitive in recent years and is approaching the ACC in quality as well as quantity in terms of good teams. Therefore, with the competition being what it is, I think KU days of domination are over, regardless of coaching. Tubby brings integrity to any school, did at UGA, and that stands for a lot. He will continue to get good players just because he is Tubby, and if he stays at UK, just because it is UK. Reality is though, the big picture has changed and the days of domination by UK in the SEC as well as the country, will probably be just a memory. Not to say that UK ball will not be good, it just will not be the great program it used to be. Remember Babe Parilli(sp)? Those were the glory days of UK football. Everything changes. Florida is walking tall, but the day will come somewhere down the road, that they will revert back to something similar for awhile like 20, 30 years ago. Everything is cyclical. Look at ND, a shamble of what it once was. So are the Yankees. Get used to it. Better hold on to Tubby, because he is still quality, quality, quality.
By gdawginkalamazoo
March 8, 2007 4:18 PM | Link to this
Better watch out what you wish for. I don’t know? .772 winning percentage. The man has had 2 seasons, 2 seasons in the 15 that he has been coaching where he didn’t win 21 games or more and those 2 were his first 2 at Tulsa. He has made the dance every single year since then. Sure he slipped some last year but what program doesn’t hiccupp. One or two players and you guys are right back to elite. Thing is, it gets more difficult to do that with 1 and done rule. Tubby is a solid coach his records indicate that. Besides who would you get? Not many people out there with that resume. Pitno again?
By Chip Towers
March 8, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
Kalamazoo is right. One of things people tend to forget when they start calling to fire This Guy or That Guy is who are you going to get to replace him? Better make sure you’re real certain about having somebody else lined up.
By Chip Towers
March 8, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
Kalamazoo is right. One of things people tend to forget when they start calling to fire This Guy or That Guy is who are you going to get to replace him? Better make sure you’re real certain about having somebody else lined up.
By Chip Towers
March 8, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
Kalamazoo is right. One of things people tend to forget when they start calling to fire This Guy or That Guy is who are you going to get to replace him? Better make sure you’re real certain about having somebody else lined up.
By Chip Towers
March 8, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
Kalamazoo is right. One of things people tend to forget when they start calling to fire This Guy or That Guy is who are you going to get to replace him? Better make sure you’re real certain about having somebody else lined up.
By JayBird
March 8, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this
Tubby? Why are we talking about Phillip Fulmer during the SEC basketball tourney?
By JB
March 8, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this
Class act. Too many good players for any SEC or ACC team to win every year. I met Tubby at the Master’s last year. He saw my Georgia shirt on and approached me. He talked to me for 5 or 6 minutes. He is the real deal, And if the Wildcats let him go, he’ll have a big time contract in 24 hours. They better be careful.
By Carlton Powell
March 8, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
Agreed, the bigger question is if UK fires Tubby, who replaces him?? Good quality coaches are hard to come by. Can all the KY fans screaming for Tubby’s head say “Eddie Sutton?” The league is too comptetiive now. The days of Cotton Nash, Louie Dampier are way in the past. Every team in the league is now capable of beating any other. If someone that had decision making power were to ask my opinion, I would definitely err on the side of caution. As above posts encourage, be careful what you wish for,’Cats fans.
By Sandy Cheeks
March 8, 2007 5:38 PM | Link to this
Tubby should go … right back to Athens.
Felton stinks.
By Big Man
March 8, 2007 6:04 PM | Link to this
Tubby is a great coach. I have been a UK fan since I was a kid. I got the chance to meet Tubby during the 96 Olympics at Centennial Park when he was still at UGA. He was was with his sons and they were kind enough to let me take a picture of him and we talked for a minute. I have watched him at UK over the years and I like how he runs the program. He teaches these kids discipline, hard work and accountability. He takes players that are not highly thought of and improves them as players. Mark Bradley said that he doesn’t develop NBA talent. Well what do you call Tayshaun Prince, Scott Padgett, Jamal Maagloire, Keith Bogans, Gerald Fitch, Kelenna Azubuike, and Chuck Hayes. Also, Erik Daniels and Wayne Turner briefly played in the NBA. No superstars in the bunch, but all solid players. Ask the Pistons if they would have made it to NBA Finals, much less win it if not for his hustle and block of Reggie Miller’s lay-up.
By bigdawg
March 8, 2007 7:33 PM | Link to this
so I was looking at all the SEC team schedules and it looks like almost everyone has played 2 more games than UGA…can anyone explain why this is?
By ConyersDawg
March 8, 2007 10:08 PM | Link to this
kalamazoo hit the nail on the head. There’s not much better then Tubby. He is dancing machine and already brought the covetted Natl. champ.
By SamoanDawg
March 8, 2007 11:14 PM | Link to this
Leave Tubby alone. He’s doing fine, really. UK fans are spoiled that’s all. But, if they vote Tubby out, I’ll vote for Ashley Judd to replace him.
My shaky score: UGA 74 UF 69
c’mon dawgs you can do it!
By Gen Neyland
March 8, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this
As of this plunking, UT-LSU a close one…Congrats to the Dawgs in their win over Auburn…Sorry War Eagle…Now, bow up and pull one out over the Gators. Big task, but in The Tournament, anything’s possible…
By Brad in KY
March 9, 2007 12:16 AM | Link to this
The people up here in KY are idiots. They don’t deserve Tubby Smith.
By Willis
March 9, 2007 3:22 AM | Link to this
Tubby Smith stands for everything that is good about college basketball. He does things the right way. People tend to forget that he has lost players to the NBA.
I predict that the SEC Tournament will come down to Kentucky playing Florida for the championship, and I also predict that Kentucky will make a good run in the NCAA Tournament.
By BuLLdawg
March 9, 2007 5:03 AM | Link to this
.
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ACC has 1 team in the RPI Top 15 : North Carolina.
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ACC has 3 teams in the RPI Top 29 with Maryland in, while Duke has a losing record in this ACC conference which is not that great and Duke has lost game after game all season long without good players. .
ACC has Virginia Tech at RPI 30 who would be in and RPI 31 Boston College would be in.
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Georgia Tech with an RPI of Number 49 does not look attractive without any semblance of a big man underneath playing against a weak strength of schedule of SOS Number 30.
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It seems a stretch to put 6 ACC teams in the NCAA, and certainly Florida State, also like Georgia Tech with a losing record in this down conference again this season, would appear to be a better pick than would be Georgia Tech since Florida State’s Strength of Schedule is considerably better than Georgia Tech’s is and with the same exact record of Georgia Tech – but again both Georgia Tech and Florida State have a Losing Record in this down ACC Conference again this season.
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I mean Florida State has an RPI of Number 37 to Georgia Tech only Number 49 RPI, both with the same Losing Record in the Down ACC Conference.
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Virginia played a weak Strength of Schedule too at, with Virginia SOS Number 44 and Georgia Tech’s Number 30 SOS. Is Virginia in ? If they are, is there really room for Georgia Tech as the 8th ACC team in the Big Dance ?
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I remain unimpressed with the ACC again this season, as is everyone in the ACC disappointed with the ACC this season.
It was a morgue in the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament all day yesterday with none of these poor teams discussed here of 8 down ACC Teams this season again, doing a damn thing to help themselves.
Tony Barnhart will sound the gong that 8 ACC teams deserve to be in the NCAA Tourney. I do not see it.
He will lobby they do.
It is what the boy from North Carolina, Tony Blowhard does.
I think the 3 teams with a losing record in such a conference of so many of their teams, especially including the very ones we are discussing here as me saying they remain on the bubble their season ended now and the committee only left to judge their performance, actually being the very teams with weak strength of schedules.
And, 3 with a losing record in the ACC, Georgia Tech, Duke and Florida State, clearly not looking nearly as good to me as a host of SEC teams, who all played far tougher strength of schedules and did better against tougher schedules.
http://realtimerpi.com/rpistandingMen.html
The LSU versus Tennessee vols SEC Tournament Game on at the same time, was a far better game of far better teams.
It was a better game and better tournament.
In a far better facility.
The SEC has 7 teams today who do not have a losing record in a conference which has 7 SEC, not 5 ACC teams who do not have a losing record in conferences, when the SEC played tougher schedule strengths than the ACC did.
The SEC has 3 of the Top 11 RIP teams Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky, compared to directly but 1 ACC North Carolina in the Top 15.
While the ACC has 3 of the Top 29 RPI teams, the SEC has 3 of the Top 11 RPI teams.
And, all 3 of those SEC Teams in the Top 11 RPI have a Winning Record in this better Conference, while 1 of the 3 even ACC teams, Duke, in the Top 29 of the RPI has a losing record in a weaker conference.
And, the ACC played weaker Strength of Schedules, in addition.
There is a big day of SEC Championship Tournament Basketball going on today while the ACC has nothing going on in its “tournament” today.
The SEC also has more of the better teams at the top of the RPI and therefore will as we always do, do better than the ACC does in the NCAA Tournament.
Who do you think is going to be watching the ACC games today instead of the SEC Games today, after the debacle of a day the ACC just went through ?
No one.
While the AJ-C continues to tell you this is an ACC city not an SEC one, that all the teams in the ACC with a Losing Record as STILL going to be in the NCAA Tournament while they also tell you with the SEC having played far tougher schedule strengths that the 7 SEC Teams who do NOT HAVE A LOSING RECORD IN THIS CONFERENCE are NOT playing in the NCAA Tournament compared to the 5 ACC Teams who do NOT HAVE A LOSING RECORD IN THAT CONFERENCE not being important at all, that in fact 3 with a losing record from the ACC’s easier schedule strengths are going instead.
It makes no sense, your stance AJ-C.
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By gdawginkalamazoo
March 9, 2007 8:43 AM | Link to this
The other thing is, and maybe I have missed a few things living up here in Big Ten country but how many problems has Tubby had since he has been there? I can’t recall or maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but I don’t think you hear news of problem kids, academics etc that are at other programs? As someone said above if you KY lets him go he will have a new contract within 24 if he so chooses.
By AltamahaDawg
March 9, 2007 9:18 AM | Link to this
Kzoo, how often are you right 4 times?
By dawginLex
March 9, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
Living up here, the expectations for this b-ball program are mind boggling. The older folks remember Rupp’s dominance and the younger folks want Rick P’s style of play back(along w/the dominance). If Tubby would play the style of play he was taught by Pitino, recruits would come, UK would win more and all would be well.
Tubby is a good man but his stubborn refusal to play anything but boring “Tubbyball” has these fans seething.
Similar to Jim Donnan - You want to go back to playing in a Hawaii Bowl EVERY YEAR instead of in the rebuilding ones ? Yeah, didn’t think so.
By gdawginkalamazoo
March 9, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this
AltaDawg, Never. Not once during 10+ years of marriage!
By NW Ga Dawg
March 9, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this
Boo Hoo. Tubby wanted the ole frying pan. He got it. I figured this would eventually happen to him. Shoulda stayed in Athens, Bud! Most likely he could’ve been there for his career.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
March 11, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
Why did I know that Dickie V. would pick the Tar Heels to win it all?
By sirrom
March 13, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this
Tubby is the only person in the history of the world to lose a fax on a plane trip and then “find it” in the back of his office desk drawer the next day.
Of course, the fax stated just what the NCAA needed to hear to allow FAX Morris to return to KYjelly.