Postgame Tubby

[Handy Johnson]

During his postgame radio interview, Tubby lamented that "The B1G schedulers didn't do the Gophers any favors". Their last 3 games will be PSU, Nebraska, and Purdue. This is why people in the Twin Cities want him GONE.

[49r]

I don't blame them...

 

...but if they DO let him go, they better damn sure keep their hands off Tim Miles!  

[PAhusker]

During his postgame radio interview, Tubby lamented that "The B1G schedulers didn't do the Gophers any favors". Their last 3 games will be PSU, Nebraska, and Purdue. This is why people in the Twin Cities want him GONE.

no offense to us but LOL

[hhcscott]

I call it the curse of Clem Haskins. It's kinda like the curse of Danny Nee. Fire the most successful coach in program history and suddenly watch as subsequent hires (Monson, Smith) (Collier, Sadler) fail to reach similar successes. The thing is Minnesota did it in Football too, firing Mason and watching Brewster and Kill flounder, and in professional hoops, firing Saunders and watching McHale, Casey, Wittman Rambis and Adelman miss the playoffs.

[Norm Peterson]

Tubby is beginning to sound defeated.  I read what they were saying about his post-game on the Minnesota board and let's just say that a coach who feels secure in his job is able to admit "we didn't compete" or "we didn't have heart."  Or whatever.  Coaches feeling their seat get warm start spinning a bit.

 

And "we didn't compete" will sound great to fans in a coach's first season of a rebuilding job.  "Man, this guy GETS it.  He's gonna push these kids to COMPETE!  That's what they NEED!"  But ... in that coach's fifth or sixth season, you lose a game and he starts talking about how "we didn't compete" or "we didn't have heart" and the natives are going to be saying, "Well, isn't that YOUR JOB?!"

[Tallbaby21]

There were some good reasons to fire Clem if I recall.

[FredsSlacks]

Aren't they still likely to make the tourney? They beat mich st, indiana, wiscy and have 20 wins. I would take that.

[hhcscott]

Haskins was fired for academic impropriety, but the pattern is still accurate.

[tbowman]

Tubby is beginning to sound defeated.  I read what they were saying about his post-game on the Minnesota board and let's just say that a coach who feels secure in his job is able to admit "we didn't compete" or "we didn't have heart."  Or whatever.  Coaches feeling their seat get warm start spinning a bit.

 

And "we didn't compete" will sound great to fans in a coach's first season of a rebuilding job.  "Man, this guy GETS it.  He's gonna push these kids to COMPETE!  That's what they NEED!"  But ... in that coach's fifth or sixth season, you lose a game and he starts talking about how "we didn't compete" or "we didn't have heart" and the natives are going to be saying, "Well, isn't that YOUR JOB?!"

 

I always, always, always dislike hearing coaches talk about how their players weren't ready to play or compete.  I dislike it this year when Miles says it.  That IS the job of the coach.

 

There are a few things coaches can't control.  In the first or second year a coach may not have much control over the level of talent on the team.  Miles didn't recruit these players.  But a coach can control how prepared they are and how hard they play. 

 

If there were games where Nebraska players didn't compete or show heart then that is on Miles.  It's on Miles in year one, year 3, or year 10.  Getting through to his players and getting them prepared is his job.

 

And if it was true of Minnesota players last night then that is on Tubby.  

[Huskerpapa]

I am not sure what I think of Tubby.  He seems to recruit pretty well, he seems to coach pretty well, he seems have earned a bunch of well deserved respect.  Yet his teams always seem to underacheive.  They tend to have meltdowns.  You have to wonder why!

[hhcmatt]

During his postgame radio interview, Tubby lamented that "The B1G schedulers didn't do the Gophers any favors". Their last 3 games will be PSU, Nebraska, and Purdue. This is why people in the Twin Cities want him GONE.

 

Minnesota might be winning the B1G had they been assigned 18 home games.

[Norm Peterson]

During his postgame radio interview, Tubby lamented that "The B1G schedulers didn't do the Gophers any favors". Their last 3 games will be PSU, Nebraska, and Purdue. This is why people in the Twin Cities want him GONE.

 

Minnesota might be winning the B1G had they been assigned 18 home games.

Screwed by the scheduler in the front office.  Poor Tubby.  Don't they realize his job is on the line?

[dothereddance]

i know of at least one twin cities radio personality that wanted miles a number of years ago. i would say he was "ahead of the curve" on his stance. hopefully, huskers can keep getting "i told ya so's" out of him! 

 

imo, IF they keep tubby after this year, it will be because of $$$ and only $$$. because the new ad has ties to shaka smart----some fans are dreaming......

[49r]

How ridiculous would this league be if the Gophs got Shaka?

[Daledangdarn]

How ridiculous would this league be if the Gophs got Shaka?

 

I pray that does not happen.

[ladyhusker]

How ridiculous would this league be if the Gophs got Shaka?

It wouldn't surprise me AT ALL. It's not just ties to Shaka...Minnesota's AD is the one who gave Shaka the monster contract (for a school the size of VCU, $1.2M a year is a fairly big deal) and they get along fabulously. Most of VCU's upper administration is now at Minnesota too. And Shaka is from Big Ten territory in Wisconsin. I know he likes coaching in Virginia (and has VCU playing really well in a decidedly better conference in the A10), but I could also see them throwing a ton of money at Shaka to make it an offer he can't refuse.

 

Which, honestly, would be kind of awful for us. Shaka's a great coach, and a better person, and throwing his teams into the gauntlet of Big Ten play makes a really good league that much tougher.

[HuskerCager]

Personally, I think Minnesota would be nuts if they let Tubby go.

[Handy Johnson]

Tubby has never finished higher than 6th in the Conference, OR posted a winning record in Conference. Gopher fans were shocked when he came up here from Kentucky and feared he viewed this as a "soft landing" with little pressure. They were right.

The fact Rodney Williams, Austin Hollins, and Joe Coleman (who never shot) didn't score against us is the main reason why they lost, yet Tubby blames it on the Meat Grinder of a schedule. 

[Norm Peterson]

How ridiculous would this league be if the Gophs got Shaka?

It wouldn't surprise me AT ALL. It's not just ties to Shaka...Minnesota's AD is the one who gave Shaka the monster contract (for a school the size of VCU, $1.2M a year is a fairly big deal) and they get along fabulously. Most of VCU's upper administration is now at Minnesota too. And Shaka is from Big Ten territory in Wisconsin. I know he likes coaching in Virginia (and has VCU playing really well in a decidedly better conference in the A10), but I could also see them throwing a ton of money at Shaka to make it an offer he can't refuse.

 

Which, honestly, would be kind of awful for us. Shaka's a great coach, and a better person, and throwing his teams into the gauntlet of Big Ten play makes a really good league that much tougher.

I don't know Shaka but I would have to think he'd have his eyes set on a prize much larger than the Minnesota Golden Gophers.  If he's going to make a move, make a gooooood move.  Shoot, he'd have his pick of major programs.  And he could name his price.  Of course, besides Minnesota, are there any B1G programs who have coaches either sitting on hot seats or old enough to consider retiring?

 

Izzo's getting up there but nowhere near retirement age.  Matta's not.  Painter is still pretty young.  Bielien, he's not.  And a lot of these guys are fairly new.  Miles and Groce are in their first year.  McCaffrey's just a couple seasons in.  Northewestern's coach is no spring chicken but even if that seat came open, that would be a lesser prize than Minnesota even.

 

Nah, Shaka's a guy who could take over Duke when Coach Krwoifjscvm;qsdflknmcwertiopjoski retires.  Or take over for Roy Williams at UNC when he hangs up the clipboard.  In spite of the contacts, I just don't see Minnesota being a "career move" for him.

[ladyhusker]

Depends on how you define "good". Minnesota has some tradition, a good recruiting base, a major airport and cool campus-area scene attractive to recruits, a unique arena that can get pretty loud, and now a friendly administration who seems to be on the forward-thinking trajectory (pushing for beer sales at football games, etc.) that likely isn't afraid to open the wallet. He's from the area, and the cupboard isn't exactly bare now (and could, I think, be fairly easily restocked). He'll likely get a little more leniency and less pressure for immediate results from the higher-ups than he would at another big-name school (since they're good friends, and have recent experience working together to know each other's styles already), but have the chance and resources to MAKE Minnesota more of a big name. Kinda seems like the perfect recipe to me...but then I'm not Shaka.

[Norm Peterson]

Depends on how you define "good". Minnesota has some tradition, a good recruiting base, a major airport and cool campus-area scene attractive to recruits, a unique arena that can get pretty loud, and now a friendly administration who seems to be on the forward-thinking trajectory (pushing for beer sales at football games, etc.) that likely isn't afraid to open the wallet. He's from the area, and the cupboard isn't exactly bare now (and could, I think, be fairly easily restocked). He'll likely get a little more leniency and less pressure for immediate results from the higher-ups than he would at another big-name school (since they're good friends, and have recent experience working together to know each other's styles already), but have the chance and resources to MAKE Minnesota more of a big name. Kinda seems like the perfect recipe to me...but then I'm not Shaka.

What you say is all true and is certainly persuasive.  But which of those things does he NOT have at VCU?  That HE would want.  And, more importantly, which of those things could he not get at a bigger-name school if he chose to leave VCU?

 

If he chooses to leave VCU at some point, he'll be like that 5-star recruit who could go anywhere he wants to go.  Name the best program with an opening.  I don't think guys like that worry about expectations.  At a place like Nebraska, sure.  You have time to put your program together with relatively relaxed expectations.  But my guess is that guys like Shaka Smart sit there at VCU thinking how much higher they could climb if they coached at Duke.  Or maybe North Carolina.  Coach K is already 66 years old.  He won't be around forever.  And he'll have to be replaced by someone.

[Handy Johnson]

People assume Shaka might come to MN simply because of his connection with Teague. That isn't reason enough to make a lateral move in my opinion. He very well might be able to pick his spot, but I think he is overselling one good tourney run.

[Norm Peterson]

Well, Kenpom has VCU as the 17th best team in the land.  Let that thought marinate for a little while.

 

In his 4 seasons, Kenpom has VCU finishing 49th, 52nd, 40th and now at 17th in his rankings.

 

It's yet to be seen what he does this year, but in the first three post seasons, Smart's VCU team has won the CBI, made the Final 4 and reached the Sweet 16.  And then whatever he does this year.  And they should be seeded to make a fairly decent run into the tourney.

 

In the history of VCU basketball, they'd never made it beyond the NCAA second round and now Smart has done it twice in two tries (two tries making the tourney field.)

 

I'd say that's a pretty solid track record.

[Handy Johnson]

What about Shaka going to the 'Cuse? Somehow I see him sticking on the East Coast.

[49r]

Handy, I'm not sure we can consider VCU to Minnesota a lateral move.  Even though Minnesota has a fairly pedestrian history, it's still a significant step up in prestige to go from the CAA to the B1G.

 

I believe, however, that a lot of the talk surrounding his desire to not take a power 6 conference job (at least not right now) has a lot to do with his wife and young kid.  I seem to recall a bit of discussion about the main reason he turned down the Illinois job was because of her.  (I want to say she's from the Richmond area or something to that affect)