Just genuinely curious, not old enough to remember that kind of stuff. Tubby wasn’t the first choice was he? And who were you hoping to get at the time?
Who else was considered to replace Pitino in 1997?
- Thread starter Redraider559
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Billy Donovan was seen looking at farms in Versailles, mid 1997
Not sure. He might have been. He was pretty highly regarded following successfully building up Tulsa and Georgia.
I think Tubby was the first choice. Pitino told CM that Tubby was the best option, and CM offered Tubby immediately. I don’t remember much time passing between the announcement that Pitino was going to the Celtics and the announcement that Tubby had been hired. If someone was offered before Tubby, I’ve never heard about it. If I remember correctly, Lute Olson and PJ Carlesimo were both offered the job and turned it down before Pitino took it. Hard to believe that Pitino was the third choice.
Yes Tubby hire happened quick. I remember hearing at the time, he was Pitino's recommendation and CM basically hired him without much of a search.
Not sure why this topic comes up every 3 months, but the only coach that got any real consideration was Tubby Smith. PR coup for CM Newton who ended up handing Tubby the National Championship trophy in San Antonio 10 months after he made the move.
Hard to believe Tubby was first choice, I guess hindsight is 20/20 though
Why is it so hard to believe? He'd been an assistant at Kentucky already, after which Smith had taken Tulsa to two consecutive MVC titles and two Sweet Sixteens. He then spent two years coaching Georgia, leading them to their first ever 20 win seasons and another Sweet Sixteen. Not a bad resume.
Pitino said he recommended Tubby after the fact. But like always, he was lying. CM said Pitino wanted Billy Donovan.
Pitino also tried to take credit for Cal being hired by UMass. But several on the committee said he argued for the opposite. They got the opinion he was jealous of the new wunderkind.
Pitino also tried to take credit for Cal being hired by UMass. But several on the committee said he argued for the opposite. They got the opinion he was jealous of the new wunderkind.
Just based off how his tenure ended and stuff. I wasn’t really old enough to remember that stuff either, i was only 2.
If only they had hired Billy Donovan
That's the way most coaches tenure's end. Like someone (Bum Phillips?) once said, "The day a coach is hired, he's fired. The date just hasn't been filled in yet". You have to judge a coach by the whole body of work - in Smith's case, a .760 winning pct, an NCAA title, 3 elite 8s, 5 SEC titles, 5 SEC tourney titles, never missed the NCAA, never suffered a first round loss. A better record than most D1 coaches will ever sniff.
Billy Donovan was not a good basketball coach in 1997 and would have been fired from the University of Kentucky well before he earned his reputation.
His first 9 years at Florida, he went to the Sweet 16 only twice. Only 5 of those 9 years did he win any NCAA tournament game.
Yeah you’re right he had a good record here. But don’t you think if Billy Donovan was hired he would have lasted more than 9 years?
Maybe, and I wouldn't have been upset if he had been hired. But, as SaguaroCat pointed out, it took Billy a few years to reach his potential. Might it have happened quicker at Kentucky? Possible, but would the fans have given him time if he wasn't successful from the word go?
Different situations though, didn’t he have to build Florida up? He wouldn’t have had to build from the ground up here
Wasn’t Florida really bad when he went there?
You’re basing your entire Billy Donovan hypothesis off of his 2 title years. He wouldn’t have lasted long enough at UK to ever get to ever get to hear 9 and start winning titles.
They had losing record in Lon Kruger's last year, but only two years prior he'd taken them to their first ever Final Four. His overall record at Florida (6 years) was 104-80 (.565). I wouldn't call that "really bad".
Not it’s not really bad, but the program was nowhere near the shape Kentucky was in. He would have been handed a runner up roster here
Tubby was the logical choice. He was a former assistant that had progressive success and was moving up the ranks.
Regardless of recruiting, he fielded very good teams for about 6-7 years. They were the winningest team from something like 2003-2004 (didn't bother to look it up) and that was well after the 1998 championship.
When he left, it was time to go, but he was really good for about as long as Pitino was.
Regardless of recruiting, he fielded very good teams for about 6-7 years. They were the winningest team from something like 2003-2004 (didn't bother to look it up) and that was well after the 1998 championship.
When he left, it was time to go, but he was really good for about as long as Pitino was.
I don’t think olsen turned it down until zona beefed up his contract. he just used the uk offer as leverage for mo money from az.
We just went ahead and hired Tubby! At the time and now, I would have hired Billy! Billy has always been a great coach! He had to build Marshall and Florida both! And his style of play, pressing and shooting the 3 ball more closely fit Ricks style than did Tubby! Look at Tubby since UK, fired at Minnesota and Memphis....🤷♂️
BD was largely unproven at the time. I don’t fault CM for not looking at him in 1997. But Florida ain’t Kentucky, and the gap was even wider in those days. It’s a virtual certainty his first 9 years would have been better at UK than they were at Florida. Maybe a lot better.
Tubby absolutely was the first choice. Donovan was a distance 2nd, just due to inexperience. Tubby was on the coaching tree and had great success at Georgia.
Tubby was hired so quickly because there were rumors EVERY year that Pitino was jumping to the pros. Newton had to figure it would happen eventually so he had to be thinking about who to hire every spring. He was already prepared. Tubby was the logical choice at the time but it was his second year that you could see that maybe he wasn’t the best choice after all. That ‘99 team should have never lost 9 games. Donovan hadn’t accomplished anything yet and you don’t get an unproven coach for Kentucky basketball.
Tubby was the first and only choice for the AD. I really wanted Donovan but was good with Tubby. Billy D would have crushed here.
As I remember, Tubby was really the only one considered.. and I was actually happy with the choice. Color me chagrined!
Only a UK fan.... This is how you know UK is the greatest college basketball team of all time. When a fan says a 28 win season, a #3 seed in the NCAA, finishing Elite Eight and ranked #8 (AP) and #5 (USAToday) is evidence the coach isn't up to snuff. 😄
I know, right!
The problem is Tubby's style wasn't exciting to watch. They played incredible defense, though. It was like watching Virginia the past few years.
But the reality is that his teams were really good for about 7 years or so.
I remember PJ Carlisemo and Eddie Fogler's names being tossed around in addition to Tubby Smith.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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Depends on how you look at it. Lon Kruger had a couple of good teams during his run but his last team wasn't good. Took them to the Final Four in 1994 and went 29-8 that season. His last team finished 12-16 and after that he left for Illinois.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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Right, I don't think anyone else was even considered.
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