Tubby Smith a Candidate for Auburn Job according to 790 the Zone in Atlanta

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

i still want mike Anderson

Young up and comer. Lot's of energy. Coach at a small program. Comes from good BB pedigree. Are we talking about Barbee or Lebo? Forget all the up and comer crap. Give me a Tubby Smith type any day. I've had it with the next "hot" coaching up and comer. Give me proven success any day.

I agree with both of these.

[pram92 0]

Young up and comer. Lot's of energy. Coach at a small program. Comes from good BB pedigree. Are we talking about Barbee or Lebo? Forget all the up and comer crap. Give me a Tubby Smith type anyday. I've had it with the next "hot" coaching up and comer. Give me proven success anyday.

lebo came from chattanooga  and was only there for 2 years... barbee is at a pretty big bball program in UTEP and in a better conference its safe to say he is no lebo

[DO4AU2010 0]

I'd love to have Tubby Smith! Its gonna take some serious cheese tho.

[wareagle987 0]

If Tubby cant win at KY, he sure cant do it at Auburn. Anderson or Mitchell would be a much better choice.

[AuburnTigers1 0]

Where are you getting this can't win at UK from? He only had a 75% win percentage at UK! Went to several sweet sixteens and several elite 8's as well as an NC. With his name and a new arena I can't see why he couldn't recruit at Auburn. I really think he could win at Auburn as well.

[CadillacCone 0]

If Tubby cant win at KY, he sure cant do it at Auburn. Anderson or Mitchell would be a much better choice.

I would rather have Mitchell but Tubby was not a failure. He had a winning season every year. Roy Williams and UNC were terrible this year but we'd love to have him.

[abrnfanatc 6]

This is great news!!!!! He has exactly what we need.

Just curious? What does he have we need?

An AARP card? 

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I'm not so sure Tubby is who we need in the long term.

[au03cobrafan 0]

Tubby Smith is a no brainer choice and if by some miracle Auburn gets him I predict Auburn to be in the NCAA tournament or close to it by next season.

[au03cobrafan 0]

If Tubby cant win at KY, he sure cant do it at Auburn. Anderson or Mitchell would be a much better choice.

I don't know what you think he did at UK but what I recall was lots of winning.  The problem he had at UK is that their fans have overblown Bammer like expectations and Tubby Smith just had some horrible luck in the tournaments.  I'll take that at Auburn over what we've had over my whole life pretty much.

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

Tubby Smith is a no brainer choice and if by some miracle Auburn gets him I predict Auburn to be in the NCAA tournament or close to it by next season.

I agree.  I think he or Anderson would have us that close that fast.  Anyone else I think would have to take at least 2-3 years to have us back.

Just my opinion.

[Scrambledog 0]

NO... Tubby Smith is the Tuberville of basketball.  Can you say "mediocre"

[Mikey 16,655]

NO... Tubby Smith is the Tuberville of basketball.  Can you say "mediocre"

Since Coach Tuberville presided over the most successful 8-year run in Auburn football history, I hope we can get a basketball coach that's "just like Tuberville". I'll take that kind of mediocre any day!

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

NO... Tubby Smith is the Tuberville of basketball.  Can you say "mediocre"

Since Coach Tuberville presided over the most successful 8-year run in Auburn football history, I hope we can get a basketball coach that's "just like Tuberville". I'll take that kind of mediocre any day!

Tuberville should've been fired in 2003 while we weren't completely trainwrecked like the disaster he brewed in 2008. He's perfectly capable of recruiting as Chizik has shown he can do, he refused to compete against Saban though. He got what he deserved for running the Auburn program in the ground. If he had fought for his recruits instead of throwing the towel in to Saban we wouldn't be watching them haul home the crystal trophy. He did some great things for us including the 2004 season but we couldn't continue with him as the coach and the SEC getting stronger.

[Mikey 16,655]

NO... Tubby Smith is the Tuberville of basketball.  Can you say "mediocre"

Since Coach Tuberville presided over the most successful 8-year run in Auburn football history, I hope we can get a basketball coach that's "just like Tuberville". I'll take that kind of mediocre any day!

Tuberville should've been fired in 2003 while we weren't completely trainwrecked like the disaster he brewed in 2008. He's perfectly capable of recruiting as Chizik has shown he can do, he refused to compete against Saban though. He got what he deserved for running the Auburn program in the ground. If he had fought for his recruits instead of throwing the towel in to Saban we wouldn't be watching them haul home the crystal trophy. He did some great things for us including the 2004 season but we couldn't continue with him as the coach and the SEC getting stronger.

It's distressing to see how many Auburn fans swallowed the bunk that Lowder and the UAT media put out. I see your mind is made up so I won't confuse you with facts.

[wareagle987 0]

One SEC championship in ten years is not success imho. Pat Dye was the best coach Auburn has had. Go back and look at the teams he put on the field. Pat Dye didn't back down to FSU and Pat Dye played the toughest schedule in the country. Also, Auburn should have won the MNC in 1983 if my memory is correct.

[wareagle987 0]

Tuber didn't come close to this.

At Auburn, Dye achieved a record of 99–39–4 (71.1% win rate) over twelve seasons. His 99 wins are behind only Mike Donahue and Ralph "Shug" Jordan for the most in school history. Under Dye's leadership, the Tigers won four Southeastern Conference Championships (1983, 1987-89) and Dye became only the fourth coach in SEC history to win three straight (1987-1989). He received SEC Coach of the Year honors in 1983, 1987, and 1988. Dye was also Auburn's athletic director from 1981 to 1991.

Dye coached 1985 Heisman Trophy winner Vincent "Bo" Jackson from 1982–1985, as well as Tracy Rocker (1985–88), winner of both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award in 1988. The 1983 team, led by Jackson and a stifling defense, is generally considered Dye's best squad. That team recorded an 11–1 record against one of the toughest schedules in SEC history, including seven wins over bowl teams. Auburn was ranked #1 in the nation by the New York Times at the end of the 1983 season.

On November 19, 2005, the playing surface at Jordan-Hare Stadium at Auburn was named Pat Dye Field in the former coach's honor. The dedication ceremony was held immediately before the Iron Bowl, which Auburn went on to win 28–18. This was especially appropriate since Dye led the Tigers to a 30–20 victory over the Tide on December 2, 1989 in the first installment of the Iron Bowl to be played at Auburn after 41 consecutive meetings at Legion Field in Birmingham. The permanent move of Auburn's home games against Alabama to Jordan-Hare Stadium is considered one of Dye's most important achievements as AU's athletic director. Dye's tenure was also notable for the November 27, 1982 victory over arch-rival Alabama, when Dye's team defeated Alabama 23–22 in Bryant's last regular-season game. That game snapped a nine-game Tide winning streak and returned Auburn to competitive status in the rivalry.

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Back to basketball:

I don't think Tubby Smith is a candidate.  We won't pay him what he is making at Minnesota, and it is harder to win at AU. 

[wareagle987 0]

Why did Tubby leave KY if he was so good? If he cant croot the talent to KY, what makes you think he can get the talent to Auburn?

Tubby won with another coaches croot, when they were gone Tubby was gone.

[Mikey 16,655]

Also, Auburn should have won the MNC in 1983 if my memory is correct.

Gee, same goes for '04.

[BHDAU1 240]

I am from Lexington, Ky and am an avid basketball fan. I am a fan of both Auburn and UK (Auburn over UK when they play). Tubby would be an "OK" hire.  He was never very impressive at UK except the year he won the NC but even then that team was Pitino's recruits and they were already coached to win.  Tubby was along for the ride and only did minimal game management type stuff.  He was a pretty good recruiter but not great. He continually upset UK fans by not getting any in-state talent and always going up north to get guys out of New York and even Canada.  The fact he didnt recruit Chris Lofton even a little bit despite the fact he was a Kentucky boy and wanted to go to UK AND was Mr Basketball in the state was always a sore subject with UK fans.  Lofton ended up at UT with further pissed UK people off. He also rarely recruited any white players and UK fans always wanted to have at least a couple KY white boy pure shooters on the team.  Right or wrong, thats how it was.  By mid way thru his tenure there he got the nickname "Ten Loss Tubby" because he always managed to lose 10 games; most of them teams they outclassed and should have beat.  Tubby had class and was a good spokesman but his coaching and recruiting abilities left something to be desired at a school with the history and tradition of UK.  I wouldnt be mad at all if we hired him but I wouldnt be overjoyed either.  I would rather have a proven young coach that is recognized as a great recruiter as well.  There are several of those type guys out there that I feel like we could get, with Travis Ford being my favorite. 

[guerra aguila 0]

I dont want an EX SEC coach, but thats just me.

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

I put this in another thread, but I will repeat it here:

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Smith's teams, known primarily for a defense-oriented slower style of play coined "Tubbyball", received mixed reviews among Kentucky fans who have historically enjoyed a faster, higher-scoring style of play under previous coaches.

Smith led Kentucky to one national championship in 1998, a perfect 16–0 regular season conference record in 2003 (as well as being named national AP Coach of the Year), five SEC regular season championships (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005) and five SEC Tournament titles (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004), with six Sweet Sixteen finishes and four Elite Eight finishes (1998, 1999, 2003, 2005) in his nine seasons after the 1998 championship. He totaled 100 wins quicker than any other Wildcat coach except Hall of Fame member Adolph Rupp, reaching the plateau in 130 games.

Although Smith compiled an impressive resume during his UK career, he came under considerable pressure from many UK fans, who believed that his recruiting was subpar and his failure to achieve a Final Four appearance in his last nine seasons was inadequate by UK standards. Some UK fans went as far as to place "for sale" signs on his front lawn. He did come just a double overtime loss short of a Final Four appearance in 2005, losing to Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans. This drought is the longest of any coach in UK history. That along with his double digit losing seasons (which led to Tubby's critics nicknaming him "Ten-Loss Tubby") led to the pressure. On March 22, 2007, Smith resigned his position of UK head coach to accept the head coach position at the University of Minnesota.

Smith led the Wildcats to an overall record of 263–83 record for a winning percentage of .760. In his 10 seasons with Kentucky, he averaged over 26 wins per season.

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Who would not want something like this for AU? 

[Turtle_Tiger 13]

I think he could be a good hire. I don't know if he is our best choice.

[guerra aguila 0]

I put this in another thread, but I will repeat it here:

--------------------------------

Smith's teams, known primarily for a defense-oriented slower style of play coined "Tubbyball", received mixed reviews among Kentucky fans who have historically enjoyed a faster, higher-scoring style of play under previous coaches.

Smith led Kentucky to one national championship in 1998, a perfect 16–0 regular season conference record in 2003 (as well as being named national AP Coach of the Year), five SEC regular season championships (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005) and five SEC Tournament titles (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004), with six Sweet Sixteen finishes and four Elite Eight finishes (1998, 1999, 2003, 2005) in his nine seasons after the 1998 championship. He totaled 100 wins quicker than any other Wildcat coach except Hall of Fame member Adolph Rupp, reaching the plateau in 130 games.

Although Smith compiled an impressive resume during his UK career, he came under considerable pressure from many UK fans, who believed that his recruiting was subpar and his failure to achieve a Final Four appearance in his last nine seasons was inadequate by UK standards. Some UK fans went as far as to place "for sale" signs on his front lawn. He did come just a double overtime loss short of a Final Four appearance in 2005, losing to Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans. This drought is the longest of any coach in UK history. That along with his double digit losing seasons (which led to Tubby's critics nicknaming him "Ten-Loss Tubby") led to the pressure. On March 22, 2007, Smith resigned his position of UK head coach to accept the head coach position at the University of Minnesota.

Smith led the Wildcats to an overall record of 263–83 record for a winning percentage of .760. In his 10 seasons with Kentucky, he averaged over 26 wins per season.

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Who would not want something like this for AU? 

unfortunately Auburn fans would love a coach with this resume... its not a terrible one... just not fresh enough if you ask me. His recruiting resources would be all over the place... which would be a huge plus for Auburn. I dont know, now that I think about it... he wouldnt be a bad hire at all... I still think Barbee is my current favorite though.

havent looked much into this basketball coaching search... perhaps I should catch up