I think that if Kelena Azibuke's father doesn't have the legal trouble, and he doesn't go pro, then the season two years ago goes so much better, and the "downhill" everyone says that are happening doesn't look as bad.

I think that if Kelena Azibuke's father doesn't have the legal trouble, and he doesn't go pro, then the season two years ago goes so much better, and the "downhill" everyone says that are happening doesn't look as bad.

 

I agree.

While Meeks and Jasper not being in does hurt, I also believe Tubby was a very poor recruiter. He left this team with ZERO inside help.

 

Tubby definitely didn't leave the roster stacked. Add PP and Legion and going into the season, UK was certainly not a title contender, but they had a competitive roster, IMO.

 

The problem is that Meeks, who is either the best or second best player on the team, is out for the season likely. He is their best scorer and best perimeter guy...that's a huge loss for this team, because Bradley and Crawford just aren't consistent enough to be the guys, IMO. Losing Jasper is big as well because he is the only true PG on the roster it seems and they miss his defense and rebounding. Legion's departure isn't as big as those two, IMO...for the short term anyway...it weakens the roster, but it's really an unknown as to how much he could have contributed this year.

 

The absence of Meeks and Jasper have taken this team from potentially being competitive, to one that has little depth and will struggle offensively on a frequent basis, IMO. Jasper coming back will help, but he won't be a miracle worker. I think the presence of Meeks would really help DJ, but I could be wrong.

 

It's just a tough break for a UK team that really needed it's key players to stay healthy. IMO, the three players they needed the most were PP, DJ and Meeks, and they've had to play most of the season minus two of those.

 

Like I said, Tubby didn't leave the roster stacked by any means, but he also didn't cause Jasper and Meeks to go down. These things happen. It's nobody's fault. UK fans are just going to have to live with it. Suck it up and fight through the season and support the players we do have.

 

I'm really excited about Patterson. Next year if we can get a healthy Jasper and Meeks and a few solid recruits...things aren't as bad as they seem right now. I'm not saying UK is on the verge of being a top 5 team...just that with a solid recruiting class and a healthy roster next year, this team could be much, much better.

 

Tubby is gone. At some point, I hope everyone can accept that fact and move on.

I think that if Kelena Azibuke's father doesn't have the legal trouble, and he doesn't go pro, then the season two years ago goes so much better, and the "downhill" everyone says that are happening doesn't look as bad.

 

:creepy:

 

I think that if all the former Cats that went to the NBA were ruled eligible again, and came back, UK would win a title.

 

Every school looses players, and they'd all be better if they didn't.

And I thought it was global warmings fault it was raining and not snowing outside.:lol:

You haven't read my new book then, "An Inconvenient Coach". :thumb:

:creepy:

 

I think that if all the former Cats that went to the NBA were ruled eligible again, and came back, UK would win a title.

 

Every school looses players, and they'd all be better if they didn't.

 

Not disagreeing that if anyone who went pro came back it would help; I just think that loosing Azibuke had a bigger effect at that point in time.

:creepy:

 

I think that if all the former Cats that went to the NBA were ruled eligible again, and came back, UK would win a title.

 

Every school looses players, and they'd all be better if they didn't.

 

Just remember when comparing today's Cats versus Cats of yesteryear and expectations of the program, that the Cats of yesteryear did not lose players.

Sad thread.

 

:thumb:

If UK had beaten UNC and / or IU would Tubby have gotten all of the credit?

If UK had beaten UNC and / or IU would Tubby have gotten all of the credit?

 

Did he beat UNC last year? or the year before....

Did he beat UNC last year? or the year before....

Did he beat IU last year? How is his record against the Hoosiers?

 

However, that is beside the point. He is getting all of this blame laid at his feet, although if UK had beaten either UNC or IU Gillispie would be trumpeted as a hero. Tubby is in a no-win situation with many folks and that is too bad.

Did he beat IU last year? How is his record against the Hoosiers?

 

However, that is beside the point. He is getting all of this blame laid at his feet, although if UK had beaten either UNC or IU Gillispie would be trumpeted as a hero. Tubby is in a no-win situation with many folks and that is too bad.

 

You've gotta look at the trend established by the previous coach. Pitino had a winning trend going, Tubby had a losing trend going. Both of those trends carried forward into the tenure of the next coach.

 

People are treating Tubby exactely like they treated Pitino. The only difference is that Pitino left the program in the best possible shape, and Tubby didn't.

 

Remember all the people saying "I hope BCG wins a title so we can give the credit to Tubby."? Well, those same people need to give credit to Tubby no matter the outcome.

Tubby Smith is in the past. To quote Timon and Pumba:

 

Timon: It's like we always say...

Pumba: You leave your behind in the past!

Timon: NO NO NO! You leave your past...behind you.

 

Tubby's gone (perhaps rightfully so) and UK fans need to get over him and move on. BCG is a great Coach, he has won everywhere he has went. It's going to be a tough season or two while he gets things moving in the right direction, but I guarantee you by the end of the year this team will have improved drastically over where we were this past weekend. We may not even make the Big Dance this year, and thats okay. Rome wasn't built in a day and if Rick Pitino was right and we the Holy Roman Empire of college basketball it's going to take a while to re-establish the empire.

 

I mean Cameron Mills is not walking through that door people! Chuck Hayes is not walking through that door!

You've gotta look at the trend established by the previous coach. Pitino had a winning trend going, Tubby had a losing trend going. Both of those trends carried forward into the tenure of the next coach.

 

People are treating Tubby exactely like they treated Pitino. The only difference is that Pitino left the program in the best possible shape, and Tubby didn't.

 

Remember all the people saying "I hope BCG wins a title so we can give the credit to Tubby."? Well, those same people need to give credit to Tubby no matter the outcome.

 

:thumb:

Thanks for the reminder of why I don't tell people I root for UK basketball...