Tubby Smith Leaves Kentucky Basketball

Tubby Smith to Coach Minnesota Golden Gophers

I turned on my radio today, and I could not believe my ears as I listened to my local Lexington, Kentucky, AM radio station. Tubby Smith had officially accepted an offer to coach basketball for the University of Minnesota's Golden Gophers. I was stunned and shocked to hear the news. The rumors were now confirmed true - Tubby Smith was finally leaving Kentucky basketball. Well, it was a long time coming. I for one am sad to see him leave Kentucky; I ran into him on a daily basis when I attended the University of Kentucky, and he was a genuine good guy. However, I think the community and Tubby were both ready for a clean slate.

Admittedly, I was more negatively upset when Rick Pitino left Kentucky basketball. When Pitino eventually returned to college and became Coach McTraitor for Louisville (of all places), my blood boiled. My blood isn't boiling now though with the advent of Tubby's exodus. As of late, so many people just have not been showing the support they should have, and I for one certainly can't blame Tubby for finding a more welcoming place to exist. It's easy to complain about what's happening now and forget about all the good things that Tubby has done for Kentucky basketball. Best wishes to you and your family, Tubby.

Now, I'm all furiously worried about who the heck is going to be our new coach? The Herald-Leader reports there will be no search committee, only Kentucky Athletics Director, Mitch Barnhart, will be solely responsible for choosing our new intrepid leader. Of course he will have to lean on the learned opinions of others. Will he attempt to woo Gator Coach Billy Donovan or try to convince Pitino to come home already??? What about John Calipari or Travis Ford? I can't take the suspense! Who do you think it's going to be??

Whoever it is must possess an enormous amount of positive energy to handle the also enormous amount of nervous twitching energy that is swirling around Lexington. Um, yeah another championship sometime soon would be nice, thanks (before ALL my hair turns gray).

The fate of Kentucky basketball -- to be continued...