Fire Tubby?

A firetubby.com reader has sent in a document that he created that breaks down the differences between Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith’s tenures at UK (ala Seth Davis). For now I’ll just call him RP until I hear what he would like to be called or if he would like to use his real name. He wanted to submit this to the site for everyone to read and I said I would look over it.

Well, I opened it up, and damn, it’s a 10 page 3300 word tome. I haven’t read all of it yet but just from skimming, I think it’s safe to say that he misses the Pitino days (as most of you reading this do). Personally, and this is just me, I am not ready to give Tubby the heave ho just yet. Am I frustrated? Oh yeah. I just wanted to say that we don’t endorse the point of view but I am more than willing to put it up on the site just because thats the kind of guys we are. Always willing to start a good flame war since I know there are still a few of you out there who still aren’t quite ready to stick a fork in this team yet.

So anyway, I’m going to go ahead and post it for you guys to read and talk about. Like I said I haven’t read it all so I’m not 100% sure about all the content as far as if there are any curse words if that type of thing bothers you. There are charts and diagrams, and twenty seven eight by ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining… no wait, I’ve broken into song again, sorry about that. I’m pretty sure this is the closest to a manifesto that will ever appear on this site. If you get through it all you’re quite the trooper. Ok, here it is.

Have you noticed a pattern lately?

• Start slow and fall behind by 12-16 points.
• I declare the game over and mumble something about “I can’t believe this is happening again.”
• UK then starts playing catch-up until halftime so that they are only down by two to four points.
• They open the second half with a little better defense but still no offense.
• Fall down by 12-16 points once again.
• I declare the game over and threaten to change the channel.
• UK starts the comeback.
• Randolph/Ramel/Joe hit some shots and bring it back to four to six points.
• Right on schedule when UK starts closing the gap, the other team catches fire.
• Kentucky’s defense turns it up a notch just enough to make you feel like there’s a chance to pull out the W.
• Jodie/Ramel/Joe start turning over the ball.

Tubby actually looks like he’s done. He really doesn’t look like he was into this game. Maybe John Clay or someone who was actually at the game could have a little more insight into this point. That’s just the way it felt watching it on tv.

Sign in the crowd at Alabama. Very creative and very hilarious.

This is the closest I have come to changing the Nahhh to an Eeeeh. It was also the most aggravated I have been since I watched the UK v Ohio football game a couple of years ago. Even down by four with 2 minutes to go I didn’t have much hope for pulling out a win. That is a very unusual feeling for me regarding the basketball team. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the only times I have felt like there was no chance. Tack another L up on the board simply because they couldn’t manage to play consistently for any extended period of time. Couple of notes in bullet form and in no particular order.

- Jodie Meeks (still!) can not pass the ball.
- Backdoor cut for layup #1. Damn, can’t let that happen.
- Joe Crawford is a frickin’ basketball chameleon, alternating between scrub and stud.
- Please stop trying to pass the ball to Woo in the lane.
- Alan Cutler is in Knoxville can’t wait to see how he wraps this up (I admit I’m obsessed).
- Backdoor cut for layup #214. Shoot me in the face.

My feeling pretty much from here on out is that if you don’t like Tubby, and you have every right to have that feeling, that you have to root AGAINST Kentucky in the remaining games. Tubby will not be fired for simply going .500 the rest of the way. If you really want change in the captain’s chair (and in your mind) have the best interest of the program at heart, you should be hoping to finish off this season 0-7 and then crash and burn in the SEC tourney.

At that point you are looking at an 18-13 team with only a marginal shot at making the big tournament. So what do you say? Are you willing to admit that you hope that’s what happens?

Many Thanks to FireRich.com’s own Hefty Lefty for the screencap.