Entropic Cogitations

Yet another chapter comes to a close in the storied tradition that is KY basketball. And as another year has gone by, the descent to mediocrity continues unabated. Many of us have been screaming about this for the past few years, but we are dismissed by the general media as dumb fanatics who simply have unrealistic expectations. The Dick Vitales of this world keep harping on Tubby Smiths’ 26 win seasons, his performance in the SEC and his one National Championship.

I have said it numerous times before. This is KY basketball. We expect to be a top tier team every year. The loss yesterday to Kansas was almost a given. Last year when we lost to UConn, we at least put up a fight. Thanks to a Kentucky Boy named sparks who single handedly played his heart out. This year, we didn’t stand a chance. Every honest KY fan who saw that game knows in his heart that we could have played that team 100 times, and we would have LOST 100 times. KY is no longer a powerhouse. We are an OK team that cannot beat a decent top 25 team. Period. And the times we won against moderately good teams this year, someone was always hurt/missing form the opposing team. Else we wouldn’t even have made the tournament.

Here are some staggering statistics for the Tubby lovers out there.

Tubby Simth is the:

First UK coach to go 8 straight years without a final four.
The First UK coach to lose 10 or more games three years in a row, and 4 of the last 7 years.
First UK coach to be swept by Vandy in a season in 32 years.
First UK coach to lose 4 straight to an SEC opponent in 30 years.
Only coach to lose to Ole Miss at Rupp.
Only coach to lose to Vandy twice at Rupp.
Most Double Digit loss seasons of any UK coach
Has NEVER recruited a player to play in a final four in 16 years as a head coach.
Only UK coach to lose consecutive games to Kansas.
Only coach to ever lose to a number 1 ranked team at rupp.

This is our first season with 0 wins against ranked opponents going into the tournament in 33 years. We have now lost 6 in a row to Florida. They OWN us on the hardwood floor.

People used to FEAR KY and be intimidated by Rupp Arena. Today we are just another ordinary road win for ordinary teams.

It is downright sickening. And the administration will let it continue for NO other reason than the fact that they are scared to be labelled “racist” by that niche crowd who will immediately play that card if Tubby gets fired. The fact of the matter is that niche crowd will never go away. Pandering to them to the detriment of KY basketball makes a mockery of all the equality that blacks have faught for over the years.

It is time for Tubby Smith to go.

On Sunday March 4, 2007 Florida became the first team in History to beat Kentucky SIX times in a row. Vandy has already beaten us 4 in a row. We have NOT beaten a SINGLE ranked team this season? How many more of these infamous “firsts” do we have to go through before Tubby and/or the administration realizes that he is NOT the man for the job. Tubby Smith has stated where he stands with comments like “I don’t have to defend my record”. It is shameful that Kentucky basketball fans have now been reduced to rooting for a 1st round win in the SEC tournament. We used to OWN that place with names like Rupp Arena South and CATlanta. Now we will be lucky to get past the 1st round. KY will probably make it into the NCAA based solely on their name.

Here’a a great stat to chew on. Over his 16 year coaching career at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky, a Tubby Smith recruited player has NEVER been to a Final Four.

I would have never thought I’d be saying this but I hope we lose in the SEC 1st round and either don’t make it to the NCAA or lose in the 1st round there. That should eliminate all hope of a resurgence and we can finally fire this mediocre coach. Time to bring on Travis Ford or John Pelphry and bring back some HEART into this team.

UK had another lackluster performance yesterday. They have now lost four in a row to Vanderbilt. I can’t believe I am writing the same thing a year after a post I made last year when we got swept by Vandy. Kentucky has not beaten a SINGLE ranked team this year. We are 0-6 against ranked teams.

Tubby Smith is a mediocre coach. What’s worse he has taken an elite basketball program and slowly and systematically run it into the ground where we are now the laughing stock of College Basketball. He is arrogant and will never accept it is his fault. Even after the latest loss, he was out blaming the players.

Tubby along with his supporters don’t “Get it”. This is Kentucky Basketball we are talking about. 10 loss seasons and just “making” the NCAA are NOT good enough. You want to be a mediocre coach of a mediocre team, be my guest. LEAVE! A great analysis of the difference between where we were and where we are can be found here.

Finally the mainstream press is catching up to what we so called “Tubby Bashers” have been screaming about for years.

When passionate fans such as yours truly don’t even care anymore when KY loses, the program is truly in dire straits. Someone in the UK administration needs to show some guts and FIRE Tubby Smith. He is too deluded to leave on his own. The SEC and NCAA tourneys are lost causes anyways. Fire him NOW. It’s not like he is going to be out on the street on food stamps.

Send a message that the only thing that will be tolerated at UK is excellence. Anything else falls short of the mark.