Wanted: Coach for Prestigious College Basketball Program

As much as I would relish verbally punishing Tony LaRussa for his DUI gaffe yesterday, I will hold back the wave of castigation. We are all human and I understand that no one is perfect; unfortunately I am familiar with the procedure and punishment for a DUI, so I am not exactly one to talk. But there is other news that has roused my inquisitiveness, which happens to be with my favorite college basketball team, the Kentucky Wildcats; one of the most storied programs in NCAA history.

Even though he had four years remaining on his contract, Head Coach Tubby Smith resigned yesterday in favor of taking the head coaching position at Minnesota only a week after falling out of the NCAA tournament at the hands of Kansas. I sympthize with Tubby, as he has done a marvelous job over the past ten years. The trouble is that he peaked too soon, winning a national championship in his first year as head coach in 1998. After that he spent the rest of his time trying to live up to the storied legacy of the University of Kentucky basketball program.

The Wildcats have not been back to the Final Four since that 1998 season, which for a prestigious program like Kentucky’s has been the longest in school history. Smith won 263 and lost 83 games in his tenure as head coach, which is winning at a 78% clip. Fans have been calling for his ouster the last four years because winning at a 78% clip is not good enough for Kentucky basketball and I concur. I do not doubt Tubby’s ability to coach what so ever; it takes a bold man to attempt to live up to the standards set by individuals like Adolph Rupp.

But as stated earlier he did deliver a national championship and ten NCAA tournament appearances, a truly admirable record by anyone’s standards. His decision to leave now was best for all parties involved; Minnesota needed a proven winner and no one wanted to see him fired. Tubby’s experience and winning record will undoubtedly resurrect a basketball program in desperate need of a savior. On the other hand though, it leaves Kentucky without a coach. But I highly doubt that the job will stay vacant for long, as this is a dream job for any college basketball coach.

I would personally love Kentucky to pursue Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo, who has proven himself as a winner by establishing Michigan State as a powerhouse in the Big Ten and nationally, even winning a national championship in 2000. Izzo seems to be the best ideological fit, as well as the man with a plan for how to win to a conference as demanding as the SEC. Other potential candidates include Marquette coach Tom Crean, Memphis’ John Calipari, Gonzaga's Mark Few, Notre Dame's Mike Brey, Texas' Rick Barnes, Texas A&M's Billy Gillispie and Villanova's Jay Wright.