Gophers win round one of the Tubby sweepstakes

Posted on March 30, 2009 by JF in 2009-2010

For the last 48 hours or so, rumors were circling (on the Internet of all places) that Tubby Smith had signed a contract with the Virginia Cavaliers to be their new head coach. As late as this afternoon he was allegedly on chartered jet heading to an evening press conference to announce the re-arrival of Virginia basketball on the national scene, and would presumably drive in one of his two new cars to his new mansion where he would rest comfortable on his $3.2 million mattress.

It is our policy at From The Barn to not rumor-monger and spread unverifiable information (you can thank the Verdell Jones incident for that), and with good reason! Tubby seems to be staying put for now, and Virginia’s new coach is Tony Bennett, the son of the inventor (or at least chief perpetuater) of slow ball. And people accuse the Big Ten of being boring. Wait until they see what Bennett brings to the ACC.

The Gophers just finished a 22 win season and their first trip to the NCAA tournament. This 23rd victory, keeping Tubby Smith for the time being, may be the biggest of them all. Unfortunately, with a power coach comes the risk of power grabs. Until Smith retires or forgets how to win, any opening at any major (or self-described major) basketball schools will bring a flurry of rumors and the craziness that Tubby Smith tried to leave at Kentucky.

Minnesota basketball is relevant again. This just comes with the territory.