Good for Tubby, I have a feeling that 2008 will be the best year (personally) that he's had since '98.
While I'd love for UK to go through an embarrassment similar to the one the Alabama football program just endured, it's not going to happen, they're going to get a big name. So naturally my attention is focused on the Cats getting someone that I completely and utterly despise.
Give me Tom Crean, give me John Calipari, give me Kim Jong-il.
Early reports are that Crean is the front-runner.
While this would be great because he is a guy that I loathe and one who I think truly loathes Pitino and Louisville in return, the guy can flat-out coach and I wouldn't be surprised if he got Kentucky back to the status it knew in the mid-to-late 90's.
The biggest question I have in all of this is how the hell does Minnesota have $2.5 million that they're willing to shell out for a basketball coach each year? This isn't Kansas, it isn't even Michigan, it's a program that has been to only six NCAA Tournaments EVER, and one that's overshadowed by both football and HOCKEY.
The program did see some success in the late 90's, most notably a Final Four run in '97 that was ended by Pitino's last Kentucky squad, but that success came under the tutelage of Clem Haskins who we now know wasn't exactly following all the rules.
It seems like Minnesota AD Joel Maturi is trying to pull a Jurich and reinvigorate the Golden Gopher program with a big name hire in basketball, and a commitment to better facilities in Minneapolis.
There is nothing I would love more, besides a Louisville national championship, than to see Tubby completely turn the program around and see so much success that the blue bloods (sans the rational ones) would have no choice but to be red in the face.
Hey Mitch, I hear O.J. is available.