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Shooter Now: Gophers coach Tubby Smith's $1 million buyout will disappear Friday
By Charley Walters
Updated: 04/27/2010 11:32:14 AM CDT
Tubby Smith isn't going to Oregon, after all. Dana Altman is, leaving Creighton for a deal worth $1.8 million annually. That's less than Smith makes for coaching basketball at the University of Minnesota.
Oregon, which reportedly had interest in Smith, is believed to be the last major college coaching job available this year. That's good for Gophers' rooters. But here's what isn't: On Friday, Smith's $1 million contract buyout expires.
That means if he were to leave Minnesota, he would owe the university zero. He is about to become an unfettered free agent, even though Smith has four years remaining on his deal.
Despite reports to the contrary, Smith repeatedly denied he had been contacted by Oregon, as well as several other schools rumored to be interested near the end and after last season. He also repeatedly said he and his family are happy at Minnesota.
Still, as of Friday, Tubby will be free to leave without penalty.
"I don't know of any jobs that have opened up lately, because if a new one opens up, somebody will have his name there," Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi said. "I don't mean to be sarcastic. But the reality of it is, I never thought he would leave. If he leaves tomorrow, you can say Joel Maturi didn't think he was going to leave. And that's true.
"That doesn't mean we haven't had conversations and that we're not trying to keep him. But it is a crazy world, isn't it?"
Maturi said he's confident Smith is here to stay.
"I think he's happy here, I think he likes it here," he said. "We've always been committed to him, and I think we've kept our commitment. And I think he's committed to us."
Maturi said the university and Smith continue to discuss a contract extension.
"I know they're talking," Maturi said.
Smith wants a basketball practice facility.
"We're working on developing some strategies for fund-raising, we've got a footprint, we've got an idea where we're going to go and what we're going to do," Maturi said of a new facility.
"That's the good news. It's a matter of raising money, just like the baseball diamond. We're going to need some significant dollars from people who have the ability to give significant money. We need to get some major gifts to start this thing."
Projected cost of a basketball practice facility is $20 million. For a new Gophers baseball stadium, projected cost is $15 million.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14967831?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Go Gophers!!
By Charley Walters
Updated: 04/27/2010 11:32:14 AM CDT
Tubby Smith isn't going to Oregon, after all. Dana Altman is, leaving Creighton for a deal worth $1.8 million annually. That's less than Smith makes for coaching basketball at the University of Minnesota.
Oregon, which reportedly had interest in Smith, is believed to be the last major college coaching job available this year. That's good for Gophers' rooters. But here's what isn't: On Friday, Smith's $1 million contract buyout expires.
That means if he were to leave Minnesota, he would owe the university zero. He is about to become an unfettered free agent, even though Smith has four years remaining on his deal.
Despite reports to the contrary, Smith repeatedly denied he had been contacted by Oregon, as well as several other schools rumored to be interested near the end and after last season. He also repeatedly said he and his family are happy at Minnesota.
Still, as of Friday, Tubby will be free to leave without penalty.
"I don't know of any jobs that have opened up lately, because if a new one opens up, somebody will have his name there," Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi said. "I don't mean to be sarcastic. But the reality of it is, I never thought he would leave. If he leaves tomorrow, you can say Joel Maturi didn't think he was going to leave. And that's true.
"That doesn't mean we haven't had conversations and that we're not trying to keep him. But it is a crazy world, isn't it?"
Maturi said he's confident Smith is here to stay.
"I think he's happy here, I think he likes it here," he said. "We've always been committed to him, and I think we've kept our commitment. And I think he's committed to us."
Maturi said the university and Smith continue to discuss a contract extension.
"I know they're talking," Maturi said.
Smith wants a basketball practice facility.
"We're working on developing some strategies for fund-raising, we've got a footprint, we've got an idea where we're going to go and what we're going to do," Maturi said of a new facility.
"That's the good news. It's a matter of raising money, just like the baseball diamond. We're going to need some significant dollars from people who have the ability to give significant money. We need to get some major gifts to start this thing."
Projected cost of a basketball practice facility is $20 million. For a new Gophers baseball stadium, projected cost is $15 million.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14967831?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Go Gophers!!
