Looking at those RPI #s a little closer, what do they say?
What I see is that Tubby's COMBINED RPI rankings for his last 5 years is 261. Monson's combined RPI rankings for just his final 2 seasons is 283.
Looking at the BEST 5 years for each coach, Tubby's combined RPI ranking of 261 compared to Monson's 426 shows a HUGE difference.
426 > 261.
And something to note about that comparison, is it excludes Tubby's first year, which is often acceptable to give a coach a pass on their first season, since they are having to basically coach the proceeding coaches recruits.
But that comparison excludes Monson's LAST TWO YEARS!!!!!!
Basically Monson GOT WORSE.
Tubby's 6th year is HIS BEST.
Comparing Tubby's 6 years head to head with Monson's BEST 6 years shows this
#13 vs #46
#42 vs #68
#62 vs #70
#63 vs #74
#81 vs #91
#108 vs #168
So Tubby's best season IS better than Monson's best season was
Tubby's 2nd best season was better than Monson's 2nd best season, all the way down the line to their 6th best season. And not included is Monson's 7th best season, or his worst, #194. So, does anyone think that if Tubby remains, that next year's RPI will be worse than #194?
And yet another way to look at their numbers.
Monson's first 3 yrs = 212
Tubby's first 3 years = 213
Monson had the scandal aftermath to deal with, so that comparison is interesting, but Monson got the benefit of several Minnesota natives transferring back to Minnesota, and honestly, the team that Monson inherited from Clem was not too bad of a team. Not too deep, but still pretty good. The team that Tubby inherited from Monson was HORRIBLE. So Tubby's worst RPI season, his first, being included skews that comparison.
But now, the REAL interesting part of this comparison is now to look at the next 3 seasons.
Monson's seasons 4-6 = #305 (his last 3 would be #331)
Tubby's seasons 4-6 = #156
305 > 156
So Tubby's seasons 4-6, the points of their career where they've had time to establish themselves. All of the players are their recruits, the coach has had plenty of time to establish his system. And the results are clear.
Now, lets look at Monson vs Monson, his first 3 years vs his next 3 or last 3 and then Tubby's first 3 vs his next/last three.
Monson's first 3 = 212 vs 305/331 - his next/last 3 years
Tubby's first 3 = 213 vs 156 - his next/last 3 years
Monson's teams got worse.
Tubby's teams got BETTER.
But during the middle of his VERY BEST YEAR YET, fans are demanding that he be fired??
Now I'm not trying to say that Tubby's an incredible coach. I'm not trying to say that we couldn't get a better coach.
I'm trying to point out the character of Tubby haters. They hate him, and so are willing to manipulate facts and basically say anything to skew the facts to TRY to make Tubby look worse than he is. Some are even willing to flat out lie. Justifying in their minds their actions feeling that the ends will justify the means?!
What motivates me to defend Tubby as much as I do?? It's NOT because I love Tubby.
It's because I HATE the tactics of the Tubby Haters who feel that the ends justify the means.
This doesn't mean that I hate all Tubby Haters, or that I don't appreciate CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. In fact, I appreciate reading the criticisms of Tubby's recruiting and coaching. I am NOT one who wants only to read positive rah-rah-rah. I don't like the EXTREME negativity and all the EXAGGERATED comments posted after losses. I feel that the TRUTH, the simple truth, without the exaggerations, would have more influence.
When I'm reading toned down constructive criticism, I actually ENJOY reading it, and I open my mind to what I'm reading.
When I'm reading UBER NEGATIVE exaggerated comments, I get pissed off, and I feel compelled to defend whoever is being attacked, whether they deserve to be defended or not.
I have to laugh, the first analogy that came to my mind, and take into account that I'm watching a tv program with a lot of violence, but the analogy that came to my mind is that if I witnessed a big tough bouncer push a skinny little kid to the ground, I'd be pissed at the bouncer, but then if I then found out that someone was falsely accusing the bouncer of then kicking him and beating him senseless when I knew that wasn't true, my anger would be refocused on the false accuser.
So Tubby deserves criticism, but when people lie or exaggerate or manipulate facts to try to skew people's perceptions, it just pisses ME off and my attention is redirected away from the person truly deserving of criticism and is directed towards those who are exaggerating or manipulating the facts.
I will admit that the Tubby defenders, myself included, often do the same thing, manipulate facts and ignore certain negatives and only highlight the positives, but honestly, I see it as far less of a crime to manipulate facts in an effort to DEFEND someone's name, reputation, honor, that it is to manipulate facts in an effort to DEFAME someone's name, reputation, honor. And far more often than not, those who are defending Tubby, are doing so ONLY in response to the Tubby Haters drawing first blood.
Was Rambo in the movie First Blood a good guy?! No, he blew up a town. lol But if you watch the movie, you can't help cheering for him because he started out a good guy and didn't start going psycho on everyone until after they continued to persecute him, over and over and over again. They wouldn't stop, so finally Rambo fought back. His defense of his actions? They drew first blood.
So what I'm saying is, TUBBY HATERS, if you want to get everyone else on board, TONE DOWN your criticisms. Seriously. Stop exaggerating. Stop manipulating the facts.
Actually, try something creative, turn on your brains, start out by first praising Tubby for something good, and then toss in a criticism. And guess what, Tubby defenders will be open to discussing the negative if they think you are willing to admit to the positives.
