I just spoke with Tubby this morning

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aoftelie

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at an event at the Mpls club.

I walked over to him and said "I am sorry Tubby"

And he said "for what?"

And then I explained how I was weak, loved Gopher basketball, and was earnestly following some private jet from Teeterboro airport to St Paul.

I said it was a moment of "Kentucky craziness".

He winked, and laughed. He explained how he was going about his business making recruiting calls and getting off season scehdules in order for the team, then all of the sudden there were people outside lurking outside his window and all this commotion in the front office. He said one of his assistants showed him the link and they all had a good laugh.

Apparently Shooter was even waiting at Holman field--Shooter was standing next to Tubby and he gave him a hard time.

Tubby also said he was a little miffed with Myron. He said "never say never" ie Tubby might leave someday (retire or another job years from now) but that he said he wouldnt give up on something after two years, and that he loved MN. He thought Myron took that and represented the words inaccurately from what Tubby meant.

He was very pleasant, and seemed to laugh at this whole episode.

Maturi was there, and I spoke with him for a bit too, and he told me to not worry. In Joel's words "If it was about money, Tubby wouldnt be here right now".

In other words "Tubby really likes it here, the program, the direction".

Just lucked out that I met him (first time) and wanted to pass this along.

I posted this on the rivals.site (where I usually lurk) but though I would share with folks here.

Go Gophers!
 

Good times. This sounds more like the Tubby I've met in the past. A class act all around.
 

Interesting thanks for the post and insight. Tubby is ours.
 

Funny exchange (if true - not that I doubt you, I just don't believe everything I read--especially on this board) and thanks for the info.

The quote by Maturi (that if it was about money, Tubby would be long gone) is somewhat encouraging. I don't see Tubby running off anytime soon and, if he does, the program has proven to be attractive and should land a satisfactory replacement coach.
 

Its true

It was a great event--it was legendary sports writer Frank Deford speaking to MPR Leadsership circle folks.

In addition to Maturi and Tubby--I saw Alan Page, and talked to Dave Mona too.

It was funny to watch Maturi's and Tubby's faces, when in his opening remarks, Deford commented on the Kentucky offer to Calipari ($35 mil over 8 years--$4.3 mi per). Apparently Deford thinks the athletes of the "revenue sports" should be getting paid--called it a unique American injustice that they werent getting paid, and that coaches made millions, and the NCAA made millions.

Maturi also told me he and Alan Page were classmates at ND and knew each other back in the day...
 




Myron should rename his blog post ..

Instead of Myron: Tubby, Tony, A Trip To The St. Paul Airport, And An Empty Tank of Gas to ..

Myron: Gilligan, The Skipper, And A Three Hour Tour. Starring Myron as Gilligan ! The skipper takes off his hat and thwacks Myron over the head or gives him a swift kick in the ass.

Well done Myron. Good Story !

Lol.
 




Myron's story was okay, just that his focus was wrong. He focused on the "never say never" quote that Tubby made rather than the fact that he liked Minnesota and wanted to be here for a long time. Tubby's contract provides that he and the U will revisit its terms 24 months after his hire (basically right now), he wants support for his program from the U (that is, a practice facility), and he's experienced enough now to know that you really truly should never say never as a basketball coach and in life for that matter. Why say that you are completely happy here and will never leave when you don't know it to be 100% true (no one knows what the future holds) and when that essentially throws out your leverage on the administration to support your program and keep you happy contract-wise?

I have no problem with Tubby's never say never attitude, especially when the program is moving along an upward trajectory and we keep getting indications from him that he likes it here even though could make more money elsewhere.

He could leave at any time, he could stay until he retires -- no one knows, so why worry? Just look at what we know - Cons to U of M: Not a top-tiered program, no practice facility, more casual fanbase/supporters than top-tiered programs, cold climate, away from where Tubby grew up/lived in the past. Pros to U of M: Generally supportive AD and President, growing program, great recruiting classes coming in, plans to improve the program, more casual fanbase than top-tiered programs, urban setting, good in-state talent pool with relative lack of recruiting competition from regional D1 schools, able to attract top out-of-state recruits, large well known university with many class offerings, major conference school, allows son to be assistant coach, other son coaches locally (Southwest), etc. Pros outweigh the cons for now.
 

I just can't imagine after just two seasons, showing the progress this program has shown, that Tubby could want to leave it like this. It just wouldn't make sense to me. Let's be honest, we know it's not likely he stays here his entire career, though I could definitely see that as well, but just two years and bolt? I don't see it. Maybe once the program is truly established and is in great shape, maybe so, but not now.
 

thanks aoftelie

aoftelie said:
It was a great event--it was legendary sports writer Frank Deford speaking to MPR Leadsership circle folks.

In addition to Maturi and Tubby--I saw Alan Page, and talked to Dave Mona too.

It was funny to watch Maturi's and Tubby's faces, when in his opening remarks, Deford commented on the Kentucky offer to Calipari ($35 mil over 8 years--$4.3 mi per). Apparently Deford thinks the athletes of the "revenue sports" should be getting paid--called it a unique American injustice that they werent getting paid, and that coaches made millions, and the NCAA made millions.

Maturi also told me he and Alan Page were classmates at ND and knew each other back in the day...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great post. Please drop in more often.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
 

There are many times when I question Myron, but Tubby blaming him is wrong.

All Tubby had to do to avoid this is say definitively that he wasn't going to Virginia. He wouldn't do it.

Tubby put himself in this position.

It's kind of like when a team that is clearly better than the opponent plays poorly and lets the bad team hang around. And then the refs make a questionable call or two. Then everybody blames the refs. I'm, like, you shouldn't have put yourself in that position.

All Tubby had to do on Saturday was say "I'm staying here. Virginia called my agent, but I'm staying at Minnesota." Then it is over. Instead, he wanted to leave the door open a little bit.

But to blame Myron is wrong.
 



aoftelie said:
at an event at the Mpls club.

I walked over to him and said "I am sorry Tubby"

And he said "for what?"

And then I explained how I was weak, loved Gopher basketball, and was earnestly following some private jet from Teeterboro airport to St Paul.

I said it was a moment of "Kentucky craziness".

He winked, and laughed. He explained how he was going about his business making recruiting calls and getting off season scehdules in order for the team, then all of the sudden there were people outside lurking outside his window and all this commotion in the front office. He said one of his assistants showed him the link and they all had a good laugh.

Apparently Shooter was even waiting at Holman field--Shooter was standing next to Tubby and he gave him a hard time.

Tubby also said he was a little miffed with Myron. He said "never say never" ie Tubby might leave someday (retire or another job years from now) but that he said he wouldnt give up on something after two years, and that he loved MN. He thought Myron took that and represented the words inaccurately from what Tubby meant.

He was very pleasant, and seemed to laugh at this whole episode.

Maturi was there, and I spoke with him for a bit too, and he told me to not worry. In Joel's words "If it was about money, Tubby wouldnt be here right now".

In other words "Tubby really likes it here, the program, the direction".

Just lucked out that I met him (first time) and wanted to pass this along.

I posted this on the rivals.site (where I usually lurk) but though I would share with folks here.

Go Gophers!
Click to expand...

If this is true, and I happen to believe you since this is the type of response that has been typical of Tubby over the past two years, I tend to think that he never really was a candidate for the Virginia job (despite the offer Virginia may or may not have made), Arizona job or any other job at this time. He seems pretty focused in looking forward and certainly his behavior and that of the coaching staff since the end of the season has indicated no interest in moving on.

In other words, there was no evidence to support the claims he was moving on in the first place, either from anything he said or did since the end of the season. I tend to think that in the future, we'll be able to tell if he is serious about going somewhere else because there will be concrete displays that reinforce the point. In this case, there was nothing but internet here-say and innuendo.

Maybe he thought about Virginia, maybe he didn't. But whether Virginia approached him or not, and I happen to think they did, the response was pretty obviously "no."
 

anonymous said:
There are many times when I question Myron, but Tubby blaming him is wrong.

All Tubby had to do to avoid this is say definitively that he wasn't going to Virginia. He wouldn't do it.

Tubby put himself in this position.

It's kind of like when a team that is clearly better than the opponent plays poorly and lets the bad team hang around. And then the refs make a questionable call or two. Then everybody blames the refs. I'm, like, you shouldn't have put yourself in that position.

All Tubby had to do on Saturday was say "I'm staying here. Virginia called my agent, but I'm staying at Minnesota." Then it is over. Instead, he wanted to leave the door open a little bit.

But to blame Myron is wrong.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with this position as well. Certainly, there was some kind of miscommunication or misuse of certain words and phrases in both Myron's interpretation and his article if Tubby is to be believed.

But in following the falling dominoes here, Tubby apparently was not considering Virginia for at least the past few days and perhaps longer, which makes his statement about "never saying never" in a Sunday newspaper article puzzling.

However, if you take it as "never say never" because you never know what is going to happen in this life from a philosophical stand point, it's more understandable. I mean, any of us could be hit by a bus tomorrow and never knew it was coming, but that doesn't affect the way we look at our current situation, especially if we're in a happy place. (I know it's a bad analogy, but its the best I can come with right now!!!:p).

I look at it this way, Myron wanted direct response about the Virginia job specifically and Tubby was looking at it in a larger sense of the profession of being a coach and living this life in general when he answered the question. In this regard, there was some miscommunication going on.

But the bottom line remains, he's still our coach!!!!:clap::clap::clap:
 

aoftelie said:
It was a great event--it was legendary sports writer Frank Deford speaking to MPR Leadsership circle folks.

In addition to Maturi and Tubby--I saw Alan Page, and talked to Dave Mona too.

It was funny to watch Maturi's and Tubby's faces, when in his opening remarks, Deford commented on the Kentucky offer to Calipari ($35 mil over 8 years--$4.3 mi per). Apparently Deford thinks the athletes of the "revenue sports" should be getting paid--called it a unique American injustice that they werent getting paid, and that coaches made millions, and the NCAA made millions.

Maturi also told me he and Alan Page were classmates at ND and knew each other back in the day...
Click to expand...


Frank Deford should be castrated for the piece he did about Kirby Puckett in SI. That man should never be allowed to step foot in this state. Whenever he does, I hope someone promtly kicks his ass.
 

Myron

likely had his story conceived before he talked to Tubby. He wanted Tubby to offer something he could attach to his hypothesis about what was going on, and took the "never say never" quote further than it was meant to go. I have been at events where a speaker has given a talk, and he offers 15 seconds of 20 minutes on a topic. Then you read it in the newspaper the next day, and you would think the only thing he talked was the 15 second phrase. It is out of context and blown out of proportion, but it fits what the reporter had in mind at the beginning so he/she runs with it. It's tough to change the angle of a story with deadlines fast approaching.
 

Interesting back-and-forth the day of all the Tubby non-news breaking and his future here in Minnesota
 

Thanks Aoftelie

That's a great story - the second I heard that Tubby could of been in his office - I was cracking up. I'm like there are thousands of people online, every news source trying to track down his plane, and all they had to do was stop by Bierman!

As for the "Never say never," I have no problem with that on Myron's or Tubby's part. That's the problem with the written word, it could of been a shoulder shrug when he said it, or a kind of wink-wink...it could mean completely different things. He just wrote what Tubby said. And it's true, you can't guarantee anything, you can just say what your intentions are. I'd rather have him do that than be one of these coaches that promises to stay and is gone in 24 hours.
 

GopherLady said:
I'm like there are thousands of people online, every news source trying to track down his plane, and all they had to do was stop by Bierman!
Click to expand...

Thats what Tubby said! He was like "why didnt they just call me"? Then he said he talked to Shooter (again shooter was standing there and Tubby was ribbing him because he was at Holman field trying to get the scoop) and Shooter was like "well they would have said you were busy for a cover up" etc.

Its wonderful to have him here, and he may leave to COACH somewhere else someday. But I can pretty much guarantee if/when he does it wont be this smoke and mirrors crap you see elsewhere.

BTW you all should check out the back and forth on www.catspause.com as everyone and their mother speculates on the Memphis/UK contract battle for Calipari. Hilarious stuff. I feel a touch less psycho after reading that site...
 

aoftelie said:
Thats what Tubby said! He was like "why didnt they just call me"? Then he said he talked to Shooter (again shooter was standing there and Tubby was ribbing him because he was at Holman field trying to get the scoop) and Shooter was like "well they would have said you were busy for a cover up" etc.

Its wonderful to have him here, and he may leave to COACH somewhere else someday. But I can pretty much guarantee if/when he does it wont be this smoke and mirrors crap you see elsewhere.

BTW you all should check out the back and forth on www.catspause.com as everyone and their mother speculates on the Memphis/UK contract battle for Calipari. Hilarious stuff. I feel a touch less psycho after reading that site...
Click to expand...

I had actually put an email into one of his office staff that did not reply to me - that could of cleared everything up. And this is a person who always responds withing minutes, so I'm guessing they were enjoying all of this, because they could of put the rumors to rest ASAP!

I'm sounding like a broken record (like G4L) - but honestly, aside from not building the practice facility, I don't any reason for him to leave for a while. He doesn't need the high profile job, he's shown money isn't his motivator, he's past all that. He's not a 40 year old coach trying to get to the top...he's been there, and it wasn't great. I think he'd rather take MN to the top!
 


I think he sees that he can really leave a legacy at the University of Minnesota without the constant pressure rather than just be another great coach at some other big school. Plus, he seems really genuine and until he gives a reason to think otherwise I will take him for his word and not look for some underlying message that may be there.
 

How many times is Tubby required to reassure us?

It is silly to think that Tubby has to put all this rest every single time it comes up. He'd already been asked directly about the Virginia job.
"Do you really, really love me and will you promise to never, never leave me?"
Hah! What if your girlfriend harangued you like this early in the relationship. Yuck!
 

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