Orlando Smith's Tuesday News and Views

***This image and the following words are posted under the assumption that we're all mature enough to not nerd-fight. I know it seems like it was just yesterday (unless you watched the last few years of his tenure), but it was exactly 12 years ago today that C.M. Newton introduced Orlando "Tubby" Smith as the new men's basketball coach, succeeding that white suit-wearing traitor currently setting up camp down I-64.  At the time, no one knew that Coach Smith would one day be a part of a violent, internet-driven Bluegrass Civil War so intense, it would make the Hatfields and the McCoys think UK fans were petty and insane (but they're probably UK fans anyway).  Kentucky fans, despite watching their heroes in blue make their way to back-to-back NCAA Championship games, were feeling the wrong kind of blue after watching savior Rick take the money and run to Boston.  The hiring of Smith was a refreshing boost of confidence, for the most part, as he was seen as a rising star in the profession and, as a former Pitino assistant, someone who "knew what it meant to coach at Kentucky".  My, how things can change over the course of a decade or so. But, despite what we all remember from the end, it wasn't all bad under the Tubster.  Somewhere between the glowing praise the school received that day for hiring a African-American as a head coach and the "For Sale" signs placed in his yard, Tubby Smith won a national championship and 76% of his games (75% in the SEC), but never returned to the Final Four after 1998.  In his nine years at the helm, UK won 5 SEC regular season titles and 5 SEC tournament titles, including running the table with a perfect 16-0 season in 2003.  He also made himself a fixture in the Lexington community through the Tubby Smith Foundation and other charitable ventures - some of which he still continues today.  All in all, Tubby was a pretty darn good coach and a damn fine human being while he was here.  **I fully understand my basketball knowledge will be questioned and I will be called a "Tubby apologist" somewhere below.  I also expect that lengthy fact sheet of "firsts" from Dynasty Defenders to be posted.  It's ok.  It's all part of the history. But, this isn't as much of a history lesson as it is a bit of a discussion question to partner with this part of the program's past.  In the live blog earlier tonight, someone posed the question "Is it better for Tubby Smith that he was succeeded by Gillispie and not Calipari?", to which I think you would have to emphatically answer "yes".  When I wrote a post last year about Tubby receiving an honorary degree (comment #19 is the best), it incited a near comments section massacre, proving what a polarizing figure that Smith had become.  But, in the wake of the Billy Gillispie Experiment and that "time" thing that they say heals all wounds, it's possible that Tubby Smith might one day be back in Rupp Arena being honored and taking in a game as a fan - which I think is completely deserved.  If Billy Gillispie had won big and won often, would that be the case?  I'm not sure, but it's a lot less likely.  But, I think Calipari has shown he's the type of guy who wants to embrace the past and reach out to its history.  Tubby Smith, whether your wound is healed or not, is part of that history and I think that in time, you'll see him getting his fair shake at UK.  Eventually, he'll be as welcomed around these parts as every other title-winning coach. Or, I'm just as bat s--t crazy as Bryan the Intern. Now, onto some quick news hitters....  - Patrick Patterson is back!  Patrick Patterson is back!  Patrick Patterson is back!  My yet-to-be-born child will be rocking a Patrick Patterson or will be named Patrick Patterson regardless of gender.  There is not a single thing to not like about the kid.  He's the type of upperclassmen leader - a combination of talent and passion - that every coach in the country would kill for.  And he's ours.  Or Calipari's.  It depends on your level of fandom and preference of pronoun, I guess.  - In what has to be the greatest analogies ever made by a sports writer, The Man, The Myth, The Faux Hawk writes that Lance Stephenson is like a super model with an STD.  Mr. Parrish, my teeth will never be as white as yours, my collar never as starched or skin as Bruce Pearl-ish.  But you, sir, just made me want to grow up and make analogies like Gary Parrish.  Except for insulting a kid.  But, hey, you have to go big or go home, right?  Well done.  - The word on the street is that John Wall will make a decision on May 20th and it will be between UK, Duke, Florida and Miami.  Or, he will change his mind because he don't need permission, he makes his own decisions.  This is not really new or ground-breaking, it's just for that guy who is going to type "any news on Wall?" in the comments.  In fact, it will still make an appearance.  I'm guessing at comment #37.  - In case you missed this earlier, Dicky V wrote that "Big Blue is back on track, baby!" in a post on his ESPN blog.  It's nothing new to the die-hard UK fan (besides the new spelling of Darnell's last name), but it's good to see the excitement over UK basketball spreading nationwide.  If they handle their business on the court, you can expect all your non-UK fans to be "so effing sick of ESPN covering them".  This could be a very special team.  - Our good buddy Jody Demling dishes the latest on former UK commit Michael Avery who is on the move to a new school.  He's heading to Monteverde Academy in Florida to play for Kevin Sutton who, according to the school's Wikipedia page, sends players to UCLA.  Also, it's produced Dashan Harris of Texas A&M, Marcus Capers of Washington State and Steve Tchiengang of Vandy.  - It looks like Jarvis Varnardo is heading back to Mississippi State.  Between his jersey-grabbing and the manboobs of Renardo Sidney, I expect there to be a strong dislike for the Bulldogs after the Cats go head-to-head with them.  Ultimately, these two teams could be playing for the outright SEC title throughout the season, which will only make things more interesting.  - The person that I have been made to believe is the real Jodie Meeks on Twitter, gave a "shout out to my twiggas".  This, along with just about every show I saw advertised for the CW tonight (there's another 90210?), makes me feel like the oldest 25-year old on the planet. Well, that just about wraps things up here.  Stay tuned throughout the day as we continue to talk about how great Kentucky is and speculate about how jealous everyone else is of our team.  It's going to be a fun day, make sure you stay tuned.