KSR's Favorite Tubby Smith Memories Ahead Of His Jersey Retirement

Tomorrow, the Kentucky Basketball program will honor Tubby Smith by retiring his jersey to the rafters. The tribute is long overdue for Tubby, who served as Kentucky’s head coach from 1997-2007 and led the Wildcats to the program’s seventh national championship. The next day will be full of stories and memories, so to tip things off, the KSR crew — or, at least, those of us old enough to remember the Tubby days — decided to share some of ours. Enjoy.

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The Comeback Cats

For everybody, the No. 1 memory for Tubby Smith’s tenure has to be what defined his legacy here the most: the 1998 National Championship run. And unlike the title runs in 1996 and 2012, which largely went without drama, the 1998 NCAA Tournament provided some of the greatest moments in UK history. Historic comebacks against Duke in the Elite 8, Stanford in the Final 4, and Utah in the national championship game, cemented that first Tubby team as The Comeback Cats and secured Tubby’s place in UK lore forever.

The memory of Tubby leaping in the air as the final Duke shot slammed off the backboard. Of Tubby outcoaching Coach K in that game in multiple ways. Of the key in-game changes in both Final Four games. And most importantly, of Tubby accepting the national championship trophy from CM Newton. Not only a great individual accomplishment for Tubby but a monumental symbolic accomplishment for a university with a shaky racial history having an African-American win a title.

Tubby’s quality of character during good times and bad was always his greatest quality. But his bringing Title No. 7 to Kentucky will always be my greatest memory.

— Bryan the Intern

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The Stomp and Stare

Watching Tubby on the sidelines was almost as fun as the games themselves. He spent most games in a crouch, but when he wanted to get his players’ attention, he’d stomp the floor so loudly the entire arena could hear. It was quickly followed by a death stare. Tubby’s son G.G., who played for his dad at Georgia and against him once Tubby took the job at Kentucky, recalled the stomp and stare in a conversation with Jerry Tipton.

“There were a couple times where Kentucky messed up and he got that stare and that stomp,” G.G. Smith said. “I was, like, I’m glad it’s not directed at me anymore.”

— Tyler Thompson

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The Chest Bump

Anytime Kentucky beats Tennessee at Tennessee, it’s a celebration. But the celebration in 2006 is memorable for Tubby’s postgame chest bump with Brandon Stockton. Stockton, a senior and former Kentucky Mr. Basketball, was in at point guard for Rajon Rondo; and it was his steal with under a minute to go in a two-point game that sealed the road victory.

Stockton recently told KSR, “I wasn’t expecting it. I was expecting a hug or something, but a chest bump. It was a surreal moment.”

— Drew Franklin

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Tubby at Madness

Madness used to be a lot more fun when it was at Memorial Coliseum. Tubby continued Rick Pitino’s tradition of having themes for Madness, and in 1998, fresh off his championship season, he entered Memorial Coliseum wearing a Don King wig for Kentucky’s “Main Event.” The next year Kentucky celebrated being “America’s Team of the Century” with newly-crowned Miss America Heather Renee French. In 2000, there was a “Survivor” theme. In 2002, Bill Keightley jumped out of a birthday cake to celebrate Kentucky’s 100th season. A year later, Tubby and Keightley drove onto the court in a Delorean as part of a “Back to the Future” spoof.

Even after leaving Kentucky, Tubby carried the Madness fun to other schools. At Minnesota, he drove a motorcycle onto the court for “Tubby’s Tip-Off”:

He did the same thing at Texas Tech in 2014 but accidentally crashed the bike onto the court — albeit gently. To be kind, I won’t share that clip but it’s out there if you want to find it.

— Tyler Thompson

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This picture of him with Bill Murray

This is a gem we uncovered this afternoon. Tubby and Bill Murray apparently shared a laugh at the 2005 Fedex St. Jude Classic Memorial Pro-Am in Memphis. Over what, we may never know, but it’s a cool picture.

— Tyler Thompson

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Randolph Morris and the Missing Fax

The question of Randolph Morris’ eligibility for the 2006-07 season was a unique case for the NCAA. Kentucky’s McDonald’s All-American big man tested the NBA waters in the summer, as NCAA rules allowed, and rode out the process all the way through the NBA draft. When Morris wasn’t drafted, he had the opportunity to return to school or pursue the NBA as an undrafted signee with his hometown Atlanta Hawks. He ultimately decided to go back to Lexington, but a connection to a sports agency and some outstanding travel expenses that needed to be reimbursed stood in the way. The NCAA ruled Morris never showed his intent to go back to Kentucky while testing the waters, therefore he was ruled out the entire 06-07 season as a punishment in this uncharted territory (at the time).

Kentucky appealed the NCAA’s decision and built a case around a fax Tubby Smith had misplaced. The fax was from Randolph Morris in May of 2006, telling Smith of his intentions to retain his college eligibility after “testing the waters.” The missing fax was the proof Morris needed for his argument that he was planning to come back all along.

It was a great last-minute find by Tubby.

Big Blue History has the fax and a much clearer version of the story.

— Drew Franklin

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Donna Smith

While watching a Kentucky game during the Tubby Era, there were two certainties: you’d hear how Tubby got his nickname (he loved to sit in his family’s big bathtub growing up) and you’d see his wife Donna in the stands. Donna was a fixture at Rupp Arena, most often standing with her blue-and-white pom pom. If you were at the game (or sometimes just watching on TV), you might even hear her yell at her husband to lay off the players, especially the younger ones.

Donna was the grand dame of the program back then, and she and Tubby contributed a lot to the Lexington community. I can’t wait to see her back in the stands tomorrow, even if her pom pom is purple and not blue.

— Tyler Thompson

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Patrick Sparks’ late-game heroics (both times)

As the lone Western Kentuckian on the panel, I’ll put the spotlight on Muhlenberg County’s own Patrick Sparks, one of the best shooters of the Tubby Smith era of Kentucky Basketball. Sparks ranks ninth all-time for most 3-pointers in a single season with his 82 made 3s in 2004-05. One of those 3s is an all-time moment in school history.

Down three to Michigan State in the 2005 NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight, Sparks, who was definitely fouled, used every inch of the rim to make a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired. Sparks should’ve gone to the line for a potential game-winning free throw because, as I mentioned, he was fouled. Unfortunately, no foul was called and the game went to overtime, where Michigan State prevailed after getting away with that foul.

A happier moment in Patrick Sparks/Tubby Smith history, earlier that season Kentucky beat Louisville in Freedom Hall when Sparks drew a foul on a 3-point try as time expired. Unlike the Elite Eight foul, this time the infraction was called and Sparks made the game-winners at the line.

— Drew Franklin

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Tubby trying to get Nazr and the team off the court at Vandy

I’ll never forget Nazr’s buzzer-beater at Vanderbilt in 1998. I’ll also never forget Tubby’s short-lived celebration before he realized he needed to get his team off the floor before it was reviewed.

One amazing part of a truly magical season.

— Tyler Thompson

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“Possessed” Tayshaun Prince against UNC

You know what happened. Tayshaun Prince’s run of five consecutive 3-pointers to open the game against North Carolina.

“That was just unbelievable,” Smith said of Prince’s hot hand. “I’ve never seen anybody do that. He was possessed. Where he was shooting from was unbelievable. If I’m on the Carolina bench, I’m wondering what is going on.”

— Drew Franklin

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Dominance over Rick Pitino, Louisville

After just four years as the head men’s basketball coach in Lexington, Tubby Smith found out he would have to battle his former boss in-state.

Following the dismissal of Hall of Famer Denny Crum, Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich brought Rick Pitino back to college basketball. The former Kentucky head coach would remain on Floyd Street on for 16 seasons before being bounced for scandals. However, the early tenure had many wondering what would happen to Kentucky basketball.

Thanks to the leadership of Smith, the Wildcats remained on top in the Bluegrass State.

In Pitino’s return meeting, the coach snuck through the backdoor and then suffered a 20-point beatdown at Rupp Arena. Smith would go against Pitino six times and would finish with a 4-2 record.

Louisville hired the former coach in Lexington to get Kentucky results. Tubby Smith prevented that from happening.

— Adam Luckett