Untitled Document

CONCERNED FANS FOR

BASKETBALL

COACH SMITH'S BEST YEAR IS NO BETTER
THAN COACH PITINO'S AVERAGE YEAR

Those who support Coach Smith often say that Coach Smith was the coach in 2003, and the team ran Coach Smith's offense to perfection. Those supporters use this point to explain that Coach Smith can coach basketball ... well, exciting, fast, efficient, to a championship? Those who support Coach Smith should tell us all exactly what the 2003 season really means.

Let us look at 2003. Rather than providing unequivocal proof of Coach Smith's excellence, 2003 illustrates how much UK basketball has declined during Coach Smith's nine seasons.

In 2003, UK 's offensive efficiency was 0.935 points per possession. In fact, that is the highest offensive efficiency of any of the Coach Smith UK teams. All of Coach Smith's offensive efficiencies in order highest to lowest are 0.935, 0.923, 0.919, 0.912, 0.906, 0.901, 0.891, 0.879, and 0.832 points per possession. Coach Smith's UK average offensive efficiency is 0.900 ppp.

Coach Smith's best offensive team, 2003 as the Coach Smith defenders like to point out, is no better than Coach Pitino's average offensive team. Here are the eight Coach Pitino numbers, higher to lowest, all in points per possession: 0.961, 0.954, 0.953, 0.933, 0.930, 0.920, 0.915, and 0.902, with an eight season average of 0.934 points per possession.

Moreover, before the Coach Smith defenders jump from great offensive performances to how great Coach Smith's defense is, let us look at those numbers now. Here are Coach Smith's defensive efficiencies, from lowest to highest [best to worst]: 0.754, 0.773, 0.775, 0.777, 0.794, 0.797, 0.801, 0.806, and 0.845 points per possession. Coach Smith's nine-year average defensive efficiency has been 0.791 ppp.

Coach Pitino's defensive numbers were quite similar to Coach Smith's 0.715, 0.749, 0.758, 0.789, 0.794, 0.827, 0.830, and 0.896 points per possession. Coach Pitino's average defensive efficiency was 0.795 ppp.

Coach Pitino's poorest teams occurred in his first 3 seasons as he built a program from shame to fame. Coach Smith's worst seasons occurred after he inherited the team in fame, and installed his own style and players into the program. For a more complete comparison of the Pitino and Smith records at UK CLICK HERE.

Tubby Smith's style of basketball has been tagged as "The Plow" because of its ever slowing pace of play and scoring. The Plow is the reason that Tubby Smith has never, ever, not once in his coaching career recruited, signed, and coached one of his selected players in a final four. Over the last three seasons, Tubby's UK teams have averaged 73.9 [2004], 73.6 [2005], and 70.8 [2006]. However, since 1960, the 47 NCAA championship teams have averaged over 80 ppg in their cummulative 1599 games.

Read all about the details of this fact using this link.

If you agree that UK must bust out of The PLOW,
email Concerned Fans and Declare, "I Want To Be a PLOWBUSTER"
To Find Out How You Can Add Your Voice
To the Growing Roar of Outrage
Coming From the Big Blue Nation

It is clear that Tubby's Very Best PLOW
Is Simply Not Good Enough
To Maintain UK Basketball's
Tradition, History, and Elite Status

Submitted by Richard Cheeks

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