DMN STORY "MENDING FENCES" (04/08)

[McClown27]

UNIVERSITY PARK – The SMU athletic community is reeling from the firing of men's basketball coach Jimmy Tubbs.

And school president Gerald Turner is trying to put the pieces of his fractured athletic department back together.

Turner said he wants to mend the fences between the school and several coaches of the Dallas Independent School District who are upset about Tubbs' dismissal after only two seasons.

"Anything that's related to someone being upset with regard to SMU has to be a concern to me," Turner said. "There's some work to do there and we're about trying to do that. I totally understand their disappointment in Jimmy's term being shorter than they, and we, would have wanted it to be."

Turner said SMU's investigation into alleged rules violations within the program is complete and that it's up to the NCAA to finish its probe.

Turner said Tubbs was fired on Thursday for alleged rules violations and not for on-court performance. In two seasons under Tubbs, SMU went 27-30 with no postseason appearances.

During the season, sources said a secondary rules violation occurred when an assistant coach provided players with academic assistance.

The sources said an assistant coach helped several players organize notes and essay materials but didn't do any academic work.

SMU and NCAA officials have told Tubbs and his attorney, Michael Pegues, about the academic violation and other potential rule violations – including practicing for more than the NCAA-mandated 20 hours per week, providing less than a cup of laundry detergent for a player and Tubbs' purchase of a meal for two players.

"If there are other allegations that SMU is looking into, they should have given coach Tubbs a chance to refute those," Pegues said. "I don't accuse SMU of withholding information. If they have, it's wrong and it's not fair to coach Tubbs."

The person who jumped-started the investigation, Max Williams, said he was shocked SMU fired Tubbs.

"I figured that maybe a change would be made down the road," said Williams, a booster of the program. "But the timing of it was a shock."

Williams contacted SMU officials in February, along with another booster Denny Holman, and told them he saw something in the program he didn't like. It prompted athletic director Jim Copeland, who is retiring May 31, to launch an investigation.

Turner said he hopes to hire a new coach quickly, and a search committee will be formed next week. Turner and incoming athletic director Steve Orsini, who starts June 1, expect to make the hire. Turner said he's not sure if a search firm will be used.

SMU's hiring policy says a job must be posted for at least 30 days before it can be filled. Turner said under special circumstances that policy can be voided.

SMU, with two scholarships remaining for the 2006-07 season, needs to find recruits quickly with the late signing period beginning Wednesday.

When asked what the timetable is for hiring a new coach, Turner said, "As soon as possible."

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[Charleston Pony]

the part of this article that quotes Turner as saying he and Orsini will mke a decision on Tubbs' replacement as soon as posible and that a search firm may not be used...may tell us all we need to know about this mess.

Suffice it to say that not many were happy with the current state of SMU hoops and is now appears we could regress before this program will move forward again...but it certainly will be done with Orsini's guy.

I feel bad for Coach Tubbs and appreciate all the work he's done for SMU, but what's done is done and it's time to move on. Most ADs have a list of "their guys" and Orsini may already know who he wants to bring in here. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already recruiting his top choice.

Nobody said this was an easy business. lots of pressure on a whole lot of people to win and win NOW. All the whining that takes place on this board is simply representative of what is happening at much higher levels than ponyfans.com

I would imagine Coach Bennett is feeling some serious pressure to produce a winning season in 2006

[PonySnob]

It has been said by some, that the firing of Tubbs was a requirement that Orsini had if he was going to become the new SMU AD.

[Ponymon]

I have YET to see one truly JUSTIFIABLE reason for firing Tubbs. These are the most TRIVIAL charges that I have ever heard. It does sound like they wanted a new coach because of the lack of wins. I have no doubt that EVERY program in the country is guilty of such trivia, but we have such a super microscope on this program that we will nail ourself, happily, every time. If I am a qualified coach, I pass on the opportunity to coach here. Money will have to be awfully high to get me to even CONSIDER the opportunity

[DickerJames]

I have YET to see one truly JUSTIFIABLE reason for firing Tubbs. These are the most TRIVIAL charges that I have ever heard.

That is why this all points to Gramps and his money. All of these scenarios concerning Copeland doing Orsini's dirty work are laughable. The smart move for the new AD would be to let Tubbs coach next year and fire him for performance if he fails. Who in their right mind would want to inherit this sh*it storm.

[SMU Football Blog]

It has been said by some, that the firing of Tubbs was a requirement that Orsini had if he was going to become the new SMU AD.

Where on earth do you get that?

Anyway, my favorite parts of this article is the quote from Williams and teh fact that Watkins talked to him. He's shocked! I am not on the anti-Williams crusade that others are, but this just made me shake my head. Max, you reported an NCAA violation, wtf did you think would happen?

[J.T.supporta]

There are no fences to mend in this whole scenario.

What SMU has done now is ruined all relationships with African American DISD coaches along with African American DISD athletes.

SMU is in the heart of Dallas and for years it has not been able to get any of the DALLAS area recruits from places like SOC, Seagoville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill or other respected high schools.

The only Dallas area player on the roster is 2003 DMN player of the year and DeSoto grad Dez Willingham

With exception to Brian Morris and Bamba Fall, SMU needs to recruit more big post freshmen and some shooting help as well.


Matt Williams is undersized at his postion but still can shoot the ball.

How well do you think a new coach can adapt to this program so late in the recruiting process?

Orsini does not come in until the first of June, so will that be when a new coach is named. Copeland needs to hire a coach before he leaves or it will be too late for any hopes of the SMU basketball program rebuilding for next year.

[Buddha]

It has been said by some, that the firing of Tubbs was a requirement that Orsini had if he was going to become the new SMU AD.

Where on earth do you get that?

Anyway, my favorite parts of this article is the quote from Williams and teh fact that Watkins talked to him. He's shocked! I am not on the anti-Williams crusade that others are, but this just made me shake my head. Max, you reported an NCAA violation, wtf did you think would happen?

Well said, Blog. Very well said.
"Uh, gee, I accused you of bank robbery, but I'm stunned that you got arrested for it."

[jtstang]

I am not on the anti-Williams crusade that others are,

Why not? What if he'd pulled this crap with Bennett?

[Hoop Fan]

I agree with the guy that said this is no fence mending. there was a bridge that was starting to get rebuilt to South Dallas and SMU not only damaged the bridge, they nuked it. Foolish, very foolish. I still can't believe it.

[Hoop Fan]

by the way, Max Williams' comments are preposterous and an embarrassment to all of us. Max you've done your damage, now shut the hell up and go away.

[MustangIcon]

I have never in my life heard such an irrational, chicken little, sky is falling, drama queen tirade as from you the past few days Hoop. Who gives a flying crap about this bridge nonsense? If we bring in a coach that wins noone will care what color he is, who hired him, who was fired before him, or what DISD coaches think about SMU. Kids want to play for a winner and when we show improvement they will start coming to the Hilltop.

[Hoop Fan]

blah, blah, blah. We'll see. This turn of events will set us much further from winning. And people like you dont have the patience to wait through the period it takes to turn something around anyway. The next guy will be on the hot seat before he knows what hit him.

By the way, the chicken little, drama queens are the guys like you who start spewing that a guy cant recruit, can't coach in his second year.

[MustangIcon]

Hmm lets see. I have made observations that are facts from his two season tenure as head coach Tubbs recruited no DISD players and certainly no bule chippers. I aslo observed that our RPI has fallen both years since Dement. Those are facts. I will omit my opinions about how poorly I think he utilized the talent on his roster bc I do not see the point in rehashing all that.

Your dramatic, end of the world rants since Tubbs firing have basically amounted to a temper tantrum regarding the reasons he was firted, how far this will set us back from our current lowly status and your demand for the full findings of the SMU investigation. Question Hoop, who the hell are you to be so important that you desrve to know the findings of the investigation right this second??? I as a fan myself would LIKE to know, however I do not feel as you do that I have some sort of divine right to know. Get over yourself and your crusade and lets move on to the subject of who we might bring in as coach and how we might go about repairing this "unmendable pr disaster." You know, looking to the future instead of throwing a fit about the past.

[Flatlander]

SMU had no chance with any of the top notch hoop talent from North Texas the last few years- and a good number came from outside of the DISD.

Yes, the DISD had some great names, but most of them left not only Dallas, but also the state.

Dez Willingham was a Tubbs recruit and a good one, but to think that the DISD coaches have absolute mind control over their players is false.

I agree more that the damage from this will be hiring a new coach and telling him he's got believable job security. The price tag just went up, gents.