European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday March 25 2007 s tars an stripes Page 41 Carlos Steve Alford left Iowa on thursday to take Over As head coach at new Mexico afford and the Lobos Are hoping to reverse disappointing trends Alford new Mexico both in search of rejuvenation by Pete Herrera the associated press Albuquerque no new Mexico is hoping Steve Al Ford is the answer fran Fraschilla talked of taking the school to the final four but got the Lobos no further than the not Ritchie Mckay  win Over the fans and his team didst win nearly enough games Alford now takes Over a school with a deep Pool of passionate fans but also a history of postseason failures Alford a former Star guard at Indiana under Bob Knight and for the last eight seasons the head coach at Iowa was hired thurs Day by new Mexico his Mission is to get new Mexico where Fra Schilla the former St Johns coach and Mckay  Back to the Mcaa tournament on a consistent basis even before Alfords hiring be came fact thursday Lobos fans were spinning positives Hes one of the More recognizable faces of College basketball Over the last 20 years said Joe Oneill a member of the advisory committee involved in the new Mexico coaching search Hes a name coach who could be a differ enc maker when it comes to a kid making a decision on where to play Alford a rising Star in the coaching ranks after leading Southwest Missouri state to the round of 16 in 1999 is trying to re charge his career with a new Chal Lenge and new school far from his Midwest roots Alfords Stock with Iowa fans took a hit after the Hawk eyes a no 3 seed in last years Mcaa tournament blew a 17point Sec Ond half Lead and lost to Little Northwestern state the slide continued this year Iowa finished 1714 and coupled with the Hawk eyes 1846 big ten Road record under Alford and 6167 Overall conference Mark Iowa athletic director Gary Barta made it Clear he expected a major improvement next year instead of rebuilding Iowa Al Ford chose to try to transform new Mexico a mid major pro Gram that has never made it past the second round of the Mcaa tournament things came up and this is the decision he had to make senior guard Mike Henderson said after Alford told players of his decision during a team meeting thursday Alford had a 152106 record at Iowa he led the Hawk eyes to three Mcaa tournament appearances including a 259 record in 200506 but Iowa won just one tournament game under his leadership Alford told his players Hes look ing Forward to the Chance to Start fresh in Albuquerque he wanted to get his family out of this negative Environ ment Center Seth Gorney said Minnesota fans warm up to new coach Smith in a hurry by Jon Krawczynski the associated press Minneapolis As Tubby Smith walked to the podium at Williams Arena hundreds of Golden gophers fans showered him with chants of Tubby Tubby he looked at the adoring Faith Ful of his new school and beamed this is what its All about Smith said Friday after being introduced As the new basketball coach at Minnesota i feel the love already it was quite a change for Smith dogged by criticism from Ken tucks notoriously demanding big Blue nation wildcats fans dubbed him 10loss Tubby and clogged internet Chat rooms and talk radio shows with complaints about a coach who won a National championship five Sec titles five Sec tournament titles and 76 percent of his games at Ken Tucky from the moment he stepped on stage decked out in a Gray pin Stripe suit and gophers tie it was Clear just How different things will be in Minnesota no matter How much he won at Kentucky Hes never going to catch Adolph Rupp Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said he can actually build a program Here and develop a legacy Here that i dont think he could do at any of his other spots Smith came to Kentucky from Georgia in 1997 to replace Rick Pitino who guided the wildcats to two straight appearances in the championship game winning in 1996 before leaving to coach the Boston celtics despite one title and three appearances in the regional finals wildcats fans were growing rest less even before Kentucky lost in the second round of the Mcaa tournament to Kansas last week end there is no such pressure at Minnesota Smith inherits a team that went 922 last season and 313 in the big ten the gophers were Over matched nearly every time they took the floor driving their once vocal fan base away in droves Rob Tubby Smith who led Kentucky to a National championship in 1998 is facing a major project As Minnesota new mens basketball coach the Golden gophers went 922 last season including in the big ten so Maturi set out to find a big name coach who would sell season tickets and energize Lethar Gic fans he shelled out Mil lion a year for seven years to lure Smith away from Kentucky and Smith acknowledged Friday he was ready for a change of scenery after 10 years in Lexington Smith downplayed those vocal wildcats fans role in his Depar Ture saying that was blown out of proportion and spoke glowingly about his time in Kentucky even thanking athletic director Mitch Barnhart in his opening statement i didst spend a lot of time listening to it the Smith said i was too Busy trying to win games were not running from anything were running to a great program the crowd erupted again after that statement and its Clear a Turis quest to find a galvanizing Force to Lead this woebegone pro Gram was off to a smashing Start less than two hours after thurs Days announcement More than 250 season ticket orders were filled Center Spencer Tollackson marvelled at the number of fans and students in the stands at will iams Arena for the press Confer ence we were driving Here from class and people were walking Down University Avenue in go Pher basketball shirts Tollack son said that just not Normal around Here right now we walked in Here and this place was going crazy were just really excited we cant wait to get going with coach Smith Smith has plenty of work to do his predecessor Dan Monson struggled mightily in recruiting and was unable to lift the pro Gram out of the Hole dug by a Mas Sive academic fraud scandal under Clem Haskins were going to develop a championship program Here Smith said its not going to be easy the 55yearold Farmers son who grew up with 16 siblings knows plenty about hard work from his earlier stops at Tulsa and Georgia and Hes won More Mcaa tournament games and made More appearances in the round of 16 and the final eight than the gophers have in their 111year history we needed a jump Start Maturi said lets be honest Here theres no Gamble with Tubby Smith if we dont win with Tubby Smith then we have to look inter Nally at our program and what were doing or not doing if we dont win its not because of the coach enjoy the Freedom you fight for its your turn to ride order your Bike exactly the Way you want it have it waiting for you when you arrive Home prices always under Srp lowest 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