European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday March 25 2007 Star s an d St ri1 is 0 Page 41 Carlos Steve Alford left Iowa on thursday to take Over As head coach at new Mexico Alford 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 Lobo 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 difference 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 Kentucky Smith ready for new Challenge at Minnesota by Jon Krawczynski the associated press Minneapolis in Tubby Smiths 10 seasons at Kentucky the wildcats never missed the Mcaa tournament they also won a National title five Sec championships and 76 percent of their games that want Good enough for the demanding Kentucky faithful so Smith left before athletic director Mitch Barnhart had to fire him amid increasing pressure from fans and program supporters Smith is bolting the Bluegrass to take Over a reeling program at Minnesota a change of scenery that has him going from the win ingest program in College Basket Ball to one that went 922 last sea son 313 in the big ten Smith speaking by phone on Mike and Mike in the morning on espn2 said a new Challenge was the main reason for the move we All need to be challenged Smith said in the big ten its As Tough As there is for a conference in the country Smith said this will give me a new life a new Start and in anxious eager and excited about it Kentucky president Lee Todd in a statement thanked Smith for his contribution i greatly appreciate the ser vice Tubby Smith has Given to this University he is among the Best As a coach and has represented this University with class and professionalism Todd said unfortunately for Smith he want nearly As appreciated by the legion of impatient fans who Long for the Days of Adolph Rupp and Rick Pitino Smiths Job status had grown increasingly shaky Over the last few seasons As the wildcats failed to get out of the first weekend of the Mcaa tournament in three of the last four years the wildcats went 2212 this season and made it to the Mcaa tournament but lost to top seed de Kansas in the second round Kentucky Hast been in the final four since winning the title in Smiths first season in 1998 the longest drought since the Mcaa tournament began theres a lot of pressure to 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 win there said former Wildcat Chuck Hayes who played for Smith from 200105 maybe it was the Best situation for him and his wife and his family maybe him and the and had different out looks on the season maybe its just Best for him Barnhart gave Smith a vote of Confidence before the tournament began but also said he would sit Down with the coach after the season ended to discuss possible changes to get the pro Gram Back on top during fridays show Smith said he was certain he would have finished the final four years of his contract at Kentucky de spite sniping by some fans and boosters that was not an Issue whether i was going to be the coach i had four years on my contract that had nothing to do with it Smith said in the end Smith was unable to live up to the Standard set by the Man he replaced at Kentucky Pitino led the wildcats to three final fours including the 1996 National title and the 1997 championship game before leaving to coach the Boston celtics wildcats fans grew even More restless when Pitino returned to the state of Kentucky leading archrival Louisville to the 2005 final four he would probably be the Only Guy in the nation who could keep those fans Happy Hayes said of Pitino him and Adolph Rupp Smith wont face near the pres sure at Minnesota where Gopher fans just want to see their team competitive in the big ten Dan Monson was forced to re sign seven games into the season leaving interim coach Jim Moli Nari with an Over matched group that lost More games than any team in Minnesota 111year his tory Monson struggled mightily in recruiting and was handcuffed by severe Mcaa sanctions brought on by a massive academic fraud scandal under coach Clem Haskins during monsoons seven plus years on Campus Williams Arena devolved from one of the toughest places to play in the big ten to a lifeless Hal full facility in which opponents dominated athletics director Joel Maturi was criticized for the timing of his decision to dismiss Monson and knew he needed a big name to come in and breathe some life into a moribund program he considered Detroit pistons coach and Gopher Alum flip Saunders and former Utah coach Rick Majerus among others but quickly settled on Smith after Fly ing to Lexington to meet with him thursday morning 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 Price 100 satisfaction guarantee Harley Davidson visit us on base and Start living the dream today Wowen Iscom authorized Independent distributor to the us armed forces for Hartey Avidson Antny or so vice aft to Tow tartar our Gorp Ratton wry fort Mithra two tart tort it cafes  ask about the Cycle Safe motorcycle rider safety did