Gophers working on Smith extension
Charley Walters, among others, has confirmed through an interview with University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks that the school is already looking for ways to extend and enrich its current contract with Gophers men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith, which is great news. While Smith still has four years remaining on his current deal and isn’t complaining publicly, Bruininks seems to know that an extension involving a raise for Smith would quiet down a lot of the current rumors of Smith being courted by Oregon and other large schools.
“We’d like him to retire as our head basketball coach and be here for a really long career,” Bruininks told Walters. “We’re doing what we can to keep him, and we’re confident that he’ll stay. But anything can happen in the sports world. We hear rumors about coach Smith every season. I think he and his family like it here. He feels quite optimistic that he can build a winning tradition at Minnesota.”
Smith’s major request from Minnesota is the building of a new practice facility, a request Bruininks says the school is moving forward on as best that can, and that means more than just new ceiling fans for Williams Arena.
Smith retiring as Gophers coach? I like the sound of that.
