Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Tubbs’ decision hits fans, players
By Brandon Ortiz
Sports Editor

It didn’t take long for “Billyball” to catch on at TCU. It took a game.

A half to be more exact.

In head men’s basketball coach Billy Tubbs’ first game at TCU, a 7-20 team the year before scored a record 61 points in the first half to open in the 1994-1995 season. It was an omen of things to come, as Tubbs’ up-tempo style helped the Frogs lead the nation in scoring that year (93.7 ppg) and twice more in the next six seasons. Under Tubbs’ high-octane offense, TCU would enjoy its best seven-year stretch in history, going 140-80 (.636 winning percentage), winning one regular season conference title and qualifying for a school record three-consecutive postseason tournaments.

In his usual outspoken manner, Tubbs announced Monday he would step down at the end of the season, marking the end of the Billyball era for TCU. Tubbs said rumors surrounding his job security led to his decision to resign at the end of the season.

“One of the reasons I am doing this at this particular time is to take the burden off of my players and take the burden off my staff so that we can do the best job we can do this year,” Tubbs said hours before his team tipped off its first exhibition game of the season.

After the Frogs played a typical Billy Tubbs’ game — drubbing Czech-Select 146-70 — senior forward Marlon Dumont said Tubbs’ decision made it a difficult game to play.

“It was a bad feeling,” Dumont said. “But we have to respect his wishes. We have to keep playing hard.”

Junior forward Bingo Merriex said Tubbs’ announcement left the team wondering who its coach would be next season.

“It is kind of emotional,” Merriex said. “Coach Tubbs is known for winning and we don’t know who is going to come in next year. It is kind of leaving the guys puzzled and curious about what is going to happen next year in the back of our mind.”

Fans were also upset. John Cockrell, Frog Club President, said Tubbs turned the basketball program around.

“He was instrumental in 1994 in revitalizing out basketball program and pumped welcome life into the men’s program,” said Cockrell, who graduated from TCU in 1969.

Tubbs said recruiting has become more difficult the past three seasons because of questions about his job security. He said he was not burned out on coaching, but the rumors swirling around the team had made his job exceedingly difficult.

“I really asked myself if I could be enthusiastic, could I go out and give great effort and the answer is ‘yes,’ ” Tubbs said. “The reason I asked myself that is because I don’t ever want to walk out on my players. I love my players, I am never going to walk out on them and leave them high and dry.”

After losing six players last year, Tubbs brought in six new recruits this season, including Junior College All-American forward Jamal Brown and highly touted freshman point guard Corey Santee. Dumont said it was the youngest players who took the news the hardest.

“I think that is hurting them more than anybody else,” Dumont said.

TCU had a 96-108 record the seven years before Tubbs came to TCU and was only 13-42 the two seasons before his arrival. Tubbs came to TCU after a successful stint at Oklahoma in which he was National Coach of the Year twice and reached the NCAA Tournament eight times in 12 years. His first season at TCU, the Frogs had a winning record of 16-11 and tied for third in the Southwest Conference.

“When Billy was hired, it really made a tremendous statement to the college athletic world,” Athletics Director Eric Hyman said. “I think his hiring was the catalyst that catapulted TCU to where it is today. I think it made a serious statement that TCU was committed because I think up to that point in time that was a question mark.

“I think that is a tribute to him and what he has accomplished.”

Tubbs produced the second highest scoring team in NCAA history (102.9 ppg at Oklahoma in 1987-1988) and the highest scoring team in TCU history (97.2 in 1997 1998).

T.L. Farrow, a 1952 TCU graduate who has seen every game he has “been in town for” since 1970, said Tubbs’ teams were entertaining for fans.

“I would hate for them to go to a slow down game,” Farrow said. “It’s just not as interesting.”

With Billyball almost gone, things might not ever be as interesting again.

Brandon Ortiz
b.p.ortiz@student.tcu.edu