Always a bridesmaid - Never the Bride!

[EasternVol]

With the exception of baseball,when do we show up when the stage is big?

In basketball, usually. In football, often and probably soon usually too.

 

[Go47]

I will say - talent disparity is noticeable from the final 4 teams to UT. The game should have been closer . . . But Houston is a better team talent wise. Duke and Florida have WAY more depth and talent . . . And Auburn is more talented and an older team.

 

[EasternVol]

We played like poop from the start, for sure.

However, just LOOK at the remaining 4 teams. Their size speed and athleticism is just noticeably better than ours.

I love our guys. They play as a team and for the team and that’s why they’re trouble. The elite 8 is great, but for the last two years we’ve seen that there’s just another level that requires bigger faster stronger players.

It’s a Jimmie and Joe issue.

We beat two of those four this year and lost this game because of a very uncharacteristically bad showing. We're not really a level below them.

 

[EasternVol]

Danny White and the person he hires when Barnes retires will be the ones who decide what Rick Barnes’ long-term legacy is: simply a great coach, or a coach who laid the foundation for the men’s basketball program to be a perennial contender.

As of now we are a perennial contender. I'd say the foundation is already there and very solid. I don't see Barnes blowing things up before he leaves, unlike one much adored (by some) former coach whose name we often read here.

 

[VolGee4]

I will say - talent disparity is noticeable from the final 4 teams to UT. The game should have been closer . . . But Houston is a better team talent wise. Duke and Florida have WAY more depth and talent . . . And Auburn is more talented and an older team.

Houston really has no NBA players. Arceneaux and Tugler were top 70 high school recruits that are bench players. But Cryer, Sharp, Uzan, and Roberts were all 3 star type recruits. Cryer was a 4 star but top 125. They are all veterans though.

Florida doesn’t have high level recruits either. Condon and Haugh and Aberdeen were 3 stars. Clayton, Martin, Chinyelu, and Richard were transfers from lesser basketball schools. Again, they are veterans.

You can put together a great team with veteran transfers. Duke is just loaded with NBA talent.

 

[EasternVol]

How do you know? You ever heard of Nate Oats? How about Todd Golden? Or for that matter how about the male equivalent of Kim Caldwell. Certainly it is a long shot but that's why Dr Danny makes the big bucks.

Nate Oats is a notch below Barnes in coaching ability and several below him in character. I'll choose Barnes any day.
The jury's still out on Golden.

 

[AllThingsTN]

It’s tough…losing sucks. But I’m super thankful to have gotten to watch ZZ and Mashack the past 4 years. They’ve been great players and representatives for our University. It’s tough to watch the seniors go. And I’m very thankful for Gainey, Lanier, and Milicic as well. I think if they all had had the opportunity they would have played here for the last 4 years as well. I know they really wanted to get a final 4 for Rick. We all did. But it’s been a pleasure for me to watch these guys play basketball for our Vols. It’s going to be weird not seeing ZZ, Mashack, and Gainey suit up for us next year.

 

[EasternVol]

I guess we couldve asked that same question before Tony V was hired. Great coaches with the chops to hang banners are out there... the AD needs to find him. UT basketball is a very attractive position whether old timers like me want to believe it or not. Resources are there. When I was in school and someone wouldve told me we would win an NC IN BASEBALL... I wouldve died from laughter. Dont let the fear of taking a risk to improve stick us in the mud. Barnes is a fantastic person. No doubt. But the game has outgrown him. He is a DEFENSE first coach. And always has been. Unfortunately for us, offense sells tickets AND hangs banners.

How are this year's F4 teams' defenses ranked?

 

[kiddiedoc]

Maybe I'm just getting older and have been through some things that make me think a little differently than when I was younger. Losing sucks, but what CRB has done with these young men during his time here transcends a game. You can see it, hear it, and feel it in the post-game interviews. Wouldn't trade him for any coach in the country.

 

[Chris4Vols22]

Man this is one dumb comment. We have the best leadership in the country with Boyd, Plowman and Dr Danny. So I guess you dont think they don't want Baseball to achieve?

Barnes is the 5 th highest paid coach in the country. We are in the Top 5 in Attendance and fan support. What the hell more can the UT leadership do to make a FF like USC, MSU, Auburn(2) and of all people UGA have managed to do? JFC we have some dumbass fans.

I didn't frame my thought well. Danny White wasn't the AD when Barnes was hired, and I think he will actually put in the effort that the bball program deserves, unlike previous leaderships. Whether it's Danny White or another future AD, we will get to the Final Four if the university wants to.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I guess we couldve asked that same question before Tony V was hired. Great coaches with the chops to hang banners are out there... the AD needs to find him. UT basketball is a very attractive position whether old timers like me want to believe it or not. Resources are there. When I was in school and someone wouldve told me we would win an NC IN BASEBALL... I wouldve died from laughter. Dont let the fear of taking a risk to improve stick us in the mud. Barnes is a fantastic person. No doubt. But the game has outgrown him. He is a DEFENSE first coach. And always has been. Unfortunately for us, offense sells tickets AND hangs banners.

I don't doubt Danny White's talent and I think he'll keep Barnes as long as Barnes wants to coach.

This idea ALWAYS seems to come up that "UT is a great job so we can get anyone." When you're upgrading from an Elite Eight coach, the pool of improvements over Barnes is very small and the great coaches almost always already have a great situation. I know.... I know.... money talks but UT is not the only school with money, a rabid basketball fanbase, etc.

Successful programs aren't going to let their blue chip coach leave. Why would any of the Final Four coaches this year leave their school? They wouldn't. People act like we're the only school with a Brinks Truck. We aren't.

 

[Tnphil]

Bruh we weren’t the bridesmaid today.

We was the nasty hooker at that bachelor party.

We got used and abused.

Hilarious.....and true.

 

[KB vol]

I don't doubt Danny White's talent and I think he'll keep Barnes as long as Barnes wants to coach.

This idea ALWAYS seems to come up that "UT is a great job so we can get anyone." When you're upgrading from an Elite Eight coach, the pool of improvements over Barnes is very small and the great coaches almost always already have a great situation. I know.... I know.... money talks but UT is not the only school with money, a rabid basketball fanbase, etc.

Successful programs aren't going to let their blue chip coach leave. Why would any of the Final Four coaches this year leave their school? They wouldn't. People act like we're the only school with a Brinks Truck. We aren't.

Agree… money is not as much a factor for established, successful coaches today, (schools will usually pay to keep the good ones), but it is a huge factor in NIL deals to get the dominant players. We need scorers, consistent “go to scorers”, not just streak shooters, but guys who even on an off night, have the shooting skill to hit enough shots to help the team. Seems most of the best teams have multiple pure perimeter shooters, and some are big guys as well. As far as our next coach, I hope DW has a hidden jewel up his sleeve that can become the next great coach in men’s BB. UT did it once with Pearl, and more recently Vitello, and maybe Caldwell and Heupel.

 

[Tnphil]

How do you know? You ever heard of Nate Oats? How about Todd Golden? Or for that matter how about the male equivalent of Kim Caldwell. Certainly it is a long shot but that's why Dr Danny makes the big bucks.

I find the 'Who we gonna get' crowd to be hilarious. I guess Florida fans....Houston fans...Ole Miss fans...Auburn fans...KY fans after their savior left.....And don't forget Duke when their Almighty decided to retire all said. But who we gonna get?!!

 

[DowntownVol]

to be perfectly honest, I'm actually less interested in "who we gon get when Barnes finally hangs it up?" and more interested in "how much NIL money are we going to allocate to men's hoops, and will it be enough to buy a championship roster?", because at this point, that's the bigger question

 

[VolCalls]

@BernardKingGOAT

You gotta stop insulting hurt fans on here man who remotely question your god. UT choked today. In fact, we are now in the record books today with the lowest points EVER for a 1 or 2 seed. Barnes owns that record now and will never lose it. He has done a lot of really good things here but his reputation of not being able to win the big one is a reputation he earned himself. It’s not the fans fault for being able to see it. Had a great year. We maxed out our teams potential. Go Vols!

Lowest point total in the first half is the record, not lowest point total for a game.

 

[PowerWookie]

to be perfectly honest, I'm actually less interested in "who we gon get when Barnes finally hangs it up?" and more interested in "how much NIL money are we going to allocate to men's hoops, and will it be enough to buy a championship roster?", because at this point, that's the bigger question

True story

 

[tombowalker]

very embarrassing period.cant get over the hump.i doubt we ever will until they anti up with the big bucks.js

The March tournament is a small sample size where all sorts of weird things happen. We were one game away from the final four the second year in a row. It's silly to suggest we have an inherent flaw with how we spend, coach or recruit.

 

[djohnnyg]

We hit the "Barnes Wall" again. He's a good coach who has at least brought us to relevancy on consistent basis which is great but he isn't good enough to get ANY of his teams to the promised land. I like being relevant so I am hesitant to suggest we move on from him...but he has always been good but not good enough. Even w Durant and all the great players he's had over the years. But the option might be much worse so it is what it is.

 

[C.watson]

The March tournament is a small sample size where all sorts of weird things happen. We were one game away from the final four the second year in a row. It's silly to suggest we have an inherent flaw with how we spend, coach or recruit.

well it's obvious Barnes will never get the Vols into the final 4.as I say he's a great coach but can't get all the pieces put together just right

 

[Vfl2407]

We will never make a final 4

So you are saying that we can have nice things but not REALLY nice things.
I’m starting to agree with you…with baseball being the notable exception.

 

[EZE]

Not advocating getting rid of RB but do you remember when UGA fired a football coach who had a record of 145-51, 2 SEC championships and a 2nd and 3rd place finish in the Final poll.

His name was Mark Richt. You may have heard of his replacement a guy named Kirby Smart? who has 2 NCs to his name.

I also remember a school in Austin, Texas, that fired a very successful coach 10 years ago.

 

[Savannahbayvol]

I didn't frame my thought well. Danny White wasn't the AD when Barnes was hired, and I think he will actually put in the effort that the bball program deserves, unlike previous leaderships. Whether it's Danny White or another future AD, we will get to the Final Four if the university wants to.

Understood, no problem

 

[Savannahbayvol]

And this always seems to happen to CRB teams in the middle of the tournament

Just to be fair to Coach RB our folding in the NCAA tourney started when he was in High School in Hickory NC and none of the current players were even alive.

 

[Savannahbayvol]

I didn’t know any of those coaches had two national titles

And you probably dont know both have Final 4s at their respective schools.