ESPN article: Rick Barnes proving to be the right choice for Tennessee

#26
#26
VEKZY said:
He’s not Grant in the post, but he offers a post presence when Grant and Alexander aren’t playing that we wouldn’t have otherwise. Walker and Fulkerson are your next best post options. If Admiral doesn’t get post play, we’d have to abandon post plays for portions of the game when Grant/Alexander are in foul trouble or are fatigued.
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Fulkerson's short hook near the basket has worked a couple of times lately... but it looks like he has to use just his left hand. He's had a wrap or brace on his right. If he can get his right handed short hook to work his offense should open up.
 
#28
#28
I'm fine with our offense. It's our defense that will carry us deep in the tourney if we can correct a couple of problems. shorter lapses in defensive intensity and focus after getting big leads and defending the perimeter.
Second one needs to be ironed out before the FL game.
 
#29
#29
calban said:
I'm fine with our offense. It's our defense that will carry us deep in the tourney if we can correct a couple of problems. shorter lapses in defensive intensity and focus after getting big leads and defending the perimeter.
Second one needs to be ironed out before the FL game.
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The long bench helps with the first one.

It takes longer to get everybody's experience and confidence levels up when the minutes are spread out so thinly. This team could really be well rested and firing on all cylinders around mid-March.
 
#30
#30
zjcvols said:
Worst play that we run is for Admiral in the post. He isnt efficient as a post up player.
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Yup. If I’m the opposition I am 100% ok with Admiral fading away off of 1 foot like he tends to do when he gets his ball in that spot, I take that as a W if I’m the defense which is usually a sign it’s not a great shot.
 
#31
#31
Watched a really good couple of vids on CRB last night. Didn't know he and Cal were friends either. Y'all might enjoy ...

Calapari on Barnes :
John Calipari on Rick Barnes - YouTube

Seth Davis interview including confrontation w/ Dean Smith and more (5 parts):
The Seth Davis Show | Rick Barnes (Part 1) | CampusInsiders - YouTube

Dave Hart really hit a home run on this guy. Really glad he's here.

Finally, props to ESPN and it's expert inside analysis of Barnes after he's been here for 2.5 seasons. These guys have the inside scoop and foresight of Wall St stock ANALysts. They'll let you know how good/bad a coach or a stock is AFTER it's already made a run to the top or bottom. Where was this when his recruiting classes looked dead and missed the tourney 2 times in a row?
 
#33
#33
Thanks for posting that. It's very true. How many times do the high profile coaching hires (all sports and all levels) go bust. Seemingly, the others work better. i.e. Lane Kiffin passing on Clemson and Dabo Swinney gets hired. Doooh!
 
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#34
#34
It's simple. Barnes was just at the wrong UT all along.

Cal probably wishes Rick hadn't taken his advice right now. But I'm not surprised he'd endorse UT as a good job. He knows from his time at Memphis and at UK that if Tennessee puts out a team worth watching, people will support it.
 
#35
#35
Im not always right by any means but Barnes was my preference when we hired him.

Easily the best resume of any basketball coach in UT history.

We normally dont hire basketball coaches on his level.
 
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#36
#36
Thunder Good-Oil said:
The long bench helps with the first one.

It takes longer to get everybody's experience and confidence levels up when the minutes are spread out so thinly. This team could really be well rested and firing on all cylinders around mid-March.
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I think it could be said this is the BEST tournament oriented team Barnes has ever assembled. Not talking Talent, rather depth, Defense, perimeter shooting and offensive options.
And then there's next season. Yikes.
 
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#37
#37
calban said:
I think it could be said this is the BEST tournament oriented team Barnes has ever assembled. Not talking Talent, rather depth, Defense, perimeter shooting and offensive options.
And then there's next season. Yikes.
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This is why many on here preached patience and said Barnes isn’t looking for a quick fix, he’s looking long term and trying to build a foundation...I don’t think there’s much doubt he knew exactly what he was doing.
 
#38
#38
bleedingTNorange said:
This is why many on here preached patience and said Barnes isn’t looking for a quick fix, he’s looking long term and trying to build a foundation...I don’t think there’s much doubt he knew exactly what he was doing.
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The guys That Believed deserve the win last night the Most.
 
#40
#40
bleedingTNorange said:
I’m happy for everyone, I just wish fans would sometimes exercise a little patience.
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It's the manic fans that drive me crazy. If you need an example, go to the recruiting forum.

The kind of fans that cannot keep expectations in check. The highs are the highest of highs, and the lows are the lowest of lows. Several examples of the hand-wringers in the RF over signing day.

We have them here too in the basketball forum. One loss, and we want to talk about firing Barnes, he's in retirement mode, he can't recruit. In the next breath following a win, we're gonna surprise and make the Elite Eight.
 
#42
#42
BigZiti09 said:
Fans have been told for years to exercise patience. It rarely pays off.
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That's fair. I would say it's more fair to be critical if you aren't seeing improvement on the field/court, but in this case, we have seen nothing but improvement each year and it is culminating this year, which is perhaps a year early even.

While I understand the idea of being numb and jaded to the "have patience" practice, I believe each case should stand on its own merits and not be subject to prejudice of past experiences. Barnes, his staff, and team have given everyone reason to believe that having patience with this team was the correct approach. If this bunch were 12-11, the time for patience would have been long over. But, they have shown the type of steady improvement to deserve legit buy-in from the fanbase.
 
#43
#43
BigZiti09 said:
Fans have been told for years to exercise patience. It rarely pays off.
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I think each case can be different, but with Barnes his plan was laid out there and we could all watch it coming together. Now I’m not saying everyone had to buy in and jump in with both feet, but those declaring his methods as foolish or retirement rick were unwarranted. All along with was going to be at least a 3, and many thought 4 year rebuild...even I didn’t see this coming in Year 3 but I did see improvement each year and him doing exactly the things he said he was going to do.

Like I had said a thousand times, if we took a step back this year then I would question his method, but that if we continued to move forward then I think his plan was the correct one...I think that answer is now pretty clear.
 
#44
#44
bleedingTNorange said:
I think each case can be different, but with Barnes his plan was laid out there and we could all watch it coming together. Now I’m not saying everyone had to buy in and jump in with both feet, but those declaring his methods as foolish or retirement rick were unwarranted. All along with was going to be at least a 3, and many thought 4 year rebuild...even I didn’t see this coming in Year 3 but I did see improvement each year and him doing exactly the things he said he was going to do.

Like I had said a thousand times, if we took a step back this year then I would question his method, but that if we continued to move forward then I think his plan was the correct one...I think that answer is now pretty clear.
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Nothing about year 1 and 2 would have led you to believe we'd see this in year 3.

I'm yet to see Barnes' plan laid out other than posters hypothesizing it.

I think most fans were taking a wait and see approach. You're gonna have some people who cry boo hoo at everything. That's just part of it.

I've always thought Rick Barnes was a transition/stabilizing hire. That's why I've been reluctant to buy in on him as a long term solution. I'm sure there's a ton of people who were in a similar boat. Probably not basketball fanatics like me who post on vn hoops forum though.

Anyways, Rick Barnes is looking better and better. I already bought in on this team. I'm about to buy in on Barnes. Fair warning though - most of the time I buy in on a coach they tank shortly after.
 
#45
#45
The reason we shoot so well from 3 is because we take good shots. Taking more 3s for the sake of taking them would just being our percentage down.
 
#46
#46
Would not shock me at all to see our first final 4 appearance.
 
#49
#49
BigZiti09 said:
Nothing about year 1 and 2 would have led you to believe we'd see this in year 3.

I'm yet to see Barnes' plan laid out other than posters hypothesizing it.

I think most fans were taking a wait and see approach. You're gonna have some people who cry boo hoo at everything. That's just part of it.

I've always thought Rick Barnes was a transition/stabilizing hire. That's why I've been reluctant to buy in on him as a long term solution. I'm sure there's a ton of people who were in a similar boat. Probably not basketball fanatics like me who post on vn hoops forum though.

Anyways, Rick Barnes is looking better and better. I already bought in on this team. I'm about to buy in on Barnes. Fair warning though - most of the time I buy in on a coach they tank shortly after.
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I literally said even I didn’t see this coming...however I did see improvement and stayed of the opinion we would be a fringe bubble team this year which would’ve been another step in the right direction.

I’m.m not gonna pull every quote or interview but he and his assistants have all mentioned their recruiting philosophy and their trust in their player development multiple times.

There’s a difference in being reluctant to buy in and constant b!tching about his recruiting and saying he’s simply here to collect a check.

I like reluctant Ziti, gives us something to bicker about lol
 
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