Is Barnes the Best coach in UT history

Is Barnes the best coach in UT history(assuming elite 8)

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    281
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#26
#26
UTFanHades said:
Hard argument bc you don’t know what happens to Mears with an expanded tournament. Apples and bowling balls
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I mean honestly we can't really compare the game from like pre 85 expanded tourney then 86 (3 pointers, shot-clock) 76(dunks) .... the game has changed a lot over the years and honestly before id say the 90's the college game before that isn't really comparable. Pre 76 it was the WNBA(except they have 3 pointers and a shotclock).
 
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#28
#28
Maybe Barkley and his cast of clowns on CBS are eating crow now I saw his bracket last night having Duke beating us and going at least to the elite eight if not further.
 
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#29
#29
pimo1 said:
I mean really we can't really compare the game from like pre 85 expanded tourney then 86 (3 pointers, shot-clock) 76(dunks) .... the game has changed a lot over the years and honestly before id say the 90's the college game before that isn't really comparable. Pre 76 it was the WNBA(except they have 3 pointers and a shotclock).
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Different rules, but they still played above the rim instead of wearing the paint off of the underside of it. More basketball skills as well. Traveling, double dribbles, and 3-seconds were actually enforced.
 
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#31
#31
I am old enough to remember that in his era Ray Mears made Tennessee Basketball. I do not know how he would have performed in today’s game, but in his day he was a force to be reckoned with in college basketball. I would guess he probably beat Rupp and his paid squads more than any other coach.
 
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#32
#32
UTFanHades said:
Blue font aside-how much of Green’s run was Kevin O’Neil
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KO left Green Wharton, CJ Black, and Hathaway. He also recruited Tony Harris, Isaiah Victor, and Del Baker. Del Baker, being Vincent Yarbrough’s brother, brought him to Green’s roster as well. JG’s 4x 20s and 4x NCAAT’s should be credited to KO.
 
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#33
#33
onevol74 said:
I am old enough to remember that in his era Ray Mears made Tennessee Basketball. I do not know how he would have performed in today’s game, but in his day he was a force to be reckoned with in college basketball. I would guess he probably beat Rupp and his paid squads more than any other coach.
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Mears adapted. With Ernie and Bernie it was a fast paced star system offense. Before that his teams were highly disciplined and defense first focused.
 
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#35
#35
Thunder Good-Oil said:
KO left Green Wharton, CJ Black, and Hathaway. He also recruited Tony Harris, Isaiah Victor, and Del Baker. Del Baker, being Vincent Yarbrough’s brother, brought him to Green’s roster as well. JG’s 4x 20s and 4x NCAAT’s should be credited to KO.
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Man-haven’t thought of Del Baker in a long time
 
#36
#36
volbound1700 said:
Pearl still has more success from a numbers perspective but Pearl had more seasons.

Pearl's 3 Sweet 16s (one being an Elite 8) beats Barnes right now...

Barnes isn't done yet though.

Ray Mears is up there as well and was very successful.

Barnes fits with these 3 definitely though and I don't see any other Tennessee coaching beating out Barnes.
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Not an Auburn fan, but they got robbed a few years ago in that final 4. One of the worst calls ever
 
#40
#40
Meares brought the program out of the dirt from nowhere to be able to compete year in and year out with Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Alabama, when only 1 SEC team went to the NCAA tournament and the NIT when it was an all in New York City self contained tournament. Stayed competitive until the very end, much of what we see as traditions at Tennessee and on the floor today all originated with Meares, still miss the pregame warm up and ball handling drill to Sweet Georgia Brown, players crashing through the paper frame inside the orange T, the pep band marching around the floor prior to the tip (SEC banned that), the orange tie club, Meares in the orange blazer every game, the only pleasant reminders still in place from the Meares era are the buzzer and those candy stripe orange and white warm up pants, but he would be most impressed to see where the program is today and some of us have been blessed to see where the program came from back in the day.
 
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#41
#41
TartanTurff said:
Meares brought the program out of the dirt from nowhere to be able to compete year in and year out with Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Alabama, when only 1 SEC team went to the NCAA tournament and the NIT when it was an all in New York City self contained tournament. Stayed competitive until the very end, much of what we see as traditions at Tennessee and on the floor today all originated with Meares, still miss the pregame warm up and ball handling drill to Sweet Georgia Brown, players crashing through the paper frame inside the orange T, the pep band marching around the floor prior to the tip (SEC banned that), the orange tie club, Meares in the orange blazer every game, the only pleasant reminders still in place from the Meares era are the buzzer and those candy stripe orange and white warm up pants, but he would be most impressed to see where the program is today and some of us have been blessed to see where the program came from back in the day.
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This is Big Orange Country. Credited to CRM.
 
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#43
#43
Vol49er said:
Idk. I’m young, I don’t remember Ray Mears. But I feel like he’s being penalized for coaching before the tourney expanded
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Mears would have went to 14 straight NCAAs under the rules every coach since Devoe has enjoyed. He brought in the best players ever here and he consistently finished in the top 3 in the SEC and beat UK on a regular basis.
 
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#48
#48
Ray Mears - not really close either. The GodFather of Tennessee Basketball.
He put Tennessee Basketball on the map. He built the program up from ground zero.

I lived through and saw Mears' teams play, late 60's thru late 70's.
Went to most home games due to my father's season tickets.
Coach Mears won the small college national title at Wittenberg (OH) before coming to Tennessee.
He never had a losing season in college, not at Wittenberg and not at Tennessee.
Mears would have been to the NCAA tournament 13 seasons out of 15 at Tennessee under today's setup.
Mears coaching record vs Kentucky (Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall) was 15 - 15. This was during the prime of Kentucky's national prominence.
 
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#50
#50
pimo1 said:
Assuming we make the elite 8.

Supporting Facts
Right now we are likely to make our second Elite 8 in school history. He is about 18 games away from third all-time wins. He has consistently put teams on the floor that compete at a high level when they often do not have elite talent. Most of our best players in his tenure have been 3 stars and low 4's. He consistently develops talent.

Strictly IMO zone
I would go so far as to say his teams consistently overachieve based on rational expectations. If you compare the talent level based on recruiting rankings for the past 7 years these teams overachieve more often than not..
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You have to look at what is done with who and what and when. Then look at intangibles.

What has been done with who?

What Barnes did with his initial guys was incredible. Look what he did with Admiral, Bone and Alexander as well as others. How many of these current guys are going pro? Barnes gets the easy nod there.

What has been done with what?

Barnes and Pearl are pretty even on highest number of wins over their seasons as HC at TN.

Bruce inherited a program on the way up and Barnes inherited a program on the way down. Only Bruce has an outright regular season SEC championship. Barnes has the SEC tournament win. Barnes also has a shared SEC title, but it is a tie with Pearl at Auburn. Pearl has two sweet 16s. If Barnes goes beyond the S16, then he is sans a S16. Regardless, as of the proposed question, he is sans an Elite 8. + Bruce did all of what he did more quickly. Bruce has an Elite 8 as well. I'm giving the nod to Pearl here.

What has been done with when?

The SEC is at an all time high. We are far more competitive as a league than we have ever been and have been for several years. In fact, Barnes' second sweet 16 run comes during the SEC's best conference outing ever IMO. Vandy should have been in. When you consider what Barnes has done out of conference on top of what he has done within the best conference in the league this year and with who he has done it with, he has the easy nod here.

Intangibles:

Barnes has been recruiting at an incredible level. Nod.

Transfer world is different than it used to be, so that is moot.

Barnes has established a stable program. Pearl got caught up in the hoopla (see what I did there?) And sort of had the best looking trainwreck we have seen in NCAA sports over these recent years. No motor cycle wrecks or prostitution esque convictions, just lies, divorces and boat party photos which caused the decline of his and our success. I wish I were on a boat, but nod to Barnes here.

It's very close. Performance is the indicator most will argue. Barnes needs this E8 to quiet those who don't consider much else than KPIs, but I still think when you consider everything above especially when you look at where our league is at, Barnes gets the serious dub here.

We are STACKED with coaches and he is in the top 3 to 4 at least. Barnes schedules MANY games against the power players in one season. Think about that. TX, Kansas, AZ with an exhibition against Gonzaga in arguably the strongest SEC season throughout both Barnes' and Pearls' career?

I'm tired of typing.

Barnes.
 
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