Rick Barnes discussion (merged)

[youcancallmeAl]

There comes a time when a person's record tells us who they are with certainty. That time has long come and gone for Barnes. His record tells us that he is a coach who develops young men as basketball players and good citizens. In the process he creates good, competitive basketball teams, but not great ones. He is not a coach who's likely to win many championships or make deep runs in the NCAAT, as the record proves. Championship teams may come along once in a while as a matter of chance and hard work, but not because Barnes has a burning desire to win them.

It is frustrating to those who want championships watch a HOF coach recruit at an elite level and then put non-elite teams on the floor. These teams aren't reaching their potential like the Grant/Admiral/Bone team did. No question about that. And it is Barnes fault. No question about that either. I've been frustrated at the thought of what could have been and what could be with all this BB talent wearing orange.

Barnes might catch lightning in a bottle and win some kind of championship this season or another, but I've decided not to hope for it, lest the disappointment set in, like it did last year. And it's fine with me for Barnes to be the coach until he decides to step down. He is still a step up for UT and for Tennessee basketball, whether he ever wins another championship or not. For those who want to move on from Barnes, make your case to the AD and pony up the money for the buyout and new, expensive coach. Good luck with that. But I don't want to hear the whining when we can't attract a decent coach because we fired a HOF coach.

 

[Go47]

Good post - I agree.

Barnes ability to bring in more talent has raised expectations . . . But those expecting an SEC title or final 4 appearances are setting themselves up for disappointment. And even though we have better talent (maybe) than in the past . . . Other teams have upped their game too.

 

[InVOLuntary]

Sorry if already mentioned but I have to wonder if losing his assistants has finally caught up to him. Maybe the replacements were a miss this go around. Recruiting hasn't been up to his standards this year as compared to the last couple of cycles.

 

[brockytop]

Rick Barnes one and only trip to the Final Four was 2003. Since then 37 different coaches have made the FF (with many making it multiple times while others are head scratchers how they got there to begin with). I’m glad TN is willing to pony up money for an “elite coach”, but it’s past time for Vol Nation to start putting heat on Barnes to produce, especially at tournament time. He’s getting elite coach money and the program should expect elite results.

It’s still early January, but unless things change this will be the second straight season the team regressed as the season progressed. Time for Barnes to stop being a totally subpar in-game coach and a guy that helps his team win.

 

[Big Orange#1]

Barnes is aggressively average.

 

[zjcvols]

Rick Barnes one and only trip to the Final Four was 2003. Since then 37 different coaches have made the FF (with many making it multiple times while others are head scratchers how they got there to begin with). I’m glad TN is willing to pony up money for an “elite coach”, but it’s past time for Vol Nation to start putting heat on Barnes to produce, especially at tournament time. He’s getting elite coach money and the program should expect elite results.

It’s still early January, but unless things change this will be the second straight season the team regressed as the season progressed. Time for Barnes to stop being atotally subpar in-game coach and a guy that helps his team win.

It will actually be the fourth straight year and five out of the last six we’ve regressed.

2021: Started 14-4, finished 18-9 (4-5)
2020: Started 12-6, finished 17-14 (5-8)
2019: Started 23-1, finished 31-6 (8-5)
2017: Started 13-9, finished 16-16 (3-7)

 

[bleedingTNorange]

It will actually be the fourth straight year and five out of the last six we’ve regressed.

2021: Started 14-4, finished 18-9 (4-5)
2020: Started 12-6, finished 17-14 (5-8)
2019: Started 23-1, finished 31-6 (8-5)
2017: Started 13-9, finished 16-16 (3-7)

We are 10-4, you think we regress from that?

 

[zjcvols]

We are 10-4, you think we regress from that?

With how tough the SEC is and the fact our offense continues to struggle I wouldn’t be surprised at a 9-9 conference record. Already 1-2 and easily could have been 0-3.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

With how tough the SEC is and the fact our offense continues to struggle I wouldn’t be surprised at a 9-9 conference record. Already 1-2 and easily could have been 0-3.

I don’t see 9-9 record happening, guess we will see. We could just as well be 2-1 as 0-3

 

[zjcvols]

I don’t see 9-9 record happening, guess we will see. We could just as well be 2-1 as 0-3

I looked more in depth at the schedule. Yeah 9-9 is probably not gonna happen (we play USC/Vandy four times, plus Georgia and Missouri. That should be 6 wins right there and that gives us 7). But I don’t expect us to go 12-6 as projected on kenpom.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I looked more in depth at the schedule. Yeah 9-9 is probably not gonna happen (we play USC/Vandy four times, plus Georgia and Missouri. That should be 6 wins right there and that gives us 7). But I don’t expect us to go 12-6 as projected on kenpom.

Thus I don’t see us regressing, but we shall see.

 

[Sudden Impact]

Not sure if he retires 3-4 years from Now or 10 to 12 years. Not pushing him out the door, but who replaces him if the 3=4 year timeline is in effect.
Just trying to be Proactive vs Reactive....
Is Kim English a candidate.
Who would you like to see as a Coach following Barnes?
Just throwing it out for discussion.....

 

[cardvolfan]

There comes a time when a person's record tells us who they are with certainty. That time has long come and gone for Barnes. His record tells us that he is a coach who develops young men as basketball players and good citizens. In the process he creates good, competitive basketball teams, but not great ones. He is not a coach who's likely to win many championships or make deep runs in the NCAAT, as the record proves. Championship teams may come along once in a while as a matter of chance and hard work, but not because Barnes has a burning desire to win them.

It is frustrating to those who want championships watch a HOF coach recruit at an elite level and then put non-elite teams on the floor. These teams aren't reaching their potential like the Grant/Admiral/Bone team did. No question about that. And it is Barnes fault. No question about that either. I've been frustrated at the thought of what could have been and what could be with all this BB talent wearing orange.

Barnes might catch lightning in a bottle and win some kind of championship this season or another, but I've decided not to hope for it, lest the disappointment set in, like it did last year. And it's fine with me for Barnes to be the coach until he decides to step down. He is still a step up for UT and for Tennessee basketball, whether he ever wins another championship or not. For those who want to move on from Barnes, make your case to the AD and pony up the money for the buyout and new, expensive coach. Good luck with that. But I don't want to hear the whining when we can't attract a decent coach because we fired a HOF coach.

So if he wins a championship it’s because he “catches lightning in a bottle.” And how in the world do you know Barnes DOESN‘T have a burning desire to win them?

 

[LibertyVol]

Barnes is just good enough to break your heart.

Barnes is a great coach. Let’s hope Tennessee does not run him off. These people getting upset every time Tennessee loses a game is idiocy. You can count on it. Tennessee will hire another Cuonzo who got beat by 50 last night by a not so good Arkansas team. No more NCAA and Ass whippings every night. Tennessee is making the NCAAs again this year and may make a nice run.

 

[MadisonvilleVol]

Not sure if he retires 3-4 years from Now or 10 to 12 years. Not pushing him out the door, but who replaces him if the 3=4 year timeline is in effect.
Just trying to be Proactive vs Reactive....
Is Kim English a candidate.
Who would you like to see as a Coach following Barnes?
Just throwing it out for discussion.....

Kim English will probably get scooped up by Mizzou when they fire Clownzo.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

So if he wins a championship it’s because he “catches lightning in a bottle.” And how in the world do you know Barnes DOESN‘T have a burning desire to win them?

I don't. I assume he does. I actually think he does want very much to win championships. My point is that whether he does or doesn't win them, it seems independent of his competitive drive. He just doesn't win championships or perform well in tournaments. I think that has more to do with what he really priortizes - developing players - than not having a desire to win championships. That doesn't mean he won't win one at some point in the future. After all, he's capable of putting out some really good teams, and he might ride a hot one to a championship one day.

 

[golfballs]

Not sure how this scheduling works but TTU only with 1 day off after beating Baylor and they thump OK St. They get another day off and then go to Kansas St. Then a 2 day vacation before playing Iowa St

 

[cardvolfan]

Not sure how this scheduling works but TTU only with 1 day off after beating Baylor and they thump OK St. They get another day off and then go to Kansas St. Then a 2 day vacation before playing Iowa St

Wow. I suppose we will see all types of similar scenarios with all the postponements.

 

[sechamp2012]

Not sure how this scheduling works but TTU only with 1 day off after beating Baylor and they thump OK St. They get another day off and then go to Kansas St. Then a 2 day vacation before playing Iowa St

Texas Tech made our O look bad. Our D made TT O look bad. That Overtime game doesn't look so bad after Texas Tech knocked off #1 Baylor. The only loss since our OT game was Gonzaga.

 

[CAVPUT]

Barnes just needs to play to his strength....player development. He needs to stop with the one and dones and focus on kids that are gonna be around the program for several years to work his magic with. I got no taste for flipping the roster every year.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Barnes just needs to play to his strength....player development. He needs to stop with the one and dones and focus on kids that are gonna be around the program for several years to work his magic with. I got no taste for flipping the roster every year.

Keeping a mix with just one or two one and dones isn’t a bad formula. BHH may not be getting many minutes but I bet having him on the roster has motivated Uros and ORN to improve their games. The 3 one and done guards have all contributed. The one big man is slow to be much help.

 

[tennrich1]

Texas Tech made our O look bad. Our D made TT O look bad. That Overtime game doesn't look so bad after Texas Tech knocked off #1 Baylor. The only loss since our OT game was Gonzaga.

Yeah...I know it's easy to complain and certainly the issues with this team are pretty obvious but when you look at the four losses we have and the Arizona win.... there's a ton of programs that would give their left arm to be in our position.

 

[CAVPUT]

Keeping a mix with just one or two one and dones isn’t a bad formula. BHH may not be getting many minutes but I bet having him on the roster has motivated Uros and ORN to improve their games. The 3 one and done guards have all contributed. The one big man is slow to be much help.

If the one and done is a good fit I can see it, but let's be honest, we aren't gonna have either kid next season and might actually be a better team.

 

[walkenvol]

50% Over / under on BHH returning next season…. I pick over

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

If the one and done is a good fit I can see it, but let's be honest, we aren't gonna have either kid next season and might actually be a better team.

TN should be better next year. BJ Edwards is around a top 50 and ZZZ will be a sophomore. Fulk will be missed, but at this point BHH will not be missed (at this point) except as helping the other bigs see a big physical guy in practice everyday. But by adding Aidoo and Tamba while Uros and ORN are a year older I don’t expect a drop off in the post. Losing Santiago and JJJ would hurt. But BJE helps if SV exits and QD/JM may not be a huge drop off if JJJ leaves.