I don't disagree with your take on the refs. They make it unwatchable at times. No consistency for both teams or even during the course of the game. First half touch fouls. 2nd half prison ball. Not talking about last night's game specifically. But games in general that don't even include Tennessee. Not sure these guys reffing understand what they are watching half of the time.
Is it not true that only 1 team succeeds by season’s end? In your sad narrative, that’s the way the vocal minority thinks. It’s really pathetic and sad that you can’t realize that the vast majority of all coaches “underperform” in March. Literally almost every coach underperforms, in your view. Why do you choose to crucify the team you supposedly love?
Maybe I'm just not passionate enough, but in my experience, getting into the post season consistently has been a challenge before Barnes arrived. We've gone from hoping to win a game...a single game...in the SECT and hoping to hear our names on selection Sunday to expecting a double bye and wondering if we'll be a 4, 5 or 6 seed. Folks better appreciate where this program is right now. One day Barnes will be gone and things might not be so pleasant in TBA. I can vividly recall the late 90s and fan bemoaning the fact that UT wasn't winning "big enough". We all know what the last 20 years have been like for UT in football. Enjoy the journey and appreciate where we are right now.
The NCAAT results ideally need to improve, but assuming we get a 5 seed or better this year Barnes will be the only UT coach to have ever taken the Vols to the NCAAT 4x as a 5 seed or better. I’m aware the reply to that is “well what’s he done in the NCAAT”, but there’s a lot of middle ground between what Barnes has done and what Peterson was doing.
Somebody needs to give them a history lesson. Yeah a few years ago it was get Shaka Smart or get White’s brother at Florida. Lot’s of folks don’t have any patience anymore they want the next shiny thing and don’t realize the shine was often more hype than substance. Barnes has won more consistently and produced more good sound teams that play consistently hard than any coach we have had since Pearl. His is 8-7 against Calipari, we consistently make the dance. And before anyone says we haven’t been to the final 4 there have been many good coaches that had to wait a while before cracking that nutt. It’s easy to lose in a one and out tourney. But tell me what other coach got us too the tournament this much and won this many sec contest. I will hang up and listen to crickets! Go Vols!!!!
This is all really good stuff. The poster says if we get knocked out in the tourney, the good play now becomes irrelevant. My perception is that this whole season has been very relevant to the 17,000 fans attending games. It is very relevant to those of us who follow this team closely via television or other media outlets. It is very relevant to the scores of young kids who idolize their Vol basketball players. It is very relevant to a ton of alumni all over our state, country, and even world. It’s relevant to MOST of us because we invest our time and emotions following this team—win, lose, or draw. Again, the vocal minority makes the most noise.
Agreed. There are several coaches that I lump in that group. KO, Frank Martin, Will Muschamp, Dana Holgerson. All decent coaches but an absolute embarrassment with their antics on the sideline. Terrible examples for the players and I wouldn’t have any of them representing my school if I was in charge. Give me the good coach with class every time. Having said that, there is a balance. Don’t want a Wade Houston or Buzz Peterson either. Nice guys who couldn’t coach a lick.
