Rick Barnes is 7-2 in the NCAAT the last three years but

#26
#26
Can anybody really beat Duke , the answer is NO! Everybody just enjoy the ride . And hope, and it is a serious HOPE that Duke shoots 30% and somehow gets knocked out. There is always one team that is just better than everybody else.
 
#27
#27
Oldblood said:
Is a final four appearance the only thing that will completely bury the “regular season Rick”
attitude that so many have?
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If we beat Purdue to get there, you'll probably still hear people say something like "he still has never beaten a higher seed in the tournament". I wouldn't let anyone like that steal my joy if we were to make a Final Four.
 
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#32
#32
LWSVOL said:
no because they lack an understanding of how difficult it is to advance in the tournament. Just look at the close games yesterday, Auburn, St Johns (Gets beat), Wisconsin (gets beat).... its one of the more difficult things in sports... Getting to Omaha and getting to the final series might be more difficult than getting to a final four. Houston had to fight hard to hold off Gonzaga.
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At least in baseball, it's double elimination
 
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#34
#34
TheFlash1971 said:
Can anybody really beat Duke , the answer is NO! Everybody just enjoy the ride . And hope, and it is a serious HOPE that Duke shoots 30% and somehow gets knocked out. There is always one team that is just better than everybody else.
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This Duke team reminds me past UConn teams as they blew everyone out.

But, one bad shooting performance and/or foul trouble may level the playing field.

On this note, I remember as a kid watching Villanova upsetting Ewin mg and his Hoyas. I think it was 85?

Go Vols!
 
#36
#36
vol94 said:
This Duke team reminds me past UConn teams as they blew everyone out.

But, one bad shooting performance and/or foul trouble may level the playing field.

On this note, I remember as a kid watching Villanova upsetting Ewin mg and his Hoyas. I think it was 85?

Go Vols!
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Those UConn teams played tougher schedules though.
 
#37
#37
TheFlash1971 said:
Can anybody really beat Duke , the answer is NO! Everybody just enjoy the ride . And hope, and it is a serious HOPE that Duke shoots 30% and somehow gets knocked out. There is always one team that is just better than everybody else.
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They lost to Clemson, who got smoked by McNeese. So yes, Duke can be beaten. We definitely don’t match up well with them (I think only Florida does at this point), and I don’t think we’d beat them without a lot going our way, but Duke also isn't 1976 Indiana.

Quite frankly, though, if we get to the FF this year, Duke can shoot us dead for all I’d care. Getting to our first ever final four, with a win over Kentucky on the way there, would put me in such a state of zen that I’d be like the Buddha. Obviously I’d want to win it all, but losing to Duke in the FF wouldn’t be anything to be upset about whatsoever.
 
#39
#39
TheFlash1971 said:
Can anybody really beat Duke , the answer is NO! Everybody just enjoy the ride . And hope, and it is a serious HOPE that Duke shoots 30% and somehow gets knocked out. There is always one team that is just better than everybody else.
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The only ppl who think Duke can’t be beaten are the ppl who believe the media hype that ESPN gives Duke….

Every team that’s left, especially the top teams are all “beatable” on an off night imo! Every team have had games this tourney where at some point, the game was close!
 
#40
#40
I’ve not said a negative word about coach since the EE run last year. That said, does anyone know what his record here is in the tournament as an underdog? I know we’ve lost a few as the favorite with the one stinging most being Loyola Chicago, IMO.

TN’s played well in the first two games but I’d still to see them take it to another level and play their best ball when it matters most. Right now my concern is Kentucky might be a team doing that very thing.
 
#41
#41
BallsVolls1 said:
The only ppl who think Duke can’t be beaten are the ppl who believe the media hype that ESPN gives Duke….

Every team that’s left, especially the top teams are all “beatable” on an off night imo! Every team have had games this tourney where at some point, the game was close!
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Correct. All it takes is one off night and you’re gone. Doesn’t matter who it is.
 
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#42
#42
brockytop said:
I’ve not said a negative word about coach since the EE run last year. That said, does anyone know what his record here is in the tournament as an underdog? I know we’ve lost a few as the favorite with the one stinging most being Loyola Chicago, IMO.

TN’s played well in the first two games but I’d still to see them take it to another level and play their best ball when it matters most. Right now my concern is Kentucky might be a team doing that very thing.
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I don’t think he’s upset a team in the tournament since he’s been at UT. Maybe I’m wrong.
 
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#45
#45
wmcovol said:
I’ve been hard on Barnes some years. Not last year though. They just had to play the 2nd best team in the country in the regional finals with an unfavorable whistle
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Same here, but losing to Kentucky a third time will be a bitter pill to swallow if that’s the way it goes down this year. I say that even though I favor UK to win.
 
#46
#46
vol94 said:
This Duke team reminds me past UConn teams as they blew everyone out.

But, one bad shooting performance and/or foul trouble may level the playing field.

On this note, I remember as a kid watching Villanova upsetting Ewin mg and his Hoyas. I think it was 85?

Go Vols!
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Yep, 1985. Georgetown had beaten Villanova three times already, although all were close games. It took Villanova shooting 22 for 28 from the field that game - 79% - to finally do it. G-town shot 55% that night. Another crazy stat is there were only 31 rebounds in the entire game since so few shots were missed.
 
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#47
#47
cncchris33 said:
It is, but many just don't like him and have their minds made up on that, sadly. Achieving a F4 will only force them to move the target. That vocal minority will never be happy because they prefer voicing their powerless negative energy. It's all they know.
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I really don’t think “many” people just don’t like Rick Barnes. I don’t think even his naysayers dislike the man. It’s fair to ask if we can ever make a Final 4 or win a championship with him until he takes us there. But it would be foolish to suggest he isn’t a good coach, and it would be even more foolish to dislike the man.
 
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#50
#50
LegionnaireOfTheMiserable said:
I really don’t think “many” people just don’t like Rick Barnes. I don’t think even his naysayers dislike the man. It’s fair to ask if we can ever make a Final 4 or win a championship with him until he takes us there. But it would be foolish to suggest he isn’t a good coach, and it would be even more foolish to dislike the man.
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I didn't mean dislike the man. I meant dislike the idea of him as our coach.

First it was that he was washed up.
Then it was that he's coasting to retirement.
Then it was he can't recruit.
Then it was he can't win with his style.
Then it was he can't win in the postseason.
Now it's he can't make a F4.

Many of those who never liked the hire are just too stubborn to come off the idea and admit he's done a great job. They constantly move the goalpost to define success. Has he reached the pinnacle of success? No, but very few do and he's been the best coach Tennessee has ever had and has done things we've never seen. And he's done it with grace and class.
 
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