The Official “Regular Posters of the Basketball Forum” Thread

[cncchris33]

I understand that having the season end earlier than hoped is tremendously disappointing, but if you approach it as championship or bust (or even sweet 16 or bust), then the vast majority of the time it will be bust. Gotta enjoy the ride.

And for that matter, why even start watching, caring, or investing yourself emotionally before March if that's all that matters.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Idk - Last year, the crowds for the UK, Auburn, and Arky games were electric. This Saturday will be interesting - perhaps the dead atmosphere for UK was mainly due to students being out. We will find out soon enough.

No doubt, students will contribute to the atmosphere.

I don’t think that KY is normally in Knoxville when classes are out. That was another big advantage for them. KY students will be crazy when TN visits Rupp. It will be a Saturday CBS game. At 1pm eastern time.

Barn should be rowdy. Because of you know who.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I think/hope, it mostly has to do with football, but that’s the nature of things at UT. Realistically there’s not been much overlap at all of good football and good basketball at least since I’ve been paying much attention, the very end of Fulmer was the start of Pearl so that likely contributed to the huge basketball buy in was the winning and excitement Pearl brought and the football team sucking. Add in the common Tennessee basketball fan, who’s more a football fan usually, and they’ll quickly point out the lack of March success, just not a great mixture.

TBA attendance is still up and the games will be packed, hopefully as we are heading into February the football hangover wears off and there’s more excitement around the team as they absolutely deserve it. Regardless of lack of March success being a ranked team every single week, talking about 1/2/3/4 seeds in March every year, being the winningest SEC team last 4-5 years or whatever, SEC championships are levels this program has never seen before. Enjoy it.

 

[ndubvols]

I think the home schedule has had something to do with it. It’s been terrible so far. We haven’t played anybody outside of Kentucky at home so far this year, and they aren’t what they typically are. I think with the big home games in the second half of the season you’ll see the typical rowdy atmosphere.

 

[ColinS]

I’ve never met such a spoiled/entitled fanbase to have not won a national championship. We have one good football season and we become immediately disinterested and frankly bored with the rate at which we are winning. I just really struggle to understand why so many think that the regular season doesn’t matter. There is a lot to enjoy about watching your team play and win even if it doesn’t result in being the one team to lift the trophy at the end of the season.

I agree with this but we are at a point of needing some NCAA Tournament deep run validation like Houston got. There are not too many of us big regular season college basketball fans around anymore. We need some kind of nugget for the casuals. Some don't want to admit it but there is a narrative out there that we want win in March. It's time to end the excuses, go on a run, and end that narrative.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Wait till March!

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Wait till March!

The $5 million man is just milking TN for a paycheck as he cruises towards retirement.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

The $5 million man is just milking TN for a paycheck as he cruises towards retirement.

I want March success as badly as the Barnes Bashers. But, man, it is so damn nice to know there will be high quality basketball from November - March every year under Barnes. Basketball where the Vols are relevant and part of the national conversation. Not just basketball where we hope to win enough games to make the bubble.

 

[johnfnkelly]

I want March success as badly as the Barnes Bashers. But, man, it is so damn nice to know there will be high quality basketball from November - March every year under Barnes. Basketball where the Vols are relevant and part of the national conversation. Not just basketball where we hope to win enough games to make the bubble.

It seems the older generations appreciate CRB more than the newer fans. My dad, a devoted Bernie & Ernie fanatic, texted me after winning @ Miss St, "Good win. At one time an away SEC win for the Vols was impossible".

Atp - I just want to see CRB make a run to cement his UT legacy as the GOAT. That's all Pearl fanboys have left. Just one run.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Wait till March!

What a stat

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Here’s another angle/view/way to look at it whatever, sustained success is much harder than a fluke run in March. Yes on one hand you would think by now we’d have lucked into a run, but it isn’t just Barnes that hasn’t been able to hear at Tennessee. However my point is, doing what he’s done, over the course of the last 5 years is much more impressive imo than 1 NCAAT run to the F4 such as Frank Martin did at South Carolina.

My main point to this though is that big picture, when it’s time to make a new hire, this should really help. Candidates likely viewed this job before as 4-5 at best in the SEC, tough spot to consistently win or recruit to, and maybe Top 25 national type program. It can no be viewed as Top 2 in league, Top 10 program nationally that can pull Top 10 classes routinely, and has everything you need to be successful. IMO candidates will be much more attracted to that, and feeling THEY can make a NCAAT run, than looking at a program like a South Carolina this past year.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

It seems the older generations appreciate CRB more than the newer fans. My dad, a devoted Bernie & Ernie fanatic, texted me after winning @ Miss St, "Good win. At one time an away SEC win for the Vols was impossible".

Atp - I just want to see CRB make a run to cement his UT legacy as the GOAT. That's all Pearl fanboys have left. Just one run.

I’m not even part of the “older generation.” I’m 30. So, I am still a youth in the eyes of many. I just appreciate winning.

I’ve lived through decades of mediocrity across nearly all sports, and so I just enjoy watching a Tennessee game and seeing us get a W. I obviously want a championship of some kind, and it is frustrating that it eludes us. But, I choose to believe eventually one will come and to just enjoy the ride as much as I can, because it won’t always be like this.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Here’s another angle/view/way to look at it whatever, sustained success is much harder than a fluke run in March. Yes on one hand you would think by now we’d have lucked into a run, but it isn’t just Barnes that hasn’t been able to hear at Tennessee. However my point is, doing what he’s done, over the course of the last 5 years is much more impressive imo than 1 NCAAT run to the F4 such as Frank Martin did at South Carolina.

My main point to this though is that big picture, when it’s time to make a new hire, this should really help. Candidates likely viewed this job before as 4-5 at best in the SEC, tough spot to consistently win or recruit to, and maybe Top 25 national type program. It can no be viewed as Top 2 in league, Top 10 program nationally that can pull Top 10 classes routinely, and has everything you need to be successful. IMO candidates will be much more attracted to that, and feeling THEY can make a NCAAT run, than looking at a program like a South Carolina this past year.

It’s hard to believe that UGA had NC State in the FF semis in 1983 when Valvano shocked the world in the next game versus Phi Slama Jama.

 

[cncchris33]

Here’s another angle/view/way to look at it whatever, sustained success is much harder than a fluke run in March. Yes on one hand you would think by now we’d have lucked into a run, but it isn’t just Barnes that hasn’t been able to hear at Tennessee. However my point is, doing what he’s done, over the course of the last 5 years is much more impressive imo than 1 NCAAT run to the F4 such as Frank Martin did at South Carolina.

My main point to this though is that big picture, when it’s time to make a new hire, this should really help. Candidates likely viewed this job before as 4-5 at best in the SEC, tough spot to consistently win or recruit to, and maybe Top 25 national type program. It can no be viewed as Top 2 in league, Top 10 program nationally that can pull Top 10 classes routinely, and has everything you need to be successful. IMO candidates will be much more attracted to that, and feeling THEY can make a NCAAT run, than looking at a program like a South Carolina this past year.

Several of us have posted similar points, but it falls on deaf ears of the ones who just want to complain. I’ve even used the South Carolina angle.

Who would honestly trade our last 7 years for South Carolina’s? Sure, they had the F4, but they also missed the tournament entirely 5 times and have a 109-95 record. Tennessee in that span is 151-65 with 4 NCAAT appearances (and a 5th one coming) and a S16. Give me that record and 5 shots in the big dance. I enjoy basketball for 5 months from November to March, not just a couple weeks in at the end of the year, so I can’t and won’t determine an entire season’s level of success based solely on that. That’s extremely myopic.

 

[VolArmy74]

I'm old and want to see Tennessee succeed in March. The whole point of the regular season is to best position yourself for that. It's why we see the seeding threads and worry about that. I think everyone can agree on that. That being said, I don't let what any other fan thinks change my experience of enjoying two basketball games every week. And most of the time under Barnes we get that.

That said, I'd rather go 22-12 and make the Final Four than 31-3 and lose in the second round. If others opinion is different I don't let it affect me one way or another. To each their own.

The original point that sparked all this, if Freddie isn't a 4 year guy and can make the offense better, there's probably going to be a few games where he could be needed and I don't see the reason for redshirting, unless for some odd reason he and his family don't want him to play this season. So I can understand why people want to see him play and it will really get loud next time we lose on one of those 30 percent shooting nights.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I'm old and want to see Tennessee succeed in March. The whole point of the regular season is to best position yourself for that. It's why we see the seeding threads and worry about that. I think everyone can agree on that. That being said, I don't let what any other fan thinks change my experience of enjoying two basketball games every week. And most of the time under Barnes we get that.

That said, I'd rather go 22-12 and make the Final Four than 31-3 and lose in the second round. If others opinion is different I don't let it affect me one way or another. To each their own.

The original point that sparked all this, if Freddie isn't a 4 year guy and can make the offense better, there's probably going to be a few games where he could be needed and I don't see the reason for redshirting, unless for some odd reason he and his family don't want him to play this season. So I can understand why people want to see him play and it will really get loud next time we lose on one of those 30 percent shooting nights.

Except that’s exactly the case, so why can’t it be dropped as both parties feel it’s what’s best and what they want?

 

[cardvolfan]

I'm old and want to see Tennessee succeed in March. The whole point of the regular season is to best position yourself for that. It's why we see the seeding threads and worry about that. I think everyone can agree on that. That being said, I don't let what any other fan thinks change my experience of enjoying two basketball games every week. And most of the time under Barnes we get that.

That said, I'd rather go 22-12 and make the Final Four than 31-3 and lose in the second round. If others opinion is different I don't let it affect me one way or another. To each their own.

The original point that sparked all this, if Freddie isn't a 4 year guy and can make the offense better, there's probably going to be a few games where he could be needed and I don't see the reason for redshirting, unless for some odd reason he and his family don't want him to play this season. So I can understand why people want to see him play and it will really get loud next time we lose on one of those 30 percent shooting nights.

Those things are mutually exclusive. It isn‘t, and doesn’t have to be that way.

 

[Chemvol]

Wait till March!

That's unreal. I never thought I'd see that in my 40+ years of fandom.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

What I can’t understand is, Barnes gets a lot of crap for coming up short in the NCAA Tournament. Nobody likes to lose on the biggest stage in March, I totally get it.

However, take away Bruce Pearl’s only Elite 8, he’s about had the same success as Barnes with very talented rosters. He’s also had some very bad losses during his career here.

Barnes has built a positive reputation around the program. We’re consistently a Top 10-15 team every year and the recruiting momentum keeps on going.

Nobody with a straight face can say Barnes is a bad coach.

Is he a great coach? Probably not. However, he’s the best thing that’s happened to us.

Tennessee has historically never been a good tournament team. A lot of it has had to do with bad luck, bad mismatches, and poorly officiated moments.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

What I can’t understand is, Barnes gets a lot of crap for coming up short in the NCAA Tournament. Nobody likes to lose on the biggest stage in March, I totally get it.

However, take away Bruce Pearl’s only Elite 8, he’s about had the same success as Barnes with very talented rosters. He’s also had some very bad losses during his career here.

Barnes has built a positive reputation around the program. We’re consistently a Top 10-15 team every year and the recruiting momentum keeps on going.

Nobody with a straight face can say Barnes is a bad coach.

Is he a great coach? Probably not. However, he’s the best thing that’s happened to us.

Tennessee has historically never been a good tournament team. A lot of it has had to do with bad luck, bad mismatches, and poorly officiated moments.

Much of the lack of a tournament history was because the program was neglected for a couple of decades while the NCAAT kept getting bigger and bigger. Douglas. Adair. Dickey. He started the mess.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

What I can’t understand is, Barnes gets a lot of crap for coming up short in the NCAA Tournament. Nobody likes to lose on the biggest stage in March, I totally get it.

However, take away Bruce Pearl’s only Elite 8, he’s about had the same success as Barnes with very talented rosters. He’s also had some very bad losses during his career here.

Barnes has built a positive reputation around the program. We’re consistently a Top 10-15 team every year and the recruiting momentum keeps on going.

Nobody with a straight face can say Barnes is a bad coach.

Is he a great coach? Probably not. However, he’s the best thing that’s happened to us.

Tennessee has historically never been a good tournament team. A lot of it has had to do with bad luck, bad mismatches, and poorly officiated moments.

UT probably doesn't land CRB without the success Pearl had with Tennessee and making the program relevant again. I appreciate what Pearl did along with the job Barnes is currently doing. Luckily, Rick still has time to make some more tournament appearances (hopefully deep runs).

 

[VolArmy74]

Except that’s exactly the case, so why can’t it be dropped as both parties feel it’s what’s best and what they want?

In that case it should be made known to reporters who put these blurbs out that his redshirt is him and his family not wanting him to play this year. That way at least some of the crazy comments on the tweet would probably not happen.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Wes is playing with fire lol. Grant about to throw hands.

 

[omghulkhands]

Anyone seen a point spread for tomorrow?

 

[Chris4Vols22]

What I can’t understand is, Barnes gets a lot of crap for coming up short in the NCAA Tournament. Nobody likes to lose on the biggest stage in March, I totally get it.

However, take away Bruce Pearl’s only Elite 8, he’s about had the same success as Barnes with very talented rosters. He’s also had some very bad losses during his career here.

Barnes has built a positive reputation around the program. We’re consistently a Top 10-15 team every year and the recruiting momentum keeps on going.

Nobody with a straight face can say Barnes is a bad coach.

Is he a great coach? Probably not. However, he’s the best thing that’s happened to us.

Tennessee has historically never been a good tournament team. A lot of it has had to do with bad luck, bad mismatches, and poorly officiated moments.

If you're asking why Barnes gets flack for the postseason and Pearl didn't, that's not entirely true. There was a small portion of the fanbase that was not satisfied with Pearl. However, to your point, way more people were just happy that we had sustained success. Imo, Barnes getting more flack in 2023 than Pearl at any point while he was at UT is the logical flow of fan emotions. Now that we've experienced sustained success for the most part since 2005, fans are getting more antsy and expectations are growing, especially when other SEC coaches are going further than us in the tournament with arguably lesser teams.

I will also throw out there that not all fans who express dissatisfaction with Barnes are necessarily advocating for him to be replaced. Certainly speaking for myself, I think it's a very valid concern that UT/Barnes can't seem to find a way to win the tournament games we really should win. Does that mean I think he's doing a bad job and should be fired? Of course not. It is just so disappointing and deflating to see us flop on the big stage after we played an entire season so well. The fact that UT has been a historically unsuccessful basketball program is irrelevant to my criticisms on Barnes; it doesn't matter how bad we were without him - what matters is that we've had great teams complete great regular seasons and no corresponding post season successes (though I think making the Sweet 16 is a notable achievement, the '18-19 team was and still is Barnes's best UT squad, and they could have won it all imo).