The Official Rick Barnes discussion thread

[VolGee4]

My phone won’t reply to stats above, but those are volume stats. Auburn and Alabama have great efficiency numbers, and I agree that the elite teams do. But the great Rick Pitino’s team is 84th offensively at KenPom. They will be a popular pick in the NCAAT. We don’t have to be great- just in the top 25-30.

 

[Creeker]

I am a Barnes supporter. My view:

This is a typical Barnes team. An average Barnes team. This team most likely will be like
the average Barnes team, looking impressive in spurts the first two weekends in the
tourney. They most likely will make the SS, where they will be defeated by a lower
seeded team (8 or 9 seed) because of their inconsistent offense. Be happy with the 20-25 win seasons.

He is not on the same level as Pearl as far as coaching ability. Pearl has some personality
defects (as we all do, even us born-again Christians), and despite his lower moral standards,
he recruits better, motivates better, plans better (doesn't act better)

I am happy with this season because I don't expect a championship, just exciting basketball.

So you have us as a 4 or 5 seed, because that’s the only way that scenario you described can happen? We are firmly a 2 and can lose 1 more game and very realistically be a 1 seed, so we would have to really meltdown over the last 6 games. I’m just trying to understand the logic here, is an average Barnes team a 4-5 seed or a 2 or possibly 1 seed which is where we actually are right now. Also, over the last 4 years Barnes has earned a 5, 3, 4 and 2 seed. Over that same time, Pearl has missed the tournament completely once, been a 2 seed that was eliminated in round 2, was a 9 seed that lost in the second round, and a 4 seed who lost in the first round. I don’t see how this equals to Pearl being objectively better at everything?

 

[SGMVols]

Pearl’s teams here after Lofton left were a pretty hard watch until the lucky E8 run. His last two teams here were 75th and 90th offensively on kenpom. The latter team had two McDonald’s All Americans in the starting lineup too.

Rick’s E8 team was legitimately one of the 8 best teams in the country, not a team that just got a really lucky draw and cashed in.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Love CRB,but I do think the game is passing him by. Happens to all coaches at some point. His philosophy has always been defense. The game now is offense. Not sure he can accept and adapt to that

I don't think the game has passed him at all. We lost the games this year because our players did not execute well enough to win. Last night our players had a bunch of turnovers, poor passes which prevented players to shoot the ball in rhythm, missed foul shoots that would have allowed us to play without having to come from behind, allowed Kentucky players to shoot open shots, and missed open shots. Barns nor his coaches made those mistakes. When our players play well, we win. When our players don't play well we lose.

 

[SGMVols]

Love CRB,but I do think the game is passing him by. Happens to all coaches at some point. His philosophy has always been defense. The game now is offense. Not sure he can accept and adapt to that

Kelvin Sampson coaches the same way and nobody ever says this about him.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

I have no problem with Barnes being our coach and appreciate what has done, which has been fairly remarkable given the expectations of the program before he got here.

Truth is I have simply grown exhausted with our offense. I just have. He is arguably the best defensive minded coach in college basketball history, but outside of a generational talent in Dalton Knecht his teams simply struggle to do the most important thing which is score points.

If Rick would like to stay and coach until he is 100, that is more than fine by me, but he has to find a way to score. I truly don’t care if we have to sacrifice defense for offense. I don’t see this program getting that elusive Final Four if the best we can do is just inside the Top 40 on offense year after year. Find some shooters. Change the system. I’m not the coach so I won’t pretend to know the solution.

I don’t think it’s fixable this year. We are who we are 25 games into the season. It’s just not all that fun to watch us struggle this much on offense.

like * 1,000!

All the folks that think every criticism is either a troll attempt or a demand to fire Barnes should memorize MM’s post. He put into words exactly how I feel - far better than I ever could. It’s possible to love/appreciate/hope he stays AND be very tired/frustrated of the same ol problems every season. I don’t want him to ever leave because I know when he does, the program instantly takes a step back or worse. The EE was great, but of course we want more! This is one of the best programs in basketball to never reach a F4. After a loss, folks are going to air these same grievances because we’ve seen this all too many times before. Maybe this is the year that nobody expects a deep run and the offense will catch fire.

 

[SGMVols]

To be fair, Lanier was shooting close to 42% from 3. I will take that all day, every day. Milicic isn’t as good of a 3 point shooter but can create a shot.

If Igor isn’t over 40% from 3 in SEC play now, he can’t be far from it. The reason Rick yanked him late was because they ran a set for him to get a 3, and he got the look but didn’t take the shot. Rick knows how important Igor is offensively to this team but I’m not sure Igor himself knows that yet.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

We didn’t fire Butch because of the two 9-4s

We fired him because he posted the first ever winless SEC season in school history after that.

We should have fired him after 2016 though. And it was obvious to anyone who didn’t sport a big orange flat top.

 

[SGMVols]

like * 1,000!

All the folks that think every criticism is either a troll attempt or a demand to fire Barnes should memorize MM’s post. He put into words exactly how I feel - far better than I ever could. It’s possible to love/appreciate/hope he stays AND be very tired/frustrated of the same ol problems every season. I don’t want him to ever leave because I know when he does, the program instantly takes a step back or worse. The EE was great, but of course we want more! This is one of the best programs in basketball to never reach a F4. After a loss, folks are going to air these same grievances because we’ve seen this all too many times before. Maybe this is the year that nobody expects a deep run and the offense will catch fire.

I don’t think “Final Fours” from before the 64 team tournament deserve special recognition unless that team won the whole thing.

When the NCAAT started it was just 8 teams. So all you had to do if you made it was win one game and voila, you have a “Final Four”

 

[Pmarav23]

I just think he should think for a bit....he always has great Defensive but lacks enough guys to score. He needs to recruit more guys who can score the ball, even if they aren't stellar defensive players. I just think its harder to win with not many scorers and a bunch of defensive players. I do hope he stays as long as he wants, i just hope he has a moment where he says to himself that he needs to change who he wants i recruiting and not worry about all defense all the time. He is as good a coach as the Vols have had so even if he doesn't change I d still take him anyday over Buzz and the like from the past. At least with Barnes we know the Vols will be good.

 

[SGMVols]

I just think he should think for a bit....he always has great Defensive but lacks enough guys to score. He needs to recruit more guys who can score the ball, even if they aren't stellar defensive players. I just think its harder to win with not many scorers and a bunch of defensive players. I do hope he stays as long as he wants, i just hope he has a moment where he says to himself that he needs to change who he wants i recruiting and not worry about all defense all the time. He is as good a coach as the Vols have had so even if he doesn't change I d still take him anyday over Buzz and the like from the past. At least with Barnes we know the Vols will be good.

Chaz, Igor, and Dubar were those kind of players on paper.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

Is it a different season if Cam Carr doesn’t transfer, JP is healthy, and D Stone isn’t a bust? As a fan who watched Jerry Green, Buzz, Martin, Donnie, I say be careful of what we wish for. Texas still hasn’t found a replacement for Barnes.

I'd say definitely if JP was not out. We would for sure be better with him.
Was never impressed with Carr. Not sure we much different if he stays.
Dubar could still end up contributing something before year end, so I can't give you that one.
He definitely played a role in us winning @ Texas and home at Florida. Could help us in another couple games this season and hopefully one in March.

 

[Pmarav23]

Chaz, Igor, and Dubar were those kind of players on paper.

Chaz is for sure. Igor can but i just don't think he has a scorers mentality. As they said last Barnes had to challenge him to take the offensive lead. Dubar doesnt get enough time to be to matter in there scoring.

 

[Pmarav23]

Chaz, Igor, and Dubar were those kind of players on paper.

Chaz is for sure. Igor can but i just don't think he has a scorers mentality. As they said last Barnes had to challenge him to take the offensive lead. If he would shoot more it d help the offense out alot. Dubar doesnt get enough time to matter in there scoring.

 

[Volnbeers]

that "2024 - 2025 regular season top 3 defense" banner is gonna look real nice hanging in the food city center next year.

 

[TJSVOLS]

He just made an EE for the second time in school history. Yet here we are having this discussion after the 5th regular season loss in 25 games? People will one day clamor for him when he’s gone.

Yep, a lot of people better be careful what they ask for.

 

[madbamahater]

Thanks to Barnes, the Tennessee basketball program should attract several top tier coaches. He has proved that you can consistently when at a high level at Tennessee and consistently maintain a top-ranked program.

Don't think Vols need to replace, whenever that time comes, with a hot up and comer. They need to shell out some big bucks and try to land a top-notch proven coach. Can you poach someone from another program? Sure, if the price is right

 

[SGMVols]

Thanks to Barnes, the Tennessee basketball program should attract several top tier coaches. He has proved that you can consistently when at a high level at Tennessee and consistently maintain a top-ranked program.

Don't think Vols need to replace, whenever that time comes, with a hot up and comer. They need to shell out some big bucks and try to land a top-notch proven coach. Can you poach someone from another program? Sure, if the price is right

We are going to be hiring from the mid majors. Established guys just don’t leave jobs anymore, even for the blue bloods.

 

[YankeeVol]

We are going to be hiring from the mid majors. Established guys just don’t leave jobs anymore, even for the blue bloods.

This.

Barnes turned down UCLA here lol

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Thanks to Barnes, the Tennessee basketball program should attract several top tier coaches. He has proved that you can consistently when at a high level at Tennessee and consistently maintain a top-ranked program.

Don't think Vols need to replace, whenever that time comes, with a hot up and comer. They need to shell out some big bucks and try to land a top-notch proven coach. Can you poach someone from another program? Sure, if the price is right

UK and UNC indicate it won’t be that simple.

 

[IndianaVol]

Is it a different season if Cam Carr doesn’t transfer, JP is healthy, and D Stone isn’t a bust? As a fan who watched Jerry Green, Buzz, Martin, Donnie, I say be careful of what we wish for. Texas still hasn’t found a replacement for Barnes.

I'm with you my friend.
My stance is let him coach here as long as he wants and as long as the current standard and expectation is being met.

I agree too, let's not watch our Basketball team go through the muck that befuddled our football team for a decade and a half.

 

[SGMVols]

Is it a different season if Cam Carr doesn’t transfer, JP is healthy, and D Stone isn’t a bust? As a fan who watched Jerry Green, Buzz, Martin, Donnie, I say be careful of what we wish for. Texas still hasn’t found a replacement for Barnes.

Carr sucks. He won’t do anything at Baylor and will be in the portal again after next year.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

I'm with you my friend.
My stance is let him coach here as long as he wants and as long as the current standard and expectation is being met.

I agree too, let's not watch our Basketball team go through the muck that befuddled our football team for a decade and a half.

Here’s the truth, Baseball and LV Basketball are the only teams with a real chance at a Natty in the near future.

 

[SGMVols]

This.

Barnes turned down UCLA here lol

Scott Drew and Nate Oats said no to Kentucky but we’ll have people here talking themselves into one of them saying yes to us.

 

[Volnbeers]

This.

Barnes turned down UCLA here lol

revisionist history. UCLA didn't pay his buyout otherwise he would have taken the job. he stood up in front of a bunch of microphones and said as much.