VTTW Board Index

If he could just go ahead and recruit us another Kevin Durant, Lamarcus Aldridge, and DJ Augustine, that'd be great. :nod:

So this just cracked me up: Dave Hart told us at the press conference on Friday that he was employing a search firm for one reason — because it could help UT keep the candidates it's looking at secret from the media and provide the confidentiality that the university cannot maintain on its own. I don't know how much those search firms cost, but they're not cheap.

Seventy-two hours later (and less than 24 hours after hiring said search firm), UT sends Hart & Co. to Austin on a booster's plane that is easily trackable and recognizable.  :laugh:

The apparent speed in which this seems to be happening tells me that somebody other than Hart is driving this train. 

Well, in Hart's defense, I don't think he expected Barnes to fall in his lap when he said that.

Perhaps not, but he DID hire the search firm AFTER Barnes became available. Also, there's some media speculation now that Barnes and UT had conversations before either Barnes or Tyndall were fired. Don't forget Barnes little smirk at his farewell press conference when he was asked if he would coach again and answered "sooner than you think."

My friend, Russ Springmann, is the assistant who recruited KD to Texas.  We need to hope Coach Barnes brings him to K-town.

Is it possible Donnie was fired partly b/c Barnes was becoming available?  I know he had all the NCAA baggage, but just wondering.

I don't know if I would go that far. But I do think it's safe to say that Hart pressed the NCAA to deliver its verdict on Tyndall to Tennessee, the NCAA did that, and Tennessee was able to move forward. Hart deserves a lot more credit for the way he orchestrated all of this than he'll get.

I'm probably one of the most skeptical UT fans there are re: Barnes (except the nutwing segment of the fan base who is only skeptical of Barnes because he isn't Bruce Pearl), but from where I'm sitting, Hart came out of all of this smelling like roses.

I thought Donnie was a helluva coach, I would luv to have Bruce back as our coach, but I am happy to have Barnes as our coach, considering all we have been through.

Is this the best hire for UT?  Debateable.  But it's certainly the best hire for Hart.  He was looking at group of low floor/high ceiling guys vs. Barnes, a high floor/low(er) ceiling guy.  Given that he admittedly flubbed the last hire, he couldn't assume any risk this time.  And while there are no sure things in sports, Barnes is about as close as it gets.  If UT determines success as making the tourney most years and winning a game or two, then Barnes will most certainly be successful.  Will he win championships here?  Probably not.  But there's no guarntee that the Wades or Underwoods would have, either.  And any of those guys may also have failed spectacularly, and I don't see that as a possibility with Barnes.

agree