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we need more underachieving coaches. Well, at least he's at the real UT. This school really pisses a person off sometimes. What is he supposed to do here that he didn't do at Texas. Dumbassed school admin we have.

volsboy, I'd like to issue you a challenge: name 5 things that you like about UT.

I'm not overly enamored with the hire myself, but I think if we step back and look in the mirror, we'll realize that posts like these are why everyone outside Tennessee laughs at us for being unrealistic. I mean, the guy HAS won 600+ games, he HAS been to 22 NCAA Tournaments (we've only been to 20 as a program in the entire history of the school), and he was the Big 12 Coach of the Year just last year. Every national basketball pundit is wowed by this hire. I don't want to put too much stock into their opinions, but it's clear that almost everyone considers this a win except the actual fans...which is really weird.

I would've preferred Will Wade myself, but I'll also admit that while I fully expect Wade to be winning championships at a Power 5 school someday in the not too distant future, there's also a pretty significant risk with Wade. The ceiling may not be as high with Barnes as it is with some of the younger guys, but the risk is significantly less and, let's face it, we can't afford to swing and miss on a coach right now. Barnes' track record suggests it's a given he'll be able to recruit guys here and get us to the NCAAT. Then, in a few years, when he's ready to retire, hopefully the program will be in a position where we can go out and steal coaches other schools want instead of just making futile wish lists of coaches that are out of our league. It's a safe hire, and that's hard to argue with.

Why can't anyone say anything negative about UT? That is BS. Why do you just want to be a sheep and be okay with everything this school does. I want competitive teams nothing more. i don't live in Tennessee  so I can see how the locals dismiss all negative postings from a distance. What is he supposed to do better here than he did at Texas? If it ain't a championship, then we need better. Why participate in a sport unless to win it all. There is a lot to like about UT. I am just voicing my opinion about some of these ridiculous hires every one tries to sugar coat. Like Tyndall. Out of all coaches out there, why did the powers that be choose him? I knew it was a bad hire. wWhy didn't they?

Also, after putting some more thought into the theory of "if he couldn't win championships at Texas he certainly won't win them at Tennessee," I'm not so sure that's fair. It's easy to think of Texas as a basketball powerhouse now, but where was it before Barnes? The Longhorns made a string of NCAAT appearances in the early '90s, but never achieved national prominence until Barnes arrived on the scene. The facilities there are okay, but just okay. Fan support there is okay, but just okay. He'll enjoy better facilities and better fan support in Knoxville, and he's in a conference that might not be considered better than the Big 12 right now but one that certainly seems poised to become much better. This might just be the perfect marriage.

Why don't you give me 5 reason's this is the best hire possible. That's fair.

I note the dodge ...

Wait. Why was the Donnie Tyndall hire a bad one? I mean, in retrospect it was obviously a terrible hire. But at the time, why should it have obviously been a bad hire?

He was under an investigation we lied knowing about. How bad of a hire is that. But that's totally on the Vol administration.

George Mason
Providence
rat bastards
Texas
ACADEMICS

I say plenty of negative things about UT, and so does everyone else who has posted in this thread. I challenged you because every thread you start is negative. All of them. And then you wonder why they elicit a strong negative reaction.

Here's two:

* He's taken more teams to final fours than the entire history of UT basketball
* He's had more players drafted in the 1st round than the entire history of UT basketball

And then three more. Upon his hiring, Barnes is (among active coaches):

* 1st in the SEC in all time wins
* 1st in the SEC in NCAA tournament appearances
* 1st in the SEC in APR history (perfect for going on 10 years).

Given our current situation, I consider this a home run hire. As was mentioned, he may not get us to where we ultimately want to be, but I think it is safe to say he will provide the much needed stability we need while cultivating the program back to legitimacy.

Also, just because he "underachieved" at Texas does not mean he can't do even better here.

Barnes got fired because the AD told him to fire some or all the assistant coaches and he refused. So he was fired or allowed to quit.

I don't have problem with this hire, especially considering the circumstances. He's a proven coach and he'll provide stability at a time when we need it. Quite frankly I'm amazed that someone with his credentials would want to step into this mess.

Totally agree

Why cant you ever see anything positive about the program?  u sound like Joevols. 
Just my opinion and observation and in no way reflects the opinions and values of this board, this station or any of its affiliates. 

i can appreciate that. I am just tired of all these fixes for dumpster fires just making the flames bigger. I still think Tyndall would have been a great coach, especially X's and O's but he had all the baggage. That's the real shame.

Is that truth or rumor? I guess it doesn't matter in the overall scheme of things.

I would have preferred a couple of other candidates, but think Barnes is a solid hire. We'll whine about a few things he does, but he'll run a clean, competitive program. The positives will outweigh negatives.

We could have done way worse.

I just leave all the butt-kissing to everyone else. I've been away long enough not to be blinded by Orange colored glasses as much as most here. I just don't understand everyone's let's find another excuse to like these coaches posts. Don't question my loyalty?

He ain't done diddly for the Vols. He is 0-0 in the SEC if you ask me.

so he is about the same as you
as far as answering :rolleyes: questions ...

Volsboy, Barnes himself said he was told by the AD that staff changes had to occur. So if the fired coach says so, I believe him that it is not a rumor.

Blah, blah, blah.  A familiar refrain by the self-proclaimed "voices of reason" who believe their negativity equates to objectivity.  It doesn't, any more than positivity equates to butt kissing.  And your use of that pejorative characterization says a lot more about you than those you intend to insult.  Nice job.

It can't handle the truth!

Truth, which apparently you have a difficult time dealing with ... :rolleyes:

Fact......repeat FACT. Barnes would still be the coach at Texas if he had done what the AD wanted and fired a couple of asst. coaches. He was just COY last season in the Big 12.

As far as resume's, Barnes is the best hire based on resume that UT has hired in my 60 plus years of being a UT fan. Only Johnny Majors marching home can compete with it. Been to the dance more that we have in school history TOTAL. Our program needs a coach like him after the turmoil we've had over the past 5 years.....Barnes will recruit and I'll be surprised when he gets some players if we aren't in the dance most years. Yeah...we really needed to hire one of those young-guns that hasn't proved much....that would be the ticket....LOL. As stated, if we had hired Barnes 2 days after CCM left, most fans moaning right now would be leading the cheers for Barnes.

Also, we all want to win a championship...but noodle this. Post NIT, in the Modern NCAA era, there is only 34 different schools that have won a NCAA national championship....Hell, right now....I hope Barnes just gets us in position to win a SEC championship.

Yep.  Actually, he confirmed the information after it had previously been leaked:

"Barnes confirmed Patterson told him a few days ago he had to fire staff or be fired himself. That ultimatum was leaked to the media Thursday, publicly turning up the pressure on Barnes and his assistants. Barnes blamed the leaks on the athletic department but didn't name any individuals behind them."

Of course, I know only what I've read.  I have absolutely no knowledge of Barnes or his coaching abilities (or lack thereof).  

So the hiring criteria should be coaches who have won championships?  Small pool.

  I guess I should just be happy at making the dance. If being one of 64 is something to hang your hat on. I'm just saying these coaches get a pass for sub-par performances. He is no doubt a good coach. But what happened the last few seasons to make them want him gone? He is still captain on the ship and all the results point back to him. They don't let people go for excelling.

And that has exactly zero to do with my post.  You seem to excel at that.

Would like some cheese???? :rolleyes:

I went back and read the posts. You are right. I do sound like Debbie Downer. Don't mean to always sound negative, but it seems like I am more times than not. It is noted.

I have to tell you, volsboy, you are wasting your time here trying to argue the merits of a coach at Tennessee with this board. These same posters were all behind Derek Dooley, Sal Sunseri, Cuonzo Martin, Mike Bajakian, and Donnie Tyndall. Everyone of those coaches had plenty of negatives to point to, but it didn't matter until they were no longer employed by Tennessee (or clearly about to be fired, a la Dooley in his last season), then suddenly it was okay to less than pleased with them. That's just the way it is here. You will not be allowed to disagree.

Now that I have said that, perhaps you are jumping the gun a little with all this anger. Rick Barnes is as good as it is going to get right now. Save some of that annoyance for later when Tennessee is in a position to be pickier regarding coaching hires.

That's just it, he isn't arguing the merits, just the opposite.  HE can not, will not accept FACTS. period. dot.  However, he does like to whine.

So if others disagree with your disagreement, that somehow means you're not allowed to disagree?!  Funny, but I don't see any censorship of posts of disagreement.  It seems to me that's just discourse.  The real issue is the assertions by those disagreeing with the majority that somehow they are the only objective or realistic fans/posters.  That's simply absurd.

I actually typed out a post that tried to reasonably state my opinion of the way things work here and why I believe it happens, but I know that no one truly cares and it would just perpetuate the animosity and harshness of interactions between myself and people around here. So, forget whatever adult response I had in mind. I'll leave you all to it.

I can tell you are a lawyer.  I had to read one of those sentences about 5 times.   :biggrin:

I think Barnes is a good hire,considering all the mess that UT basketball has been in since Pearl gate and what choices are out there...Barnes has a proven track record and will bring stability to the program..IMO

Yes.  That is literally true.  Pat yourself on the back.   :naughty:

Given where our program is, it's a fantastic hire.  I don't expect us to be any good for a season or two, but if he even gets us to the NCAA in 3 years I am happy that we are back on the right path.  If things don't look up much after that, another change can be made.

I am confident he can lead us to the NCAA tournament. 

Given how beaten down our program is, expectations of anything else are overblown, to make a major understatement.