A Reluctant Criticism of Barnes

He inherited two guards, one highly skilled who he made much better (CJ went from 11ppg to near 16 in one season) and one who he really developed into an all-time great in Lofton. Everyone else on that team was considered a bust at that point in their career. Major Wingate was the #1 prospect in the nation at one point, he was ranked ahead of LeBron James. By his senior year of high school he was down to 60th on Rivals and by his junior year at Tennessee even that seemed extremely overranked. The argument that a walk-on who averaged one point a game was part of his loaded roster he inherited and not that he did an amazing job developing him is an all time bad take from some on here. Pearl worked a miracle his first year.

And you don't think Buzz f'n Peterson didn't play a huge part in why a guy like Wingate didn't develop at all?

Chris Lofton was 3rd team All American his freshman year; I'm calling some BS on Pearl "really developing him".

Pearl didn't work a miracle; I give him credit for what he did but a competent coach gets that team in the NCAAT the year before.
 
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2 more consecutive NCAAT appearances and Barnes is A...good to know you’ll be applauding him if that happens.

Rick Barnes didnt make the tournament last year so I’m afraid not. Keep your chin up though- all he needs to do is make the tournament four years in a row and make the sweet sixteen. He’s made it once in thirteen years so I sure wouldn’t bet on it but who knows.
 
And you don't think Buzz f'n Peterson didn't play a huge part in why a guy like Wingate didn't develop at all?

Chris Lofton was 3rd team All American his freshman year; I'm calling some BS on Pearl "really developing him".

Pearl didn't work a miracle; I give him credit for what he did but a competent coach gets that team in the NCAAT the year before.

I think there’s a perfectly good middle ground. That team had a NCAAT roster but they overachieved being a 2 seed and going 21-6 in the regular season.
 
Rick Barnes didnt make the tournament last year so I’m afraid not. Keep your chin up though- all he needs to do is make the tournament four years in a row and make the sweet sixteen. He’s made it once in thirteen years so I sure wouldn’t bet on it but who knows.
There was no tourney last year genius, Google 2020 NCAAT coaches lol
 
It may have already been posted but Barnes is 24-25 in the NCAA tourney with great players at times. He went 1 and done several times.
He has no passion.. Needs to look in the mirror.
I'll never forget how he didn't take up for Lamonte Turner on the last foul of the tourney against Purdue....
 
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And you don't think Buzz f'n Peterson didn't play a huge part in why a guy like Wingate didn't develop at all?

Chris Lofton was 3rd team All American his freshman year; I'm calling some BS on Pearl "really developing him".

Pearl didn't work a miracle; I give him credit for what he did but a competent coach gets that team in the NCAAT the year before.

Yes Buzz played a huge role. He was a poor recruiter and had 0 ability to develop anyone. The team and culture were approaching Wade Houston levels of futility. Pearl erased all that in one off season. It was a basketball miracle. You'll rarely if ever find that big of a turn around in year one with a new coach in a P5 conference.
 
And you don't think Buzz f'n Peterson didn't play a huge part in why a guy like Wingate didn't develop at all?

Chris Lofton was 3rd team All American his freshman year; I'm calling some BS on Pearl "really developing him".

Pearl didn't work a miracle; I give him credit for what he did but a competent coach gets that team in the NCAAT the year before.

Lofton shot 46.5% from 3 under Buzz. Not like Pearl created that.
 
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coach Barnes went through the same thing at Texas and was let go. he still a very solid coach. a lot of other teams went through the same thing TENNESSEE did this year. maybe it will turn around next season. GBO
 

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