JMSqb11
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While emotions are still high and people vent (which they should), the bright side is that Barnes is likely to be top dog in the SEC for the next few years. There were a few surprising coaching changes that have really only created more distance between 3 schools in the SEC from the rest. The one school not making a change will drop off due to graduations. Regardless of the the current views of Barnes, the only knock or negative for us in the short term going forward will be performance in the NCAA tourney. It is no longer March in general as we got the monkey off our back winning the SEC tourney. Add in fact that we will be back in Nashville for a bit going forward, I can thoroughly say I am optimistic for Tennessee under Barnes for the next 2-4 years. I personally think Barnes has 3-5 seasons left before retiring. I also think that we are also set up with the current roster and recruiting classes to turn out another top 5-10 ranked team in preseason and likely be a top 2 team in the league next year.
SEC Changes for next year:
Florida lost White and hired no namer, up and comer
LSU canned Will Wade and prolly going back to the cellar
Georgia got White, but they are literally rock bottom and there is no overnight fix
MSU losing Howland
South Carolina canned Martin
Mizzou lost Cuonzo "Pat Forde" Martin
Arkansas is losing Notae, Lyke, and Umude
Hell, even Alabama is talking crazy about firing Nate Oats
With these coaching changes above, the SEC only got more top heavy with Auburn, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The coaching changes in the SEC only make me more confident because there are only 3 legit coaches right now in the league with lofty expectations and that is Bruce, Cal, and Barnes. Musselman is fine and all, but they are literally going to lose a giant core of their roster and scoring this offseason.
Am I happy at the fact that we will likely turn out another 25 wins, top 10 ranking, but likely fold in March? No it sucks and is bittersweet. But i'm old enough to remember the days of black curtains in TBA, having the mindset that we need to win the conference tourney to have even a shot at the NCAAT, and our recruiting being in the gutter.
I expect a full amount of trolling and "Carrying water for Barnes" comments, but at the end of the day, we don't have to worry about struggling recruiting classes and being on the bubble. And for all the trolling comments, the cost of paying Barnes $5 million to keep things nationally relevant and a constant NCAAT team far outweighs going the cheap route to play the game of "lets see if we can find the next up and comer"...... There is no "Roy Williams to UNC" type hire that upgrades the coaching staff with the program in its current relevant standing. So any notion we should move on or "force a retirement" without any clear upgrade / national name hire should be tarred and feather'd and laugh out of the discussion.
I fully expect our record next year to be better than this year and for us to compete once again for regular season and tournament championship in the SEC. Like we do every year, we can cross the March Madness bridge when we come to it.
SEC Changes for next year:
Florida lost White and hired no namer, up and comer
LSU canned Will Wade and prolly going back to the cellar
Georgia got White, but they are literally rock bottom and there is no overnight fix
MSU losing Howland
South Carolina canned Martin
Mizzou lost Cuonzo "Pat Forde" Martin
Arkansas is losing Notae, Lyke, and Umude
Hell, even Alabama is talking crazy about firing Nate Oats
With these coaching changes above, the SEC only got more top heavy with Auburn, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The coaching changes in the SEC only make me more confident because there are only 3 legit coaches right now in the league with lofty expectations and that is Bruce, Cal, and Barnes. Musselman is fine and all, but they are literally going to lose a giant core of their roster and scoring this offseason.
Am I happy at the fact that we will likely turn out another 25 wins, top 10 ranking, but likely fold in March? No it sucks and is bittersweet. But i'm old enough to remember the days of black curtains in TBA, having the mindset that we need to win the conference tourney to have even a shot at the NCAAT, and our recruiting being in the gutter.
I expect a full amount of trolling and "Carrying water for Barnes" comments, but at the end of the day, we don't have to worry about struggling recruiting classes and being on the bubble. And for all the trolling comments, the cost of paying Barnes $5 million to keep things nationally relevant and a constant NCAAT team far outweighs going the cheap route to play the game of "lets see if we can find the next up and comer"...... There is no "Roy Williams to UNC" type hire that upgrades the coaching staff with the program in its current relevant standing. So any notion we should move on or "force a retirement" without any clear upgrade / national name hire should be tarred and feather'd and laugh out of the discussion.
I fully expect our record next year to be better than this year and for us to compete once again for regular season and tournament championship in the SEC. Like we do every year, we can cross the March Madness bridge when we come to it.
