Report contradicts Rick Barnes account of not taking UCLA job

[Ace]

I not sure why some think Barnes does not want to be here. He was approached by Arkansas and said no. UCLA makes an offer and UT counter offers and he stays.
I get it. He said UCLA was a dream job. He said if they had paid the buyout he would be a Bruin, but at the end of the day he is the coach of my Vols. UCLA and this one sportswriter are covering their butts.

 

[Bring_Back_Dooley]

Honest question. What are you hoping for? Do you want to see him leave or get fired? And, then what? I’m tired of Tennessee having a revolving door of coaches. If a basketball blue blood like UCLA wants to talk, you listen. If you want to use that as leverage for getting a better contract, especially at this stage in his career, you do it. That’s being smart. Regarding the other rumors...nobody knows what’s true and what’s not.

Good post. Finally, some sanity in this thread.

 

[chargervol]

As did Fulmer.

His legacy is on Pruitt fixing football. It's not any more complicated than that.
Overpaying Barnes to be a S16 coach for 5 or so more years is going to matter little either way if that happens. And if it doesnt it will be the focal point of Fulmers decisions as AD, not giving Barnes a raise for the peace of mind that you re getting stability in return or hiring Kelly Jolly. The only way Fulmer could lose big on this was if he had let Barnes walk and hired a failure or a show-cause. Both of which UT has mastered frequently.

I'm glad you said it, few others have. Fulmer needs to keep the men's moving along and make an attempt to improve the women's. Not the same pressure as what the Football program has.

I see posts in both BB forums - "This coach doesn't accomplish _____ and it's Fulmer's butt on the line". (They're BB fans, it's what matters to them, understandable) But in reality, he's done exactly what he needed to do concerning both.. at this point.
The main boosters, the larger fanbase and media will still judge him on the FB program. That's in no way being dismissive, just honest.

 

[Volsfaninva917]

I agree, let's just fire the most successful b-ball coach in recent history because some unverified story (floated by UCLA to obfuscate its embarrassing coaching search) has has the trailer-park simpletons up in arms.

If anything, this whole mountain-out-of-a-molehill story has demonstrated that some posters have a delusional view of the sports/business worlds.

No, it actually proves there is still dysfunction in the AD. According to this article USA TODAY Sports Rick Barnes is now the 3 highest paid basketball coach in the country, without ANY championships. Rick Barnes now makes more than Roy Williams, Bill Self, Jay Wright and Tony Bennett and for what?

 

[VOLnMiami]

Exactly, so we shouldn't be paying a mediocre basketball coach top 10 money. 1 final 4 in 30 years

You do understand he is just a coach right?...I will bet the house he hasn't scored one point in any game he has coached in...He can only teach the players what to do...The players win the games by playing well, the coach can only do so much.

 

[Volsfaninva917]

You do understand he is just a coach right?...I will bet the house he hasn't scored one point in any game he has coached in...He can only teach the players what to do...The players win the games by playing well, the coach can only do so much.

By that logic we should have kept Butch Jones

 

[LeannaVol]

Did Coach Barnes play UT and UCLA against each other to maximize his pay? Yes, and UT probably over paid. But the difference between starting over with a new coach that we probably get out of the bargain bin vs keeping a successful coach and the recruiting trends he seems to be building probably make it a good move. I lost a little respect for Barnes in this whole scenario but I'll get over it and am glad he is still here. We will probably never know exactly how it all went down but it is almost a certainty these LA papers are running on information provided by UCLA which is trying to save face after hiring their forth or fifth choice as head coach. UCLA AD probably feels like Barnes played him and is a little pissed.

 

[The Vin Man]

By that logic we should have kept Butch Jones

What a joke. Butch Jones didn't teach the players anything. Players that excelled did so it in spite of him. I can't think of single lower ranked player that improved over time. The only thing Butch was good at was coming up with stupid mantras and running off players.

 

[ShoalCreekVol]

He isn't a VFL he's a VFP, Vol for Pay.

VFN (Vol For Now)???

 

[Pride85]

By that logic we should have kept Butch Jones

So that is what you consider logic? You compare a coach that has shown incredible player development to a coach that had zero evidence of any player improvement. Another for the miserable minority moniker.

 

[BeecherVol]

I'm glad you said it, few others have. Fulmer needs to keep the men's moving along and make an attempt to improve the women's. Not the same pressure as what the Football program has.

I see posts in both BB forums - "This coach doesn't accomplish _____ and it's Fulmer's butt on the line". (They're BB fans, it's what matters to them, understandable) But in reality, he's done exactly what he needed to do concerning both.. at this point.
The main boosters, the larger fanbase and media will still judge him on the FB program. That's in no way being dismissive, just honest.

Its an inconvenient truth for some. Fulmer came in during a football, (Old Testament level) hiring crisis. And that was after a decade of wandering in the desert.
The fact is Pearl had the best run (duration) of any UT coach in recent memory and that ended in flames. That was followed by a guy that left for Berkley after his only good year, and then by a guy that was on the AA hook before he ever got here. Since then, the program has been not only stable but improving to a point where for the last 2 seasons they could go anywhere and play anybody. Is UT paying Barnes more money than he has "earned" threw 4 seasons? Yes. Does UT have to pay more than other schools for a good coach that (to date) hasn't been caught up in activities that will get him run not only from UT but any other AA' job? You could make a solid argument that is a yes as well.

The risk was higher and more severe with having to replace Barnes as opposed to over paying him for what you know your getting for the next 5 or so years.

 

[TNVOLNAVY]

Big orange pumpkin played this just like he coached “Played not to lose”and you would have thought 3rd down and Chavis was his adviser in this matter. The only thing UT should have changed if anything in his contract were the incentives for SEC championships and NCAA tourney success. This is not going to end well and with the looming attrition next year it’s going to be sooner than later. This time next year I predict the overwhelming majority of fans and media will be saying UT should have let Barnes go and gone after Pearl.

 

[BeecherVol]

Big orange pumpkin played this just like he coached “Played not to lose”and you would have thought 3rd down and Chavis was his adviser in this matter. The only thing UT should have changed if anything in his contract were the incentives for SEC championships and NCAA tourney success. This is not going to end well and with the looming attrition next year it’s going to be sooner than later. This time next year I predict the overwhelming majority of fans and media will be saying UT should have let Barnes go and gone after Pearl.

So we know whats going to happen going forward with Barnes (even tho we really don't). And credence should be given to the shouts for "Bring back Pearl", even tho we know why he's not here now and Barnes is. Lol.

 

[Alex10]

This is a terrible attitude for those of us who'd actually like to see UT reach a FF before we die. "Oh well, pay top dollar for the round of 32/sweet 16 every now and then and we aren't a good program so we can never be a good program."

Fact is, many worse programs than UT can and have made the Final 4.

Exactly man, some around here are just whipped dogs when it comes to UT sports. They honestly think that we should pay top dollar and still never expect to do much because we are Tennessee. I mean Auburn and Texas Tech were just in the final 4 this year for crying out loud.

 

[tennrich1]

Big orange pumpkin played this just like he coached “Played not to lose”and you would have thought 3rd down and Chavis was his adviser in this matter. The only thing UT should have changed if anything in his contract were the incentives for SEC championships and NCAA tourney success. This is not going to end well and with the looming attrition next year it’s going to be sooner than later. This time next year I predict the overwhelming majority of fans and media will be saying UT should have let Barnes go and gone after Pearl.

Well that's a bright prediction. At least you'll be able to look back next year and say "I told you so"..."I just knew this Vol Navy boat was a-sinking, just knew it"....or maybe not...JMO though...

 

[chargervol]

Big orange pumpkin played this just like he coached “Played not to lose”and you would have thought 3rd down and Chavis was his adviser in this matter. The only thing UT should have changed if anything in his contract were the incentives for SEC championships and NCAA tourney success. This is not going to end well and with the looming attrition next year it’s going to be sooner than later. This time next year I predict the overwhelming majority of fans and media will be saying UT should have let Barnes go and gone after Pearl.

Pumpkin reference - check.
I'd have put Barnes in his place declaration- check
I would bring back Pearl and the reality of it never being possible through the UT admin doesn't concern me, statement - check.

The trifecta.
BS armchair administrator status confirmed lol.

 

[Volsfaninva917]

So that is what you consider logic? You compare a coach that has shown incredible player development to a coach that had zero evidence of any player improvement. Another for the miserable minority moniker.

Butch Jones showed considerable improvement from his first season 2013 to 2015 and then in 2016 when it was supposed to be the year he tanked. Rick Barnes has had similar returns, zero conference title (no i am not counting the shared title because barn held the tie breaker), pretty hefty expectations this year with a preseason top 5 ranking and another 2nd weekend out for Barnes.

Look do I consider Barnes a good coach? Sure

Do I think Barnes is an Elite Coach? No

Do I think Barnes is an Elite Recruiter? No

Do I think Barnes is worth being the 3rd highest paid coach in the country? Hell NO

 

[Volsfaninva917]

What a joke. Butch Jones didn't teach the players anything. Players that excelled did so it in spite of him. I can't think of single lower ranked player that improved over time. The only thing Butch was good at was coming up with stupid mantras and running off players.

That guy said the coach can only do so much and the players have to produce. If that's the case then why do coaches get fired?

 

[zydane47]

The funny part about all this, I see people on here complaining that Fulmer "overpaid" for Barnes, but had Fulmer let him walk there'd be people complaining that Fulmer and the boosters don't care about basketball. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Fulmer did what he thought was right, that's all that matters. It is now on Barnes to prove he's worth that kind of money cause a program like UCLA won't come calling a second time if he sucks it up the next few years.

 

[lostsheep]

Good grief....football season can't get here fast enough.

 

[TNDRIVER]

Report contradicts Rick Barnes on why Tennessee basketball coach didn't take UCLA job

Like outside a small percentage of folks there's little interest in this story. It by far seems to be a bigger deal with the media than the fans. So he used UCLA to get more money not the first time this has happened won't be the last.

 

[The Crimson Cried]

Wait, a D1 basketball coach may have told a fib? Impossible.

 

[BootheelVol]

In the business world we call it a counter offer. Barnes tried to get a better deal. UCLA is butt hurt along with the Hollyweird writers because for some reason they couldn't match the TN offer.. Now, is Barnes a Saint? No. Is he an Ogre? No.

 

[butchna]

You sure? Seems like Fulmer could have made a knee jerk reaction.

It was well thought and necessary.

 

[butchna]

Coulda just waited for this to happen. 😏
St. John’s Hires Mike Anderson as New Men’s Basketball Coach