Well we're back to normal

[PEPPERJAX]

This team will go down as one of the most inconsistent frustrating of all time.

They are 13-4. Let the author finish the book first.

 

[cncchris33]

This salary debate is one that people are making in a vacuum. Except for Beard, maybe Wright, and Barnes, the rest of the top paid coaches are at blue blood programs. While having good tradition, UT basketball is not a blue blood. Sometimes, in order to keep or attract talent, an organization that is not a market-leader has to offer more of an incentive (or pay). In addition, it's market driven as the UCLA job opened up. UCLA's reputation has gone down, so they learned, too, that they had to pay higher for a coach that isn't considered a top 10 coach.

We had to pay a premium to keep Barnes, and I don't understand how people lose sight of this. He has been successful here, he was in demand, and we paid. What was the alternative? Let him go, hire a mid-major coach at $2 million per year and hope that it works out. That strategy has only worked once out of about 4 attempts the last 20 years at UT. You pay the premium because you know what he brings, and the increase pays for itself with continued interest and success. People want to go back to being "worth it." Maybe not to you as a fan, but yes, to the university Rick Barnes is worth it. This concept seems difficult for people. These same people would be complaining when a new mid major coach was leading us to .500 seasons without 5 star talent.

The concept isn’t difficult to understand, at all, unless you are being willfully obtuse.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Can you tell me my position? Can you tell me which game I cherry picked? If I recall correctly, I made a criticism of the play in the Ole Miss game. Criticism well deserved. You then bring up play in the Kentucky game as though that was anywhere relevant to my point. Typical grampa poster, sitting at the kitchen table all day, hitting up vn. Have another pall mall on me.

You specifically said you quote my post and feed it back to me THE NEXT TIME THEY LOOK BAD...... so I think answered the question of which game to be cherry picked. I was taking exception with your statement that JJJ did not play like a warrior in the KY game. Watched it again and he took over the boards and quickly got the breaks going that resulted in the freshmen's run out baskets and the most of the winning margain.

 

[DonDiego]

You specifically said you quote my post and feed it back to me THE NEXT TIME THEY LOOK BAD...... so I think answered the question of which game to be cherry picked. I was taking exception with your statement that JJJ did not play like a warrior in the KY game. Watched it again and he took over the boards and quickly got the breaks going that resulted in the freshmen's run out baskets and the most of the winning margain.

I said JJJ didn't play like a warrior in the Kentucky game? Huh, maybe go back and check that post again. It was posted at 9:26 on Tuesday night---four days before the Kentucky game. I was referring to the Ole Miss game. Nobody was a warrior in that game.

 

[MinisterofDef#92]

This salary debate is one that people are making in a vacuum. Except for Beard, maybe Wright, and Barnes, the rest of the top paid coaches are at blue blood programs. While having good tradition, UT basketball is not a blue blood. Sometimes, in order to keep or attract talent, an organization that is not a market-leader has to offer more of an incentive (or pay). In addition, it's market driven as the UCLA job opened up. UCLA's reputation has gone down, so they learned, too, that they had to pay higher for a coach that isn't considered a top 10 coach.

We had to pay a premium to keep Barnes, and I don't understand how people lose sight of this. He has been successful here, he was in demand, and we paid. What was the alternative? Let him go, hire a mid-major coach at $2 million per year and hope that it works out. That strategy has only worked once out of about 4 attempts the last 20 years at UT. You pay the premium because you know what he brings, and the increase pays for itself with continued interest and success. People want to go back to being "worth it." Maybe not to you as a fan, but yes, to the university Rick Barnes is worth it. This concept seems difficult for people. These same people would be complaining when a new mid major coach was leading us to .500 seasons without 5 star talent.

100%. I would also add that those who say he needs to "earn" his $5+ MM are missing the point entirely...CRB already earned the $$$ by putting out the dumpster fire, making our program relevant nationally, and creating a destination of choice for legit talent. He will likely have to translate this into tourney success (e.g., E8) in order to earn his next raise/extension.

 

[NighthawkVol]

100%. I would also add that those who say he needs to "earn" his $5+ MM are missing the point entirely...CRB already earned the $$$ by putting out the dumpster fire, making our program relevant nationally, and creating a destination of choice for legit talent. He will likely have to translate this into tourney success (e.g., E8) in order to earn his next raise/extension.

And furthermore, when Barnes retires, Tennessee will be a more attractive job that can sell its resources and recent history more easily to the next coach. That’s part of what that $5m is buying us. Among other things.

 

[cardvolfan]

This salary debate is one that people are making in a vacuum. Except for Beard, maybe Wright, and Barnes, the rest of the top paid coaches are at blue blood programs. While having good tradition, UT basketball is not a blue blood. Sometimes, in order to keep or attract talent, an organization that is not a market-leader has to offer more of an incentive (or pay). In addition, it's market driven as the UCLA job opened up. UCLA's reputation has gone down, so they learned, too, that they had to pay higher for a coach that isn't considered a top 10 coach.

We had to pay a premium to keep Barnes, and I don't understand how people lose sight of this. He has been successful here, he was in demand, and we paid. What was the alternative? Let him go, hire a mid-major coach at $2 million per year and hope that it works out. That strategy has only worked once out of about 4 attempts the last 20 years at UT. You pay the premium because you know what he brings, and the increase pays for itself with continued interest and success. People want to go back to being "worth it." Maybe not to you as a fan, but yes, to the university Rick Barnes is worth it. This concept seems difficult for people. These same people would be complaining when a new mid major coach was leading us to .500 seasons without 5 star talent.

All this is so true. Facts are facts, and so many unknowns that factor into admins decisions that the public will never know. What you explained is a “looking at the big picture” viewpoint versus a narrowed picture viewpoint. Still, many people don‘t choose to view broadly, choosing to focus on small timelines and 2 or 3 losses or salary bias over the overall health of the program. Our basketball program is as healthy as it’s been in a very long time.