What if Rick Barnes stays? (Let's go another direction)

#80
#80
You may be right, but he coached the team well enough to be in position to be in the final 4 two years in a row. If Alexander had not gotten injured last year, they have a real shot at the title. If Turner doesn't clip the Purdue shooter at the end of the game, we probably win that one and play UVA for a shot at the final 4. Coach K, with arguably some of the best teams in the tournament, doesn't win against inferior teams every year either. It's tough to win against quality teams 4 or 5 times in a row. UCLA would not have won 7 in a row if there had been a 3pt. line.
During the time their tenures overlapped, Coach K made it at least to the Sweet Sixteen 11 times with 2 titles and a runner-up. Barnes made it 5 times, no titles, no runner-ups. A lot of Barnes's Texas teams were comparably talented to K's Duke teams during that time, perhaps not so much later in Barnes's Texas tenure.

Barnes has been a good recruiter and manager of a program. He rarely fields bad teams or misses tournaments. But to brush aside his tournament record by saying something like "Well, Coach K has gotten bounced early too" is cutting him too much of a break. Yes, Coach K has gotten bounced early before. He also wins conference tournaments and has deep tournament runs much more frequently than Barnes. Look at the whole body of work. Barnes never even won a Big 12 Tournament title at Texas.
 
#81
#81
I don't know much, but here's what I see that I would assume would have a bearing on Barnes.

Barnes' strength seems to be getting good (not great) players to work hard and they become great (as a team.) I assume (don't know for sure) that players going to UCLA for basketball are all "great" players that might not believe they should have to work as hard as Barnes will require.

I felt like Barnes was a good fit for our culture and the players we attract. That might not be the case at UCLA even if that program is apparently storied in the basketball realm (which I do not belong.)

Trying to be objective- I'd suggest Barnes stay.

What do I know. I could be wrong.
 
#82
#82
Barnes' strength seems to be getting good (not great) players to work hard and they become great (as a team.)
That was his M.O. at Tennessee. His M.O. at Texas (where he's spent a much longer length of time) was recruiting top talent and underachieving too often. I agree Barnes is a great cultural fit at Tennessee. We are not a blue blood (or even historically really good) basketball program; we have to really work for whatever we get, and Barnes does give off a certain blue collar mentality.

I think his M.O. at UCLA would be closer to what he did at Texas; great recruiting, doesn't win enough to placate their fans. He will be expected to make some Final Fours at UCLA if he goes there.
 
#83
#83
While I don't think Rick Barnes spurning us for UCLA would make as many waves, I do think if he stays it's a statement. Turning down a UCLA job to stay at UT would be huge. It would provide stability in the program, keep Josiah James on board and probably even attract more recruits.

We may not be a top 10 team all season next year, but we still bring back Turner, Bowden, Johnson, Fulkerson and Pons. Johnson, Fulkerson and Pons showed some promise in their limited roles this year. We also add a 5 star recruit and we've not seen DJ Burns or a legitimate showing from Derrick Walker. That's a top 30 team with Rick Barnes coaching them. I wouldn't bet on it, but there's a possibility Bone returns.

I like the team above - you have to like our guards and the possibility of a significant increase in 3pt %.

I think the program's benefit would be compounded if Rick stays! I would say 10 fold, easy.

Let's just make his salary equal to Nick Saban's + $1!
 
#85
#85
I don't know much, but here's what I see that I would assume would have a bearing on Barnes.

Barnes' strength seems to be getting good (not great) players to work hard and they become great (as a team.) I assume (don't know for sure) that players going to UCLA for basketball are all "great" players that might not believe they should have to work as hard as Barnes will require.

I felt like Barnes was a good fit for our culture and the players we attract. That might not be the case at UCLA even if that program is apparently storied in the basketball realm (which I do not belong.)

Trying to be objective- I'd suggest Barnes stay.

What do I know. I could be wrong.
Because of the Vols success with 100+ rated players, CRB is having success with not only getting looks from 4 and 5 Star players but is signing and getting commits from those highly rated players. UT hoops will continue to rise under Coach Rich Barnes leadership!!! Go Vols!!!
 

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