Rick Barnes Is Staying

for [uck fay]'s sake, someone step forward that doesn't appreciate the honesty, or everyone quit acting like that is somehow a reason to be supportive of the underlying fact he spoke about. it was true either way, everyone appreciates the honesty. that isn't where the disagreement lies. the goldfish attention spans of some are disturbing.

Here is some honesty to be appreciated: if you are fine with what he said last week AND this week, you're a battered Vol [itch bay] that is part of the rain dance for miserable situations in UT athletics.

I'm not saying I wanted him to leave or to leave now. I'm saying those who are grinning about this episode are [itch bay]es.

you can want here. you can understand it is about money. you can't praise his honesty now without recognizing the dubious behavior and words previously. you can't say he loves it here and be speaking honestly/accurately. We are his job, nothing more. that's fine. don't be his [itch bay]. the program doesn't need him, he's a temp.

You have to respect my honesty.

 

Meh. You can love a job and also be willing to leave for a much higher prestige job if the circumstances (including but not limited to money) are right.

We don't need to get all sappy about how much he loves the program and fail to hold him accountable to his results. We've fired coaches who loved their jobs a hell of a lot more than Barnes does, and we'll do it again if we have to. I'm just not mad at Barnes right now, and I don't think he's lying to us. I'll be mad at him if he doesn't restock the cupboard and give us another damn fine basketball team.

 

Agreed. If he fails to reach a level of success no current coach has been able to maintain, he should forfeit his earnings, despite having no contractual obligation to do so.

 

Literally no one gets that

 

Your posts read like you're screaming through tears while throwing your china against a wall. I'd be careful calling everyone else a [itch bay].

 

he said he wants to be here, but that if it wasn't for the buyout he'd rather be at UCLA. So he would rather be at UCLA for less money, all things being equal.

hear his truth. and then his other truth.

 

I suggest not reading them out loud, if you don't want to hear them as whiny.

 

Unless we hire another Phil Fulmer type, pretty much every coach from here on out is going to have another place he'd probably rather be.

 

I'm a moderate on this. It was a really stupidly annoying thing to say. I don't like it. Hope he can keep beating Kentucky and finishing at the top of the SEC. If he does, I'll be cool.

 

that's absolutely fine. just don't pretend otherwise, and don't compromise your ability to sell the program.

 

If Barnes fails miserably the next 2-3 years and leaves, I dont know who would care.
The uproar is entertaining.
--Does he love me or love me not. Oh wait, money was involved, but hes a praying christian man so money shouldnt matter, right. And he almost left us for a cost of living increase and California? But he said he loved knoxville. He musta lied to us. We are nothing but a job to him...

Quite entertaining today.

 

You can want two contradictory things. Happens all the time.

 

There's no issue with that.

 

I don't know why I expect more from you at this point.

 

Rage on.

 

Did he at any point specifically say, "I'd much rather be in Knoxville than in LA?"

 

He didn't have to say it directly. He tried to ride the fence after saying he wanted to be at UCLA.

That don't work amigo. Don't bullshit us.

 

If you're going on an honest kick, stay on the honest kick. Don't try to sugar coat anything. UT's a stepping stone to him. UT is a stepping stone to a lot of coaches. No issue with that.

Don't try to also talk out the other side of your mouth and espouse some love of everything UT right after.

 

It's just not hard for me to imagine that UCLA is some kind of dream job for a guy his age, but that he still really like Tennessee.

I realize UCLA isn't what it once was, but I could see him thinking he could win an NC there. Maybe as a millionaire that's near the end of his career that's important to him as long as cash is fairly similar.

 

IP fan fiction, I'm flattered.