SINCE WE LAST SPOKE: 4-2-15

EARLY EDITION: With the hiring of Rick Barnes as Tennessee’s third basketball coach in three years apparently imminent I couldn’t let Tony, Hatfield, Vol Colonel and Orange Throat have all the introductory fun leaving only scraps on the table for my blog’s usual Thursday night post time could I? So without further ado let’s get into it.

HART ATTACK I don’t know if Dave Hart has a “level of expertise and a level of information that no one else has” but when it comes to the hiring process he has Deion Sanders esque speed and a horseshoe strategically placed in an area of his body that it would take a cavity search to discover. Somehow through a series of blunders he has upgraded from Cuonzo Martin to Rick Barnes in less than a year’s time. Are there questions about Barnes’ potential ceiling here? No question. Barnes may have little tread left on the tires and there’s a chance he may even have a blown engine but in our current situation it’s a small risk well worth taking. He unquestionably is the most accomplished coach ever hired here in any sport with the exception of Johnny Majors. Tennessee Basketball needs someone to restore sanity and the program’s reputation in the eyes of the basketball and coaching community. We also need someone with the experience and savvy to go up against the improving coach’s fraternity in the SEC which now not only includes John Calipari, Billy Donavan and Bruce Pearl but Ben Howland and possibly Gregg Marshall as well. Of all the candidates for the job Rick Barnes is the most equipped to do all of the above.

Was the hire made too quickly? That is a fair question as well. I would propose that it wasn’t quite the overnight fling that it appears on the surface. As a matter of fact I now believe that Barnes likely availability spurred Hart to accelerate the NCAA/Tyndall process so that a position would be vacant for his taking. For once in Vol fans lives Haley’s Comet-like timing was in our favor. In an even more stunning development Dave Hart didn’t get caught napping at the telescope.

LEGACY OF LUNACY Donnie Tyndall’s dismissal was simply a continuation of the misery that Tennessee Basketball fans have been subjected to for the majority of times post-Ray Mears. In that period we have hired, and I have pulled for:

-An Overblown Blowhard-Don DeVoe

-A Player’s Parent-Wade Houston

-A Mad –two points every two minutes Mercenary-Kevin O’Neill

-A Crazy Carolina Cousin –Jerry Green

-A Peter Principal Pretender-Buzz Peterson

-A Dishonest Diva-Bruce Pearl

-A Mute, Mediocre Martyr-Cuonzo Martin

And

-A Rebound Ragamuffin-Donnie Tyndall

All of these have been hired by at least five individuals who were either our sitting Summer Camp Director or whatever Counselor he had in charge of basketball for that day. Let’s all hope that Rick Barnes doesn’t prove to be above-list worthy.

I’M HAPPY: The moment it became apparent that Rick Barnes was a potential candidate for Tennessee’s vacant job my spirits were boosted. Especially considering the stained image our program currently carries in the eyes of the basketball and coaching community and the fact that the search was being conducted by Dave Hart one of the great one-hit wonders since Steam in 1969, who by the way had a message in their music just for him NA-NA-NA, NA, NA-NA-NA, NA, HEY-HEY, GOODBYE! As I’m sure you’ve read until it’s singed in your brain Barnes has been to the NCAA Tournament in 22 of his 28 years as a Head Coach and failed to reach the Big Dance only once at both Clemson (4 seasons) and Texas (17). His teams have been to six-Sweet 16s; three-Elite 8s and one-Final 4. In fairness they have also failed to make it out of the first round 10 times and his best teams are seven seasons in the rear-view mirror. This however doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the hire. I do not believe Rick Barnes is finished or washed-up and believe a new challenge will reinvigorate him. My expectations of Tennessee’s basketball coach have never changed; recruit exciting talent, play an enjoyable style, engage the fanbase, and be a regular NCAA Tournament participant. It is a proven fact that if you make the tourney regularly deep runs are sure to occur.

Though it is no longer needed here was my wish list –in order of preference- of the coaches that I thought would be willing to listen:

1-Rick Barnes –see above

2-Bobby Hurley –Doesn’t possess the overall experience that I prefer but he brings a PG’s wisdom, a coach’s son and big-time program pedigree, a high level of charisma and intensity and a name that will get him in most every recruit’s living room

3-Rick Byrd- He may not have proven he could recruit at the level necessary to compete in the SEC but his teams are solidly constructed and play efficient, intelligent basketball that’s fun to watch and easy to pull for. He would bring instant credibility and like Barnes would restore both sanity and respect to a program in desperate need of both.

4-Brad Underwood- Only two seasons at the helm of SF Austin suggests an immediate move to Tennessee is skipping at least one rung on the ladder. 61-8 with two NCAA appearances is good however regardless of where it was accomplished.

5-Richard Pitino- Edged out Will Wade in my Top-5 only because he has one additional Head Coaching gig (FIU, Minnesota) and his current post is in a power league

6-Will Wade- He may well be the next shining-star but as of now he has only two seasons at UTC neither of which has produced a So-Con Championship or NCAA appearance. The problem with both he and Underwood is they were guys that still would have been available had you let the NCAA issues run their course with Tyndall.

NOT SHORT-SELLING; JUST BEING REAL: I would have loved to have Greg Marshall, Shaka Smart or Bruce Pearl. If I thought any were realistic options I would have immediately moved them above anyone else on the list. The truth is Shaka has already shown he is either perfectly content at VCU or waiting on one of the Top-10 basketball jobs in America, we ignored Marshall at least twice at Winthrop and he would have done the same to us now and Pearl’s trip home would have required traversing the Bridge over the River Kwai. As bad as it hurts to say our roster, coffers and Drake Group proponent leadership all limited our options at the present time.

FINAL-FORGETTABLE Fab Five Freddy said it best concerning this season’s Final-4 “all I need to know about this year’s tournament and college basketball as a whole is I’m pulling for an all Big-10 final”. I’m right there with you brother. I say “On Wisconsin” and “Go State”. Here are the numbers for the upcoming matchups and like Forrest Gump “That’s all I have to say about that”.

TEAM PPG PAPG RPG 3-PT% TO/G
MICH ST: 71- 63- 38- .387- 11-
DUKE: 80- 64- 37- .390- 11-
WISC: 73- 58- 33- .364- 7-
KY: 75- 54- 38- .347- 11-

IN A PERFECT WORLD: Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

HAPPY EASTER

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