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Lifetime Contract For Barnes

Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:54 pm
Posted by Knocksville
The Holler
Member since Jul 2014
1195 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:54 pm
As announced on the Mike Keith Show, Coach Barnes has been given a lifetime contract to stay head coach of the Vols.

Glad that Coach has had a career revival with us. Sadly, this also guarantees we will never get past an Elite Eight. But alas…

Announcement
Posted by GoGators1995
Member since Jan 2023
6164 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:54 pm to
Posted by VFL67
Member since Feb 2025
962 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:55 pm to
This is just for recruiting. At most he has two years left before retirement. Hes a great coach just not an elite one. Great guy though and probably best coach Vols have ever had. If Pearl never gets fired then who knows where we would be right now
Posted by SoCalSoonerGrad
Member since May 2024
148 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:55 pm to
He’s a good coach. I don’t know about lifetime contract good. Y’all will be good this year
Posted by CaliHorn
Los Angeles
Member since Apr 2025
658 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:57 pm to
I don’t know about a lifetime contract, but I don’t think Barnes is done yet. If you’re consistently in elite 8 territory, you’re consistently just a few wins away.

I say that even standing by the decision to let him go at Texas. He needed a change of scenery.
Posted by McGregor
Member since Feb 2011
6637 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 3:59 pm to
Polinsky on that staff is huge too.
This post was edited on 8/28/25 at 4:00 pm
Posted by CaliHorn
Los Angeles
Member since Apr 2025
658 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:11 pm to
There’s a story from back when Barnes was an assistant, I think at Ohio State, where the team had won a pretty big game—but just a regular season game—and Barnes left a note on the HC’s desk to “Call the governor”. Like, the Governor had called to congratulate the coach and missed him.

So the coach called the governor and everyone was confused as hell about why but apparently the governor got on the line anyway to ask what the coach wanted.

Barnes was great like that until his last few years at Texas. But those seasons wore him out.
Posted by Clark14
Earth
Member since Dec 2014
26021 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:12 pm to
Rick is 71, I think it’s a nice gesture to allow him to securely play out his career there. He’s doing a good job and has earned and deserves it.
Posted by SL Xpress
Member since Mar 2023
368 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:27 pm to
He's hilarious, too.

There was a time at Texas when I thought he'd take a leap to the next level. In 7 years he made 5 Sweet 16s, three Elite Eights, and a Final Four. And then it just fell apart in terms of the postseason.

There are things about his coaching style that make his teams play tight in the postseason. When he had TJ Ford, Ford could use his leadership skills to blunt Barnes' affect on the team. But that was his only Final Four.

It's not like Texas basketball has done well since his departure. Shaka Smart era was awful, the short lived Beard era ended with the wrong kind of choke, and now we'll see about Miller. But I was ready to roll the dice with a coaching change when it occurred.

He's done well for himself at Tennessee, but I'm sympathetic to Tennessee fans who would like their program to take the next step, and question if that's possible with him at the helm.
Posted by CaliHorn
Los Angeles
Member since Apr 2025
658 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:31 pm to
The same interview he told the story about the prank he was asked if he like playing second banana at Texas. He admitted he loved hiding behind Mack Brown. Where he really started losing his ways was when he couldn’t do that anymore.
Posted by VFL1800FPD
Nashville, TN
Member since Aug 2012
9754 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:38 pm to
quote:

He's done well for himself at Tennessee, but I'm sympathetic to Tennessee fans who would like their program to take the next step, and question if that's possible with him at the helm.


Definitely a consideration, but at this point, it would be idiotic to fire him for something like that and poison the well. Let it play out for the next 2-3 years and see if he can break through, let the guy retire, and then parlay the current stability and attractiveness of the VOLS job into a A++++ hire
This post was edited on 8/28/25 at 4:39 pm
Posted by GooseSix
Member since Jun 2012
21682 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:40 pm to
He gone...
Posted by CaliHorn
Los Angeles
Member since Apr 2025
658 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:43 pm to
The tough thing about firing a coach is you have to hire a new one. And Jay Wright likes talking on tv.
Posted by VFL1800FPD
Nashville, TN
Member since Aug 2012
9754 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 4:59 pm to
quote:

The tough thing about firing a coach is you have to hire a new one.


VOLS fans know that all too well

Derek Dooley, butch jones, Jeremy Pruitt, Donnie Tyndall, schiano Sunday, etc.
Posted by SL Xpress
Member since Mar 2023
368 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 5:00 pm to
quote:

Where he really started losing his ways was when he couldn’t do that anymore.


I think it had way more to do with the fact he didn't have future NBA point guards on his squad and he was terrible at designing offenses to get scorers open. And he would mentally beat his teams down. Mack Brown's decline had very little to do with it, IMO.
Posted by AuburnTigers
9x National Champion
Member since Aug 2013
17432 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 5:00 pm to
Congrats on your future Final four appearances!
Posted by Smokeyone
Maryville Tn
Member since Jul 2016
20821 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 5:29 pm to
quote:

He’s a good coach. I don’t know about lifetime contract good. Y’all will be good this year


3 years tops. Let’s the program function and plan for his retirement without it being an issue. Also allows for him to be part of the program when he steps down without awkward conversations.
Posted by kywildcatfanone
Wildcat Country!
Member since Oct 2012
134917 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 5:38 pm to
I hate to admit it but I like him. I thought he was riding tennessee to retirement, but he's done a great job there.
This post was edited on 8/28/25 at 6:22 pm
Posted by nicholastiger
Member since Jan 2004
53424 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 5:41 pm to
lol
That dude sucks
Posted by VolsOut4Harambe
Atlanta, GA
Member since Sep 2017
13414 posts
Posted on 8/28/25 at 6:57 pm to
quote:

Derek Dooley, butch jones, Jeremy Pruitt, Donnie Tyndall, schiano Sunday, etc.


Let's not forget about Cuonzo Martin and one and done 31-y/o Lane Kiffin
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