[Sly Fox]

At his exit newser yesterday in Austin, Rick could not have been any more gracious. But it was really cool seeing him use the platform and the attention to talk about how much his faith walk changed 7 years ago. He was real, authentic and classy even under the worst of circumstances. Wherever he winds up, they will be getting a coach who is above reproach in how he does business. I hate to see him leave the job but understand why.

[4everfsu]

What caused his faith walk to change 7 years ago?

[Sly Fox]

His family ...

One of the rawest moments of Sunday's press conference came when Barnes' eyes welled up as he talked about Candy and his children, and how they pushed him to embrace his faith several years ago. This week, as it became clear he might not be able to stay at UT, Barnes said he relied on them.

"You take a look inside and really see where your treasures really lie," Barnes said.

Click here for Full Story

If he winds up at his wife's alma mater in Knoxville, prepare to see that program turned around rather rapidly. But wherever the Hickory, NC native lands, they are getting a class act.

[ATrain]

His family ...

One of the rawest moments of Sunday's press conference came when Barnes' eyes welled up as he talked about Candy and his children, and how they pushed him to embrace his faith several years ago. This week, as it became clear he might not be able to stay at UT, Barnes said he relied on them.

"You take a look inside and really see where your treasures really lie," Barnes said.

Click here for Full Story

If he winds up at his wife's alma mater in Knoxville, prepare to see that program turned around rather rapidly. But wherever the Hickory, NC native lands, they are getting a class act.

Could he land in Lynchburg?

[4everfsu]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... orns-coach

[TDDance234]

I think Barnes will do well at Knoxville. After Kentucky, the SEC is wide-open. Florida will bounce back but Barnes can recruit well and UT certainly has the resources to really compete.

[Sly Fox]

Will Tennessee know what to do with a coach who has integrity and plays by the rules? HaHa

Great hire by the Vols.

[SuperJon]

Will Tennessee know what to do with a coach who has integrity and plays by the rules?

See: Butch Jones.

[lynchburgwildcats]

He'll maybe recruit well, he was TERRIBLE at keeping the premier in-state talent at Texas. Regardless if he does or not, we all know he'll underachieve with it like he always does.

[VAGolf]

Not sure why anyone thinks he'll be good at Tennessee. Texas is a much better job and with the exception of one year, he spent a majority of his time getting knocked on in the first and second rounds.

[TDDance234]

Not sure why anyone thinks he'll be good at Tennessee. Texas is a much better job and with the exception of one year, he spent a majority of his time getting knocked on in the first and second rounds.

The Big 12 was leaps ahead of the SEC in Conference RPI last season. He'll have a much easier road to the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville. He may get the same results but for Tennessee, it'll be a big improvement.

[ATrain]

Not sure why anyone thinks he'll be good at Tennessee. Texas is a much better job and with the exception of one year, he spent a majority of his time getting knocked on in the first and second rounds.

The Big 12 was leaps ahead of the SEC in Conference RPI last season. He'll have a much easier road to the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville. He may get the same results but for Tennessee, it'll be a big improvement.

He'd have more pressure on him if he was the women's basketball coach

[Purple Haize]

Not sure why anyone thinks he'll be good at Tennessee. Texas is a much better job and with the exception of one year, he spent a majority of his time getting knocked on in the first and second rounds.

The Big 12 was leaps ahead of the SEC in Conference RPI last season. He'll have a much easier road to the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville. He may get the same results but for Tennessee, it'll be a big improvement.

He'd have more pressure on him if he was the women's basketball coach

This is true

[lynchburgwildcats]

Not sure why anyone thinks he'll be good at Tennessee. Texas is a much better job and with the exception of one year, he spent a majority of his time getting knocked on in the first and second rounds.

The Big 12 was leaps ahead of the SEC in Conference RPI last season. He'll have a much easier road to the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville. He may get the same results but for Tennessee, it'll be a big improvement.

Yes because the Big 12 was all that great, could only get two teams into the Sweet 16 with one of them becoming the first team ever to get doubled up in the Sweet 16, the regular season champion couldn't get past the second round, and the tournament champion lost in the first round!

The SEC actually had the same number of top 50 Pomeroy teams as the Big 12, the Big 12 just benefitted from not having as many teams (14 to 10) so they didn't have as big of a bottom tier as the other power 5 conferences that are bigger.

[TDDance234]

The Big 12 is still more top-heavy than the SEC. There were 5 teams from the Big 12 in the top-25 of the RPI to the SEC's two. You don't find the SEC's third team in RPI until 38 with a painfully average Georgia team.

Regardless, UT's climb to the top is going to be a much easier path. Barnes can recruit well and if the rumors are true that Billy Donovan is headed for the NBA - the SEC may get a little easier while Florida rebuilds some more.

[lynchburgwildcats]

The Big 12 is still more top-heavy than the SEC. There were 5 teams from the Big 12 in the top-25 of the RPI to the SEC's two. You don't find the SEC's third team in RPI until 38 with a painfully average Georgia team.

Regardless, UT's climb to the top is going to be a much easier path. Barnes can recruit well and if the rumors are true that Billy Donovan is headed for the NBA - the SEC may get a little easier while Florida rebuilds some more.

Biggest problem Barnes will face is that he underachieves mightily just about every single year relative to the talent he has, and I don't see that changing with a change in venue as he is still RIck Barnes. He's like a rich man's Johnny Jones (LSU coach).

Hasn't gotten past the first weekend since 2008, lost in the round of 64 or 32 11 times. COuldn't even get past the round of 32 when he had Kevin Durant, DJ Augustin, and Damion James on the same team! Durant was the national player of the year and Augustin won the Cousy award the following season.

But the rumors are Donovan will listen to offers to go to the NBA, the rumors aren't he is bolting to the NBA. Big difference. He "left" for the Magic and twice nearly left for Kentucky, so I'll believe he is leaving Florida when he is coaching a different team on opening day.

Although I think he'd be stupid to return to Florida at this point. He's got a trainwreck of a team that clearly did not really care about playing their best basketball unless they were going up against Kentucky or other high/higher quality teams, Florida keeps pushing off the new facilities they keep promising him, and the fans don't care about the team unless they are winning a lot or hosting some big name team.

I'm sure it's nice to be able to coach in such a low-pressure environment, but it has to get old after a while to receive such little support from everyone and to be seen as some glorified intramural team when compared to the attention and support given to their mediocre football team.

[TIMSCAR20]

The Big 12 is still more top-heavy than the SEC. There were 5 teams from the Big 12 in the top-25 of the RPI to the SEC's two. You don't find the SEC's third team in RPI until 38 with a painfully average Georgia team.

Regardless, UT's climb to the top is going to be a much easier path. Barnes can recruit well and if the rumors are true that Billy Donovan is headed for the NBA - the SEC may get a little easier while Florida rebuilds some more.

Biggest problem Barnes will face is that he underachieves mightily just about every single year relative to the talent he has, and I don't see that changing with a change in venue as he is still RIck Barnes. He's like a rich man's Johnny Jones (LSU coach).

Hasn't gotten past the first weekend since 2008, lost in the round of 64 or 32 11 times. COuldn't even get past the round of 32 when he had Kevin Durant, DJ Augustin, and Damion James on the same team! Durant was the national player of the year and Augustin won the Cousy award the following season.

But the rumors are Donovan will listen to offers to go to the NBA, the rumors aren't he is bolting to the NBA. Big difference. He "left" for the Magic and twice nearly left for Kentucky, so I'll believe he is leaving Florida when he is coaching a different team on opening day.

Although I think he'd be stupid to return to Florida at this point. He's got a trainwreck of a team that clearly did not really care about playing their best basketball unless they were going up against Kentucky or other high/higher quality teams, Florida keeps pushing off the new facilities they keep promising him, and the fans don't care about the team unless they are winning a lot or hosting some big name team.

I'm sure it's nice to be able to coach in such a low-pressure environment, but it has to get old after a while to receive such little support from everyone and to be seen as some glorified intramural team when compared to the attention and support given to their mediocre football team.

It will be interesting to see what Anthony Grant does with this Florida rumor and the VCU job now being open.

I wish Coach Barnes well. It is REALLY Hard to compete in the NCAA tournament. He hasn't had the results that would put him up in the same breath as some of the current greats but he is far from a terrible coach. I think Tennessee could end up being a great fit.

[olldflame]

It looks like Braxton Bonds will get to play for a fine Christian coach after all, and one with a history of having some pretty good point guards. You can put it in the bank Barnes will be signing a couple of blue chippers in the next year or 2, so we'll see how much BB gets to play.

[olldflame]

Anthony Grant having a Romans 8:28 month. Gets unfairly fired from a bad job at Bama and may get to pick between 2 better jobs at places he has strong ties to where he is known and loved. If he ends up having to pick between VCU and Florida, IMHO it is a tougher choice than you might think. Basketball is king at VCU, and even with 2 national championships under Donovan at Florida..........not so much. I doubt if VCU can match the $$ though.

[Purple Haize]

Anthony Grant having a Romans 8:28 month. Gets unfairly fired from a bad job at Bama and may get to pick between 2 better jobs at places he has strong ties to where he is known and loved. If he ends up having to pick between VCU and Florida, IMHO it is a tougher choice than you might think. Basketball is king at VCU, and even with 2 national championships under Donovan at Florida..........not so much. I doubt if VCU can match the $$ though.

VCU offered Shaka 2.5 to stay

[TIMSCAR20]

Anthony Grant having a Romans 8:28 month. Gets unfairly fired from a bad job at Bama and may get to pick between 2 better jobs at places he has strong ties to where he is known and loved. If he ends up having to pick between VCU and Florida, IMHO it is a tougher choice than you might think. Basketball is king at VCU, and even with 2 national championships under Donovan at Florida..........not so much. I doubt if VCU can match the $$ though.

VCU offered Shaka 2.5 to stay

They should have led with that offer. That is a ton of money for an A10 coach. He deserved it though. I would say that VCU is a better job in my extremely Biased opinion. A sold out house each night, a winnable conference each season, playing on national TV 90% of your games and getting to the Sweet 16 is like winning a National Championship. Florida is still a football school, They will never be what Kentucky is in Hoops, very hard to finish in the top 4 each year in the conference and anything short of a Final 4 appearance has very little impact. If VCU offers Grant 2.5 he should take it and stay there!

[TDDance234]

Anthony Grant having a Romans 8:28 month. Gets unfairly fired from a bad job at Bama and may get to pick between 2 better jobs at places he has strong ties to where he is known and loved. If he ends up having to pick between VCU and Florida, IMHO it is a tougher choice than you might think. Basketball is king at VCU, and even with 2 national championships under Donovan at Florida..........not so much. I doubt if VCU can match the $$ though.

VCU offered Shaka 2.5 to stay

They should have led with that offer. That is a ton of money for an A10 coach. He deserved it though. I would say that VCU is a better job in my extremely Biased opinion. A sold out house each night, a winnable conference each season, playing on national TV 90% of your games and getting to the Sweet 16 is like winning a National Championship. Florida is still a football school, They will never be what Kentucky is in Hoops, very hard to finish in the top 4 each year in the conference and anything short of a Final 4 appearance has very little impact. If VCU offers Grant 2.5 he should take it and stay there!

Is it really a winnable conference though? Despite all of Shaka's accolades (and he certainly deserves the credit - he's done a fantastic job there) he never won the conference outright during VCU's time in the A-10.

[olldflame]

The A10 is tough to win for sure, but in the SEC you are pretty much competing for second place every year. Both conferences provide a good platform to build a resume' for an at-large bid.

[TIMSCAR20]

Yes I would say it is winnable with the teams he had and would have had in the future. I'm not saying the A10 isn't competitive, don't get me wrong. Also he was only in the Atlantic 10 for 3 season and finished in the top 3 or so I believe each year. Also went to the Final game each season in the Conference Tournament. Certainly would have won the Regular season outright this season if not for the injuries that saw them lose a handful of games near the end of the season. When Webber went out, they were a different team but he still got the most out them once they adjusted to his absence.