It’s Time for Mitch Barnhart to Leave

[AustinTXCat]

So, in your opinion, you would rather your AD have zero working relationship with the two cash-cow programs—basketball and football, and because the minor sports are doing well that terrible relationship is okay?

In a college landscape that is RAPIDLY changing due to NIL and conference realignment, having an AD have a publicly adverse relationship with both basketball and football programs is a recipe for getting left behind, and quickly. But hey, volleyball is doing well, and that’s ONLY because of Mitch and nothing else, so let’s keep the status quo everyone!!

WTF?

Um, no, cash cow is football followed by closely men's BB. Mitch realizes as much. Hell, he worked down in Knoxville as an AD asst way before he took UK job. Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow have taken football to another level. Fran Curci predicted all of this developing way before before NIL. Mitch is trying his best to maintain clean programs.

No, Mitch is and has been the best AD for UK in my lifetime thus far.

 

[bigbluedon]

So Cal’s comments somehow, magically, excuses Mitch Barnhart’s pathetic press conference? Be mad at Cal all you want, I don’t care. I would probably agree with you in some ways. But if you care about the football program you’d want Mitch gone too. He’s going to drive Stoops away.

But maybe you’re a person who wants their AD and football coach to have a terrible working relationship, idk.

And another stupid post. What are you, 12? Unreal.

 

[ConRay9]

I think you're stretching it a ton to fit your argument on Stoops and Mitch not havign a good relationship.

We may simply agree to disagree on this one. Stoops had to brow-beat Mitch to get new facilities a few years ago. He and Vince Marrow wouldn’t have gone on the radio to specifically talk about NIL if they could have privately had such a conversation with Mitch.

Maybe I’m overblowing it a little, but I fully believe every other SUCCESSFUL SEC school features a football coach and an AD who have a good, if not great, relationship. That is simply not present here IMO.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Joe Philips
Billy G
Mingeion
NIL
Connection to the common fan
Alcohol sales
Top button buttoned
Holy roller

Ed, piss off and stop trying to trash another thread. All programs experience BS.

 

[ConRay9]

And another stupid post. What are you, 12? Unreal.

I’m actually 10, but at least my posts have actually provided useful, even if not totally agreed-with, commentary. Pretty embarrassing for you to have a 9-year-old ask for you to post something with substance.

If you want a seat at the adults table at least respond with something pertinent to the issues discussed here. Childish name-calling takes zero effort and will be responded with with zero effort responses.

 

[Ed323232]

Ed, piss off and stop trying to trash another thread. All programs experience BS.

He has ignored the common fan for the big money guys. He has made some terrible hires. He is single-handedly tried to stop NIL

 

[ConRay9]

WTF?

Um, no, cash cow is football followed by closely men's BB. Mitch realizes as much. Hell, he worked down in Knoxville as an AD asst way before he took UK job. Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow have taken football to another level. Fran Curci predicted all of this developing way before before NIL. Mitch is trying his best to maintain clean programs.

No, Mitch is and has been the best AD for UK in my lifetime thus far.

I’m honestly at a loss where this post is going. I literally said UK football, followed by basketball, are the cash cows of the athletics department.

Unless you think the athletics program will simply crumble without Mitch, I don’t understand how having an AD with a terrible working relationship with both basketball and football programs is sustainable. Please enlighten me if you truly believe that’s not a big deal.

 

[bthaunert]

I think Mitch is a good AD….but I also think it might be time for him to move on. College athletics is changing so much that you need someone that is innovative and forward thinking or someone that’s ok with others being innovative and forward thinking. I don’t think Mitch is either of those. He’s done some great things at UK (and some things that he’s struggled with), but we just might need a change heading into the new world of college athletics.

 

[Ed323232]

I think Mitch is a good AD….but I also think it might be time for him to move on. College athletics is changing so much that you need someone that is innovative and forward thinking or someone that’s ok with others being innovative and forward thinking. I don’t think Mitch is either of those. He’s done some great things at UK (and some things that he’s struggled with), but we just might need a change heading into the new world of college athletics.

Well said. The job has passed him by.

 

[Big Cat fan]

The way he's had this program the past 20. He is the worst AD we'd had. He's awful.

 

[kybassfan]

Mitch leave? Snicker. Really?

 

[AustinTXCat]

He has ignored the common fan for the big money guys. He has made some terrible hires. He is single-handedly tried to stop NIL

Mark Stoops is a terrible hire? Good god, our resident Cumberland Clown rides again.

Which cannabis strain are you smoking tonight?

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Synopsis of this "situation". Cal acts like the arrogant Yankee he's always been, and makes stupid comments about football program. Stoops responds defending g his program. Mitch apparently does not call them and tell them to bury this and shut the he ll up. Stoops STUPIDLY DOUBLES DOWN at today's press conference and deepens the rift in public.. Mitch publicly criticizes both coaches in his press conference and essentially sets the whole athletic program on front street in front of the whole nation. The problem has now become leadership, namely Mitches. A real leader calls both men after the first exchange and says DEAL WITH THIS PRIVATELY, no more public statements, both of you work for me and I want this OVER. He chose not to do this and a self-inflicted wound to University worsens

 

[Captain_Kentucky]

mitch has done a good job and i actually agree with him. but you dont call a press conference and say that stuff publicly. not a good look at all
in his position he has to be better than that

An absolute narcissist can not be persuaded or reasoned with.….the only way to deal with a narcissist is to call them out and embarrass them. That’s what’s Mitch did…or tried to do today.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Mark Stoops is a terrible hire? Good god, our resident Cumberland Clown rides again.

Which cannabis strain are you smoking tonight?

Joker and BCG were terrible hires. Mitch would have likely been fired if not forced to hire Cal...he wouldn't have survived the time it took for Stoops to build football.

Mitch was duped by a womanizing alcoholic in BCG. Unbelievably bad hire and I told several people about it at the time. It was a layup to see the guy was a complete and utter train wreck.

 

[ConRay9]

I think Mitch is a good AD….but I also think it might be time for him to move on. College athletics is changing so much that you need someone that is innovative and forward thinking or someone that’s ok with others being innovative and forward thinking. I don’t think Mitch is either of those. He’s done some great things at UK (and some things that he’s struggled with), but we just might need a change heading into the new world of college athletics.

I’ve directed a lot of vitriol at Mitch in my posts in this thread, but my overall sentiment on the man is pretty closely aligned with your thoughts here. I think he did a great job most of his career, specifically with the minor sports, in making us a well-rounded university in terms of sports.

With that said, solely focusing on the past to carve your future is a recipe for disaster. College athletics is, for better or worse, rapidly changing.

As a fan, I think it’s pragmatic to want your football coach and basketball coach to have good working relationships with the AD given the current environment of change. That, unfortunately, is not present here. And it’s because Mitch does not see eye to eye with them each respectively on various issues.

I also do not subscribe to the theory that our sports programs will just crumble when Mitch leaves. He did a good job building them up, but the various teams will not crumble simply because he leaves.

 

[Ed323232]

Mark Stoops is a terrible hire? Good god, our resident Cumberland Clown rides again.

Which cannabis strain are you smoking tonight?

Joe Phillips says hi. Billy G says hi. He passed on Cal once and had to be strong armed the second time. Joe Phillips nearly ended the program. Mingeon has been terrible. But they love the lord together so he’s fine. He hired stoops after several turned him down. He was ready to fire stoops and the beat MSU to save his job.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Joker and BCG were terrible hires. Mitch would have likely been fired if not forced to hire Cal...he wouldn't have survived the time it took for Stoops to build football.

And he was patient. Witness the results.

UK Football has seen its best performance since the Curci and Bear Bryant eras. Good god, you guys really should get the hell over this basketball-first mentality. Such thinking wrecked UK athletics since Coach Rupp's retirement.

 

[Ed323232]

Joker and BCG were terrible hires. Mitch would have likely been fired if not forced to hire Cal...he wouldn't have survived the time it took for Stoops to build football.

Mitch was duped by a womanizing alcoholic in BCG. Unbelievably bad hire and I told several people about it at the time. It was a layup to see the guy was a complete and utter train wreck.

Pratt knew for second one Billy G was not going to work. But Mitchell couldn’t see that.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Bring peavy back and get things back on a good path

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Mitch is very cautious, very old school. His handling of our basketball program, the crown jewel of UK , despite what some of our delusional football fans think, has been abysmal. We need some new blood with a modern perspective e, can anyone say NIL, or lifetime. Contract.

 

[Gromcat]

Ed, piss off and stop trying to trash another thread. All programs experience BS.

Mitch is good where he’s good and he’s awful where he’s bad. His hires have been putrid, and Calipari and Stoops are not really coaches under his belt. This has been explained over and over. Stoops had to come begging, he wasn’t approached. Calipari wanted the job in 2006 and Mitch said no to even an interview. Mike told my uncle personally that he and a few other brass had to force the Calipari hire and Mitch allegedly said if they hire him he wanted it known it wasn’t his call. Mitch thought the Calipari hire would end in disaster.

He’s done well in some areas but when it comes down to it he’s too timid to ever produce at the elite level. In this game you have to push the envelope and he will never do that.

Agree special ED is terrible.

 

[Ed323232]

Mitch is very cautious, very old school. His handling of our basketball program, the crown jewel of UK , despite what some of our delusional football fans think, has been abysmal. We need some new blood with a modern perspective e, can anyone say NIL, or lifetime. Contract.

Cal and Stopps went behind his back on NIL.

 

[RexShepcat]

Mitch gets a mic in front of him and doubles down on being an ass by blaming everything on the media, throwing out ultimatums, crying on the podium, and sticking it to the common fan once again. How can anyone look at his antics today and be proud of having him as our AD? He’s a sad little man.

But thankfully volleyball is winning!!! He is a clown and will drive out BOTH coaches within the next 2-3 years. Name, Image, and Likeness is just one piece of the puzzle. Having an AD with no positive relationship to our football and basketball programs will only serve to drag the programs down. I mean how in the hell will such a relationship ever make things better?

Whatever Barnhart may have done to help build up this athletics department, he sure as hell is keen to bring it all down. Thanks for the time you put in, but it’s clear he’s set in his ways and is not willing to step forward.

I’d rather he leave while people can still point to his accomplishments and remember him for that, rather than remembering him for setting us back in NIL and driving our coaches away. Instead he’s building a legacy of animosity towards the two most important sports programs, AND the fans!

Seems to me if you look at the big picture which is what he has to do as an AD he has done an excellent job. UK has won National Championships in several sports during his tenure at UK, not just basketball.

 

[UK_born_b_bread]

Mitch gets a mic in front of him and doubles down on being an ass by blaming everything on the media, throwing out ultimatums, crying on the podium, and sticking it to the common fan once again. How can anyone look at his antics today and be proud of having him as our AD? He’s a sad little man.

But thankfully volleyball is winning!!! He is a clown and will drive out BOTH coaches within the next 2-3 years. Name, Image, and Likeness is just one piece of the puzzle. Having an AD with no positive relationship to our football and basketball programs will only serve to drag the programs down. I mean how in the hell will such a relationship ever make things better?

Whatever Barnhart may have done to help build up this athletics department, he sure as hell is keen to bring it all down. Thanks for the time you put in, but it’s clear he’s set in his ways and is not willing to step forward.

I’d rather he leave while people can still point to his accomplishments and remember him for that, rather than remembering him for setting us back in NIL and driving our coaches away. Instead he’s building a legacy of animosity towards the two most important sports programs, AND the fans!

And he can take Begok CCC with him!

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Cal and Stopps went behind his back on NIL.

With damn good reason, he is stuck in 1976. Plus if he was an effective LEADER they wouldn't be able to go behind his back.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Joe Phillips says hi. Billy G says hi. He passed on Cal once and had to be strong armed the second time. Joe Phillips nearly ended the program. Mingeon has been terrible. But they love the lord together so he’s fine. He hired stoops after several turned him down. He was ready to fire stoops and the beat MSU to save his job.

Are you dense? Look at the results, Ed.

I, for one, and many more for that matter, NEVER want to see UK football revert back to perennial conference doormats. We now beat USCjr, Vandy and others every season on the football field.

 

[Crums Bald Spot]

Just stop already. He’s not going anywhere.

Unfortunately you may be correct Barney served his purpose, time for new innovative blood.

 

[Ed323232]

Are you dense? Look at the results, Ed.

I, for one, and many more for that matter, NEVER want to see UK football revert back to perennial conference doormats. We now beat USCjr, Vandy and others every season on the football field.

Then it’s good mitch corrected the horrible Joe Philips hire.

 

[Big Cat fan]

He's gone. You can't go against the basketball program and for this only he's gone. But really he's been awful here overall. Just pocket money and not good at making programs top level.

 

[ConRay9]

Seems to me if you look at the big picture which is what he has to do as an AD he has done an excellent job. UK has won National Championships in several sports during his tenure at UK, not just basketball.

Relying SOLELY on the past to elicit future success, especially in a rapidly changing college environment, is a recipe for future failure.

Mitch already failed the initial NIL test. He also just today poured gasoline on a public fued between the two cash-cow programs of his department. He has members of both of the said cash-cow departments pleading with him both in the past (Stoops initial requests for facilities circa 4-5 years ago) and currently (Cal with basketball facilities) rather than coming to him personally or resolving in-house. It has taken a public display each step of the way.

Mitch is not above UK athletics. He may have provided a great service here in the past, especially with minor sports, but it’s not sacrilegious to say he shouldn’t be our future here, either. The university is bigger than him. The athletic program is not the Mitch Barnhart athletics program.

This is not even mentioning Barnhart’s blatant disregard and disrespect of the common fan. It’s time he moved on. The university will not crumble when he leaves—rather, it will flourish off the work he put in. That can be his legacy, but instead, his legacy is veering towards animosity and calamity.

 

[Bluefinger]

Once again, fair post. But why should Triple C NOT be the one looked at for starting something so childish ?

Stating that Kentucky is a basketball school is not childish it's a fact. It's childish that everybody gets bent out of shape anymore when the truth is spoken.

 

[bbncal02]

Stating that Kentucky is a basketball school is not childish it's a fact. It's childish that everybody gets bent out of shape anymore when the truth is spoken.

It’s the second part everyone got upset over. And fairly so. But I think Stoops being the hot head he is over reacted and now here we are.

Just because somebody says or does something wrong does not make every counter to it right.
Stoops was right to counter it and defend his team and players, but wrong in his tone. And then took another shot today with his boss in the room, which I don’t think made Mitch very happy.

Then Mitch comes out and basically threatens both of them. The three oldest guys in the public facing part of the department all snipping at one nother is not a good look.

 

[mapcatfan]

mitch has done a good job and i actually agree with him. but you dont call a press conference and say that stuff publicly. not a good look at all
in his position he has to be better than that

I have always been a huge Mitch fan - I think he has done a remarkable job with UK athletics. But for probably the first time, I’m very disappointed with him. This should have all been handled internally imo, not played out in front of the entire fan base and the nation.

Cal make a public comment that he shouldn’t have made, and Coach Stoops, instead of going to Cal privately, made matters much, much worse. If he had only expressed his displeasure privately with Cal, I’m guessing Cal would have sent out an apologetic tweet, and that would be it. End of story.

At that point, why wouldn’t Mitch have met with both of them and ironed it out? Instead, he very publicly poured gasoline on the fire.

I just hope we don’t lose either or both coaches over this mess.

 

[RondoBaller21]

Are you dense? Look at the results, Ed.

I, for one, and many more for that matter, NEVER want to see UK football revert back to perennial conference doormats. We now beat USCjr, Vandy and others every season on the football field.

Stoops probably wants Mitch gone too. Cal and Stoops spoke out recently about how bad he’s handled the NIL.

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

Stating that Kentucky is a basketball school is not childish it's a fact. It's childish that everybody gets bent out of shape anymore when the truth is spoken.

Really ? Are we going down this road again ? I don’t think anyone disagrees that UK is probably the premier college basketball team in history. But just leave the football team out of it. There’s no earthly reason to go there. Why people can’t see this is beyond me. UK Football is doing great. Let ‘em continue their progress.

 

[NamelessOne]

WTF?

Um, no, cash cow is football followed by closely men's BB. Mitch realizes as much. Hell, he worked down in Knoxville as an AD asst way before he took UK job. Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow have taken football to another level. Fran Curci predicted all of this developing way before before NIL. Mitch is trying his best to maintain clean programs.

No, Mitch is and has been the best AD for UK in my lifetime thus far.

You're mostly right other than saying mens basketball is close. It makes about a 1/4th of what football makes, but it is the second closest sport.

Other than that, you better watch or the "CAL PATROL" will run you outta here

 

[sk73]

I have always been a huge Mitch fan - I think he has done a remarkable job with UK athletics. But for probably the first time, I’m very disappointed with him. This should have all been handled internally imo, not played out in front of the entire fan base and the nation.

Cal make a public comment that he shouldn’t have made, and Coach Stoops, instead of going to Cal privately, made matters much, much worse. If he had only expressed his displeasure privately with Cal, I’m guessing Cal would have sent out an apologetic tweet, and that would be it. End of story.

At that point, why wouldn’t Mitch have met with both of them and ironed it out? Instead, he very publicly poured gasoline on the fire.

I just hope we don’t lose either or both coaches over this mess.

According to Matt Jones, Cal wanted to publicly apologize but Mitch told him to not say anything. That is what I just heard from Matt Jones on another thread. If true, Mitch has made things much worse.

 

[NamelessOne]

According to Matt Jones, Cal wanted to publicly apologize but Mitch told him to not say anything. That is what I just heard from Matt Jones on another thread. If true, Mitch has made things much worse.

It's possible. But I wouldnt doubt either that Matt is just trying to cover for Cal

 

[1Catmantoo]

Mitch gets a mic in front of him and doubles down on being an ass by blaming everything on the media, throwing out ultimatums, crying on the podium, and sticking it to the common fan once again. How can anyone look at his antics today and be proud of having him as our AD? He’s a sad little man.

But thankfully volleyball is winning!!! He is a clown and will drive out BOTH coaches within the next 2-3 years. Name, Image, and Likeness is just one piece of the puzzle. Having an AD with no positive relationship to our football and basketball programs will only serve to drag the programs down. I mean how in the hell will such a relationship ever make things better?

Whatever Barnhart may have done to help build up this athletics department, he sure as hell is keen to bring it all down. Thanks for the time you put in, but it’s clear he’s set in his ways and is not willing to step forward.

I’d rather he leave while people can still point to his accomplishments and remember him for that, rather than remembering him for setting us back in NIL and driving our coaches away. Instead he’s building a legacy of animosity towards the two most important sports programs, AND the fans!

You’re another fair weather fan who just wants to bitch, whine, and complain. You’re obviously a volleyball fan. Truth is, the athletic department loses money on volleyball. So in the whole scheme of things, at least financially, they are not important.