Mitch smiling on the sidelines last night.

[ZZBlueComet]

Saw a picture of him smiling and hugging some players - good to see, as he took lot's of heat from some when he didn't go for Petrino.

I'm hoping the program will be better in the long run, by hiring Stoops.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Mitch wants what we want. The Stoops hire looks pretty good, as Stoops came in with a plan and seems to understand how to build. There will be bumps, a winning program is not built over night, but Mitch seems to have made a good choice.

 

[UKani]

He took heat for avoiding Petrino and avoiding Mike Leach...smh...

 

[BigBluePhantom]

He should be smiling. He has 2 amazing coaches working for him that fell into his lap. He chose Billy Clyde over Cal and finally allowed him to come here when he had no choice. Cal can't stand him and he has very little to do with the oversight the BB program. Similarly, it was Stoops who approached Mitch about the job. Until that time, he was not a consideration. I do give him credit for ultimately choosing Stoops. MB has done some great things with the smaller sports programs and with the new renovations. However, he severely botched the head coaching hires of his only two money making programs and has come out of it smelling pretty rosy. I would be smiling as well.

 

[UKani]

So many false things in that post BigBluePhantom.

Did you know that it was Mitch Barnhart who wanted to hire Calipari the first time but that the school president said no because of his reputation. It was Mitch who talked the president into going with the hire the 2nd time. And no Calipari has no problem with Mitch. I think these message board rumors have taken on a life of its own.

 

[Smashcat]

I think these message board rumors have taken on a life of its own

True.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

I have very limited experience with Mitch, but those experience suggest a humble guy who does not seek the limelight and just wants to do his job. As a UK fan, I am thankful for him as our AD. As a football fan, I love what has happened over the past 3 years. Hope is a necessary ingredient to being a fan.

 

[UK till Death]

So many false things in that post BigBluePhantom.

Did you know that it was Mitch Barnhart who wanted to hire Calipari the first time but that the school president said no because of his reputation. It was Mitch who talked the president into going with the hire the 2nd time. And no Calipari has no problem with Mitch. I think these message board rumors have taken on a life of its own.

Bullshit!

 

[Dallas-Wild]

Bullshit!

Please share with us what you know to be fact regarding what UKani posted being BS.

Thanks!

 

[bigbluemist]

Bullshit!

UKani has a lot of street cred on this board. I've learned to trust his posts and appreciate his insight

 

[lobbyman]

Barnhart did not want to hire Calipari the first and we got BG. He was opposed the second time and did not want to meet with Cal in New Orleans when the decision was made to hire him. After he he and the president interviewed Cal was on board.
Stoops wanted the job and I am glad Barnhart finally made a correct head coach
decision after hiring and keeping Joker too long.

 

[Oldtrainer]

I've had a few conversations over the years with Mitch on football trips. I found him to be approachable, a little reserve, good listener, and very important to me a Christian.

 

[CB3UK]

Mitch has done a helluva job

 

[NCukcat62]

Mitch has made 2 big mistakes but has ultimately redeemed himself.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

Barnhart did not want to hire Calipari the first and we got BG. He was opposed the second time and did not want to meet with Cal in New Orleans when the decision was made to hire him. After he he and the president interviewed Cal was on board.
Stoops wanted the job and I am glad Barnhart finally made a correct head coach
decision after hiring and keeping Joker too long.

Actually, none of that is true. Dr. Todd took Cal's name out of consideration the first time. The second time, Mitch convinced Dr. Todd to meet with Cal and judge for himself. That story was told by Dr. Todd himself and confirmed by Mike Pratt.

As for Stoops, yes he wanted the job and applied for it. That is common with any job opening. To suggest that if an AD hires someone who applies, instead of someone targeted by the AD, he was lucky, has no clue about how hiring people. It is common for people to apply for job openings and many times they turn out to be the best candidates. It is not a shortcoming of the person hiring that he hired someone who applied.

 

[sluggercatfan]

I've had a few conversations over the years with Mitch on football trips. I found him to be approachable, a little reserve, good listener, and very important to me a Christian.

Good post...Guess some of these guys would rather have the P boys as our coaching duo... Real bastions of integrity there

 

[BigBluePhantom]

Actually, none of that is true. Dr. Todd took Cal's name out of consideration the first time. The second time, Mitch convinced Dr. Todd to meet with Cal and judge for himself. That story was told by Dr. Todd himself and confirmed by Mike Pratt.

As for Stoops, yes he wanted the job and applied for it. That is common with any job opening. To suggest that if an AD hires someone who applies, instead of someone targeted by the AD, he was lucky, has no clue about how hiring people. It is common for people to apply for job openings and many times they turn out to be the best candidates. It is not a shortcoming of the person hiring that he hired someone who applied.

Dr. Todd and Mike Pratt did indeed come out and say that. It is ok that you believe that because that is obviously what they want you to believe. There are plenty of people who don't get their info from a message board or from the news outlets who could tell you otherwise.

Maybe Cal has warmed up to the guy over the years. I am out of the loop now but I can tell you 100% that he could not stand to be in the same room with the "jag off" when he first got here. Martin Newton happened for a reason. I can tell you 2 other people who did not like him were Tubby and Coach Brooks.

I have been around MB quite a bit and I agree he is a good man and a nice guy overall but he is also a micro-manager and people who make 7 figure salaries don't typically allow themselves to be micro-managed.

 

[SanAntonioCat]

The Big Blue Phantom is a real insider. The only problem is where he is an "insider." Clearly, his comments are a point of view imagined for those who choose to believe.

Mitch had a number of issues in the early part of his AD career at UK. I doubt there are many on this board could handle all the problems from probation to a deep recession Mitch faced on a daily basis. He was indeed highly stressed and unpopular at one point. Yet, he emerged as an AD who cared for and helped the Olympic sports become highly successful. Football has become a true step by step process on the road to success. Basketball is whole another story, but Cal ultimately convinced Dr. Todd in a five hour meeting in a Chicago hotel (during NCAA meetings) he would represent UK at the highest level. I think he has done that and more.

There is so much more to Mitch Barnhart's 15 years at UK. He has emerged as one of the most respected AD's in the country.

Would you rather have Larry Ivy?

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Dr. Todd and Mike Pratt did indeed come out and say that. It is ok that you believe that because that is obviously what they want you to believe. There are plenty of people who don't get their info from a message board or from the news outlets who could tell you otherwise.

Maybe Cal has warmed up to the guy over the years. I am out of the loop now but I can tell you 100% that he could not stand to be in the same room with the "jag off" when he first got here. Martin Newton happened for a reason. I can tell you 2 other people who did not like him were Tubby and Coach Brooks.

I have been around MB quite a bit and I agree he is a good man and a nice guy overall but he is also a micro-manager and people who make 7 figure salaries don't typically allow themselves to be micro-managed.

This looks like a personal beef.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

Dr. Todd and Mike Pratt did indeed come out and say that. It is ok that you believe that because that is obviously what they want you to believe. There are plenty of people who don't get their info from a message board or from the news outlets who could tell you otherwise.

Maybe Cal has warmed up to the guy over the years. I am out of the loop now but I can tell you 100% that he could not stand to be in the same room with the "jag off" when he first got here. Martin Newton happened for a reason. I can tell you 2 other people who did not like him were Tubby and Coach Brooks.

I have been around MB quite a bit and I agree he is a good man and a nice guy overall but he is also a micro-manager and people who make 7 figure salaries don't typically allow themselves to be micro-managed.

So you expect us to believe that Lee Todd, Mike Pratt, and a couple of journalists that I have heard tell the same story, are all involved in a cover-up to make Mitch look good and hide his short comings, while you and a few others know the real truth? Yeah, right. I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.

 

[BigBluePhantom]

The Big Blue Phantom is a real insider. The only problem is where he is an "insider." Clearly, his comments are a point of view imagined for those who choose to believe.

Mitch had a number of issues in the early part of his AD career at UK. I doubt there are many on this board could handle all the problems from probation to a deep recession Mitch faced on a daily basis. He was indeed highly stressed and unpopular at one point. Yet, he emerged as an AD who cared for and helped the Olympic sports become highly successful. Football has become a true step by step process on the road to success. Basketball is whole another story, but Cal ultimately convinced Dr. Todd in a five hour meeting in a Chicago hotel (during NCAA meetings) he would represent UK at the highest level. I think he has done that and more.

There is so much more to Mitch Barnhart's 15 years at UK. He has emerged as one of the most respected AD's in the country.

Would you rather have Larry Ivy?

I would prefer Mitch over Ivy or Newton. It has been a long tough haul but I really like where we are sitting right now in football, basketball and all the other sports except baseball. I feel Mitch got lucky with these 2 hires falling in his lap but I will take luck when its good. The thing I really credit Mitch for is cleaning up the boosters. Not many people know what he has done in this department but we are winning and we are winning the right way. That is huge right now.

Mitch's next big test will be when Cal leaves and he has to find a replacement. I am not sure there is a coach out there that can be as good of a fit as Cal.

 

[Jkwo]

Dr. Todd and Mike Pratt did indeed come out and say that. It is ok that you believe that because that is obviously what they want you to believe. There are plenty of people who don't get their info from a message board or from the news outlets who could tell you otherwise.

Why would multiple very connected/influential people lie about that? Are they really going to put together a concerted effort to deceive everyone so that Mitch will be slightly more palatable to some random group of internet armchair QBs?

 

[BigBluePhantom]

So you expect us to believe that Lee Todd, Mike Pratt, and a couple of journalists that I have heard tell the same story, are all involved in a cover-up to make Mitch look good and hide his short comings, while you and a few others know the real truth? Yeah, right. I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.

Not really. I would certainly believe a university president and Pratt over some guy on a message board that I didn't know from Adam. I am just putting it out there. I honestly don't know for sure what Mitch's feelings were on Cal. I was told at the time by people who would absolutely know that he thought Cal was dirty and wanted Donavan. The part about the 3 coaches not liking MB I know is true because I am basing that from comments I personally heard those 3 coaches say.

 

[BigBluePhantom]

Why would multiple very connected/influential people lie about that? Are they really going to put together a concerted effort to deceive everyone so that Mitch will be slightly more palatable to some random group of internet armchair QBs?

I think it was more than just a few yahoos on a message board. It was call in shows, message boards and general talk among fans. I can understand them wanting to display a united front to the public. UK and other athletic departments put out misinformation all the time. Public opinion is a huge consideration. DeMoss incident is a good example. They fabricated a story and everybody got on board.