Ok, why is Barney a great AD?
- Thread starter BigBlueFanGA
- Start date
He was always a loyal friend to Fred and a great father to Bam Bam.
WildcatfaninOhio
All-American
The fact that he has brought hope to UK football is an amazing feat unto itself. After suffering through over 30 years of misery I’d say he’s done great. Non revenue teams have also done much better under his watch.
In general but he is dragging his feet on a full size indoor facility for football, he is using his moral compass (and hypocrisy) with regards to alcohol at games and he is preventing the 6 football players from being able to play even though they are in class, have been cleared by the university and Vito has passed a lie detector exam. Much of what he is being given credit for was basically forced upon him by fans and boosters.
Remember when men's basketball was taken away from Barney? If it wasn't for Mike Pratt and influential boosters, he would've passed on Calipari again.
He's a Puritan, holier than thou type.
I hope he's not hiring Cal's replacement.
Stoops campaigned hard for the UK job IIRC. Was he even on Barney's list? I sincerely remember reading a story about Stoops reaching out first.
In short, he's a bean counter type who isn't forward thinking... at all.
Consigned to manage non-revenue sports only is his true wheelhouse.
He's a Puritan, holier than thou type.
I hope he's not hiring Cal's replacement.
Stoops campaigned hard for the UK job IIRC. Was he even on Barney's list? I sincerely remember reading a story about Stoops reaching out first.
In short, he's a bean counter type who isn't forward thinking... at all.
Consigned to manage non-revenue sports only is his true wheelhouse.
We’d just hire another AD and people would want to fire that person too
For me he's not a great AD, but that is because I am a poor. And he doesn't care about us poors. The people he has to take care of in no particular order are the rich boosters, the really rich boosters, coaches, players, players families, recruits, recruits families, TV networks, conference officials. If you were a football season ticket holder when they reseated the stadium you found out how important/unimportant you really are.
Fans and boosters didn’t try to force the same stuff on CM?
As for the fight thing I haven’t followed it close enough to know enough to comment on it.
We Celebrated a victory over an SEC opponent, olympians from UK, SEC champion divers and swimmers. We also have seen the first SEC team win a volleyball national championship. It is hard to disparage Mitch as an AD. The only way would be if it is personal.
The idea that success was forced upon him by fans and boosters is one of the more laughable things I’ve read on this board, and that’s saying something. He has improved the overall level of UK athletics well beyond where they have ever been In the history of the school. Anyone who can’t see that is purposefully closing their eyes.
If you still believe the Cal story after Pratt specifically said it’s BS, then that’s on you. Also, candidates apply for jobs all the time. Why is it a knock on someone if they interview and hire someone who applies for a job as opposed to someone they go out and find? Such a ridiculous criticism.
Best UK AD in my lifetime. With the 5 previous athletic directors in that time ranging from incompetent to crooked, you can certainly argue that's a very low bar to clear, but it's a true statement nonetheless.
Considering his title is "athletic" director not just football director or whatever we're complaining about today....I'd say he's done pretty well.
Football team best in its history, baseball team best in history, softball best in history, women's team best in history, men's soccer best in history, volleyball, etc etc etc
Basketball and rifle remained at top
Pretty sure there have been years when every varsity team made the post season.
I remember when people used to complain if he built new tennis courts or something...like if you brought your kid on a visit for tennis you'd be like "you know what tear this down, hell take my kids scholarship and give it to football."
Football team best in its history, baseball team best in history, softball best in history, women's team best in history, men's soccer best in history, volleyball, etc etc etc
Basketball and rifle remained at top
Pretty sure there have been years when every varsity team made the post season.
I remember when people used to complain if he built new tennis courts or something...like if you brought your kid on a visit for tennis you'd be like "you know what tear this down, hell take my kids scholarship and give it to football."
He’s probably the most “Football-oriented” AD I’ve seen in my lifetime. That alone gets my vote
We’re good in football
We’re elite (usually) in basketball
We’re decent in baseball most years.
We’re about to be great in WBB
We’re good-to-great in Softball
We’re suddenly great in Volleyball
We’re decent in both soccer teams
We’re elite in Shootin’ guns
We have a completely renovated and damn good football stadium.
We have a new baseball field
We have a new softball field
We have a new soccer field
The MARCHING BAND has its own Field
We don’t have scandals
We don’t have coaches getting fired
We don’t have players ineligible
But since he looks goofy, and some of us can’t buy a $10 beer, he apparently sucks.
Could some things get better? Sure. But some folks have very short memories.
Dude is pretty much killing it.
We’re elite (usually) in basketball
We’re decent in baseball most years.
We’re about to be great in WBB
We’re good-to-great in Softball
We’re suddenly great in Volleyball
We’re decent in both soccer teams
We’re elite in Shootin’ guns
We have a completely renovated and damn good football stadium.
We have a new baseball field
We have a new softball field
We have a new soccer field
The MARCHING BAND has its own Field
We don’t have scandals
We don’t have coaches getting fired
We don’t have players ineligible
But since he looks goofy, and some of us can’t buy a $10 beer, he apparently sucks.
Could some things get better? Sure. But some folks have very short memories.
Dude is pretty much killing it.
No it’s actually pretty easy. The guy in his 20 years has overseen 3 ncaaT misses in the schools most revered sport. Three massive hits for ncaas all time best bb program. In its highest revenue generating sport he hired one of the worst fb coaches in our history (very difficult to do). And when it came time to replace him the guy was so far out there that Stoops had to lobby and sell himself to Barney.
Regardless of the AD UK is gonna have some seasons a dive team or volleyball win. Idk what SEC opponent your talking about but unless it’s to get to the sec title game it’s meaningless at this point. The AD in the same season of all these great successes you point to also was the AD to give cal the stupid lifetime deal leading to the worst season in 100 years. Olympians from UK?? Who cares?? Fencing? Rifle? Track and basketball athletes who spent 1 year at UK??? No barney failed a long time ago. Stoops bailed him out or Barney would be the ad at middle Tennessee state by now. 20 years is far too long for a guy like Barney who isn’t a UK alum to run anything at the university. The guy is opposed to NIL and is really handcuffing our coaches from being able to go all in. Barney is pretentious has no connections with fans and makes some absurd decisions regarding fans. It’s time for Barney to leave on his own. If he’s a great AD he needs to be at Texas or Michigan. Fact is they wouldn’t give the guy a sniff. As an AD you dont spend 20 years at the same school when you’ve tapped out. Barney tapped out a while ago and it’s insane he wasn’t sent packing after last years basketball debacle. Someone higher up the ladder than Joel justus or Tony barbee shoulda been held accountable for the trainwreck. It shoulda been the man who shackled the program with a python of a contract.
Hence this is why Barney is still here. No accountability for him hiring BCG. No accountability for hiring Joker. No accountability for boosters and Pratt having to force his hand to look at cal. Stoops had to wave his resume in Barney’s face no accountability. No accountability for giving coaches ridiculous contracts. A chimp could do the job Barney has with a yes no or maybe button.
Originally posted February 2020 on Football forum and updated accordingly.
Mitch Barnhart since 2002:.
10 post-season bowl appearances in football, (6-4 record)
1 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship
4 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four appearances
7 SEC Men's Basketball Champions
8 SEC Men's Tournament Basketball Championships
1 SEC Women's Basketball Champions (2011-2012)
1 SEC East Baseball Champions
1 SEC Softball Tournament Runners-up
1 SEC Men's Tennis Championship
2 SEC Men's Tennis Runners-up
1 SEC Women's Tennis Championships
2 SEC Women's Tennis Runners-up
1 SEC Women's Soccer Runners-up
1 SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Championship
1 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
4 SEC Women's Volleyball Championships
1 SEC Men's Golf Championship
3 NCAA Team Rifle Championships
Cheerleading team is world-class. How many championships?
Thanks, Mitch! Keep 'em coming.
Mitch Barnhart since 2002:.
10 post-season bowl appearances in football, (6-4 record)
1 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship
4 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four appearances
7 SEC Men's Basketball Champions
8 SEC Men's Tournament Basketball Championships
1 SEC Women's Basketball Champions (2011-2012)
1 SEC East Baseball Champions
1 SEC Softball Tournament Runners-up
1 SEC Men's Tennis Championship
2 SEC Men's Tennis Runners-up
1 SEC Women's Tennis Championships
2 SEC Women's Tennis Runners-up
1 SEC Women's Soccer Runners-up
1 SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Championship
1 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
4 SEC Women's Volleyball Championships
1 SEC Men's Golf Championship
3 NCAA Team Rifle Championships
Cheerleading team is world-class. How many championships?
Thanks, Mitch! Keep 'em coming.
There has never been a hire no matter what position that UK fans didn't want to fire. Some of the same one's complaining about Mitch and trying to take credit of Stoops success away from him also have demanded Stoops be fired over the years. Everyone loves to think this all about only them.
I mean you could take some of this serious if it wasn't a daily thing.
I can both think he's a great AD and not be able to stand his holy-rollin', teetotalin' ass.
That's just ridiculous. I personally cannot stand Barnhart. Listening to him talk gives me hives.
That said, he's been incredible at this job. Even with his biggest mistakes (Billy Clyde and Joker), the guy moved fast and made a HOF hire to correct the mishap.
In no possible way can his performance be described as "solid, not great". He's an all-star. And a tone-deaf, killjoy dweeb.
Has his warts like everyone else. No denying UK Athletics as a whole is infinitely better than it was when he first arrived. He is the AD of the UK Athletics Department. That does not include just football and/or basketball. UK has no where near the booster/donor base other SEC schools have and he has still managed to find a way to fund all of the new facilities and such. Yes, he has made mistakes with hires. Nobody is perfect. Think he is making one right now keeping the baseball coach.
"Poors", welcome to life. Those with resources have and will always write the rules and be first in line. Mitch caters to them because he has no choice.
Just look 75 miles up the road from Lexington and you can see what happens when you have incompetent/criminal people running your athletics department. In time it always rears its ugly head. Whoever takes over for Mitch will inherit a stable situation.
"Poors", welcome to life. Those with resources have and will always write the rules and be first in line. Mitch caters to them because he has no choice.
Just look 75 miles up the road from Lexington and you can see what happens when you have incompetent/criminal people running your athletics department. In time it always rears its ugly head. Whoever takes over for Mitch will inherit a stable situation.
It's pathetic as much as it is hilarious. You could add swimming & diving and tennis in there, as well. The Athletic Department is at it's highest point, and appears to still be climbing, but you have people that still wonder if he's the right guy for the job? Before he got here, UK's Athletic Department was known for men's basketball, football losing streaks and not keeping Bear Bryant.
It truly is an amazing thing to watch play out. Some complain because we don't have an indoor football facility (or whatever the next thing in line will be once we get that), but then don't like that he shows the money people more attention.
Mitch Barnhart is easily the best AD in UK history (admittedly not a high bar) and arguably the best one in the SEC. The fact that plenty of his guys are running major athletic departments across the country should tell you what other schools think of him.
I was at UK when every single athletic facility on campus was an absolute dump - the transformation there is nothing short of miraculous. And the program has been running in the black for years. UK athletics is a model for every university in America other than a handful.
I was at UK when every single athletic facility on campus was an absolute dump - the transformation there is nothing short of miraculous. And the program has been running in the black for years. UK athletics is a model for every university in America other than a handful.
Spot on, and to argue otherwise makes people look foolish and petty.
Baseball team best in history? Good grief, do some of you even follow UK sports?
I think you meant to say " worst", not best. And while most fans thought Mingione was going to be fired, Mitch gave him an extension. Only one AD in the country does that. Only one AD in the country hires BCG when EVERY fan was screaming for J. calipari. One call and everyone that has ever known BCG could have told you he was a drunk idiot. On top of that, we were the laughing stock of America when they found out BCG wasn't under contract. His agreement was on a damn napkin.
Mitch has done good things, but the fact some of you excuse his huge blunders is unexcusable.
I'm with ya on baseball. They've been garbage and Mingione sure didn't deserve an extension.
But every fan wasn't cheering for Calipari. Billy Donovan was far and away the choice for most fans
