Ok, why is Barney a great AD?

[UKRob 73]

Lost my quote but this is for UKRob73

Are you self aware at all?? Everyone in this thread disagrees, I guess you're just smarter than everyone else lol

Your big article that's your defense here, you've lies about it several times. Mitch isn't the lowest ranked, he is mid back with a B-, not a C as you say. And it wasn't done by several journalists, it's a Goodman article, it's his list.

Do you realize am AD is in charge of all athletic teams, not just football and basketball and baseball. If you can't look at facts and see we are worlds better in most sports, than you have some personal issue with Mitch clouding your judgement.

Honestly, when everyone disagrees, you're probably wrong. Btw there is a legit way to get an answer here. Look at Gov. Cup standings before Mitch and with Mitch. No debating those facts and they say you're dead wrong 😂

Oh Jesus not another one. If you don't have the mental capacity to properly read a link, you need to sit this out. He wasn't given a B-, he was given a c+. And he WAS absolutely dead last. There were no grades given less than a c+. Go back and reread it, and then come back and tell us what a dumbass you are.
And yes it WAS done by multiple journalist, Goodman and Brett McMurphy, not just Goodman. Hell it says it right in the description.
Literally everything you just said was incorrect.

 

[UKRob 73]

As a devoutly religious man, do you honestly think Mitch didn’t vet him and those past issues. Previous DUIs don’t mean people change. Past mistakes dont mean current problems or they are skeletons (they are hidden). If so, Cal never wouldve been hired. No one would ever have opportunities to redeem themselves based on past mistakes. Not even you. So you still are looking at this with some sort of clouded judgement.

You said " there were no hint of those skeletons".
He had two freaking DUI's. That's the opposite of what you said. And now you want to change the narrative to"people can change"? Of course people can change, I've never said they can't. But don't say there was " no hint" of that behavior when he had two damn previous DUI's. And since he got another one here in Ky, he obviously hasn't changed.
No Mitch ABSOLUTELY didn't vet him, everybody from his past has said so.

 

[TCurtis75]

You said " there were no hint of those skeletons".
He had two freaking DUI's. That's the opposite of what you said. And now you want to change the narrative to"people can change"? Of course people can change, I've never said they can't. But don't say there was " no hint" of that behavior when he had two damn previous DUI's. And since he got another one here in Ky, he obviously hasn't changed.
No Mitch ABSOLUTELY didn't vet him, everybody from his past has said so.

Those aren't skeletons. Skeletons are things people are trying to hide. The DUIs were public knowledge and would show up on a background check. I can assure you that UK does background checks on all employees. And would be willing to bet that those incidents were discussed during the interview process. Unless you were involved in those interviews, you have no way to prove they weren't. Who said Mitch didn't vet him? That has no truth to it just like the story that Mike Pratt is the only reason Cal was hired. Pratt has stated firmly that is false. The previous poster is right. Everyone in this thread has said you are wrong. You are not smarter than everyone here. You posted an article from Jeff Goodman and Brett McMurphy of all people like that was the final nail for your argument. Two people that have made it a habit of trying to sabotage UK. Two "journalists" aren't the final say in the success of an AD and neither are you. You are entitled to your opinion (even if you are wrong) but don't present it as fact. The facts are evident in this thread. The majority of fans are happy with the job Mitch is doing even if they don't particularly like him as a person. And you lose credibility with every single attempt you make trying to defend your indefensible opinion. The Don't drop those straws you are grasping.

 

[Hank Camacho]

Rob is just being a cantankerous prick (as he does), but trying to absolve Barnhart of the Gillispie hire is unbelievably stupid.

What are you even arguing TCurtis?

 

[TCurtis75]

Rob is just being a cantankerous prick (as he does), but trying to absolve Barnhart of the Gillispie hire is unbelievably stupid.

What are you even arguing TCurtis?

I’m not absolving him of anything. My point is if you are going to hold it against Mitch for hiring BCG, then he also deserves credit for ending the BCG tenure after only 2 years when it became clear that it wasn’t going to work when most people at the time were wanting BCG to get one more year. It’s that simple.

 

[JohnBlue_]

I’m not absolving him of anything. My point is if you are going to hold it against Mitch for hiring BCG, then he also deserves credit for ending the BCG tenure after only 2 years when it became clear that it wasn’t going to work when most people at the time were wanting BCG to get one more year. It’s that simple.

"Most" people wanted more of Gillispie??

 

[Hank Camacho]

I’m not absolving him of anything. My point is if you are going to hold it against Mitch for hiring BCG, then he also deserves credit for ending the BCG tenure after only 2 years when it became clear that it wasn’t going to work when most people at the time were wanting BCG to get one more year. It’s that simple.

Good point, Mrs. Barnhart.

 

[TCurtis75]

"Most" people wanted more of Gillispie??

At the time, much of the fan base and even the basketball experts thought BCG deserved another year.

 

[TCurtis75]

Good point, Mrs. Barnhart.

A swing and a miss on that attempt. At least you tried.

 

[Get Bucket$]

At the time, much of the fan base and even the basketball experts thought BCG deserved another year.

Big ol false.

 

[Get Bucket$]

As a devoutly religious man, do you honestly think Mitch didn’t vet him and those past issues. Previous DUIs don’t mean people change. Past mistakes dont mean current problems or they are skeletons (they are hidden). If so, Cal never wouldve been hired. No one would ever have opportunities to redeem themselves based on past mistakes. Not even you. So you still are looking at this with some sort of clouded judgement.

Lol. You don’t think it was a rushed hasty hire? What about the fact he didn’t ever get him under a legitimate contract? You don’t think he had past problems with players and bosses that could have been easily uncovered through due diligence?

 

[UKnCincy]

Lol. You don’t think it was a rushed hasty hire? What about the fact he didn’t ever get him under a legitimate contract? You don’t think he had past problems with players and bosses that could have been easily uncovered through due diligence?

If Gillispie’s former bosses vouched for him, then I’m not sure that there’s much more you can do.

The Texas A&M athletics director at the time was Bill Byrne. His son, Greg, who is currently the AD at Alabama, was also Barnhart’s Associate AD at both Oregon State and UK.

Barnhart has a very close relationship with the Byrne’s and Bill Byrne vouched for Gillispie. The fact of the matter is that it is simply difficult to hire people and there are no guarantees. No matter how good you are at hiring people, if you hire enough, you’re going to end up with a few bad ones.

And while Gillespie ended up being a disaster of a hire, I do credit Barnhart with pulling the trigger faster than most would have. Particularly when you consider that Barnhart has a track record of being very patient with his hires in order to give them a chance to succeed, even when that patience is very unpopular with fans (i.e., Brooks, Stoops).

 

[Hank Camacho]

And while Gillespie ended up being a disaster of a hire, I do credit Barnhart with pulling the trigger faster than most would have. Particularly when you consider that Barnhart has a track record of being very patient with his hires in order to give them a chance to succeed, even when that patience is very unpopular with fans (i.e., Brooks, Stoops).

Agreed. The way I recall it, most of the BBN wanted Gillispie gone but thought that Barnhart would give him a third year. It was a surprise to see him canned. Most of the truly crazy things about Gillispie's time at UK didn't start coming out until shortly before he was fired or after.

Contrast that to Joker, who despite his faults as a head coach, always represented the University of Kentucky with pure class, and was given a third year when it was obvious that his tenure was doomed.

 

[UKnCincy]

Agreed. The way I recall it, most of the BBN wanted Gillispie gone but thought that Barnhart would give him a third year. It was a surprise to see him canned. Most of the truly crazy things about Gillispie's time at UK didn't start coming out until shortly before he was fired or after.

Contrast that to Joker, who despite his faults as a head coach, always represented the University of Kentucky with pure class, and was given a third year when it was obvious that his tenure was doomed.

Yeah, the Joker situation was tough. Given his relationship with Brooks, and how much Brooks was backing him, I was really optimistic that we’d been on the same trajectory as Oregon when Brooks left and Mike Bellotti took over as head coach.

I also remember the press conference when Joker was formally announced as the head coach, and it was clear that being the head coach at UK meant an awful lot to him. I really wanted him to succeed, but for whatever reason, he just didn’t have the skill set to run a program. Wish it would’ve turned out different, but also recognize he needed to go. Program couldn’t afford to keep him around any longer than they did.

 

[Ed323232]

Barnhart as AD.

Football B+
Basketball B
Baseball D
All other sports A

I’ve never liked him, but I respect him. My biggest complaint is he follows his religious beliefs over what’s best for the program. Alcohol sales. Keeping the baseball coach. NIL. The attitude he has when asked tough questions bothers me. But overall he’s done really good.

 

[Wildcats1st]

I’m not absolving him of anything. My point is if you are going to hold it against Mitch for hiring BCG, then he also deserves credit for ending the BCG tenure after only 2 years when it became clear that it wasn’t going to work when most people at the time were wanting BCG to get one more year. It’s that simple.

his contract was on a napkin: there wasn’t even a contract it was a memorandum of understanding. Barney didn’t have to do much to move Bcg on. The fact that Barney didn’t even execute a proper business transaction shoulda got him fired.

and the other sports I think regardless of the AD the rifle team and cheer squad and others were going to do well. Swim wins an sec title volleyball a natty. The same season basketball wins 9 games and football below .500.

 

[TCurtis75]

his contract was on a napkin: there wasn’t even a contract it was a memorandum of understanding. Barney didn’t have to do much to move Bcg on. The fact that Barney didn’t even execute a proper business transaction shoulda got him fired.

and the other sports I think regardless of the AD the rifle team and cheer squad and others were going to do well. Swim wins an sec title volleyball a natty. The same season basketball wins 9 games and football below .500.

And yet every single sport is better today than when he got here. Every single one. Facilities are better. Mitch has done almost everything right with the exception of how he has handled the alcohol sales and NIL. There is no denying any of that success.

 

[bigbluedon]

Barnhart as AD.

Football B+
Basketball B
Baseball D
All other sports A

I’ve never liked him, but I respect him. My biggest complaint is he follows his religious beliefs over what’s best for the program. Alcohol sales. Keeping the baseball coach. NIL. The attitude he has when asked tough questions bothers me. But overall he’s done really good.

Your second sentence is just stupid. Don’t know how people come up with crap like that.

 

[Ed323232]

Your second sentence is just stupid. Don’t know how people come up with crap like that.

It’s well known he’s a holy roller. He detests alcohol but gives in on the suites because the rich and powerful have them. He feels superior to the average fan.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Yeah, the Joker situation was tough. Given his relationship with Brooks, and how much Brooks was backing him, I was really optimistic that we’d been on the same trajectory as Oregon when Brooks left and Mike Bellotti took over as head coach.

I also remember the press conference when Joker was formally announced as the head coach, and it was clear that being the head coach at UK meant an awful lot to him. I really wanted him to succeed, but for whatever reason, he just didn’t have the skill set to run a program. Wish it would’ve turned out different, but also recognize he needed to go. Program couldn’t afford to keep him around any longer than they did.

Agreed. And, Barnhart had a good relationship with Joker. I am sure he wanted Joker to succeed as much as Brooks or anyone else. But, it was clear when looking at the roster that year four was not going to be better than year three. Barnhart gave Joker enough time and pulled the trigger at the right time. Stoops has been a remarkable hire for a program with UK’s history.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

And yet every single sport is better today than when he got here. Every single one. Facilities are better. Mitch has done almost everything right with the exception of how he has handled the alcohol sales and NIL. There is no denying any of that success.

I agree with Mitch on the alcohol sales. I have been to many NFL stadiums and suffered through the drunks in the stands. I see some of that at UK, but not as much, I believe, if UK sold beer. I have a dedicated beer fridge at my house that is filled with a large variety and I like a brew or two at the tailgate, but the drunks in the stands ruin the game for me when they are in my area. Season tix are not cheap. Seeing drunks slobber, fight, and act like fools is not entertaining to me. And, not worth the cost of my seats.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I think the drunkest crowd I've seen was at a Katy Perry concert. I saw tons of children walking their drunk parents to their seats. And when i say drunk I don't mean .08. It was sort of like this

 

[Caveman Catfan]

I think the drunkest crowd I've seen was at a Katy Perry concert. I saw tons of children walking their drunk parents to their seats. And when i say drunk I don't mean .08. It was sort of like this

View embedded media

Kaaaaa-teeeeee Perrrrrreeeeeee! Mer-Can Idol!!!!!!! Yay!!!!

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Not far off.

 

[Ed323232]

I agree with Mitch on the alcohol sales. I have been to many NFL stadiums and suffered through the drunks in the stands. I see some of that at UK, but not as much, I believe, if UK sold beer. I have a dedicated beer fridge at my house that is filled with a large variety and I like a brew or two at the tailgate, but the drunks in the stands ruin the game for me when they are in my area. Season tix are not cheap. Seeing drunks slobber, fight, and act like fools is not entertaining to me. And, not worth the cost of my seats.

I see your point. But many people, my self included, would drink excessively before entering the stadium. I would drink all day and for the walk in pour the strongest bourbon and coke I could and finish it right before handing over my ticket. I don’t remember a lot of first quarters. If I knew I could buy 3-4 beers during the game I don’t think I would have drank so much beforehand.

 

[TCurtis75]

I see your point. But many people, my self included, would drink excessively before entering the stadium. I would drink all day and for the walk in pour the strongest bourbon and coke I could and finish it right before handing over my ticket. I don’t remember a lot of first quarters. If I knew I could buy 3-4 beers during the game I don’t think I would have drank so much beforehand.

Not to mention, sneaking in the pint or 2 of bourbon to have during the game as well. Selling over priced beer at a football game won't result in more drunk behavior for the most part. There might be one or two knuckleheads who over consume that beer but the majority of the drunks at the game will be because of other reasons.

 

[kyeric]

his contract was on a napkin: there wasn’t even a contract it was a memorandum of understanding. Barney didn’t have to do much to move Bcg on. The fact that Barney didn’t even execute a proper business transaction shoulda got him fired.

and the other sports I think regardless of the AD the rifle team and cheer squad and others were going to do well. Swim wins an sec title volleyball a natty. The same season basketball wins 9 games and football below .500.

I see this argument against Barnhart all the time...all these other sports would've eventually done well. Not sure how anyone could think that given the entire history of UK sports.

Again, as i said when this topic was first posted, UK athletics was known for 3 things...Men's basketball, losing streaks in football and letting Bear Bryant go. Other than that, for the vast majority of its existence UK athletics has not been all that good.

- You mention rifle specifically. In the existence of the rifle team, they had won exactly zero championships and been in the final match twice (only saw 1980-present for the runner-up). Since he's been here, we've been in the final match 7 times, winning 3 NCs in those 7.
- As for women's volleyball you think we'd have won a NC regardless. No team in the entire SEC had won one.
- Women's basketball (back to 1968) had a team ranked at seasons' end 4 times before Barnhart. Since, 10 times with 4 of those being top 10s. Before Mitch, 1 season of 25+ wins, since 7.
- Almost all other sports are better (many much better) than when he arrived.

In the entirety of UK athletics we've won 13 (NCAA sanctioned) championships (8 MBB, 3 Rifle, 1 WVB and 1 CC). 5 of them, in 3 different sports, have been under Barnhart. Crap, 2 of the 3 ADs before him were fired for troubles with the NCAA. The Ath Dept has been pretty much spotless since he's been here. In all honesty, with the history of UK and the reputation of Cal pre-UK, how many thought we wouldn't see ANYTHING, not even minor stuff, come to light?

The 2 biggest mistakes he's made were BCG and Joker (maybe the checkerboard is in there depending on who you ask). Both he rectified with 3 years (2 and 3, respectively) and turned those into arguably the best runs of either sport with their successors.

No one can argue (who am i kidding some here will argue about anything, this topic included) the facilities have been drastically improved, as well.

I just don't know how anyone can look at the overall picture (coaches, players, results, facilities, integrity/staying out of trouble, etc) of UK athletics and not think we are in a much better spot since MB arrived. Whether you think it would've happened regardless or not, he's still the guy in charge while it's happening.

EDIT: Figured i'd add in some more support regarding baseball (yes, baseball) and softball.

Softball just started in 1997. After settling in with Rachel Lawson in 2008, we've been to the NCAAT the last 12 years (not including the covid year) and been to the super regional 8 of the last 9 years and a WCWS in 2014. And, it looked like they may have been heading towards their best season ever (20-4/2-1) when covid ended the 2020 season.

Has baseball been all that great? I'll admit, no. But, having said that, the baseball team has seen post season play 7 times since 1903 (not sure when postseason play began) and 5 of them have been under Barnhart. If there is one thing that could be used against him is the current coaching situation, though. For now, i'll give him the benefit of the doubt given Mingione was SEC coach of the year in 2017. Now, 2019 clearly was NOT a good year, but then covid undercut the 2020 season and last year at 29-23, they at least showed a slight improvement (i will admit, not hard to do given 2019). I could see one more, MAYBE 2 more, year(s), to right the ship.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

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.

Now we can add the first college World Series. What UK has done under Mitch is undeniably first rate, even with the setbacks. You don’t have to like him or his approach, but he is a great AD, arguably the best in the school’s history.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

He seems to be the 1st AD to give a crap about football. I’ll take it, I guess.