The Barnhart disapointment

[billoliver40]

You guys are free to bring up any of the dozens (and dozens?) Of past posts I've made supporting Mitch Barnhart.
The last fiasco with Calipari has pretty much burned bridges.
The man had the backing of apparently boosters, the board, the school president, the fanbase to make a change.

Instead we get a video of Mitch and Cal talking about wanting to go out on top and 'reassessing' NIL....In other words if you can't coach em, you buy em.
No staff changes.
No heavy dive into the transfer portal.
No change In coaching philosophy.

Blown opportunities.

Discouraging.frustrating. disappointing.

 

[Phil_The_Music]

I could be wrong for sure but I suspect he's just wanting to get to retirement without having to do a coaching change, and doesn't care if it destroys the basketball program in the process. What a guy if so.

 

[Fox2monk]

You guys are free to bring up any of the dozens (and dozens?) Of past posts I've made supporting Mitch Barnhart.
The last fiasco with Calipari has pretty much burned bridges.
The man had the backing of apparently boosters, the board, the school president, the fanbase to make a change.

Instead we get a video of Mitch and Cal talking about wanting to go out on top and 'reassessing' NIL....In other words if you can't coach em, you buy em.
No staff changes.
No heavy dive into the transfer portal.
No change In coaching philosophy.

Blown opportunities.

Discouraging.frustrating. disappointing.

Exactly what most suspected. Mitch has no nads and apparently had a hope that Cal would get it done the last 4 years because it’s always the same story. Seems he had no coaches in mind. Both of them are just cruising to retirement.

 

[Fox2monk]

I could be wrong for sure but I suspect he's just wanting to get to retirement without having to do a coaching change, and doesn't care if it destroys the basketball program in the process. What a guy if so.

I just said that and I hadn’t seen your post! Spot on and that’s what I believe too.

 

[Wildcats1st]

I could be wrong for sure but I suspect he's just wanting to get to retirement without having to do a coaching change, and doesn't care if it destroys the basketball program in the process. What a guy if so.

If cal isn’t winning alot of games next year it’s gonna be rough for him especially home games. It could get very bad next year. That team will definitely be built for March but that’s meaningless if you’re not good enough to win games? Be nice to bring in a portal guy who played on a team that advanced in the tournament. I mean learning to win is half the problem.

 

[Catfanlou]

If cal isn’t winning alot of games next year it’s gonna be rough for him especially home games. It could get very bad next year. That team will definitely be built for March but that’s meaningless if you’re not good enough to win games? Be nice to bring in a portal guy who played on a team that advanced in the tournament. I mean learning to win is half the problem.

This

 

[R.O.T.Muckinfush]

Sometimes it's time to move on.... that is true of both head bb and fb coach yet the AD has them both locked into lifetime contracts. He is the one that should be squarely on the hot seat.

 

[BlueBomb]

How much money has IU lost over the past two decades because of their ongoing mediocrity? The answer is, of course, an unknown. However, the number is likely astronomical.

Tell Cal to hit the road and pay him what that ridiculous contract says he's due. We've had a taste of mediocrity for several seasons now, and we should want to put a halt to it as soon as possible. If we become IU, Cal's 30mil will look like a pittance.

 

[cbrwalt]

It is not fair to bring in a new AD and tell him he has to fire Cal. This is on Mitch, this is his mess, he needs to clean up the men's basketball program before he leaves here. It is the most important sport at Kentucky and it is at an all time low right now.

 

[Stretch98]

Indiana has failed to make the NCAA tournament six of the last eight seasons including this year. UK was a #3 seed and of the national network prediction shows I watched, Bilas had us losing in the regional final, everyone else had us in the Final Four and Greenberg had us in the championship game. That's not Indiana.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Indiana has failed to make the NCAA tournament six of the last eight seasons including this year. UK was a #3 seed and of the national network prediction shows I watched, Bilas had us losing in the regional final, everyone else had us in the Final Four and Greenberg had us in the championship game. That's not Indiana.

It's the double-digit losses season, lack of SEC success (tourney or season), and first round tourney loss that's hoosier-esque

 

[bigbluedon]

God willing, Arkansas will call Cal and he will accept their job.🤞🤞🙏🙏😩😩

 

[cathouse]

You guys are free to bring up any of the dozens (and dozens?) Of past posts I've made supporting Mitch Barnhart.
The last fiasco with Calipari has pretty much burned bridges.
The man had the backing of apparently boosters, the board, the school president, the fanbase to make a change.

Instead we get a video of Mitch and Cal talking about wanting to go out on top and 'reassessing' NIL....In other words if you can't coach em, you buy em.
No staff changes.
No heavy dive into the transfer portal.
No change In coaching philosophy.

Blown opportunities.

Discouraging.frustrating. disappointing.

What took you so long?

Most UK fans I know have been where you are since the BCG hire, and the Joker fiasco with his " microwave fans" comment when a blind man could see that Joker was a bad hire that tanked the football program.

Now, we are seeing the same results out of MB with Cal.

He is not a leader. MB only makes decisions when there is absolutely no other alternatives available to delay making a decision for the betterment of UK.
Past time for MB to retire or be replaced himself.

The UK basketball program has hit rock bottom under MB leadership TWICE.

How many more chances does he get to fail in doing his job??

 

[Aike]

Hard to believe Mitch would have kept Cal around if he actually had the support of the President/Boosters to make a move.

Seems like the President had to be involved in the Cal lifetime deal, but Mitch is the face of that deal.

Also seems to me that if there were truly enough booster support to buy out Cal + buy out a top replacement, that’s what we’d be doing.

 

[littlecreek]

I think Barnhart is more of a football guy. If I remember correctly, he came in during Guy Morris' time as coach and didn't really try to keep him despite him going 7-5, which was good for Kentucky then. It never really seemed like he was that involved with basketball, especially since Cal got here. You never saw them together either. That made the tv thing the other night even more strange.

 

[cathouse]

It is not fair to bring in a new AD and tell him he has to fire Cal. This is on Mitch, this is his mess, he needs to clean up the men's basketball program before he leaves here. It is the most important sport at Kentucky and it is at an all time low right now.

You simply CANNOT allow MB to be involved in hiring a new coach in any capacity.

I agree, MB needs to clean HIS Cal mess, and then do the right thing and retire to allow a new AD to choose his coach for the future of UKBB.

Will MB do the right thing? I think not. He will retire before he will address the Cal mess that he created with that lifetime contract.

Time for both of them to be let go at the same time, IMO.

 

[rolaid]

Should Mitch have canned Cal .. yes or at least not do a state run propaganda TV show with him
But I believe Mitch did not make the decision to not fire Cal I believe the President and board had final say

The contract in 2019 for ten yr extension did not look bad at the time

Stoops has us competitive admittedly overpaid based on performance

Elzy was a lazy hire and a disaster - she had no head coaching experience

Other programs are flourishing on campus I wanted baseball coach fired Mitch hung with him and he’s taking off
Look at all the sports in total he’s done pretty damn good

 

[john4uk]

After reading the article in todays Herald-Leader about the contracts Mitch has ditched out to Cal and Stoops,he should be gone. He gave guaranteed contracts to coaches with no incentives guaranteeing them a phenomenal salary. We should all have been this fortunate.

 

[blackcat714]

Sometimes it's time to move on.... that is true of both head bb and fb coach yet the AD has them both locked into lifetime contracts. He is the one that should be squarely on the hot seat.

i still can’t believe he got a contract extension last summer unbelievable say president Pluto or what ever he’s called need to go as well

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Can we hang a Seth Greenberg Runner Up Banner?

 

[bluesundown]

I could be wrong for sure but I suspect he's just wanting to get to retirement without having to do a coaching change, and doesn't care if it destroys the basketball program in the process. What a guy if so.

Totally agree with this

 

[BlueSince92]

Barnhart is the worst AD on the planet and I'm sick of hearing people say he's not.

 

[Bluesbrother]

Indiana has failed to make the NCAA tournament six of the last eight seasons including this year. UK was a #3 seed and of the national network prediction shows I watched, Bilas had us losing in the regional final, everyone else had us in the Final Four and Greenberg had us in the championship game. That's not Indiana.

We lost to St Peters, KS State, and Oakland ... it may not be Indiana, but it sure as hell is what Kentucky has become. Pick your poison. Bloviators and rankings ... are worthless. We are what you see ... not what someone says we are or should be. Not being Indiana is just hot air ... nothing to be proud of. This program is in shambles with no one interested in the fix. I honestly hope Rupp is empty next season. Let Mitch fix that.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

Sometimes it's time to move on.... that is true of both head bb and fb coach yet the AD has them both locked into lifetime contracts. He is the one that should be squarely on the hot seat.

You're not to be taken seriously if you think it's time to move on from our football coach.

 

[susan2361]

God willing, Arkansas will call Cal and he will accept their job.🤞🤞🙏🙏😩😩

What would really piss me off is if Cal were to get another job and he starts winning again. He should be winning HERE!!! I definitely want him gone, but out of coaching!!

 

[Bluesbrother]

I could be wrong for sure but I suspect he's just wanting to get to retirement without having to do a coaching change, and doesn't care if it destroys the basketball program in the process. What a guy if so.

Metaphorically, Mitch has his tail between his legs as he whistles past the graveyard and Cal laughs his ass off in disbelief.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

Its time everyone , including the media to ask the burning elephant in the room question . What is going on at UK that the AD needs to pay coaches so absurdly much to get them to even want to coach here? What did Barnhart do or isnt doing that makes coaches not want to coach for him unless they are paid double what they are worth?

IMO its got to be either the pushing boosters out for the past 20 years leaving us very far behind other programs in that regard (you dont think powers get all the calls and favoritism just because ..do ya?) or Barnhart's ideals ...like how with tubby pushed to get the AAU game out of basketball 20 years ago due to "morals" and everyone knows "morals" in sports gets you nothing but participation trophies.

 

[BigE_44]

You're not to be taken seriously if you think it's time to move on from our football coach.

I personally think CMS plateaued a while ago. He build a tremendous foundation, but he clearly isn’t going to get us past that point. Even the 10 win season includes multiple games that were simply given away from the sidelines. We beat the teams we are better than and *occasionally* steal one from a team of equal talent. We are unable to adjust at halftime and often look completely unprepared to begin the game. I actually believe I think more of the job stoops has done than many who think he is the man for the job. My contention is the foundation is now strong enough that a really sharp coach could come in here and make a serious run at the SEC. Stoops lifers believe the foundation will collapse as soon as he leaves. His shortcomings will always be discipline and preparation and that is precisely what keeps him from reaching the next level.

On a personal level, I have issues with how many times I’ve seen him drunk with mustard stains on his shirt at keeneland. If you want to do that you need to stop giving away games to terrible Tennessee teams.

 

[cathouse]

Should Mitch have canned Cal .. yes or at least not do a state run propaganda TV show with him
But I believe Mitch did not make the decision to not fire Cal I believe the President and board had final say

The contract in 2019 for ten yr extension did not look bad at the time

Stoops has us competitive admittedly overpaid based on performance

Elzy was a lazy hire and a disaster - she had no head coaching experience

Other programs are flourishing on campus I wanted baseball coach fired Mitch hung with him and he’s taking off
Look at all the sports in total he’s done pretty damn good

Focusing on building championships in minor non-revenue sports while watching your major revenue generating sports programs sink to the middle of your conference is totally irresponsible.

I don't care what anyone says. It is just the wrong approach to running a successful athletic department.

 

[CRZ4UK]

What would really piss me off is if Cal were to get another job and he starts winning again. He should be winning HERE!!! I definitely want him gone, but out of coaching!!

That won’t happen. His system is outdated and he can’t change. He can’t change because he is happiest getting guys to the pros. Winning while he does it is great too, but that’s the priority. Edwards being the first to declare should tell you that. Almost zero Coaches would have continued to start Edwards and give him that much playing time while he was struggling. His 3 good games in all those minutes hopefully gets him drafted. That’s the priority. It won’t work anywhere. He’s done.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

I personally think CMS plateaued a while ago. He build a tremendous foundation, but he clearly isn’t going to get us past that point. Even the 10 win season includes multiple games that were simply given away from the sidelines. We beat the teams we are better than and *occasionally* steal one from a team of equal talent. We are unable to adjust at halftime and often look completely unprepared to begin the game. I actually believe I think more of the job stoops has done than many who think he is the man for the job. My contention is the foundation is now strong enough that a really sharp coach could come in here and make a serious run at the SEC. Stoops lifers believe the foundation will collapse as soon as he leaves. His shortcomings will always be discipline and preparation and that is precisely what keeps him from reaching the next level.

On a personal level, I have issues with how many times I’ve seen him drunk with mustard stains on his shirt at keeneland. If you want to do that you need to stop giving away games to terrible Tennessee teams.

This is the best Kentucky football has been in my 45 years. If this isn’t good enough, you need to move on. Kentucky won’t ever be Alabama.

 

[susan2361]

That won’t happen. His system is outdated and he can’t change. He can’t change because he is happiest getting guys to the pros. Winning while he does it is great too, but that’s the priority. Edwards being the first to declare should tell you that. Almost zero Coaches would have continued to start Edwards and give him that much playing time while he was struggling. His 3 good games in all those minutes hopefully gets him drafted. That’s the priority. It won’t work anywhere. He’s done.

You're exactly right!!!

 

[KyCatFan]

Indiana has failed to make the NCAA tournament six of the last eight seasons including this year. UK was a #3 seed and of the national network prediction shows I watched, Bilas had us losing in the regional final, everyone else had us in the Final Four and Greenberg had us in the championship game. That's not Indiana.

Most probably picked us so they could harp on how much we underachieved again. If by miracle we did go far, then they can act like they were geniuses in their predictions. I went with my heart in my prediction when my head was saying first round loss.

 

[BigE_44]

This is the best Kentucky football has been in my 45 years. If this isn’t good enough, you need to move on. Kentucky won’t ever be Alabama.

In 2007 we beat the #1 team in the country and a legit top 10 UL team. They just played in a much tougher SEC East. Stoops success has come at low tide in the East outside of UGA. UT and USC eclipsed his program in a single season with competent coaches. He just isn’t it brother.

 

[jca4446]

You guys are free to bring up any of the dozens (and dozens?) Of past posts I've made supporting Mitch Barnhart.
The last fiasco with Calipari has pretty much burned bridges.
The man had the backing of apparently boosters, the board, the school president, the fanbase to make a change.

Instead we get a video of Mitch and Cal talking about wanting to go out on top and 'reassessing' NIL....In other words if you can't coach em, you buy em.
No staff changes.
No heavy dive into the transfer portal.
No change In coaching philosophy.

Blown opportunities.

Discouraging.frustrating. disappointing.

Can we just stop and ready for next year. No one really cares what you say. Just get a good psychiatrist.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

In 2007 we beat the #1 team in the country and a legit top 10 UL team. They just played in a much tougher SEC East. Stoops success has come at low tide in the East outside of UGA. UT and USC eclipsed his program in a single season with competent coaches. He just isn’t it brother.

I’ve never seen bigger revisionist history in my life. Well done. First off that UL team finished 6-6, LSU was the biggest win in school history and that team deserves all the accolades for that. Outside of that, the teams best win was beating Arkansas who finished ranked 25th in the country. I loved that UK team and they were very good. However, they were not as good as the Benny Snell/ Josh Allen teams.

 

[Blue Bigfoot]

You're not to be taken seriously if you think it's time to move on from our football coach.

He's a top 30 coach at best, being paid top 10 pay to produce a team that rarely finishes in the top 25.
I don't dislike Stoops and I'm not necessarily ready to run him off, but Mitch is just an imbecile. Our winning will only decline with less cupcakes to play outside of the SEC starting next year.

 

[rick64]

Mitch turns 65 in August. So if this next men’s basketball season and post season doesn’t end well I could see him retiring and letting the new AD deal with it.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

He's a top 30 coach at best, being paid top 10 pay to produce a team that rarely finishes in the top 25.
I don't dislike Stoops and I'm not necessarily ready to run him off, but Mitch is just an imbecile. Our winning will only decline with less cupcakes to play outside of the SEC starting next year.

He’s top 30 at worst. And stop moving the goal posts. Those games haven't been played yet. Any coach that keeps UK football in bowl games deserves to be here. Remember when Vandy canned Kevin Stallings? How’s that looking about now.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

I think Barnhart is more of a football guy. If I remember correctly, he came in during Guy Morris' time as coach and didn't really try to keep him despite him going 7-5, which was good for Kentucky then. It never really seemed like he was that involved with basketball, especially since Cal got here. You never saw them together either. That made the tv thing the other night even more strange.

Was that Barnhart? I didn't realize he'd been here that long. I do remember being confused that Morris wasn't given a chance; seemed like 7-5 should've earned him the shot. I also remember liking the recruiting class he brought in, which was heavy on linemen, both sides of the ball. He understood that the SEC required depth in the lines.