Question - National Media and Barnes
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He has his sore-loser side, but I love Rick Barnes and I hope he stays at UT for a long time.
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Always gets a ton of pre-season attention, giving the Jayhawks some chip on the shoulder mojo.
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Rarely beats KU, and when he does he seems genuinely apologetic/humble about it.
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Gets some top Texas recruits that–truthfully–would never come to Kansas, thus keeping them away from the other ‘good’ coaches in the B12.
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His teams collapse like cheap folding chairs every January falling into a hole they rarely can climb out of.
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Occasionally represents the conference well in the big dance.
What more could I possibly want??!
(Oops. originally posted this in the wrong thread!)
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I agree that Rick is important to marketing the Big 12 at least until the B12 opens an EST eastern division.
Rick is from the southeast and he coached Providence. This I believe always gives media an angle for selling Rick directly and selling Texas and the Big 12 indirectly in the EST.
But down the road, it seems like we’ve got to add some EST teams for WVU to make this dog hunt.
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@SoftballDad2011 The short answer would be people don’t care about Texas, or Barnes, and to a large degree, Myles Turner. We get the microscope because we are relevant - Texas is not. Welcome !!!
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32 of the last 40 National Champions are from the Eastern Time Zone.
Those that were not:
Kansas (2) UCLA (2) UNLV Arkansas Marquette Arizona
I don’t see it has happenstance.
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@Blown Wow- that is a hell of a stat. But then again it doesn’t include the Wooden streak.
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Well I intentionally stopped at 40 years, because it was a round number, and because it predated the rise of ESPN.
Since espn formation in 1979, 30/35 were from the east coast.
EDIT:
Prior to ESPN formation 15/40 National Champions Hailed from the Eastern Time Zone
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@Blown Fair enough. I didn’t know the east coast dominance was that lopsided-I guess I went into denial mode.
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No problem. I would market to the biggest audience if that were my business, too.
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@JayhawkRock78 John Wooden was a statistical anomaly so I cooked my data–admittedly
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I don’t have an opinion on Barnes except I’m glad we get to face him twice a year. The games are usually compelling and we almost always beat them!
Welcome to the site. I wonder how many other lurkers there are?
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Marquette is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that is Eastern Time Zone
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@JayHawkFanToo Might double check that…pull up a time zone map. That’s what I was going off of. I have not had to travel to Madison since 2012 so I cannot recall the time zone I was in at that time.
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The states of Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan might be in the Eastern Time Zone, but they aren’t “east coast.” Solidly industrial midwest.
So, even including FL (which is special in many ways), only 20 of the last 40 are really east coast.
But, you make an interesting point, Blown! I know quite a few west coasters don’t follow BB as much as they did prior to moving there, partly because of the national media.
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@DanR As. For the west coast, I will add my two cents since I’ve lived in LA three times. If memory serves there are more people in the LA region than the rest of the state. I am only stating that to help folks with the mindset.
The weathermen are usually comedians because the weather seldom changes from pleasant to perfect and I REALLY mean that the climate is that great. Since weather isn’t a subject, they have that much more time to talk celebrities and Hollywood talk and they are way over the top obsessed with this cr*p. With Ocean, mountains, Hollywood, pro and college football, bBall, baseball, Yada Yada Yada, there is always something else to be doing like going to a race track, the beach, etc., etc. etc.As I said I lived there 3times. Once in a real neighborhood I absolutely loved. And the other times around the biggest bunch of &$*#%}£ I ever met.
And you are right-prior to the internet it was near impossible to get much info on NCAA ball. PAC 10 was in the papers with little else.
I left in 2007, but I suspect things haven’t chaged- although if memory serves there is some 8,000 KU active alums in LA.
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Welcome! UT hoops irrelevant at football school. Wonder what it would take for Barnes to get fired? Did Tom Penders get the ax or quit?
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I thought Penders was shown the door, but there is something on WIKI which mentions a buyout, him suspending Luke Axtell. Later. Luke Axtell transfers to KU.
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Thanks to all for the perspective and info.
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@SoftballDad2011 I spend a portion of my year in Texas. My wife has taught high school for a few years in S. Texas. The state is Football Crazy! No way would Rick Barnes have survived with his losing percentages if he were coaching football. He faces very little of the pressures and intense scrutiny of Bill Self who sits atop the historical throne of USA Division 1 Basketball. The words TEXAS and BASKETBALL almost fit the pattern of an OXYMORON. Often, I am surprised that so many decent hoops stars emerge from the Lone Star State. In South Texas, for certain, male high school athletes are reluctant to admit that their sport of choice is basketball. Local sports pages tend to dedicate much more wintertime coverage to Girls Hoops. Position-wise, in terms of royal heirarchy, Bill Self reigns as at least a duke (oops!); Rick Barnes, second cousin to an earl. Rick appears to be a nice guy, evidently a much softer mentor on the practice court than his peer Self. He recruits splendid talent, but appears not to recruit and manipulate puzzle pieces so well as the man in Lawrence. I have commented previously that IMHO if Bill Self could add Perry Ellis to the current Longhorn lineup, he could take that group and battle toe to toe with Calipari’s 10 or 11 All-Americans. Heck, he might end up doing it with the lesser talents which now don Jayhawk singlets…
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Turn on ESPNU right now and look at the stands. This is why Barnes isn’t catching hell for Texas’s poor showing. Arena is empty up top and down low it’s pretty vacant in areas.
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@Kip_McSmithers But they, like others, are full (or almost) for us. Reminds me of a line in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
“What’s wrong with those other guys?”
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@Blown Ya’ll could have asked your local Wisconsin expert (me!) which time zone they’re in! Central, fyi!
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@wissoxfan83 ahhh, I was thinking that you were from Chicago, or at least taught there, and are on the Bayou now. I forgot you were a Badger fan momentarily. Sox, Badgers, and Kansas! How the hell did that happen!
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@Blown I’m on the run from the law!
Short version. Grew up in Chicago, Did two years of Juco there. Went to KU. Graduated. Went back to Chi. Got married, moved to Wisconsin, 14 years there, then following God’s lead, went to Baton Rouge to teach inner city kids. Tough to explain that part quickly! I have a very complicated sports life!
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Nice…I’ve worked in Chicago, Madison/Milwaukee/Appleton, & Baton Rouge & enjoyed each place for different reasons. Thanks for dedicating your career to kids. It’s hard to grasp how much influence one person can have on an individuals life. It just takes one positive influence to turn a life around. Nice job.
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@Blown Wow, you on the run from the law too?
Part of my explanation is I think I have a little ADD and get bored in a place and want to move on to someplace new.
