what have things come to? A bit long.

[centexorange]

Just a slow morning here at work and after suffering through the BU game yesterday and looking at the coverage of the game today got me thinking about things. Living in the Belton area ill pick up the ticket. A Waco run sports show which i have listened to for a few years. And never in that time period the week before any UT/BU match up had i heard Baylor fans calling in numbers stating how there Bears were going to stomp a mudhole in a UT team until last week. And to be honest i had nothing to use as a rebuttal. But this thread isn't just about this one game it's about trying to put a tag on what has gone wrong this season. Im not a huge bb mind. But with that said did the injuries play the biggest role in the collapse of this team? Every year i read UT hauled in all this top ranked talent but yet by years end there is a collapse. Nothing of this magnitude of course but the expectations are there and they fall short. Granted the Horns do make the big dance year in and year out with Barnes but is that enough? Will that keep the UT bb faithful happy? If Mack and co had not pulled in the trophy in 05 would he still be on the hot seat? This isn't a can Barnes thread im just trying to get a grasp on how a season can turn so bad so quickly. Im sure injuries did play a major part in this plus the youth, but somewhere along the line the confidence faltered. When a team starts slow and finshes slow it's easy to see but this year truly is hard to understand and stomach. Fair or not the blame will fall back on the coaching staff. Anyone want to throw in there two cents?

 

[L4UT]

from a basketball stand point - when conference started our threat in the middle disappeared - i don't know what happened with pittman-that started the downfall - i'm not sure about injuries actually, but confidence is gone - there is such a fine line between winning and losing - the young players also seem clueless about the "fight" in a conference race - sometimes you can play your way back, but this group has no pulse in coming back - and yes some has to fall on barnes - he must take a long look at his offensive system - i don't understand why we haven't just been pressing all over the court - we aren't defending in the half court anyway and sometimes that will loosen a team up - freefalls happen and there is not much one can do except keep plugging away - it's basketballs downside and we are caught up in it this year - and yes sometimes even a coach can't get it corrected - it is what it is- and it's not pretty

 

[starchild]

i like rick barnes, but i bet he wishes that he could go back and change the way he coached these kids. a good coach has to be part psychologist. it's not easy. i hope that he can get these guys headed in the right direction so that we can at least carry some momentum into next year.

 

[VYFan]

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[BevoJoe]

I was going to UT BB before Abe Lemmons which got things turned around until the 82 season when we had a similar collapse from 4th in the nation to not even making a post season tourney. Penders got things going, then Barnes ramped it up a notch. Before this season all the pub on how much talent this team had and a 17-0 start, then a collapse. The kids just stand there, make poor decisions, don't take care of the ball, free throw shooting is irratic. This team is the biggest dissapointment I can remember going back over 30 years. I hope the returning players turn it around next year. This has been an absolutely embarrassing finish in conference.

 

[GoHornsGo90]

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[busterbrown16]

Don't let the injury thing fool you. The injuries have very little to do with the downfall of this team. The main culprits are Rick Barnes' offensive scheme (or lack thereof) and Rick Barnes' mishandling of the team and the rotation. The kids were never able to develop an identity and they constantly worry if Rick is coming with the hook if they make a mistake. Jordan Hamilton was held on the bench for much of the first part of the season. Avery Bradley never got to do what he does best (which I am still trying to figure out what that is). The guards were forced to throw it in to Pittman, and it was clear Pittman did not do much with it when he got it.

I could go on and on. It is very furstrating and disheartening. Kirk Bohls said it best on Sunday - at least we won't have to watch this team much longer.

 

[bierce]

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[busterbrown16]

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[bierce]

Actually, I have leveled several criticisms of Barnes' management and player development. I never said Barnes was a better coach that Krzyzewski. I only noted that Barnes has generally done more in the tournament than Krzyzewski over the last 8 years, despite lower seeding, less NBA talent, and less experience. Something that really should be considered before you claim Barnes is an idiot and Krzyzewski a genius.

 

[busterbrown16]

Never said Barnes is an idiot. I am actually a big fan of Barnes. Think he has done great things for Texas basketball.

I also don't think Coach K is a genius. I just like Coach K because I have Duke at +1500 this year and don't like hearing about recent Duke failings in the tournament. Otherwise, I hate Duke and Coach K.

But if I were given the choice between the two histories of the schools in basketball, I would choose Duke. No question.