Fast Rising Candidate: Tony Barbee of UTEP

[DDThompson]

To be serious.

I think it's legit to ask Bartee and his friends about his relationship with and errands ran for Calipari. To me, it doesn't matter if Calipari was found guilty of serious infractions. It means he is good at keeping stuff at arm's length.

Even if the infractions are minor, we don't want the NCAA to looking into those; they will look at every program at Iowa completely.

 

[Hooper]

Obviously Gary is going to conduct interviews to see who is a good fit. But Barbee is an up and comer who would bring instant excitement. If he has an interest then you have to interview him.

 

[Hawke]

Re: Double-Standard?

Haven't UMass and Memphis had to vacate final four appearances from when he was coach?

Yes, at UMass becasue Marcus Camby accepted money from an agent, or more accurately got caught accepting money from an agent, unlike many NCAA athletes that didn't get caught, Ronnie Harmon for example. Calipari was as guilty for Camby's transgression as Hayden Fry was for Harmon's.

At Memphis if memory serves me correctly, Derrick Rose had someone else take an entrance exam for him. I don't know if Calipari was in on that or not, honestly I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he was but I don't know if a direct link was proven or not.

 

[oifdeserthawk]

Re: Double-Standard?

Haven't UMass and Memphis had to vacate final four appearances from when he was coach?

yes.

 

[SCHawk]

My list right now:

1) Pearl
2) Barbee
3) Forbes

 

[tweeterhawk]

Yes I did.

Er, um, I mean, Raveling was black? I didn't notice because I don't see color.

And did you forget about C. Vivian Stringer? (I realize different sport gender, but I'm still sayin ...)

 

[83Hawk]

I would not be unhappy if Barbee were our next coach. I think he brings a lot of positives and would get the program back on track.

 

[Rawkhawk73]

I don't say this lightly, but if Iowa were to hire Barbee, I would no longer consider myself of fan of Iowa Basketball. UMass in 1992 and 1993 was right in the middle of the Marcus Camby era and we all know what went down at Memphis recently.

John Calipari might be the dirtiest coach in the history of college basketball and I want NOTHING to do with anyone who played for him, coached with him, or was associated with him in any way, shape or form.

I hate that Iowa Basketball is as horrible and irrelevant as it is right now, but I'll take 20 more years of this before I sign up for Barbee.

 

[AKAGOATMAN]

What about this scenario- We bring in Billy Gillespie to turn the program around like he has done in the past, it gives him a second chance at coaching and adds more stock to the Iowa program and then we go fishin' for a bigger name in a year or 2- providing we don't find a good fit for us this year

 

[poncho72]

I want a great recruiter but the more I read about Barbee the less I like.

1. Historically, UTEP is a very different place to recruit to than Iowa. I doubt seriously that he could get the kids into Iowa that he recruits to UTEP, or that he recruited to Memphis.

Freddy makes a good point here, we can wish all we want about getting a good recruiting type coach, but could that coach come to Iowa City and bring in players that he's accustomed to signing? Recruiting top players to Iowa will be tough enough, couple that with entrance requirements and we're not talking an easy task for anyone who may have a great record of luring in top shelf players.

 

[hamiltoncounty]

What about this scenario- We bring in Billy Gillespie to turn the program around like he has done in the past, it gives him a second chance at coaching and adds more stock to the Iowa program and then we go fishin' for a bigger name in a year or 2- providing we don't find a good fit for us this year

Call me crazy but I have a hunch that Barta doesnt want to fire another coach in a year or 2 and then have to hire another one?

 

[AKAGOATMAN]

Call me crazy but I have a hunch that Barta doesnt want to fire another coach in a year or 2 and then have to hire another one?

I agree Hamilton, but with the spot we are in, I do not think he may have a choice on this one. Part of the AD's job is doing what has to be done for the overall good of the program. So Barta needs to grow a pair and do what needs to be done. I too would LOVE to see us grab up a long term coach here but this seems like a bad year for coach availability, and we aren't exactly painting that great of a picture for anyone worth a damn either. So maybe we go into it with a mutual understanding or just a year or 2 contract with an option to retain if all goes well (for Gillespie). Just bringing some ideas to the table here. Obviously I have no pull in any of this, but we are just doing hypothetical situations here

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I don't say this lightly, but if Iowa were to hire Barbee, I would no longer consider myself of fan of Iowa Basketball. UMass in 1992 and 1993 was right in the middle of the Marcus Camby era and we all know what went down at Memphis recently.

John Calipari might be the dirtiest coach in the history of college basketball and I want NOTHING to do with anyone who played for him, coached with him, or was associated with him in any way, shape or form.

I hate that Iowa Basketball is as horrible and irrelevant as it is right now, but I'll take 20 more years of this before I sign up for Barbee.

Then you must not be a very hardcore Iowa fan. I would say, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Barbee sounds like a great hire, and I am not going to consider someone guilty by association.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Barbee is definitely rising for me...he knows how to build a program, good recruiter, etc.

He knows how to build a program?

Building a program at UTEP and building a program in the BIG TEN are completely different. Sorry not convinced that a guy who has been a head coach at UTEP for just 4 years can be labeled as a program builder.. Also I hear comment about being a good recruiter? I was at scout reviewing his last 3 classes. What is so good about those classes? Seriously?

If this is good enough then I would much rather have a BJ Armstrong...

 

[TChawk]

This would not be a home run hire, more of a Strike out.

 

[glidinghawk]

UTEP? UTEP???



Butler is a better mid-major than UTEP.

I have UTEP beating Butler in Round 1.

And I don't think it will be that close.

GlidingHawk

 

[berniend]

This would not be a home run hire, more of a Strike out.

Hardly a strike out ! He's someone we realistically have a shot at and if he doesn't land at Iowa , my guess is he'll be coaching at another one of these open jobs real soon . Would be a real catch !

 

[WhitePantsHawk]

I don't say this lightly, but if Iowa were to hire Barbee, I would no longer consider myself of fan of Iowa Basketball. UMass in 1992 and 1993 was right in the middle of the Marcus Camby era and we all know what went down at Memphis recently.

John Calipari might be the dirtiest coach in the history of college basketball and I want NOTHING to do with anyone who played for him, coached with him, or was associated with him in any way, shape or form.

I hate that Iowa Basketball is as horrible and irrelevant as it is right now, but I'll take 20 more years of this before I sign up for Barbee.

UMass went to the final four in 1996, when Camby took money from an agent was in 95. Barbee was only in his 1st year at UMass (95-96) while Camby was still there, and he was only a grad asst. I don't know how much a grad asst would have to do with that with any infractions (UMass was not found guilty of infractions, only Camby).

At Memphis, he was Calipari's asst from 2000-2006. He left at least a full year before Derrick Rose even got on campus. I don't think you can hold that against him either.

We need a great recruiter and his resume is ridiculously good. His credits include Amare Stoudamire (went straight to NBA but signed LOI), Kendrick Perkins (ditto), Dajuan Wagner, Shawne Williams, Joey Dorsey, Chris Douglas Roberts, Rodney Carney, Darius Washington, and Robert Dozier. REMEMBER, THIS IS JUST IN 6 YEARS!

 

[swanssy]

I am much more excited at the prospect of landing Tony Barbee who has taken a team to the NCAA tournament than a Steve Forbes who hasn't coached beyond SWCC at Creston at the head coach level. Be realistic folks, Barbee would be a nice hire. I hate to say it but Pearl is not coming here. We need to put things in perspective.

 

[VenturaAce]

Show me where to sign Barbee, I hope he is interested. This guy would breath some much needed life into the Iowa basketball program.

In terms of a quasi-shady past, I'm not the least bit spooked by that. Like a good coach once told me..."there's two ways to lose your job, cheating and losing...and I sure as heck ain't gonna lose!"