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Bring back Barbee

I seriously doubt Barbee was making “scraps”. They were in CUSA coming off two recent coach defections. 300k in 2006 is a lot different than 300k in 2020.
Yeah true. Tom Penders was making 450k around that time.

IMO after the three year run Barbee had back then he should have at least been offered some type of contract and a small raise. Nothing crazy either but at least a vote of confidence in the job he was doing.

In the end It doesn’t matter. It worked out for both sides. Or didn’t work out. I think both sides would be in much better places had he stayed a little longer. He wasn’t staying and UTEP wasn’t going to try too hard to keep him.
 
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DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC
Dec. 25, 2011
UTEP 83- Auburn 76 (head coach Tony Barbee)
I remember at the time how gratifying it was to beat him after leaving us.
His tenure at Auburn resulted with these numbers:
49 wins
76 losses
This is the lowest winning percentage (.395%) of any Auburn coach with more than a two season tenure in the history of the school.
Good recruiter, good at recognizing talent, good assistant. Good head coach????? Not much evidence to support that beyond what he did at UTEP.
 
His tenure at Auburn resulted with these numbers:
49 wins
76 losses
This is the lowest winning percentage (.395%) of any Auburn coach with more than a two season tenure in the history of the school.
Good recruiter, good at recognizing talent, good assistant. Good head coach????? Not much evidence to support that beyond what he did at UTEP.

Who cares about what he did at Auburn? He was a good head coach here. Performance at other schools only matters when hiring them, not after they leave.

He must be a pretty coach if he’s an assistant for the premier basketball program in the country.
 
I know that when Gillespie left, the donors pooled together and were able to offer about $900K/year to him, but the A&M offer was still too much and he didn't actually have a contract. Maybe the boosters did not want to be rejected again after being rejected by Gillespie? Not an excuse, but trying to understand the thinking
 
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I know that when Gillespie left, the donors pooled together and were able to offer about $900K/year to him, but the A&M offer was still too much and he didn't actually have a contract. Maybe the boosters did not want to be rejected again after being rejected by Gillespie? Not an excuse, but trying to understand the thinking
That lack of a contract is the biggest mistake for the entire athletic program imo
 
I know that when Gillespie left, the donors pooled together and were able to offer about $900K/year to him, but the A&M offer was still too much and he didn't actually have a contract. Maybe the boosters did not want to be rejected again after being rejected by Gillespie? Not an excuse, but trying to understand the thinking
What a losing mentality we have. “Let’s not offer our coach a contract cuz he’s going to reject it like the last coach.”
 
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I know that when Gillespie left, the donors pooled together and were able to offer about $900K/year to him, but the A&M offer was still too much and he didn't actually have a contract. Maybe the boosters did not want to be rejected again after being rejected by Gillespie? Not an excuse, but trying to understand the thinking
I believe it.

Do you all remember the infamous Kiki's Restaurant meeting with the TAMU AD? According to sources, since they brought an open checkbook, BG made the aggies also commit to his creation of basketball culture/support similar to UTEP's, otherwise what's the point of going to football first school? He specifically did not want to play 2nd fiddle to the football coach.
 
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I believe it.

Do you all remember the infamous Kiki's Restaurant meeting with the TAMU AD? According to sources, since they brought an open checkbook, BG made the aggies also commit to his creation of basketball culture/support similar to UTEP's, otherwise what's the point of going to football first school? He specifically did not want to play 2nd fiddle to the football coach.
What I remember is him saying, "I'll be here as long as you'll have me".
 
"Paul Weir – New Mexico

Total Compensation: $775,000*
Additional Compensation: A $50,000 retention bonus that can be earned on March 31, 2020
Notes: $300,000 in annual salary, $225,000 for program promotion, $100,000 for media participation/cooperation, $100,000 for endorsement agreements
Max Bonus: $140,000
Buyout if Fired Without Cause: 100% of remaining base salary for the contract year plus $350,000 for each additional year remaining in contract term – prorated $1,350,000 (amount includes full 2019-20 base salary)
Buyout if Coach Terminates Contract: $500,000 through March 31, 2020; $250,000 if after March 31, 2020
Contract Term Ends: March 31, 2023
*Includes $50,000 retention bonus that can be earned on March 31, 2020"

https://watchstadium.com/college-ba...uyout-database-for-2019-20-season-10-24-2019/

 
"57. Nick McDevitt – Middle Tennessee

Total Compensation: $750,000
Additional Compensation: None
Notes: $575,000 in annual base salary, $175,000 in radio, television and other media
Max Bonus: $205,000
Buyout if Fired Without Cause: 100% of remaining $2,875,000 in base salary (includes 2019-20 compensation)
Buyout if Coach Terminates Contract: 100% of remaining $2,875,000 in base salary (includes 2019-20 compensation)
Contract Term Ends: June 30, 2024"


"T-58. Rodney Terry – UTEP

Total Compensation: $725,000
Additional Compensation: A percentage of net proceeds from youth basketball camps in the summer
Notes: $725,000 in base salary
Max Bonus: $1,177,852
Buyout if Fired Without Cause: 100% of remaining $2.9 million (includes 2019-20 compensation)
Buyout if Coach Terminates Contract: $500,000
Contract Term Ends: August 31, 2023"
 
2step is right with his recollection of the KiKi’s diner thing. You just have selective hearing/memory
My selective memory is that when he was asked about the rumors that he might be leaving, his response was, "I'll be here as long as you'll have me". And then he left!
 
My selective memory is that when he was asked about the rumors that he might be leaving, his response was, "I'll be here as long as you'll have me". And then he left!

I’ll always remember the video of him crying on campus when he said he was leaving. I always wondered if he was sad that he was leaving or was he crying tears of joy because he was about to make a f*ck load of money.
 
DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC
Dec. 25, 2011
UTEP 83- Auburn 76 (head coach Tony Barbee)
I remember at the time how gratifying it was to beat him after leaving us.
His tenure at Auburn resulted with these numbers:
49 wins
76 losses
This is the lowest winning percentage (.395%) of any Auburn coach with more than a two season tenure in the history of the school.
Good recruiter, good at recognizing talent, good assistant. Good head coach????? Not much evidence to support that beyond what he did at UTEP.
He was blindsided after landing the Auburn job due to recruiting violations that happened before he arrived. His hands were tied somewhat by new restrictions placed on recruits leading Barbee to proclaim openly at a press conference during his tenure that IF he'd known about the changes, he'd still be at UTEP.
 
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DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC
Dec. 25, 2011
UTEP 83- Auburn 76 (head coach Tony Barbee)
I remember at the time how gratifying it was to beat him after leaving us.
His tenure at Auburn resulted with these numbers:
49 wins
76 losses
This is the lowest winning percentage (.395%) of any Auburn coach with more than a two season tenure in the history of the school.
Good recruiter, good at recognizing talent, good assistant. Good head coach????? Not much evidence to support that beyond what he did at UTEP.
Good recruiter, good at recognizing talent, and a good assistant......all traits of a good HC.
He outperformed the seasoned veteran Tim Floyd.
 
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I’ll always remember the video of him crying on campus when he said he was leaving. I always wondered if he was sad that he was leaving or was he crying tears of joy because he was about to make a f*ck load of money.
Imo he was crying because he was torn. El Paso embraced him and the feeling was mutual. As much as he wanted to stay he knew he had bigger things to accomplish.

I don’t think it was about the money. If it’s true that UTEP was ready to offer him 900k that’s a very competitive salary. A&M started him at 1.2. There’s really not that much difference in money.
 
Maybe Terry will be offered his dream job at Texas after Shaka Smarts recent disaster. LOL.
 
Imo he was crying because he was torn. El Paso embraced him and the feeling was mutual. As much as he wanted to stay he knew he had bigger things to accomplish.

I don’t think it was about the money. If it’s true that UTEP was ready to offer him 900k that’s a very competitive salary. A&M started him at 1.2. There’s really not that much difference in money.

No doubt BG liked it here and everyone liked him.

Even if money was in range, Big 12 > WAC/CUSA all day, every day. He made the right move, as he got to be Kentucky’s coach. If he had one regret, it would be leaving Texas A&M, not UTEP.
 
And Mike Price tried hard to get the ASU job too. Bottom line....coaching is a business and don't believe them. UTEP is always going to be a stepping stone.

He also tried to go back to Washington State when their job opened up. I think that he was devastated that he wasn't seriously considered. I've often wondered about his lack of success here after those first two seasons. I have two theories:

- He simply didn't know how to recruit to El Paso

- After seeing that he had no shot at ASU or WSU, despite trying to rehab his image in El Paso, he lost his fire

I don't know if it's one of these reasons or something else. It's too bad that he couldn't build on the momentum from those first two seasons.
 
He also tried to go back to Washington State when their job opened up. I think that he was devastated that he wasn't seriously considered. I've often wondered about his lack of success here after those first two seasons. I have two theories:

- He simply didn't know how to recruit to El Paso

- After seeing that he had no shot at ASU or WSU, despite trying to rehab his image in El Paso, he lost his fire

I don't know if it's one of these reasons or something else. It's too bad that he couldn't build on the momentum from those first two seasons.
This is where Stull messed. He made decent hires (aside from maybe Kugler), but was never able recognize when and how to build on momentum or when to fire coaches.
 
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He also tried to go back to Washington State when their job opened up. I think that he was devastated that he wasn't seriously considered. I've often wondered about his lack of success here after those first two seasons. I have two theories:

- He simply didn't know how to recruit to El Paso

- After seeing that he had no shot at ASU or WSU, despite trying to rehab his image in El Paso, he lost his fire

I don't know if it's one of these reasons or something else. It's too bad that he couldn't build on the momentum from those first two seasons.
Source?
 
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This is where Stull messed. He made decent hires (aside from maybe Kugler), but was never able recognize when and how to build on momentum or when to fire coaches.

Huh?
Nord - won only “conference championship” and made Bowl game for first time in 12 years. Maybe should have been fired after year 3, but was hired after year 4
Price - great hire at first, but was allowed to stay too long
Kugler - awful hire

Rab - let’s face it, had an impossible task of replacing a legend. Quit before Stull had to make a decision
Gillispie, Sadler & Barbee - all great hires who won championships and made the NCAAs and all left for greener pastures
Floyd - just didn’t work out. I would hear an argument for keeping him as long as he did or having had fired him a year or 2 before.

Stull gets a lot of shit for Kugler, Price, and Floyd, rightfully so, but let’s not act like he made bad hire after bad hire. Everyone of us would have hired Price and Floyd.
 
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This is where Stull messed. He made decent hires (aside from maybe Kugler), but was never able recognize when and how to build on momentum or when to fire coaches.
David Lee was not a good hire. Lee brings in Bailey on defense. Bailey get hired. Bailey then hires Nord. Nord gets hired. Stull tries "outside the box" and hires Price. Price does great with Nord recruits, falls on his fanny after (tries to pitch himself quietly for ASU which not only fails badly, but it goes public). Bob misses those incestuous pangs in his gut that started under the coach who replaced him and hires Bailey's favorite son and alum, Kugler. First thing Kugler does on UTEP soil? Trash Price.
 
Imo he was crying because he was torn. El Paso embraced him and the feeling was mutual. As much as he wanted to stay he knew he had bigger things to accomplish.

I don’t think it was about the money. If it’s true that UTEP was ready to offer him 900k that’s a very competitive salary. A&M started him at 1.2. There’s really not that much difference in money.

I just don’t buy the whole “torn” thing. No one was making him leave. If he wanted to stay you could argue 300k isn’t a deal breaker.

I have absolutely no problem with any coach leaving for more money and greener pastures but don’t cry about how hard is to leave. That’s some “It’s not you, it’s me” BS you lay on someone when you’re trying to let them down easy. Be a man and walk away.
 
Imo he was crying because he was torn. El Paso embraced him and the feeling was mutual. As much as he wanted to stay he knew he had bigger things to accomplish.

I don’t think it was about the money. If it’s true that UTEP was ready to offer him 900k that’s a very competitive salary. A&M started him at 1.2. There’s really not that much difference in money.

Ok, so I'll agree that I believe that Billie was kinda sentimental in that I think he appreciated the love he received from the community and Miners fans. Hard not to appreciate the amount of love he received.

That said, yes, it is hard to walk away from 1.2mm annually. That's why I disagree with you about the difference between 1.2mm and 900m being "not that much (different)." There's a world of difference with 300m annually. Most of us don't make half of that annually. That's a shit ton of money.
 
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For those that don't know. Floyd was in El Paso during Barbee's last year and was with Stull a lot, on and off campus. The two would watch UTEP practice and Floyd would tell Stull that if he was the coach of those players the team would for sure be an elite 8 team. Barbee wanted a pay increase and Stull would not give it to him because of Stull's relationship with Floyd. When Stull wouldn't even listen to Barbee about more money, Barbee felt disrespected and looked for a higher paying job and left. He would have stayed at least 1-2 more years if Stull would have doubled his pay, but Stull bought the Floyd BS and let Barbee walk. I wasn't a big fan of Barbee for a few other reasons but Stull wet the bed big time with Barbee.
 
For those that don't know. Floyd was in El Paso during Barbee's last year and was with Stull a lot, on and off campus. The two would watch UTEP practice and Floyd would tell Stull that if he was the coach of those players the team would for sure be an elite 8 team. Barbee wanted a pay increase and Stull would not give it to him because of Stull's relationship with Floyd. When Stull wouldn't even listen to Barbee about more money, Barbee felt disrespected and looked for a higher paying job and left. He would have stayed at least 1-2 more years if Stull would have doubled his pay, but Stull bought the Floyd BS and let Barbee walk. I wasn't a big fan of Barbee for a few other reasons but Stull wet the bed big time with Barbee.
Thank you for speaking the truth. I dislike how everyone blames Barbee with some lame “he didn’t like El Paso” excuse.
 
For those that don't know. Floyd was in El Paso during Barbee's last year and was with Stull a lot, on and off campus. The two would watch UTEP practice and Floyd would tell Stull that if he was the coach of those players the team would for sure be an elite 8 team. Barbee wanted a pay increase and Stull would not give it to him because of Stull's relationship with Floyd. When Stull wouldn't even listen to Barbee about more money, Barbee felt disrespected and looked for a higher paying job and left. He would have stayed at least 1-2 more years if Stull would have doubled his pay, but Stull bought the Floyd BS and let Barbee walk. I wasn't a big fan of Barbee for a few other reasons but Stull wet the bed big time with Barbee.

I don’t know how true all of this is, only because I have never really heard that and nor was I there. But I could believe it because of Stull played a lot of “buddy ball” as his career wound down. I know a lot of people aren’t big fans of Senter but I would take him at his worst over Stull any day of the week.
 
I don’t know how true all of this is, only because I have never really heard that and nor was I there. But I could believe it because of Stull played a lot of “buddy ball” as his career wound down. I know a lot of people aren’t big fans of Senter but I would take him at his worst over Stull any day of the week.

Senter at his best hires Dimel. What's a worse hire?
 
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For those that don't know. Floyd was in El Paso during Barbee's last year and was with Stull a lot, on and off campus. The two would watch UTEP practice and Floyd would tell Stull that if he was the coach of those players the team would for sure be an elite 8 team. Barbee wanted a pay increase and Stull would not give it to him because of Stull's relationship with Floyd. When Stull wouldn't even listen to Barbee about more money, Barbee felt disrespected and looked for a higher paying job and left. He would have stayed at least 1-2 more years if Stull would have doubled his pay, but Stull bought the Floyd BS and let Barbee walk. I wasn't a big fan of Barbee for a few other reasons but Stull wet the bed big time with Barbee.

Did Floyd ever attend the games? I can't imagine the media not mentioning Floyd was at practice?
 
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