I am a big fan of Rick Barnes. I am a big fan of his ability to bring Texas from a mediocre basketball program under Tom Penders to a perennial college basketball contender that recruits McDonald’s All-Americans. Texas, under the Barnes regime has put out a good to great product on an annual basis and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament for 12 consecutive seasons. Top that off with 12 consecutive 20-win seasons and an overall winning percentage .725 (in and out of conference) and you have a damn good program.
With that being said the Texas teams have not performed as expected, come tournament time. The Longhorns reached the Elite 8 in the 2007-2008 season and since then have been ousted in the first or second rounds. Sure, I am a realist and understand that it takes both luck and skill to advance in the tournament and also think it is an amazing achievement to reach the tourney 12 straight years, but a raise now just doesn’t seem to be right. The state’s public eduction budget is in severe crisis and it doesn’t look like our Governor is going to use the 9 billion in Rainy Day funds to assist with the budget shortfall.
I guess what I am saying is that sure, Barnes is GREAT AND the Texas Athletic Program continues to make money every year – but the state budget is in terrible shape and it sends a bad message to live like a king when the state is living like a pauper. Make the Sweet 16 next year and give him his raise then….
