Tennessee's Rick Barnes makes great point about the NCAA Tournament selection committee that other coaches should listen to
Maybe it's just me, but one of the things I dislike the most about the NCAA Tournament and the College Football Playoff is all of the politicking from head coaches. When it comes tournament time, fans are inundated with coaches "making their case" for where they think they should be seeded. Tennessee Vols fans, however, […]
Maybe it's just me, but one of the things I dislike the most about the NCAA Tournament and the College Football Playoff is all of the politicking from head coaches.
When it comes tournament time, fans are inundated with coaches "making their case" for where they think they should be seeded.
Tennessee Vols fans, however, don't have to listen to much politicking from football coach Josh Heupel or basketball coach Rick Barnes. Neither coach makes it a habit to spend time at media sessions giving lectures about their team's resumés.
In Barnes' case, it's because the longtime college basketball coach feels the committee isn't listening to what coaches have to say anyway.
Barnes was asked on Saturday, after Tennessee's win against Auburn in the SEC Tournament, what his message to the NCAA Tournament committee is with Selection Sunday coming up.
"I don’t think they’re listening, you know," said a smiling Barnes. "I think they’re sequestered somewhere. I think we let our body of work speak for it. Again, I look at our league, I’ll say it, I’ll be disappointed if we don’t have 14 teams in the NCAA tournament. I think it’s obvious that Auburn and Florida have played themselves into a one seed, which they should.
"Again, I don’t think they listen. I do trust them. I think where we are in today’s game, they’re going to do the best job they can to get it right for everybody and be fair. But again, I don’t think they listen, so they’re going to do what they think they need to do."
Maybe other coaches around the country should listen to what Barnes had to say on Saturday. If nothing else, it will spare us from the eye-rolling politicking that the majority of college basketball coaches spend most of their time doing this time of the year.
