Grant Williams’ quote about making Rick Barnes curse is going viral after The Athletic revealed why the Vols coach no longer curses
Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes doesn’t curse, but it hasn’t always been that way.
Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes doesn’t curse, but it hasn’t always been that way.
The Athletic detailed this week why Barnes no longer curses at players, and it dates back to his time as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns.
From The Athletic’s Brendan Marks: In February 2008, before Texas played at rival Oklahoma, then-Longhorns coach Rick Barnes called Damion James into his office for a talk. The Hall of Famer wanted to know what, if anything, he could do to help the sophomore break out of a recent shooting slump.
But he never could have expected James’ response:
Coach, it would help if you would use less profanity. You curse at me a lot and I’ve never had anybody do that.
“I said, ‘Damion, I give you my word, I will never curse again,’” Barnes said. “And I never have.” Barnes never meant ill with his language — but that encounter is a revealing entry point into any exploration of cursing in sports. Because, as File noted, “you can damage a relationship with a single word.
Barnes says he’s never cursed again at a palyer, but former Vols star Grant Williams, a two-time SEC player of the year, recently claimed on the Club 520 Podcast that he made Barnes curse twice.
“Barnes is crazy, but he’s cool for sure,” said Williams. “…I got saved Barnes. Barnes was, like, not cursing. I always say my biggest accomplishment with Barnes was making him curse twice at me.”
Hey, no one is perfect.
Williams is one of the best to ever play at Tennessee. He worked as hard as anyone that’s played for the Vols. But it sounds like he pushed Barnes to the edge a time or two during their time together in Knoxville.
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