Barbee & UMass job

No doubt two-year UTEP Basketball Coach Tony Barbee would take the UMass job, if offered. And not just because he played there and assistant-coached there.

The situation at UTEP is quite iffy: If Stefon Jackson does not return, it will be hard for Barbee to show improvement on this season's 19 wins. If Jackson does return, I don't think he'll be very popular with the fans. And that will reflect on attendance — gate receipts. This, of course, is in regards to Jackson having been arrested because it's alleged he was giving safe harbor to two alleged felons. "Murder" is the key word here. Most Utepia posters know the story well.

A team that doesn't challenge for the NCAA Tournament in such a so-so league as Conference USA will not make Barbee a popular man in El Paso. Already he has the reputation of not getting out into the public as much as past coaches. Fans here like to know the coach and know the players. That hasn't happened.

Originally I figured Barbee going to UMass, of the Atlantic 10, would be a move down. Of course that cana be a matter of opinion. What's yours?

Basketball-wise, there are actually 14 Atlantic 10 teams, virtually all household names:

UMass, St Bonaventure, Richmond, Charlotte, Rhode Island, Dayton, Duquense, Fordham, Geo. Washington, La Salle, Saint Louis, Xavier (won 30 games this season), Temple and Saint Joseph's.

There are 12 C-USA teams. Are they all household names?

UTEP, Memphis, UAB, Houston, So. Miss, Univ. of Central Florida, Tulsa, Marshall, Tulane, E. Carolina, SMU and Rice.

Comments

[just a thought]

Good writing Joe. What are the options?

1) Stay here with Stefon and hope all charges are dropped and UTEP makes the tourney.

2) Stefon is found guilty and dismissed from the team permanently thus forcing Culpepper to shoot thirty times a game.

3) Stefon reads the garbage on those other blogs and believes it may be better to give the pros a shot regardless of team status. After all, some El Pasoans are already comparing him to Michael Vick.

4) Barbee goes back to familiar territory in UMASS with only his suitcase in hand and far less baggage.

[Toasted Whitebred]

Barbee ain't going no where.

UTEP received a verbal commit from point guard Blaise Ffrench whose team won perhaps the toughest league in the country. Word is he is a great defender. Seems like a real basketball player as opposed to the athletes Barbee has been recruiting.

[mem]

Let hope Barbee goes. He didn't earn his salary coaching thats for sure. Too much one on one. Never made adjustments on defense. This is one of the worst Coached teams I have ever seen. Bring in Nolan Richardson. I'm surre he won't leave after a couple of seasons.

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

Barbee knew Jackson might not be coming back before his arrest. If Jackson does get cleared and comes back for his senior year, he will probably be forgiven by Miner fans for whatever his role was in this incident. I don't think Barbee will be weighing what happens in this particular situation as a the reason he stays or goes. It will have more to do with which program has the most upside and I'm not talking about wins and losses. I'm talking about money. If in fact Barbee was using UTEP as a stepping stone, he was not likely hoping to jump to the Umass job. If Umass is a better program than UTEP, it's not by much. I don't think he'll leave.

[Vic]

I can see the interest because he's Alumni. Isn't Barbee like 32-31 at Utep?

Atlantic 10 has some good names.
Xavier, Temple, St. Joes and Richmond have a good BB history but, have been inconsistent the past couple of year.

Don't know if he will get the job but, he doesn't have Billy Gillespie or Reggie Theus numbers to leave after two year!

[Monchis]

I for one don't believe Stefon Jackson's suspension and legal troubles will be the reason for coach Barbee's departure!
For some reason Barbee never really fit in at UTEP or El Paso as a whole!
Barbee seemed aloof and arrogant and was just waiting for a better situation elsewhere!
It seems as though UTEP athletic director, Bob Stull, has resigned himself to the fact that these coaches that he hires are not staying here for more than three or four years.
I do believe this is the reason he keeps on hiring these inexperienced assistant coaches, and paying them minimum!
As long as this is the situation here at UTEP, the coaching quandary, will continue, et infinitum!

[Clarence]

If Barbee gets the call, he's gone regardless of Stefon's status. Simple as that. I don't think he'll get that call. In my opinion, he hasn't done enough as a head coach to warrant a sniff from a Div II school, let alone UMASS. Best to stay at UTEP and get us to the NCAA tournament. El Paso is a good for Barbee at this time.

For Stefon, I doubt the fans who regularly go to the games will care about his legal troubles. Those fans will still go. Even so, I think this episode has diminished him in most people's eyes, mine included. Who believes that given his personal history he had no idea the mess his cousin and the other guy were bringing to his apartment? Who believes that they just popped by for a visit? Who believes that at least one person from “the hood” didn’t tell Stefon about these two guys and their trouble. Who believes he didn’t purposely try to mislead the police? Does anyone believe the policeman lied or that he intentionally went after Jackson because of his celebrity as someone on this board previously has suggested? If Stefon did know about the two, then how is he any different than any other person who has harbored a criminal to the detriment to the public? Of course he is innocent until proved guilty. The thing is, being found innocent only because there isn’t any obvious evidence to the contrary and innocent because a person truly is innocent are very different things. A good defense attorney will argue otherwise. A good defense attorney will get you another semester as point guard with a wink, and a nod, and a nudge.

[just a thought]

Stefon is not any different than any other person who has harbored a criminal to the detriment of the public but to this same affect he should not be arrested, charged and prosecuted any differently than any other El Pasoan either.

"Esparza said it is not uncommon for his office to receive cases involving a charge of hindering apprehension or prosecution. But he was unable to say on Wednesday with what frequency the cases are presented to his office or how often they are accepted for prosecution." El Paso Times

Of course this case is even a case because of local celebrity status. Would Stefon Jackson the recreational, not collegiate basketball player be front page news--if even arrested? Don't bet on it. The authorities went after Stefon but then again he will receive the celebrity treatment by a judge or jury. A "good defense attorney" will make sure of that so it all balances out. Preferential justice occurs every single day in this country.

After reading the numerous responses in blogs on this website not one mentioned the two DUIs Don Haskins got out of. Oh, that's different right? CLEO and Muench know. I say hypocrites the lot of you.

[Jon]

People are already talking about Barbee like he already left. I'm not to sure he will leave. Umass has already passed over Barbee once. They had a chance to hire him a couple of years ago and they didn't. What has really changed since then?

And to be honest, I don't think I can blame these coaches for wanting to leave anymore. Many fans always feel betrayed when a coach leaves but whenever a UTEP coaches name comes up for another job, you guys are the first to kick them out the door. I have lost count of how many times Mike Price has been run out of town by bloggers and other fans alike when his name has surfaced for other coaching vacancies.

If what bloggers have said on here is any indication of how El Paso fans feel as a whole, then I think it would be best for Barbee to leave. He has done an outstanding job with a team that was left in shambles and he has finally set the foundation for a great program. However, if fans here are going to continue to treat him like dirt then he should go somewhere where people actually understand the game of basketball and will appreciate him.

[Clarence]

Neither Price nor Barbee have a good enough record at UTEP to get the call from a name school. When they win and take us to post season, then it will happen. Not before.

[Maven]

Barbee could get an invitation if UMASS liked his service as an assistant and his recruiting efforts at UTEP. UMASS could recognize that it takes a few years to get a program up and going and might be willing to concede that a two year record doesn't necessarily mean much.

[Monchis]

jon, for you to imply that "El Paso fans don't understand the game of basketball", because they're calling for Barbee to leave is ludicrous.
People here are just expressing their displeasure because these coaches use UTEP as a springboard. I don't blame them for being upset and
feeling let down, when there's no sense of loyalty shown to UTEP. We only want some semblance of stability.
People here are just fed up, but that doesn't mean they understand basketball any less than elsewhere in the country because of their disgust at these coaches.
All we are saying is, if they want to leave, just leave, don't let the door hit you!

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

I just read that Keitha Adams was not chosen for the UNLV job. I didn't even know that she had interviewed. The last I had heard was her statement that she was happy at UTEP. I hope we do all that we can to keep her.

[Labeasty]

Cleo,

Adams owes it to herself to at least see what the market is like so that she will be appropriately compensated for her performance.

[j.g.]

I'd like to defend Barbee a little here. Most people's expectations for a warm and friendly coach who opens-up to the public have not been met.

I first met Barbee face-to-face at the UH game in Houston earlier this year. After the disappointing loss, Barbee made his way directly towards me and my family, introduced himself, shook my hand, and thanked us for coming to Houston and supporting his team. He signed autographs for my kids and talked with them. Personally, I think he's a heck of a nice guy and a terrific basketball coach. I think he's largely misunderstood.

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

If Barbee had won 50 games the past two seasons, nobody would be complaining about his cool demeanor with the fans. They'd be complaining about his greed and lack of loyalty after accepting the Oklahoma St. job.