Calipari thinks Barbee should be considered for SEC Coach of the Year

[Orange and Blue 17211345162833 0]

UK's John Calipari thinks Tony Barbee deserves consideration for SEC Coach of the Year

For the second straight week, Kentucky's John Calipari stumped for Auburn's Tony Barbee, his former protege, to be SEC Coach of the Year.

Calipari was asked on today's SEC's teleconference about the job Barbee has done in his first year with the young, short-handed Tigers, who struggled but managed to get out of last place in the SEC West, finishing the the regular season 11-19 overall and 4-12 in the conference.

"How about this one? They won as many road games in the league as we have," Calipari said. "I think he should have been considered for Coach of the Year, but we all base it on number of wins.

"You want to talk to any coach about what he's done with that team, to keep them into every game they've played, they've had a chance. To be down 20 and to come back and win games or have a chance to win, that's what coaching is. I just think he's done wonders."

Calipari has a reason for talking up Barbee. He coached Barbee when he was a player at UMass from 1989-93. Barbee was also an assistant on Calipari's staff as a GA at UMass (1995-96) and as an assistant at Memphis (2000-06).

Calipari acknowledged the likely candidates for the honor are Florida's Billy Donovan, Alabama's Anthony Grant and Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings, but -- predictably -- had a strong opinion about his former assistant getting some consideration.

"You've got some haters out there that have got their personal problems that will make jokes about it, but then again they don't know what coaching is," Calipari said. "I think he should be considered."

Auburn enters the SEC tournament as the fifth seed out of the West. It will play Georgia, the East's No. 4 seed, at 1 p.m. ET Thursday at the Georgia Dom

Read more: http://wareagleextra.blogspot.com/2011/03/john-calipari-thinks-tony-barbee.html#ixzz1FwWFxt5x

[Tiger Growlin 0]

Ladies and gents, that's what you call respect. Yeah they're close to one another, but Coach Cal didn't have to go on the record and say it. You can say it's just talk from mentor about pupil, but I for one agree with what he's saying. I believe he should get some comsideration. Barbee, the UGA coach and Grant should be the top three in whatever order. Cal, Stallings and Donnavon did what they were supposed to do with good talent in a league lacking talent overall. UGA has played one of the toughest schedules in the country. Grant has rallied his team after a rough start and having to suspend his top player. He has his guys playing incredible defense and you don't see a lot of that in todays' game. That is what coaching is all about. It shouldn't be measures by wins and losses, but what a coach gets out of his guys overall. Those three coaches I named above have done outstanding jobs IMO.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

I agree with you. I think Coach Barbee should win hands down, because what he got out of his team is almost a miracle.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I hope we're able to keep him for a long long time.

[AU4life1 5]

It will be real interesting next year. Barbee is a great coach and a good guy to meet.

[guerra aguila 0]

I think I completely agree with Calipari.

I think Barbee likes being here at Auburn and he knows that he can recruit the talent he needs to compete for titles.

Auburn is hanging in there with one of the least talented teams we have seen in a Very long time. Wait till Barbees players arrive, Auburn will be a consistent 20 win team each year.

[28Auburn27 0]

It would be hard to give it to Barbee and skip over Anthony Grant in my opinion. I really hate saying that, but that guy has done a pretty good job this year. That being said, what Barbee has achieved is remarkable, and I'm pumped to see what the next few years have in store for Auburn basketball. I'm tired of hearing "We're a football school" as an excuse for being mediocre at basketball

[guerra aguila 0]

It would be hard to give it to Barbee and skip over Anthony Grant in my opinion. I really hate saying that, but that guy has done a pretty good job this year. That being said, what Barbee has achieved is remarkable, and I'm pumped to see what the next few years have in store for Auburn basketball. I'm tired of hearing "We're a football school" as an excuse for being mediocre at basketball

Its likely that Barbee will not win it, but for a respect coach like Calipari to speak highly of Barbee, that is telling you something right there.