Episode 169: Rick Barnes ain't no Beverly Hillbilly

GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from the Fort Rucker Sun Room) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office) convened via Al Gore’s Internets to break down a stunning turn of events that nearly concluded with Tennessee losing reigning national coach of the year Rick Barnes to UCLA.News emerged Sunday night that UCLA’s search for a new head coach was focused on Barnes, and multiple sources close to the situation insisted that Barnes nearly accepted the job before getting brought back into the fold by Vols athletic director Phillip Fulmer. How did Tennessee nearly lose Barnes? Where was the disconnect between Barnes and Tennessee’s athletic administration, and just how bad was it? What ultimately brought the two sides back together? How lucrative with Barnes’ new contract be, and what kind of pressure will that put on him?Tennessee retained Barnes, but the Vols did lose associate head coach Rob Lanier to the head-coaching position at Georgia State, and there’s still plenty of interest in other Tennessee staffers. Barnes already filled one vacancy, adding Colorado assistant coach (and former Missouri star) Kim English to his staff, but what other changes could occur in the coming days and weeks?A unexpectedly wild week left plenty to discuss, and this episode breaks down all of it.