Scarbinsky's take on Coach Barbee....

[The Prowler]

Auburn's Tony Barbee hurries out to hit the recruiting trail



It didn’t take long for Tony Barbee to demonstrate that Auburn basketball is going to be different with him in charge.

Not long after his introduction Thursday in the new arena, an Auburn fan from north Alabama wanted to help the new Auburn coach. The fan started to mention four Huntsville-area prospects worth checking out.

Barbee already knew every one of those names and said he was planning a trip to Huntsville.

For the next day.

Come Friday morning, Barbee was at Huntsville’s Lee High School so early, he was waiting for the school to open. He wanted to see Josh Langford, Class 5A state tournament MVP and one of the top remaining uncommitted small forwards in the class of 2010.

That would qualify as hitting the ground running. Barbee was nothing but positive as he said his first “War Eagle!” to the Auburn family.

Until he arrived, the outlook for the program’s immediate future was anything but, despite its bright and shiny new home.

During the search process, I talked to coach after coach about the Auburn job. Most of them had no interest in the job, but every single one of them offered the same conclusion.

The new coach would have his hands full because Jeff Lebo left the program in the same questionable shape it was mired in for much of his tenure.

There’s only one proven returning player in shooting guard Frankie Sullivan, the lone returning starter. Unless Barbee signs a floor leader this spring or one transfers in, there may be no more than one scholarship point guard on the entire roster next season.

And that six-man recruiting class Lebo signed last fall? It’s the perfect example of quantity over quality.

No one will mistake that class for Kentucky’s 2009 spring harvest of DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall and Eric Bledsoe. There’s a consensus among recruiters that two of Auburn’s signees can play in the SEC, two of them don’t appear to be SEC-caliber players and two may not make it into school because of academics.

Which may be a blessing.

If every player on the roster who could return did, and every signee also showed up, Barbee wouldn’t have a scholarship to give this spring.

And then, because there won’t be a single scholarship senior on his first Auburn roster, Barbee theoretically wouldn’t have a scholarship to give next year.

It’s a shocking case of roster mismanagement by the old coach. Barbee said he would meet with the current players individually and talk to the signees, too, and “hopefully . . . it will be an easy decision to retain our team and current recruits.”

It’ll be an easier decision to advise some of those players and recruits that they might have a more pro ductive future elsewhere, especially given some of the prospects that appear to be on Barbee’s immediate radar.

One big name to watch: Big Luke Cothron.

The 6-foot-8, 210-pound power forward is from Huntsville but played this season at Flora MacDonald Academy in North Carolina.

Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 33 overall prospect in the class of 2010, and as one of the top 10 uncommitted seniors.

Cothron has dropped his original commitment to North Carolina State and now is likely to choose from among Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky.

There’s something strange about that list.

When’s the last time Auburn and Kentucky recruited the same player and Auburn won? Korvotney Barber?

Barbee did warn John Calipari that he was coming after him. Looks like he meant it.

http://blog.al.com/kevin-scarbinsky/2010/03/scarbinsky_auburns_tony_barbee.html

[Jumbo]

No seniors, no scholarships to give? Lebo had a plan.

[AUChizad]

If every player on the roster who could return did, and every signee also showed up, Barbee wouldn’t have a scholarship to give this spring.

And then, because there won’t be a single scholarship senior on his first Auburn roster, Barbee theoretically wouldn’t have a scholarship to give next year.

It’s a shocking case of roster mismanagement by the old coach.

Wow. Just, wow.

[The Prowler]

No seniors, no scholarships to give? Lebo had a plan.

by "plan", you mean...."blueprint", then yes.

[Jumbo]

by "plan", you mean...."blueprint", then yes.

What a fuckin' idiot.

[Jumbo]

Wow. Just, wow.

I had to read the article again because I was shocked!

[Pell City Tiger]

No seniors, no scholarships to give? Lebo had a plan.

It would have all come together next season.

[The Prowler]

It would have all come together next season.

Yes....5 PG lineup, fast break mutha fuckas!!!

[Jumbo]

It would have all come together next season.

We should have givin' him a chance to finish the blueprint.

[Pell City Tiger]

Yes....5 PG lineup, fast break mutha fuckas!!!

Throwin' up dem 3's.

[Saniflush]

I am not sure at what point being involved becomes meddling but it seems like an AD should have a little better handle on this.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

I am not sure at what point being involved becomes meddling but it seems like an AD should have a little better handle on this.

Agreed.  However, it's become clear that Lebo was a very good used car salesman attempting to sell ice to an eskimo, and Jacobs shelled out the money for a few years.   At least the move HAS finally happened. 

The scholarship situation is fucking remarkable.  I think you'd see that the smallest amount of posts from me come to this forum.  I'm suddenly, at least, intrigued by what we've got going here.   If I represent a similar fractional percentage of the AU fanbase, then the Barbee hire is already paying dividends.

Looking forward to checking out the new arena on A-Day.

[Kaos]

I am not sure at what point being involved becomes meddling but it seems like an AD should have a little better handle on this.

No, no, no and NO!

Chizzad has already established that Jacobs' timing is perfect. Gradual improvement and all. Anyone who questions this or saw the trainwreck approaching years ago is simply being negative. Your glasses are turd colored, sir. Your cup is half full. You are a lovable stuffed donkey.

[Saniflush]

No, no, no and NO!

Chizzad has already established that Jacobs' timing is perfect. Gradual improvement and all. Anyone who questions this or saw the trainwreck approaching years ago is simply being negative. Your glasses are turd colored, sir. Your cup is half full. You are a lovable stuffed donkey.

I miss my donkey. 


That aside, I really am not sure how much is meddling and how much is not?  I have that constant struggle as a boss myself.  I hire people that I expect to do the job and usually that job involves thinking and figuring out how to work around problems.  Some problems which I already know the best answer to and some of them that I do not.  I guess at some point though in being ultimately responsible for not only the company's but also the individual's success you have to steer them onto the known best path.  This seems like what should have happened in this case. 
I don't know shit about being an AD but I gotta believe that I have semi constant updates on the student athletes in each sport that I am ultimately responsible for.  This is a fail in Jacob's column.  Whether it is because he let it get to this point by not knowing or by being hoodwinked by Lebo. 

[Snaggletiger]

Lebo fucked himself from the start.  The exodus of players from his first year on was just mind boggling.  When he first came in, I had to trust that the guys that he ran off or just left on their own accord, were problems and unhappy etc.  Cleaning house was the right thing to do.  But, it just continued year after year after year.  I was never all that impressed with his style of play but no matter what style you run, you can win with athletes.  

As it's been stated, it only takes a couple of studs in basketball to turn a program around. I've always wondered where the program might be right now had 6'8" man-beast Marco Killingsworth stayed along with 6'9" Dewayne Curtis or all ACC guard, Tony Robinson along with quite a few others.  Indiana didn't seem to have a problem with Marco.  Ole Miss had a solid center in Curtis.  Robinson fit in quite nicely at FSU and I believe he's in the NBA now if I'm not mistaken.  If these guys stay, Auburn more than likely makes the NCAA's in the first year or two.  There's no telling what that might have done for this program.    

[Kaos]

I miss my donkey. 


That aside, I really am not sure how much is meddling and how much is not?  I have that constant struggle as a boss myself.  I hire people that I expect to do the job and usually that job involves thinking and figuring out how to work around problems.  Some problems which I already know the best answer to and some of them that I do not.  I guess at some point though in being ultimately responsible for not only the company's but also the individual's success you have to steer them onto the known best path.  This seems like what should have happened in this case. 
I don't know shit about being an AD but I gotta believe that I have semi constant updates on the student athletes in each sport that I am ultimately responsible for.  This is a fail in Jacob's column.  Whether it is because he let it get to this point by not knowing or by being hoodwinked by Lebo. 

Can't be that hoodwinked. 

Everybody knew it but Jacobs and a handful of others.

[The Prowler]

Can't be that hoodwinked. 

Everybody knew it but Jacobs and a handful of others.

you didn't know either....if so, I'd like to see a post from you that stated that Lebo was placing Auburn in a hole by the lack of talent he was bringing in.

[jadennis]

Lebo phuked himself from the start.  The exodus of players from his first year on was just mind boggling.  When he first came in, I had to trust that the guys that he ran off or just left on their own accord, were problems and unhappy etc.  Cleaning house was the right thing to do.  But, it just continued year after year after year.  I was never all that impressed with his style of play but no matter what style you run, you can win with athletes.  

As it's been stated, it only takes a couple of studs in basketball to turn a program around. I've always wondered where the program might be right now had 6'8" man-beast Marco Killingsworth stayed along with 6'9" Dewayne Curtis or all ACC guard, Tony Robinson along with quite a few others.  Indiana didn't seem to have a problem with Marco.  Ole Miss had a solid center in Curtis.  Robinson fit in quite nicely at FSU and I believe he's in the NBA now if I'm not mistaken.  If these guys stay, Auburn more than likely makes the NCAA's in the first year or two.  There's no telling what that might have done for this program.    

You must be mistaken....those players would never go to Auburn because we have the worst facilities in North America (all local YMCA locations included). 

I was growing so tired of that "facilities" excuse.   Those Tennessee players would play for Bruce Pearl at American University of Beirut.  Same for Michigan State and Tom Izzo.  Facilities help, for sure, but being Izzo or Pearl instead of Lebo helps too.  Barbee has proven to be much more of a Pearl than a Lebo.  Add facilities to that, and I think he's going to get some players we're not used to getting.

[The Prowler]

Hey COOL!!!!  Where do I buy the tick.....nevermind.  Thanks for the heads up DENNIS, sheez.

[Saniflush]

I got two words for ya......


Sleeper cell.