Gary Barnett certainly has taken some hits in his days, both during his tenure at Colorado and since his departure, but on Tuesday he got a big hug and sloppy wet kiss from Dennis Dodd of CBSSportsline.com.
Dodd got up on the pulpit and pounded his fist in defense of an unemployed coach and the travesty of it all, how such an accomplished leader as the former CU head man could not be coaching on a sideline in 2007.
Barnett, still stinging from his forced exit, bled for Dodd, making for quite a bar-room moment.
Black and Gold Truth: Regardless of which side of the fence you sit about Barnett's exit at CU or his inability to get back on the sideline, what matters is this -- no coach is guaranteed re-hire anywhere once fired. Plus, the college game isn't quite as blatant in its' use of retreads as the NFL.
Not saying Barnett is a fraud who doesn't deserve another chance but his name is no longer hot as it was after playing Dr. Frankenstein at Northwestern or leading the Buffs to a pocket full of Big-12 North division titles.
Believe, for argument's sake, that Barnett was totally vilified in all that happened in Boulder, that he was a scapegoat, that nothing happened on his watch, that it was all a witch hunt. If athletic directors think a coach can win, he will get hired. Come on now, look at now-retired Jackie Sherrill in football or Bob Huggins in basketball.
The word here is Barnett is not, contrary to some opinion, done being a head coach. Mike "Roll Tide" Price got back into the college game, Dennis Erickson, a shady character if there ever was one, keeps moving back up the ladder. George O'Leary, who tried to lie and cheat his way into a institution all about God, is coaching again.
Barnett will have to start small and show his ability again but some school, after the smoke has cleared, will get all aroused to get a man of his stature and the Barnett will be eager to commit. You can tell. He is squirming, completely uncomfortable not being what defines him -- a head coach.
The best thing he can do, honestly, is be quiet. The more he talks, the more he sounds like Pete Rose, as in ' I wasn't responsible for anything.' Accept the punishment, no matter how unjust, do a great job in his TV gig, showing off his knowledge of the game and impress some school who is a big loser on the field -- just one school -- and Barnett is back in business.
Getting paid
Center Andre Gurode, a dominant player at Colorado before being drafted in the second round of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys in 2002, has just earned himself a six-year contract that will keep him off the free-agent market.
The 6-foot-4, 312-pounder was a big part of the muscle that cleared trees and rocks out of the way for the Buffs' offense, earning All-Big 12 and All-American honors.
Gurode was a Pro Bowl replacement after last season.
Black and Gold Truth: Gurode was a rare talent but exactly the type of massive, physical, intelligent, fire-in-the-belly masher coaches salivate over and CU is hungry to reel in again. Gurode is also a great reference point for recruiting other offensive linemen.
The formula
O.K., it may not be "the" formula but it looks good, sounds good.
Check out Alabama coach Nick Saban's approach to putting together a staff, what he was looking for and what he thinks he found.
Whether it works out or explodes in his face, who knows, but it says here Saban is going to take the Crimson Tide to great heights.
Trippin' the Big-12 courts
Texas blasted Texas Tech and no word of what Red Raiders' coach Bob Knight thought of the officiating, his favorite topic.
No superiority complex, no condescending attitude after his team lost in Austin, 80-51.
A.J. Abrams led five Longhorns in double figures with 18 points while no Texas Tech player finished with more than nine points on a night when, as a team, the Red Raiders shot 28 percent from the floor.
BGT: The Longhorns can beat anyone on any given day in the Big 12, even if they aren't the best team in the conference. No one -- not Kansas, not Texas A & M -- wants to play UT. And no one in the NCAA tournament will want to either. That team is also made for television -- all athleticism and skill.
And a big thank you to Longhorns coach Rick Barnes and his team for shutting up the pompous Knight -- for a day or two.
Missouri upset Oklahoma, 72-68, in Columbia, as the Tigers continue to show improvement under first-year coach Mike Anderson.
Stefhon Hannah led four Missouri players in double figures with 16 points while Michael Neal dropped 18 on MU in the loss.
BGT: The Tigers are not a power, make no mistake, but this was a program that was a shell of its' former self. Anderson is selling his message and getting the Tigers out of the ditch. He has talent but not the level of the past, showing the value of coaching. OU is another school with a first-year coach doing well.
BGT note: Later this week, some notes about Buffs' recruiting.
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