No NBA team has offered Rick Barnes a head coaching job during his career. But Barnes feels like he knew what Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello was going through this week when he weighed his options and eventually decided to accept the San Fransisco Giants manager position.
“I can think back to when I was somewhere in that age where I had the opportunity to go to a couple of different places, but never had the chance to make a jump from college to the professional league like he did,” Barnes said. “Being the first coach (to go from college to MLB), it’s unbelievable. And I’m sure the emotions that he went through were wide, very hard, because I know that he loved what he had built here and what he had going
Barnes has thrice left a college job for a different head coaching opening. After one year at George Mason, Barnes left for Providence. He later left Providence for Clemson and then Clemson for Texas. The Longhorns fired Barnes and the veteran head coach accepted the Tennessee job shortly afterward.
The 11th-year Vol basketball coach touched on the emotions that come with a decision like that.
“I can assure you that when he met with his team and he left them, it was very emotional,” Barnes said. “And because when you change, it’s tough.”
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Barnes arrived at Tennessee two years prior to Vitello and the two had a good relationship. At completely different points in their career, the duo spearheaded the Vols’ athletic department turnaround.
“I love Tony,” Barnes said. “I’m gonna really miss him. And he did one of the great building jobs. I mean, what he did here in a short time to turn this program around and take it to a national championship.”
When Tennessee baseball made it to the College World Series finals against Texas A&M, Barnes traveled to Omaha for the championship deciding game. Barnes also attended a number of games at Lindsey Nelson Stadium over the years.
Vitello was extremely supporting of Tennessee basketball. He frequently went to games, donned a Zakai Zeiger t-shirt jersey, joked about fans throwing things at Bruce Pearl and mentioned wanting to come back for future basketball games in his farewell meeting with the media.
“I loved his enthusiasm,” Barnes said. “I mean, I love him. I love him. He was around. I loved the fact he’d come over here and wear his Zakai Zeigler jersey and, you know, the fan base, everyone fell in love with him because everyone loves a guy that comes in and goes about his business the way he did to build a championship team and program. I hope he wins a World Series. I do. I’d love to see him do that, obviously.
