Tony Barbee Reaches Career Milestone
by aubtigerman on Dec 21, 2011 12:00 AM CST
in Basketball
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PrintAuburn Head Basketball Coach Tony Barbee reached a career milestone Monday night at the Auburn Arena when his Tigers defeated Florida A&M 76-69.
It was the 100th victory for Barbee as a head coach. He has 18 wins at Auburn and 82 at University of Texas El Paso (UTEP).
The 100th victory didn't come easily as the Tigers only shot 42 per cent and the Rattlers kept it close most of the night. However, the Tigers stayed on top by out rebounding FAMU 45 -39 and out shooting them in the paint 40-22.
Kenny Gabriel who went into the game ranked third in the SEC in blocks (2.4 per game) and fourth in rebounds (8.1) added seven more blocked shots and 13 rebounds to his stats. He also dropped in eight points for the night.
Frankie Sullivan had nine rebounds and scored 16 points. Auburn Center, Rob Chubb shot 9-of-10 from the foul line and finished with 21 points to tie his career high.
Even with those three Tigers excelling, FAMU is a team that the Tigers should have defeated more convincingly. Nevertheless, Auburn is now 7-1 and off to it's best season start in seven years. But there wasn't any elation heard in Coach Barbee's post game remarks.
As has been the rule so far this season Barbee was less than thrilled with the Tiger's performance. "We play down to the level of our competition, and that's a bad habit to establish."
Stingy with compliments, the most positive thing heard from Barbee this season was after the North Florida game Saturday, when he said the Tigers have made some improvement the last couple of games; but even then he was quick to add, " We have yet to put two full halves together, and that's our goal."
Auburn's next chance to put together a full game will come over the holidays. The Tigers flew out Tuesday for a Christmas tournament in Hawaii. They will play three games in the Diamondhead Christmas Classic in Honolulu.
The Tigers will face tough competition with such opponents as Xavier, Clemson, and Kansas State. They open against Hawaii on Thursday night.and play the final tournament game on Christmas Day. ESPNU will broadcast Auburn's first game beginning at midnight on Thursday.
One would think that starting off a season with a 7-1 record and winning your 100th career victory would be pause for celebration. But not with Tony Barbee.
Personal accolades are not what's important to him. What's important to Barbee is his team playing at a high level regardless of the competition. He made no bones when he came to Auburn that his goal was to build the Tigers into a nationally recognized program.
And the reason the Tigers are off to a good start this year is because of the expectations he has set. He has been determined not to let his team get complacent. Known as a tough, no nonsense task master, Barbee seems to be coaching with an even sharper vigor and focus this season.
There's an old adage that says in business or sports, "You get what you expect." If that's true, then Auburn ought to have a good year because Barbee has made it clear that he has nothing but high expectations for these Tigers.
In the mean time Coach ... Congratulations on your 100th win!
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I, for one, am extremely happy to have Barbee as our basketball coach...
I like the way he acts with the media, and he disciplines the players when they need it.
It doesn’t seem to bother Jay Jacobs, nor Tony Barbee that a contract has not been signed, so when that happens, who knows.
Auburn has been needing a basketball coach, who knows the defensive side of the game, and they have a good one in Barbee.
Enjoyed the write up atm..
WAR EAGLE!
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
This is exciting!
I like Barbee’s attitude. I think it will go a long way towards building the Program that Barbee envisions…..
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Dec 21, 2011 9:00 AM CST reply actions
This is as good a place as any to put it up:
I’ve got a pair of tickets for the January 2nd game against Bethune-Cookman that I’m looking to give away. My wife won them in a drawing, and both of us have a sound policy of distrusting any sport that plays its game with an actual spherical ball.
Reply if you’re interested, and I’ll check back later today (or tomorrow morning). Preference goes to regulars first, then it’s on a first-come basis.
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
Huh. You come from a land of basketball (aka, round ball) and soccer and you distrust sports played with an actual spherical ball……Huh.
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Dec 21, 2011 10:15 AM CST up reply actions
Don't forget the nation's pastime baseball...
….and volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, softball, water polo, handball, racquetball, ping pong, squash, croquet, cricket, golf, billiards, polo, shot put, bowling, and beer pong.
He is a big fan of NASCAR, ice hockey, rugby, and Australian rules football.
by ELIminatingthecompetition on Dec 21, 2011 6:54 PM CST up reply actions
You try telling me that FOOTBALL
Isn’t America’s true pasttime these days.
Maybe in 1950 or 1970 or in some George Will wetdream, baseball is still king. It’s an entirely different world, and football is what keeps us tuned in. If not the games, then the pre- and post-game shows to catch up on scores. If not those, then the highlight shows on ESPN and the like. If not those, then we’re flipping through the paper reading up on recruiting.
volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, softball, water polo, handball, racquetball, ping pong, squash, croquet, cricket, golf, billiards, polo, shot put, bowling, and beer pong
Uh, weren’t you trying to WIN this point? Very well. I’ll take golf and pool — everything else can disappear off the face of the earth.
He is a big fan of NASCAR, ice hockey, rugby, and Australian rules football.
I’ve got a resounding “NO” to NASCAR, and a resolution to follow up on the latter two. As for hockey, don’t even start — I’ll put you into the boards.
(I’m just grumpy about having less hockey around these parts.)
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
Was just having a good time being a dork
That was all
by ELIminatingthecompetition on Dec 22, 2011 10:35 PM CST up reply actions
I know
I was just being a grouch — it’s what I know best. Don’t take me too seriously.
And my dark secret is that I devoted my childhood to baseball. Thousands of cards, dozens of books, and listening to hundreds of games on the radio with my late grandfather. So, I bag on baseball, but I’ve got a wee bit of a soft spot left for it.
Depending upon how old you are, you may (or may not) be able to appreciate that since you’re a fan of both the Tide AND the Braves, I’ve got two reasons to hate ya’. Let’s just say I can remember when Sid slid.
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
I am soon to be 30
I was still a youngin’ when"The Slide" happened, though I can recall that year starting the Braves fever in the South. If you are saying you are a Pirate’s fan I feel for you.
by ELIminatingthecompetition on Dec 23, 2011 2:16 AM CST up reply actions
Actually that was the 2nd big playoff run for the Braves
but yeah I was young so I can’t really appreciate that Sid was the one to score the winner against the team that gave him his first starting gig.
by ELIminatingthecompetition on Dec 23, 2011 2:19 AM CST up reply actions
More than just a starting gig...
He was a fixture of sorts (and no, that’s not just a knock on his speed, although the word “fixture” would perhaps be apt).
Yes, I was a Pirates fan. Those few seasons were particularly rough — I’d say even tougher than the first few years of futility and failure that followed.
(And lest you think that’s why I bailed on them, it wasn’t. Baseball was something my grandfather got me into, and it was a shared pasttime. The strike came in ’94 and he passed in ’95, and I started college the following year, so it kind of got left behind.)
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
That strike nearly lost me as a baseball fan..
I have lost all caring for hockey and the NBA too.
I really like the match ups that can be created in baseball, and the strategy that it takes to be very good. One more strike, and I’ll forever dump them right along with the NHL and the NBA.
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
We have a winner
Sparks — e-mail me at TET_AUTiger at yahoo.com, with a mailing address. Alternately, if you have a few times that work out for lunch in the week between Christmas and New Year, let me know. No pressure on the lunch, if you’re not going to be around, but I didn’t forget that I’d offered (and I’ve got some down-time).
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
Check your email...
You have been sent a letter from the DUDE.
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
That’s good, because for Christmas I got you a White Russian ;).
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Dec 22, 2011 1:51 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
The dude abides
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
by AU Tiger on Dec 22, 2011 2:20 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Well they're harmless if you don't have a heart attack.
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
I AM A MARK FOR TONY B!
as y’all know, i try to keep the boastfulness to a minimum. i know the schedule hasn’t been particularly challenging but i’m always encouraged by Tony B’s postgame comments. never satisfied! and i think the players are buying into it.
War Eagle always!
by Triumphant Tiger on Dec 21, 2011 11:53 PM CST reply actions
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