The Return of Rick

Apparently the rumor du jour is that Rick Barnes is returning to the ACC and taking the Virginia job. StateFans Nation thinks N.C. State should try to grab him out from under UVA. Which is odd, because everytime they trot out the "coaches love the coaches they beat" arguement, I can't help but think of Rick Barnes, his 1-9 record against UNC at Clemson, and the fact that Carolina fans hate him.

I don't know Rick Barnes. As a card-carrying UNC fan, I don't like Rick Barnes. I fondly remember his last game in Chapel Hill. I know nothing about the man. But let me ask one question:

Why would he come back? He's the most successful basketball coach ever at a sports-intensive school in a sports intensive conference. He gets to walk into Cole Allen Fieldhouse every year, to tangle with Bobby Knight twice a year -- and this is Lion-In-Winter Bobby Knight, with only coaching to fall back on and none of the diefication that so annoyed Barnes about Smith and Krzyzewski -- all in front of a fan base busy putting the screws of history into the football coach down the hall. And he's going to give that up to come to Charlottesville? Or worse, Raleigh, where his season is measured by roughly 6 games against three teams?

Not going to happen. The Wolfpack can fire or retain Sendek to their liking. But if they do decide to go after Barnes, here's my advice: Look up Dame, Notre and Meyer, Urban. Family ties and success in the '80s ain't what they used to be.