I think a lot of people appreciated what he did for us, but for his own happiness is better off at TCU. He really appeared to age 10 years in the last 3-4.
It is pretty simple to understand Barnes' and Dixon's actions this past week, if anyone is paying attention, instead of pushing their private agendas.
1)It has been posted by reputable posters multiple times that a significant segment of big money boosers have been actively working to remove Dixon. This was intensified after the loss to Wisconsin.
2) Barnes was hired primarily because of his history as a fund-raiser. His hirng history was minimal. His best hire was promoting an assistant. Not exactly earth-shattering.
3) The easiest way to raise significant amounts of money is to go, as Willie Sutton the bank robber famously said "...where the money is." He can potentially raise more money from a handful of the big guys than a thousand of us. To fulfill what may be his primary function, he has to schmooze those guys.
4) As such, it is clear they had considerable influence and were instrumental in worsening the relationship between Dixon and Pitt. Dixon had the big contract buy-out and even with the efforts of the boosters, had at least another bad year before anyone would have seriously considered firing him. But, the timing of the TCU opening allowed Dixon AND Pitt a face- and money-saving out. As it worked out, it relieved pressure on Dixon but it certainly intensified pressure on Pitt. And Mr. Barnes.
5) All the talk about Barnes having connections certainly has a much more ominous connotation given the Stallings hire, doesn't it? Reportedly the boosters are "not pleased" with Stallings so Barnes' move might backfire on him in several ways. Those given to conspiracy theories might muse whether the Miller contact might have been 1) made to molify the big boosters and 2) intentionally botched to allow him sign Stallings and help his buddy.
Maybe the object lessons for everyone here are 1) there are ALWAYS things going on behind the scenes that most people don't know about and 2) we as a fanbase know little about basketball and lack perspective. Very few would say we are better off as a program today then we were even immediately after the Wisconsin loss.
It is what it is. We move on, each in our own way.