If you ever talked to Leon Barmore when he was coaching, then this quote shouldn't come as a big shock. Once, when I was in school, Leon came into the place where I worked, and the start of basketball season was only a month or so away. I said, "Good morning, Coach. How's the team going to do this year?" He replied, "Oh, we'll probably be about .500." As I walked away, I thought, "Man that's BS. 500 sucks. Coach Barmore must be losing his edge." Their final record that year was 31-2 and they went to the Elite 8. It's an old coaching trick... promise low, deliver high.
So, when he says that we might not ever get to the Final Four again he is only saying that to keep unnecessary pressure off of Tyler Summitt, and that is the right thing to do. Certainly Tyler and his staff want to get back to the Final Four, and Leon wants the same thing. I understand why that comment would make you start this poll, but I don't believe that guys like Barmore and Summitt have lowered their standards.
There is no doubt that this is a process and it can't be turned around overnight. The main change I look for next season is a change in the team's attitude. It would be a great sign if they HATE losing, and they EXPECT to win the conference. That is an attitude the old teams always had, and it seems to have been lost. After that, it will depend on recruiting classes, so we just have to take it one year at at time.