CO soon to not be undefeated

[Vowelguy]

down 31-14 at half to Stanford
so much for challenge #1 to Stanford in the PAC

that will leave just UConn & Duke

 

[speedoo]

And Cal barely escaped with a win at Utah. Looks like another easy conference schedule for Stanford.

 

[Wonkster]

.
Why is it that with all the hsgbb talent on the West Coast, there are so few great teams coming out of there? The state of Texas, with 3 NC's in the last decade, has just a little over 3/4 California's population.

 

[magical2]

.
Why is it that with all the hsgbb talent on the West Coast, there are so few great teams coming out of there? The state of Texas, with 3 NC's in the last decade, has just a little over 3/4 California's population.

Wonk Over the last 13 Years we have 1o and 6 NCs,BA has 2,TN has 2 doesn't leave many for the rest of the country Over the next 4
we may have 4 and 4 more NCs! If I am a HS player and want NCs I know where I am going
Ira

 

[Vowelguy]

.
Why is it that with all the hsgbb talent on the West Coast, there are so few great teams coming out of there? The state of Texas, with 3 NC's in the last decade, has just a little over 3/4 California's population.

I think poor coaching has a lot to do with it.

 

[alexrgct]

.
Why is it that with all the hsgbb talent on the West Coast, there are so few great teams coming out of there? The state of Texas, with 3 NC's in the last decade, has just a little over 3/4 California's population.

It's a very good question, especially given that two of those Lone Star NCs were by committee. So yes, having a Brittney Griner helps, but that's only one of the three.

Having said that, it could well be that the two best kids out of Cali in the past 15 years have ended up in Storrs. Diana was a national #1. Her legacy is beyond reproach. KML was a national #1. I think she will be the best player on at least one NC team before she's done and she could well be the best recruit out of Cali since D. Yes, good coaching helps, and Baylor and A&M have had that. And Stanford has had two of the better Texas kids go there, if it comes to that. But if KML or D had stayed in Cali, maybe they would have brought some hardware home.

 

[HuskyNan]

I think poor coaching has a lot to do with it.

I'm bored so I looked at some of the current and former Pac-10 coaches:

• Cal was good when Joanne Boyle was there, especially when she recruited Devanei Hampton & Ashley Walker but they could never get quite to the top of the hill. Cal is now ranked #7 under 2nd year coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Former Stanford assistant Charmin Smith is also on the staff along with another former Stanford player, Katy Steding. With only one loss, to Duke, Cal is 11-1 but except for the aformentioned Duke don't exactly play a tough schedule. But Gottlieb is only a second year coach, so I'm impressed. Cal plays Stanford back to back on the 8th and 13th, the second game is on ESPN2. Could be a good one.
• It's too soon to say how good a job Cori Close is doing at UCLA since she's only in her second year but the Bruins are ranked and have a win over Oklahoma in Norman so maybe things are looking up out there.
• Former Lady Vol Niya Butts is in her fifth year at Arizona. I'm not sure how she's doing there since the Wildcats aren't playing a lot of teams that anyone's heard of. AZ is 9-3 but has double-digit losses to BYU, UTEP and Long Beach State.
• Kevin McGuff, who had been an assistant under Muffet McGraw, is now a second-year head coach at Washington after his tenure at Xavier. It's too soon to say anything about McGuff's performance there, but the Left Coast Huskies are 9-3 at this point and last year Washington was 6-6 playing similar schools, so there has been improvement. For myself, I always thought McGuff was a very good coach that had a lot to do with Notre Dame's success in 2001.
• USC has a boatload of talent but Michael Cooper seems to be doing less with more. Sad goings on for a once proud program.
• Powerhouse UTEP also beat Charli Turner-Thorne's AZ State, which is now 8-5.
• Colorado I've mentioned previously. I think Linda Lappe is doing a good job there and at least seems to have her team headed in the right direction.
• Note on UTEP - the Miners are 12-1 with wins over Arizona, Arizona State and a 2 point victory over K-State in Kansas. UTEP is the defending C-USA regular season and tournament champion. 12th year coach Keitha Adams has taken UTEP to the NCAAs twice, including last season, She's also led the team to five 18+ win seasons, something the Athletic Dept's site said had never happened to the women's program before Adams took over the head coaching position. One wonders what some of these coaches of successful "smaller" schools would do with the USC roster.
• Note on Long Beach State, which beat both Arizona and Washington - those were bad losses. LB State lost to Iona, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, San Diego - well, you get the idea.

 

[triaddukefan]

And Cal barely escaped with a win at Utah. Looks like another easy conference schedule for Stanford.

I think Cal can get at least one victory over Stanford this year. They have a really good backcourt and enough size and athleticism up front to matchup with the cards.

 

[EricLA]

It's a very good question, especially given that two of those Lone Star NCs were by committee. So yes, having a Brittney Griner helps, but that's only one of the three.

Having said that, it could well be that the two best kids out of Cali in the past 15 years have ended up in Storrs. Diana was a national #1. Her legacy is beyond reproach. KML was a national #1. I think she will be the best player on at least one NC team before she's done and she could well be the best recruit out of Cali since D. Yes, good coaching helps, and Baylor and A&M have had that. And Stanford has had two of the better Texas kids go there, if it comes to that. But if KML or D had stayed in Cali, maybe they would have brought some hardware home.

At least 1? i'm betting on 2, and there's an excellent chance she gets 3...

 

[Phil]

.
Why is it that with all the hsgbb talent on the West Coast, there are so few great teams coming out of there? The state of Texas, with 3 NC's in the last decade, has just a little over 3/4 California's population.

Part of the answer is that volleyball is so much bigger out there, and attracts some of the talent.

 

[triaddukefan]

Part of the answer is that volleyball is so much bigger out there, and attracts some of the talent.

and the basketball talent that is there... alot of the upper echelon of it leaves the state. Duke will have 4 California players on next years roster.

 

[Vowelguy]

and the basketball talent that is there... a lot of the upper echelon of it leaves the state.

Which goes back to my poor coaching comment. Players know that they need to go elsewhere to get a really good coach.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I actually was able to catch the California/Utah game and I have to say Cal is a pretty decent team. They have good size inside and depth. Great guard play. I realize the game with Utah was close but I think that was because of the Utes. I thought they played pretty well and the Plouffee player (Canadian National Team) was really good.

The impression that was left with me was Cal is pretty darn good and Utah might finish better in the PAC12 then some may think. It's early, so anything can happen.

 

[cardfan]

I think Cal can get at least one victory over Stanford this year. They have a really good backcourt and enough size and athleticism up front to matchup with the cards.

agree, but not about their guard, but their posts. We play at Cal Tuesday night so we'll see. Very odd Pac12 schedule. It will be our 3rd game in 5 days. We play Cal again at Maples next Sun.

 

[cardfan]

Part of the answer is that volleyball is so much bigger out there, and attracts some of the talent.

and soccer.

 

[cardfan]

I'm bored so I looked at some of the current and former Pac-10 coaches:

• Cal was good when Joanne Boyle was there, especially when she recruited Devanei Hampton & Ashley Walker but they could never get quite to the top of the hill. Cal is now ranked #7 under 2nd year coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Former Stanford assistant Charmin Smith is also on the staff along with another former Stanford player, Katy Steding. With only one loss, to Duke, Cal is 11-1 but except for the aformentioned Duke don't exactly play a tough schedule. But Gottlieb is only a second year coach, so I'm impressed. Cal plays Stanford back to back on the 8th and 13th, the second game is on ESPN2. Could be a good one. Fired Cal coach Caren Hortsmeyer recruited Hampton and Walker so Boyle's cupboard was pretty full when she got the job. Also, Gottlieb was first assistant under Boyle before taking head coaching job at Santa Barbara before coming back to Cal. She is a very good young coach, and Charmin and Katy help!
• It's too soon to say how good a job Cori Close is doing at UCLA since she's only in her second year but the Bruins are ranked and have a win over Oklahoma in Norman so maybe things are looking up out there. UCLA will beat Cal and maybe Stanford in LA.
• Former Lady Vol Niya Butts is in her fifth year at Arizona. I'm not sure how she's doing there since the Wildcats aren't playing a lot of teams that anyone's heard of. AZ is 9-3 but has double-digit losses to BYU, UTEP and Long Beach State.
• Kevin McGuff, who had been an assistant under Muffet McGraw, is now a second-year head coach at Washington after his tenure at Xavier. It's too soon to say anything about McGuff's performance there, but the Left Coast Huskies are 9-3 at this point and last year Washington was 6-6 playing similar schools, so there has been improvement. For myself, I always thought McGuff was a very good coach that had a lot to do with Notre Dame's success in 2001.
• USC has a boatload of talent but Michael Cooper seems to be doing less with more. Sad goings on for a once proud program. Worst hire, ever. Need to get rid of him.
• Powerhouse UTEP also beat Charli Turner-Thorne's AZ State, which is now 8-5.
• Colorado I've mentioned previously. I think Linda Lappe is doing a good job there and at least seems to have her team headed in the right direction.
• Note on UTEP - the Miners are 12-1 with wins over Arizona, Arizona State and a 2 point victory over K-State in Kansas. UTEP is the defending C-USA regular season and tournament champion. 12th year coach Keitha Adams has taken UTEP to the NCAAs twice, including last season, She's also led the team to five 18+ win seasons, something the Athletic Dept's site said had never happened to the women's program before Adams took over the head coaching position. One wonders what some of these coaches of successful "smaller" schools would do with the USC roster.
• Note on Long Beach State, which beat both Arizona and Washington - those were bad losses. LB State lost to Iona, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, San Diego - well, you get the idea.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Worse than Westhead?

 

[cardfan]

Worse than Westhead?

You're right. Westhead hire was worse.