Dawn Staley by Dawn Staley

[j66kicker]

OK, point taken, though as others have suggested, the piece was probably the product of some publicist's pen more than really from Dawn. But that, too, is academic....she no doubt approved it. I just think that we Boneyarders tend to be very quick to denigrate rival coaches and their public utterances when our own favorite coach, God love him, is about as brash as they come. To be fair, Dawn, who ain't never gonna be accused of being no shrinking violet, did take a dormant program and, pretty much single-handedly, put it prominently on the map. As a result, fan interest there is literally through the roof. WCBB needs much more of that, and we all, in my opinion, ought to err more on the side of giving credit where it's due, however reluctantly!

I give Dawn credit for the things you mention - putting a dormant (but rich) program on the map, and increasing fan interest to nation-leading levels. Just think you should actually win something - maybe more than once - before you call yourself "great". She's saying what distinguishes her is she was a great player and can relate to players. But what does she have to show for it? What distinguishes Geno is 10 national championships, number of players in the WNBA, and kicking the great one's *ss by 25 points and right out of her faux-#1 ranking last year.

 

[cabbie191]

Barry Alvarez took over the coaching reins at Wisconsin in 1990. In the previous six years, the Badgers had won only 7 conference games (thank you, Northwestern!) and never were close to having a winning season.

His first three teams, played primarily with players he largely didn't recruit, also had losing records. But starting in 1993, lasting until the end of his coaching tenure 13 years later, his teams had a 68% winning record, averaged 8.3 wins a season, and went 9-4 in bowl games (including the two recent ones he coached out of "retirement". Ten years after leaving as coach, the school has most years fielded competitive teams, and the passion he built at Camp Randall among the fan base remains as strong as ever.

For the last two years that he coached football, he also served as Wisconsin's athletic director, a position he still holds. During his tenure, Wisconsin has remained a powerhouse in men's and women's ice hockey, and the men's basketball team has become a national power.

So, should these accomplishments accord him a designation as a great coach/athletic director?

Hmm, his teams never won a national championship, so according to the standards some of you are expressing, the answer would be no. I disagree - just because someone isn't the absolute best at something, or doesn't get the top recognition, or loses a championship - doesn't mean he/she isn't "great" at what they do.

Ty Cobb played in 3 World Series - lost every one of them. Neither did Ken Griffey Jr, Carl Yastrzemski, Ernie Banks, etc, win the World Series.

Likewise, Big Bang Theory and Sheldon Cooper aside, I don't think I'd be dismissive of the qualifications of the physicists and chemists who come in second place for the Nobel Prizes.

 

[CocoHusky]

She made it to the national championship game as a player.

I know it 1991 lost in overtime to your Lady Vols. Still that would be championship-singular. IMO it would have been more impactful/meaningful if she said what actually happened. She is the only person who has lead a team to 3 consecutive FF appearances as a player and 1 FF apperance as a coach- so far.

 

[AnotherVolFan]

I know it 1991 lost in overtime to your Lady Vols. Still that would be championship-singular. IMO it would have been more impactful/meaningful if she said what actually happened. She is the only person who has lead a team to 3 consecutive FF appearances as a player and 1 FF apperance as a coach- so far.

I can agree with you there.

 

[BlueDevils]

I strongly prefer what Maya wrote!

Last night, LeBron said he had confidence that the Cavs would win the next 2 games, because "I'm the best player in the world." I just can't imagine Jordan saying it that way.

I sense a lack of humility.

Jordan and Lebron are two different people. I grew up a kobe fan and I'm still currently a Lakers fan so I see no problem with what Lebron said. This isn't kindergarten these are GROWN MAN fighting for a CHAMPIONSHIP. Lets say Uconn is down 3-2 in a 7 game series and Stewie were to say what Lebron said I would be excited as an Uconn fan not penalizing what she said. Its sports.

 

[FairView]

I see this piece as further proof they are putting together a complete women's basketball machine at South Carolina. People are thinking about using all channels available to touch recruits and influence perceptions across the board. That is what a big-time program does.

 

[j66kicker]

Barry Alvarez took over the coaching reins at Wisconsin in 1990. In the previous six years, the Badgers had won only 7 conference games (thank you, Northwestern!) and never were close to having a winning season.

His first three teams, played primarily with players he largely didn't recruit, also had losing records. But starting in 1993, lasting until the end of his coaching tenure 13 years later, his teams had a 68% winning record, averaged 8.3 wins a season, and went 9-4 in bowl games (including the two recent ones he coached out of "retirement". Ten years after leaving as coach, the school has most years fielded competitive teams, and the passion he built at Camp Randall among the fan base remains as strong as ever.

For the last two years that he coached football, he also served as Wisconsin's athletic director, a position he still holds. During his tenure, Wisconsin has remained a powerhouse in men's and women's ice hockey, and the men's basketball team has become a national power.

So, should these accomplishments accord him a designation as a great coach/athletic director?

Hmm, his teams never won a national championship, so according to the standards some of you are expressing, the answer would be no. I disagree - just because someone isn't the absolute best at something, or doesn't get the top recognition, or loses a championship - doesn't mean he/she isn't "great" at what they do.

Ty Cobb played in 3 World Series - lost every one of them. Neither did Ken Griffey Jr, Carl Yastrzemski, Ernie Banks, etc, win the World Series.

Likewise, Big Bang Theory and Sheldon Cooper aside, I don't think I'd be dismissive of the qualifications of the physicists and chemists who come in second place for the Nobel Prizes.

Barry is probably a really good administrator and was a good coach. His teams won or shared 3 Big 10 titles during his 16 years coaching at WI. He even steps back into coaching football when he's between coaches, and does a serviceable job. Is that HOF-worthy? Even if some Wisconsin homers think he's great, is he entitled to call himself "great" for this performance?

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Barry is probably a really good administrator and was a good coach. His teams won or shared 3 Big 10 titles during his 16 years coaching at WI. He even steps back into coaching football when he's between coaches, and does a serviceable job. Is that HOF-worthy? Even if some Wisconsin homers think he's great, is he entitled to call himself "great" for this performance?

Sometimes you need to look at a program's past to see if a coach is great. Alvarez won big at a school that had precious little history before he got there. I think Alvarez is an outstanding coach. It's easy to win at Florida or Ohio State. While Urban Meyer is a great coach, I wonder how he would do at UCONN or South Carolina?

 

[cabbie191]

Barry is probably a really good administrator and was a good coach. His teams won or shared 3 Big 10 titles during his 16 years coaching at WI. He even steps back into coaching football when he's between coaches, and does a serviceable job. Is that HOF-worthy? Even if some Wisconsin homers think he's great, is he entitled to call himself "great" for this performance?

I appreciate the important distinction you have made in this thread - the difference between someone calling themselves great versus others labeling someone as being great.

I wrote what I said from this perspective: as UConn WCBB fans we are blessed to have a coach and a coaching staff of unparalleled achievement. I believe that some of us are spoiled to the extent that we set the bar to be considered great so high that no one but Geno can ever reach it. I obviously don't feel that way - as Cockhrnleghrn just wrote, perspective on what a coach has to deal with is important.

And for the record, Alvarez is about humble a guy as exists in big time college sports. I've never heard him take credit for Wisconsin's successes - always directs it to others.

 

[SCGamecock]

I often wonder why some of you loathe Dawn Staley so much... I can't think of anything negative that she's done to UCONN or their fans. She's nothing but complimentary of the UCONN program and is very respectful towards Auriemma.

I mean... She wants to beat UCONN of course.. very badly in fact.. but that's because of how much she respects UCONN and what beating them would do for SC..

She's extremely nice and fun loving in person. She's intense during games because that's the nature of sports. Geno is no saint either..

 

[j66kicker]

Sometimes you need to look at a program's past to see if a coach is great. Alvarez won big at a school that had precious little history before he got there. I think Alvarez is an outstanding coach. It's easy to win at Florida or Ohio State. While Urban Meyer is a great coach, I wonder how he would do at UCONN or South Carolina?

Let's find out! Suspect he would do great at UCONN, and we would get in the B1G.

 

[j66kicker]

I appreciate the important distinction you have made in this thread - the difference between someone calling themselves great versus others labeling someone as being great.

I wrote what I said from this perspective: as UConn WCBB fans we are blessed to have a coach and a coaching staff of unparalleled achievement. I believe that some of us are spoiled to the extent that we set the bar to be considered great so high that no one but Geno can ever reach it. I obviously don't feel that way - as Cockhrnleghrn just wrote, perspective on what a coach has to deal with is important.

Guess "great" is everyone's own personal definition. To me there are maybe 15-20 "great" coaches in each major sport (including WCBB). For NFL it would be Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown, Bill Walsh, Chuck Knoll, Tom Landry, etc., etc., probably include Parcells & Belichick. Coaches who won it all multiple times. I thought that list of HOF WBB coaches someone posted the other day was pathetically long. Whatever your definition, I don't think anyone should have to call themselves great. But if they do, I think it's a joke if they haven't won it all at least once.

 

[blkkirk]

I like Dawn and I like the article. I especially like where she is talking about how she connects and the value of connecting with her players. She takes responsibility for making the connection as well as acknowledged how she has evolved in this area. There is plenty of room for excellence!

 

[Bgillon]

I think the PR piece would be just as effective if she had not called herself a great coach. And I don't think Geno ever called himself a great coach. The difference could well be generational. Our society is much more likely now to have people blowing their own horn .