DeShields leaving UT, going professional

[EricLA]

Okay some of you guys have said that you have inside contacts within the LVols. Where is all of the DD hate coming from?

She bailed out on UNC? My understanding is that she left because of the academic fraud investigation going on and the women's basketball team receiving a lot of the blame.

How is/did she poison UNC, UT?

I don't have a dog in the fight. I'm just trying to understand the criticism she receives. (Yes she is a ball hog but where is all the rest coming from)

Trying to be as objective as possible:

At the time of her recruitment, Pat was dealing with the Alzheimer's issue and that may have caused DD to take a serious pause. So what does she do? Becomes instrumental in assembling one terrific freshman class at UNC - her, Mavunga, Gray, and Washington. Then she promptly bails on her teammates after 1 year, leaving them flying in the wind. Ultimately all of them left UNC, but she went to Tennessee, where supposedly her heart always was.

Almost immediately after her decision to transfer to Tenn, Cooper announces she's going there - a top 20 kid who many Tenn fans thought was a top 5 kid, and was great friends with DD.

She has flashes of brilliance while at Tenn, punctuated by lazy and disinterested play on the court. Her attitude and demeanor was not one of a hard working kid trying to do her best, but rather a surly, spoiled kid who could play any damn way she choose since the coaches would never hold her accountable. I think it was mostly that attitude over the past 2 years that helped cause people to sour even more on her. Add to it a WAY overly involved father who publicly called out Holly on twitter after a loss saying something like "of course you are going to lose when you don't put your best player in the game".

LVol fans who claimed to "know" the real DD said she was a wonderful person. I don't know about that. Breanna Stewart, twice the player DD was in college, signed her LOI on the hood of her car. She's a sweetheart to her core. THAT is a wonderful person and UCONN is chock full of kids like that.

Anyway flash forward to this year and Cooper, the PG of the future, leaves the team apparently after instigating a fight with Jaime Nared.

Meanwhile, instead of choosing to leave and enter the draft, DD publicly comes out saying she's committed to her senior year and decides to stay in college (also says she wants to mentor the great freshman class Holly recruited). Not 2 months later, she chooses to leave school for a "professional career". Where - on Mars? She can't enter the WNBA now but I suppose she could go play in China or Turkey or some other country after the WNBA season is up... If that was ALL she did, it might not make so many people turn on her, but she has a history of being a selfish person and player as evidenced by all her actions over the years. If I had to guess, I'd say that's mostly why people aren't sympathetic to her.

 

[LadyVols9]

i agree with the above post----tn wanted to win with DD but there is little sympathy for her...most fans are relieved the head games are over.

 

[LadyVols9]

Holly's response to the tweet controversy.

Warlick clarified her tweet to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

"“People were asking me if I was OK; the tweet was intended to say I’m OK,” Warlick said. “People who know my character know that wasn’t intended at Diamond. That’s the truth. I don’t tweet negative stuff. I apologize if it offended anyone.

 

[triaddukefan]

Am I the only one who feels that somewhere about 50 miles east of me.... Coach Slyvia Hatchell is smirking just a bit right now?

 

[Replicant]

As many have suggested, this could well be addition by subtraction for the Lady Vols.

Or it could be what it also appears as - players and an assistant coach fleeing a sinking ship and it's suspect captain.

 

[LadyVols9]

I'm thinking the happiest person in Knoxville is Jaime Nared. She was always our best player but played second fiddle to the DD show

 

[Bernie]

I was about to say Holly is lying about the tweet incident, because it usually only replace the okay with an hand ok emoji emoji. But I just looked on my iPhone and the phrase I'm okay does really change to a smiley face emoji. She still shouldn't have tweeted though.

 

[RPM101370]

Holly's response to the tweet controversy.

Warlick clarified her tweet to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

"“People were asking me if I was OK; the tweet was intended to say I’m OK,” Warlick said. “People who know my character know that wasn’t intended at Diamond. That’s the truth. I don’t tweet negative stuff. I apologize if it offended anyone.

Wow. Even worse. So the cover story is that she is too stupid and clueless to anticipate this reaction to her juvenile tweet. Holly is an idiot and an embarassment. Probably a nice person but so unqualified for her position and undeserving of that money and legacy it is ridiculous. Here's an idea Holly, tweet "I'm OK" if you absolutely need to tweet to assure the masses that Diamond DeShields hasn't put you on suicide watch. Tweet "Don't fret everyone. Me and my hundreds of thousands of dollars for poor results are ok. "

Here's another suggestion: you're a grown woman and a head coach at a premier women's basketball program. You are above tweeting emojis like a twelve year old girl.

Tennessee is a cesspool and they deserve every bit of this.

 

[CocoHusky]

Okay some of you guys have said that you have inside contacts within the LVols. Where is all of the DD hate coming from?

She bailed out on UNC? My understanding is that she left because of the academic fraud investigation going on and the women's basketball team receiving a lot of the blame.
How is/did she poison UNC, UT?
I don't have a dog in the fight. I'm just trying to understand the criticism she receives. (Yes she is a ball hog but where is all the rest coming from)

It is not hate, more like shade. The genesis of it was when Diamond convinced several other players (Mavunga, Gray ...) to join her at NC and then bailed after what was a largely successful 1 year. Success at UNC included Diamond being named NFOY and the #4 UNC team beating #1 South Carolina in sweet sixteen of the 2014 NCAA tournament . In order to make scholarships available for Diamond and her friends UNC reneged of scholarship for the Day twins, who were from NC and ultimately ended up playing at Syracuse.
The "ball hogging" aspect of the shade should also not be overlooked and it probably the biggest contributor at least equal to her being a high volume, low accuracy shooter/chucker. Diamond is a gifted athlete who is cheating both her gifts and the game of basketball because she has not shown the ability to make her teammates better or the ability to responds positively to coaching. Bailing on TN was a predictable behavior for Diamond & this shade has been well earned.

 

[Waquoit]

Whoa.
This was tweeted minutes ago:


Holly Warlick‏Verified account @HollyWarlick

All class, this coach.

 

[YellwJcket999]

I was shocked and disappointed to hear that she is now leaving UT to go pro. I am now wondering who in the world is mentoring/talking to her. Leaving after having made such a public announcement of staying is just poor taste (not to mention a horrible decision). Now hearing all of this. IDK Diamond smh.

 

[TitleTown]

Holly's response to the tweet controversy.

Warlick clarified her tweet to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

"“People were asking me if I was OK; the tweet was intended to say I’m OK,” Warlick said. “People who know my character know that wasn’t intended at Diamond. That’s the truth. I don’t tweet negative stuff. I apologize if it offended anyone.

Riiiiiiigggggghhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttt.

 

[willtalk]

I can remember when she assembled her crew and declared for NC. Remember that was also a huge surprise. It was obvious to me why she did that. With NC on the decline under unstructured coach, combined with DD bringing in her talented group, it gave her incredible leverage on that team. She could pretty much play any way she wanted. I remember the excitement on the NC site as the fans discussed how early their multiple championship run would begin. I responded by posting " All that glitters is not Gold". It was obvious, to me anyway, that the program would implode. I had seen this happen before in the Mens College Basketball, where a coach ended up with little to no control over his players. Those sort of teams inveritably underachieve due to inconsistency resulting from a lack of discipline.

I doubt she left purely because of the scandal. That was just a good cover. She left because the team underachieved her own expectations. Rather than recognizing a major problem was her own ball dominant undisiplined style, she blamed the program and transferred to TN where the same scenario could then repeat itself. The problem is that her talent has always allowed her to leverage certain types of programs to accommodate her style at the expense of team chemistry. She is the antithesis of someone who makes the players around her better.

Ironically, there are enough coaches and programs available that will enable players like her. This allows them to avoid the vary coaches and programs that would help them develop not only as players, but also as mature well rounded individuals. That is what sports programs were originally designed to do.

 

[UConnNick]

When I saw it suggested this morning I thought it was just wild speculation, and was tempted to chastise the post for rumor mongering!

When did they change the name of the city from Knoxville to Knots Landing?

I prefer Nutsville. It's always been all about the big smoke machine, the bling and the zing there. I always have this visual image of Ann Strother in her hotel room during her recruiting visit to Vol-land, surrounded by bottomless bowls of caramels and an endless supply of grape soda. She was smart enough to see through the glitz and fritz.

 

[triaddukefan]

I can remember when she assembled her crew and declared for NC. Remember that was also a huge surprise. It was obvious to me why she did that. With NC on the decline under unstructured coach, combined with DD bringing in her talented group, it gave her incredible leverage on that team. She could pretty much play any way she wanted. I remember the excitement on the NC site as the fans discussed how early their multiple championship run would begin. I responded by posting " All that glitters is not Gold". It was obvious, to me anyway, that the program would implode. I had seen this happen before in the Mens College Basketball, where a coach ended up with little to no control over his players. Those sort of teams inveritably underachieve due to inconsistency resulting from a lack of discipline.

I doubt she left purely because of the scandal. That was just a good cover. She left because the team underachieved her own expectations. Rather than recognizing a major problem was her own ball dominant undisiplined style, she blamed the program and transferred to TN where the same scenario could then repeat itself. The problem is that her talent has always allowed her to leverage certain types of programs to accommodate her style at the expense of team chemistry. She is the antithesis of someone who makes the players around her better.

Ironically, there are enough coaches and programs available that will enable players like her. This allows them to avoid the vary coaches and programs that would help them develop not only as players, but also as mature well rounded individuals. That is what sports programs were originally designed to do.

They didnt really underachieve that season........ if the regional final was anywhere other than Stanford's home court.... they most likely would have made the final 4. Not that I was complaining

 

[UConnNick]

Wow! Rereading this announcement, it is seething with barely concealed anger and resentment from Holly. " Diamond DeShields is no longer with the program." That is the sort of statement that a coach makes when a player has been kicked off the team, or has engaged in some sort of behavior that is detrimental to the team.

And after stating that DD "now has a chance to play professionally," Warlick goes on to praise the "commitment" of her returnees and incoming freshmen. That sounds like an indirect slap at DeShields, implying that she is not, and was not, "committed" to UT.

No nice words, not words of thanks, no best wishes. This is a rushed and sullen announcement that reeks of anger and a "good riddance" attitude by Warlick.

Something big must have happened recently to make this happen. A kid with hopes of a pro career doesn't blow off the pro draft, then in the middle of summer decide to go pro. Weird and inexplicable from the announcement. Wonder what happened....

Can't she go play somewhere overseas this fall/winter? I don't see it as any big deal that she announces it now, except for missing the WNBA draft. She obviously changed her mind. It happens.

 

[Bayareahusky]

I am very surprised by this but not sure why I expected anything other drama from DD. I am a huge fan but personally I am SO SICK of these college kids having ZERO loyalty to a program and their teammates. Not only did she have a very mediocre career, but now she will forever be known as the player who gave up on 2 schools, never made the FF, never won a major award, nor was even drafted. Put me in the group that says TN needs a fresh start from the DD/Cooper drama. And it really burns me up that she posted a long post a couple of months ago saying she wanted to mentor the freshman. BYE DIAMOND. your words mean nothing. Next.

LV9 Love having you on the board.... you see things pretty clearly.... last few years in the CHW era I have actually felt badly for the individuals (players).... they deserve a competent person at the helm.... tough but fair demanding but compassionate.... Tho a tru (national flag) blue fan, i am rooting that success in Knoxville will return..... Vic S is doing a good building job at MS, and Dawn is starting to run with her success... don't let them get too far!!! I wish for the best, especially for you, tennparker, and the other good basketball fans who write here.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Trying to be as objective as possible:

At the time of her recruitment, Pat was dealing with the Alzheimer's issue and that may have caused DD to take a serious pause. So what does she do? Becomes instrumental in assembling one terrific freshman class at UNC - her, Mavunga, Gray, and Washington. Then she promptly bails on her teammates after 1 year, leaving them flying in the wind. Ultimately all of them left UNC, but she went to Tennessee, where supposedly her heart always was.

Almost immediately after her decision to transfer to Tenn, Cooper announces she's going there - a top 20 kid who many Tenn fans thought was a top 5 kid, and was great friends with DD.

She has flashes of brilliance while at Tenn, punctuated by lazy and disinterested play on the court. Her attitude and demeanor was not one of a hard working kid trying to do her best, but rather a surly, spoiled kid who could play any damn way she choose since the coaches would never hold her accountable. I think it was mostly that attitude over the past 2 years that helped cause people to sour even more on her. Add to it a WAY overly involved father who publicly called out Holly on twitter after a loss saying something like "of course you are going to lose when you don't put your best player in the game".

LVol fans who claimed to "know" the real DD said she was a wonderful person. I don't know about that. Breanna Stewart, twice the player DD was in college, signed her LOI on the hood of her car. She's a sweetheart to her core. THAT is a wonderful person and UConn is chock full of kids like that.

Anyway flash forward to this year and Cooper, the PG of the future, leaves the team apparently after instigating a fight with Jaime Nared.

Meanwhile, instead of choosing to leave and enter the draft, DD publicly comes out saying she's committed to her senior year and decides to stay in college (also says she wants to mentor the great freshman class Holly recruited). Not 2 months later, she chooses to leave school for a "professional career". Where - on Mars? She can't enter the WNBA now but I suppose she could go play in China or Turkey or some other country after the WNBA season is up... If that was ALL she did, it might not make so many people turn on her, but she has a history of being a selfish person and player as evidenced by all her actions over the years. If I had to guess, I'd say that's mostly why people aren't sympathetic to her.

As usual you are bang on here..... Good synopsis.....

I try to understand the situation there at TBA and for the most part I think I do, albeit in the form of opinion......

The one thing I cannot figure out is the thing with Cooper..... yes she had a fight yes teammates were there.... yes it was filmed,..... and yes it was passed to admin peeps who acted.....

But do you get booted for merely a fight.....?? I am sure there is a back story filled with past indiscretions..... it can't be just the fight

 

[Bayareahusky]

I'm thinking the happiest person in Knoxville is Jaime Nared. She was always our best player but played second fiddle to the DD show

Have always loved Nared.... she brings it every night and just seems to be an exemplary player..... very easy player to like....

this year she has to put her leadership shorts on

 

[Bayareahusky]

At the risk of posting too much here..... I do not see Margo's response..... can someone please post it here.... I do not have Facebook Thanks everyone

 

[LadyVols9]

LV9 Love having you on the board.... you see things pretty clearly.... last few years in the CHW era I have actually felt badly for the individuals (players).... they deserve a competent person at the helm.... tough but fair demanding but compassionate.... Tho a tru (national flag) blue fan, i am rooting that success in Knoxville will return..... Vic S is doing a good building job at MS, and Dawn is starting to run with her success... don't let them get too far!!! I wish for the best, especially for you, tennparker, and the other good basketball fans who write here.

Thanks bud. I like being on the board with fellow posters like yourself. LV fans can be loyal and honest at the same time. I try to do that, as best I can with this orange blood running through me. Ha. This whole drama with DD was only going to make next year even harder. I said before both her and MR made a decision that MR staying at TN was far more important than DD. Now, the young players will not have to deal with the nonsense. By the way, here is Margo's video:



Have a good rest of the night.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Thanks bud. I like being on the board with fellow posters like yourself. LV fans can be loyal and honest at the same time. I try to do that, as best I can with this orange blood running through me. Ha. This whole drama with DD was only going to make next year even harder. I said before both her and MR made a decision that MR staying at TN was far more important than DD. Now, the young players will not have to deal with the nonsense. By the way, here is Margo's video:



Have a good rest of the night.

Oh LV9 I KNEW you would come to my rescue!!! I love Margo..... even tho i do not agree all the time..... she has passion like few other fans have.... and she always entertains.....

Thank you again LV9.... there will be a little bit extra in your paycheck next week.

 

[WestCoastPup]

But do you get booted for merely a fight.....?? I am sure there is a back story filled with past indiscretions..... it can't be just the fight

The VolNation site has a 30+ page thread on the cooper xfer. it's stated from several sources that this fight (for Te'a) was NOT the first incident. Some state the behavior / poor decision making dates by 2 years.
Nonetheless, there is a general consensus that the fight was simply the final straw, not the first or only one...

 

[MSSportsGuy]

As a UT supporter and fan of the game overall, this hurts. It hurts terribly. DeShields had her own issues and a personality to manage but she is talented. This comes at a bad time for the program and these freshmen better be as good as advertised or UT could be in danger of not making the tournament. I don't think everything the last two years has been about her soap opera like some people. I do think she needed more old school coaching than she received at UNC or UT. Both places weren't good fits for a variety of reasons. I hope she is a successful pro and that UT can pull it together quickly. Nared and Russell are back, but honestly give the freshmen this team and make it theirs.

 

[cferraro04]

I just love me some Margo...certainly a fan who can always find the silver lining. The Lady Vols biggest problem the past couple of few years has been their chemistry. Maybe this "out with the old and in with the new" may be the answer. They sure picked a tough year to find out. With South Carolina coming off their championship year with probably the best center in the NCAA and UConn fielding its deepest, most talented team possibly ever...this is going to be a "baptism by fire".