I can't help myself (Tenn, merged thread)

[Plebe]

These comments by Westbrook do not sit well with me. I don’t care how bad the coach is. She is the coach YOU picked. It's not even like Pat recruited her and then she got "stuck" with a replacement. Evina CHOSE to play for Holly. You realize now you made a mistake? Great, you can transfer. Totally unacceptable to make these kinds of comments to the media, IMO.

 

[Orangutan]

Westbrook chose Tennessee over ND, Maryland, Oregon State and USC.

Don't know much about USC's program, but you have to think she would have been better off playing for Rueck, McGraw, or Frese.

 

[Blueberries]

I was perusing VolNation and saw postings about the high probability of E. Westbrook transferring. One poster wrote something to the effect of "I don't care were she goes, as long as she doesn't ruin WCBB by going to UConn." Responses were mostly that Evina is not intense enough to play for Geno... and that she would not be a good fit. But a few said Geno could teach her intensity. What do you think? Would you like to see Westbrook at UConn?

No way. Forget anything about her as a young adult, Geno wouldn't tolerate her mother and her mother's social media antics. Geno doesn't bring drama into the locker room. Evina may or may not be dramatic herself, but her mother has proven to run her mouth online to elevate minor or on-situations into major happenings and controversies..... No thanks. I wish her luck and that she can find independence from her parents wherever she may continue her college and pro career.

 

[Blueberries]

My favorite is "they don't do what I tell them to do." And you're supposed to be the coach? If you can't fix that then maybe you should be looking for a different profession.

That's unfair. Young adults rarely do what adults want them to do. I want my students to give a damn.... that doesn't mean that they will decide to care about exponential equations or logarithms regardless of how fun or engaging I make them. I am not a magician, nor is HW or Geno. The difference I see is that these young women in question are immensely talented and I would imagine super hard working based on their top 100 ratings nationally.... however, if that drive isn't intrinsically there, nothing the coach or teacher does is likely to change the minds of all these young adults. What Geno and others do so well is determining the COACHABLE and INTRINSICALLY DRIVEN players and what that quality is that sets them apart from all the other top 100 players. Geno is a master of determining which players are ready to play in his system and are willing to put in the effort each and every day. Not all top players are at that point and that's why Geno doesn't offer everyone in the top 100 or so rankings....

 

[BroadwayVa]

Broadway please do not take my assessment as an endorsement of any heir taking over. I understand it as Pat’s disease, her standing at the University and in the sport sort of forced the AD’s hand. I also think the results of 2012 as Holly as the defacto coach played a large part. Now as a UConn fan, if Tenn wants to make the same mistake again, who are we to stand in the way?

As intelligent as you appear I would first wait for YOU to make your assessment, you usually are so accurate. AND, while I would not be pleased should UT make the same mistake again, I'd sit back and enjoy the ride and keep up my chiding them for their foolish mistakes.

 

[choochoo]

On the other hand, there’s a lot of good coaches doing some really great things at mid-majors who would jump at the TN job, including the coach that Geno will be up against later today.

Imagine what FLJ the Buffalo head coach could do with the current Lady Vols loaded roster. It is mind boggling!!!! Go and get her, she is going to be a superstar!

 

[oldude]

Imagine what FLJ the Buffalo head coach could do with the current Lady Vols loaded roster. It is mind boggling!!!! Go and get her, she is going to be a superstar!

I would really be concerned if Coach Legette-Jack showed up at Gamble next year with the talent that TN has coming back.

 

[msf22b]

vtcwbuff said:
My favorite is "they don't do what I tell them to do." And you're supposed to be the coach? If you can't fix that then maybe you should be looking for a different profession.

I would not be surprised if Geno is more sympathetic to that argument, this evening.

 

[CocoHusky]

Imagine what FLJ the Buffalo head coach could do with the current Lady Vols loaded roster. It is mind boggling!!!! Go and get her, she is going to be a superstar!

I would really be concerned if Coach Legette-Jack showed up at Gamble next year with the talent that TN has coming back.

Buffalo is Legette-Jack 's third HC position. Her first two stops at Hofstra and Indiana were pretty unremarkable.

 

[Zanzman]

Buffalo is Legette-Jack 's third HC position. Her first two stops at Hofstra and Indiana were pretty unremarkable.

Joe Torres has several stops before he had success with the evil empire

 

[CocoHusky]

Joe Torres has several stops before he had success with the evil empire

I think TN will look for someone in the family and bring home Kellie Jolly Harper.
They should also give Melanie Balcomb a call based entirely on what she did for the South Carolina offense in one year.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I think TN will look for someone in the family and bring home Kellie Jolly Harper.
The should also give Melanie Balcomb a call based entirely on what she did for the South Carolina offense in one year.

I think you're right, and I think it will be a mistake. Harper did well at Western Carolina but had a very mediocre stint at NC State before her current gig at Missouri St. I think they really need to look outside their family tree and just get the best candidate they can. Their options within the family are fairly limited and probably will not be the right answer.

 

[VA Huskie]

Been there and had that reaction from UT fans. Didn't really notice when PS was the HC. Have experienced it since UT demise. It's not subtle either.

Actually my wife and I were at a FF and saw Tennessee fans react very professionally. They were like any other fans.

 

[Alibi Ike]

I think TN will look for someone in the family and bring home Kellie Jolly Harper.
They should also give Melanie Balcomb a call based entirely on what she did for the South Carolina offense in one year.

You mean the offense that had the best player in all of women's college basketball?

 

[UConnNick]

Kids are kids. Parents and coaches have the influence to "steer" them in a direction they maybe should be headed. Some kids have their minds made up, if recruited by a program they have rooted for or are infatuated with. Then, there is little opportunity to persuade them elsewhere. I find it very difficult to blame these players for their situation. If they are unhappy, they have the transfer card they can play. We (UConn) have seen our kids play that card because the program isn't what they thought it was. So, I have no words of wisdom for these players. They have options. For me, I think HW is a fine coach for UT and should be given another raise/extension.

I'd go even further. I think Phil Fulmer should announce that Holly has been named coach for life. He may reprise his role in the movie "The Blind Side" by showing up at LadyVol practices and saying, "Coach, do you think we could all see some drills?"

 

[UConnNick]

I have to give Westbrook a pass on her postgame comments. Some folks rated her as the top HS player in the country, ahead of Megan, when she came to TN. She is still young, and immediately following a frustrating game, after a frustrating season, several reporters stuck microphones in front of her asking difficult questions that she answered.

As for HW, she’s an adult, who’s been at this job for enough years to know better. I continue to be baffled by her post game comments. Once again she tossed her team under the bus citing her typical refrain after a loss, that her team needs to, “play harder.”

The only thing that was different about this postgame presser is that the media directly asked HW about her future in Knoxville. She responded with a lengthy ramble about how much she loved the university, the administration and her job there. She then went into a long diatribe about how TN values women. If she had a daughter she would send her to TN even if she didn’t play basketball, etc. I actually thought it was sad in a way, as she appeared to be saying, “Don’t fire me because I’m a woman.”

Holly learned that whole throwing the players under the bus after a loss thing from Summitt. Pat did that all the time.

 

[UConnNick]

Actually, I specifically reference the assumption that UConn will hire “someone with a reasonable understanding of how to develop talent and a team basketball strategy.” I agree fully that Geno will be asked to provide input into the decision by the AD, and it is virtually unthinkable that UConn would hire anyone based solely on emotion and loyalty as TN did when Pat stepped down.

It has happened before. Remember Dom Perno and Kevin Ollie?

 

[JellyBean]

To be honest, I really hope the Lady Vols don't give up on Holly Warlick.

 

[Bayareahusky]

To be honest, I really hope the Lady Vols don't give up on Holly Warlick.

She's just coming into her own.... about to turn the corner

 

[donalddoowop]

Westbrook chose Tennessee over ND, Maryland, Oregon State and USC.

Don't know much about USC's program, but you have to think she would have been better off playing for Rueck, McGraw, or Frese.

Not Frese.

 

[mbr33ct]

She's just coming into her own.... about to turn the corner

The least you could have done was to add an emoji to end your sentence. Anyone of these ( ) would have been good.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Jimmy's blog: Warlick says job status not a distraction

f Warlick is fired after this season, she would be paid close to her one-year salary of $690,000.

Warlick’s salary ranks in the bottom half of the SEC.

 

[CocoHusky]

You mean the offense that had the best player in all of women's college basketball?

SC's offense had arguably more talent in the lineup before the arrival of Balcomb and achieve less. I am specifically thinking of Tiffany Mitchell instead of Tyasha Harris as an example.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'd go even further. I think Phil Fulmer should announce that Holly has been named coach for life. He may reprise his role in the movie "The Blind Side" by showing up at LadyVol practices and saying, "Coach, do you think we could all see some drills?"

ROTFL.

 

[LoTrader]

I have not seen the video you folks are speaking of. If she has already decided to leave, then she no doubt felt free to speak her mind, even though it was not her place to do so. Westbrook won't have a problem finding a landing spot. Most of your top 10 programs would take her in a heat beat. You know Dawn Staley and Jeff Walz would go there personally to pick her up if she would agree to transfer to their respective program. Let's not kid ourselves, Westbrook is a talent. She just needs a new environment (coach/school), a little polish and coaching to bring out her latent talent and potential. She can find both of those in a number of places.

I'm sure Oregon State would gladly welcome Evina Westbrook back home, 40 minutes from where Evina went to High School!