Jim Fuller: Looks like Uconn - Baylor series will NOT be renewed

[alexrgct]

mUlk is a single mother...has her last kid in the house... she wants to be a good mother first and foremost.

This may be an unpopular opinion on my part, but...

Sorry, but that's weak. She plays in a conference that has schools in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, etc., and most recently had schools in Nebraska and Colorado as well. It's going to be adding West Virginia. What difference does it make that Connecticut is a bit further away? None of those are close to home.

Moreover, and this is the part a lot of people are going to disagree with me on, you don't get to be supermom and the head coach of a top-flight college sports program. You don't get a seven-figure salary without the job taking you away from your family. It's just how it is. There are sacrifices you have to make, and family time is one of them. That sounds harsh, but it's reality. She has a responsibility to her program and to women's basketball to play as competitive a schedule as possible and help showcase the sport as much as possible. Can you imagine a male coach of a major MBB or WBb program making this argument?

BTW, I'm a single dad whose kids live with me full-time, and I may not
make seven figures but I do have a pretty demanding post-MBA job. So I can empathize with her situation, but if she doesn't want to leave Texas, I'm sure Sam Houston State would be delighted to have her.

 

[speedoo]

This may be an unpopular opinion on my part, but...

Sorry, but that's weak. She plays in a conference that has schools in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, etc., and most recently had schools in Nebraska and Colorado as well. It's going to be adding West Virginia. What difference does it make that Connecticut is a bit further away? None of those are close to home.

Moreover, and this is the part a lot of people are going to disagree with me on, you don't get to be supermom and the head coach of a top-flight college sports program. You don't get a seven-figure salary without the job taking you away from your family. It's just how it is. There are sacrifices you have to make, and family time is one of them. That sounds harsh, but it's reality. She has a responsibility to her program and to women's basketball to play as competitive a schedule as possible and help showcase the sport as much as possible. Can you imagine a male coach of a major MBB or WBb program making this argument?

BTW, I'm a single dad whose kids live with me full-time, and I may not
make seven figures but I do have a pretty demanding post-MBA job. So I can empathize with her situation, but if she doesn't want to leave Texas, I'm sure Sam Houston State would be delighted to have her.

Not unpopular with me. I agree with everything you said.

 

[Wbbfan1]

The difference between Geno and many other coaches, Geno does what he can to improve and draw attention to Women's Basketball. Too many other coaches are only concerned with their fiefdom.

If Geno and UConn are willing to schedule OOC games against Elite Competition with many of these games played on a Monday after a Saturday game, then so should other coaches. However, if they want UConn to get the majority of the National TV games in January/February then its better for UConn . There are many games that would be of interest in this time period. Baylor against Tenn or Stanford as well as UConn. Duke vs Tenn, Baylor or Stanford. There could also be regional OOC games scheduled that would benefit the game at grassroots level.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Wow!

We only get one shot and a relatively short span of time to raise our kids. If that is, in fact, Ms Mulkey's rationale for not renewing the series, then so be it. Such a move shows her son where her priorities are. It is an impression he will carry with him the rest of his life. While true that Ms Mulkey is a highly paid, high profile coach of a high profile program, it is hard to imagine not puttting family first whenever the opportunity arises.

 

[pap49cba]

IMO, the 'we can't play three games in one week' argument is bogus as well. Teams routinely play in tournaments where they play three consecutive days.

 

[Wbbfan1]

VauConnfan: As others have said Kim's son will be in college or have a job when the series was renewed. So her son is not the issue. Also IMHO if her son was the issue, then why is not an issue during November and December?

The issue Kim and other coaches have is that they don't want to schedule OOC games during conference play. Its their right and they are entitled to this opinion. However, I think its shortsighted thinking on their part.

Wow!

We only get one shot and a relatively short span of time to raise our kids. If that is, in fact, Ms Mulkey's rationale for not renewing the series, then so be it. Such a move shows her son where her priorities are. It is an impression he will carry with him the rest of his life. While true that Ms Mulkey is a highly paid, high profile coach of a high profile program, it is hard to imagine not puttting family first whenever the opportunity arises.

 

[VAUConnFan]

VauConnfan: As others have said Kim's son will be in college or have a job when the series was renewed. So her son is not the issue. Also IMHO if her son was the issue, then why is not an issue during November and December?

The issue Kim and other coaches have is that they don't want to schedule OOC games during conference play. Its their right and they are entitled to this opinion. However, I think its shortsighted thinking on their part.

True. Baylor has every right to refuse to play UConn in January or February. If not playing out of conference games in January or February is a long established, never broken pattern, then they are, at least, maintaining a level of consistency.

We are not aware of, nor have we been made privy to the family dynamics of the Mulkey household. Let's say, hypothertically, that Ms Mulkey looked around one day and realized that her son is now a senior and she has missed far too much of his life, was absent far too often, was too busy making her way in the world of basketball; And is now feeling a tinge of remorse; A longing for an opportunity to make up for lost time; Time she is well aware is not coming back. Maybe Ms Mulkey foresees the nest emptied a year from now and is going through long periods of contemplation. Who can really surmise how this is affecting her?

 

[Pete]

The Big 12 had 12 teams. They each played 16 games. The games were in 17 sessions. Each team had a bye in one of those sessions.
Sometimes a team would play an out of conference game on their bye week.
This year, there are 10 teams. For the first time, they're playing 18 games, in 18 sessions, no byes.
From the first week of January through the end of the NCAA Tourney, there are just no holes in the schedule. Two games per week in the conference schedule, every week, then immediately into the B12 tourney, then immediately after that into the Big Dance.
For a team to wedge an extra game into January or February looks like it would mean playing three games that week or else convincing the entire conference to start conference play a week earlier.

Everyone's still trying to figure out how this new schedule is going to work. Probably don't want to add an extra game to it until they see how they handle the change that was recently made.

Oklahoma is playing 3 games in 5 days the week they play UCONN. They play the 11th, 13th, and 15th

 

[alexrgct]

True. Baylor has every right to refuse to play UConn in January or February. If not playing out of conference games in January or February is a long established, never broken pattern, then they are, at least, maintaining a level of consistency.

We are not aware of, nor have we been made privy to the family dynamics of the Mulkey household. Let's say, hypothertically, that Ms Mulkey looked around one day and realized that her son is now a senior and she has missed far too much of his life, was absent far too often, was too busy making her way in the world of basketball; And is now feeling a tinge of remorse; A longing for an opportunity to make up for lost time; Time she is well aware is not coming back. Maybe Ms Mulkey foresees the nest emptied a year from now and is going through long periods of contemplation. Who can really surmise how this is affecting her?

Well, we don't know how she's feeling, or even if that's really part of the equation here at all. But with all due respect, if she's letting that impact her ability to do what's right relative to her professional position, my response is "Tough."

Parents have to make decisions about how they balance their job responsibilities and family responsibilities. It's an extremely tough balancing act, especially in the US. I've chosen to work from home while my kids are very young. It's given me flexibility that I wouldn't trade for anything. It's also required that I turn down promotions that would have required me to work in an office and earn less money than a lot of folks in my MBA cohort. That's the tradeoff I've decided to make.

There are very few seven-figure jobs out there, and even fewer WCBB head coaching jobs that pay that much. If you have one (and BTW, I freely acknowledge Kim made the HC job at Baylor a seven-figure job with her accomplishments there), an unfortunate consequence is that demands are made of your time that take you away from your family. You are on call 24/7, even on vacation. You travel a lot for work. But that's the chocie you've made, and as a result of that choice, your son never has to worry about paying for college or other financial issues most kids have, especially in this economy. So that's the tradeoff. But having your cake and eating it too is just not a reasonable option in my estimation.

 

[speedoo]

Oklahoma is playing 3 games in 5 days the week they play UCONN. They play the 11th, 13th, and 15th

And Oklahoma has played UConn several times during conference play. If Sherri can figure out how to do it I don't know why Mulkey can't.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

If they don't want to play - they don't want to play.

Some coaches don't want the "distraction" during conference season. Pat Summitt on national TV, long before she ended the series, complained about the "distraction" of playing UConn. I heard it. Of course she "could" be like OK and UConn and others that play out of conference late, but why should she have to?

 

[pppggg]

And Oklahoma has played UConn several times during conference play. If Sherri can figure out how to do it I don't know why Mulkey can't.

Maybe Sherri, likes the "exposure" more than Mulkey!

 

[easttexastrash]

Mulkey took a crappy little program to national prominence. I don't give two craps what her reasoning is...she knows what she wants for HER program and I trust that she is making solid decisions. It has seemed to work so far as she reached the 300 win mark faster than Geno, Pat and Tara. Let's keep in mind what she has accomplished before we take shots at her for "not putting the program and women's basketball" first.

The Big 12 offers enough tough competition in the months of January and February. Baylor doesn't need another tough opponent to prepare them for the NCAA tourney in those months.

 

[easttexastrash]

And Oklahoma has played UConn several times during conference play. If Sherri can figure out how to do it I don't know why Mulkey can't.

Who said she can't? She doesn't want to. She would prefer to focus on conference play in those months. I am surprised that this is such a difficult concept for people to grasp.

Does anyone know what OU's record is for the game surrounding the OOC games that they play? Has it had an impact?

 

[easttexastrash]

Maybe Sherri, likes the "exposure" more than Mulkey!

Plus, didn't Geno put in a good word for Sherri to help her get the OU job? Maybe she feels a debt of gratitude to him and his program.

 

[DaddyChoc]

she reached the 300 win mark faster than Geno, Pat and Tara. Let's keep in mind what she has accomplished before we take shots at her for "not putting the program and women's basketball" first.

How many 'ships does she have? 300 was sooooooooooooooo long ago for Pat & Geno!

Lets not get carried away... lets see what happens when the Great BG Adventure is over in Waco!

 

[easttexastrash]

How many 'ships does she have? 300 was sooooooooooooooo long ago for Pat & Geno!

Lets not get carried away... lets see what happens when the Great BG Adventure is over in Waco!

On a serious question, and no poking involved, I just don't know. How long after Geno took over the UCONN program did he win his first championship and how old was he?

Mulkey took over the Baylor program in 2000 and won a championship in 2005. By no means is she on the Geno or Pat accomplishment level yet, but she was playing college ball the year before Geno took over the UCONN program and was playing for Olympic gold around the same time. She got a little later start at coaching since she could also play the game a bit.

 

[easttexastrash]

Disregard, I see that it took him 10 years, not 5, to get his first "'ship."

 

[DaddyChoc]

Disregard, I see that it took him 10 years, not 5, to get his first "'ship."

and since 2005?

 

[easttexastrash]

and since 2005?

If she brings one home this year and next year she will have 3 in her first 11 years. It takes players like BG to bring it all home, as you well know from having players like Taurasi and Maya.

It took Pat Summit 9 years to get her first title. It takes time to build a legacy. You can hardly penalize a person for being younger and this having more time under her belt.

 

[easttexastrash]

Since 2004, how many does Geno have? Two? How many does Pat have? 2? If Baylor wins it this year, how many will Kim have? 2?

And for the record, does the game in Waco determine the championship this year?

 

[easttexastrash]

I think Geno is the best coach in the history of women's basketball, even though Pat has more championships to date. Let's just give Mulkey credit where it is due, as well. She is building something special at Baylor. And with BG she has a shot at bringing home a couple more titles, although there are certainly no guarantees, as UCONN saw in Maya's senior year.

 

[alexrgct]

Mulkey took a crappy little program to national prominence. I don't give two craps what her reasoning is...she knows what she wants for HER program and I trust that she is making solid decisions. It has seemed to work so far as she reached the 300 win mark faster than Geno, Pat and Tara. Let's keep in mind what she has accomplished before we take shots at her for "not putting the program and women's basketball" first.

The Big 12 offers enough tough competition in the months of January and February. Baylor doesn't need another tough opponent to prepare them for the NCAA tourney in those months.

When you have a premier program in a sport that has few of them, you have a responsibility to showcase the sport, especially when you have a player that Kim has publicly acknowledged as "once in a lifetime." I have no idea what her reasoning is, but I would like to know it, and we absolutely have a right to criticize her royally for it if her reasoning is something personally selfish or professionally self-serving (and btw, I have no idea if it is- I was responding to a thought put forward by another Baylor fan). She's making more than a million dollars a year; I'm sure she'll live if she takes some jabs.

BTW, who's guaranteed to be tough in the Big XII in 2012-14? Nebraska is gone, A&M is leaving, WVU and TCU don't bring much to the table, and ISU/Kansas/KSU/OK State/Texas Tech are not significant opponents. That leaves an Oklahoma program that is currently unranked and doesn't seem to be poised to return to any kind of significant contention in the next couple of seasons and a Texas team that will have some nice pieces but hasn't performed at a level remotely commensurate with GG's hype at the time of hiring. Honestly, I don't see that conference slate as a murderers' row.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I think Geno is the best coach in the history of women's basketball, even though Pat has more championships to date. Let's just give Mulkey credit where it is due, as well. She is building something special at Baylor. And with BG she has a shot at bringing home a couple more titles, although there are certainly no guarantees, as UCONN saw in Maya's senior year.

nobody is knockin Kim but there's no need to talk about the fastest to THREE HUNDRED... I love Baylor, shooot I actually think they're gonna beat UConn next week sooooooo

 

[DaddyChoc]

Since 2004, how many does Geno have? Two? How many does Pat have? 2? If Baylor wins it this year, how many will Kim have? 2?

And for the record, does the game in Waco determine the championship this year?

and if she doesnt win, then what? "What if" Frese or Blair win...