LaVols and Holly: Local Dissatisfaction Growing (merged thread)

[cohenzone]

Sports are so much more fun with an arch-rival, especially when they are in close geographic proximity.

Exactly. I’m a gray beard. I went to UConn in Yankee Conference days. We hated UMass and especially URI. Our most major sport was men’s hoops, there was no women’s team. The men’s team was a regional power with some occasional notable national win. The students filled the old field house every game. Our football was at best average with a few occasional NFL prospect. Nobody cared that we weren’t going to be a national champ so long as we could beat our main rivals, hopefully win the hoops conference title and make the NCAA ourvif not, the NIT.

The Big East was great fun in hoops especially and, of course, the rise of our Women’s team. Having rivals like BC,Providence, Syracuse, St. John’s, Rutgers and Villanova made it interesting. Every game in the AAC feels like an out of conference game. It doesn’t mean you can’t have an occasional rivalry develop when your a winning team facing another winning team for a few years like our men’s hoops had with Georgetown, but it’s not the same. The only kind of regional rival UConn has now is Temple and it ain’t the same either. But I still hate ND even when we aren’t playing them. Feels so good.

 

[Rocket009]

As far as large crowds are concerned, Tenn WAS the place to play in front of the largest crowds in WCBB, during Pat's era. The rise of Dawn Staley/South Carolina and the demise of the LadyVols (Holly as coach) has left TBA attendances tumble the last few years.

Last year the LadyVols were 4th in attendance at 8,778/game behind South Carolina (13,239), UConn (10,026) and Iowa St (9,870). For YTD, the LadyVols have drawn an average 7,999/game. I don't see that number getting any better for the remainder of this year. I would not be surprised if the LadyVols attendance this year drops to 7th based on last years 2017-18 Home Avg Leaders.

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It would be interesting to see the $$ from game attendance since SC and others ticket prices are considerably lower than those at UCONN, TN and ND.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

that's an interesting thought......it seems to me that most of the veteran BYers have taken great pleasure in watching Tennessee's downfall......

I among them. Nonetheless, they deserve far better than Holly and WCBB would be better for it.

 

[Charliebball]

I among them. Nonetheless, they deserve far better than Holly and WCBB would be better for it.

can it wait till after UConn plays them in the next two years?...............

 

[CocoHusky]

can it wait till after UConn plays them in the next two years?.....

Well if I'm reading some of these recent post correctly. UCONN WCBB ain't about &$&$ish now and is going to less that that next year. Two years from now will they even have varsity WBB at UCONN or will it be more like a club sport?

 

[Charliebball]

Well if I'm reading some of these recent post correctly. UCONN WCBB ain't about &$&$ish now and is going to less that that next year. Two years from now will they even have varsity WBB at UCONN or will it be more like a club sport?

we'll see about that after the UConn 2020 recruiting class is official................

 

[DefenseBB]

I among them. Nonetheless, they deserve far better than Holly and WCBB would be better for it.

All due respect Rocky but would it? I mean other teams have filled that void and quite nicely. Since 2008 alone, in the SEC alone, MSU and SC have raised their profile and attendance significantly. Oregon, Oregon State have joined Stanford as West Coast elite. Louisville has become a perennial power. Replacing Tenn as the penultimate WCBB team is Notre Dame and lurking shortly behind them is Kim Mulkey and Baylor. I would argue that WCBB is significantly better now. Remember, Army and Navy once rule collage football and I don’t think anyone is bemoaning that fact and CFB is better for it now.

 

[Plebe]

All due respect Rocky but would it? I mean other teams have filled that void and quite nicely. Since 2008 alone, in the SEC alone, MSU and SC have raised their profile and attendance significantly. Oregon, Oregon State have joined Stanford as West Coast elite. Louisville has become a perennial power. Replacing Tenn as the penultimate WCBB team is Notre Dame and lurking shortly behind them is Kim Mulkey and Baylor. I would argue that WCBB is significantly better now. Remember, Army and Navy once rule collage football and I don’t think anyone is bemoaning that fact and CFB is better for it now.

I personally would have no sorrow to see Tennessee become the bottom feeder it's destined to be.

 

[JordyG]

Yes and no. Comparing buyout costs to what happened with football is really apples and oranges (or watermelons and blueberries?). Even with the relatively rabid fanbase of the Lady Vols, it's nothing to the level of hysteria and economics that football commands.

You're talking about popularity, oldude and I are talking about bottom lines. Holly has failed to deliver a viable product to UT's consumers, attendance has steadily dropped because of it, and UT's pockets are deep enough to assume the loss. The word is a loss to Arkansas and ND or not making the Dance this year and Holly is a goner.

 

[Plebe]

You're talking about popularity, oldude and I are talking about bottom lines. Holly has failed to deliver a viable product to UT's consumers, attendance has steadily dropped because of it, and UT's pockets are deep enough to assume the loss. The word is a loss to Arkansas and ND or not making the Dance this year and Holly is a goner.

Now I'm in the awkward position of semi-rooting for Tennessee to beat Arkansas just to hold off the executioners.

 

[MainefanSC]

You're talking about popularity, oldude and I are talking about bottom lines. Holly has failed to deliver a viable product to UT's consumers, attendance has steadily dropped because of it, and UT's pockets are deep enough to assume the loss. The word is a loss to Arkansas and ND or not making the Dance this year and Holly is a goner.

"the word is" Is there credibility to that word? "the word was" that we would get Boston, Horston &/or Jones. I'm certainly not insinuating that "the word" came from you but I have always held to the creed.....We'll see what happens WHEN it happens. Just sayin'

 

[Plebe]

A university spokesperson has denied the rumors:

Rumors of Holly Warlick’s dismissal deemed false by Tennessee

 

[Alydar]

A university spokesperson has denied the rumors:

Rumors of Holly Warlick’s dismissal deemed false by Tennessee

A public vote of confidence from management. Yeah, that's always reassuring.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I don't really see how Tennessee sticks with Warlick much longer if they still aspire to be a great program.

It's been her program for a long time and if anything she is losing ground.

Starting 1-4 in the SEC in a season that wasn't expected to be a step back is seriously shocking.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This seems appropriate here:

 

[eebmg]

Nice to see the TN loosing streak in color. Massey has TN as #39 and only a 7pt favorite over AK at home.

Probably should start a Poll regarding who the BY wants to win ND / TN ?

 

[Adesmar123]

I think it is best that VOL Nation critique her performance and not us. Just my thoughts.

Isn't that like having the committed run the asylum?

 

[Carnac]

Nice to see the TN loosing streak in color. Massey has TN as #39 and only a 7pt favorite over AK at home.

Probably should start a Poll regarding who the BY wants to win ND / TN ?

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In that poll, you can also ask "which fan base hates UConn more”, ND or TN? They BOTH despise UConn.

 

[PGBully]

Not exactly. To begin with, even though I am by no means a UConn fan, you could have won even more championships and I wouldn't have been bothered. The only thing that bothered me - and I think turned off some fans - was that there were periods where it seemed like no-one could compete with UConn. Just compete. That was a turn-off, because it really felt like everyone was playing for 2nd place. That said, I always said the positive was it (should have) made other teams work harder, and perhaps it did. Remember, the last 2 seasons ended badly for UConn on last second shots.

I still think there are dominant programs, including UConn. Perhaps less than some years, and vulnerable, and not dominating by score - but UConn, Notre Dame, Baylor, Louisville, Oregon, Stanford, Mississippi State - these programs (and maybe NC State, as well) are dominating the sport this year.

I think we are the perfect example of y'all handing out a butt whipping and really motivated us to get closer to y'alls level. Now I never expected a 60 point swing in 12 months, and we'll still need to take that next step before I'd consider the two schools in the same dominant breath but we are at least in the conversation. And I know we had a great up and coming coach and some young solid ladies but I don't know that we ever get into that conversation sans the 60pt blowout. I'd still like to see us get a home and home scheduled or maybe meet in some December neutral site showcase.

But I agree any school that seriously wanted to take the next step should have appreciated the dominating run y'all have been on and used it as a guiding light. I mean if you're an up and coming men's program it's kinda hard to put a target on just one team and say that's where we wanna get if we wanna be the best with all the parity. But y'all made it easy as far as defining the goal of exactly of what the best of the best looked like.

Not here to kiss butt or anything but I dont believe we'd be near the program we are without the motivation y'all supplied. It all depends on whether a team can get up off the mat after that throttling. That's another reason I'd love to see the H&H. A lot of our girls and yalls may have come from different backgrounds but I think it'd be good for the ladies and the fans to get to experience each other's appreciation for quality wbb. The Hump seats 10,500 and it's been at or near capacity for a lot of our games but with the fans y'all would bring it would be standing room only with the fire marshal turning ppl away. It would be electric though and I'm crossing my fingers.

I've heard Vic's name mentioned with the UT job but I just don't see him leaving a program he built from the ground up, and honestly I believe we have passed them, not in legacy at all, that would be asinine, but as far as a present day competitive program, I think UT is looking up at us. The only other job I can even imagine him taking if he left would be to go home to aTm, and I think his competitive juices with what he has up and coming, I don't see that for a decade or so

 

[Plebe]

In advance of Tennessee's game vs. Arkansas today, here's a snippet from their loss at Alabama, with an interesting "exchange" between Holly and Rennia Davis as she's taken out of the game in the 4th quarter.



I guess I can see why some Tennessee fans are questioning Rennia's future as a Lady Vol.

 

[BigBird]

Now, the losing streak is 5, ahead of a date with the Flipping Irish. Rotsa ruck you LaVols.

 

[msf22b]

UTenn played a decent 2nd half and shot well
The loss was a heartbreaker
Maybe, more than that.

 

[JellyBean]

Man my heart goes out to Holly. She is in a no win situation dealing with the Lady Vols and some of the Vols fans and probably boosters. 5 game losing streak and all of that pressure.

 

[DefenseBB]

Crocodile tears from me....

 

[Kaizen]

Feel really sorry for LV fans ..