UConn fans didn’t like Pat Summitt and were angry at the way the series between the teams ended but the entire episode was magnified by the animus between the Boneyard and the Summitt, the LV fan board. It was the LV FANS that collected the “information” for the NCAA complaint - from the Boneyard, no less! - and it was an LV fan, one who had her lips surgically attached to Pat Summit’s butt, that kept promulgating lies about Geno.
Hence, UConn fans on the Boneyard can’t see LV fans suffer enough. That PHS’s name gets used as effigy for the Tin Foil Hat Brigade on the Summitt is unfortunate
Thanks for once again resetting the bar on the background for all the new posters or older ones who forgot. There are two concurrent aspects for me:
1. Tennessee is WCBB Royalty, whether we here on the BY want to really acknowledge it or not. Without Tenn, UConn would not be UConn. At the end of Pat's tenure, her and Geno did patch things up and Geno attended her memorial and I think tried to make an anonymous donation to the Foundation set up in her name, yet the donation was made public. So for me, I am not against the program/women in it. Having a good Tennessee engenders much dialogue and spirit.
2. The VolNation/Summitt boards are full of vile, negative haters who cannot adjust to a new reality. They still feel they are "THE PROGRAM FOR WCBB". The delusion of what they really are vs. what they were is night and day. The fans who post are truly nasty and illmannered, which is what social media in an aninimity format allows if the forum is not guarded. I had thought about joining the forum to try and interject some logic and facts/numbers but to me, it's just not worth it as the old phrase "know your audience" tells me it won't matter whatever is posted. So in most instances, I am reveling in their pain.
Having said that, I do believe programs need to embrace their past and should absolutely celebrate it but not to the extent of burdening the current state of the program. That is exactly what is happening now at Tenn. The current administration is too preoccupied with a)Football and b)Pat's choice of legacy.
With Philip Fulmer as the AD, he knows how he was treated and what happened to the program after he was "relieved of his duties", the program completely spirialed out of control. His fear is twofold-to prevent the spiraling out of control that happened when he was sent packing (the program is doing ok with Holly, they win 75% of their games, she is getting top recruiting classes and they still draw 7500+ fans a game). What happens if the next coach can't recruit or can't win 75% of their games (see Texas with Gail Gostenkors, or LA Tech or USC Trojans). Fulmer seems content with Holly. 2nd-the Athletic Department at Tenn is still reeling from the lawsuits when it merged the Men's and Women's departments and from all the contract buyouts and facility upgrades it made so it does not have money to 1. buy out Holly or 2. really pay a top coach for a program that loses money. Holly is still on the cheap at $690K vs. her P5 top college programs.
Last, the new contract Holly signed over the summer allows for a 33% buyout of the remaining contract. She is at $690k~ through 2021-22 so at the end of the year, to buy her out at the end of this year would be $690k and then continue to go down the longer she coaches. As we have noted numerous times non-revenue sports do not buy out their coaches as boosters/supporters don't pony up the money-yes, their have been
extreme exceptions but that is not going to happen here. What I can see is the pressure get so much (they miss the NCAA tourney) and too much vitriol is untenable that Phil has her "resign" and take a different role with the school, allowing for a graceful exit. Short of that, I think we get to see Holly for 3 more years!
