Shea Ralph

[ccwarrior]

Do you mind saying why a pro coach would be a mistake? Just because two or three have not been successful in college? Those were very different cases.

In Coach Miller's case, he has college experience both as an assistant and as a head coach. And he obviously has no problem with living in Eastern Connecticut.

Or is this about the fact that he has no UConn connection? Or maybe that he is a gay man?

Recruiting

 

[JoePgh]

Curt Miller's last job in WCBB at IU did not go well. No way he wants the UConn job or that he would ever be considered for the UConn job. He is very well suited for the pro game and his success speaks to that.

I didn't know anything about the circumstances of Coach Miller's departure from Indiana University, so I googled that topic. I found an article from the Indianapolis Star in 2014 (immediately after his resignation) of which the following was the lead sentence:

Curt Miller, who in two seasons engineered a remarkable turnaround of the IU women's basketball program, stunned the Indiana community with his resignation today.

The article went on to say that he attributed his resignation to "personal health and family reasons". It also said that he took a team that had been 6-24 in the last season before his arrival, and was able to get 11 wins in his first season and 21 in his second season. He finished his stint at IU with a record of 32-32.

I would also note that Geno himself recommended Miller to the Mohegan Sun management as a candidate for the Sun head coaching job.

Obviously I have no idea what the "personal health and family reasons" were that prompted his resignation from IU. I also have no idea whether there is "no way he wants the UConn job", and I suspect that you have no idea of his views on this subject either. With regard to whether "he would ever be considered for the UConn job", I see no reason why the University would not consider him unless they have established a requirement that Geno's replacement must have prior UConn connections, must be female, or must be heterosexual. I certainly hope that the University would not impose any requirements which would interfere with selecting the best person for the job.

Recruiting

Obviously he was able to recruit successfully enough at IU to produce a big improvement in their win-loss record in two years, so I don't think that would be a concern.

 

[Inthepaint]

Maybe I'm missing something.
What about Jamelle Elliot?
HC at Cincinnati for a number of years.
Already on board as assistant.
Part of the UCONN family, and certainly familiar with the Husky culture.

 

[ucbart]

Maybe I'm missing something.
What about Jamelle Elliot?
HC at Cincinnati for a number of years.
Already on board as assistant.
Part of the UCONN family, and certainly familiar with the Husky culture.

Read that third line and then stop wondering.

I think Jamelle is a fantastic assistant, but a HC she does not make.

As for this thread-I too think the plan is for Shea to come back, if she knocks it out of the park at Vandy. I also agree that Mosely, Banghart, and Berube will be on the list.

As for other names, I'd like to throw out Kara Lawson-I think she might be the rising star among young coaches and I would happily give her the reigns, for us, and of course, to really piss of the Lady Vol faithful.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I would happily give her the reigns,

Nice pun

 

[Stymie]

Read that third line and then stop wondering.

I think Jamelle is a fantastic assistant, but a HC she does not make.

As for this thread-I too think the plan is for Shea to come back, if she knocks it out of the park at Vandy. I also agree that Mosely, Banghart, and Berube will be on the list.

As for other names, I'd like to throw out Kara Lawson-I think she might be the rising star among young coaches and I would happily give her the reigns, for us, and of course, to really piss of the Lady Vol faithful.

If (when) Shea is successful at Vandy- are you sure she would want to leave?
Fantastic facilities, P-5 affiliation, school well financed and her success would indicate that she is a very good recruiter.
Why would she want to follow someone else’s legacy when she would be well on the way to creating her own?
Just throwing this concept out there.

 

[Inthepaint]

Along with Shea, Vandy also hired her husband, who was HC at UMASS-Lowell, in a WCBB position.
If and when Shea leaves, would they then move him to the top spot?
Or would he come to Storrs with Shea?
As long as we are daydreaming.

 

[HuskyNan]

I think Sue has a place in Greenwich. So hey...ya never know!

A cautionary tale of an excellent player that was a poor coach. Cindy was fired as an assistant at Boston U, too. She now coaches her high school alma mater’s team.

Maine fires coach Cindy Blodgett

The University of Maine has fired women's basketball coach Cindy Blodgett four years after she returned to coach at the campus where she was a hoops star.

www.espn.com

 

[hjoerring]

I think this whole notion about the difficulties of 'following a legend' is overworked. We all follow legends of one kind or another, without stumbling. The next coach at Uconn will be successful or a failure not because they are following GA & CD; rather, it will be because they put things in place that may or not have succeeded. I like all the names being tossed around-- Shea R; M. M; Banghart, etc. Diane isn't coming to Storrs-- what would her spouse be doing? I can see Sue and the Seattle Storm coach-- Quinne as HC and asst, etc. My fantasies.
My gut tells me that the vast majority of this 'follow- a-legend' failure happened because the legends themselves were little more than an image of what they once were. Knowing when to go/quit isn't easy. And, sometimes those handed the rein see the inherited playbook as the bible. They were simply not ready for the task at hand.
I am worried about something else-- even with GA & CD at the helm. Yes, we are still getting the top players, but we are losing out to Stanford. And if some of the other private schools begin to make serious inroads, we may not be competitive for the top academic kids. Even though they will list us. This is not a problem for schools like So.C, Tenn, Miss, LS, etc., because they do not really compete with academic elite kids. I'm not saying these are the kids we need but, Stanford ends up colonizing that group (more than before when we had our hands deep into that pocket) what other pockets are around? This might also be a problem for ND!

 

[Littlemin]

Read that third line and then stop wondering.

I think Jamelle is a fantastic assistant, but a HC she does not make.

In regards to Elliott, two of the greatest managers in Yankee history, Casey Stengel and Joe Torre, were hired with very suspect previous tenures as managers. Excellent examples can be made pro and con with merely weighing past records but a favorite mantra of mine is ALL numbers are meaningless without an understanding and analysis of context.

 

[Zanzman]

In regards to Elliott, two of the greatest managers in Yankee history, Casey Stengel and Joe Torre, were hired with very suspect previous tenures as managers. Excellent examples can be made pro and con with merely weighing past records but a favorite mantra of mine is ALL numbers are meaningless without an understanding and analysis of context.

Funny what a bunch of money helped joe torre do ……just stay out of the way joe

 

[Watchdog]

In regards to Elliott, two of the greatest managers in Yankee history, Casey Stengel and Joe Torre, were hired with very suspect previous tenures as managers. Excellent examples can be made pro and con with merely weighing past records but a favorite mantra of mine is ALL numbers are meaningless without an understanding and analysis of context.

You can add Bill Belichick to your list. Failed miserably at Cleveland but learned what it took to become great at his next job.
But, you're asking a lot of Jamelle if you bring her in to take over for likely the best coach in women's (or maybe men's too) history when she didn't do well at UC. Not everyone is suited for the top job and, in fact, some may be excellent assistants or associates and that's where they are most comfortable and most successful.

 

[Watchdog]

Do you mind saying why a pro coach would be a mistake? Just because two or three have not been successful in college? Those were very different cases.

In Coach Miller's case, he has college experience both as an assistant and as a head coach. And he obviously has no problem with living in Eastern Connecticut.

Or is this about the fact that he has no UConn connection? Or maybe that he is a gay man?

I don't understand your need to bring sexual orientation into this discussion but, if you're saying Connecticut wouldn't accept him, that makes no sense based on his success with the Sun.

In fact, being a homosexual male may be a positive for Miller as he likely won't ever be accused of "hitting on" his players as a few male coaches in the women's game have (Tyler Summitt for one).

It's probably a moot point anyway as, depending on the salary offered, Miller may not be interested in chasing around the country for recruits after his success in the pro game.

 

[Waquoit]

Don't overlook Curt Miller, the Connecticut Sun coach who was just named WNBA Coach of the Year. If he takes the Sun to a WNBA title this year and maybe one more time before Geno retires, he will have the best resume of all the possible contenders.

Good one, never thought of him! He's good.

 

[Waquoit]

Failed miserably at Cleveland but learned what it took to become great at his next job.

Urban myth. He took them to the playoffs. He caught slack for benching washed Bernie Kosar and was caught in the moving out of town mess.

 

[Alydar]

You can add Bill Belichick to your list. Failed miserably at Cleveland but learned what it took to become great at his next job.
But, you're asking a lot of Jamelle if you bring her in to take over for likely the best coach in women's (or maybe men's too) history when she didn't do well at UC. Not everyone is suited for the top job and, in fact, some may be excellent assistants or associates and that's where they are most comfortable and most successful.

Urban myth. He took them to the playoffs. He caught slack for benching washed Bernie Kosar and was caught in the moving out of town mess.

Sometimes the head coach in the NF is at the mercy of meddling ownership. Just look at the Giants. When you measure the success of a wcbb coach find out their recruiting budget and their facilities. Cinci fired Elliot just as their new basketball practice facility was being completed. Even Geno commented on that.

 

[Bald Husky]

Recruiting

Curt Miller has been a successful coach no matter where he has been. You don't step into a Big 10 job without any experience, so what about before that hire? He was at Bowling Green before that job, compiling a 258-92 record, conference title 8 years in a row, and coach of the year in the MAC 6 times.

Why does the next coach have to be a UConn grad as some have mentioned? Geno made UConn what it is today, so a big question is, are the recruits coming here because it is UConn, or are they coming because Geno is here? If its Geno, than we need a big time coach to come here, and I don't believe any great college coach would want the job. If the coach doesn't already have a reputation for winning, than the program will slowly take a break from "greatness". Curt Miller rebuilt the Conn. Sun after the disastrous run of his predecessor, turning them from a non playoff team to the favorite to win the WNBA championship this year. He is a great coach and I believe recruits would love to play for a successful pro coach, especially at the number one school in the history of WCBB. As far as recruiting, thats what assistants are for.

 

[Littlemin]

You can add Bill Belichick to your list. Failed miserably at Cleveland but learned what it took to become great at his next job.
But, you're asking a lot of Jamelle if you bring her in to take over for likely the best coach in women's (or maybe men's too) history when she didn't do well at UC. Not everyone is suited for the top job and, in fact, some may be excellent assistants or associates and that's where they are most comfortable and most successful.

I am in complete agreement with your last sentence; as to the preceeding sentence, whether it is asking a lot of Elliott or not is why one would add the context of her experience at Cincinnati into the equation.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Shea Ralph. Just thought her name should be mentioned every 10-15 posts.

 

[BostonBay]

Geno's successor has to maintain the culture/mindset of winning & know how to recruit top talent. If you dont get the right person, this machine can spiral out of control quickly. See Tennessee.

 

[DefenseBB]

Why Bird or Taurasi? Neither have zero coaching experience

Actually they both have Zero coaching experience…

 

[Mdoggie]

Geno's successor has to maintain the culture/mindset of winning & know how to recruit top talent. If you dont get the right person, this machine can spiral out of control quickly. See Tennessee.

 

[Geew1992]

Kelly Schumacher-raimon has some coaching experience

 

[huskeynut]

I love when we get the "who will replace Geno" threads.

So here's my take:
D and/ or Sue - not going to happen. Both have made it very clear they do not want to coach. And for those of you who disagree, just remember, being a great player doesn't mean you can/ will be a great coach.

Shea - if she builds Vandy into a consistent top 4 or 5 in the SEC, becoming nationally ranked with multiple NCAA bids and tournament wins - why would she leave that?

Marrisa - same as Shea. If she is successful at Wisconsin, why leave.

Carla Berube- maybe. Given Carla's history at D3 level, she may be perfectly happy at Princeton.

And why does Geno successor have to be from UConn?

 

[UConnCat]

I love when we get the "who will replace Geno" threads.

So here's my take:
D and/ or Sue - not going to happen. Both have made it very clear they do not want to coach. And for those of you who disagree, just remember, being a great player doesn't mean you can/ will be a great coach.

Sue has not made that clear at all. In a interview with Doug Feinberg during the Olympics she talked about what she'll do after retiring from the WNBA. She said she has set herself up such that she won't have to decide right away but she certainly did not rule out coaching.

While being a great player does not make someone a great coach, there are great players who see and think the game like a coach. Sue is one of those players.

 

[eebmg]

Sue has not made that clear at all. In a interview with Doug Feinberg during the Olympics she talked about what she'll do after retiring from the WNBA. She said she has set herself up such that she won't have to decide right away but she certainly did not rule out coaching.

While being a great player does not make someone a great coach, there are great players who see and think the game like a coach. Sue is one of those players.

Everything I heard about Sue's interest is that she is far more interested on the Business / Management side.

 

[Dogstar]

I love when we get the "who will replace Geno" threads.

So here's my take:
D and/ or Sue - not going to happen. Both have made it very clear they do not want to coach. And for those of you who disagree, just remember, being a great player doesn't mean you can/ will be a great coach.

Shea - if she builds Vandy into a consistent top 4 or 5 in the SEC, becoming nationally ranked with multiple NCAA bids and tournament wins - why would she leave that?

Marrisa - same as Shea. If she is successful at Wisconsin, why leave.

Carla Berube- maybe. Given Carla's history at D3 level, she may be perfectly happy at Princeton.

And why does Geno successor have to be from UConn?

I agree with almost everything you've posted here...except I thk if Shears builds tht type of a resume thn she comes back full circle to where her college career began, after the smoke from payment bidding war clears. And idk if the next coach HAS to be from Uconn but I feel an ex-Uconn grad will know, continue and incorporate Genos winning formula , esp the boot camp like practices and in game strategies .

 

[Cuango]

Do you mind saying why a pro coach would be a mistake? Just because two or three have not been successful in college? Those were very different cases.

In Coach Miller's case, he has college experience both as an assistant and as a head coach. And he obviously has no problem with living in Eastern Connecticut.

Or is this about the fact that he has no UConn connection? Or maybe that he is a gay man?

Whoa! Where does that last statement come from? What does his sexual orientation have to do with coaching? I don’t know what his is (nor do I care) but I certainly don’t think it makes any difference. I am curious as to why you would make such a strange comment? Also, I’m not sure who you are referring to that were “very different cases” but I just happen to think it is very difficult for Pro coaches to adapt to the college game. They have to do so many things they are unaccustomed to doing like recruiting, fundraising, dealing with young, often immature players and their parents etc etc. I just think it is a difficult adjustment and would rather see one of the candidates I mentioned in my post. I threw Taurasi in because I think she might be one of the rare great players who could actually learn to coach lesser players but why take that chance when there are candidates with a proven record of excellence as head coaches.

 

[HuskylnSC]

IMHO, Shea is on a 5 year audition for her next job. If she brings Vandy back into prominence, she is hands down the first choice. It has to be someone who knows how to continue what Geno has started. It has to be someone what it takes to win and how to instill that in players. Also it will have to be a name that will continue to entice recruits. Shea could fit that bill if she turns Vandy around.

 

[CL82]

The idea that Banghart would leave the head coaching job at UNC to succeed Geno is just crazy.

I don’t know about that. Coach Banghart is from the Northeast and UConn is the premier basketball program in the country. Both of those things might lead her to want the Connecticut job. That said, although I met her a few times when she was a Princeton and I think she is a good coach, she is nowhere near UConn women’s basketball good. I’m not sure why she was mentioned.