I didn't follow Cal's Final 4 run very closely. In retrospect it was probably just catching lightning in a bottle and can't be repeated. I think she's shown herself to be an average coach as time has gone on. Opinions on this board vary but I think Close is also average at best in the coaching department.
It's kinda funny how many coaches/teams were supposed to be catching up to and passing Tara over the years. Before Gottlieb, Boyle had some good teams at Cal. They were threatening Stanford but didn't ever pass them, and then she left.
CTT at ASU was neck and neck w/ Stanford for several years. They've been up and down since but have generally faded somewhat.
OSU's recruiting is not on par w/ Stanford's. Bringing in talent is obviously paramount in maintaining a successful program over time. The Beavers did win the conference regular season crown 3 years in a row (shared 1 w/ ASU, 2 were outright), so Rueck can claim that. Something none of the other coaches mentioned can claim.
Graves and Oregon were the new hot thing after last year's unexpected Elite 8 run. They've definitely taken another step forward this year, but there's Stanford tied w/ them at the top of the standings in what looked like a disastrous year in November and December for the Cards.
So to sum up, Gottlieb was overrated after the Final 4 run and has shown what kind of a coach she is since then, and Stanford is going to be relevant and right in the thick of the Pac 12 race on an annual basis as long as Tara is there.
