Tennessee topics (merged threads)

[Kibitzer]

It's been 20 years since Rizotti left UConn. If you watch the games it isn't the same "system" by a long shot. Ralph has spent the last 8 years learning from the best. If a hire is from within the UConn family it will be Ralph. I don't think any of the other ex players have the chops.

I used to think Jenn was destined to succeed Geno, but she and her family seem so solidly settled in the Hartford region that I no longer see that happening.

Shea, OTOH, is not only understudying Geno at practices and courtside but also in the vast recruiting network, with alumni/ boosters/donors, and with both the UConn AD and University Administration. Activities with all those entities (recruiting players, raising money, securing program support, etc.) are at least as important as x's and o's. At age 37 with about a dozen years as an asst. coach, she could hit the ground running.

P.S. Any outsider comes in they would likely lose Shea as an assistant. After woking with Geno/CD, she would be outta Storrs.

 

[wire chief]

And why isn't any0ne talking Berube, the Tufts Tuffy!

 

[huskeynut]

May I caution all - a great player does not always make a good, very good or great coach.

Great players are blessed with a talent above the normal player - vision, eye/hand coordination/ anticipation. Yes hard work is needed to enhance that talent. But many cannot coach/ teach that talent to another. Many stars players do not understand how one player can struggle with some aspects of the game when they didn't.

Notice, I'm not saying all star players can't, I'm just saying that because one is one of the best ever to play the game does not mean they can or want to coach the game. Its a totally different world that demands a totally different skill set for success.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think that recruits probably read fan boards, including this one and VolNation. I also think that any recruit who could read VN and then enroll at UT is probably certifiable, or at very least a cockeyed optimist.

Certainly their AAU etc coaches do. How many of your prime kids do you want to send into Death Valley?

 

[vtcwbuff]

Lady Vol fans may believe they have the talent, but I believe they're mistaken. Russell is the "softest" 6' 6" I've seen in years at any major D1 school. It's now plain to see that her high school performance was due primarily to the fact that she towered over her opposition. DeShields is horrendously overrated. She's a turnover waiting to happen and in terms of scoring efficiency only Briana Pulido has a worse pts/shot ratio. Her 3-pt percentage is worse than every UConn player except Pulido. In fact, every UConn player except Pulido, who has attempted at least one 3-pointer has a better percentage than any UT player.
Their guards are uniformly pedestrian. Granted Cooper is only a freshman and may develop, but as a group they're pretty ordinary.

I was going to "like" your post until I got tired of your using Pulido as a negative comparison. Crap on Deshields all you want but there is no need use Pulido as your "but she's better than" example.

 

[vtcwbuff]

And why isn't any0ne talking Berube, the Tufts Tuffy!

WC - Berube has been talked about before in several threads. She's even been asked about it in interviews. The bottom line is always the same - she loves coaching exactly where she is now. That may change, but even if it did, success at the Tufts level in no way guarantees success at an elite D1 school.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

And why isn't any0ne talking Berube, the Tufts Tuffy!

Because Carla has said (perhaps repeatedly) that she is quite happy at the D3 level.

Not everyone wants to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. She has a nice life.

 

[vtcwbuff]

May I caution all - a great player does not always make a good, very good or great coach.

Great players are blessed with a talent above the normal player - vision, eye/hand coordination/ anticipation. Yes hard work is needed to enhance that talent. But many cannot coach/ teach that talent to another. Many stars players do not understand how one player can struggle with some aspects of the game when they didn't.

Notice, I'm not saying all star players can't, I'm just saying that because one is one of the best ever to play the game does not mean they can or want to coach the game. Its a totally different world that demands a totally different skill set for success.

That pretty much says it all. How many great players are top coaches in D1 WCBB. I was going to make a list, but I came up blank.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

May I caution all - a great player does not always make a good, very good or great coach.

Great players are blessed with a talent above the normal player - vision, eye/hand coordination/ anticipation. Yes hard work is needed to enhance that talent. But many cannot coach/ teach that talent to another. Many stars players do not understand how one player can struggle with some aspects of the game when they didn't.

Notice, I'm not saying all star players can't, I'm just saying that because one is one of the best ever to play the game does not mean they can or want to coach the game. Its a totally different world that demands a totally different skill set for success.

One of the reasons I think Diana would be a very good coach if she wanted to be is she had a knack for being the floor general who could make everyone around her better.

 

[Woof 101]

A most telling and factual statement from eric... And speaking of recruiting, Warlick’s mark is nowhere to be found on the recruiting trail this year either. According to ESPN HoopGurlz Recruiting for 2016, Tennessee has all of 0 top 100 recruits. And don’t sell me on youth and limited roster spots when you’ve got two seniors leaving.

This has to be on the minds of the administration and the fan base. The top 2 that aren't committed do not even have TN on their consideration list. Got to love the irony that our #1 recruit is coming out of TN .

 

[Kaizen]

Geno is only 61 years old. I think he will not retire until 66-67.
So we have 5-6 years to worry about. Lot things can change during this 5-6 years.

I am pretty sure Geno will start to consider who will take his job now. I will trust his decision,
In the UConn family, we have Tonya C, Jen R, Shea, Jamelle E, Berube, Ann S, Sue Bird, even Diana or Maya can be good candidates. Personally I like the next coach comes from UConn family.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Ann Strother coaching UConn?????? Of all the persons that you listed only Ralph has the resume. Whomever (grammar police comments welcome) replaces Auriemma it will not be a "walk on" - Moore, Taurasi, Bird etc. Hell, why not add Jacquie Fernandes to the mix. At least she has head coaching experience and she wants to be a coach. Bird and Moore want to be broadcasters and Taurasi probably wants to be an astronaut after her bball career is over.

People need to get over equating basketball greatness to coaching greatness. Apples and apricots.

 

[toadfoot]

I was going to "like" your post until I got tired of your using Pulido as a negative comparison. Crap on Deshields all you want but there is no need use Pulido as your "but she's better than" example.

The only reason I named Pulido is because she was the only UConn player with worse stats, but that wasn't a knock on Briana at all. I give a tremendous amount of respect to both her and Lawlor for what they've accomplished and how they've comported themselves. Can't be easy putting in all that practice time and only getting garbage minutes. I suppose I could have said "there's only one UConn player with worse stats" without naming her, so point taken.

 

[Kaizen]

Ann Strother coaching UConn?????? Of all the persons that you listed only Ralph has the resume. Whomever (grammar police comments welcome) replaces Auriemma it will not be a "walk on" - Moore, Taurasi, Bird etc. Hell, why not add Jacquie Fernandes to the mix. At least she has head coaching experience and she wants to be a coach. Bird and Moore want to be broadcasters and Taurasi probably wants to be an astronaut after her bball career is over.

People need to get over equating basketball greatness to coaching greatness. Apples and apricots.

So you think Jamelle E has no resume?
I only list the UConn family and say they can be candidates. Why you are so nervous?

 

[Fiftyish]

Of all the persons that you listed only Ralph has the resume. .

Gotta disagree regards resumes. The head coach experience that Jen, Tonya, and Jamelle have is a great asset. Being a former player does not mean you can coach. All three are coaches but obviously not with great results. None of their programs are and never will be UConn but they at least have the hands on experience of coaching. I'm sure Shea has done all the other parts of being on the coaching staff but she hasn't actually coached

 

[billnaples]

Can't remember where I read it but some board poster was berating UConn for "stealing" recruits by poaching in TN and they would rather see every top tier player stay home and play for their state U. And shame on UConn for violating that sense of fairness. This when TN had recruits from all over the country. Hogwash, because I am a nice guy. In any case I am sorry that the Summitt family has to go thru the dementia life that Pat will endure, I am familiar with the path they are on. Wouldn't wish it even on the heart and soul of VolNation. When the legend of Storrs moves on we'll hope we do better with the next one. Got a few years to wait.

 

[DaddyChoc]

she spoke the truth and definitely didn't make any new friends in Knoxville tonight

 

[chrissaran]

UConn will choose from Shea, Jen and Marisa. They would be the leading candidates because of their experience and their ties to the program. Nobody knows better the work and pressure that comes with the UConn head coaching job.

 

[msf22b]

My problem with the Shea candidacy (if indeed she is a candidate), is that her record is unclear.
She gives few interviews, is quoted relatively rarely and appears on the bench with a look of
great concern for the greatest part of every evening.

She may very well be an extraordinary candidate, but its hard for us to know...perhaps its of no consequence that we don't know.

In the case of Becky, we surely do know.

 

[vtcwbuff]

So you think Jamelle E has no resume?
I only list the UConn family and say they can be candidates. Why you are so nervous?

I think that Jamelle does not have a resume to be considered as Auriemma's replacement. IMO neither does Rizzotti.

 

[Farney]

I'm a few hours late but I had to make sure I got my weekly (becoming twice weekly at this point) post in after a Tennessee loss...

"It couldn't happen to a "better" team."

 

[Kibitzer]

My problem with the Shea candidacy is that her record is unclear. . ...She may very well be an extraordinary candidate, but its hard for us to know. . . . In the case of Becky, we surely do know.

I'm missing something about Becky's vast coaching experience, especially at the college level. There, HS players are evaluated, recruited, and developed, and alumni are courted. At UConn, interviews are handled by Geno and CD and they are in great demand, not Shea or Marisa.

We know Shea better than we know Becky and I doubt Ms Hammon knows much about Storrs.

 

[UConnCat]

It's been 20 years since Rizotti left UConn. If you watch the games it isn't the same "system" by a long shot. Ralph has spent the last 8 years learning from the best. If a hire is from within the UConn family it will be Ralph. I don't think any of the other ex players have the chops.

When Geno retires, the best program in the history of women's college basketball is not going to be handed over to someone from outside the program. That's just not going to happen. Plus, I don't understand why someone with no connection to UConn would want to coach in Geno's shadow. That makes no sense.

If Shea is still an assistant when Geno retires I think she will be the next coach. She will have connections to the current players as well as the players UConn is recruiting.

 

[iri10]

We'll be fine as long as Geno is here. Afterwards...well, things will possibly not be so nice.

WCBB is a coaching-dominated variant of the sport; it's the most important drawing force, which is why a legend like Geno (and Pat) can draw excellent talent from so far afield. If you don't have a legend as your coach, you have to rely on other drawing factors. Here's how UConn does on those.

*Geographical proximity to talent: UConn fares poorly here.
*Quality of facilities: Great basketball practice facility. Mediocre arenas. We'll call this a wash.
*Prestige of the school's name: "I mean, hello, it's [Insert University Name]!" UConn has some name draw specifically within the world of basketball, but overall it still lags behind the main name draws. Places like Duke, North Carolina, Texas, UCLA, etc.
*Prestige (and income potential) of the athletic conference: UConn doesn't score points here.

Those are the only ones that will draw long term. There are other things, like historical excellence, that will draw on a temporary basis, but not a permanent one. (see the Louisiana Techs of the world)

Long story short, UConn's hand is not great in the post-Geno world. Over the long term, I actually think that the UConn men will survive this environment better than the women. There's a lot of talent to go around on the men's side, so even after the P5 have had their fill, there's enough talent left for some non-P5 teams to reach near-elite status. On the women's side, talent is so sparse that there's rarely more than a dozen teams worth talking about in any given year.

Our worst case scenario is worse than Tennessee's worst case scenario, because they still edge us on geographical proximity and with their athletic conference. Needless to say, I'm hoping that we don't hit our worst case scenario.

edit: Things that can help us avoid the worst case scenario include 1. UConn gets accepted to a P5 conference, and 2. Lighting strikes twice, and we get another young, charismatic coach with the ability to make the most of his or her players, recruit well despite the mediocre conference, etc. And then he or she would have to decide to stay even with the big offers from P5 schools start coming in. In other words, another legend coach.

 

[cabbie191]

A most telling and factual statement from eric... And speaking of recruiting, Warlick’s mark is nowhere to be found on the recruiting trail this year either. According to ESPN HoopGurlz Recruiting for 2016, Tennessee has all of 0 top 100 recruits. And don’t sell me on youth and limited roster spots when you’ve got two seniors leaving.

This has to be on the minds of the administration and the fan base. The top 2 that aren't committed do not even have TN on their consideration list. Got to love the irony that our #1 recruit is coming out of TN .

Got to love the color scheme you used, too!

 

[trb123]

Graham Hays' article:

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-b...tennessee-lady-volunteers-traded-places-short

There is very little in it why it bittersweet for the Lady Vols.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Dawn Staley used twitter to comment on Doris' comments on Lady Vols Recruiting.

I'm one that stays in my lane but to listen to the commentators speak about Tenn and its recruiting class is disturbing. #notcool #SEC

Did Doris go overboard on her comments about Lady Vols recruiting or is it fair game and part of the story of the game/program? Do you think her comments wi"ll hurt Lady Vols recruiting in the future?

I think it was Doris that was making the comments. Please correct me if I got the name wrong.

 

[ctfjr]

Absolutely fair game. Its a major part of any program & reflects (fairly or unfairly) what is going on there. Suck it up Dawn.

 

[msf22b]

They have no recruits for next season, zero
It's a big story.

 

[wbbfan]

I didn't see anything wrong with her comments. She was simply telling the truth...