Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="CamrnCrz1974, post: 2651174, member: 1052"] As a Boneyard visitor/poster since 2002, I am both flabbergasted and proud to read the comments in this thread, including those above from [USER=7511]@oldude[/USER] , [USER=2117]@bballnut90[/USER] , and [USER=1227]@Coler[/USER] . During the height of Beard vs. Taurasi, the two UConn-Duke games during that time (Feb. 2003, won by UConn at Duke, and Jan. 2004, won by Duke in Hartford), and the postseason performances in 2003 and 2004, there were many, many posters on this forum and on The Summitt (and the ESPN board, for those who remember that forum) who repeatedly posted a variation on: "[I]Gail can't coach. All she can do is recruit. She is an average in-game coach at best, who can't win the big one.[/I]" This was also said in Gail's later years at Duke. Not to call people out (especially since most of these people are individuals with whom I have since formed friendships or communicate regularly), but [USER=1511]@ucbart[/USER] , [USER=26]@EricLA[/USER] , [USER=73]@Tonyc[/USER] , [USER=250]@RockyMTblue2[/USER] , Oldcoach, a slew of TN fans/Summitt posters, etc. regularly shared this opinion (or a variation thereof) about Gail Goestenkors. And to be fair, she did not always deal well with the pressure (though the "can't coach" comments were harsh, even if they were hyperbolic). Oldcoach and a few others even predicted that once Beard graduated, Duke would fade into oblivion and Goestenkors would "exposed." For your consideration, this is what Goestenkors did [I][U]after[/U][/I] Beard, the best player in Duke WBB history, graduated: [LIST] [*]In 2004-05, Duke lost Alana Beard, Iciss Tillis, and Vicki Krapohl (all three to graduation), Brittany Hunter (transfer), and Lindsey Harding (suspension). Duke had 8 healthy players (and had to play Wanisha Smith as the starting point guard), but went 30-5 and made the Elite Eight, where it lost to LSU (with Augustus, Fowles, and Johnson) by nine points. [/LIST] [LIST] [*]In 2005-06, Duke went 31-4 and lost, in overtime, to Maryland in the national championship game. UNC also made the Final Four that year, so that was an amazing accmoplishment given the uber-talent in the ACC. That year, Goestenkors' team blew out Tennessee (the freshman year of Hornbuckle, etc., plus very good upperclassmen) by over 20 points, then beat UConn in the Elite Eight in overtime in Bridgeport. [/LIST] [LIST] [*]In 2006-07, Duke lost Monique Currie, Jessica Foley, and Mistie Bass (all to graduation) and Chante Black (injury), but went undefeated in the regular season and finished 32-2 overall. [/LIST] Gail built Duke from nothing (literally, the bottom of the ACC). She made the Elite Eight in her sixth year and made the NCAA Championship game in her seventh season. Over the last ten years of her tenure at Duke, her teams made 7 Elite Eights, 4 Final Fours, and 2 National Championship games. And over the last seven years (2000-01, Alana Beard's first season, through 2006-07, when Gail left), these were her numbers: [U]Overall record[/U]: 220-25 (89.79 percent ) [U]ACC record[/U]: 98-8 (92.45 percent ) [U]NCAA record[/U]: 23-7 (one NCAA runner-up, three Final Fours, five years at least making the Elite Eight, all seven years at least making the Sweet 16 ) [U]Against Top 5 Opponents[/U]: 14-14 (50.00 percent ) [U]Against Top 10 Opponents[/U]: 25-14 (64.10 percent ), but 11-0 (100.00 percent) against teams ranked #6-#10 [U]Against Ranked Opponents[/U]: 60-20 (80.00 percent ) [U]Against UConn[/U]: 2-1 (both wins in the State of Connecticut ) [U]Against Tennessee[/U]: 4-3 (including going 3-0 against the recruiting class of Candace Parker, Alexis Hornbuckle, Alex Fuller, and Nicky Anosike) We know how the story ends. Texas courts Gail, Joe Alleva completely disrespects her and devalues all of her accomplishments, Gail leaves for Texas and cannot recruit and recreate what she did at Duke (and was hurt by her AD and Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil), and Duke hires Joanne McCallie. This is McCallie's 11th year at Duke. She has made four Elite Eights, but also had three second round losses and missed the NCAA Tournament entirely once. In her last decade at Duke, Gail's worst finish was the Sweet 16, and she made the Elite Eight 70 percent of the time and the Final Four 40 percent of the time. In the last five years, McCallie has made the Sweet 16 twice, including this year. Anyway, it is just extremely HEARTWARMING to see posters recognize Goestenkors and give her the respect for her accomplishments and what she was able to build at Duke. Again, not to call anyone out or claim their opinions were somehow wrong (because they were opinions and beliefs, not facts [I]per se[/I]). And believe me, I have been wrong MANY times (check the Full Court Press archives for my WNBA season previews and predictions over the years). But it brought such a smile to my face to remember how great Duke used to be, how we were a national powerhouse, how Gail had brought Duke into the conversation that was exclusively UConn and Tennessee, and how Duke really was a rival to Tennessee and UConn during that time period. I am choosing to focus on these happy memories and not dwell on the current state of the program or what will happen next season, when Brown and Greenwell are gone. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach