Vivian Stringer retiring, effective 9/1/22 | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Vivian Stringer retiring, effective 9/1/22

At long last a legend leaves. No idea who she was when Rutgers hired her. Instant attention when she smiled and said she intended to make the Scarlet Knights “the jewel of the East.” C Viv’s game was defense, rebounding, and fast pace. And mentoring and motivating. She deserves honors for helping people…women, players, and all who’ve watched her career. Missing her already.

The numbers are there to validate Stringer as one of the best ever coaches. What gives the imprimatur of greatness is being fully engaged when the joint was rockin’ as Stringer, Auriemma, et al went at it for League honors. Well done her.

Great days, great games.
 
Congratulations on a great career. CVS is a pioneer whose time had come. I've no doubt she worked incredibly hard and earned her accolades. She wasn't perfect, nobody is, but most of the players who toughed it out with her seem to be very appreciative of her support and coaching.
 
Coler said:
No Thank You GIF by Voot Select


I think the Rutgers AD has known this was going to happen for a while, and if so I believe that he already knows his targets.

One name that has popped up on the RU forum,(and I don't know how reliable the poster's info is) is Courtney Banghart. I'd be happy with that hire....but like you said it's strange timing.

I either want Banghart, or KBA. :p
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I could save them some money; I've been wanting to move home to Jersey for a while and I'd entertain an offer of 250k to coach at Rutgers.
 
If there was a Mt. Rushmore of coaches, the first 3 would be a no-brainer. Would CViv make the cut as #4?
 
Skeets said:
If there was a Mt. Rushmore of coaches, the first 3 would be a no-brainer. Would CViv make the cut as #4?
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I don’t think so. Too many other more deserving candidates.
 
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I think opinions of CViv were probably different years ago when she was in the Big East and her team was the equivalent of those of Coach Abe. Games with Rutgers were often rough and tumble affairs. There were several really nasty players on the Rutgers team and IMO a team is a reflection of their coach.

Rutgers WCBB has done nothing of note for many years. Their best result this century was a couple of elite 8s the last in 2008. Hence my comment that she had retired years ago.

This is not an exact quote but I remember Stringer accusing Auriemma of "using language that no human being should have to listen to" after he yelled at Pondexter for abusing Ann Strother (it was another Rutgers player). Pondexter responded to Auriemma by "pointing a finger at him". It was a middle finger and it was pointed straight up. Rutgers University later publicly apologised to Auriemma for that incident and I assume that CViv apologized privately. Incidentally, that comment from Stringer was probably one of the most coherent statements that she ever made. Her post game interviews were classic "what????"
 
Here’s the top five women’s basketball coaches ranked by number of wins. Sylvia Hatchel is the only other coach over 1000 wins.

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oldude said:
C. Viv also has the unique distinction of taking 3 different teams to the FF: Cheyney St, Iowa & Rutgers (2).
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Always wonder if Cheyney St would have made it had that first tournament not been a split field with half the powers staying loyal to the AIAW while half went with the NCAA. Still a great achievement.

I think her brand of basketball required really committed players - her defense required full effort while her offense tended to be more scattershot. I think as social media and other distraction increased it was hard to get the best players to commit themselves for that defensive effort without more reward at the other end of the floor. Much easier to create those tough teams and find those players at a UCF than at a P5 now.

As for Mount Rushmore question ... the win total is impressive, but the win percentage (.712 around 50th of 90 coaches with 600 wins - right next to Hatchell .716), wins/year (21 vs quite a few with 25+), and championships are not. I would probably include Muffet, Jody, and even Sylvia before CViv on a pure basketball level.
 
vtcwbuff said:
I think opinions of CViv were probably different years ago when she was in the Big East and her team was the equivalent of those of Coach Abe. Games with Rutgers were often rough and tumble affairs. There were several really nasty players on the Rutgers team and IMO a team is a reflection of their coach.

Rutgers WCBB has done nothing of note for many years. Their best result this century was a couple of elite 8s the last in 2008. Hence my comment that she had retired years ago.

This is not an exact quote but I remember Stringer accusing Auriemma of "using language that no human being should have to listen to" after he yelled at Pondexter for abusing Ann Strother (it was another Rutgers player). Pondexter responded to Auriemma by "pointing a finger at him". It was a middle finger and it was pointed straight up. Rutgers University later publicly apologised to Auriemma for that incident and I assume that CViv apologized privately. Incidentally, that comment from Stringer was probably one of the most coherent statements that she ever made. Her post game interviews were classic "what????"
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C Viv took Rutgers to the Final Four in 2000 and 2007. "This Century"
 
.-.
UcMiami said:
Always wonder if Cheyney St would have made it had that first tournament not been a split field with half the powers staying loyal to the AIAW while half went with the NCAA. Still a great achievement.

I think her brand of basketball required really committed players - her defense required full effort while her offense tended to be more scattershot. I think as social media and other distraction increased it was hard to get the best players to commit themselves for that defensive effort without more reward at the other end of the floor. Much easier to create those tough teams and find those players at a UCF than at a P5 now.

As for Mount Rushmore question ... the win total is impressive, but the win percentage (.712 around 50th of 90 coaches with 600 wins - right next to Hatchell .716), wins/year (21 vs quite a few with 25+), and championships are not. I would probably include Muffet, Jody, and even Sylvia before CViv on a pure basketball level.
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Her players also continue to have very successful WNBA careers; some of the more recent examples--Betnijah Laney, Kahleah Copper, Erica Wheeler--have really blossomed in the pros. But many of her best players came to the pros ready on the defensive end at the very beginning (thinking Chelsea Newton and Essence Carson most prominently).
 
UcMiami said:
Always wonder if Cheyney St would have made it had that first tournament not been a split field with half the powers staying loyal to the AIAW while half went with the NCAA. Still a great achievement.

I think her brand of basketball required really committed players - her defense required full effort while her offense tended to be more scattershot. I think as social media and other distraction increased it was hard to get the best players to commit themselves for that defensive effort without more reward at the other end of the floor. Much easier to create those tough teams and find those players at a UCF than at a P5 now.

As for Mount Rushmore question ... the win total is impressive, but the win percentage (.712 around 50th of 90 coaches with 600 wins - right next to Hatchell .716), wins/year (21 vs quite a few with 25+), and championships are not. I would probably include Muffet, Jody, and even Sylvia before CViv on a pure basketball level.
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Not necessarily Sylvia, but yes, Jody and Muffet - both with championships and great success - probably would be ranked ahead of her. While Sylvia did win a Natty - and certainly that's nothing to sneeze at - I would consider her on about the same level as Vivian and a number of other very successful, long term coaches.

Throwing in the "pioneer card" boosts Jody, Viv and yes, Sylvia. There is a lot of credit to be given Vivian, and, at least of all time top 10 coaches, I would think top 10 unquestionably. It will be interesting to see what goes on going forward with the coaches that are still active but heading into the top 10 territory - and may already be there. Dawn and Kim come to mind immediately.
 
vtcwbuff: just for the record...uhh...at least the record that I recall:

Geno was upset at how that game was being called. He did have some choice words directed
at the ref...not at any player. Pondexter incorrectly thought he was talking to her. She responded in an inappropriate fashion based on her misintepretation. C. Viv did 'defend' her player publicly in the post game and your quote from her is correct.

The Rutgers administration did publicly apologize to Geno ....almost a year later just before our next game with Rutgers.
Better [very] late than never? Not sure whether C Viv. ever did so ...in public.

She deserves all the accolades...hope she is in good health.

BTW; We dodged a bullet back in the mid-1990's regarding CD taking the head job at her alma mater...I think
she was Plan B if Stringer had stayed at Iowa. Kudos to CViv for that call! One-quarter of a century later...a different set of circumstances... I think that CD will remain ours until Geno retires....many years down the road.
 
Urshurak: are you saying that Chris Daily has had recent hip surgery...a la Caroline
DuCharme?
 
.-.
Blakeon18 said:
vtcwbuff: just for the record...uhh...at least the record that I recall:

Geno was upset at how that game was being called. He did have some choice words directed
at the ref...not at any player. Pondexter incorrectly thought he was talking to her. She responded in an inappropriate fashion based on her misintepretation. C. Viv did 'defend' her player publicly in the post game and your quote from her is correct.

The Rutgers administration did publicly apologize to Geno ....almost a year later just before our next game with Rutgers.
Better [very] late than never? Not sure whether C Viv. ever did so ...in public.

She deserves all the accolades...hope she is in good health.

BTW; We dodged a bullet back in the mid-1990's regarding CD taking the head job at her alma mater...I think
she was Plan B if Stringer had stayed at Iowa. Kudos to CViv for that call! One-quarter of a century later...a different set of circumstances... I think that CD will remain ours until Geno retires....many years down the road.
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I get the recall thing. I can't remember the Rutgers player that was the instigator. Perhaps someone here has a better memory. My memory of what happened with Pondexter is a bit different. The way I remember it was that Auriemma was yelling at Pondexter for some really nasty trash talking that was going on. He picked the wrong player, it wasn't Pondexter but that's what prompted her inappropriate response. I think there was a lot of discussion here after it happened.
 
KnightBridgeAZ said:
Not necessarily Sylvia, but yes, Jody and Muffet - both with championships and great success - probably would be ranked ahead of her. While Sylvia did win a Natty - and certainly that's nothing to sneeze at - I would consider her on about the same level as Vivian and a number of other very successful, long term coaches.

Throwing in the "pioneer card" boosts Jody, Viv and yes, Sylvia. There is a lot of credit to be given Vivian, and, at least of all time top 10 coaches, I would think top 10 unquestionably. It will be interesting to see what goes on going forward with the coaches that are still active but heading into the top 10 territory - and may already be there. Dawn and Kim come to mind immediately.
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There have been a lot of coaches expressing their admiration for CVS on social since her retirement announcement, but especially from Black women coaches, who have thanked her for being a pioneer and a mentor to them, even if just by her example. It's no surprise that one of the first to express her appreciation was Dawn Staley. Inspiring the growth of Black women coaches in the game will be one of her biggest--and undeniable--legacies.
 
bbsamjj said:
There have been a lot of coaches expressing their admiration for CVS on social since her retirement announcement, but especially from Black women coaches, who have thanked her for being a pioneer and a mentor to them, even if just by her example. It's no surprise that one of the first to express her appreciation was Dawn Staley. Inspiring the growth of Black women coaches in the game will be one of her biggest--and undeniable--legacies.
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CVS probably inspired a host of African American coaches dating back to a time where there were almost zero in the game. I wouldn't put her on Mt. Rushmore of the old guard but she's easily in the top 10.
 
I wouldn’t hate giving Gail Goestenkors a shot; though I’m sure that’s a short term solution it would start the rebuild.
 
Coler said:
I wouldn’t hate giving Gail Goestenkors a shot; though I’m sure that’s a short term solution it would start the rebuild.
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I think Rutgers should go after Banghart first; her history in the Garden State will be valuable. She's also a darn good coach and recruiter.
 
cockhrnleghrn said:
I think Rutgers should go after Banghart first; her history in the Garden State will be valuable. She's also a darn good coach and recruiter.
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Yes, I wouldn't chose GG as a first option, but I think she is a viable one if she is interested in returning to big time coaching - which we also don't know. I am not against Banghart or Barnes-Arico, both have the NJ connections that sound like a good idea.
 
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Any word why the actual transition won't be until September?
 
bbsamjj said:
Her players also continue to have very successful WNBA careers; some of the more recent examples--Betnijah Laney, Kahleah Copper, Erica Wheeler--have really blossomed in the pros. But many of her best players came to the pros ready on the defensive end at the very beginning (thinking Chelsea Newton and Essence Carson most prominently).
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Agree - the kind of discipline and focus on defense she demanded made prospects attractive at the pro level - it was just not that attractive to most of the top level of HS recruits as more and more focus was on AAU where defense was optional and coaching minimal.
 
Forego said:
Cheez! One or two tributes and the boneyard gets down to the business of speculating on who will be C. Vivian’s replacement.

That being said don’t forget that CD was interested in that position back in 1995. With Kim Mulkey returning to LSU anything is possible.
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Kim Mulkey matriculated at Louisiana Tech.
 
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