Westbrook Status?

[UConnCat]

Geno addressed the situation back in May. Not sure why this remains a hot topic but it is the silly season.

Westbrook, with two years of eligibility remaining, raised eyebrows after the Lady Vols were eliminated from the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Saying she didn’t know whether Warlick would be back didn’t exactly charge the mountain for the embattled coach.

“I just think off-the-court stuff, steps need to be taken with our staff and just overall off the court with this team,” she said.

Asked if he was bothered by any of this, Auriemma said no.

“It doesn’t,” he said. “Kids say things all the time. Coaches say things all the time. I wasn’t there. I know Holly really well. I don’t presume to know how that all went down. I’m not going to make any decision based on that. She knows the way she handled that probably wasn’t the best way to handle it. We talked about it, and she knows that.”

 

[JoePgh]

Not exactly! College players IMO should have no right to an opinion regarding how a University's administration goes about "staffing" a program.

Did you mean to say that college players should have no right to EXPRESS an opinion PUBLICLY about their university’s staffing decisions? Certainly no one can stop them from having an opinion about that, and in a private setting (such as if the athletic director asks them confidentially whether they think the coach is doing a good job), it may be appropriate to express a candid opinion. But they should refrain from making public comments.

If that is what you meant, then I agree with you.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Did you mean to say that college players should have no right to EXPRESS an opinion PUBLICLY about their university’s staffing decisions? Certainly no one can stop them from having an opinion about that, and in a private setting (such as if the athletic director asks them confidentially whether they think the coach is doing a good job), it may be appropriate to express a candid opinion. But they should refrain from making public comments.

If that is what you meant, then I agree with you.

Should those players abused by their coaches be forbidden to express their views in public? To the administration? Should those women athletes abused by their team doctor at Michigan State have no right to speak out? And wasn't that attitude that the athletes' opinions had no weight at least part of the reason that the abuse went on so long?

These are not children, not middle school kids. They're adults. Something tells me that they should be accorded more respect and more rights than having to keep their mouths shut in the face of incompetence and abuse.

 

[CocoHusky]

Did you mean to say that college players should have no right to EXPRESS an opinion PUBLICLY about their university’s staffing decisions?

Precisely.

 

[Dove]

Hearing that there will be an announcement in 20 minutes.

This is the only reason I opened this thread.

 

[CocoHusky]

Should those players abused by their coaches be forbidden to express their views in public? To the administration? Should those women athletes abused by their team doctor at Michigan State have no right to speak out? And wasn't that attitude that the athletes' opinions had no weight at least part of the reason that the abuse went on so long?
These are not children, not middle school kids. They're adults. Something tells me that they should be accorded more respect and more rights than having to keep their mouths shut in the face of incompetence and abuse.

No. No. No.
Speaking about abuse is always a good thing, I would always encourage it.
Unless you though Evina was being abused at TN we are talking about completely different things.

 

[soxfan23]

Not exactly! College players IMO should have no right to an opinion regarding how a University's administration goes about "staffing" a program.

When did Westbrook ever do that?

She said "I just think off the court stuff, um, steps needs to be taken with our staff and just overall with this team". I took that to mean that the team had issues off the court and that the staff had to take certain steps to correct it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

That was their opinion. Did they say what Westbrook should have answered? That reporter was trying to make a story instead of reporting one.

The trend---write a story any story.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Did you mean to say that college players should have no right to EXPRESS an opinion PUBLICLY about their university’s staffing decisions? Certainly no one can stop them from having an opinion about that, and in a private setting (such as if the athletic director asks them confidentially whether they think the coach is doing a good job), it may be appropriate to express a candid opinion. But they should refrain from making public comments.

If that is what you meant, then I agree with you.

JoePgh: Student complaint as all complaints should first take the proper path established for resolution. HOWEVER when that does not work---loudly, but be certain of your facts, make it public. All perceived abuse is actual abuse--all perceived crimes are crime--all insults are not always intended insults.

 

[oldude]

I am making a pledge to never again comment on Evina’s past situation at TN. She is a Husky now and she gets a clean slate in my book. I have absolutely no doubt that under Geno, CD and the rest of the staff, along with an incredible group of teammates, Evina will excel as a player and mature as a fine young lady.

I continue to reserve the right to criticize the Lady Vols in general, and the NCAA if they fail to grant Evina’s waiver request.

 

[Go/huskies]

Lobo had a big issue with it, which means there was something wrong about it, as did Landers.
—
“Lobo weighed in Sunday, saying she was “a little bit surprised that (Westbrook) brought the coaching staff into it.”

“Evina Westbrook is only a sophomore, but I was taken aback at her statement introducing the prospect of the coaches,” said Lobo, an Olympic gold medalist who played at Connecticut and in the WNBA, “because she’s been wearing that Tennessee uniform for two years. Holly Warlick has given 38 years of her life to that program. I thought she deserved a little bit more.”

Fellow analyst Andy Landers, the former longtime Georgia coach, agreed with Lobo.

“I think there’s people in place at the University of Tennessee who are capable, qualified and charged with making decisions as it relates to people’s employment,” Landers said. “Those aren’t the players. That’s the administration at the University of Tennessee. I think players step a little bit over the line when they try to make those kinds of decisions.”

Rebecca Lobo finds Lady Vols player's comments on Holly Warlick to be out of bounds

Rebecca Lobo: 'Holly Warlick has given 38 years of her life to that program. I thought she deserved a little bit more.'

www.knoxnews.com

Some folks recently had issues with what lebron was doing, does that make it wrong?

 

[CocoHusky]

Some folks recently had issues with what lebron was doing, does that make it wrong?

Lebron?
Well actually yes-because it's Lebron.

 

[DefenseBB]

Who in their right mind would punish a STAR? The one who scores, plays defense, knows the system/plays? If she leaves so does the franchise. This ain't 1842--it's modern times when we accept the judgement of our STARS.

I didn’t know Allen Iverson was a member of the Boneyard! Welcome aboard...Practice? “ We're sitting in here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice. I mean, listen, we're talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, we talking about practice.”?

 

[CocoHusky]

When did Westbrook ever do that?
She said "I just think off the court stuff, um, steps needs to be taken with our staff and just overall with this team". I took that to mean that the team had issues off the court and that the staff had to take certain steps to correct it.

“We’ve got to fix some stuff,” Westbrook began before pausing again. Her gaze fell to the floor.
“With our staff,” she said.
It was an unprompted response.......

Evina Westbrook says Lady Vols need to fix things "with our staff"

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Sitting in the locker room, Evina Westbrook took a moment before answering a question about the Tennessee women’s basketball team’s upcoming offseason.

www.thedailytimes.com

 

[DefenseBB]

Not exactly! College players IMO should have no right to an opinion regarding how a University's administration goes about "staffing" a program.

Well, on the surface yes, 1 player or the very small minority should not be making comments about the program. However when there is a preponderance of evidence, regular dysfunction, regular blaming of the player for issues BY the coach who isn’t coaching, complaints of lack of discipline on and off the court, then yes, players should speak their mind to get stubborn people to listen.
That was specific to this situation. I will Tell you and the BY group my son was an unfortunate recipient of an abusive college coach who had been passed along from 3 programs for similar behavior where upon the 4th program fired the coach with enough documentation that the USA Sport Governing body has sanctioned this coach from coaching again. Without a student-athlete speaking up, this abuse would have continued and frankly, all 4 Athletic administrations should have all acted sooner instead of demeaning the athlete.
When the “adult in the room doesn’t act like the adult” someone must fill that void.

 

[soxfan23]

“We’ve got to fix some stuff,” Westbrook began before pausing again. Her gaze fell to the floor.
“With our staff,” she said.
It was an unprompted response..

Evina Westbrook says Lady Vols need to fix things "with our staff"

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Sitting in the locker room, Evina Westbrook took a moment before answering a question about the Tennessee women’s basketball team’s upcoming offseason.

www.thedailytimes.com

OK? She still said NOTHING regarding changing staff, adding staff, or firing staff.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Gag, I'm beyond sick of this subject of the tea cozy circle around here. Those who say a player has no right to speak her mind better go read The Bill Of Rights. For at least 3 years it was obvious, even to die hard Tenn fans, that Holly Warlick was a blinking idiot head coach. Truly, I have never seen a worse Division I coach. The only things wrong with her firing was it was at least 2 years too late and they didn't kick her buddy, the AD, out with her. So some of you want to hang Holly Killer on a brave young woman's neck and tie her to the stake in the town square? Pathetic.

 

[CL82]

Those who say a player has no right to speak her mind better go read The Bill Of Rights.

Uh... Nevermind.

 

[JordyG]

I too am puzzled and a bit weary with the turn this thread has taken. Did she, as Geno has said, perhaps go a bit too far in her statement? Yes. Is this stuff part of UT lore? Yes. Is this stuff irrelevant here in the present and to her future as a Husky? Yes. So keep circling you guys, there's a dead topic down rhere somewhere.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Uh... Nevermind.

So I assume you are in the EW was a horrible hire camp and will keep it up no matter what?

 

[CocoHusky]

Gag, I'm beyond sick of this subject of the tea cozy circle around here. Those who say a player has no right to speak her mind better go read The Bill Of Rights. For at least 3 years it was obvious, even to die hard Tenn fans, that Holly Warlick was a blinking idiot head coach. Truly, I have never seen a worse Division I coach. The only things wrong with her firing was it was at least 2 years too late and they didn't kick her buddy, the AD, out with her. So some of you want to hang Holly Killer on a brave young woman's neck and tie her to the stake in the town square? Pathetic.

The bill of right can probably remain intact because Evina did utilize her rights to express an opinion. That Holly was a horrendous coach and the TN administration was slow to remove her is not particularly germain to this discussion either. Nor are the over the top hyperboles of " Holly killer' or tying a player to the stake. Consistent with my reading of the bill of rights: IMO, Evina made a mistake by publicly expressing an opinion about TN staff. Was she baited? Likely. Was she stress and frustrated? Definitely.
I would have said the same regardless of school, sport, caliber of the player or the fact that the player later decided to transfer to UCONN. Would you?

 

[CocoHusky]

OK? She still said NOTHING regarding changing staff, adding staff, or firing staff.

Yea, I not sure why Evina would want to "fix" something that was working so beautifully.

 

[willtalk]

Gee Whiz!. A player makes a comment to a reporter and it becomes a major issue. Hey, players are not politicians and can make statements that they wish in retrospect they should not have made. Taken in context if should never have been a big deal. We are talking about a player who was in a dysfunctional system. What would you expect? Should she have said nothing? Probably, but it still is no big deal. It was just an indirect statement and she did not criticize anyone directly.

 

[Charliebball]

Well, on the surface yes, 1 player or the very small minority should not be making comments about the program. However when there is a preponderance of evidence, regular dysfunction, regular blaming of the player for issues BY the coach who isn’t coaching, complaints of lack of discipline on and off the court, then yes, players should speak their mind to get stubborn people to listen.
That was specific to this situation. I will Tell you and the BY group my son was an unfortunate recipient of an abusive college coach who had been passed along from 3 programs for similar behavior where upon the 4th program fired the coach with enough documentation that the USA Sport Governing body has sanctioned this coach from coaching again. Without a student-athlete speaking up, this abuse would have continued and frankly, all 4 Athletic administrations should have all acted sooner instead of demeaning the athlete.
When the “adult in the room doesn’t act like the adult” someone must fill that void.

perhaps she could have said it off the record but either she didn't know to do that, she was willing to take the consequences of her statement or most likely she just answered the question honestly without thinking about what might come of it.........

 

[Pie43]

perhaps she could have said it off the record but either she didn't know to do that, she was willing to take the consequences of her statement or most likely she just answered the question honestly without thinking about what might come of it....

She is just a kid, kids say stuff

 

[Gus Mahler]

I'm not a constitutional scholar, and I've never played one on Netflix, but I really don't think this is a First Amendment issue.

 

[Argonaut]

 

[Argonaut]

Did you see Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yet?

(very minor spoiler alert)

It's like Brad Pitt bashing Dakota Fanning's head again and again on the floor, and then standing her up and bashing her head - really hard - a few more times (unnecessarily) against the stone fireplace. It's gratuitous violence, but somehow Quentin Tarantino makes you want just one more....

Even Tarantino would have finished with the EW vs. HW business by now. The flies have arrived on the scene.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The bill of right can probably remain intact because Evina did utilize her rights to express an opinion. That Holly was a horrendous coach and the TN administration was slow to remove her is not particularly germain to this discussion either. Nor are the over the top hyperboles of " Holly killer' or tying a player to the stake. Consistent with my reading of the bill of rights: IMO, Evina made a mistake by publicly expressing an opinion about TN staff. Was she baited? Likely. Was she stress and frustrated? Definitely.
I would have said the same regardless of school, sport, caliber of the player or the fact that the player later decided to transfer to UCONN. Would you?

We are just talking by each other so Woof, Woof and tail wag.

 

[JordyG]

Did you see Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yet?

(very minor spoiler alert)

It's like Brad Pitt bashing Dakota Fanning's head again and again on the floor, and then standing her up and bashing her head - really hard - a few more times (unnecessarily) against the stone fireplace. It's gratuitous violence, but somehow Quentin Tarantino makes you want just one more....

(Fingers in eyes and ears) Lalalalalalalala.