Celeste Taylor in the Portal

[racerx5908]

So it seems Taylor's father reads these message boards based on his tweets and I think he is getting the impression that we are talking down on Celeste which is not the case at all. From what I've read, everyone has been very supportive in her decision to be closer to home and I personally couldn't be happier for her. I completely understand needing to be closer to home and doing what's best for you. She has done amazing things for Texas and I think we can all agree that we wish her nothing but the best and much success at Duke.

This Vic momentum is not stopping and whoever is on the roster is who I want to see this team go to war with. No time to reminisce and hang our heads. We all knew this was a possibility not just for Taylor but for other players as well. Can't do anything but wish them nothing but success and blessings

 

[Jacob Johnson]

Oh well, at this point I have moved on. I hope she is happy where she is but I hope this doesn’t turn into something bigger than what it is. She's not a longhorn anymore so really not concerned about it anymore. All I can do is wish her well and focus on the players that are in Austin or on their way

 

[racerx5908]

Oh well, at this point I have moved on. I hope she is happy where she is but I hope this doesn’t turn into something bigger than what it is. She's not a longhorn anymore so really not concerned about it anymore. All I can do is wish her well and focus on the players that are in Austin or on their way

I agree. It comes down to the deep, dark fear that we have "Wait, do we suck? Do people want to leave us because we're not THE UNIVERSITY of Texas?" Maybe it's not you and maybe it's not me. Maybe it's a 20 year old wanting to be closer to home.

We didn't question Kyra Lambert transferring.

 

[loyallonghorn]

I agree. It comes down to the deep, dark fear that we have "Wait, do we suck? Do people want to leave us because we're not THE UNIVERSITY of Texas?" Maybe it's not you and maybe it's not me. Maybe it's a 20 year old wanting to be closer to home.

We didn't question Kyra Lambert transferring.

But Kyra is from San Antonio and transferred to a school that is a 1.5 hr drive.

 

[loyallonghorn]

I have to objectively agree with Cedric. It would have been one thing to transfer to Syracuse or Connecticut, but Duke? Perhaps she didn't like playing in Coach Vic's system.

Nevertheless, I'm thankful she was here for 2 years. She was my favorite because of non-stop engine on both ends of the court. I wish her the best and will continue to follow her career.

 

[utfannforlife]

As a relative, coach and then parent of an Uber talented athlete, I would advise Alex to get some thicker skin or not read anything at all. I would say that was the best thing I learned to do over the years, when I was my younger sister and then favorite cousin after that I could read it objectively without taking it personal, then when it was my own kid I chose not to read at all.

Although Celeste will likely never play for a championship at Duke, I hope she can lay a foundation of a winning culture that she can certainly be proud of! All the best to her!

 

[justabbfan]

It's all fine. She was not a Vic recruit though I think he really respected her and likely hated to lose her. But his system was not Karen's system (though she excelled in each of them) plus she was homesick and wanted her family to be able to see her play more often. I wish her the best and hope she will be more content in N.C.

 

[zztx1]

Congrats to Celeste on joining an incredible school and program that was prominent in women's basketball. With women's sports, the academic program becomes the big draw. In KA's time, we lost some targeted recruits to better academic institutions and KA tried to accommodate different majors. I have no idea with Coach Vic, but in other programs at other schools it is difficult to major outside of the couple of majors supported by the athletics programs. We have had some complaints here before about degrees for athletes that can not even qualify you to be a P.E. teacher at a Texas School. We will follow her career and wish her the best.

 

[brnkj]

We have had some complaints here before about degrees for athletes that can not even qualify you to be a P.E. teacher at a Texas School.

This is the first I've heard of this and sounds real strange seeing how we have had so many go on to become coaches. The majors available to athletes at UT don't seem to be all THAT limited, as we currently have a player majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Maybe @Moooooo can break it down for us???

 

[racerx5908]

Congrats to Celeste on joining an incredible school and program that was prominent in women's basketball. With women's sports, the academic program becomes the big draw. In KA's time, we lost some targeted recruits to better academic institutions and KA tried to accommodate different majors. I have no idea with Coach Vic, but in other programs at other schools it is difficult to major outside of the couple of majors supported by the athletics programs. We have had some complaints here before about degrees for athletes that can not even qualify you to be a P.E. teacher at a Texas School. We will follow her career and wish her the best.

I reread your post and you said "but in other programs", so this sounds like a supposition and not a declaration. I'd have to disagree since obviously JAT is finishing her third year of ME and is probably going to continue into her senior year towards that degree. In fact, I remember one of those LHN segments showing the day in the life of JAT. They showed a student manager manning a golf cart to pick her up from one of her classes to zip her to practice and then on to another class after practice. Seems to me if they were trying to discourage them, they would say, "We don't care what you major in, just don't be late to practice".

Now, your reference to losing recruits to other schools of (reputation-wise) higher academic reputation? Yeah, for sure. I mean if you're a HS recruit who can get your full ride to Stanford or a full ride to Texas? I'd pick Stanford in a heartbeat. That's said all the time in Texas football recruiting. It's a coin flip between Texas and Stanford for some stud offensive linemen and even the most devoted recruiting fan admit that Stanford would be the better choice for their future.

 

[zztx1]

This is the first I've heard of this and sounds real strange seeing how we have had so many go on to become coaches. The majors available to athletes at UT don't seem to be all THAT limited, as we currently have a player majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

It depends on the Coach and the sport. My friends were friends with a WBB player who graduated in Kinesiology and she complained about the inability to get a job after coming back from Europe. 10 years ago. Coach Aston tailored UT to the player and her interests. She gave one recruit a tour of a UT graduate school because the recruit and her family were interested in that discipline. She pushed a couple of her players for honors programs. She would call around and ask for professors in the various schools who would be receptive in mentoring one of her players. I do not know but I would bet Coach Vic would be supportive of any major if you can handle it.

My daughter was at a competitive sports camp at Notre Dame and the coach told player, no lab majors here unless you plan to stay a 5th year. (Not basketball) My daughter went on to play 4 years at a school that let her take a science major.

My main point was to say, Duke is pretty attractive to a good student.

 

[Bobcat]

It depends on the Coach and the sport. My friends were friends with a WBB player who graduated in Kinesiology and she complained about the inability to get a job after coming back from Europe. 10 years ago. Coach Aston tailored UT to the player and her interests. She gave one recruit a tour of a UT graduate school because the recruit and her family were interested in that discipline. She pushed a couple of her players for honors programs. She would call around and ask for professors in the various schools who would be receptive in mentoring one of her players. I do not know but I would bet Coach Vic would be supportive of any major if you can handle it.

My daughter was at a competitive sports camp at Notre Dame and the coach told player, no lab majors here unless you plan to stay a 5th year. (Not basketball) My daughter went on to play 4 years at a school that let her take a science major.

My main point was to say, Duke is pretty attractive to a good student.

We all know Duke is an outstanding school, but Texas is attractive to a good student as well. Coach Aston isn’t here anymore so it’s really a moot point. I’m quite sure Coach Schaefer and staff would do all they could to help any student athlete reach and fulfill their academic goals. UT is outstanding academically in its own right, and most certainly attractive to those who put academics as a priority.

 

[brnkj]

Speaking of UT athletes and academics... this should settle it.

 

[cynt]

UT offers 1000s of degrees. If the student athlete elects to get a "liberal arts" degree that's on them. I actually think those "nothing" degrees for student athletes should be eliminated. I think they were designed for some student athletes who were one and done or two and done. I don't think they were meant to actually be a 4 yr degree. But of course a band aid for a problem was taken to the extreme.

My parents told me we ain't paying for a "liberal arts" degree. And they meant that! Get a degree to get a J O B. Period. Point blank. And 25 yrs later I'm still using that accounting degree. Best advice they ever gave me. And neither one of my parents went to college but they had the wisdom to guide me.

So where are the parents during this college degree selection?

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

So where are the parents during this college degree selection?

Today? I suspect many parents are still making sure 18 year old little Johnny doesn't get his feelings hurt, and affirming his self esteem. So they are proud and supportive when he chooses to study Underwater Basket Weaving, and they hand out the equivalent of a participation trophy when he lands that barista job at the local Starbucks while carrying $80K in student debt.

 

[CreakyHorn]

Oh, I don't know. Perhaps they see college as a chance to experience things that they haven't before. Perhaps they actually don't know what they want to do. Perhaps it's ok that they have chosen to go to college and figure out what they want to do in their own time. I was under tremendous pressure to know what I "wanted to do" prior to college. As a result, I stumbled through two different majors (one being accounting) that I was tremendously ill-suited for. I dropped out, went to work and then found my calling. I think if I had pursued Liberal Arts I would have had a much better chance of finding my niche while still in college.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

Oh, I don't know. Perhaps they see college as a chance to experience things that they haven't before. Perhaps they actually don't know what they want to do. Perhaps it's ok that they have chosen to go to college and figure out what they want to do in their own time. I was under tremendous pressure to know what I "wanted to do" prior to college. As a result, I stumbled through two different majors (one being accounting) that I was tremendously ill-suited for. I dropped out, went to work and then found my calling. I think if I had pursued Liberal Arts I would have had a much better chance of finding my niche while still in college.

Creaky,
When you and I went to college that was not uncommon and not necessarily bad, because college costs were FAAAAR more reasonable back then. Try that today and you end up with crushing debt coupled with a useless degree. Today's truth is, college is not worth the price for (I am guessing here) about half of the people who are enrolled. Those people would be far better served by learning a trade via an apprenticeship or tech school.

If college was an economic bargain then we wouldn't have so many young people crying about their student debt, nor would we have politicians pandering to them with promises of debt relief or forgiveness.

 

[CreakyHorn]

Sangre,
I like your 2nd post on this topic better than your first. Your first post was rather negative, and a bit dismissive of anyone who chooses to study what they're passionate about. I agree that if you have to finance your entire degree with student loans then that should certainly be factored into your decisions.

 

[zztx1]

There is no doubt that the vast majority of private schools are simply not worth the tuition money. Students who choose to take on debt to attend need to be sure a job can offset that debt. Some of it depends on where you are in the class. Wall street hires students from any major if they have strong grades and they train them. For Texas residents, the $9,000 tuition of UT. A&M, TxTech is an excellent value but there will be majors where you cannot get a job to cover those costs. Most of us should be disappointed that so many private institutions could raise their fees so high to take advantage of students.

 

[CreakyHorn]

Agree, and we should also be disappointed that financial institutions are allowed to prey on students. It shouldn't be this difficult to get an education.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

For Texas residents, the $9,000 tuition of UT. A&M, TxTech is an excellent value

While the actual cost to attend (tuition, fees, books, room and board) ends up closer to $25 to $30k per year, leading to debt loads approaching or exceeding $100K.