Does anyone know....

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overseasbbfan1

1,000+ Posts
...if there will be any kind of advance info on who the finalists for the position are? In other words, we're looking at X, Y and Z, have interviews scheduled, and will make a decision by such-and-such date. It seems like last time Gail quickly became the focus, but IIRC we all knew she had been offered the job, and there was some delay while she made up mind. But the point is, and hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong, it was a pretty open process. I just wonder if we're going to know who the finalists are, and who's being talked to, or will it just be, "okay, here's our new coach."
 
Per Orangebloods.com, the new coach has been identified (it's not Brenda Friese) and the announcement will come soon. Also, it should be perceived as a home run.
 
I asked that question over there in the Q&A and was pretty surprised that I got that much of a response. Chip is usually not specific in his statements unless he is pretty confident in the source.
 
Someone on another board has posted that the candidate is on campus.
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I'd like to remind everyone that 5 years ago I paid $9.95 to find out (to my horror) that Kim Mulkey was going to be our next coach. Just something to keep in mind as you read Orangebloods.com

But I neglect to mention that after I found that out I emailed Chris to tell her if that was the case I'd no longer be a season ticket holder. So I'm sure Orangebloods was right, but after reading my email Chris rescinded her offer to Mulkey and instead offered Goestenkors.
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With new unidentified coach to be hired soon, he/she starts with a clean slate. The baggage resulted from the last hire is immaterial/irrelevant/water under the bridge/you name it. Can't wait to hear the news!

Hook 'Em Seattle!
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A strike out would have been a women's team equivalent of Bob Weltlich. GG was not nearly the strike out that BW was.
 
Some talk on local sports radio this morning about keeping an eye on Karen Aston as a candidate. I have listed her all along as a possibility, but not close to the top of the list. I certainly would not call that a home run.....I'm not saying it isn't true, but I have to doubt this report.......
 
I don't know whether Karen is being considered or not as there hasn't been much information, aside from speculation on various message boards, as to who the finalists might be. But I'm pretty certain she has a very good relationship with the department, and is apparently very close to JC. In fact, in her press conference when she took the North Texas job, she said the only call she made other than to her parents when she got the offer was to Jody. So there is definitely a strong bond there with respect to staff and others associated with the program. I just wish we had some idea as to who was being looked at. You would think if a candidate had actually been on campus yesterday, as the OB info indicated, that someone would have seen or heard something (and had the common decency to pass the details along to the rest of us
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). I would be fine with Karen, though. Oh well maybe we'll hear something, about someone, later today. I certainly hope so!
 
I don't think there is any way in hell you can call that a home run hire. It might work and if everyone is patient she could build the program up. I think she has the tireless energy needed to devote to this rebuilding. What was the reason she left Charlotte to go to UNT? I have not followed her career since she took the Charlotte job.

The one concern I have about a hire like this one is that it's not going to energize the fan base that left. Attendance is at early 1980's numbers and butts won't return until the program starts winning conference championships.
 
I would have mixed feelings if she were hired.

I realize she helped sign some very good players while at Texas, but toward the end of her time at Texas, i don't believe she really reeled in the true "differene makers", despite the recent benefits of a Final Four appearance and consecutive Big 12 championships.

Yes, the recruiting misses don't fall entirely on her shoulders. But, missing out on the Paris twins, Charde Houston, etc. were huge as there weren't really second options when those players signed elsewhere.

As for what CHip Brown was reporting yesterday, he said "he was told" that the replacement candidate had been idenfitied, was on campus, and would be considered a homerun type hire. That "homerun" comment was not Chip's opinion, but the opinion of whomever told him that limited amount of information.
 
Texas will never get every blue chip from the state or elsewhere. Karen Aston would be a fine choice to be the next coach at Texas. From a success standpoint, Karen has done more for Texas than Goestenkors has done in her 5 years. Apples to oranges? Ok, maybe by title, but not by contributions.

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OU may not have won the national championship while Courtney Paris was there, but it wasn't because of a lack of contribution from her. It takes more than one player to win it all. They did reach the Final Four her senior season, and won some BIg 12 titles.

No way can anyone discard the scoring and rebounding numbers she put up while at OU.

There was debate by some recruiting services as to whether Courtney or Erika Arriaran was the #1 overall prospect for their class; as it turned out, it wasn't even close.
 
No question, I agree Courtney turned out to be the best player in that particular class. And it would have been exciting to see what she and Tiffany could have done for a couple of seasons together.
 
Another tidbit Chip Brown provided:
I've been told it's a woman, so that rules out Travis Mays or the male coaches at Kentucky (Matthew Mitchell) and Louisville (Jeff Walz).


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Well, if it's a woman, and if the first tidbit from Chip was right and it's not Brenda Frese, that leaves quite a few possibilities that have already been discussed...Karen Aston, Sherri Coale, Melanie Balcomb, Kenya Landers, or one of the current assistants such as Lakale Malone. A couple of those probably aren't as likely as others, but then again you never know. I wouldn't think it would be Edwina because she's only been an assistant for one season, but I don't guess it's impossible. Or it could even be another alum such as Kamie Ethridge or Clarissa. And it could be someone none of us have even considered up to now! I just wish they would announce it already!
 
Well, he didn’t really answer your question completely which tells me that he is probably guessing about the exact name just like the rest of us.

Let’s see…that leaves, in no particular order, like them or not…..

Karen Aston
Nikki Caldwell
Melanie Balcomb
Dawn Staley
Chris Dailey
Holly Warlick
Pokie Chapman
McChelle Joseph
Coquese Washington
Suzie Merchant
Kamie Ethridgedeb Patterson
Charli Turner Thorne
Sue Semraw
Sharon Versyp
Nell Fortner

How many on that list could they try to sell as a “home run?”
 
I'm sure Chip is just reporting what he is being told; but, someone could be feeding him misinformation, too.

My thoughts:

Karen Aston -- losing record at UNT (rebuilding)
Nikki Caldwell -- too soon to leave LSU
Melanie Balcomb -- could be
Dawn Staley -- could be
Chris Dailey -- could be
Holly Warlick -- not gonna leave Pat Summitt now
Pokie Chapman -- could be
McChelle Joseph -- could be
Coquese Washington -- could be
Suzie Merchant -- could be
Kamie Ethridgedeb Patterson -- doubtful, IMO
Charli Turner Thorne -- on Sabbatical from ASU
Sue Semraw -- didn't make tourney this year
Sharon Versyp -- -- could be; but, Purdue grad
Nell Fortner -- unsuccessful at Auburn
 
I guess it all depends on your perspective, or who you talk to, but I would guess a couple would qualify as home runs in various people's eyes. Certainly from an accomplishment standpoint, the most obvious home run would have been Frese because she's actually won a NC, but the initial info is it's not her. Certainly Balcomb would be as much of a home run as Walz or Mitchell would have been, but some might not use that term for any of these three. Longtime fans and boosters might like the idea of an alum like Kamie, or even be happy about Karen, but again, not sure home run would be the applicable term in either case. But there are definitely several of this list I would be happy with.

Outlook...who would be your top choice among those listed?
 
Top choice…..hmmmmm…….

I’ve been working in IT for 15+ years, but I have a background in HR and was even a head-hunter for a while. I still do interviews for job openings in my department here. One of the things that I have learned is that a resume, no matter how well you know it, doesn’t tell everything. I’d have to talk to someone to be sure. But, all I have here is the resume, what I have seen of different teams play, and what I can read online. So, I have to qualify this a little. I don’t usually really think in terms of who is at the top of my list so much as who I think might be a good choice based on what I know. In no particular order the people I would like to talk with would include….

Melanie Balcomb
Nikki Caldwell
Dawn Staley
Chris Dailey
Coquese Washington

….and I would have to hope that they all had an interest in talking. I think it is possible that any of them in conversation could convince me they would be the best choice. Going in I would probably think of Balcomb, Staley and Washington as the top three….even though I would try to not think in those terms. I’m not sure that I know any of those three well enough right now to pick just one.

And, of course, I’m assuming there isn’t some other candidate that I haven’t even considered.
 
I agree with your choices, and would probably pick Balcomb as my top choice. Primarily because she's known for being a great offensive coach, which I think might help us get over the hump. In particular as I believe Chas is still our only consistent scoring threat, and don't know if that's going to change right away with the two we have coming in next year. Obvioulsy when you have great players like a Moore, Parker or Taurisi, there isn't too much offensive coaching required - well, there's always coaching required, but I think you know what I mean. But when you don't necessarily have those kinds of players, which I think has been the case with Vandy at points in the past, getting players to become more of an offensive threat, and a consistent scoring option, is defiinitely important. But I'm tired of speculating so let's get something official soon, no matter who it is!
 
Here's something posted this afternoon in the Denton paper about Aston and whether or not she's being considered for the Texas job. Apprently UT hasn't asked anyone at UNT for official permission to speak with her (though apparently some other programs have), but they admit a call could have been made they weren't aware of. But I certainly don't think she could have been down here on campus, or nearing a deal, without the UNT AD knowing about it (unless I know absolutely nothing about how these things work, but isn't there usually some kind of formal notification or request made to the candidate's current program?):

LINK
 
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