UConn fans talk Texas

Seattle4UT

Seattle4UT

1,000+ Posts
Some interesting thoughts from UConn fans about Texas.

Texas Coach

Rizzotti of Hartford is mentioned as one who could succeed at a program like Texas. My pick, Walz of Louisville, is mentioned as well.
 
Some good discussion on that site from some knowledgeable bb fans. I'd like to see us either make her an extension offer or do something definitive. It is unlikely though, as that is not UT's style when it comes to these matters. It is hurting our recruiting, and I like Coach G.
 
Agreed, it's refreshing to see external Big 12 views of the Texas situation.

Tech's timing of Coach Curry's extension seemed appropriate, considering she brought Tech back to the NCAA tourney coupled with a solid victory over then #1 Baylor. I imagine her contract status at the time impacted her recruiting as well. Blair and Coale said that she is very close to turning the corner; should be interesting to see how they do next year.
 
OK – I’m trying to understand your criteria for judging coaching success. You seem to believe that Kristy Curry is doing a good job at Tech. I’m no KC hater but when you compare circumstances and similar schedules that seems odd given your opinion of GG record at Texas.

You give KC credit for taking TT back to the tournament. They had missed the tournament one time before she got there. In the prior 10 years they had 3 second round losses, 5 sweet sixteens, and 2 elite eights. In her first five years they had no post season, a 1st round WNIT loss, no post season, a WNIT second round loss, and then a NCAA 1st round loss.

Compare the situations that they walked into. In the five years prior to KC coming to TT they made four tournament appearances with a record of 8-4. They were one season removed from a sweet sixteen….GG came to Texas following two straight seasons without a tournament appearance. In the five years prior to her arrival Texas was 7-4 in three tournament appearances. They were two years removed from a second round loss.

You give KC credit for a win over Baylor. That was her first win against Baylor in her 5 years at TT. GG has 5 wins against Baylor in four years……In five years against BU, aTm, OU, and Texas KC has a record of 7-34. In four years at Texas GG has a record against BU, aTm, OU, and TT of 13-22.

You give KC credit for positive comments from coach Blair and Coale. Both those coaches, and others, have also been complementary of GG and the Texas program.

I don’t think any of those records are anything to brag about. But, given the circumstances your stance on the two seems pretty contradictory.
 
initially, there was thinking that Coach G was entering her final season on the contract so many wondered about why no extension. That was corrected by Southie, iirc.

At any rate, given that she has three more years, I agree that there is no haste in announcing an extension. That will probably be worked on and announced sometime in 2012--look for it between January and December of that year.
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Interesting thread that I have been reading since it started. As usual, they tend to put forth coaches that marticulated from UConn. And they are right about one thing: if Texas comes calling, the amount of money they can offer will at least open the door for discussion.

At least they acknowledge that injuries, especially Cokie's, significantly impacted how the team did last season and that Coach G has had a tougher row to hoe than expected with Coaches Coale, Blair and Mulkey entrenched and successful in the Big 12.

It is an interesting discussion, although it was originally based on the assumption that Coach G's contract was up next season.
 
Everybody just hang in there a lil while longer for GG.I look forward to this coming season.This is the 1st time we will have 14 players.Hookem'
 
Interesting reading for sure. They seem to have a fairly high regard for Coach G. It's revealing that they suggest Micki DeMoss was not a good fit as I had also wondered why the heck she would come here so soon after quitting a head coach job...still not sure. And the comments about Clarrissa Davis and that she had badmouthed GG to potential recruits....surely not true?
 
And you have to wonder, with her proxmity to Austin, why she fails to show up when former players & teams are honored, like when the national championship squad was this past spring.

Certainly appears to be some kind of animosity there, but it's hard to pinpoint 1) if the allegations are true, and 2) why the rumors are floating around.

Don't hear any of the same things about Travis Mays, another highly respected and liked assistant coach at that time that was not retained.
 
I've heard the same from more than one person that Clarissa has been saying less than good things about UT and Coach G. That would be a shame if it's true since she is thought of so highly in the history of Texas women's basketball.
 
Seattle, I guess it would be shame since your school gave her opportunity to grace the courts at UT. It would be horrible if she was swaying young women to not go to UT because she has sour grapes with something that went down. I guess you would find it satisfying because it might have something negative to do with Coach G. If what is being said about her talking bad about Texas to possible recruits is true, then she really isn't doing great things for Texas is she?
 
Yes, you have some valid points PDX, but I believe Clarissa is for Texas and not for Coach G. That is OK. Not everyone is going to be a fan of or like Coach G, like me. Her no-show at the 25th anniversary of the '86 Championship was indeed mysterious; perhaps it was as simple as Clarissa having a conflict?

We shouldn't be too critical of CD as she was instrumental in giving Texas basketball its only National Championship. I like how she focuses on her AAU players rather than where they go.
 
I know clarissa personally as I have had a few of my players play for her AAU program. And I can confirm that she most certainly has sour feelings about not being retained on the staff. Coach G actually told her that part of the reason was her wanting to totally separate her program from jody's, which is totally understandable. I did however take exception with one thing I read on the uconn board, and maybe I interpreted wrong but didn't it seem as though they were demeaning CD for coaching summer basketball? I know for a fact that she passed up other D-1 coaching positions to stay in Austin. Her husband and her recently adopted an infant as well so I'm sure that's where she wanted to devote most of her time. Lastly I dont believe that she would speak negatively of the Texas program, but I know she isn't singing it's praises either.
 
I have no idea what the story is with Clarissa, and from the sound of it no one else does either. Even a few of those who are regulars on the board and seem to know a lot about the program seem uncertain about what has transpired. That said, I'm with utfannforlife in that I don't belief Clarissa would speak negatively about Coach G, or the program. From what utfann says she was upset about not being retained, and that's understandable. But she's a professional and no doubt has been through more more than a few similar situations in her career, as have most players and coaches. I know we've had discussions about Coach G not hiring at least one assistant with Texas ties, and she would probably have done that differently in hindsight. But that's not to say that person would have been someone already on staff, and if she had retained one of the assistants, which one would it have been? I've seen quite a few comments on the forum about Travis Mays, and wishing he had stayed. So, there's no saying that CD would have been retained even if there had been a holdover. At the end of the day the program had missed postseason NCAA play for two consecutive years so it isn't surprising that a new coach would clean house completely. Speaking badly about the program or staff just doesn't seem like something Clarissa would do. It doesn't make sense, and not only because of her history as a Horn, but also because of her current position as AAU coach. Engaging in that kind of behavior would ultimately do her far more harm than good. That's my opinion anyway.
 
We've all interviewed for jobs where we weren't the one who was eventually hired; it's part of life. Even when you have tenure, and a new "boss" comes in to take over, there's no guarantee that you will be retained by the new regime.

How one handles that kind of adversary speaks volumes. You can be bitter and immature, or you can be mature and move forward with your head held high. If Coach G felt more comfortable hiring a staff which included coaches with which she had a prior relationship, then that was her prerogative. It would be very unfortunate if any candidates who weren't hired decided to try and be vindictive in return.

If Clarissa wasn't the best qualified candidate (I believe she had 1 year college coaching experience), then her not being retained shouldn't have been a surprise.

If I'm not mistaken, Clarissa didn't start coaching AAU basketball until after she returned from her 1 year coaching stint at Rutgers. So, perhaps she didn't have the connections with high school players/coaches in Texas which she has developed over the last 3-4 years.
 
I don't have a link, but I'm pretty sure I remember reading in either the Austin American Statesman or the Dallas Morning News sports sections that CD was bad mouthing GG and the UT program. I'm sure someone could google it and and come up with something.
 
I certainly don't recall ever seeing anything about this is the mainstream press, only an occasional comment on a few message boards. That's not to say it wasn't there but I would have to see a link. Like Mooooo says we've all interviewed and been passed over, and given circumstances when GG took over it's not a surprise that the current staff was replaced. I still find it hard to believe that CD would engage in that kind of stuff, and if I'm wrong and she did, then I think we'd all agree it's a good thing she wasn't retained. But it doesnt make sense, on several levels. First of all, she's an AAU coach that depends on solid relationships with high school and collegiate coaches. And as utfannforlife pointed out in the past, GG is highly regarded in the coaching community. So, Texas is CD's alma mater, the largest univeristy in the State, and she's currently an AAU coach that depends on strong relationships. And she's going to bad mouth GG, who I've always assume she likes and admires, to potential recruits? I can't see it. Not to mention that CD lives in Texas and no doubt has contact with many people affiliated with university - former teammates, colleagues, and others - it seems almost certain if there were any issues these would have long since been addressed, and rectified. I simply can't see CD as some kind of immature or disgruntled former employee who's out there poisoning the well. That isn't the kind of reputation any serious professional would want to have in the wider basketball community. As I said perhaps I'm off base so if anyone knows something they don't want to share on the general forum, PM me.
 
Yes clarrisa has bad mouthed both UT and coach g - there was an article out of vegas a couple of years ago on the situation - other college coaches have known this for awhile now and have had a field day with it - it seems to have died down some now - her intentions as an aau coach are no different that the others - she pratically hand delivered the girl from georgetown to lsu probably hoping for a job - remember the girl from georgetown is from oregon but lives with clarrisa, her aau coach - interesting situation at best - her intentions are to coach the girls with something in return for her -glory, job etc - making her girls come to aau practice when some are making a run for the state tournament told me all i needed to know about her coaching style(not much respect for high school coaches and teams)
in my opinion she will always be remembered as the great one and one of the greats in all of UT sports - its a shame she decided to diss her alma mater - UT will move on and so will she but her memory will become even less
 
Well if her goal was to get a job with LSU, that didn't come to fruition obviously. There's probably a lot I don't know about the AAU scene, or how things work or play out, but it doesn't seem likely that an AAU coach would direct a recruit to a specific school and then end up with a job there; wouldn't that raise all kinds of red flags and cause problems for the univeristy doing the hiring? As far as not having respect for high school coaches, that falls into the category of bad mouthing The University of Texas. Why do that, or take that approach if you are depending on good relationships with those high schools, and with universities as well. That sounds a lot like 'cutting off your nose to spite your face,' but as I say, there's apparently a lot about the AAU and recruiting scene I don't understand very well. And whether or not some other programs benefitted from her actions, if in fact that's the case, it still doesn't seem like a very smart, or productive strategy on CD's part. At the end of the day that kind of behavior earns you a bad reputation fast, and that's going to cause far more problems than it does opportunities in the long run.

I guess you're right that life goes on for all concerned, regardless of what's transpired, but I still think there's quite a bit to this story that none of us knows anything about.
 
This is a prime example of how in some peoples mind perception becomes reality. CD did not hand deliver forthan to LSU. Her primary choice was a&m but due to them being ridiculously loaded at that position then she had to make a decision. She played one year of AAU ball with charell mays (Travis may's daughter) and that's undoubtedly the reason she went there because of her connection with him. And to touch on one more post, CD has been coaching AAU ball for over 10 years. She has nationally one of the most respected programs in the country so she has ample connections. And would most certainly be an ally to the Texas program if she didn't let her pride get in the way.
 
i couldnt give two craps if she is mad at the current staff, if she is bad mouthing my Longhorns then she can go to hell. This program is bigger than her and to try to tarnish it is bs. She needs to get her head outta her butt and keep her mouth shut.
 
i don't think those kinds of statements help the situation, especially since we don't know that she's doing any bad mouthing in the first place. there's a big difference between being disappointed about a job loss, or not being as much of an ally as some might hope for, and actually casting the program in a negative light. i don't think it's fair to make that kind of leap; after all, didn't a member of our incoming class (enemkpali) play on clarissa's aau team? she and forthan were the squad's two biggest names, and highest ranked recruits in the 2011 class, so whatever clarissa's feelings are we landed a great player that was affiliated with her program. i just get the feeling some are creating a mountain out of a molehill. there might have been some hard feelings, or issues, but everyone involved is a professional. let's move on.
 
No there is most certainly something there. I don't think it may has as extreme as some make it out to be, but it's bigger than a molehill. And Nneka only played one summer with CD and that's when she decommitted. She did not recommit until school started again and she was back under the advisement of her HS coach (Nancy walling) who is also a ut alum.
 
Thanks for the clarification, utfann. I was basing my 'mountain out of a molehill' statement on your comment above. You mentioned that CD wasn't happy about being let go, and wasn't necessarily singing the program's praises, but you didn't believe she would speak negatively about the Horns either. As far as Nneka's decommital is concerned, the timing you mention is interesting. I would certainly hope CD didn't have a hand in that; whatever the case I'm glad Nneka re-committed, and signed with the Horns.

If there was a situation whereby CD inflluenced Nneka during a summer camp, and contributed to her short-lived decommital, that is exactly the kind of situation I was referring to above. Obviously that might not have gone down well with Nneka's high school coach, and we see that she recommitted once she was back in school. Even if CD is a good coach, with a successful program, there are a lot of HS coaches that would not like, or respect that kind of behavior. That's my assumption anyway, and I'm not just talking about coaches who have a good relationship wtih Texas, although there are many who fall into that category. I have to believe in the long run an AAU coach that allows hard feelings, or pride as it was referred to above, influence their behavior, is going to harm the relationships they depend upon for their success.
 
utfanforlife - I, and many others I am sure, appreciate your professional, knowledgeable, insightful posts. Thanks !
 
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