Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 41 to 47 of 47
  1. #41
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    Quote Originally Posted by msdukie View Post
    The recruiting was not up to par before that, I think bringing in Tricia Stafford-Odom has done a world of good for recruiting.
    Great post MS. The hiring of T S-O is one of the best moves made by Coach P since she's been here. She was proven before at Cal and has only continued her excellence at Duke. I don't think her contributions go unnoticed, but just in case, the current condition of Duke women's basketball owes her a world of thanks.
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  2. #42
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greensboro, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by msdukie View Post
    That wasn't her first season. That was her second season.

    Her husband was not a professor at our mortal enemy. He went there. A far worse sin in my book.

    The biggest issues regarding the transition were that Coach G built the program from virtually nothing, made Duke at worst a top-5 program consistently, her teams were fun to watch, you felt that while she was cursed in the postseason, the day would come someday (a la Coach K) where she would get a ring. Also, as time went on, the students supported the team (more on that below).

    Joe Alleva, who I think should be considered without debate the worst athletic director in Duke history, made some unwise statements in the public about Coach G coming back when she was thinking about Texas and the widespread belief was that he really did not care about keeping her and did not make the effort he should have. I've also been told that there was some friction between G and Alleva, which had at least some impact on her decision, even if it was not the deciding factor.

    There were a lot of questions about Coach P's credentials (the aforementioned recruiting and "tractor" offense) and whether Duke conducted a very good search for a replacement. The recruiting has been great, obviously, over the past year plus, possibly at a level higher than Coach G. The recruiting was not up to par before that, I think bringing in Tricia Stafford-Odom has done a world of good for recruiting.

    The tractor offense concerns have come true and quite frankly watching this team is quite painful at times. I record the men's and women's games and like to go back and watch good games. I have no desire to go back and rewatch any women's game of the past 3+ years due to the offense. I can count the number of screens set in the Coach P era on two hands (yes, I understand that the offense is run though the post first and is a different style of offense, than a motion offense, but still) and an examination of the assist/turnover ratio in each boxscore since 2007 is astounding, but consistent.

    There were a number of concerns in 2008 and 2009 about how the returning players felt and were treated. The departure of Emily Waner was the most obvious sign.

    Another concern is that the student body has essentially abandoned this program. Virtually all of the support from the program comes from the residents of Durham and some alums. While student support was never spectacular under Coach G, it improved annually, and the students would show up in huge numbers and fill the student section for MD/UNC/Tenn/UConn. Remember, the Goestenkorsville (there was another female reference to the letter G I won't repeat that was used as well) campouts? There has been no Palumboville.

    Coach P was hired with the mandate that she was here to finish the job and win national championships and understood that. At no point in the past 3+ years have I once felt that this coaching staff is going to win a national championship. And this is from someone who has supported the team, wants us to win every time out, flies up to games from Florida regularly, watches every game on TV/Internet and has had season tickets for every season since graduating from law school in 2000. Thus, my emotional investment fuels my concern.

    I will continue to watch, continue to support, and continue to want our team and staff to do well and I really want us to get the ultimate prize (many times). I just hope that my concerns and prediction about finishing the job are ultimately proved wrong. Certainly, with the recruiting success of late and the fact that we have not heard of recent dissention, the situation has improved.
    Your concerns are (in general) the ones fans have when there is a turnover in coaches. The same kind of concerns were voiced when Coach K took over and for the next few years. All defense, not enough offense, shooters benched in favor of better defenders.

    Perhaps Coach P could have softened the blow regarding her coaching style versus Coach G's. But one of my concerns with Coach G was that the players lacked toughness at times. Our present players may not be as offensively gifted as Coach G's teams, but they seem to grind out wins in close games somehow.

    I'm not sure where you are coming from on the "mandate" that Coach P is under to win NCAA championships, other than everybody wants to win 'em.

    The students? That's on them, just like coming to football games.

    I certainly agree that the tractor offense, as you call it, is not easy on the eyes. These later recruits should really help with that. Looks like we have some scorers now.

    The women's program certainly took a hit when Coach Goestenkors left. Most programs, men's and women's, do when they lose a top level coach. The transition wasn't smooth, and the Waners were a casualty of that. I have no idea whose fault that was, though. The new coach often gets the blame (especially when crowd favorites seem to lose effectiveness). Coach McCalley hasn't told the world what really went on, and didn't throw any players under the bus, so we may never know.

    Coach P is still way under the umbrella given Coach K by the athletics department back in the early 80s. So far she gets two thumbs up as far as I am concerned. As far as any real or imagined mandates, it took Coach K more than a decade to win a national championship.

    I am really afraid of how things will go at Duke if Coach K's successor at Duke can't immediately produce big-time. Every rumor and fear can undermine the new regime. But at least we've got a blueprint ready.
    Man, if your Mom made you wear that color when you were a baby, and you're still wearing it, it's time to grow up!

  3. #43

    Exactly....

    While I enjoyed watching Coach G's teams (starting with Alana Beard's incoming class) and the style of play offensively that they utilized, Coach G's teams in that era seemed to be mentally fragile. I remember the different times that G would talk about helping her teams relax more and not tense up during tough times, and to stay positive during those tough times. With each year, Coach P's teams have gotten stronger and tougher mentally as evidenced with this year's team. And while their offense is not great right now, I think they can improve and get much better. I'm looking forward to their game with UConn to see how far they've come.

    And as a side note, I wonder if Abby's problems had more to do with mentally not getting over the misses in the NCAA championship game that might have helped them win the game and losing Coach G than anything Coach P did or didn't do.

  4. #44
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Tampa
    Quote Originally Posted by killerleft View Post
    Your concerns are (in general) the ones fans have when there is a turnover in coaches. The same kind of concerns were voiced when Coach K took over and for the next few years. All defense, not enough offense, shooters benched in favor of better defenders.

    Perhaps Coach P could have softened the blow regarding her coaching style versus Coach G's. But one of my concerns with Coach G was that the players lacked toughness at times. Our present players may not be as offensively gifted as Coach G's teams, but they seem to grind out wins in close games somehow.

    I'm not sure where you are coming from on the "mandate" that Coach P is under to win NCAA championships, other than everybody wants to win 'em.

    The students? That's on them, just like coming to football games.

    I certainly agree that the tractor offense, as you call it, is not easy on the eyes. These later recruits should really help with that. Looks like we have some scorers now.

    The women's program certainly took a hit when Coach Goestenkors left. Most programs, men's and women's, do when they lose a top level coach. The transition wasn't smooth, and the Waners were a casualty of that. I have no idea whose fault that was, though. The new coach often gets the blame (especially when crowd favorites seem to lose effectiveness). Coach McCalley hasn't told the world what really went on, and didn't throw any players under the bus, so we may never know.

    Coach P is still way under the umbrella given Coach K by the athletics department back in the early 80s. So far she gets two thumbs up as far as I am concerned. As far as any real or imagined mandates, it took Coach K more than a decade to win a national championship.

    I am really afraid of how things will go at Duke if Coach K's successor at Duke can't immediately produce big-time. Every rumor and fear can undermine the new regime. But at least we've got a blueprint ready.
    Alleva and Coach P upon her arrival both said on multiple occasions that she was there to finish the job Coach G didn't get done. Coach K's eventual retirement will be a completely different can of worms, plus his replacement will not be the result of the same circumstances.
    ___________________
    Mike Stein
    Trinity '97, Tent #1 '97
    Tampa

  5. #45
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Berg View Post
    Speaking for me only:


    4. Ivory Latta always having our number, even in the years we had no trouble dispatching UConn and Tennessee

    I'm not sure a miracle at the buzzer counts as 'having no trouble' with uconn...
    1200. DDMF.

  6. #46
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by uh_no View Post
    I'm not sure a miracle at the buzzer counts as 'having no trouble' with uconn...
    Two trips to the Nutmeg State, two wins over the Huskies. Good enough.

  7. #47
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greensboro, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by msdukie View Post
    Alleva and Coach P upon her arrival both said on multiple occasions that she was there to finish the job Coach G didn't get done. Coach K's eventual retirement will be a completely different can of worms, plus his replacement will not be the result of the same circumstances.
    You are right on both fronts.

    Did anybody really think the timetable on winning it all meant immediately? Sounds great, would have been great, but that's some powerful pressure.

    Coach K may go out on top of the world with his 7th title and another Olympic win, but don't kid yourself that reactions will be substantially different for his successor. The grace period may be a bit longer, but essentially the same people will not be patient if things don't go very well. Duke fans aren't different than others when it comes to demanding success.

    Once again, I wish the offense was better. If it doesn't improve soon I'll have to revisit my opinions. There are always concerns. We have fans second-guessing Coach K, arguably the best basketball coach ever. But at this point in her tenure, I would give Coach P a solid B+ at the very worst.
    Man, if your Mom made you wear that color when you were a baby, and you're still wearing it, it's time to grow up!

Similar Threads

  1. Love on Duke
    By MarineTwinsDad in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 37
    Last Post: 03-30-2008, 02:33 PM
  2. Duke Love Wave for Coach K
    By Lavabe in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 02-17-2008, 06:27 PM
  3. The computers love Duke
    By Olympic Fan in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 01-20-2008, 02:23 PM
  4. I LOVE Duke Football
    By Kewlswim in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 10-16-2007, 09:40 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •