UNC 93, Duke WBB 76

[gadzooks]

Seems in all the excitement over the men's game, nobody has started a thread about the women's game! Tonight, 7 PM ET, ESPN2.

After the VT game, in which they played much better than in the previous few, I'm feeling pretty good about this game. GO BLUE DEVILS!

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I'll be there cheering the women on in person. Hope to be present for a big upset. Let's go Duke!!!

[dukepsy1963]

I will be sending great vibes to the Duke squad...from high in the mountains.

Go Duke!!!!!!!

[throatybeard]

Link to chat:

http://www.ryanbreen.com:81/snrubchat/stream.html

[watzone]

12:17 before tipoff, live in Cameron and the band is leading the cheer "Go to Hell Carolina," as the teams warm up. Duke just left the floor. Sylvia two piece Caro-blue outfit -stunning.

[Karl Beem]

OMG, what's that on Jim Rome's face3?:eek:

[captmojo]

Is it just me, or does Sylvia look more and more like Dean Smith with breasts?

[Duvall]

Once again, thank you Joe Alleva. Among athletic directors, you truly have no peer.

[boortz41]

It just seems like this team isn't having any fun playing. It's really sad to watch. Maybe Duke women's basketball was about one person after all.

[sandinmyshoes]

Well, this game is not any fun, that is certain. :(

[boortz41]

Well, at least Barry Wilson has company now.

[dukelifer]

It just seems like this team isn't having any fun playing. It's really sad to watch. Maybe Duke women's basketball was about one person after all.

This team fought hard- but Carolina was better tonight. When Duke attacked- they played pretty well- but turnovers at the end of the first half killed them and they never really recovered. Carolina executed tonight- you have to give them credit. Duke has 6 losses - 4 to the top 5 teams in the country. But they will learn from this. Duke needs some shooters. 2-17 from three is not going to cut it.

[watzone]

2 of 17 threes will get you blown out

[captmojo]

Hopefully this will give them incentive for a better effort next meeting.

[365Duke]

Once again, thank you Joe Alleva. Among athletic directors, you truly have no peer.

What does this mean?

[Duvall]

Duke needs some shooters.

No, what Duke needs is an offense.

[boortz41]

I want Coach P to do well. But this is looking like a bad fit. You don't go from an undefeated regular season to this bad in one year.

[Duvall]

What does this mean?

It means that only an athletic director with Joe Alleva's unique abilities could drive the women's basketball program to its current level of success.

[2001dukechamps]

No, what Duke needs is an offense.

No, what we need is a Coach.

[boortz41]

I must agree. He's repsonsible for Gail leaving, JoAnne not coming and hiring a lacking replacement.

[2001dukechamps]

What does this mean?

It means we got the wrong coach and Alleva could care less about.

[dukelifer]

I want Coach P to do well. But this is looking like a bad fit. You don't go from an undefeated regular season to this bad in one year.

Lose the player of the year and a senior defensive stopper. Yep no reason to explain why they are struggling with the best teams in the women's game.

[boortz41]

Lose the player of the year and a senior defensive stopper. Yep no reason to explain why they are struggling with the best teams in the women's game.

So I guess she's a good coach? Did you see this game? You think all is right with this team?

[Karl Beem]

I must agree. He's repsonsible for Gail leaving, JoAnne not coming and hiring a lacking replacement.

Don't forget the drought!:mad:

[365Duke]

Lose the player of the year and a senior defensive stopper. Yep no reason to explain why they are struggling with the best teams in the women's game.

Hello.

Graduation is JA's fault. got it!

[Indoor66]

Don't forget the drought!:mad:

and global warming.

[2001dukechamps]

Lose the player of the year and a senior defensive stopper. Yep no reason to explain why they are struggling with the best teams in the women's game.

You do know we lost to Penn St. and Vandy too..

[Duvall]

Don't forget the drought!:mad:

A compelling counter-argument.

[boortz41]

Don't forget the drought!:mad:

Karl, you've had too much Jim Beam.
Did you see the comments he made the day of the Rutgers game? It seemed like losing Gail was no big deal to him. You NEVER do that with someone who built this program. How he could have received a contract extension after that is totally beyond me.

[365Duke]

Karl, you've had too much Jim Beam.
Did you see the comments he made the day of the Rutgers game? It seemed like losing Gail was no big deal to him. You NEVER do that with someone who built this program. How he could have received a contract extension after that is totally beyond me.

it is beyond you, thats why your not his boss. this is silly, what was he to do cry. duke is bigger than 1 coach. come on, we just retired the second # in womens history for a reason. she was a huge part of last years team, as was Bales. Look, I loved G as much as anyone but she made her choice, and it was not all because of JA.

[boortz41]

it is beyond you, thats why your not his boss. this is silly, what was he to do cry. duke is bigger than 1 coach. come on, we just retired the second # in womens history for a reason. she was a huge part of last years team, as was Bales. Look, I loved G as much as anyone but she made her choice, and it was not all because of JA.

If Duke was bigger than one coach, why is this team playing so poorly? Lack of talent? They sure didn't have problems hitting shots last year.
Truth is, our program has jumped the shark because the woman who built it went to Texas. And the man who let her get away is still here making bad hires.

[dukelifer]

No, what Duke needs is an offense.

What do they need to do? They are scoring 71 points a game and giving up 55.
They are shooting under 30% from three! That is poor. They are shooting 62 % from the line- that is poor. If they start to hit their threes and throws they will be a tough team to beat. How do you explain Waner's shooting problems this year?

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Losing is one thing. But, failing to organize all the left over talent we have on that floor is yet another.

You're cute and nice and talk a great game, JPMcC, but you and the dude in his favorite multicolored sweater just aren't getting the job done.:(

Love, Ima

[365Duke]

If Duke was bigger than one coach, why is this team playing so poorly? Lack of talent? They sure didn't have problems hitting shots last year.
Truth is, our program has jumped the shark because the woman who built it went to Texas. And the man who let her get away is still here making bad hires.

Are you saying that Duke is NOT bigger than one coach? If thats the case, pull for Texas. And what does "still making bad hires" mean? He has only hired one lady to coach the team.


Lack of talent?
Re-read my earlier post. We are replacing 2 significant players lost to graduation. not even G re-loaded every year.

[dukelifer]

So I guess she's a good coach? Did you see this game? You think all is right with this team?

yes- I watched it. Waner is not the same player she was last year-- I am not sure why- Smith is not 100%. If you watched the New York Giants at the middle of the season- you would say that all was not right with the team either- now they are world champs. If Waner starts to hit her shots - and they improve their free throw shooting- this team will be okay.

[boortz41]

Are you saying that Duke is NOT bigger than one coach? If thats the case, pull for Texas. And what does "still making bad hires" mean? He has only hired one lady to coach the team.


Lack of talent?
Re-read my earlier post. We are replacing 2 significant players lost to graduation. not even G re-loaded every year.

When was this program ever successful before Coach G? Any Final Fours before her? ACC Tournament Titles? Anyone? Anyone?

I shouldn't say the bad hires part. We have Coach P now and we need to do the best we can. I just think the glory days are gone. And I hate it because it could have easily been avoided if Alleva wouldn't have been so careless.

[boortz41]

yes- I watched it. Waner is not the same player she was last year-- I am not sure why- Smith is not 100%. If you watched the New York Giants at the middle of the season- you would say that all was not right with the team either- now they are world champs. If Waner starts to hit her shots - and they improve their free throw shooting- this team will be okay.

No, lifer. When this team loses by 17 to a school they defeated last year without playing all that great, things are not well.
The defense was horrendous tonight. Just awful. Rebounding wasn't any better.

[buddy]

Getting blown out on our own floor is something that has not happened for a long time. I have the feeling that Coach P is making the players fit her system, rather than fitting the system to the players. Losing Harding and Bales is very significant, but I did not have the feeling the cupboard was going to be bare. I see a significant problem at the point. Jasmine Thomas does not attack with the ball. I frankly think they are better with her on the bench. Somehow Bridgette Mitchell has been lost. She is a quick and aggressive player. The team does not seem to understand the defensive system, and they are totally unable to block out under the boards. In all I am very disappointed in what I see this year. As for Abby not making her shots, I think some of it may be an adjustment to the new system. I'm hoping McCallie was a good hire, but right now I am quite unsure that this is a good fit.

[calltheobvious]

it is beyond you, thats why your not his boss. this is silly, what was he to do cry. duke is bigger than 1 coach. come on, we just retired the second # in womens history for a reason. she was a huge part of last years team, as was Bales. Look, I loved G as much as anyone but she made her choice, and it was not all because of JA.


I don't know enough to have a dog in this fight; but Coach G's reasons not being entirely about Alleva does not imply that he could not reasonably have done enough to keep her.

[dukelifer]

You do know we lost to Penn St. and Vandy too..

They were on the road for three games in a row -killed by UConn whose has beaten EVERYONE, they lost to the 18th ranked team in the nation and a close one at Penn State. They have righted the ship since then and have beaten most every opponent (other than the top teams) by double digits except one. I just don't' buy the sky is falling and Coach P can't coach argument. There is no evidence for it.

[captmojo]

1981?????

[boortz41]

They were on the road for three games in a row -killed by UConn whose has beaten EVERYONE, they lost to the 18th ranked team in the nation and a close one at Penn State. They have righted the ship since then and have beaten most every opponent (other than the top teams) by double digits except one. I just don't' buy the sky is falling and Coach P can't coach argument. There is no evidence for it.

Does that team that was on the floor tonight look like they've righted the ship to you? If so, you must get your standards up.

[365Duke]

I don't know enough to have a dog in this fight; but Coach G's reasons not being entirely about Alleva does not imply that he could not reasonably have done enough to keep her.

how do you know he did not do everything reasonable?

[boortz41]

Doing something reasonable means keeping her here where she belonged. She's in Texas now and our program is dead.
THAT'S unreasonable

[yancem]

Can someone who truly follows the women's game please explain what is going on with the program? I know that Duke lost a couple of great players from last years team and is in the midst of a coaching transition year. I also realize that they have played a very difficult schedule and most of their losses are to top ranked teams but the few times I have seen them play (Rutgers, MD and UNC) they have looked lost and confused much of the time. They have also shot the ball pretty poorly. Abby Waner was a good shooter the last couple of years and now seems to shoot as well as Billy King.

If this simply an adjustment period and Duke will be back competing for a NC next year then fine but there seems to be a lot of frustration on the court and I'm not sure if it just because their not playing their best. Also, I thought Coach P was supposed to run a high scoring/potent offense, but they don't seem to be scoring terribly well. Are the current players not a good match for what she wants to run? How are her recruiting efforts going? Is she doing as well as Coach G or does it look like there might be a drop off?

I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I no longer live in NC and the women's team doesn't get near as much ink as the men so it is a little harder to keep track of what's going on. Plus all of their games aren't televised like the men.

I hoping that a knowledgeable and level headed fan (Jim, Jumbo, etc.) can give an honest assessment of how the teams doing. Not coach P was horrible hire and Alleva should be fired or everything's hunky dory we're a shoe in to make it to the F4. I would appreciate the effort. :)

[365Duke]

When was this program ever successful before Coach G? Any Final Fours before her? ACC Tournament Titles? Anyone? Anyone?



I may be wrong, but by quick check G went to 2 final fours in 15 years.

And Coach P has gone to 0 in half a year at Duke:eek:

[boortz41]

I may be wrong, but by quick check G went to 2 final fours in 15 years.

And Coach P has gone to 0 in half a year at Duke:eek:

She went to more Final Fours than that.

[dukelifer]

No, lifer. When this team loses by 17 to a school they defeated last year without playing all that great, things are not well.
The defense was horrendous tonight. Just awful. Rebounding wasn't any better.

Two years ago, Duke lost to UNC twice- the second game by 12- and then went to the finals of the NCAAs. Gail lost twice to UNC just a mere two years ago. That is what happens in a rivalry. This game is about emotion. Duke was not up for it tonight. Duke will move on and play well the next game. Judge P by how her teams competes in the next game. To compete against the top teams- Duke needs to shoot better.

[boortz41]

Two years ago, Duke lost to UNC twice- the second game by 12- and then went to the finals of the NCAAs. Gail lost twice to UNC just a mere two years ago. That is what happens in a rivalry. This game is about emotion. Duke was not up for it tonight. Duke will move on and play well the next game. Judge P by how her teams competes in the next game. To compete against the top teams- Duke needs to shoot better.

Why wasn't this team emotionally prepared? Isn't that a problem right there? How can you not be emotionally prepared to play Carolina? Did you ever see a Coach G team that wasn't emotionally ready to face them?
There's more wrong with this team than shooting. It's defense. It's rebounding. I just don't see the harmony with this team. There's no smiles on the faces of the players.
I really hate this, because Duke women's basketball used to be something that was so much fun to watch. The team not only won, but they looked like they enjoyed it. It's not that way anymore. And we all know why.

[dukelifer]

Does that team that was on the floor tonight look like they've righted the ship to you? If so, you must get your standards up.
You clearly have not watched enough basketball- You cannot judge a team by a blowout. Sometimes teams get blown out. It happens. Teams rarely look good doing it. You judge a team by how they respond. If Duke loses the next game at Boston College- then we might have a basis for a discussion.

[boortz41]

You clearly have not watched enough basketball- You cannot judge a team by a blowout. Sometimes teams get blown out. It happens. Teams rarely look good doing it. You judge a team by how they respond. If Duke loses the next game at Boston College- then we might have a basis for a discussion.

When was the last time Carolina was blown out?

[Indoor66]

Duke in Women's Final Four: 99,02, 03, 06

[dukelifer]

Why wasn't this team emotionally prepared? Isn't that a problem right there? How can you not be emotionally prepared to play Carolina? Did you ever see a Coach G team that wasn't emotionally ready to face them?
There's more wrong with this team than shooting. It's defense. It's rebounding. I just don't see the harmony with this team. There's no smiles on the faces of the players.
I really hate this, because Duke women's basketball used to be something that was so much fun to watch. The team not only won, but they looked like they enjoyed it. It's not that way anymore. And we all know why.

They were smiling plenty the last game they played. Teams usually don't smile when they are losing.

[365Duke]

4 final 4's in 15 years, my bad.

still 0 final 4's in half a year for coach p.;)

[boortz41]

They were smiling plenty the last game they played. Teams usually don't smile when they are losing.

Thus, they are not smiling as much as they used to.

[Duvall]

1981?????

Please. This cupboard wasn't left bare; if anything it was overflowing.

[dukelifer]

When was the last time Carolina was blown out?
Duke beat them bad that year. Gail's team got blown out in 2004-2005 in the ACC tourney. Was she a horrible coach that year?

[boortz41]

Duke beat them bad that year. Gail's team got blown out in 2004-2005 in the ACC tourney. Was she a horrible coach that year?

Duke won both games against Carolina in single digits last year. If your going to post, get your facts straight.

[dukelifer]

Doing something reasonable means keeping her here where she belonged. She's in Texas now and our program is dead.
THAT'S unreasonable
Somehow Gail has not yet worked her magic at Texas- they were blown out yesterday at home by Oklahoma- scoring only 58 points. Last year, Texas beat Oklahoma at home by 5. How do you explain that turnaround? Is Gail no longer a good coach?

[dukelifer]

Duke won both games against Carolina in single digits last year. If your going to post, get your facts straight.

I did not mention last year. Last year was 2006-2007.

[OZ]

So I guess she's a good coach? Did you see this game? You think all is right with this team?


Did you ever see any of Coach K's early games? I did. I was even at the infamous Wagner game. And after the blowout to Virginia in the ACC Tourney, I listened to people screaming for his head as well as Butters'.

I also recall a few years later, some of those same people were gathered around me on a bus in Dallas (at the final four) praising him... as well as Butters.

I suggest we give her a little more than a half a year to get things together, after all, it took Coach K a few years.

[boortz41]

Somehow Gail has not yet worked her magic at Texas- they were blown out yesterday at home by Oklahoma- scoring only 58 points. Last year, Texas beat Oklahoma at home by 5. How do you explain that turnaround? Is Gail no longer a good coach?

Maybe she doesn't have any prep All-Americans on that team. What's our excuse?
But you can bet those All-Americans will be coming there. Used to be they were coming here.
BTW, we have All-Americans playing for us, and we STILL got blown out. What's your excuse?

[boortz41]

Did you ever see any of Coach K's early games? I did. I was even at the infamous Wagner game. And after the blowout to Virginia in the ACC Tourney, I listened to people screaming for his head as well as Butters'.

I also recall a few years later, some of those same people were gathered around me on a bus in Dallas (at the final four) praising him... as well as Butters.

I suggest we give her a little more than a half a year to get things together, after all, it took Coach K a few years.

That team wasn't coming off an undefeated season. And it didn't have any All-Americans. And that comparison is a bad sign for Coach P. I heard the same thing about Carl Franks and Ted Roof.

[dukelifer]

Maybe she doesn't have any prep All-Americans on that team. What's our excuse?
But you can bet those All-Americans will be coming there. Used to be they were coming here.
BTW, we have All-Americans playing for us, and we STILL got blown out. What's your excuse?

I see- so Gail can only win with prep All Americans. Well if she doesn't do better than she is in conference and get her new team in the tourney- she will struggle to get recruits.

[365Duke]

If your going to post, get your facts straight.

And if your going to post, do better with your first 15 or so than this. Honestly, you sure know how to win over a room:o



It just seems like this team isn't having any fun playing. It's really sad to watch. Maybe Duke women's basketball was about one person after all.


Well, at least Barry Wilson has company now.



I want Coach P to do well. But this is looking like a bad fit. You don't go from an undefeated regular season to this bad in one year.


I must agree. He's repsonsible for Gail leaving, JoAnne not coming and hiring a lacking replacement.


So I guess she's a good coach? Did you see this game? You think all is right with this team?




Karl, you've had too much Jim Beam.
Did you see the comments he made the day of the Rutgers game? It seemed like losing Gail was no big deal to him. You NEVER do that with someone who built this program. How he could have received a contract extension after that is totally beyond me.



If Duke was bigger than one coach, why is this team playing so poorly? Lack of talent? They sure didn't have problems hitting shots last year.
Truth is, our program has jumped the shark because the woman who built it went to Texas. And the man who let her get away is still here making bad hires.


When was this program ever successful before Coach G? Any Final Fours before her? ACC Tournament Titles? Anyone? Anyone?


I shouldn't say the bad hires part. We have Coach P now and we need to do the best we can. I just think the glory days are gone. And I hate it because it could have easily been avoided if Alleva wouldn't have been so careless.


No, lifer. When this team loses by 17 to a school they defeated last year without playing all that great, things are not well.
The defense was horrendous tonight. Just awful. Rebounding wasn't any better.


Does that team that was on the floor tonight look like they've righted the ship to you? If so, you must get your standards up.


Doing something reasonable means keeping her here where she belonged. She's in Texas now and our program is dead.
THAT'S unreasonable


Why wasn't this team emotionally prepared? Isn't that a problem right there? How can you not be emotionally prepared to play Carolina? Did you ever see a Coach G team that wasn't emotionally ready to face them?
There's more wrong with this team than shooting. It's defense. It's rebounding. I just don't see the harmony with this team. There's no smiles on the faces of the players.
I really hate this, because Duke women's basketball used to be something that was so much fun to watch. The team not only won, but they looked like they enjoyed it. It's not that way anymore. And we all know why.


When was the last time Carolina was blown out?


Thus, they are not smiling as much as they used to.


Duke won both games against Carolina in single digits last year. If your going to post, get your facts straight.

[boortz41]

And if your going to post, do better with your first 15 or so than this. Honestly, you sure know how to win over a room:o

Enlighten me. What am I supposed to say after getting blown out by 17 points at home to a team I hate? Man, they sure played well?

[dukelifer]

Maybe she doesn't have any prep All-Americans on that team. What's our excuse?
But you can bet those All-Americans will be coming there. Used to be they were coming here.
BTW, we have All-Americans playing for us, and we STILL got blown out. What's your excuse?

High School all americans or college? There is a difference you know? Also Gail had 4 starters coming back.

[boortz41]

High School all americans or college? There is a difference you know? Also Gail had 4 starters coming back.

H-S. And Gail won without All Americans, but had to bring in more because she needed talent. As all coaches do.

[365Duke]

Enlighten me. What am I supposed to say after getting blown out by 17 points at home to a team I hate? Man, they sure played well?

I wanted to win that game just as much as you, but we didn't. We are (I think) on the same side here. All I'm saying is don't jump off any bridges. Things will be OK. I know emotions run high after any loss, especially one to the holes. Just calm down, realize this is not the end of the world, and move on to supporting our team. I'm pissed myself, but throwing negatives, insults, and condemnations on the team does no good. Like you said yourself, Coach P is here and thats it. Support her and the team with all you got. Be happy when they win, be bummed out when they lose. There is a bigger prize out there than beating the holes in early February. Lets let it play out and see what we get;)

[boortz41]

Agreed. I just want a sense of urgency, and I don't think it's within all Duke fans right now. I really love the women's team and I don't know if we are in a good place right now.

[dukelifer]

Enlighten me. What am I supposed to say after getting blown out by 17 points at home to a team I hate? Man, they sure played well?

You have posted mostly on how this loss was about a decision made half a year ago- rather than a team having an off night. Duke shot very poorly tonight from long range and played a very poor final minute of the first half when it was a 2 pt game! if they shoot better from long range and don;t fall apart in the end of the first half- it could have been a different game.

[bludev03]

Somehow Gail has not yet worked her magic at Texas- they were blown out yesterday at home by Oklahoma- scoring only 58 points. Last year, Texas beat Oklahoma at home by 5. How do you explain that turnaround? Is Gail no longer a good coach?

Texas lost all universe Tiffany Jackson, who was the #5 pick in the WNBA. For 4 years, Tiffany was their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd option. Everything was built around her.

Not only have they lost Tiffany, but they also don't have former #1 player in the nation Erika Arriran, who tore her ACL last year and hasn't played any this year. Carla Cortijo recently had an injury. This year's freshan class had no Mickie D's.

Conversely, Oklahoma has Courtney and Ashley Paris, plus Abi Olajuwon (Hakeem's daughter) and Carly Roethslisberger (Ben's sister).

Furthermore, Texas only lost to #6 Baylor in Waco by only 1 point.

Bottom line, G is doing great with a lot less talent. P has a MAJOR upgrade in talent and is doing p*ss poor.

[dukelifer]

H-S. And Gail won without All Americans, but had to bring in more because she needed talent. As all coaches do.

The point is that she is NOT winning now. The reason is because her team is adjusting to her style. That is what is happening at Duke. Gail is not a bad coach because she is losing now- her team will adjust to her style- and so will Duke's team to Coach P' style. Give her time.

[boortz41]

Texas lost all universe Tiffany Jackson, who was the #5 pick in the WNBA. For 4 years, Tiffany was their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd option. Everything was built around her.

Not only have they lost Tiffany, but they also don't have former #1 player in the nation Erika Arriran, who tore her ACL last year and hasn't played any this year. Carla Cortijo recently had an injury. This year's freshan class had no Mickie D's.

Conversely, Oklahoma has Courtney and Ashley Paris, plus Abi Olajuwon (Hakeem's daughter) and Carly Roethslisberger (Ben's sister).

Furthermore, Texas only lost to #6 Baylor in Waco by only 1 point.

Bottom line, G is doing great with a lot less talent. P has a MAJOR upgrade in talent and is doing p*ss poor.

I can't improve on this.

[Indoor66]

Texas lost all universe Tiffany Jackson, who was the #5 pick in the WNBA. For 4 years, Tiffany was their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd option. Everything was built around her.

Not only have they lost Tiffany, but they also don't have former #1 player in the nation Erika Arriran, who tore her ACL last year and hasn't played any this year. Carla Cortijo recently had an injury. This year's freshan class had no Mickie D's.

Conversely, Oklahoma has Courtney and Ashley Paris, plus Abi Olajuwon (Hakeem's daughter) and Carly Roethslisberger (Ben's sister).

Furthermore, Texas only lost to #6 Baylor in Waco by only 1 point.

Bottom line, G is doing great with a lot less talent. P has a MAJOR upgrade in talent and is doing p*ss poor.

Excuse me but Duke lost its point guard who was the national player of the year & 1st pick in the WNBA and their 6'7" all conference center. We now start a freshman at point and a center who was a medical red shirt last year.

[Duvall]

The point is that she is NOT winning now. The reason is because her team is adjusting to her style.

Actually, the reason is that she doesn't have any players. That is manifestly not the problem at Duke.

[NYC Duke Fan]

For the past several years, Duke has either been the equal of or better than both UNC and Maryland. No so this year. Was Coach G a better Coach ?
Or do Maryland and UNC just have better players?.

[dukelifer]

Texas lost all universe Tiffany Jackson, who was the #5 pick in the WNBA. For 4 years, Tiffany was their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd option. Everything was built around her.

Not only have they lost Tiffany, but they also don't have former #1 player in the nation Erika Arriran, who tore her ACL last year and hasn't played any this year. Carla Cortijo recently had an injury. This year's freshan class had no Mickie D's.

Conversely, Oklahoma has Courtney and Ashley Paris, plus Abi Olajuwon (Hakeem's daughter) and Carly Roethslisberger (Ben's sister).

Furthermore, Texas only lost to #6 Baylor in Waco by only 1 point.

Bottom line, G is doing great with a lot less talent. P has a MAJOR upgrade in talent and is doing p*ss poor.

Duke lost all world Lindsay Harding- player of the year - number 1 pick in the WNBA draft- and a first team all ACC player Allison Bales. Duke's second best player Wanisha Smith is coming back from a broken hand. Duke's best player is shooting under 30% from three.

Conversely Carolina has an experienced team- a senior front line and first team All ACC Erlana Larkins.

Furthermore- Texas lost to unranked Texas tech by 12 and is 3-5 in conference.

Coach P is 5-2 and just blew out a Virginia tech team that just took Maryland to overtime.

[bludev03]

Tonite at VPI, the Hokies had a 21 point lead against MD; early in the game, the Hokies were up 22-2. Maryland took their first lead of the game midway through the OT period. Yes, the same VPI team that's winless.

Maryland is horrible defending the perimeter and teams with strong guard play.

UNC has an extremely athletic frontcourt, and lightning quick guard play. However, they aren't disciplined and struggle when forced to think in a half-court game. Sylvia isn't a top notch Xs and Os coach.

G was an offense genius. When she had the athleticism of UNC, her coaching (Xs and Os ability) would put her teams over the edge. Against MD, they just didnt have the commitment on defense to defend Gs offensive gameplans. I think G won 16 or 17 of her last 18 or 19 meetings against MD.

[boortz41]

Tonite at VPI, the Hokies had a 21 point lead against MD; early in the game, the Hokies were up 22-2. Maryland took their first lead of the game midway through the OT period. Yes, the same VPI team that's winless.

Maryland is horrible defending the perimeter and teams with strong guard play.

UNC has an extremely athletic frontcourt, and lightning quick guard play. However, they aren't disciplined and struggle when forced to think in a half-court game. Sylvia isn't a top notch Xs and Os coach.

G was an offense genius. When she had the athleticism of UNC, her coaching (Xs and Os ability) would put her teams over the edge. Against MD, they just didnt have the commitment on defense to defend Gs offensive gameplans. I think G won 16 or 17 of her last 18 or 19 meetings against MD.

What do you think of Coach P's X's and O's so far? And as a coach overall?

[boortz41]

Duke lost all world Lindsay Harding- player of the year - number 1 pick in the WNBA draft- and a first team all ACC player Allison Bales. Duke's second best player Wanisha Smith is coming back from a broken hand. Duke's best player is shooting under 30% from three.

Conversely Carolina has an experienced team- a senior front line and first team All ACC Erlana Larkins.

Furthermore- Texas lost to unranked Texas tech by 12 and is 3-5 in conference.

Coach P is 5-2 and just blew out a Virginia tech team that just took Maryland to overtime.

Carolina has a freshman point guard. They lost a two-time ACC Player of the Year. They have many freshmen. Does it look like they're struggling?

[bludev03]

Carolina also lost 3 time Kodak AA, all time career scorer, and ACC all-time best 3 point shooter in Ivory Latta. Also, they lost Camille Little , who now plays in the WNBA .

So that cancels your theory about Harding and Bales.

Furthermore, this team has 8 McDonald's AA and another player who played in the WBCA AA game. Therefore, Duke's talent and Texas's talent is not even in the same time zone...

[dukepsy1963]

I've read the back and forth in this thread. Very spirited indeed........but what I saw was a solid number 3 team play a darn good game and Duke play a bad one! I saw a complete failure by Duke on offense and defense. The result.........we got wiped out! If this continues to happen, then I think we would have reason to begin questioning past decisions, choices of coaches, recruitment, etc. Until then, I will wait and hope that the women get back onto some sort of track. Right now they seem to be failing on multiple cylinders!!!

Everything else seems premature right now. Let's hang in there!

[OZ]

Maybe she doesn't have any prep All-Americans on that team. What's our excuse?
But you can bet those All-Americans will be coming there. Used to be they were coming here.
BTW, we have All-Americans playing for us, and we STILL got blown out. What's your excuse?


The year we lost to Wagner and to Virginia (by 43 points), I recall Coach K having some "prep All-Americans"... ever hear of Alarie, Bilas, Dawkins and a lesser known David Henderson? The following year Duke finished 7-7 in the ACC with "prep All-Americans" Alarie, Bilas, Dawkins and Amaker. Last year we had a team with several McD AAs and had our worst year in some time.

Having Prep All-Americans does not necessarily make you a winner.

[boortz41]

The problem on this team is not talent. They won with it last year. Is everyone here comfortable with the coaching? If so, I'm cool with it too.

[yancem]

I posted this in the Duke vs. UNC thread but very one seems to be more interested in bickering about coach G vs. coach P. It looks like this thread is more appropriate any way:

Can someone who truly follows the women's game please explain what is going on with the program? I know that Duke lost a couple of great players from last years team and is in the midst of a coaching transition year. I also realize that they have played a very difficult schedule and most of their losses are to top ranked teams but the few times I have seen them play (Rutgers, MD and UNC) they have looked lost and confused much of the time. They have also shot the ball pretty poorly. Abby Waner was a good shooter the last couple of years and now seems to shoot as well as Billy King.

If this simply an adjustment period and Duke will be back competing for a NC next year then fine but there seems to be a lot of frustration on the court and I'm not sure if it just because their not playing their best. Also, I thought Coach P was supposed to run a high scoring/potent offense, but they don't seem to be scoring terribly well. Are the current players not a good match for what she wants to run? How are her recruiting efforts going? Is she doing as well as Coach G or does it look like there might be a drop off?

I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I no longer live in NC and the women's team doesn't get near as much ink as the men so it is a little harder to keep track of what's going on. Plus all of their games aren't televised like the men.

I hoping that a knowledgeable and level headed fan (Jim, Jumbo, etc.) can give an honest assessment of how the teams doing. Not coach P was horrible hire and Alleva should be fired or everything is hunky dory we're a shoe in to make it to the F4. I would appreciate the effort. :)

[bludev03]

What Xs and Os?! She gets two-thumbs down in my book. Of course, when she was hired, I was probably the only person on this board who wasn't in favor of her. She didn't make my top 20 list of desired coaches. The Big 10 is a half court, grind-it-out conference, and relies on strong post play. The ACC is a run-n-gun, high octane guard conference. You can't run the same offense and style of play you ran in the Big 10 here in the ACC.

Now, people will talk about about how good her offense was w/ Team USA (averaging 104.2 points a game and setting 28 USA records) and how many medals she won. But jeez, if you have Erlana Larkins, Essence Carson, Erica White, Courtney Paris, Renee Montgomery, 6'4" pg Dewanna Bonner, Kia Vaughn, 6'9" Victoria Lucas-Perry, Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, and Devanei Hampton on the same team, you should score 200 points a game. Same with the 21U team. How hard is it to win a gold medal when you have Lindsay Wisdom Hylton, Candice Wiggins, Kia Vaughn, Courtney Paris, Dewanna Bonner, Laura Harper, Abby Waner, Crystal Langhorne, and Essence Carson on the same team?!!

As far as her coaching, the saying "a leopard doesn't change its spots" is true. She likes what she likes. Coaches dont build systems around players. Coaches find players who will fit into his or her system. While G relied heavily on top guard play and the post filled secondary roles on offense, P likes to pound the ball in the paint and wants the post to have 20-25 every night; These posts arent the type of post who can get you 20-25 every night. They weren't recruited for that. If you want you a post that can get you 20-25, you need a Courtney Paris, Tina Charles, Devanei Hampton, or Crystal Langhorne.

When you really look at it, imho, the team really hasn't improved that much since the beginning of the year. I'd like to see Abby at the point, and run JT at the 2. I would have Mitchell at the head of my defense.

[boortz41]

That's our AD for you. Hiring a coach that's is exactly the antithesis of what our players are best utilized for.

[bludev03]

Did you know that Carolina's 93 points was the most they've ever scored in Cameron??

or that 93 is the most points Carolina's scored against Duke since 1995?

or that 93 is the most points Duke's allowed in CIS since 1997?

A few more notes:

* Duke had 16 turnovers and 12 assists
* In 7 of 22 games, Duke has had more turnovers than assists

In the words of Judge Judy: "Denial is a river in Egypt...." :mad:

[boortz41]

Like I said, it's beginning to look like Duke women's basketball was about one person after all.

[buddy]

Not only is 93 points the most Carolina has ever scored in Cameron, but the 17 point victory margin is the largest since the 21 point margin in 1992-1993, Coach G's first year. That team was 12-15 overall, 3-13 in the ACC. So for a supposedly contending team, this qualifies as a big time butt kicking. Either the talent pool is much thinner than we thought, or the coaching is unable to get the most out of the talent. I don't know any other explanations. And I thought at the beginning of the season that the talent pool was pretty good. But if Coach P is the answer, then obviously our talent is very mediocre.

[buddy]

That's our AD for you. Hiring a coach that's is exactly the antithesis of what our players are best utilized for.

I don't have a problem with the hire, but with the fact that the coach seems to insist on the system even when it doesn't match the players. Coaches have to recruit to their system, and recruiting takes time. Whether an inside out, emphasis on post offense will work in the ACC only time will tell, but it will not work with this Duke team that has slender posts and strong guards. Good coaches adapt to the players around them--they don't force players to play an uncongenial system. From what I see this year, Coach P insists on her system regardless of whether the players are adapted for it. As a result players like Bridgette Mitchell who showed promise with her upbeat style last year finds herself on the end of the bench. And we have a point guard who walks the ball up the court and then stops before the half court line to survey the situation, before trying to thread the needle to a big with bad hands. The only time the offense shows any signs of life is when they run in the open court--but then that is what these ladies were recruited to do.

[Mike Corey]

A year ago, the men's team had an anomalous campaign in which everything seemed to be slowed down offensively. Meanwhile, the women were running and gunning and firing on all cylinders.

In '07-'08, the roles appear to be completely reversed.

Here's hoping that this year's season is as anomalous as '06-'07 was for the men.

[yancem]

We had two separate threads, one for the Duke vs UNC game and one general state of the women's program. Why were they merged? I'm tired of the bickering back and forth about the loss last night but would like some genuine reflection into where the team is heading. Now I have to read through a few people sniping at each other (and the women's team/coach) in hope of finding information about where we stand and where we're going.

Please separate the two!

[wbs2455]

Some thoughts from a recent student who was a very regular attendee at the womens games...
1) Last night I was most frustrated by what seemed to be a lack of mental preparation. Lots of silly turnovers, missed rotations on defense, not recognizing shooters, not stepping in to take charges, not putting a body on people when a shot goes up, etc. Many of these things have been recurring themes in the big games this year. One of the things I love about our guys team is that you know greg, jon, markie, dave, etc will come out and give you a gutsy, focused effort. I'm not saying its always mistake free, but the passion and focus is there.

2) As far as the new offense, one of my biggest concerns under G was that we seemed to rely a lot on stars (beard, mo, lindsay) for clutch baskets down the stretch in close games and they would try to do it on their own, often against a double team if needed. This year I think we have generated more layups and good looks at the basket via set offense than we did in the past. The caveat there is that this years team seems to have that ability come and go throughout the game. They will generate 3 great looks, then spend 7 minutes looking lost on offense. I'm not sure if its an issue of only being comfortable with certain plays or personnel combinations, etc but at least there are flashes of great plays in there.

3) This team won't win a big game until they rebound or knock down open perimeter shots (preferably both). Don't know what's up with Abby but its not like she's forcing bad shots. She's getting good looks for the most part. Same can be said for Jasmine and Nish. They just need to go down. I haven't looked at the box score from last night but I would be Carolina knocked down their 3 at 4x the percentage we did. If we get 4 or 5 of those good looks at 3's to go down, its a different game down the stretch...


I posted this in the Duke vs. UNC thread but very one seems to be more interested in bickering about coach G vs. coach P. It looks like this thread is more appropriate any way:

Can someone who truly follows the women's game please explain what is going on with the program? I know that Duke lost a couple of great players from last years team and is in the midst of a coaching transition year. I also realize that they have played a very difficult schedule and most of their losses are to top ranked teams but the few times I have seen them play (Rutgers, MD and UNC) they have looked lost and confused much of the time. They have also shot the ball pretty poorly. Abby Waner was a good shooter the last couple of years and now seems to shoot as well as Billy King.

If this simply an adjustment period and Duke will be back competing for a NC next year then fine but there seems to be a lot of frustration on the court and I'm not sure if it just because their not playing their best. Also, I thought Coach P was supposed to run a high scoring/potent offense, but they don't seem to be scoring terribly well. Are the current players not a good match for what she wants to run? How are her recruiting efforts going? Is she doing as well as Coach G or does it look like there might be a drop off?

I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I no longer live in NC and the women's team doesn't get near as much ink as the men so it is a little harder to keep track of what's going on. Plus all of their games aren't televised like the men.

I hoping that a knowledgeable and level headed fan (Jim, Jumbo, etc.) can give an honest assessment of how the teams doing. Not coach P was horrible hire and Alleva should be fired or everything is hunky dory we're a shoe in to make it to the F4. I would appreciate the effort. :)

[gadzooks]

We had two separate threads, one for the Duke vs UNC game and one general state of the women's program. Why were they merged? I'm tired of the bickering back and forth about the loss last night but would like some genuine reflection into where the team is heading. Now I have to read through a few people sniping at each other (and the women's team/coach) in hope of finding information about where we stand and where we're going.

Please separate the two!I agree! Between changing the thread title five times and then merging the two threads, it's really confusing the heck out of me this morning. Besides, I do think we could use a thread for discussing the travails of the women's team in more general terms--there are lots of threads discussing various aspects of the men's program and then threads for specific games, so I'm a little peeved that these two are being lumped together.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I was at the game last night AND I'm concerned about the program/team long-term, so I'll hit both here.

First off, I want to praise the players a bit, since that seems to be getting lost. We were beaten every way possible, but the women kept playing hard well past the point that the game was decided. I'm proud of our effort in a tough situation.

That said, I'm very much NOT proud of our execution. Sure, it would help if UNC hadn't hit EVERY big shot at a clip that dwarfs their normal shooting percentage, and we missed a LOT of shots that should have gone in (too many wide open looks that just rimmed out). But, as other have stated, we looked lost out there for substantial portions of the game. On D we got beat in transition, got lost on switches, and gave up way too many offensive rebounds. On O we looked out of sync and blew a lot of big opportunities, often with boneheaded giveaways, off-the-foot TO's, etc. This team was ready (energy) but looked totally unprepared for the game.

We NEED Abby back. I don't know if it's coaching, health, or what, but our superstar is in a major slump. (Duh!) There were several points in the game where we seized momentum and seemed about to break the game open and our superstar needed to hit a big shot, make a big pass, etc but Abby just couldn't. Again, I don't fault her effort: she fought hard and showed a good attitude in the face of adversity. But something is very wrong with her game right now.

I was very happy to see a great crowd that was energetic despite having little to cheer for and facing a raucous UNC contingent that did have a lot to get excited about. We were loud, clever, and positive. I also saw at least four guys from the men's team at the game and was glad to see them coming to support their counterparts.

Long-term, I'm sure others who are more knowledgeable than I can address what needs to be done, if anything at all. We have a lot of talent but don't seem to be getting anything close to the most out of it. Like many, I'm still upset by what I perceive as an unjust (or worse) brush off of Gail, so I'm predisposed to be hard on the new regime. I recognize that we're still learning the system and a coach deserves a fair chance to get her own players. That said, I'm worried that a bad year or two could take a lot of luster off the great reputation that Gail built and hurt the team for a long time after that. It's hard to be anything but discouraged after a whupping like this, but I'm trying to be hopeful that we can turn it around.

[dukegirlinsc]

I fell asleep last night (via sudafed) and missed the game.
I did see, however, that Abby made a sweet pass and ended up on SportsCenters top 10 plays.

I was excited.
Then I checked the score.

GTHC, GTH. Your women, too! :p

[Lid]

I did see, however, that Abby made a sweet pass and ended up on SportsCenters top 10 plays.

I'm pretty sure I know which pass you mean -- we slowed that down and showed it at least 6 times to my kindergarten daughter when it happened. Very nice, and it led to my daughter running all over the downstairs, pretending to make no-look passes.

That was a hard game to watch, and I'm with everyone else who is proud of the players for continuing to bring it, yet confused as to what exactly is leading to such poor execution. I want to like Coach P, and it would be easier if I could tell how she was adjusting her typical style to fit the players she currently has.

Can anyone update us about the recruiting situation? I haven't kept up at all to see what kind of players she's trying to bring in.

[dukegirlinsc]

I'm pretty sure I know which pass you mean -- we slowed that down and showed it at least 6 times to my kindergarten daughter when it happened. Very nice, and it led to my daughter running all over the downstairs, pretending to make no-look passes.

Hahaha, that's adorable. Start 'em early!

[gadzooks]

I'm pretty sure I know which pass you mean -- we slowed that down and showed it at least 6 times to my kindergarten daughter when it happened. Very nice, and it led to my daughter running all over the downstairs, pretending to make no-look passes.Hee, that's awesome! My husband has been teaching our 2-year-old twin boys some fundamentals already, so I'm really looking forward to fancy stuff like that. :D


That was a hard game to watch, and I'm with everyone else who is proud of the players for continuing to bring it, yet confused as to what exactly is leading to such poor execution. I want to like Coach P, and it would be easier if I could tell how she was adjusting her typical style to fit the players she currently has.
Ditto that. It was great to see the Crazies still at it even when the game was pretty much over, and I think that helps keep the players buoyed up as well. I very sincerely hope that this game showed Coach P that she needs to make some changes to be competitive in the ACC; as previous posters have said, what she's trying to do just isn't working with the players she has. This game was really painful. I did see them handling Carolina for a good bit of the first half, but things really fell apart in the second, and I wish I knew--or really, I wish THEY knew--what to do to bring it around. 2-for-17 from 3-point range, ugh, horrible. I won't be giving up on them, but games like this really make my tummy hurt.

[merry]

It was great to see the Crazies still at it even when the game was pretty much over, and I think that helps keep the players buoyed up as well.

Just want to pile on with more kudos for the student-side section for cheering/chanting on every possession. That was a real high point in an evening otherwise pretty devoid of things to be happy about.

[killerleft]

There are some pathetic whiners posting on this thread. Many have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Even the tar hole boards couldn't go lower than this.

I say let's give our team a chance to figure out their problems without piling on and gouging out their eyes. Coach McCallie deserves much, much better than she's getting here. She's a top-flight coach who's team is trying to find it's way under a new system, and I don't think the problem is her.

Coach G is gone. She left of her own accord. Who cares what she does at Texas? She can flip burgers for all I care.

[dukelifer]

Carolina has a freshman point guard. They lost a two-time ACC Player of the Year. They have many freshmen. Does it look like they're struggling?

My comparison was between Duke and Texas and not Duke and Carolina. Duke and Texas both have gone through a coaching change- Carolina has not- that is why they are not struggling. As for this team- judge them by how they respond to this blowout. Next game is against BC at BC- a team that is tied with them in conference with a comparable record. If they struggle there- perhaps there is a deeper problem. Coaching is about adjustments. If Coach P can adjust next game and get them up to win- that will say a lot to me.

[Clipsfan]

There are some pathetic whiners posting on this thread. Many have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Even the tar hole boards couldn't go lower than this.

I say let's give our team a chance to figure out their problems without piling on and gouging out their eyes. Coach McCallie deserves much, much better than she's getting here. She's a top-flight coach who's team is trying to find it's way under a new system, and I don't think the problem is her.

Coach G is gone. She left of her own accord. Who cares what she does at Texas? She can flip burgers for all I care.

It was mostly a couple troublemakers, one in particular who appears to have been banned for making the thread almost unreadable. I know that we've struggled against the toughest competition, and that the hard part is that the only games we get to see on TV are the big ones, so we haven't seen the games in which the team played well. I would like to think that we hired a great coach. If we didn't, I'm still not going to make that judgment until I know more. She's playing with someone else's players and missing two integral parts from the prior team, so even if there is a lot of talent there is also a large adjustment necessary.

[JDukie]

I was at the game last night and have been curiously following this thread since the game ended. While I agree with alot of what has been posted here both pro and con, there are some things from last night that really stand out to me. The women did not look like they were having a good time at all and this was not just when the score was out of hand. It seemed that way for most of the game. Abby is clearly in a slump but my thoughts are whether or not she regrets the quote that often shows up on this site about how much she really, really loves Coach P. Emily Waner has been relegated to no role whatsoever as has Brittany Mitch, not that they are all world but to see no action on a night when we were clearly searching for a good combination seems odd to me. Also, the team is built to run and I truly believe that Coach P is dictating style instead of dealing with what she inherited which was clearly enough talent to compete night in and night out with the Top 10 teams in the country. We have the depth to press all out on every play and this team thrives, much like last year's did, on turning over the opposition and scoring in transition. That is what Duke WBB has been about for years and it is why we have not only been dominant in the ACC but in the nation. Tennessee is solid year in and year out, UConn fell off for a few years but they are clearly back and ready to dominate, UNC, Maryland and Rutgers are recruiting mightily and my fear is that we are slipping and doing so very quickly. I fear the loss of several players at the end of this season. I am on the boat with those that feel like Gail got a raw deal but that is over and as much as I hate to move on from both that and Joanne not coming, I have had to do so. However, I love this group of girls and want to see them happy again and winning the big games and not just the easy ones. We have Maryland coming to Cameron in a few weeks and winning this Thursday against BC is not the test of Coach P's adjustments, beating Maryland here in Cameron is. Let's all hope for the best and not give up on the girls.
I will not address the AD situation simply because I cannot think of anything good to say...

[Wander]

Emily Waner has been relegated to no role whatsoever as has Brittany Mitch, not that they are all world but to see no action on a night when we were clearly searching for a good combination seems odd to me.

If Emily Waner is good enough to give backup minutes at point guard when a senior Lindsay Harding is the starter, then she's good enough to give backup minutes at point guard when a freshman Jasmine Thomas is the starter.

[captmojo]

Please. This cupboard wasn't left bare; if anything it was overflowing.

Tell that to Tinkerbell and Mr. Denard.

[DU82]

Emily Waner has been relegated to no role whatsoever as has Brittany Mitch, not that they are all world but to see no action on a night when we were clearly searching for a good combination seems odd to me....

Brittany is hurt, look at the knee brace she carries around, and how she looks in warm-ups, and you'll see she can't move very well right now. She did get a couple of minutes last week in mop-up action against VT, but it was more just allowing her to get on the court (I'm guessing whatever's wrong won't get worse by her playing, but right now she can't play up to the level needed against an ACC team in "regular" action.)

Coach P said that it was hard to find time and a rhythm with 12 players, and she chose to reduce the rotation to 8-9. That left Emily on the outside of the rotation. She was probably number 9-10 in the rotation last season (ahead of Keturah and perhaps Bridgette.) She's been passed by the three freshmen as well as Keturah. As much as everybody wants us to "go deep" there are negatives associated with giving that many players regular playing time.

Bridgette was also on the outside, but has worked back in a little bit, also her playing time has been helped by injuries to others, especially Brittany and Karima. Keturah did not play much last season, based on her play, she appears to have passed both Emily and Bridgette. Remember that she had to redshirt her first year due to injury, and perhaps was still recovering last season, allowing Bridgette to play more as a true freshman.

Our women's teams have been pretty deep, playing time can be hard to spread around to everybody's satisfaction. Just ask Laura Kurz, or Brooke Smith, for recent examples.

One other comment, our "bigs" Chante and Carrem, are not "natural" basketball players, in that they don't seem to have the instincts for the game that "gym rats" like Abby or Jasime or Nish have, and probably only started playing when it was clear that they'd be well over six feet tall. Or other bigs that we've faced lately at UTenn, Maryland or the evil ones. This is not to say they're not good players, but sometimes it seems Chante (in particular) plays in slow motion, as if she needs to think out every step. (Also evidenced by her holding the ball looking for Abby on the last play against the Vols.) She plays much better when she moves quicker, by instinct. That takes time (as in years, not weeks or months.)

[Kathy S]

[QUOTE=Lid;96955]I want to like Coach P, and it would be easier if I could tell how she was adjusting her typical style to fit the players she currently has.

I'm disappointed that very few posters have expressed this sentiment -- i.e., wanting the new coach to succeed and prove to have been a good hire. Whether she will prove to be or not, no one really knows, but when I see sentiments expressed along the lines of "You're cute and nice and talk a great game, JPMcC," contributed by another poster, it strikes me as mean-spirited and unworthy of the Duke faithful.

[Sandman]

Every coach has her own philosophy and style. Sometimes a new coach 's coaching philosophy and style are very different from her predessor's and the players recruited by that coach. From what I have seen, that appears to be the situation now with Coach P's team vs Coach G's past Duke teams. That will work itself out in a year or two, but for now the transition seems painful for everybody.