Legends sons or daughters rarely ever are as good as the original or expectations are go great no one could live up to it.Gives Tyler four years to be ready right?
Holly isn't Pat Summitt, and with Vol fans those are huge boots to fill. It's an up hill battle when you follow someone who many consider a legend and recruiting wasn't as it had been. 550,000 per annum you can live really well in Knoxville on that.
When the time comes for Shea to take over from Geno she too will find a bit tough, albeit not as tough because fans feel they know Shea from childhood.
I agree with you, and also agree with the relatively short-term extension she's been granted. This is really make or break time for Holly. Diamond is extraordinarily talented, but whether or not Holly can assert her will and manage DD's personality constitutes a huge test. That Freshman point guard they have coming in, Cooper, looks fabulous. If Mercedes Russell turns out to be the real deal, Holly will have the tools she needs to bring her team to the Final Four, or, at least to the Final Eight. I'm rooting for her, only because I think WCBB would profit greatly from a resurgence at Tenn. The game needs it. But this is no longer Pat's team...it's Holly's, and it's time for her to prove she's got what it takes....hope she does!Don't much like TN, but certainly think Holly has done a good job in this transition and deserves the extension and raise. I don't think she is a great coach, but she has certainly maintained TN at the level she inherited and has done a good job with recruiting and keeping the program relevant.
I agree with you, and also agree with the relatively short-term extension she's been granted. This is really make or break time for Holly. Diamond is extraordinarily talented, but whether or not Holly can assert her will and manage DD's personality constitutes a huge test. That Freshman point guard they have coming in, Cooper, looks fabulous. If Mercedes Russell turns out to be the real deal, Holly will have the tools she needs to bring her team to the Final Four, or, at least to the Final Eight. I'm rooting for her, only because I think WCBB would profit greatly from a resurgence at Tenn. The game needs it. But this is no longer Pat's team...it's Holly's, and it's time for her to prove she's got what it takes....hope she does!
I know this is a popular opinion, but I disagree. It's a huge advantage to the new coach because the outgoing legend has usually created an environment that carries over. Superior facilities and staff are in place, alumni are supportive, the school's reputation for the sport is widespread and intact, recruits already have a long term favorable mindset about the school that can carry over to the new coach.Every time a successful coach steps down, in any sport, their successor is in a very difficult position.
I think Holly was at Tenn from her childhood as wellHolly isn't Pat Summitt, and with Vol fans those are huge boots to fill. It's an up hill battle when you follow someone who many consider a legend and recruiting wasn't as it had been. 550,000 per annum you can live really well in Knoxville on that.
When the time comes for Shea to take over from Geno she too will find a bit tough, albeit not as tough because fans feel they know Shea from childhood.
Exactly. Even in the pros, in various sports, plenty of examples of the program declining after the marquee coach left. The post-Stengal Yankees come to mind, and staying with that team, I'm not sure all Yankee fans would hold Girardi up to Torre.I appreciate your perspective, that the coach that follows a legend inherits a well oiled machine, but honestly I have trouble thinking of the coaches that have suceeded on the same level when these enivitable transitions take place. A few places in pro sports (Gerardi with the Yankees, Lasorda with the Dodgers, Seifert with the 49's) but most college programs suffer when head football and basketball coaches resign or retire asfter having led their programs to great success.
I'm sure the board will add other instant success stories, but I don't think you follow Wooden, Knight, Smith, Carnesecca, Conradt or Summit without bending under the weight of the expectations and comparisons that are made by the Alumni, the student body, the fans and the media.
Holly hasn't had to start at a program that had posted a string of single digit win seasons, and to be sure that can be daughting, but she hasn't been free either to build her program from the ground up (ala GA) with little pressure because there exists few expectations.
When Geno retires a thousand courageous hands will raise volunteering to take the job, but that next one in line will face the fires of hell if the team goes 25-10.
Bestiarius main point and, I happen to agree is " it depends on the caliber of the coach that follows the legend". Facilities, reputation and recruits are in place for the Lady Vols to build upon what Pat had established. Thus far Lady Vols have not. If and when Geno retires the first question to ask before you evaluate the new Coach would be: Is UCONN getting the same caliber of recruits that Geno was getting? If the answer to that question is yes ( as is the case with Lady Vols) and UCONN records drops off to God forbid 25-10-this might be an indication that you don't have a very good coach. Better example might be in Men's football at the University Of Oregon pre-Post Chip Kelley.I appreciate your perspective, that the coach that follows a legend inherits a well oiled machine, but honestly I have trouble thinking of the coaches that have suceeded on the same level when these enivitable transitions take place. A few places in pro sports (Gerardi with the Yankees, Lasorda with the Dodgers, Seifert with the 49's) but most college programs suffer when head football and basketball coaches resign or retire asfter having led their programs to great success.
I'm sure the board will add other instant success stories, but I don't think you follow Wooden, Knight, Smith, Carnesecca, Conradt or Summit without bending under the weight of the expectations and comparisons that are made by the Alumni, the student body, the fans and the media.
Holly hasn't had to start at a program that had posted a string of single digit win seasons, and to be sure that can be daughting, but she hasn't been free either to build her program from the ground up (ala GA) with little pressure because there exists few expectations.
When Geno retires a thousand courageous hands will raise volunteering to take the job, but that next one in line will face the fires of hell if the team goes 25-10.
I appreciate your perspective, that the coach that follows a legend inherits a well oiled machine, but honestly I have trouble thinking of the coaches that have suceeded on the same level when these enivitable transitions take place. A few places in pro sports (Gerardi with the Yankees, Lasorda with the Dodgers, Seifert with the 49's) but most college programs suffer when head football and basketball coaches resign or retire asfter having led their programs to great success.
I'm sure the board will add other instant success stories, but I don't think you follow Wooden, Knight, Smith, Carnesecca, Conradt or Summit without bending under the weight of the expectations and comparisons that are made by the Alumni, the student body, the fans and the media.
Holly hasn't had to start at a program that had posted a string of single digit win seasons, and to be sure that can be daughting, but she hasn't been free either to build her program from the ground up (ala GA) with little pressure because there exists few expectations.
When Geno retires a thousand courageous hands will raise volunteering to take the job, but that next one in line will face the fires of hell if the team goes 25-10.
\Bestiarius main point and, I happen to agree is " it depends on the caliber of the coach that follows the legend". Facilities, reputation and recruits are in place for the Lady Vols to build upon what Pat had established. Thus far Lady Vols have not. If and when Geno retires the first question to ask before you evaluate the new Coach would be: Is UCONN getting the same caliber of recruits that Geno was getting? If the answer to that question is yes ( as is the case with Lady Vols) and UCONN records drops off to God forbid 25-10-this might be an indication that you don't have a very good coach. Better example might be in Men's football at the University Of Oregon pre-Post Chip Kelley.
Recuits still going to Oregon-Check!
Facilities still good-Check can't beat that Nike Money
Oregon Record Pre and Post Chip-Ah About the same.
Conclusion: Oregon got a pretty good coach to replace Chip.