Why Pat Summitt Won

#2
#2
Pat was a winner in life and would have made any team a contender. She had a unique ability to pass on her passion and "will to win" to others. She was demanding but her players knew she cared about them beyond basketball. Very few people can live up to her example.
 
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#3
#3
Great! Amazing Coach and leader,, BUT DO NOT OVERLOOK, The lady was an amazing recruiter many more times than not landing the number 1 recruiting class ..often back to back to back.. I remember a few classes where she signed the entire PARADE HS ALL AMERICAN TEAM 1ST TEAM..
 
#4
#4
Pat demanded the best out of every player and when a player didn't give it, she sat. If a player missed FTs, she spent extra time in the gym. If the team lost, they practiced more. After a bad road loss, the team bus would take them straight to the practice court. Pat was tough and disciplined, and her teams were, too. She wanted players who wanted to win as much as she did, and if they didn't, they didn't make it at Tennessee. We miss Pat.
 
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#5
#5
Pat had no problem lighting players up that were playing badly, making bad decisions, or not showing intensity and energy. Players gave all they had or they didn't play for Tennessee.
 
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#11
#11
armchair said:
as good offensively as defensively to win titles. That was PS's problem--couldn't coach offense--and thus Geno was 4-0 against her, I believe, in national title games.
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They have a good offensive "set play" that turns into several options; high-screen to elbow shot/low-post roll to the basket,kickout to shooter, etc.

Where they get in trouble is when they start that offensive set and it is defended throughout its transition...then they are left with seconds to "create off the dribble"...

Cutter basketball. . . .Kills zones, utilizes smart well-timed movement.
 
#12
#12
Calipari said something after Kentucky lost at Tennessee which stuck with me. I'm going to go find it and paste it below - here it is -

"I’ve got to do a better job. Look here’s what it is with coaching: I can sit here and say what I want, but if they’re playing a certain way that’s because they think they’re allowed to play that way, that I’m accepting it. So, all of it comes back to me. I’ve got young guys. Either they don’t understand how I want them to play, or they’re not accepting it, and if they don’t accept it then I gotta do different things to try to get them to understand. Sometimes a loss gets them to understand, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes you’ll make excuses that it was somebody else.”

His quote encompasses some, or most, of that responsibility that falls onto a coach's shoulders. "If they're playing a certain way that's because they think they're allowed to play that way." Summitt demanded the best from her players. She demanded. Didn't ask -- demanded. Now, her authority was helped by the fact she won, that she had the identity and equity of a winner to get players' attention, but she won because she demanded her players give their best.

A lot of folks would say that Pat underachieved with talent in some years, but I would argue she *overachieved* with teams that were sometimes not the most skilled but were definitely the most determined.
 
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#13
#13
armchair said:
as good offensively as defensively to win titles. That was PS's problem--couldn't coach offense--and thus Geno was 4-0 against her, I believe, in national title games.
Click to expand...

If Connecticut had made the title game in 2006 or 2007, I think Pat would have had a couple of Ws.
 
#14
#14
Voltopia said:
Calipari said something after Kentucky lost at Tennessee which stuck with me. I'm going to go find it and paste it below - here it is -

"I’ve got to do a better job. Look here’s what it is with coaching: I can sit here and say what I want, but if they’re playing a certain way that’s because they think they’re allowed to play that way, that I’m accepting it. So, all of it comes back to me. I’ve got young guys. Either they don’t understand how I want them to play, or they’re not accepting it, and if they don’t accept it then I gotta do different things to try to get them to understand. Sometimes a loss gets them to understand, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes you’ll make excuses that it was somebody else.”

Plainly and well stated.... If the dog isn't eating the dog food, then that falls on you as the HC. I am glad Calipari understands that..... Had a chance to golf with him a few years ago..... talked with him about motivation and getting through to youngsters.,... he really does understand.
Click to expand...
 
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