Michelle Marciniak's Take

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aka IVY LEAGUE
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#1
From Facebook -

Ok so it's been 4 hours and I have some words, not many but some as it relates to our #ladyvols.

I was a player, so was Abby and Pashen and Tamika and Semeka and Chamique and Candace and Dawn and Shelley and Lisa and Pam and and and......

And I'm sorry but you just can't blame this on the coach.

Players play. Players make plays. Players win games. Players make free throws or they don't. Players are on the court. Players are in control. Players contest shots. Players get defensive stops. Players make or cause turnovers. Players take charges or punk out and don't sacrifice their bodies to do so. Players hit chippies or they don't. Players dive after loose balls or they choose not to.

Players are taught by their leaders, their coaches and I cannot stress enough the experience of this staff who is coaching these kids....is beyond what any other program can ask for.

The grass is NOT greener on the other side folks.

Players need to mature. Players need to value winning. Players need to feel the pain. So the next time when pain is looming, it feels different and therefore they will get a different outcome.

I really don't care if some fans don't agree with what I am saying but we have great players and great players need to step up as they always have in the TN program. Onus is on the players.

I will remind everyone that in 1996, we were 5 years without a Championship and Pat was as stressed as anyone EVER. She put the blame ON US to win. Mark my word, it was ours to win or not.

So please before you throw a baby out with the bathwater in blaming Holly, just remember it's a journey, not a sprint. In today's Me first, Video game reset world, everyone wants to get rid of the coach and think it will make it all right. Not so people.

Holly is a Pat's protege. She's got her blue print mapped in her body, soul and mind. You won't get any better, any closer to Pat than Holly.

I'd like everyone to think about this post as we tend not to blame the players only the coaches. Trust me, Pat blamed us and held us responsible.

Time for the players to own up. Whether anyone likes to read this or not, it's true and you can't argue it because I have been there and done that. 18 to 21 year olds are adults.
 
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#2
#2
While all of that is true.............IT is up to the Coach to get each player in a position to be successful and then make the necessary moves if they don't perform.

And yes the players are responsible. But it becomes a Chicken or Egg scenario.

Holly can attempt to deflect her inept coaching to fanz giving her players "crap" as she says......based on Michelles post, she is not giving them enough "crap"

Either way.........it is time.
 
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#4
#4
Or maybe the players aren't responding to Holly because they know she's over her head and is clueless. The great coaches don't deflect after losses they take full responsibility. Holly is the Butch Jones of Women's basketball.
 
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#5
#5
Well, I am sure she is besties with Holly, BUT the coach is responsible for EVERYTHING, if the players are not playing at 100% it is her JOB to get them to play 100% and if they don't she sends them packing and finds players that DO! So either Holly isnt coaching these players to make them better OR she has brought in HIGHLY overrated players that are just not good enough and either way that is on her! Maciniak said they hadnt won a NC in 5 years, heck this coach went from Elite 8's on Pat's players to losing second round 2 years in a row! Grass is always greener when you can hire about ANY coach to be better than the one you have now! Heck Wes Moore would walk on broken glass to take this job and the team would be playing for NC and not trying to win 2 games at home and play in the elite 8 or sweet 16. Change has to be made or you mine as well give up the program as being Elite just like what was done with the football program while other schools like UGA went out and made the hires they needed to, to become Elite in football and join Bama!
 
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#6
#6
From Facebook -

Ok so it's been 4 hours and I have some words, not many but some as it relates to our #ladyvols.

I was a player, so was Abby and Pashen and Tamika and Semeka and Chamique and Candace and Dawn and Shelley and Lisa and Pam and and and......

And I'm sorry but you just can't blame this on the coach.

Players play. Players make plays. Players win games. Players make free throws or they don't. Players are on the court. Players are in control. Players contest shots. Players get defensive stops. Players make or cause turnovers. Players take charges or punk out and don't sacrifice their bodies to do so. Players hit chippies or they don't. Players dive after loose balls or they choose not to.

Players are taught by their leaders, their coaches and I cannot stress enough the experience of this staff who is coaching these kids....is beyond what any other program can ask for.

The grass is NOT greener on the other side folks.

Players need to mature. Players need to value winning. Players need to feel the pain. So the next time when pain is looming, it feels different and therefore they will get a different outcome.

I really don't care if some fans don't agree with what I am saying but we have great players and great players need to step up as they always have in the TN program. Onus is on the players.

I will remind everyone that in 1996, we were 5 years without a Championship and Pat was as stressed as anyone EVER. She put the blame ON US to win. Mark my word, it was ours to win or not.

So please before you throw a baby out with the bathwater in blaming Holly, just remember it's a journey, not a sprint. In today's Me first, Video game reset world, everyone wants to get rid of the coach and think it will make it all right. Not so people.

Holly is a Pat's protege. She's got her blue print mapped in her body, soul and mind. You won't get any better, any closer to Pat than Holly.

I'd like everyone to think about this post as we tend not to blame the players only the coaches. Trust me, Pat blamed us and held us responsible.

Time for the players to own up. Whether anyone likes to read this or not, it's true and you can't argue it because I have been there and done that. 18 to 21 year olds are adults.

Players don't call timeout so they can regroup...Coaches have to. If it isn't done, they don't regroup. If they DO regroup, it happens because the players played through it and figured it out (coached) for themselves. Players know the difference between a "given" timeout and a "taken" one.

TV timeouts are commercials, not called timeouts!

And sorry, MM, you were indeed a great player but you never coached! If you did you would know how your game-management affects the game as much as your players do.


Also if it was all about the players, then only teams with McD AA"S would be left. Some of those left have NO MCDAA's...It could have something to do with coaching
 
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#7
#7
From Facebook -

Ok so it's been 4 hours and I have some words, not many but some as it relates to our #ladyvols.

I was a player, so was Abby and Pashen and Tamika and Semeka and Chamique and Candace and Dawn and Shelley and Lisa and Pam and and and......

And I'm sorry but you just can't blame this on the coach.

Players play. Players make plays. Players win games. Players make free throws or they don't. Players are on the court. Players are in control. Players contest shots. Players get defensive stops. Players make or cause turnovers. Players take charges or punk out and don't sacrifice their bodies to do so. Players hit chippies or they don't. Players dive after loose balls or they choose not to.

Players are taught by their leaders, their coaches and I cannot stress enough the experience of this staff who is coaching these kids....is beyond what any other program can ask for.

The grass is NOT greener on the other side folks.

Players need to mature. Players need to value winning. Players need to feel the pain. So the next time when pain is looming, it feels different and therefore they will get a different outcome.

I really don't care if some fans don't agree with what I am saying but we have great players and great players need to step up as they always have in the TN program. Onus is on the players.

I will remind everyone that in 1996, we were 5 years without a Championship and Pat was as stressed as anyone EVER. She put the blame ON US to win. Mark my word, it was ours to win or not.

So please before you throw a baby out with the bathwater in blaming Holly, just remember it's a journey, not a sprint. In today's Me first, Video game reset world, everyone wants to get rid of the coach and think it will make it all right. Not so people.

Holly is a Pat's protege. She's got her blue print mapped in her body, soul and mind. You won't get any better, any closer to Pat than Holly.

I'd like everyone to think about this post as we tend not to blame the players only the coaches. Trust me, Pat blamed us and held us responsible.

Time for the players to own up. Whether anyone likes to read this or not, it's true and you can't argue it because I have been there and done that. 18 to 21 year olds are adults.
I agree with you to a point. Kids this day and time are different than your age group. (as you were different than my group) That being said, over the last few years Holly has not been able to instill the (Pat) factor. She can't. Not tough enough. There is an old saying "you can led a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". You know Pat could make him drink. You just have to get his attention. Pat could, Holly can't. Holly may be the best teacher (couch) out there, but this day and time there is more to the job than she has to give.
 
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#8
#8
I am not a Holly advocate or a hater. But I will be so glad to see the 6’6” center move on. She continues to bring the ball DOWN to let the munchkins take the ball from her.... She lets smaller players push her around . Takes plays off . Throws her hands in the air trying not to foul. She could have been a help side player on defense but was toooo slow to help ??? She could have dominated but did not. So many times our offense tried to force the ball to her with futility. LETS TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH PLEASE? 😈

Jamie is one of my all time favorites...... However, she was always inconsistent. She could play hard at times and then disappear at others ???

My biggest grip was our defense.... we all know is 99% effort and a want to attitude!!!! But we did not ?
We needed to play zone because NOBODY could guard anyone man-to-man ?? It seems all of our AA come through AAU programs that the main thing is to outscore the other team without playing defense? Rennia is our best Freshman and rated as a 12 was a good get..... but her defense is worse than Alexia Middleton. (And that is pretty much impossible).

Here’s hoping this new crop of recruits has someone who can shoot with consistency!!! Zarell is rated about where Rennia was... maybe she is the shooter we need? We have not had that in awhile. And maybe they can play defense? Going to be interesting to see!!
 
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#9
#9
Michelle, you as a player for Pat know this is HogWash you just wrote...Pat would have run you till the cows came home if you had played for her this way...No, Coaching makes the decision on how you play...You know that!
 
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#10
#10
OP is spot on!!;...BUT... C'mon Michelle.....you post that on Volnation???....this is not a world where you try to use logic to make sense out of a situation....this is Volnation!!!...if these folks ain't lyin or cryin they dyin!!!!!...serious tho....I feel your pain and I wholeheartedly agree!!....I watched both games this weekend and wondered if the players were giving full effort at times myself...question tho.....if the players aren't giving 100%...then what do coaches do to get players to respond and give there all...in your opinion?...thanks and GBO!
 
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#11
#11
From Facebook -

Ok so it's been 4 hours and I have some words, not many but some as it relates to our #ladyvols.

I was a player, so was Abby and Pashen and Tamika and Semeka and Chamique and Candace and Dawn and Shelley and Lisa and Pam and and and......

And I'm sorry but you just can't blame this on the coach.

Players play. Players make plays. Players win games. Players make free throws or they don't. Players are on the court. Players are in control. Players contest shots. Players get defensive stops. Players make or cause turnovers. Players take charges or punk out and don't sacrifice their bodies to do so. Players hit chippies or they don't. Players dive after loose balls or they choose not to.

Players are taught by their leaders, their coaches and I cannot stress enough the experience of this staff who is coaching these kids....is beyond what any other program can ask for.

The grass is NOT greener on the other side folks.

Players need to mature. Players need to value winning. Players need to feel the pain. So the next time when pain is looming, it feels different and therefore they will get a different outcome.

I really don't care if some fans don't agree with what I am saying but we have great players and great players need to step up as they always have in the TN program. Onus is on the players.

I will remind everyone that in 1996, we were 5 years without a Championship and Pat was as stressed as anyone EVER. She put the blame ON US to win. Mark my word, it was ours to win or not.

So please before you throw a baby out with the bathwater in blaming Holly, just remember it's a journey, not a sprint. In today's Me first, Video game reset world, everyone wants to get rid of the coach and think it will make it all right. Not so people.

Holly is a Pat's protege. She's got her blue print mapped in her body, soul and mind. You won't get any better, any closer to Pat than Holly.

I'd like everyone to think about this post as we tend not to blame the players only the coaches. Trust me, Pat blamed us and held us responsible.

Time for the players to own up. Whether anyone likes to read this or not, it's true and you can't argue it because I have been there and done that. 18 to 21 year olds are adults.

Well crap let's hire Dooley back.
 
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#12
#12
I am not a Holly advocate or a hater. But I will be so glad to see the 6’6” center move on. She continues to bring the ball DOWN to let the munchkins take the ball from her.... She lets smaller players push her around . Takes plays off . Throws her hands in the air trying not to foul. She could have been a help side player on defense but was toooo slow to help ??? She could have dominated but did not. So many times our offense tried to force the ball to her with futility. LETS TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH PLEASE? 😈

Jamie is one of my all time favorites...... However, she was always inconsistent. She could play hard at times and then disappear at others ???

My biggest grip was our defense.... we all know is 99% effort and a want to attitude!!!! But we did not ?
We needed to play zone because NOBODY could guard anyone man-to-man ?? It seems all of our AA come through AAU programs that the main thing is to outscore the other team without playing defense? Tennis is our best Freshman and rated as a 12 was a good get..... but her defense is worse than Alexia Middleton. (And that is pretty much impossible).

Here’s hoping this new crop of recruits has someone who can shoot with consistency!!! We have not had that in awhile. And maybe they can play defense? Going to be interesting to see!!


Don't attack AAU. It is just like any other segment. Some are O coaches, some are D coaches. A few of us know both. But you can't lump-sum AAU into an assumption...Just like in the NCAA coaches! Some outscore you, some shut you down, some do both.
 
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#13
#13
OP is spot on!!;...BUT... C'mon Michelle.....you post that on Volnation???....this is not a world where you try to use logic to make sense out of a situation....this is Volnation!!!...if these folks ain't lyin or cryin they dyin!!!!!...serious tho....I feel your pain and I wholeheartedly agree!!....I watched both games this weekend and wondered if the players were giving full effort at times myself...question tho.....if the players aren't giving 100%...then what do coaches do to get players to respond and give there all...in your opinion?...thanks and GBO!

Aaaaaa, hey "Stud", She did not post this on VN. The OP did.....she hid behind FB.....
 
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#14
#14
Michelle, you as a player for Pat know this is HogWash you just wrote...Pat would have run you till the cows came home if you had played for her this way...No, Coaching makes the decision on how you play...You know that!

YES YES YES all of Hollys teams have needed several times the World Famous Pat Summitt Plastic Trash Can Practices.............Michelle probably took part in some of them!
ONE constant in everything Holly has put on the floor....teams are not in shape!
 
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#15
#15
Close Kamp Kumbaya, hire a real basketball coach and staff. Enough crying news conferences. Geez!
 
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#16
#16
Good for Michelle. Nice words. She's wrong.

The players get scholarships to just play basketball. Yes, we all want them to be successful students and quality people, but their primary purpose for UT is to play basketball. The coaches get paid extremely well for the players to perform at a high level. If the players are talented and highly recruited, which they are, they should be giving their best efforts, which they are for how they have been developed and trained. Yet, the level of play is dropping from the program's traditionally high levels. There have been more "firsts" of the wrong type in Holly's tenure than at any time in the multiple decades that Pat coached.

Sorry in advance to who this offends as that is not my intention - Pat's reach into the LV program from the grave should not continue. It is currently being used by people in charge and with access to the program for their own purposes and not for the best interests of the program and the players. Her reach should extend for the great principles she instilled in the players as well as her own competitive achievement. But it stops there. Having known Pat personally, she has told the world (pre-dementia) that the program comes before anybody else including herself. If UT cannot or will not do the right thing and provide a quality, elite type coaching staff for these elite players who can develop them into the best they can be as individuals and teammates, then de-emphasize the program and reduce the drain on financial resources it has become. The slow train down to mediocrity is killing the program, increasingly draining UTAD resources, and Holly is embarrassing herself in the process. She was a highly valued recruiter and assistant for Pat. That was her peak as a coach and it is painfully obvious.

I realize they will give her the last year on her contract. They should not, but they will.
 
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#17
#17
Aaaaaa, hey "Stud", She did not post this on VN. The OP did.....she hid behind FB.....

Hid? She posted it on her own site for everyone to see who posted it. I am staying neutral in this whole argument but she didn't hide when she posted it. How many people on here use their real names when they post?
 
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#19
#19
I agree with you to a point. Kids this day and time are different than your age group. (as you were different than my group) That being said, over the last few years Holly has not been able to instill the (Pat) factor. She can't. Not tough enough. There is an old saying "you can led a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". You know Pat could make him drink. You just have to get his attention. Pat could, Holly can't. Holly may be the best teacher (couch) out there, but this day and time there is more to the job than she has to give.

I like your comment about horses! I was around them (horses) when young. On a ride with a group the teacher of this horseback ride was having trouble with one of the horses! He got off of his horse and walked up to the problem horse. He picked up a large stick on the trail and grabbed the reins of the problem horse and hit the horse right between the eyes!!!!! I asked him why he did such if a thing? He said sometimes you just have to get their attention!

The horses problem went away! Just saying 😁
 
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#20
#20
Part of the problem is these girls play nowhere near the intensity or toughness the Spinderella, Catchings, Holdsclaws of the world played with. They wither in the 2ND half when playing a strong opponent, poor shooting,poor passing and giving up way to many offensive rebounds. OSU ate their lunch and dinner too in the paint. Embarrassing historical loss on our home floor.
 
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#21
#21
From Facebook -

Ok so it's been 4 hours and I have some words, not many but some as it relates to our #ladyvols.

I was a player, so was Abby and Pashen and Tamika and Semeka and Chamique and Candace and Dawn and Shelley and Lisa and Pam and and and......

And I'm sorry but you just can't blame this on the coach.

Players play. Players make plays. Players win games. Players make free throws or they don't. Players are on the court. Players are in control. Players contest shots. Players get defensive stops. Players make or cause turnovers. Players take charges or punk out and don't sacrifice their bodies to do so. Players hit chippies or they don't. Players dive after loose balls or they choose not to.

Players are taught by their leaders, their coaches and I cannot stress enough the experience of this staff who is coaching these kids....is beyond what any other program can ask for.

The grass is NOT greener on the other side folks.

Players need to mature. Players need to value winning. Players need to feel the pain. So the next time when pain is looming, it feels different and therefore they will get a different outcome.

I really don't care if some fans don't agree with what I am saying but we have great players and great players need to step up as they always have in the TN program. Onus is on the players.

I will remind everyone that in 1996, we were 5 years without a Championship and Pat was as stressed as anyone EVER. She put the blame ON US to win. Mark my word, it was ours to win or not.

So please before you throw a baby out with the bathwater in blaming Holly, just remember it's a journey, not a sprint. In today's Me first, Video game reset world, everyone wants to get rid of the coach and think it will make it all right. Not so people.

Holly is a Pat's protege. She's got her blue print mapped in her body, soul and mind. You won't get any better, any closer to Pat than Holly.

I'd like everyone to think about this post as we tend not to blame the players only the coaches. Trust me, Pat blamed us and held us responsible.

Time for the players to own up. Whether anyone likes to read this or not, it's true and you can't argue it because I have been there and done that. 18 to 21 year olds are adults.

Essentially, what Michelle is saying is that the only value of coaches is recruiting. Once you have the players, how they perform is up to them. Is Lady Vol talent that much worse than the talent at Connecticut, Notre Dame, South Carolina or Baylor. Does anyone think that these players coached by Geno, Muffet or the others would be out of the tourney now. Coaching matters.
 
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#23
#23
Hid? She posted it on her own site for everyone to see who posted it. I am staying neutral in this whole argument but she didn't hide when she posted it. How many people on here use their real names when they post?

FB is for "friends"....I promise that she did not mean for it to be posted here or SHE would have done it.....thus....."hid".....
 
#24
#24
Don't attack AAU. It is just like any other segment. Some are O coaches, some are D coaches. A few of us know both. But you can't lump-sum AAU into an assumption...Just like in the NCAA coaches! Some outscore you, some shut you down, some do both.

Sorry for the offense coach. The tournament that I saw was mostly run and gun with very little defense! Don’t the teams in the tournament get pluses by the number of points you beat your teams you play ?
Anyway sorry for lumping everyone together but my experience is just from observations...
 
#25
#25
Essentially, what Michelle is saying is that the only value of coaches is recruiting. Once you have the players, how they perform is up to them. Is Lady Vol talent that much worse than the talent at Connecticut, Notre Dame, South Carolina or Baylor. Does anyone think that these players coached by Geno, Muffet or the others would be out of the tourney now. Coaching matters.

If that is what she is saying she is an IDIOT! Sorry but coaching matters everywhere in sports, recruiting only gets you so far! Coaches(for anyone that has ever coached anything) can get the best out of their players and they put them in position to win! I mean in soccer do I want to put the kid that is the fastest on the field with great foot skills on the back line as a fullback instead of a striker or wing? Michelle if she really believes that has no idea how to coach and needs to stick to whatever she is doing in life now and keep her commentary to herself! Coaches prepare their players both mentally and physically for whatever sport they play, they also help them develop good habits that will help them in that game, if that isnt the case why the heck even have coaches sit the sideline or be at practice. Just give the kids a sheet of paper telling them to practice when they come in and during games they can play whatever position against whatever player they like! Might be the dumbest comment I have seen on this site or any other site that coaches don't make a difference LOL
 
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