Kim Caldwell (Rookie Coach of the Year-WBCA) is named Head Coach of Iconic Lady Vols WBB

Man I love Stack! Always pulled for him. Those suits, I swear.

Sharpest dressed dude I’ve ever seen in the SEC. Buzz Williams dresses pretty sharp too, but Stack was in a league of his own there.

I actually believe he’s a decent coach. Just wasn’t able to get the players. Some of that can of course be attributed to the challenges that come with Vanderbilt’s academic standards, but I don’t think he had a lot of drive on the recruiting trail either. Just a tough transition for a lot of coaches going from the professional to the college ranks.
 
How is she not an upgrade? She’s flat out dominated a 1-2 bid league for a decade; KJH didn’t do that at either mid-major she was at. Fortier beat KJH just last season so that’s a step in the right direction. She’s 4-4 against Stanford in the last 10 years, 2 losses by single digits in OT, she’s 1-1 vs UofL, 1-1 vs UT, lost to Scar by 5, lost to OU in the NCAAT by 4. Tell me which one of those rosters she’s out talenting? She’s getting as much out of her roster as any coach in the country and has been to the NCAA 9 out of her 10 years as a HC at Gonzaga. In short she’s dominating equally talented rosters and hanging with the P5’s and regularly beating them, and not just P5’s; they’re the who’s who’s of P5.

Let's not forget Holly Warlick's team needing a 17 point comeback in the final 6 minutes to survive Gonzaga as an 11 seed in the NCAAT

 
Sharpest dressed dude I’ve ever seen in the SEC. Buzz Williams dresses pretty sharp too, but Stack was in a league of his own there.

I actually believe he’s a decent coach. Just wasn’t able to get the players. Some of that can of course be attributed to the challenges that come with Vanderbilt’s academic standards, but I don’t think he had a lot of drive on the recruiting trail either. Just a tough transition for a lot of coaches going from the professional to the college ranks.
Buzz "belly hanging out from under vest" Williams does not belong in the stratosphere with the Stack Suits!
 
How is she not an upgrade? She’s flat out dominated a 1-2 bid league for a decade; KJH didn’t do that at either mid-major she was at. Fortier beat KJH just last season so that’s a step in the right direction. She’s 4-4 against Stanford in the last 10 years, 2 losses by single digits in OT, she’s 1-1 vs UofL, 1-1 vs UT, lost to Scar by 5, lost to OU in the NCAAT by 4. Tell me which one of those rosters she’s out talenting? She’s getting as much out of her roster as any coach in the country and has been to the NCAA 9 out of her 10 years as a HC at Gonzaga. In short she’s dominating equally talented rosters and hanging with the P5’s and regularly beating them, and not just P5’s; they’re the who’s who’s of P5.
She dominated in a mid-major conference. She has 3 S16s to Kellie's 3 S16s. If we are going to NOW "count" close losses to strong teams as signs of coaching acumen, do I have a game for you.
 
Let's not forget Holly Warlick's team needing a 17 point comeback in the final 6 minutes to survive Gonzaga as an 11 seed in the NCAAT


The lady flipping wins and wins big. I’m a firm believer that winner’s win at all levels and a lot of it is relative. The competition isn’t as good, but neither is your roster or your resources. Urban at BGSU, Tressel at Youngstown St, DeBoer at Sioux Falls, Leipold at Wisconsin-Whitwater, Bruce Pearl at Southern IN etc.
 
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She dominated in a mid-major conference. She has 3 S16s to Kellie's 3 S16s. If we are going to NOW "count" close losses to strong teams as signs of coaching acumen, do I have a game for you.
Kellie went to the tournament 4x in 11 years at mid-majors, she’s been 9 out of 10. That’s immensely different and much more successful. She has 3 SW 16’s at flipping Gonzaga again that’s not equal to making the SW16 at UTK. Who did KJH beat at WCU or MO St remotely equivalent to Stanford? KJH can’t hang with Stanford now, Fortier has beaten them 4x in 8 tries. If you truly think those are comparable resumes you’re obtuse or intentionally contrarian.
 
She dominated in a mid-major conference. She has 3 S16s to Kellie's 3 S16s. If we are going to NOW "count" close losses to strong teams as signs of coaching acumen, do I have a game for you.

She has more wins over ranked opponents in the last two years, than Kellie.
#6 Louisville
#23 Tennessee
#22 Utah
#5 Stanford
 
Personally I’m surprised by the lack of interest in Fortier. 10 years of Coaching with 80% winning percentage. Yes technically a mid major school, but a respected basketball school, and Gonzaga isn’t exactly on same level as the other coaches in mid major ranks. Gonzaga still plays tough non conference schedule, also when comparing what Tennessee has done vs what Fortier has done, well albeit comparable, Fortier better than Harper, plus Fortier is doing this with less talent and resources.

I understand we all have our preferences and I completely respect everyone’s choices of who they like. And for me I think Fortier has proven enough for me, she has dominated for over 10 years winning her conference like 8 of those. I just believe giving her our resources and recruiting footprint and NIL she would win at a high level.

Just my opinion and if some of you like others ahead of her I get it, there are several candidates I like, but she is definitely one of them, but to compare her to Kelly just doesn’t line up
 
She wasn't retired. She was on staff with Elzy until Elzy got canned a few weeks ago. TX was in decline and it was a mistake for her to leave Duke to jump into the post Conradt phase. Rick Barnes also was subpar at TX (see image) before coming to UT and look what he has done. I think she still could be great.
June 14, 2022:


She was a "special assistant to the head coach" since then, not an assistant coach. Probably does stuff like break film down between games. And, as I said, Elzy stopped winning as soon as she quit being an assistant coach. Actually, I'm sort of glad for that, because if Elzy had made it to the NCAAs the past two seasons, she'd probably be in line for Tennessee. Thanks for (semi) retiring, Gail.

But as a head coach, I think she lost her mojo when she left Duke. I'd love to have her in a behind-the-scenes role.
 
Personally I’m surprised by the lack of interest in Fortier. 10 years of Coaching with 80% winning percentage. Yes technically a mid major school, but a respected basketball school, and Gonzaga isn’t exactly on same level as the other coaches in mid major ranks. Gonzaga still plays tough non conference schedule, also when comparing what Tennessee has done vs what Fortier has done, well albeit comparable, Fortier better than Harper, plus Fortier is doing this with less talent and resources.

I understand we all have our preferences and I completely respect everyone’s choices of who they like. And for me I think Fortier has proven enough for me, she has dominated for over 10 years winning her conference like 8 of those. I just believe giving her our resources and recruiting footprint and NIL she would win at a high level.

Just my opinion and if some of you like others ahead of her I get it, there are several candidates I like, but she is definitely one of them, but to compare her to Kelly just doesn’t line up

Honestly surprised she hasn't gotten a shot at a bigger job before now. I think Danny White swings much higher, but without question she would be an upgrade from Kellie.
 
JR Payne is a tough sell to me, I don’t dislike her but to me she’s not much different than Kelly. Good leader, relationship builder, but just above average coach, record indicates that. Could be a product of being at Colorado. But I personally like others better.

My personal favorites… Gottlieb, Fortier, Baranczyk, Hammon, Ivey.

I would LOVE Ivey and wanted UT to go after her when we Holly was fired, but she was always going to ND (Muffet retired after the following season) and I don't see her leaving her alma mater.
 
She dominated in a mid-major conference. She has 3 S16s to Kellie's 3 S16s. If we are going to NOW "count" close losses to strong teams as signs of coaching acumen, do I have a game for you.
And yes I’m going to count close, competitively played losses to teams with significantly more talent, as a sign of coaching acumen. And just off that list she’s 6-8 vs ranked teams (there are other wins and losses) but her W/L record vs ranked teams doesn’t remotely come close to KJH 12-37 record. We’re talking about a G5 coach who’s won roughly 40% of the games she’s played against ranked P5 teams vs. a P5 coach who won less than 25% of them. One is not the same as the other.
 
The lady flipping wins and wins big. I’m a firm believer that winner’s win at all levels and a lot of it is relative. The competition isn’t as good, but neither is your roster or your resources. Urban at BGSU, Tressel at Youngstown St, DeBoer at Sioux Falls, Leipold at Wisconsin-Whitwater, Bruce Pearl at Southern IN etc.
Or Kellie Harper winning a lot of games at Western Carolina and Missouri State...?
 
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Personally I’m surprised by the lack of interest in Fortier. 10 years of Coaching with 80% winning percentage. Yes technically a mid major school, but a respected basketball school, and Gonzaga isn’t exactly on same level as the other coaches in mid major ranks. Gonzaga still plays tough non conference schedule, also when comparing what Tennessee has done vs what Fortier has done, well albeit comparable, Fortier better than Harper, plus Fortier is doing this with less talent and resources.

I understand we all have our preferences and I completely respect everyone’s choices of who they like. And for me I think Fortier has proven enough for me, she has dominated for over 10 years winning her conference like 8 of those. I just believe giving her our resources and recruiting footprint and NIL she would win at a high level.

Just my opinion and if some of you like others ahead of her I get it, there are several candidates I like, but she is definitely one of them, but to compare her to Kelly just doesn’t line up
I brought up the same question to a buddy of mine. She has a good record, but hits a talent road block when stiffer competition is played.
 
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