B.O. Caravan interview: CKC talks about changes she has made since last season

[KTrain]

I agree, but I think today's environment is also way more volatile. As players can more quickly move teams, programs can more quickly fall or rise. May the LVs rise!

IMO it would just have to be a luck pairing of the right players at the right time with the right culture. That is a trifecta that would have odds against especially when all the moves have been made in a 30 day window. It would have to take an across the board buy in by the players, to finish in the top 5 in the SEC, I will watch with great interest. We are in the infancy of the instant portal, so 5 years down the road will be a good measuring stick.

 

[greenwolfe@gmail.com Ran]

I have to say that based on the changes CALDWELL is implementing this year, I don't think that her team this year is going to resemble either one of her teams of the last two years. Certainly not last years team. In her first year, CALDWELL had to take the players she inherited from the previous year. And while it was a good team of players, and they did have some of the skills CALDWELL values, it was still not her team. She got a lot out of them and their victory over UCONN was indicative of her coaching ability and their good qualities as players. I will never disparage that team. They possessed good shooting ability which enabled them to make her system work. Last year's team was a completely different story. From the very beginning, CALDWELL discovered she had a serious problem. At no time, was CALDWELL happy. Now I have no way of knowing what the problem was with last year's team. Was it the players, the staff, Caldwell, DANNY, poor recruiting, condemnation from the fans, or some combination of all of them. Whatever it was, it cannot really be referred to as CALDWELL'S SYSTEM. So, in recognizing her mistake or mistakes CALDWELL has decided to do everything she can, within her power, to start over from scratch. And regardless of whether it is a success or a failure she is going to go with her SYSTEM. SO, for the first time since CALDWELL arrived at TENNESSEE we are all going to see players chosen specifically by CALDWELL, trained by CALDWELL, prepared by CALDWELL, substituted by CALDWELL, and guided by CALDWELL. The LADY VOLS of 2026-27 will be "CALDWELL'S" TENNESSEE LADY VOLS. Only then, will GREENWOLFE and everyone else on this thread be able to judge accurately this coach and her SYSTEM.

 

[Volfan2012]

I have to say that based on the changes CALDWELL is implementing this year, I don't think that her team this year is going to resemble either one of her teams of the last two years. Certainly not last years team. In her first year, CALDWELL had to take the players she inherited from the previous year. And while it was a good team of players, and they did have some of the skills CALDWELL values, it was still not her team. She got a lot out of them and their victory over UCONN was indicative of her coaching ability and their good qualities as players. I will never disparage that team. They possessed good shooting ability which enabled them to make her system work. Last year's team was a completely different story. From the very beginning, CALDWELL discovered she had a serious problem. At no time, was CALDWELL happy. Now I have no way of knowing what the problem was with last year's team. Was it the players, the staff, Caldwell, DANNY, poor recruiting, condemnation from the fans, or some combination of all of them. Whatever it was, it cannot really be referred to as CALDWELL'S SYSTEM. So, in recognizing her mistake or mistakes CALDWELL has decided to do everything she can, within her power, to start over from scratch. And regardless of whether it is a success or a failure she is going to go with her SYSTEM. SO, for the first time since CALDWELL arrived at TENNESSEE we are all going to see players chosen specifically by CALDWELL, trained by CALDWELL, prepared by CALDWELL, substituted by CALDWELL, and guided by CALDWELL. The LADY VOLS of 2026-27 will be "CALDWELL'S" TENNESSEE LADY VOLS. Only then, will GREENWOLFE and everyone else on this thread be able to judge accurately this coach and her SYSTEM.

Certainly the idea into this roster is to hit a higher percentage of three pointers and also free throws. Looks like when they went for perimeter players and even a couple of the post players this was a priority. Also saw one video on youtube where this person said that most of these players were strong rebounders for their position. I can agree with that to a point, but see a few that will need to prove it.

 

[KTrain]

Certainly the idea into this roster is to hit a higher percentage of three pointers and also free throws. Looks like when they went for perimeter players and even a couple of the post players this was a priority. Also saw one video on youtube where this person said that most of these players were strong rebounders for their position. I can agree with that to a point, but see a few that will need to prove it.

Vanderbilt won a lot of close games last year getting to the line and knocking them down at a high clip. Just hoping we can get to the line more than last year and of course raise the FT % which was abysmal last year.

 

[Volfan2012]

Vanderbilt won a lot of close games last year getting to the line and knocking them down at a high clip. Just hoping we can get to the line more than last year and of course raise the FT % which was abysmal last year.

Two more made threes per game and three more made free throws would've gave us another seven win last season. Maybe this year we do that at least. Have to score more than 77 on average have to get to the upper eighties.

 

[ScreamingEagleVol]

I have to say that based on the changes CALDWELL is implementing this year, I don't think that her team this year is going to resemble either one of her teams of the last two years. Certainly not last years team. In her first year, CALDWELL had to take the players she inherited from the previous year. And while it was a good team of players, and they did have some of the skills CALDWELL values, it was still not her team. She got a lot out of them and their victory over UCONN was indicative of her coaching ability and their good qualities as players. I will never disparage that team. They possessed good shooting ability which enabled them to make her system work. Last year's team was a completely different story. From the very beginning, CALDWELL discovered she had a serious problem. At no time, was CALDWELL happy. Now I have no way of knowing what the problem was with last year's team. Was it the players, the staff, Caldwell, DANNY, poor recruiting, condemnation from the fans, or some combination of all of them. Whatever it was, it cannot really be referred to as CALDWELL'S SYSTEM. So, in recognizing her mistake or mistakes CALDWELL has decided to do everything she can, within her power, to start over from scratch. And regardless of whether it is a success or a failure she is going to go with her SYSTEM. SO, for the first time since CALDWELL arrived at TENNESSEE we are all going to see players chosen specifically by CALDWELL, trained by CALDWELL, prepared by CALDWELL, substituted by CALDWELL, and guided by CALDWELL. The LADY VOLS of 2026-27 will be "CALDWELL'S" TENNESSEE LADY VOLS. Only then, will GREENWOLFE and everyone else on this thread be able to judge accurately this coach and her SYSTEM.

It's all Caldwell. The wins. The losses. And just because she had a win against UConn in no way suggests she is a good coach. In fact, I’ll go as far to say that her approach to the game in regards to the system masking the disparities in talent, size, etc is also masking her coaching deficiencies. Start 5. Sub in/out. Shoot 3s. Press full court. Wash, rinse, repeat. Pray other team doesn’t make adjustments.
Sorry, but no, she owns it all. From her first minute as HC.

 

[greenwolfe@gmail.com Ran]

It's all Caldwell. The wins. The losses. And just because she had a win against UConn in no way suggests she is a good coach. In fact, I’ll go as far to say that her approach to the game in regards to the system masking the disparities in talent, size, etc is also masking her coaching deficiencies. Start 5. Sub in/out. Shoot 3s. Press full court. Wash, rinse, repeat. Pray other team doesn’t make adjustments.
Sorry, but no, she owns it all. From her first minute as HC.

No one can deny that she is a good coach. Her record speaks for iself. She has no deficiencies in that respect. To suggest such deficiencies is to simply refuse to acknowledge her abilities. Fortunately, now that she is the coach of TENNESSEE, she will have no more problems along that line.

 

[ScreamingEagleVol]

No one can deny that she is a good coach. Her record speaks for iself. She has no deficiencies in that respect. To suggest such deficiencies is to simply refuse to acknowledge her abilities. Fortunately, now that she is the coach of TENNESSEE, she will have no more problems along that line.

Let’s take a quick snapshot of her record. 2-3 in D1 tournament. 12-5 in DII. Although her overall record looks good, her SEC record isn’t that impressive. I would also argue that her overall record is slightly (and I use that respectfully) inflated with wins when looking at the conference her team was a member of (Mountain's East). You and I can disagree on her coaching abilities. I just didn’t see much this past year or the year before tbh that suggests she is that great of a coach.

 

[volfan102455]

Not caught up with everything been out of pocket most of the week with work. Will say that I don't understand the "chip of the shoulder" comment. This is generally what that implies.

"Having a chip on one's shoulder" means carrying resentment or being easily offended, often due to a perceived grievance or sense of unfair treatment.

Who does CKC think wronged her or treated her unfairly?? Maybe she doesn't take objective criticism well - or maybe she is not clear on the true meaning of that comment.

And being honest the players that left who were called out by their coach as being "quitters" are the ones that probably have the "chip".

Just strange to use that phrase in this context.

 

[volfan102455]

Yeah, she looks relieved to have a team of players who don't have question marks beside the word "effort."

You can't really say that. But let's play the scenario out - assume it is apparent they are giving effort but end like last year with a 16-14 record and break even or losing SEC record - who is to blame then?

Giving great effort doesn't always lead to wins and losses tend to be blamed on lack of effort, even when there was effort but the mountain was too hard to climb.

 

[volfan102455]

The overall narrative is "loser talk".

Winners strive for excellence, playing with confidence, utilizing our strengths, reaching potential, we can compete with anybody and so on.

Don't get me wrong, we got chips on shoulders, we will prove our doubters wrong can be a motivational narrative. We are the underdogs; no one believes in us, let's go show em!!!!.

But, that ethos can lead to a fragile locker room, if it starts to look like the doubters had a point.

This is worth requoting. Truth!

 

[volsagain]

Not caught up with everything been out of pocket most of the week with work. Will say that I don't understand the "chip of the shoulder" comment. This is generally what that implies.

"Having a chip on one's shoulder" means carrying resentment or being easily offended, often due to a perceived grievance or sense of unfair treatment.

Who does CKC think wronged her or treated her unfairly?? Maybe she doesn't take objective criticism well - or maybe she is not clear on the true meaning of that comment.

And being honest the players that left who were called out by their coach as being "quitters" are the ones that probably have the "chip".

Just strange to use that phrase in this context.

Or simply a readiness to fight ! It doesn't necessarily mean fisticuffs just fight to win and don't back down when adversity happens. But it all depends what option twist you care to give it.

 

[Orange007]

I'm old school. Effort is easy to give. It was clear even to the untrained eye that last year's team woefully lacked effort. They didn't even get to the mountain to climb in most games.

You can't really say that. But let's play the scenario out - assume it is apparent they are giving effort but end like last year with a 16-14 record and break even or losing SEC record - who is to blame then?

Giving great effort doesn't always lead to wins and losses tend to be blamed on lack of effort, even when there was effort but the mountain was too hard to climb.

 

[Orange007]

I have to say that based on the changes CALDWELL is implementing this year, I don't think that her team this year is going to resemble either one of her teams of the last two years. Certainly not last years team. In her first year, CALDWELL had to take the players she inherited from the previous year. And while it was a good team of players, and they did have some of the skills CALDWELL values, it was still not her team. She got a lot out of them and their victory over UCONN was indicative of her coaching ability and their good qualities as players. I will never disparage that team. They possessed good shooting ability which enabled them to make her system work. Last year's team was a completely different story. From the very beginning, CALDWELL discovered she had a serious problem. At no time, was CALDWELL happy. Now I have no way of knowing what the problem was with last year's team. Was it the players, the staff, Caldwell, DANNY, poor recruiting, condemnation from the fans, or some combination of all of them. Whatever it was, it cannot really be referred to as CALDWELL'S SYSTEM. So, in recognizing her mistake or mistakes CALDWELL has decided to do everything she can, within her power, to start over from scratch. And regardless of whether it is a success or a failure she is going to go with her SYSTEM. SO, for the first time since CALDWELL arrived at TENNESSEE we are all going to see players chosen specifically by CALDWELL, trained by CALDWELL, prepared by CALDWELL, substituted by CALDWELL, and guided by CALDWELL. The LADY VOLS of 2026-27 will be "CALDWELL'S" TENNESSEE LADY VOLS. Only then, will GREENWOLFE and everyone else on this thread be able to judge accurately this coach and her SYSTEM.

I agree with most of this. Well said. And I sure hope she's doing the substitutions.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Or simply a readiness to fight ! It doesn't necessarily mean fisticuffs just fight to win and don't back down when adversity happens. But it all depends what option twist you care to give it.

True that. I am somewhat guilty of a quick scurry to google to support my particular take on semantics. Context matters, especially if a closer to origin intent was meant by the speaker.

 

[Orange007]

Not caught up with everything been out of pocket most of the week with work. Will say that I don't understand the "chip of the shoulder" comment. This is generally what that implies.

"Having a chip on one's shoulder" means carrying resentment or being easily offended, often due to a perceived grievance or sense of unfair treatment.

Who does CKC think wronged her or treated her unfairly?? Maybe she doesn't take objective criticism well - or maybe she is not clear on the true meaning of that comment.

And being honest the players that left who were called out by their coach as being "quitters" are the ones that probably have the "chip".

Just strange to use that phrase in this context.

Not strange at all. They did quit. And deserved to be called out. Do you object when Geno, Kim, or Dawn talks about players' effort in a game. She has been treated differently than most coaches. She's young, female, and in the hot seat. I HOPE THEY have a CHIP on their shoulders. Better for us all.

 

[Orange007]

Every single coach has used the phrase "Chip on our shoulders." Objectivity is crucial and fair.

 

[BruisedOrange]

FWIW, Hubbs said the following on the radio this morning:

"I'll give both Kim Caldwell and Rick Barnes credit, and their programs credit. They had a plan cuz they knew they were going to have to be so busy in the portal. They had a real plan as to how they wanted to attack it. And I think the plan probably went a little better than they prayed, uh, true to form a little more than even they thought that it would.

I'll say this about Kim Caldwell...
She's got to go win games. Okay, that's going to be the ultimate judgment. Everybody knows that.
But I have been impressed with her transparency and her self-reflectiveness, if you will, on the last 3 months of her life and what it's been like to be the basketball coach at Tennessee. A little bit about what she learned about herself and about some of the things that she would like to do over or get a do-over with, whether that's roster building or whether that's season management or whatever.

She has been much more transparent about it all this week on the caravan than I ever imagined that that she would be. Now again, that doesn't mean anything if we don't go win games, but she clearly seems more comfortable with where she is with herself as the coach of this program than I anticipated her being coming off the conclusion of the year the way it went for the Lady Vols."

 

[volfan102455]

Every single coach has used the phrase "Chip on our shoulders." Objectivity is crucial and fair.

Just because everyone is doing something doesn't imply it is the right thing to do or that the thing has merit.

It is just not the right term for this situation and definitely does not apply to all the players she recruited. Some were very successful at the schools they left and could have stayed.

If the majority of the players who left had stayed the idea of them playing with a chip on their shoulders would have somewhat made sense.

To me it is play for sympathy.

 

[Orange007]

Just because everyone is doing something doesn't imply it is the right thing to do or that the thing has merit.

It is just not the right term for this situation and definitely does not apply to all the players she recruited. Some were very successful at the schools they left and could have stayed.

If the majority of the players who left had stayed the idea of them playing with a chip on their shoulders would have somewhat made sense.

To me it is play for sympathy.

OK I'm not a fan of talking in circles. Carry on...

 

[ScreamingEagleVol]

Not strange at all. They did quit. And deserved to be called out. Do you object when Geno, Kim, or Dawn talks about players' effort in a game. She has been treated differently than most coaches. She's young, female, and in the hot seat. I HOPE THEY have a CHIP on their shoulders. Better for us all.

Being young and female is no excuse. I’ve known 20ish old females that had to make tough decisions on firing crew serve weapons at taliban soldiers hiding in crowded afghan villages that kept food and supply convoys from getting through and trapping the convoy. She’s supposedly experienced or surely Danny boy wouldn’t have hired her.

 

[volbeast33]

Just because everyone is doing something doesn't imply it is the right thing to do or that the thing has merit.

It is just not the right term for this situation and definitely does not apply to all the players she recruited. Some were very successful at the schools they left and could have stayed.

If the majority of the players who left had stayed the idea of them playing with a chip on their shoulders would have somewhat made sense.

To me it is play for sympathy.

Good grief… we read too much into sports sayings. It is not looking for sympathy.

 

[Orange007]

Being young and female is no excuse. I’ve known 20ish old females that had to make tough decisions on firing crew serve weapons at taliban soldiers hiding in crowded afghan villages that kept food and supply convoys from getting through and trapping the convoy. She’s supposedly experienced or surely Danny boy wouldn’t have hired her.

If you can't see how differences in age, gender, (and race= gasp!) impact perceptions in life and in college sports, then certainly no message from me on an anonymous board will magically change your journey.

 

[glv98]

Being young and female is no excuse. I’ve known 20ish old females that had to make tough decisions on firing crew serve weapons at taliban soldiers hiding in crowded afghan villages that kept food and supply convoys from getting through and trapping the convoy. She’s supposedly experienced or surely Danny boy wouldn’t have hired her.

If you can't see how differences in age, gender, (and race= gasp!) impact perceptions in life and in college sports, then certainly no message from me on an anonymous board will magically change your journey.

My question is how much further Kim Caldwell,soon to turn 38, is going to be able to ride this “young and inexperienced” pony. Over a decade as a head coach, three full seasons and over 100 games in D1 and we’re still thinking of her as inexperienced?

This actually seems not only laughably inaccurate, but also a bit diminishing and infantilizing of Caldwell.

 

[greenwolfe@gmail.com Ran]

I'm not really clear about what playing with a " chip on your shoulder" really means. I prefer calling it "TRUE GRIT", after the JOHN WAYNE movie. CALDWELL said that last year, when the team faced adversity they would simply "QUIT. " For whatever reason, they would stop trying to compete against their opponents. They would essentially get discouraged and "give up." JOHN WAYNE would have never just, "given up." I suppose that is the way CALDWELL expects her teams to respond. At GLENVILLE STATE and MARSHALL, regardless of the score, she felt her teams were never out of a game. CALDWELL always said she was never worried when her teams were down by 10, 15, or 20 points in a quarter because, with the 3-point shot, no deficit was too big to overcome. This is CALDWELL'S history as a coach. It is the only experience she has ever known as a coach. It must have been pure TORTURE for her to experience coaching a team that just "quit." CALDWELL has always been able to recruit players who had this TRUE GRIT. For whatever reason, last year's team essentially must have convinced itself that they simply could not overcome a deficit of say, 10 or 12 points. Whatever else happens, this year's LADY VOLS under KIM CALDWELL will not suffer from this same affliction. I can guarantee that.