jonson
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2016
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Would that it were so simple. One has to be concerned that the competitive drive of many of the current players has really diminished. To recover, a new coach may have to be an absolute terror. Would we hire/accept a coach who barely tolerates the fan base, despises the media, and turns the air blue on the sideline (like Geno)? Or, perhaps one that can coach up a storm, recruit well, but is seriously, ethically challenged (Calipari).
Somewhat to our detriment, Pat brought all of the good qualities while minimizing the bad. That's a standard that will be hard, maybe impossible, to fully replace.
I think there a many good coaches out there--and more than many who would have gotten a lot more out of this roster. And I don't think the Lady Vols need to go for a "big name" either. Take (in my neck of the woods) Scott Rueck at Oregon State. He took over a losing program with very few scholarship players and even had to set up tryouts on campus to fill the roster during his first year. 5 years later they are in the Final 4, and this year just won a second consecutive Pac12 regular season championship.
His background when he was hired? A national championship at a Division 2 (maybe 3) school near Portland. Tennessee will always be able to attract talented recruits; match that with someone who has been able to do more with less somewhere else and I think the Program would once again thrive.
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