Thoughts on the hire of Kim Caldwell

Thoughts on the hire of Kim Caldwell

  • 1. Very Pleased

    Votes: 196 25.5%
  • 2. Pleased

    Votes: 247 32.1%
  • 3. Not Sure Yet

    Votes: 260 33.8%
  • 4. Displeased

    Votes: 38 4.9%
  • 5. Very Displeased

    Votes: 28 3.6%

  • Total voters
    769
  • Poll closed .
What I find strange about UT is that we don't seem to do actual coaching "searches" anymore. That may account for our problems.

When Summitt retired, we didn't conduct a search for a replacement. She apparently wanted Warlick to succeed her--a longtime no. 2 assistant, a few years as No. 1 and, most of all, "friend of Pat." She failed. When Warlick was let go, Fulmer didn't conduct a search. He did a sort of lazy, pretend search, quickly focusing on two former Vol players associated with Summitt--Lawson (no college coaching experience) and Harper. He hired Harper. She did not succeed.

When Pruitt was fired as football coach, White by all accounts did little more than a cursory search for new coach. He apparently made a stab at hiring Penn State's coach--but didn't do much searching beyond that. When Franklin declined the approach, White hired the football he'd just left at UCF--Heuepel. White's first hire.

White's second hire was our current soccer coach. No search. Longtime assistant. White talked to the players, the players like Kirt. He hired Kirt. It's looking problematic.

And now this: I don't know for certain--but it's appears that there really wasn't much of a search. Either he had this idea early on that he wanted to hire her, which I'd bet is the case---or she was somewhere down the list and we got turned down by various coaches in quick succession and he got down to her. I don't think that's what happened.. It's all moot. It would be nice to get the backstory about hires, but we never do.
Speculation and hearsay like this at this time is not helpful.
 
Serious question do you only watch the Lady VOLS or do you watch the other sports associated with Tennessee?
We have had football season tickets for over thirty years. Driving from Nashville not Holston Hills. Gave them up four years ago because we travel a lot in the fall. Would you also like to compare how much money we have donated to UT (both athletic and academic programs) over the years?
 
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First of all, Welcome to Rocky Top Coach Caldwell, I wish you, your staff, and our team great success, energy, and excitement renewed. Next, I want to thank Coach Harper, her staff, and this team for their contributions and tremendous commitment to our Lady Vols program, all of you are our Lady Vols 4 Life.
From a big picture point of view this is a good hire. Should Coach Caldwell meet with great success, then we've found our coach for however long. If this hire is not going in positive direction, it offers everyone more time, ie coaches like Kara Lawson, JSU's Tomeika Reed, and others who's resume is not yet strong enough for UT to build a stronger resume. I hope all can unite behind Coach Caldwell and our new team to come, GO LADY VOLS.
 
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I said it when Kellie was coach and now I'll say it again: It doesn't really matter whether you like the hire or not. Kim is our coach, there's nothing anyone can do about it now, and I will support her until and unless she no longer deserves it. I think every Tennessee fan should unite behind her now and give her at least four years before judging her performance one way or the other.
 
Im glad we got away from the Summitt tree.

That dark cloud is what was/is holding us back whether the fanbase wants to admit it or not.

Pat doesnt have a good name anywhere but in East Tennessee as most folks realize what she was.

This Marshall chick is good looking and is about the best realistic fans could have hoped for.

Anything better would have been about like Carson Newman hiring Bill Belichick.
 
We have had football season tickets for over thirty years. Driving from Nashville not Holston Hills. Gave them up four years ago because we travel a lot in the fall. Would you also like to compare how much money we have donated to UT (both athletic and academic programs) over the years?
Lucy, I am sorry to inform you that you have been tried and convicted of the Cardinal sin of criticizing our lord and savior Danny White. Soon, five men dressed as Smoky as mascots will arrive at your house and transport you to your exile in Siberia, where you shall hand sew walrus skinned big orange footballs for the rest of your days.

May Danny White have mercy on your soul.
 
I'm cautiously optimistic. White did what I hoped he would do, which is to hire someone with no ties to the program. And he hired someone with an extremely good record over several years, albeit at lower levels. The woman can clearly coach to have put up a record like that, and that's good. But she will have to show that she can get the players. Mulkey isn't going away and neither is Staley. But Caldwell knows that as well as we do, and if she took the job, I can only presume she has no fear of going against them. That is a good place to start.
she won't need to recruit players if she keeps Samantha,,,Coach Sam brought in many top recruits to this facility over the year,,,not her fault there wasn't a closer above her...All Coach Kim has to do is "close the sale"

And if I could give her but one,,,consult,,,Treat this opportunity and org like a business, not a possession
 
I think Kellie was lacking more than recruiting and in game. I like the change I’m not sure on the translations but winners win.

I’m sure many on our team will be pleased with the change of pace
I feel the same way. Even though I think that chips are stacked against her for a successful season next year, I think if she can get some valuable portal pieces, hire a well-connected recruiter, and make the NCAAT, then she can only go up from there. Kellie stabilized the program to an extent after the program started imploding under Holly, but she already peaked and i didn't see a lot of hope that she could reverse things. Kim might just be the breath of fresh air that the LVs need.
 
Well, here we are!
Kellie deserved at least one more season with increased NIL and decreased injuries. I will always wish her much success and appreciate everything she did for UT as a player and coach.

We have a new coach now and I will be 100% behind her. I hope she values and takes care of our current Lady Vol’s as they are a great group of young women. She will definitely need help recruiting at this level so I hope she retains Sam and Joy and I hope the reports of increased NIL are correct.

I know Coach Caldwell will give lip service to honoring Pat and the Lady Vol traditions and legacy. She really needs to understand our history and make sure the LVFLs are still active participants in the program. The support of Tamika, Candace, Draya, Jordan and even Rickea could really help her in the short and long term.

We as LV fans need to welcome our new coach and continue to support our program with dollars and attendance. I know I will do my best to get up to Knoxville for a couple of games this year.

Finally I will eagerly await the day when DW is no longer our AD.
You had me up until this. You’re just dumb. I’m sorry. I try not to call out posters, but this is just pure ignorance.
 
Im glad we got away from the Summitt tree.

That dark cloud is what was/is holding us back whether the fanbase wants to admit it or not.

Pat doesnt have a good name anywhere but in East Tennessee as most folks realize what she was.

This Marshall chick is good looking and is about the best realistic fans could have hoped for.

Anything better would have been about like Carson Newman hiring Bill Belichick.
How u think she looks, has nothing to do with anything.
 
Im glad we got away from the Summitt tree.

That dark cloud is what was/is holding us back whether the fanbase wants to admit it or not.

Pat doesnt have a good name anywhere but in East Tennessee as most folks realize what she was.

This Marshall chick is good looking and is about the best realistic fans could have hoped for.

Anything better would have been about like Carson Newman hiring Bill Belichick.
spoken like a true &^#$@*
Keep the avatar name,,it fits your initial impression
 
Im glad we got away from the Summitt tree.

That dark cloud is what was/is holding us back whether the fanbase wants to admit it or not.

Pat doesnt have a good name anywhere but in East Tennessee as most folks realize what she was.

This Marshall chick is good looking and is about the best realistic fans could have hoped for.

Anything better would have been about like Carson Newman hiring Bill Belichick.
Agree with the sentiment, but what do you mean with the bolded statement. What "was" Pat that supposedly created a negative image?
 
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I don’t think some people would be satisfied, no matter who the coach is.
Some people think UT could just “back up the Brinks truck” and that Dawn Staley or Mulkey or Geno or somebody else would just drop everything and accept the job. That’s not how it works. Sometimes it’s not all about money. Sometimes it’s about being a fit where you are and being happy for a challenge. Staley is a god at SCjr. She cancelled a series without talking to anybody. She just won a natty there and they’ll probably name the court, arena, whatever after her. She could walk into the state house, pull down her drawers and take a dump on the governor’s desk and they would think it was the most awesome thing ever. That’s how she’s living right now. There’s no way she would come coach at Tennessee when she has that going for her. And she started out coaching at Temple, which was a A-10 school. She didn’t even want to be a coach. Some of the other coaches people have mentioned are getting up in years and may have decided they didn’t want a new start. We don’t know who, if anybody, else got a call, interview, or visit. And we don’t need to. It ain’t our business. Danny White runs the athletic dept and he has done a pretty fine job of it so far. Much better than the 2 clowns who came before him.
I have no issue with Holly and Kellie having gotten a shot at the HC position. They both played under CPS and know what the program means to so many. Both of them failed because they either would not adjust or could not adjust. They made dumb choices and it cost them their jobs.
This Coach definitely has her work cut out for her, but did anybody ever stop to think that she might have grown up watching Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols win 8 natties and maybe she had dreams of being a part of this storied program one day? Maybe she busted her tail on the way up, praying for an opportunity like this? She has had success at the D-1 level and seems to have her head screwed on correctly, and is going to give her all for Tennessee. How about let’s give her a chance to recruit, set up her staff and do the things she has to do to be successful? We won’t settle for mediocrity under AD White- that’s for sure. And I’m sure she has been well versed in that. I’m excited to see how this plays out. GB🍊
 
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