Coach Kellie Harper

[DeerPark12]

Those folks didn’t care about results or the program. They cared about being made to feel special and being a program “insider.” Which is just over the top weird to me.

I love the Lady Vols as a program and team. I would never try to ingratiate myself with the staff, players or program on a personal level. Don’t need any attention or special treatment for my donations. All I want to see is a fun product, players that give their all for Tennessee and high level coaching.

The rest of it is categorically none of my business. It’s fun to speculate on here and watch from afar, just so odd to me the people who feel like they are PART of the team. Clouds their judgment.

Disagree 100%. When you're asked to commit six figures, you care deeply about the results and the program.

 

[lvocd]

Speaking of Kellie, has anyone seen her around? Obviously she'd want to lay low while her heart is still so freshly broken and raw, but I sure would love to hear something good about her and her family.

I'm worried about Jackson and Kiley. They were used to seeing the
players nearly every day of their lives and appeared to love them as big sisters. Can you imagine how confusing it has been for them to suddenly have those relationships drastically changed? They may still be seeing the players in some context -- I don't know. But I do hope everyone has done a great job of helping them to understand -- though Kiley might be a little t young yet -- that none of this was their fault and that not seeing each other as often doesn't mean we don't still love them.

It's just a tough, tough situation for that young family any way you look at it. I guess the one good thing is at least they have a comfortable amount of income still coming in that they won't be worrying about how they'll feed and clothe and shelter their kids like the average Tennessee family that both parents just lost their livelihoods at the same time would be worried about. I'm glad Tennessee will take care of them in that respect.

 

[Lucy]

I followed his convo back…. This is literally Earl’s new screen name.

View attachment 636539

I’m sorry, no snark here, but I don’t understand what you mean by following convo back? Do you mean like stop start timing? The one started in 2009?

 

[volbeast33]

I’m sorry, no snark here, but I don’t understand what you mean by following convo back? Do you mean like stop start timing?

I clicked on the username and it goes back to what was said……Earl has changed his username to formerladyvolfan.

 

[SGMVols]

Those folks didn’t care about results or the program. They cared about being made to feel special and being a program “insider.” Which is just over the top weird to me.

I love the Lady Vols as a program and team. I would never try to ingratiate myself with the staff, players or program on a personal level. Don’t need any attention or special treatment for my donations. All I want to see is a fun product, players that give their all for Tennessee and high level coaching.

The rest of it is categorically none of my business. It’s fun to speculate on here and watch from afar, just so odd to me the people who feel like they are PART of the team. Clouds their judgment.

It’s sad that we have so many people here who care more about having control than winning. I’m glad DW ripped off the bandaid and told them who’s really in charge. Maybe in the short term it will hurt, but it’ll be better for the program in the long run. The program needs to do more to attract younger fans to replace the ones that have started to die off and that simply was not happening under the previous two coaches.

 

[butchna]

Disagree 100%. When you're asked to commit six figures, you care deeply about the results and the program.

When you’re financially able to COMMIT SIX FIGURES, it shouldn’t come with conditions and strings. Haslam gets names on buildings. When he anointed himself kingmaker, he got deserved blowback. Whoever TF this poster/posters portends to be, they overplayed their hand in this instance.

 

[SGMVols]

Disagree 100%. When you're asked to commit six figures, you care deeply about the results and the program.

Then this means either 1) you genuinely believed Kellie was going to turn it around - based on what? Or 2) you are ok with mediocrity as long as you have control.

 

[Lucy]

I clicked on the username and it goes back to what was said and when it was said… Earl has changed his username to formerladyvolfan.

Well we may have to disagree given the formerladyvolfan first posted in 2009. I understand you feel confident about the connection.

 

[DeerPark12]

Irrespective of what one thinks of the Caldwell hire, I genuinely don’t understand the belief among some of the money crowd that Kellie was some irreplaceable coach who was about to finally have a breakthrough after failing to have one for 5 years (and wasting 4 WNBA first rounders in the process).

I don't think that's the belief at all. Most people don't see two Sweet 16s as the total failure that people on the board do. Many close to the program, including financial stakeholders knew some of the challenges faced and how close many in the sport felt she was to clearing them. I'm kind of in the middle on that and was willing to commit to money either way. But there are people that made donations after being told she would be back. There were also people that made a commitment after being told she might not be or likely wouldn't be. They would be just as mad if it had gone the other way and people asking them for large sums of money hadn't been completely forthright.

 

[butchna]

Well we may have to disagree given the formerladyvolfan first posted in 2009. I understand you feel confident about the connection.

Keep pretending confusion til they get tired and swim away…admirable strategy.

 

[SGMVols]

Well we may have to disagree given the formerladyvolfan first posted in 2009. I understand you feel confident about the connection.

FLVF is 100% Earl

 

[Majors]

Keep pretending confusion til they get tired and swim away…admirable strategy.

 

[LVsinceJV]

Well we may have to disagree given the formerladyvolfan first posted in 2009. I understand you feel confident about the connection.

It's true though, he did change his name after Kellie was fired.

 

[volbeast33]

Well we may have to disagree given the formerladyvolfan first posted in 2009. I understand you feel confident about the connection.

Earl changed the username… join date is still the same.

 

[madtownvol]

Speaking of Kellie, has anyone seen her around? Obviously she'd want to lay low while her heart is still so freshly broken and raw, but I sure would love to hear something good about her and her family.

I'm worried about Jackson and Kiley. They were used to seeing the
players nearly every day of their lives and appeared to love them as big sisters. Can you imagine how confusing it has been for them to suddenly have those relationships drastically changed? They may still be seeing the players in some context -- I don't know. But I do hope everyone has done a great job of helping them to understand -- though Kiley might be a little t young yet -- that none of this was their fault and that not seeing each other as often doesn't mean we don't still love them.

It's just a tough, tough situation for that young family any way you look at it. I guess the one good thing is at least they have a comfortable amount of income still coming in that they won't be worrying about how they'll feed and clothe and shelter their kids like the average Tennessee family that both parents just lost their livelihoods at the same time would be worried about. I'm glad Tennessee will take care of them in that respect.

I am sure there will be some difficult transition for the kids, particularly Jackson.

But, I also suspect that Jackson is old enough to understand the nature of his parent's occupation.

Kellie may sit this season out as a coach but I can't imagine her not being in a commentator role for some network .

I would be very surprised if she is not back on the sidelines in 2025. For sane individuals, her Tennessee record looks pretty good.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I don't think that's necessarily accurate. But when financial stakeholders receive information that they then base their financial commitments on, they expect that information to be accurate. There were several mid- and high-level donors that were told late in the season that her job was not in jeopardy. Several of us made commitments to NIL money with the impression that she would be the one leading the program. And I think it turned out that information was not necessarily true. Although I have gone on record that beating SC and making the SEC Championship game likely would have prevented a move, I don't think firing her was completely a post-SEC tournament decision.

You probably know more of what was going on with the program, but I think there were some factors which led to her leaving. Her inability to recruit high quality high school players over her first 3-4 years. Fielding teams which were inefficient on offense and defense, and fielding a teams which were in poor physical condition. I was disappointed in the attitude her teams displayed with unforced turnovers caused by simply bad passes. I believe the A. D. had no other option except to let her go. Actually, I believe it should have happened last year. I agree the decision was likely made before the SEC tournament.
I also agree with the hiring of our new coach. when looking at the candidates, her coaching showed the most consistent record and potential of any of the other candidates available.

 

[SGMVols]

I am sure there will be some difficult transition for the kids, particularly Jackson.

But, I also suspect that Jackson is old enough to understand the nature of his parent's occupation.

Kellie may sit this season out as a coach but I can't imagine her not being in a commentator role for some network .

I would be very surprised if she is not back on the sidelines in 2025. For sane individuals, her Tennessee record looks pretty good.

Kellie cannot just “sit out” if she wants to keep getting her buyout. She has to make a good faith effort to get another coaching job. It’s kind of like someone getting laid off and filing for unemployment. Just with a lot more money involved lol.

 

[butchna]

View attachment 636543

I know. Utilized it myself several times. There’s a poster who creates a lot of player threads and he changed his screenname. When I put THAT poster on ignore all the threads disappeared. Didn’t really notice until he DM’d me on Twitter squawking about what I posted concerning the poster I had just put on ignore. You click on that profile and the brand new poster had been posting well before I started. Lucy is intentionally not getting your point…being on the wrong side of facts AGAIN.

 

[Lucy]

Earl changed the username… join date is still the same.

Ohhhhhh! Now I get it.
Well hopefully time will heal all things.

 

[ReignSupreme]

You probably know more of what was going on with the program, but I think there were some factors which led to her leaving. Her inability to recruit high quality high school players over her first 3-4 years. Fielding teams which were inefficient on offense and defense, and fielding a teams which were in poor physical condition. I was disappointed in the attitude her teams displayed with unforced turnovers caused by simply bad passes. I believe the A. D. had no other option except to let her go. Actually, I believe it should have happened last year. I agree the decision was likely made before the SEC tournament.
I also agree with the hiring of our new coach. when looking at the candidates, her coaching showed the most consistent record and potential of any of the other candidates available.

I'd disagree with that last sentence. I think the better candidate was Tomieka Reid from Jackson State because she's had more than 1 year of success at the Division 1 level. But I am going to support coach Caldwell and wish her the best.

 

[madtownvol]

Kellie cannot just “sit out” if she wants to keep getting her buyout. She has to make a good faith effort to get another coaching job. It’s kind of like someone getting laid off and filing for unemployment. Just with a lot more money involved lol.

As Deerpark has previously explained (on more than one occasion), it does not take that much to meet that "good faith" requirement. Kellie has plenty of discretion to not jump into a coaching job immediately.

 

[SGMVols]

As Deerpark has previously explained (on more than one occasion), it does not take that much to meet that "good faith" requirement. Kellie has plenty of discretion to not jump into a coaching job immediately.

Arkansas stopped paying Bret Bielema about a year in because he wasn’t getting another job. BB didn’t fight it because he knew deep down Arkansas was right and he would have no case in court. Then he magically ends up the new HC at Illinois weeks later.

If Kellie is not back in coaching by this time next year, it means either she’s not trying or she’s unemployable. If it’s the latter, the people threatening to cut donations over her firing are going to look really silly. If the former, UT has every right to cut her off.

 

[madtownvol]

Arkansas stopped paying Bret Bielema about a year in because he wasn’t getting another job. BB didn’t fight it because he knew deep down Arkansas was right and he would have no case in court. Then he magically ends up the new HC at Illinois weeks later.

If Kellie is not back in coaching by this time next year, it means either she’s not trying or she’s unemployable. If it’s the latter, the people threatening to cut donations over her firing are going to look really silly. If the former, UT has every right to cut her off.

So what part of sitting out this coming season but likely getting back in for 2025 don't you understand....

PS, it seems you know the exact details of Kellie's buyout contract. Such provisions do not all have the same clauses or demands. So could you share that info since you seem quite certain of her specific buyout terms and requirements?

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I'd disagree with that last sentence. I think the better candidate was Tomieka Reid from Jackson State because she's had more than 1 year of success at the Division 1 level. But I am going to support coach Caldwell and wish her the best.

OK. All of us have opinions.

 

[Lucy]

You probably know more of what was going on with the program, but I think there were some factors which led to her leaving. Her inability to recruit high quality high school players over her first 3-4 years. Fielding teams which were inefficient on offense and defense, and fielding a teams which were in poor physical condition. I was disappointed in the attitude her teams displayed with unforced turnovers caused by simply bad passes. I believe the A. D. had no other option except to let her go. Actually, I believe it should have happened last year. I agree the decision was likely made before the SEC tournament.
I also agree with the hiring of our new coach. when looking at the candidates, her coaching showed the most consistent record and potential of any of the other candidates available.

Your last word “available” is key. Many if not most of the names thrown around were not available. I know my top name, Ivey from ND, was pretty wishful thinking.
CKC is a bit of a gamble but I think there is a lot of potential there. To me a key will be is she flexible, can she morph her systems if need be? She will face a lot of old codger coaches in the SEC who have seen it all.