Coach Kellie Harper

[Majors]

Pretty incredible how TN fans turn on a true LVFL. Better bring some facts (and evidence) for this argument. Her saying “they haven’t been to a final 4 in 14 years, come play here and help us build Duke’s program” is not throwing TN under a bus - it’s called “recruiting.” She owns her truth and speaks its. Refreshing actually.

“You have two options”

 

[Dak1219]

I never said that Kellie called the SC game a moral victory. I said she used that loss as a teaching moment for the tournament. You are the one who kept saying "you don't believe in moral victories."

I pointed out that such a phrase is another vacuous sports cliche. If a teams loses a close game, what are they supposed to do, just fold up and die or try to take positives from into the next competition?

Refuse to accept misrepresentations and responsibility dodging!!

Right, Kellie is still not over the loss she had in her senior season of college making a run for her fourth consecutive national championship as a player. I doubt she believes in moral victories for her teams. That is not how she is built...

 

[Raebo]

“You have two options”

What do you mean by 2 options?
If an option means you are going 1 way but there is a different side road you can take.
I guess 2 options mean there are 2 side roads you can take.

In Tennessee’s case I guess instead of continuing what we are doing 2 options would be to fire Kellie or hire a different assistant. Could be more options too.

 

[Majors]

What do you mean by 2 options?
If an option means you are going 1 way but there is a different side road you can take.
I guess 2 options mean there are 2 side roads you can take.

In Tennessee’s case I guess instead of continuing what we are doing 2 options would be to fire Kellie or hire a different assistant. Could be more options too.

Kara said in failure you have two options

1. Tell yourself the truth
2. Keep lying to yourself

 

[ABV]

As a general rule, it is best to be skeptical toward internet hearsay. Everything you claim seems antithetical to Kara's character and so, lacking any proof, these claims are doing exactly what you accuse Kara of doing.

I think it is unfortunate you are propagating this claim on this board, No sarcasm, here.

This is not internet hearsay. This came from within the athletic department from a very trustworthy source. I heard it a second time from another with close ties within the program. Trust me, it made me sad and sick to hear it, but it did happen.

 

[ABV]

“You have two options”

I would NEVER turn on a former Lady Vol if I didn't have accurate information. I have been a diehard fan since 1988. I have personally met all three women who have coached the Lady Vols. I hate this is true information. It hurts my soul. But it is factual and unfortunate things get said sometimes when a person is bitter. Kara was. She wanted the head coaching position at UT, and it was offered to Kellie because she had head coaching experience. Kara did not at the time.

 

[Ratvol]

You have to accentuate the positive, in other words, keep doing what you are doing correctly but you must identify and fix what you are doing wrong. That is how you learn... That is how you grow... That is how you get better as a team.

GO LADY VOLS!!!

 

[Dadof2Vols]

I admit I peaked at CJ’s post even though I have him blocked because I suspected I knew what he said based on your response. I have totally wondered the same thing. Darth, Styx constant hate for Kellie. Disgustingly snarky, constantly moving goal post. A lot of similarities.

Since you mentioned goal posts.

I am really in neither crowd(Fire or Keep) before I get blasted. There are things I think have to change in program to see improvement and there are flashes of progress but…

What goals does Lucy and other must keep CKJH have for the program? It seems there are some never fire on here so I would love for some like yourself to tell us what you must see in each of the next three years to justify staying with CKJH?

 

[leeeda97]

She said very negative things about the Tennessee program to recruits - to the point that it was considered below the belt "dirty recruiting" within the AD. She also said some things when Kellie was offered the job and not her, and she burned her bridges at UT.

I don't care if you want to make a sarcastic comment about "unforgivable treachery". Perhaps you don't value loyalty in the same way I do. BTW: she totally turned off the recruit when she did that, so I guess I am not the only one who thinks you can recruit fairly and without trashing other programs.

So what did she say that was below the belt or is this just smoke mirrors hearsay. The sarcastic "unforgivable treachery" is no different that claiming "dirty recruiting" without details. What are "some things"....sounds like the AD is bitter that they made the wrong choice, so to make it right, they are making stuff up...... or fans are making stuff up
My point is this....only Fulmer and Lawson know what was said....only the recruit and Lawson know what was said.....anyone else is spreading hearsay....People always have a motivation when they share what was said.....that motivation isn't always positive and what they say isn't always the truth.

Again, no details. Pretty classy smear campaign you are running here.

 

[SGMVols]

What I fear most is that Kellie will be someone who always does just enough to make it hard to fire her, but never does enough to move the needle and get us back to our place as the gold standard of women’s basketball. So we just end up stuck in the same place for years to come.

 

[rogatl]

Kara is one of those throwing Tennessee under the bus to recruits. That's a fact, not a secret in the athletic department, and not the behavior you would expect from a LVFL. I never want a traitor as coach of the Lady Vols.

Throwing Tenn under the bus how? Telling recruits that Tennessee is not Tennessee anymore? Or that if they want to get to a Final Four, Tennessee is not the place to go? The truth is the truth.

 

[VolBall09]

What I fear most is that Kellie will be someone who always does just enough to make it hard to fire her, but never does enough to move the needle and get us back to our place as the gold standard of women’s basketball. So we just end up stuck in the same place for years to come.

That’s basically exactly where we are at the moment. It’s a little miserable.

Watching the team struggle all season and get pounded by good teams in the early part of the season. Then get it together enough to make the Sweet 16 and keep her job.

I would be mostly content with a Sweet 16 annually and maybe another round or 2 every few seasons.

What I can’t abide by is consistently being 20-12ish falling out of the top 25 every season and continuing to feed the media beast that loves to kick Tennessee when it’s down.

 

[glv98]

That’s basically exactly where we are at the moment. It’s a little miserable.

Watching the team struggle all season and get pounded by good teams in the early part of the season. Then get it together enough to make the Sweet 16 and keep her job.

I would be mostly content with a Sweet 16 annually and maybe another round or 2 every few seasons.

What I can’t abide by is consistently being 20-12ish falling out of the top 25 every season and continuing to feed the media beast that loves to kick Tennessee when it’s down.

Exactly. To take the next step, esp in the monster SEC we have coming up, I think the key is step up recruiting. Gotta have the players.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

I would be mostly content with a Sweet 16 annually and maybe another round or 2 every few seasons.

I would NOT be happy with that but I would accept it for the next 2-3 years of the rebuild. The question…is this staff the one that can give UT Ladyvols consecutive Sweet 16s year after year?

 

[ABV]

So what did she say that was below the belt or is this just smoke mirrors hearsay. The sarcastic "unforgivable treachery" is no different that claiming "dirty recruiting" without details. What are "some things"....sounds like the AD is bitter that they made the wrong choice, so to make it right, they are making stuff up...... or fans are making stuff up
My point is this....only Fulmer and Lawson know what was said....only the recruit and Lawson know what was said.....anyone else is spreading hearsay....People always have a motivation when they share what was said.....that motivation isn't always positive and what they say isn't always the truth.

Again, no details. Pretty classy smear campaign you are running here.

It's not a smear campaign - it is the truth. If you don't wish to believe it, that is your decision. I won't betray confidences and say anything more as to how I know this information is fact. I am a person of my word, and I am loyal to a fault. Kara burned her bridges at UT...I am not the only person who knows this & will leave it at that.

 

[leeeda97]

It's not a smear campaign - it is the truth. If you don't wish to believe it, that is your decision. I won't betray confidences and say anything more as to how I know this information is fact. I am a person of my word, and I am loyal to a fault. Kara burned her bridges at UT...I am not the only person who knows this & will leave it at that.

But how do you know that UT didn't burn their bridge with Lawson? You only have a VERY biased source and not the other side of the story.
Other sources say Lawson wouldn't touch UT with a 10ft pole and not the other way around.....

Result is the same though, so Lawson shouldn't be in the replacement conversation.

 

[Volfan2012]

If were not recruiting a top ten class in 2025 I would be one that wished we had made a change cause were not going anywhere except where we are without the players. I don't know what the prospects are for 2025 sometimes I hear they are good and other times were still the second or third school for everyone. We have Nyla and we need three more in her talent range and will be a huge disappointment if it does not happen. We can't keep spinning in this direction of not being able to recruit.

 

[37620VOL]

It's not a smear campaign - it is the truth. If you don't wish to believe it, that is your decision. I won't betray confidences and say anything more as to how I know this information is fact. I am a person of my word, and I am loyal to a fault. Kara burned her bridges at UT...I am not the only person who knows this & will leave it at that.

You can provide the general nature of what was said without betraying confidences (given the allegations being thrown around against a LVFL, it only seems fair). Otherwise, it comes off as "I know something you don't know", which could be seen as a jerk move. Now, I don't think that about you, but that is one way it comes off.

 

[VolBall09]

Throwing Tenn under the bus how? Telling recruits that Tennessee is not Tennessee anymore? Or that if they want to get to a Final Four, Tennessee is not the place to go? The truth is the truth.

And since when has that ever been Duke. Lmao?

If we’re comparing here…and I’m not even a Kellie fan, Kellie has done more with less than Kara.

 

[madtownvol]

I would NEVER turn on a former Lady Vol if I didn't have accurate information. I have been a diehard fan since 1988. I have personally met all three women who have coached the Lady Vols. I hate this is true information. It hurts my soul. But it is factual and unfortunate things get said sometimes when a person is bitter. Kara was. She wanted the head coaching position at UT, and it was offered to Kellie because she had head coaching experience. Kara did not at the time.

Post removed

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

I can corroborate this and go one step further...her time with the BOT severed any ties to the university in the future as well.

It's not a smear campaign - it is the truth. If you don't wish to believe it, that is your decision. I won't betray confidences and say anything more as to how I know this information is fact. I am a person of my word, and I am loyal to a fault. Kara burned her bridges at UT...I am not the only person who knows this & will leave it at that.

 

[SGMVols]

I would NOT be happy with that but I would accept it for the next 2-3 years of the rebuild. The question…is this staff the one that can give UT Ladyvols consecutive Sweet 16s year after year?

Today will answer that question

 

[madtownvol]

I can corroborate this and go one step further...her time with the BOT severed any ties to the university in the future as well.

Okay, earlvol I will take your word on it and I apologize to LvFan4ever

 

[ABV]

Oh, “you heard it from a trustworthy source”. Typing those words definitely makes it true. Sorry, it so easy to posture on the internet and it “hurts my soul” to believe you are spreading false information. I hate this false rumor. I would never turn another poster unless otherwise. It’s factual!

It's true. Ask others within the AD's office or with connections to the program, and they will confirm it. I've seen it mentioned on this board by another poster besides myself. Kara is bitter with UT and that's a fact. She was not hired for the coaching position and was then asked to resign from the UT Board of Trustees when she accepted the head coaching position at Duke, which was a conflict of interest that she should have understood. I don't wish her any ill will. But I am confident I'm speaking the truth. Have you seen her around Knoxville in the last 5 years? There's a reason, whether you want to believe it or not.

 

[madtownvol]

It's true. Ask others within the AD's office or with connections to the program, and they will confirm it. I've seen it mentioned on this board by another poster besides myself. Kara is bitter with UT and that's a fact. She was not hired for the coaching position and was then asked to resign from the UT Board of Trustees when she accepted the head coaching position at Duke, which was a conflict of interest that she should have understood. I don't wish her any ill will. But I am confident I'm speaking the truth. Have you seen her around Knoxville in the last 5 years? There's a reason, whether you want to believe it or not.

I just removed my prior post. I apologize for doubting you.