Coach Kellie Harper

[DarkPhoenix]

I’m afraid that is where we are headed. Especially if she doesn’t relax the schedule a little. I’m not a fan of the complete patty cake schedule LSU plays. But I HATE how Kellie schedules. She counts her chickens before they hatch and sets them up for a total bruising the first two months of every season. It’s demoralizing, starts the season on the wrong foot, and immediately pisses off the fan base.

Last several seasons we have dropped out of the top 25 in the first month of the season due to her scheduling. It’s assign to repeat that same mistake over and over. Especially with her record against ranked teams being what it is (awful).

If we had a soft schedule we might have been an 11 seed or missed the tournament. Just get a better roster and the schedule doesn’t matter.

 

[Volfan2012]

If we had a soft schedule we might have been an 11 seed or missed the tournament. Just get a better roster and the schedule doesn’t matter.

I think we have to play at Notre Dame next season that is going to be a tough game. We don't need to be number one in sos we just need to win enough to play the first two games of the NCAA at home.

 

[spojo13]

I think we have to play at Notre Dame next season that is going to be a tough game. We don't need to be number one in sos we just need to win enough to play the first two games of the NCAA at home.

Was Florida State a one time thing or are they coming to our place? Between ND, SC, LSU, Texas, and Oklahoma. I think we honestly just need one or two more ranked teams in OOC. Aren’t we playing Iowa too?

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I think we have to play at Notre Dame next season that is going to be a tough game. We don't need to be number one in sos we just need to win enough to play the first two games of the NCAA at home.

We don’t need the toughest schedule but having a few against ranked teams is good, it lets u know right away where we stand. But like I said it all depends on our roster.

 

[Majors]

The next year we went 10 and 6 with that roster and finished third. So maybe the roster was not as bad as Holly's coaching even though two key players transferred.

Again, gifted a nice roster. Players come and go but for some to say it was a disaster easily forget.

 

[Majors]

If we had a soft schedule we might have been an 11 seed or missed the tournament. Just get a better roster and the schedule doesn’t matter.

Can’t trick the results

 

[Volfan2012]

Again, gifted a nice roster. Players come and go but for some to say it was a disaster easily forget.

Had some good players who were at the time not totally developed. Burrell, Davis, and Key got a lot better that season. Did what should've been done with that roster 10 and 6 third place.

 

[Volfan2012]

Was Florida State a one time thing or are they coming to our place? Between ND, SC, LSU, Texas, and Oklahoma. I think we honestly just need one or two more ranked teams in OOC. Aren’t we playing Iowa too?

I think they come to Tennessee. I don't see them being as good as this season we should win.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I think they come to Tennessee. I don't see them being as good as this season we should win.

I just want to beat them I don’t care about all the other stuff.

 

[Volfan2012]

I just want to beat them I don’t care about all the other stuff.

We win if we make free throws this year. Another loss at the free throw line.

 

[spojo13]

I think they come to Tennessee. I don't see them being as good as this season we should win.

They for sure don’t play as well away from home. Not sure who all they are losing, but I think I’ll wait to see who we get in the portal before I can say one way or another if we should win.

 

[Volfan2012]

They for sure don’t play as well away from home. Not sure who all they are losing, but I think I’ll wait to see who we get in the portal before I can say one way or another if we should win.

I'm betting on doing well in the portal to even say we'll win. I don't see us winning a lot if we can't get at least a couple of effective scorers.

 

[Nute Gunray]

First off, I am a Kara Lawson fan but in Kara's first four seasons at Duke, she has made the S16 once and finished 10th, tied for 2nd and 7th in the ACC conference (her first season as coach was cancelled due to Covid).

In her first four years at Tennessee, Kellie has 2 S16s and finished 3rd 4 times (this season tied for 4th), in a stronger conference. She has an objectively better record over the same time period and more first round WNBA picks than Kara (anticipating RJ).

Often overlooked, Kellie's record at Tennessee is greatly improved from her time as HC at NCST (where she was sub .500 in conference and 52% overall).

She has gotten much better. The narrative that Kellie is the "same coach" as in her NCST failure ignores the obvious evidence of her own improvement curve.

Maybe you should quote Kellie instead.....

Madtownvol, your comments are thoughful, perceptive and accurate as always. The problem with Kellie is, she is unable to compete with the elite coaches in the SEC like Staley, Mulkey and soon, Brooks and Schaefer. I believe Lisa Fortier of Gonzaga could compete with these elite coaches.

 

[SGMVols]

Was Florida State a one time thing or are they coming to our place? Between ND, SC, LSU, Texas, and Oklahoma. I think we honestly just need one or two more ranked teams in OOC. Aren’t we playing Iowa too?

Iowa will not be good next year without a major portal haul. Not just because of losing Clark. Losing Martin and Marshall will hurt too

 

[spojo13]

Iowa will not be good next year without a major portal haul. Not just because of losing Clark. Losing Martin and Marshall will hurt too

They definitely won’t be at the level they are now. I think they’ll still be a decent Big Ten team and probably a tournament team, which is decent enough for our SOS

 

[glv98]

Naaaaaaaaaah, you don't need a new hobby, you just have to keep in mind that a lot of this "I'm right/I told you so" stuff is an externalized emotional response from people processing the team's failure.

Being associating with winning is the most emotionally validating thing a typical sports fan experiences. But when you're associated with a loser or with losing, it's the opposite. The association doesn't give you that validation, and worse, it can turn people bitter toward the thing they associated with, because who likes being associated with a loser? And one of the most common coping mechanisms is self-validation through stuff like that "well we lost but I was right" or the "see I told you so" commentary, or through just out-and-out attacking the program to create a sense of distance. Jaded sports fans are something else, I tell you.

In short, they're using this board to cope. When you think about it, that's kind of funny. Actually, it's really funny. Worth a laugh or two if you ask me. So equally in short, don't let the negativity eat at you too much. Have a chuckle at the spectacle of human emotion in action, and let's see what the offseason brings.

Thanks for your thoughts. But again, it’s not about this board at all. Would never let that dissuade me. It’s this season and everything surrounding the game in general. Not much fun right now

 

[Lucy]

Certainly true and why I said NIL is just part of it now. NIL certainly could play a huge factor in changing recruiting now even with the same problems existing that we had back then. I consider this staff a little slow on the draw in making contacts and even offering prospects. Sometimes a few schools already have a head start on them like LSU in the portal right now.

Is it possible KM would perhaps jump the gun??

 

[Raebo]

To many people are way to emotionally involved in what is suppose to be a game. This is why ”star” athletes got paid 10 or 100s of thousand dollars under the table In the past and maybe now. Why some get to drive around in fancy cars. Why collectives are bidding for “star” players or HS players that have never played a college game. Why some are offered millions of dollars before they graduate. Why coaches feel like they need to get players from another team if they want to keep their job. Why some coaches feel they need to schedule cupcakes instead of ranked teams if they want to keep their jobs. This is why some fans give thousands or millions of dollars to a collective to “game” the system so their team will have the best players. And the list goes on and on.

I try to think of it like watching my child play T-ball or soccer. Watch the game because it is entertaining. If they win give them a high five. If they lose go get an ice cream cone. Their are some parents that are to emotionally involved and should not attend their child’s T-ball or little league game.

Sure the game is more fun and entertaining if the team wins. But if you become consumed by the winning, then maybe it is time to take a couple steps back and let the AD and coaches do their job.

I get tired of people talking about how deserving our players are, blah, blah ,blah. Or I feel bad for so and so. First off, they are no better or worse deserving than 95% of the other players. And don’t feel bad for them, how many would love to have the opportunity they have-going to a great school and playing a game they love, and getting paid to do it.

 

[madtownvol]

Madtownvol, your comments are thoughful, perceptive and accurate as always. The problem with Kellie is, she is unable to compete with the elite coaches in the SEC like Staley, Mulkey and soon, Brooks and Schaefer. I believe Lisa Fortier of Gonzaga could compete with these elite coaches.

Hi Nute,

First on Kara, I would not be surprised if she had Duke back in the Final four in the next 2 years. She inherited a Duke program in a slump, during covid and had a big learning curve as new first time coach. She seems to be figuring it out and building a strong program. Plus her "handle hard better" meme has given her an added degree of national exposure. She had the bigger coaching upside than kellie, and if it is true that she wanted the job, Fulmer should have made the higher risk, higher reward play. On the flipside, Kellie talks a great game and invokes some of that CPS energy so I can see why Fulmer went that way after she knocked her "interview out of the ballpark."

I am with Volfan2012 that Kellie's biggest shortcoming is recruiting. Now that is a big part of coaching but I think kellie is fine on Xs and Os (though her in-game management could be better).

If you look at current starting line-up versus the four SEC teams in front of us, only Rickea would be a guaranteed started. Spear would probably a 6th man type spark. Key, who was again not 100% all season, would be a back-up post. Puckett, role player. Powell, back up PG. Tess, who is not a bad player per se, probably does not make those rosters.

Like Pat Summitt's dad said to her after losing agains to USC in AIAW championship game "you can't win the KY derby with plow horses" (or something to that effect).

There are signs that Kellie is gaining some momentum in high school recruiting but the results of the 2025 will be the litmus test. She has to kill the portal this Spring.

You may be right that Kellie just is not good enough. I am still giving her the benefit the doubt but she has to show it next year because, as you note, the conference will be a whole lot tougher and Rickea will be hooping in the WNBA.

Lisa Fortier's W-L record looks really good but she had not made it past the 2nd round of the NCAA's in her 10 years. Personally, I would want a more clear cut upgrade over Kellie if and when a change is made

 

[Lucy]

I am a college athlete! Money has ALWAYS been in college sports ! I have always called them the sachele man ( the one with the briefcase full of money )! I competed during the 60–70’s and I know for a fact it was going on then ! Just saying.

I hope not at UT.

 

[Lucy]

Chapman admitted during the interview that he was making more money with the Wildcats than in his inaugural NBA season.

"Well, first, I was making money in college. They were giving — I was being paid in college under the table, so I had some money. That's part of how I got to UK, so yeah. As much as I needed. Yeah, as much as I ever needed I could go — I knew where to go to get it. Many times it was just given to me, but. Yeah, boosters — boosters, yeah. And before I left — before I left I was offered $700,000 to stay another year at Kentucky. This is in the '80s. Right, in the '80s," Chapman said.

Is he currently in jail? Maybe not star witness material.

 

[freedom fighter]

Money is GOD in recruiting.

 

[madtownvol]

Is he currently in jail? Maybe not star witness material.

He had an opioid addiction. I don't believe he did any jail time.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Iowa will not be good next year without a major portal haul. Not just because of losing Clark. Losing Martin and Marshall will hurt too

No excuses, we will be without Rickea so it works itself out, I’ll be there in person to watch us beat them.

 

[Lucy]

He had an opioid addiction. I don't believe he did any jail time.

He’s lucky. Unfortunately with opioid addiction theft often funds it. The book Dopesick is an unbelievable look at the opioid epidemic and the Sachler’s (sp) role. It will infuriate you.
Actually, I need to check. Sachler role could in
Empire of Pain. I read a couple of books on this. I’ll confirm when I get home.