John Brice says

[Ratvol]

Let’s hope you’re right that Fulmer will make a great hire. Imo Pruitt has proven nothing yet that make him a good hire, we can only wish it so.

Pruitt has proven that he can recruit. He took a 4 win team and recruited like we were top ten. That is an accomplishment. I agree he has not yet proven he can coach. Let's see what year two says.. I'm betting he can coach as well.. JMHO

GO VOLS!!!!

 

[Volfaninfl2]

On Lady Vol Front...AD FULMER

has interviewed several candidates and should announce a hire any day now. Some think Rice HC Tina Langley is a darkhorse candidate who may win the job. Langley spent a long apprenticeship under respected Maryland HC Brenda Frese and has done a great job at the Conference USA school. Langley is more accomplished than Lady Vol legacies Kelly Jolly Harper and Kara Lawson and probably would come for less than Holly Warlick’s annual salary. Being a female, it would be hard for militant Lady Vol enthusiasts to criticize Langley if she’s the choice. We also would not at all be surprised to see Fulmer hire Lawson, who would be an intriguing choice. Lest anyone think our athletics director has rearranged his priorities, he was back from Tampa in time for Saturday’s football scrimmage.

Langley or Lawson does Basilio contributor really know this is what he posted today.

Langley? She’s Coached at Rice for 4 years, went to the NCAA Tournament this year, lost in first round. Her accomplishments don’t even approach those of KJH.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Yes, I've wondered how KJH would feel if bumped by a celeb fellow alum with no coaching experience. IMO there are two things at play with Kara over Kellie - one is the football trope that everyone's favorite quarterback is the one that's not playing. No record often beats out a questionable one. Second is the celeb factor. Its a get-your-face-seen culture out there. On the surface, it definitely seems unfair to the undoubtedly hard-working and paid-her-dues KJH.

HOWEVER, in this case I could probably get on board with the Lawson hire over KJH, especially if no established star or even semi star coach is available, or if as we fear, PF is restricted to hiring female and/or Pat Tree. Kara is the only person on that planet with zero coaching experience (3 on 3 doesn't count) I would consider worth the gamble, for all the reasons previously listed - smarts, guts, knowledge of the game, media savvy, etc. And because most others on the former LV planet have records even more questionable than KJH (see Fargis).

Most importantly, and uncharacteristic for me, I believe Kara's celeb status would be a big factor in this hire. The program has taken on so much damage under HW that a splashy hire would probably help alot, at least initially, especially with recruiting.

I wonder though if we're making much ado about nothing over Lawson. If you read the tweet that restarted Kara mania, all it says is that Kara is interested in seeing the LVs restored to previous glory, and that she's talked to PF. Well of course she's in agony, as are we all, at the shocking demise of the program, and of course, as a member of his advisory committee and a freaking board of trustees member, she's talked to PF about it. But not necessarily about taking the job herself.


Totally agree. That NC State thing going to be lurking right in the background waiting to bite KJH. Much as I love and respect her, its what gives me great pause about her, even tho I'm aware of the Debbie Yow reign of terror, etc. Her leash would probably be way shorter than Lawson's. Probably unfair to her, as is this whole Kara thingie, but its crazy, desperate times round here.

Believe the tweet that started the Kara mania was by grahamland, who said he had talked to a booster, and the hire was a done deal.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

I don't understand how hiring as head coach, a media talking head with zero coaching experience, is a splashy hire.

That ESPN stuff will be forgotten real quick once she begins the grind of actually trying to win basketball games, and trying to keep players (and their relatives) from going public with their criticisms.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

I actually think Kara would be given more time than Kellie. With Kara, we'd probably hear about a learning curve; with Kellie, we'd hear "NC State."

I actually think Kara would be given more time than Kellie. With Kara, we'd probably hear about a learning curve; with Kellie, we'd hear "NC State."

Really, you think fans would give Fulmer’s choice time to learn the job? I don’t.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

So if Kara is hired how many years or just games does she get before we forget she is a beloved lady vol and everyone on this board starts tearing her apart like a pack of wolves?

If she had worked to become a Coach, years, she didn’t.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Really, you think fans would give Fulmer’s choice time to learn the job? I don’t.

Yes I do. He did it in football and football is the lead sport. Lawson knows basketball inside out and I think she could/would hire an outstanding staff. She would recruit rings around others on the list. I don’t know who, if any assistants she would keep from the old staff, but we need improved coaching on both offense and defense. Players would respect her approach to the game and her knowledge.

Fire away.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Yes I do. He did it in football and football is the lead sport. Lawson knows basketball inside out and I think she could/would hire an outstanding staff. She would recruit rings around others on the list. I don’t know who, if any assistants she would keep from the old staff, but we need improved coaching on both offense and defense. Players would respect her approach to the game and her knowledge.

Fire away.

In football, he hired a Coach.

 

[leejoek]

One thing vital to the LVs present and future is recruiting. Any lady at all involved in basketball knows who Kara Lawson is. That is HUGE. If she surrounds herself with the right assistants...this could work out VERY well. She knows basketball....and like I said with the right assistants to help this could be a tremendous hire.

As an analyst, she is well prepared and knows basketball. As a team, she works well with Rebecca Lobo!

 

[bobkitten]

Sometimes you have to try something gutsy,

 

[sccshortstop]

Sometimes you have to try something gutsy,

yep but not this time!

 

[WVU05UT09]

I don't understand how hiring as head coach, a media talking head with zero coaching experience, is a splashy hire.

That ESPN stuff will be forgotten real quick once she begins the grind of actually trying to win basketball games, and trying to keep players (and their relatives) from going public with their criticisms.

You know who else went down this path. Arkansas with Jimmy Dikes

 

[gule]

 

[Amb3096]

Top 25-50? There are single digit numbers of competitive women's college basketball teams annually. You have to recruit Top 1-4 at minimum.

Jeff Walz wasn't getting top 4 kids until Durr. Vic Schaefer still isn't. Besides, it's Tennessee. The school practically recruits itself. It should be easier now that they don't have a clueless, inept and hopelessly obsolete coach dragging down the program

 

[Amb3096]

That’s bullshat and you know it.

Did she make in game adjustments, etc.?

Many here have a hard time taking your opinions seriously, Franklin Warlick. After all, you still think Aunt Holly is a good coach.

 

[spojo13]

Jeff Walz wasn't getting top 4 kids until Durr. Vic Schaefer still isn't. Besides, it's Tennessee. The school practically recruits itself. It should be easier now that they don't have a clueless, inept and hopelessly obsolete coach dragging down the program

I hope that is the case with this hire. I haven’t been that impressed with the offenses from the Pat tree. I hope she brings on someone known for offense like Balcomb. Would make me feel better, at least.

 

[volman128]

No way in hell will our offense not be the same old crap unless she hires someone like Mel or Gail.

If you watched Missouri State play it looks virtually the same as Holly's and Nikki's offenses.

 

[Amb3096]

You better hope it does because there is not another name mentioned that can help you. Fargas-failure at LSU failure Kelly Harper-fired at NC State Butler-fired at Florida. We should have just kept who we had if we are not going to consider someone with a little knowledge

Just...no. Anyone is a huge improvement over Holly.

 

[SmokyRiverDog]

Jeff Walz wasn't getting top 4 kids until Durr. Vic Schaefer still isn't. Besides, it's Tennessee. The school practically recruits itself. It should be easier now that they don't have a clueless, inept and hopelessly obsolete coach dragging down the program

Except they do. I would like to enter into evidence her offense at Missouri State.

 

[Darth_Vol]

Except they do. I would like to enter into evidence her offense at Missouri State.

Not to mention her only stint at a power five school. Get ready for Hollyball 2.0...

 

[lvocd]

Not to mention her only stint at a power five school. Get ready for Hollyball 2.0...

You’ll be proved wrong about that, and I hope you’re not so hellbent on hating the hire that you won’t be able to look at her first season performance objectively. It really doesn’t make any sense to assume she’s going to fail. If she does, then by all means, come back and say “I told you so!” But what can it hurt to wait and see if she can win you over? She just might, you know. Will you at least let her try before condemning her?