Muffet McGraw stepping down

#77
#77
krichunaka said:
I don’t think the bar should be matter-of-factly lowered for Coach Ivey and Notre Dame Women’s Basketball.
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I don't think it should either, and I don't think it will. The administration and fans have high expectations now, as well they should. But the fact is Notre Dame is coming off a 13-18 season and would not have qualified for tournament if it was played, which is worse than the situation Kellie walked into here. And Kellie has had a year head start at Tennessee. Given that, I'll be very interested to see who is able to build up her program better and how quickly...
 
#78
#78
glv98 said:
Weird how? Ivey as Muffetts successor has pretty much been known for a while. Doubt Muffett would have retired without that being a done deal.

Great record and always a class act. Extra credit for being the only one able to occasionally interupt Genos magical run. Also for running a beautiful, fluid offense which i'd kill to see the LVs run for even a half. Sorry her last season was a cluster.
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The timing is what's weird. Obviously this wasn't planned because otherwise Niele wouldn't have left for Memphis last year.
 
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#80
#80
I doubt that many coaches are looking forward to coaching and recruiting in the era of COVID-19 restrictions, player transfers and maybe new transfer rules. You may see a bunch of retirements.

In Muffet's case she was looking at a tough rebuilding job under difficult circumstances and badly missing Ivey to help her do it. Hiring a new top assistant would be a crap shoot. And she didn't want to face up to shaking up her staff as needed. Or lie to recruits and say she'd be coaching them until they graduated. Plus there may have been some personal or health reasons.

Ivey will do well at ND, but it won't be easy. But she'll have the energy for the job that no 64-year-old could match.

We all wish her well.
 
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#82
#82
Does this coaching change make it more or less likely that Fudd chooses ND? Would Muffet have retired if she thought Fudd was coming?

Could Ivey have some other recruits in her pocket?

This "retirement" and hire was so well coordinated you have to wonder if there are other shoes to drop.
 
#83
#83
volman128 said:
Geno won't retire until he beats Pat's all-time wins record.
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Barring something unforeseen with Geno's health or a cancellation of the 2020-21 (not likely buy not inconceivable), Geno passes CPS (with I believe) 9 wins. So that almost certainly happens. GA already has passed John Wooden for most championships. So, he could walk away unless he decides to chase Coach K. He is about 10 years younger so it would come down to health and energy of each. Geno's ego seems big enough to take that as a motivation.
 
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#84
#84
ocoandasoc said:
I doubt that many coaches are looking forward to coaching and recruiting in the era of COVID-19 restrictions, player transfers and maybe new transfer rules. You may see a bunch of retirements.

In Muffet's case she was looking at a tough rebuilding job under difficult circumstances and badly missing Ivey to help her do it. Hiring a new top assistant would be a crap shoot. And she didn't want to face up to shaking up her staff as needed. Or lie to recruits and say she'd be coaching them until they graduated. Plus there may have been some personal or health reasons.

Ivey will do well at ND, but it won't be easy. But she'll have the energy for the job that no 64-year-old could match.

We all wish her well.
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My thoughts nearly exactly. And while some people may choose to think the main reason McGraw retired was because she’d just endured her worst season ever and simply didn’t want to be saddled with the responsibility of rebuilding NDWB, I am positive that it’s a far more complex situation than that.

If she were 55 and stepped down I’d say, yeah, maybe she just didn’t want to be in charge of rebuilding. But at age 64, she and her husband have, if they were smart, likely been discussing potential retirement options for years. With all that’s been going on in the world recently, it is sooooooo not surprising that there are many people who are now making decisions to take steps back from all-too-hectic careers into more stay-at-home, family-centered lives.

For the “deep thinkers:”
Perhaps the Mayans were onto something when their ancient calendar ended in the year 2012. In hindsight, even though that year obviously didn’t mark the “end of the world” as some had predicted would happen, but who’s to say that it couldn’t just as well have actually less spectacularly have been the subtle end of the age of ignorance and the beginning of a new Age of Enlightenment”?

I feel strongly that there has been a shift in consciousness for those willing and able to receive it.

😀
 
#85
#85
Darth_Vol said:
I don't think it should either, and I don't think it will. The administration and fans have high expectations now, as well they should. But the fact is Notre Dame is coming off a 13-18 season and would not have qualified for tournament if it was played, which is worse than the situation Kellie walked into here. And Kellie has had a year head start at Tennessee. Given that, I'll be very interested to see who is able to build up her program better and how quickly...
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I think Niele Ivey will do well, but these two situations aren't all that comparable. One bad season after an excellent class goes pro and a bunch of your players are taken out with injuries isn't the same as needing to rebuild a program from the ground up. Notre Dame, afaik, doesn't have both on the court and off the court issues to deal with.
 
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#86
#86
ocoandasoc said:
Does this coaching change make it more or less likely that Fudd chooses ND? Would Muffet have retired if she thought Fudd was coming?

Could Ivey have some other recruits in her pocket?

This "retirement" and hire was so well coordinated you have to wonder if there are other shoes to drop.
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Did Ivey ever left ND for NBA?
 
#92
#92
Volfan2012 said:
News flash Louisville coach Jeff Walz is the leader for the Notre Dame job he is extremely interested needs a raise to stay at Louisville.
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How many raises has this got got to stay at Louisville? He's got a good thing going there..Every time an opening happens in women's college ball, his name is mentioned and he gets a raise to stay there...
source.gif
 
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#93
#93
GameTime said:
How many raises has this got got to stay at Louisville? He's got a good thing going there..Every time an opening happens in women's college ball, his name is mentioned and he gets a raise to stay there...
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u rite the need to let him go. Is not that he's winning championships. I bet his the one throwing his name out there just to get promotion.
 
#95
#95
dapeak said:
Should be an interesting coaching search.
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Think I saw/heard they have moved up on of their in place staff. (remind you of any other program?). Pat, Bear, Wooden, nearly any "great". It is nearly impossible to fill the shoes.
 
#96
#96
Voltopia said:
Great coach. Loss for the sport. If she's ready to cash out and enjoy something other than this madness, then good for her. Now, let's go raid their roster. (I'm joking, but, you know, it's sort of part of the territory now so maybe I'm only 95% joking ... )
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I expect she is not done with the sport. I think she would make a great color person for TV.
 
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#97
#97
krichunaka said:
I don’t think the bar should be matter-of-factly lowered for Coach Ivey and Notre Dame Women’s Basketball. If nothing else, the recent weeks have brought to light the powder keg that Kellie actually negotiated through this very tough season.
You’ve rightly pointed out that Tennessee had/has several All-Americans, just as others have counter-opined that there’s a lot more to it ...than stars. The recent transfers, coupled with the pre-season departures should make very clear that Kellie has done an incredible job to reasonably hold things together. But, the Notre Dame brand is nothing to laugh at. They’ll have the talent and backing to help Coach Ivey along.
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What regulations on a "powder keg" are you referring to? I must have missed something.
 
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#99
#99
LVsinceJV said:
I think Niele Ivey will do well, but these two situations aren't all that comparable. One bad season after an excellent class goes pro and a bunch of your players are taken out with injuries isn't the same as needing to rebuild a program from the ground up. Notre Dame, afaik, doesn't have both on the court and off the court issues to deal with.
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She'll underachieve which is usual following a great coach and her replacement will do better than Coavh Ivey.
 
#100
#100
savannahfan said:
What regulations on a "powder keg" are you referring to? I must have missed something.
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Good question, that I can only answer theoretically:
Coach Kelly was a controversial hire (as many/most are). There were several here screaming from the balcony for one, then another ...then any other. Regardless of price! Meanwhile, I was ecstatic watching the magical Missouri State tournament run, while actually hoping that IF as expected, Coach Warlick were to leave, that just maybe Kellie could bring a little (or hopefully a lot) more grittiness to the Lady Vols program. So, a sentimentality laced desire on my part for our return to greatness.

It’s difficult to answer your “powder keg negotiations” reference without appearing to call out particular players - by name. I’m just not comfortable with that. HOWEVER, we can now, with some certainty, confirm that the deck was stacked against Coach Kellie (which is the case for most any new hire). She first had to scramble (negotiate seemed a more palatable word) to hold on to the four new signees - two of whom she might not have otherwise recruited. Which to me at least, is a testament to her loyalty and commitment. *BTW, I’m pleased with the FOUR of them, and admire our coach for that smart and compassionate maneuver.*

Back to the powder keg: Not counting the two, three? 2919 graduations, we have lost four other players. I knew nothing about the lady who went to Maryland, but watched the uconn transfer ..a little. She appeared very talented. A couple others, to include some who stayed were a) overrated; b) underdeveloped; 3) not fully committed.

So, here we are. We have one junior-to-be; a raw but athletically beautiful guard/wing/forward; the four already mentioned sophomores; two promising freshmen; and, so far, a single commitment for 2021. Of the three seniors, Davis is a likely All-American; Kasi can be a major contributor; likewise for Jaiden (if healthy). So, not bad, all considered. But, could any rational fan reasonably expect much more than 21-10?
Finally, the “loaded roster” comments (by those who know much more about basketball than I) is, at best, skewed. We - and Specifically, Coach Kellie - were barely hanging on throughout the season; our twenty-one wins something to actually be proud of. All this while already knowing that Zaay would be leaving?
Yes, hers was a powder keg, that with the loss of one of the two great freshmen added to the Zaay Green injury could’ve left us with a losing record.
Sorry for the prattle.
Cheers, savannahfan.
 
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