Pat Summitt, Angie Bjorklund Memories

#1
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hokievol12

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#1
Most of you spoiled, die hard lady Vol fans remember Angie...number 2 ranked recruit coming out of high school, talented, great kid. I remember a practice video where Pat walked over to her and said..."Angie, your lack of focus is glaring." And the stare that Angie was getting from Pat was...glaring! Moral of story...you can't be their buddy, their friend when on the court (game or practice) and expect their best effort. I recall many times, coaches saying that it's much easier to "ease up" on a player, a team, than it is "crack the whip"...and coaches unable to "crack the whip" from the beginning of a player's career often wind up trying to do so...too late. It didn't matter to Pat that a player came into Knoxville ranked as a top 3 in her class...she had to earn her stripes all over again. I don't think Holly, or any member of her current staff, have that kind of "mental toughness"...and it's glaring when you see the results on the court. Stephanie White, the bright, up and coming coach of the Indiana Fever, who was doing color on the LV-South Carolina game, mentioned their inability to focus several times. Now that I mention it, Stephanie White would be an excellent candidate for a high profile women's college basketball position...just saying...
 
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#2
#2
hokievol12 said:
Most of you spoiled, die hard lady Vol fans remember Angie...number 2 ranked recruit coming out of high school, talented, great kid. I remember a practice video where Pat walked over to her and said..."Angie, your lack of focus is glaring." And the stare that Angie was getting from Pat was...glaring! Moral of story...you can't be their buddy, their friend when on the court (game or practice) and expect their best effort. I recall many times, coaches saying that it's much easier to "ease up" on a player, a team, than it is "crack the whip"...and coaches unable to "crack the whip" from the beginning of a player's career often wind up trying to do so...too late. It didn't matter to Pat that a player came into Knoxville ranked as a top 3 in her class...she had to earn her stripes all over again. I don't think Holly, or any member of her current staff, have that kind of "mental toughness"...and it's glaring when you see the results on the court. Stephanie White, the bright, up and coming coach of the Indiana Fever, who was doing color on the LV-South Carolina game, mentioned their inability to focus several times. Now that I mention it, Stephanie White would be an excellent candidate for a high profile women's college basketball position...just saying...
Click to expand...

There is no vacancy on the coaching staff.
 
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#5
#5
hokievol12 said:
Most of you spoiled, die hard lady Vol fans remember Angie...number 2 ranked recruit coming out of high school, talented, great kid. I remember a practice video where Pat walked over to her and said..."Angie, your lack of focus is glaring." And the stare that Angie was getting from Pat was...glaring! Moral of story...you can't be their buddy, their friend when on the court (game or practice) and expect their best effort. I recall many times, coaches saying that it's much easier to "ease up" on a player, a team, than it is "crack the whip"...and coaches unable to "crack the whip" from the beginning of a player's career often wind up trying to do so...too late. It didn't matter to Pat that a player came into Knoxville ranked as a top 3 in her class...she had to earn her stripes all over again. I don't think Holly, or any member of her current staff, have that kind of "mental toughness"...and it's glaring when you see the results on the court. Stephanie White, the bright, up and coming coach of the Indiana Fever, who was doing color on the LV-South Carolina game, mentioned their inability to focus several times. Now that I mention it, Stephanie White would be an excellent candidate for a high profile women's college basketball position...just saying...
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone has a clue regarding this. Not a criticism of your post at all. Broadcaster's broadcast. They should frame their opinions as opinions. There are few broadcasters today who can do the job right and not interject their (questionable) opinions into the broadcast. It's like watching or reading the news. Does the reporter give the facts of the story or do they tell you what they think?
 
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#6
#6
hokievol12 said:
...Stephanie White would be an excellent candidate for a high profile women's college basketball position...
Click to expand...

I like her and note that she has two great gigs already - WNBA coach (where the season is short and she doesn't have to recruit) and TV color analyst. Three gigs if you count her in-studio analysis on BIG10N.

Assuming a living wage can be earned at these gigs, I think she'd be crazy to swap that for a college HC position.
 
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#8
#8
I don't believe Summitt helped to improve Bjorklund's game. She was talented but had some quickness issues and there was some weirdness at the end of her senior season.
 
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#9
#9
hokievol12 said:
Most of you spoiled, die hard lady Vol fans remember Angie...number 2 ranked recruit coming out of high school, talented, great kid. I remember a practice video where Pat walked over to her and said..."Angie, your lack of focus is glaring." And the stare that Angie was getting from Pat was...glaring! Moral of story...you can't be their buddy, their friend when on the court (game or practice) and expect their best effort. I recall many times, coaches saying that it's much easier to "ease up" on a player, a team, than it is "crack the whip"...and coaches unable to "crack the whip" from the beginning of a player's career often wind up trying to do so...too late. It didn't matter to Pat that a player came into Knoxville ranked as a top 3 in her class...she had to earn her stripes all over again. I don't think Holly, or any member of her current staff, have that kind of "mental toughness"...and it's glaring when you see the results on the court. Stephanie White, the bright, up and coming coach of the Indiana Fever, who was doing color on the LV-South Carolina game, mentioned their inability to focus several times. Now that I mention it, Stephanie White would be an excellent candidate for a high profile women's college basketball position...just saying...
Click to expand...

She definitely deserves an interview
 
#11
#11
hokievol12 said:
Most of you spoiled, die hard lady Vol fans remember Angie...number 2 ranked recruit coming out of high school, talented, great kid. I remember a practice video where Pat walked over to her and said..."Angie, your lack of focus is glaring." And the stare that Angie was getting from Pat was...glaring! Moral of story...you can't be their buddy, their friend when on the court (game or practice) and expect their best effort. I recall many times, coaches saying that it's much easier to "ease up" on a player, a team, than it is "crack the whip"...and coaches unable to "crack the whip" from the beginning of a player's career often wind up trying to do so...too late. It didn't matter to Pat that a player came into Knoxville ranked as a top 3 in her class...she had to earn her stripes all over again. I don't think Holly, or any member of her current staff, have that kind of "mental toughness"...and it's glaring when you see the results on the court. Stephanie White, the bright, up and coming coach of the Indiana Fever, who was doing color on the LV-South Carolina game, mentioned their inability to focus several times. Now that I mention it, Stephanie White would be an excellent candidate for a high profile women's college basketball position...just saying...
Click to expand...

I am curious, have you watched practices? Have you seen that in fact, Holly and staff just give their player smiley face stickers when they lack focus, etc.? I don't know but I think Holly's seeming inability to implement a more viable half-court scheme and to utilize the teams strengths (speed and athleticism) might just have more to do with the LV's struggles than a lack of whip cracking.
 
#12
#12
Many people get so confused about the HIGH SCHOOL ranking of the players. Most highly ranked HIGH SCHOOL players end up being AVERAGE, or even mediocre, basketball players in college. That's just the way it is.

There are also some three star ranked players who turn out to be above average college basketball players.

Some five star ranked players do live up to their high school ranking, but they are the exception.

Bjorklund was a highly ranked high school player who was a very average college basketball player.
 
#13
#13
Hey Gule...I took your advice and I now see the connection...did not know anything about her private life.
 
#14
#14
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#15
#15
Thanks for posting the interview...I try personally to separate private life from public professional career...just think she is a hell of a coach.
 
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