Pat Summitt: the second greatest coach in women's hoops history

[carolinaviking]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down. This is even more impressive when one considers that Summitt dominated when the women's game was underfunded and quality teams were very rare. Auriemma is dominating the game when it is filled with talented players and teams. What's more, UConn is not the only team to outshine UT the past decade or so. We are not even a distant third when one considers the likes of ND, SC, Baylor and Duke. Hell, UT is not even the best in their conference and hasn't been for a while.

My point is that we should still be proud of the Lady Vols because they are a top-25 team and usually a top-10 team. Most teams still fear us and a win over the Vols is a signpost for opposing programs. But deep tourney runs are not to be expected any longer and we should stop comparing the current team's success to the success of past UT teams, especially those from the Summitt era. Instead, we need to focus on comparing our team to our next opponent and just take care of business.

So let's be proud of our history and give Coach Summitt her dues. Her place in the pantheon of women's basketball is secured, although when the dust settles, she will not be viewed as the best ever; she will be viewed as the groundbreaker without whom none of what we see today would have been possible.

 

[Volsfaninva917]

I think everyone appreciates Pats success here and misses it dearly. TBA is no more than a museum to her success now and Holly is that 5 year old bull in a china shop kid tearing it all to hell.

 

[gule]

take your UConn love and shove it.

 

[voltraveler]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down. This is even more impressive when one considers that Summitt dominated when the women's game was underfunded and quality teams were very rare. Auriemma is dominating the game when it is filled with talented players and teams. What's more, UConn is not the only team to outshine UT the past decade or so. We are not even a distant third when one considers the likes of ND, SC, Baylor and Duke. Hell, UT is not even the best in their conference and hasn't been for a while.

My point is that we should still be proud of the Lady Vols because they are a top-25 team and usually a top-10 team. Most teams still fear us and a win over the Vols is a signpost for opposing programs. But deep tourney runs are not to be expected any longer and we should stop comparing the current team's success to the success of past UT teams, especially those from the Summitt era. Instead, we need to focus on comparing our team to our next opponent and just take care of business.

So let's be proud of our history and give Coach Summitt her dues. Her place in the pantheon of women's basketball is secured, although when the dust settles, she will not be viewed as the best ever; she will be viewed as the groundbreaker without whom none of what we see today would have been possible.

Thanks for the history lesson Dave Hart. Now do your job, fire Holly and bring in a coach that will return the greatest women's basketball program in history back to prominence.

 

[508mikey]

I think everyone appreciates Pats success here and misses it dearly. TBA is no more than a museum to her success now and Holly is that 5 year old bull in a china shop kid tearing it all to hell.

lol

 

[kentucky sucks]

No Pat, no Geno. Period.

 

[BigOrangeD]

Thanks for the history lesson Dave Hart. Now do your job, fire Holly and bring in a coach that will return the greatest women's basketball program in history back to prominence.

Please hurry Dave. We don't have much time. The 2016 recruiting has gone to sh!t and 2017 will also if you don't hurry.

 

[Special Ed]

Pat Summitt, almost single-handedly, took women's basketball from obscurity to the Big Stage. For that, she gets extra points. If not for her efforts, those who came after her would not have had as big a sport to build their own reputations in. They owe her a great amount of gratitude, she owes them nothing. Any coach who came along after her labored in the shadow of her greatness. Who knows how many more championships her teams would have won had she not been sidelined by an illness that took her out of the game for good? Her legacy still looms large over the sport of women's basketball as well as college sports in general. No other coach has yet lived up to that legacy!

 

[kayman1]

Pat Summitt, almost single-handedly, took women's basketball from obscurity to the Big Stage. For that, she gets extra points. If not for her efforts, those who came after her would not have had as big a sport to build their own reputations in. They owe her a great amount of gratitude, she owes them nothing. Any coach who came along after her labored in the shadow of her greatness. Who knows how many more championships her teams would have won had she not been sidelined by an illness that took her out of the game for good? Her legacy still looms large over the sport of women's basketball as well as college sports in general. No other coach has yet lived up to that legacy!

And she did it with class every step of the way. I dont care if the pos in uconn wins 30 titles, Pat has more class in her lil finger than he will ever have!!!!

 

[mdrew27]

I bet geno loves beating out a women for the top spot. Pat's number one in my book and always will be number freaking one.

 

[WVU05UT09]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down. This is even more impressive when one considers that Summitt dominated when the women's game was underfunded and quality teams were very rare. Auriemma is dominating the game when it is filled with talented players and teams. What's more, UConn is not the only team to outshine UT the past decade or so. We are not even a distant third when one considers the likes of ND, SC, Baylor and Duke. Hell, UT is not even the best in their conference and hasn't been for a while.

My point is that we should still be proud of the Lady Vols because they are a top-25 team and usually a top-10 team. Most teams still fear us and a win over the Vols is a signpost for opposing programs. But deep tourney runs are not to be expected any longer and we should stop comparing the current team's success to the success of past UT teams, especially those from the Summitt era. Instead, we need to focus on comparing our team to our next opponent and just take care of business.

So let's be proud of our history and give Coach Summitt her dues. Her place in the pantheon of women's basketball is secured, although when the dust settles, she will not be viewed as the best ever; she will be viewed as the groundbreaker without whom none of what we see today would have been possible.

I can't wait to see this top 10 team you speak of. The one tonight beat a 1-6 team by 7 points.

Top 10 teams and elite 8' s are one thing. What's transpired to date is not top 25 worthy. The trips out west will probably make it official in the rankings to follow.

 

[golf437]

take your UConn love and shove it.

What a silly useless post.

 

[gule]

hey, at least I didn't tell him/her/it to take his husky butt sniffing nose out of Gee no's pants.

 

[armchair]

We will be a serious challenger for national titles again when we get a first rate coach and staff. We have a weak coach and staff now, which is why we struggle against everybody.

 

[madtownvol]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down.

So let's be proud of our history and give Coach Summitt her dues. Her place in the pantheon of women's basketball is secured, although when the dust settles, she will not be viewed as the best ever; she will be viewed as the groundbreaker without whom none of what we see today would have been possible.

My, how thoughtful of you to make such a timely post on LV fan board. To encourage us all to be content if the team falls to an also ran status because of our 2nd best history. And that, let us never forget that, Pat was fine and dandy but Geno A. is now the greatest coach evah.

That really puts it all in perspective. Thank you so much.

I am going to follow your lead and go to a Green Bay packer fan board and let them know that Lombardi pales in comparison to Belichick; an then go to a Chicago Bulls fan board to explain why LeBron is better than Jordan; then to a Paul McCartney fan board to educate them on the inherent musical superiority of Justin Bieber. Because that is what all fans need; someone to make it clear that they need to be realistic that the legacy that is the source of passions is you know not all that.

 

[jkleno]

She is the Adolph Rupp of women's basketball. A groundbreaker and innovator.

 

[teacherdean]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down. This is even more impressive when one considers that Summitt dominated when the women's game was underfunded and quality teams were very rare. Auriemma is dominating the game when it is filled with talented players and teams. What's more, UConn is not the only team to outshine UT the past decade or so. We are not even a distant third when one considers the likes of ND, SC, Baylor and Duke. Hell, UT is not even the best in their conference and hasn't been for a while.

My point is that we should still be proud of the Lady Vols because they are a top-25 team and usually a top-10 team. Most teams still fear us and a win over the Vols is a signpost for opposing programs. But deep tourney runs are not to be expected any longer and we should stop comparing the current team's success to the success of past UT teams, especially those from the Summitt era. Instead, we need to focus on comparing our team to our next opponent and just take care of business.

So let's be proud of our history and give Coach Summitt her dues. Her place in the pantheon of women's basketball is secured, although when the dust settles, she will not be viewed as the best ever; she will be viewed as the groundbreaker without whom none of what we see today would have been possible.

All what you said is true for the most part, there is no excuse for doing nothing while a program is in decline. Elite programs, if that is what the Lady Vols want to be, are not satisfied with just being one of 25 teams, they constantly work to be the best.

If you seriously watch Genno in a game, he is not just satisfied with a 25 point win. You can see him in players' faces and chiding them for their mistakes. If you listen to his interviews he is always saying what the team is not doing and how they can do better. If you listen to his players, former and present, he was/is constantly on their ass to do better. People might say why isn't he satisfied, he has the best women's basketball team in the history of the game? The answer is he is seeking perfection. That is how you stay on top of the game and not just being satisfied because you are one of 25. If you want to beat Genno you have to constantly strive to be better than Genno. One day a team will beat Genno and they will reign supreme, history tells us that will happen eventually, but again it will not be a coach who is satisfied with being second best or one of 25. Now ask yourself, when Pat was at the top of the heap do you think she was just satisfied?

 

[BMvol27]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down. This is even more impressive when one considers that Summitt dominated when the women's game was underfunded and quality teams were very rare. Auriemma is dominating the game when it is filled with talented players and teams. What's more, UConn is not the only team to outshine UT the past decade or so. We are not even a distant third when one considers the likes of ND, SC, Baylor and Duke. Hell, UT is not even the best in their conference and hasn't been for a while.

Duke? What has Duke done lately?

 

[GBO18]

How is the women's game better? Argument could be made the sport was better in the late 90s early 2000s. UCONN is dominating a sport that needs parity to be interesting.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

The Boneyard would NEVER allow their message board to be taken over by Tennessee fans.

 

[WVU05UT09]

She is the Adolph Rupp of women's basketball. A groundbreaker and innovator.

True and what happens over the next 5-10 years will determine if the program is going to be a long lasting program with titles across multiple coaches and decades like UK or if it will be flash, albeit a big one, but nonetheless a flash in the pan like UCLA.

 

[TNDRIVER]

It is rather ridiculous to think that Tennessee, or any program, could dominate the women's game forever the way Summitt's teams did during her prime. But we have to acknowledge that UConn has had a far more successful run the past 20 years than UT ever did and it shows no signs of slowing down. This is even more impressive when one considers that Summitt dominated when the women's game was underfunded and quality teams were very rare. Auriemma is dominating the game when it is filled with talented players and teams. What's more, UConn is not the only team to outshine UT the past decade or so. We are not even a distant third when one considers the likes of ND, SC, Baylor and Duke. Hell, UT is not even the best in their conference and hasn't been for a while.

My point is that we should still be proud of the Lady Vols because they are a top-25 team and usually a top-10 team. Most teams still fear us and a win over the Vols is a signpost for opposing programs. But deep tourney runs are not to be expected any longer and we should stop comparing the current team's success to the success of past UT teams, especially those from the Summitt era. Instead, we need to focus on comparing our team to our next opponent and just take care of business.

So let's be proud of our history and give Coach Summitt her dues. Her place in the pantheon of women's basketball is secured, although when the dust settles, she will not be viewed as the best ever; she will be viewed as the groundbreaker without whom none of what we see today would have been possible.

For the time she retired she was the best ever, but if she not first now Geno is, she is now second. As for the others you mentioned they are not now and probably not ever going to reach the win totals Pat has as they got their head coaching opportunities later in life. Plus if you equate championships to greatness the Geno is the only one that has more. So no I don't agree with your statement at all.

As far as standing in the conference we have either won the Conference Tournament and won or shared the regular season championship more than anyone else in the conference in the last decade. So again I don't get your point their either.

 

[UCMiami]

I'll risk adding my thoughts here.
There is no question what Pat meant and means to the sport of Women's Basketball - she built and sustained a program of excellence and an approach to the game that wasn't about 'women playing sport' but about 'athletes striving for greatness' who happened to be women. Prior to her there had been the true early pioneers who had thrived for a short period only to drop back into obscurity, and during her tenure, there had been a few programs that had come along to challenge and sometime succeed, but none of them could sustain it like she was able to.
What the sport needed to truly arrive at its current level, was a real, prolonged rivalry, and hate him all you want, but Geno and Uconn provided that - for about 15 years TN and Uconn were THE rivalry in WCBB. Geno was able to do what none of the other teams that had challenged Pat had done before - to sustain the same kind of excellence that Pat had done - to trade blow for blow year after year. It was great for the sport and it truly did usher in the modern age. TN/Uconn games lead sports broadcasts, people watch, and other programs took note. The rivalry had everything going for it including too very different coaches - northern brashness vs. southern gentility, female vs. male, establishment vs. newcomer - people took sides who couldn't care a hoot about either of the schools and had never cared about women's basketball or women's sports before.

Everything comes to an end and the end for TN/Uconn turned into a nasty spat - we can agree to disagree about the causes, but I don't think we can disagree about the importance of the two programs to the sport we both love.

And tragically, Pat was stricken down with a terrible disease, and her tenure at TN came to an end. TN has since fallen a little in stature in WCBB, but I do not see that as a permanent issue. You still have the facilities and the money and the reputation. Another dynasty is probably not possible in the modern game - the competitive landscape has changed enough that current coaches and the ones to come, like on the men's side will, be judged on championships counted on the fingers of one hand, not two.

Geno has continued to excel, and he has broken some of Pat's records and may break some more. But whatever he does in no way diminishes Pat. He too has become a legendary coach, and one to whom other coaches not named Pat will pale in comparison. Pat's legacy and Geno's legacy are irrevocably intertwined and they both shine above the modern game. Slightly different eras of the game, but with a glorious, intense, and prolonged overlap.

 

[carolinaviking]

For the time she retired she was the best ever, but if she not first now Geno is, she is now second. As for the others you mentioned they are not now and probably not ever going to reach the win totals Pat has as they got their head coaching opportunities later in life. Plus if you equate championships to greatness the Geno is the only one that has more. So no I don't agree with your statement at all.

But...but...but...you totally just DID agree with everything I said (aside from the bit you misconstrued about other programs being consistently better than the LVs. I never said the coaches of those programs would eclipse Pat. I said the teams are better than we are today.)

 

[Volfan2012]

At least Pat got her record without cheating along the way. It will always be a unknown fact that Geno did some underhanded things to get players along the way. So even though the record want show it much like Wooden of UCLA he cheated because it didn't matter to him at all winning was far more important.