Same Ole Crap from CHW

[Coach Jumper]

She did say how they "fought"... I will give them that much

 

[BreatheUT]

Warlick's been coasting on nostalgic Lady Vol fumes since she took over. The first couple of years, fine, you'll never be the legend Summitt was, but maybe you'll get better. Now, I don't care if she's got a huge connection to the program, she needs to go for the health of the program. You would think Warlick could see the damage she's doing to the program, but nope, she just brings up Pat's name whenever things get frazzled and expect others to be like "Well, Pat chose her, so we just have to deal with it".

I really take no joy in posting these negative comments about Warlick's job performance. The real travesty is that she was put in this position from the outset.

Three reasons:

(1) as others have pointed out it is tough to follow a legend. It is better to be the coach that replaces the coach that follows a legend.

(2) I don't know this but many have said she was Coach Feelgood as an assistant. When you've been the coach telling the players Coach Summitt didn't mean it like that then it is hard to flip the script into a disciplinarian. Look no further than Bill Guthridge after Dean Smith, and Barry Switzer after Jimmy Johnson. The successors were good early with the previous coaches influence on the players then the programs nosedived. A coaching personality shift can be done but it can look phoney as well. There was a lot of talent but immaturity on those first teams. And I think there was some on court jealousy and I don't think Warlick personality type allowed her to be able to fix it.

(3) A real coaching search doesn't appear to have ever been done. I have a hard time believing with a legitimate and thorough search that she lands the job.

I think this whole thing serves as another good example in case studies about coaches in waiting so to speak. I expect this example will be referenced by UCONN when Auriemma retires. If you go with a bench coach then it needs to be the one that has shown similar coaching chops to Geno and not necessarily the longest tenured or that's the ex-player.

While many noticed major red flags after the first UT Chatt lose in Year 1 I believe, I could see it when Coach Summitt let her lead while she was on the bench her last year. It has only dragged on 8 more years in my mind. Then she will make over another $1M to be cut loose.

GBO

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

If Coach Fulmer does not let her go this week it proves he really don't care about any other sport outside of football.

Name me your top 3 success stories of firing a coach in mid season for other than legal or moral colapses..... also throw in interim situations that worked well...

CPF will deal with this in a more proper time in a manner that will pass the PHS integrity and class tests. Doubt tossing her hand picked successor out on her ear under the banner with her name on it won't pass those tests.... I am GUESSING he is working his short list as we speak. Not too many top drawer coaches going to talk to you during the season, but some hypotheticals with agents can be thrown out there for end of season. Hoping he finds HW a landing spot in the ad somewhere.

 

[ksl415]

 

[ShoalCreekVol]

Name me your top 3 success stories of firing a coach in mid season for other than legal or moral colapses..... also throw in interim situations that worked well...

CPF will deal with this in a more proper time in a manner that will pass the PHS integrity and class tests. Doubt tossing her hand picked successor out on her ear under the banner with her name on it won't pass those tests.... I am GUESSING he is working his short list as we speak. Not too many top drawer coaches going to talk to you during the season, but some hypotheticals with agents can be thrown out there for end of season. Hoping he finds HW a landing spot in the ad somewhere.

I think the actual plan would probably fall somewhere in the middle between the two extremes (hwaiting toil after season to do anything vs letting her go mid-season). There are conversations that should be happening behind closed doors. Fulmer needs to be meeting with Holly privately and making it clear that there will be a new leader for the Lady Vols next season, and she can be involved in determining how it ends. If she plays nice, works hard, does her best, she gets a nice fluffy buyout and proper honors as a Vol legend. She gets divisive, or quits, or does anything to impede progress, and she gets publicly terminated and hits the door with the minimum in money and respect. Fulmer should already be working back channels to make arrangements with the next coach privately. Before the last home game Holly announces her retirement, and she gets to have the standing O and go out with dignity.

 

[ShoalCreekVol]

Also why create a cumbersome and difficult situation for the new incoming coach to have to work with or around the previous coach that was essentially fired?? What school has ever done this?? What coach would be willing to come into this possible situation?

What school has ever hired a coach and made them work with or around a coach that was previously fired? Are you serious, Clark?

Geez I don't know, let me ask Coach Pruitt & Coach Fulmer if that's ever happened...

 

[aurabass]

I know Holly bears full responsibility for this mess but the one constant during her head coaching career has been Dean Lockwood. Is her loyalty to him taking her down? What part does he play in this?

What? You want to blame this on Dean Lockwood?
I've watched Dean coach post players like Nikki Anosike for instance - and she credits his coaching for her improvement. Pat hired Dean to coach post play and for the most part, his work was a clear asset to Pat's teams.
Trying to blame this on Dean? - Have you watched his reaction to Holly on the sidelines? I'm certain he is appalled but in his position he has zero power to fix this. I'm sure he's tried his best to help Holly, but Holly is beyond his help.

 

[aurabass]

It’s just bad coaching all the way around!! Send them all packing !

Actually, Dean Lockwood was a clear asset during Pat's years. He is credited by players like Nikki Anosike with solid improvement to their games. Nikki talked about the extra time he took with her after practice to perfect her moves. He got her to end her proclivity for bringing the ball down after an Offensive rebound where it could be stripped by smaller players. She learned to hold the ball above her head with Dean's repeated reminders.
There is nothing wrong with Dean as an assistant for Post players. He's one of the best in WCBB

 

[Kristy*]

She did say fought...And the players, did, fight

Pretty sure she said, "I think Pat would be proud of us and how we fought." Again, doubtful. But it's not even on the players. Coach isn't getting the job done.

 

[rkyk]

10 turnovers in the first half and 10% shooting 3-point shots (1 of 10) with absolutely no defense against Arkansas and 3-point shots will not win ball games. We have lost 4 in a row and probably Arkansas to make it 5...then we play Notre Dame which should be 6 loses in a row with supposedly the best two recruiting classes in the past two years....plain and simple CHW is an absolute loser as a coach. When asked for an answer, she had none. CHW has totally destroyed the Lady Vols basketball program...fire her now not at the end of the season.

Love the LADY VOLS! but HW

 

[Coach Jumper]

Pretty sure she said, "I think Pat would be proud of us and how we fought." Again, doubtful. But it's not even on the players. Coach isn't getting the job done.

I purposely wrote it that way.
The team, did fight

 

[midtnvol2]

What school has ever hired a coach and made them work with or around a coach that was previously fired? Are you serious, Clark?

Geez I don't know, let me ask Coach Pruitt & Coach Fulmer if that's ever happened...

In your op you said we should allow Holly to work out her tenure in a job in the AD. No one that has been fired starts working in the AD office immediately. As far as Fulmer goes, he was fired in 2008 and didn’t return in an admin job at UT until 2017. That’s a 9 year absense away from UT so no its not the same thing.

 

[gymmlover]

I would prefer UT treat Holly Warlick with as much dignity and respect as possible while finding a suitable change for restoring the program to full competitive order, and that's about all I'd like to see about it. I regret seeing people throw the heaviest venom at her - she bleeds as much orange as anyone, considering she's got a retired jersey in the rafters for a reason. And while I absolutely agree that the head coach must show ownership for the team's performance, (which in this case could mean it's time to look at changing coaches), the AD bears some ownership for the program's state. Everyone's choices got Tennessee to the point. Overlooking things, ignoring things, making decisions that didn't add up. And it'll take everyone in the department working together to get Tennessee out of it.

If she loved UT, she would resign but I doubt she will as she loves the easy money she has received for over 30 years.

 

[vettefool]

Actually, Dean Lockwood was a clear asset during Pat's years. He is credited by players like Nikki Anosike with solid improvement to their games. Nikki talked about the extra time he took with her after practice to perfect her moves. He got her to end her proclivity for bringing the ball down after an Offensive rebound where it could be stripped by smaller players. She learned to hold the ball above her head with Dean's repeated reminders.
There is nothing wrong with Dean as an assistant for Post players. He's one of the best in WCBB

Nope he’s part of the problem, not the answer. Whom ever we hire as new head ball coach, should bring their own assistant coaches.

 

[aurabass]

Nope he’s part of the problem, not the answer. Whom ever we hire as new head ball coach, should bring their own assistant coaches.

Nobody said anything about what the next HC does for assistants - it goes without saying.
There is nothing wrong with Dean as an assistant for post players. Pat brought him in and stuck with him due to the success he had with ouf posts like Nikki.
Nobody said he was the answer but he is not the problem. He wasn't the problem with Pat and he's not responsible for Holly's failure.
NO HE IS NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM - the problem is HOLLY

 

[aurabass]

Name me your top 3 success stories of firing a coach in mid season for other than legal or moral colapses..... also throw in interim situations that worked well...

CPF will deal with this in a more proper time in a manner that will pass the PHS integrity and class tests. Doubt tossing her hand picked successor out on her ear under the banner with her name on it won't pass those tests.... I am GUESSING he is working his short list as we speak. Not too many top drawer coaches going to talk to you during the season, but some hypotheticals with agents can be thrown out there for end of season. Hoping he finds HW a landing spot in the ad somewhere.

Of course, we cannot hire our next head coach midseason, but that's not any reason to fail to try to change direction from this current dive into oblivion. The remaining schedule has 5 almost certain losses and 6 tossups if we can improve over the Arkansas debacle.
In order to make the NCAAT and continue our PERFECT RECORD OF ATTENDANCE, we need to try to be at least 8-8 in the SEC OR win the tourney. We KNOW HOLLY IS NOT GETTING IT DONE.
So let Dean or one of the other assistants serve as interim HC to see if it can be turned around enough to win 8 games
If we can win vs LSU, Florida, Auburn and Vandy at home and Vandy & Ol Miss on the road we only have to win @ A&M and Missouri to get those 8 wins.
Holly cannot do it but maybe Dean, Bridgett or Sharrona can if they have control.
What reason do you have for us not to try?
CONTINUING OUR PERFECT NCAAT RECORD IS VERY IMPORTANT I don't want to lose that if at all possible. Does any other team have that perfect record of all NCAATs?

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Of course, we cannot hire our next head coach midseason, but that's not any reason to fail to try to change direction from this current dive into oblivion. The remaining schedule has 5 almost certain losses and 6 tossups if we can improve over the Arkansas debacle.
In order to make the NCAAT and continue our PERFECT RECORD OF ATTENDANCE, we need to try to be at least 8-8 in the SEC OR win the tourney. We KNOW HOLLY IS NOT GETTING IT DONE.
So let Dean or one of the other assistants serve as interim HC to see if it can be turned around enough to win 8 gamesView attachment 190793
If we can win vs LSU, Florida, Auburn and Vandy at home and Vandy & Ol Miss on the road we only have to win @ A&M and Missouri to get those 8 wins.
Holly cannot do it but maybe Dean, Bridgett or Sharrona can if they have control.
What reason do you have for us not to try?
CONTINUING OUR PERFECT NCAAT RECORD IS VERY IMPORTANT I don't want to lose that if at all possible. Does any other team have that perfect record of all NCAATs?

They are already sitting over there.... Don't think pushing her PUBLICLY and backfilling with the current staff offers a lot. If she will step down, maybe with some quiet pushing from the top, then maybe.... but an ugly might eliminate some of the pool available for a successful transition. I am still holding for her to take an admin job and complete her ORANGE life on as good a note as possible.... no inside info, just a hope.

 

[T.J.]

After wracking my mind, I cannot come up with a single reason to wait to rid ourselves of this disaster. In fact, every minute she remains will cause more harm to the program.
Name Gordon or Lockwood as interim HC and immediately begin the search for a replacement with Lawson, Parker, Catchings and other former players as advisors to the selection committee.
We have the greatest WCBB alumni in the world with coaching connections everywhere. Put their experience and expertise to work to name a number of suitable replacements and begin the replacement process now to minimize the time of uncertainty

THERE IS ZERO BENEFIT TO WAITING - any delay will only harm our chances to get the best possible solution.

Makes so much sense! I can only hope the process to get rid of Holly started yesterday.

 

[Prophet1]

I don’t think I’ve heard her take responsibility for any of this mess!!

No... she have not spoken or taken responsibility for any aspect of this demise,
however please note that she believe the blame is on certain players and not her coaching. Nothing is more evident of this than the benching of Rennie Davis.
Go figure.

 

[teacherdean]

Holly is an absolute VFL
She's not intentionally or maliciously destroying the program
The program is declining rapidly b/c of her inability to perform coaching tasks at a major college level (not b/c she doesn't love UT)
Her players are not responding to her leadership at all, so it does risk getting messy if allowed to continue to the season's end
She appears to be hanging on out of an overabundance of desire to keep trying and inability to admit the reality
If anyone can speak to that last point, it's our current AD
B/c she's a VFL, we should absolutely make sure the end of her coaching tenure is handled with dignity
She has absolutely earned the right IMO to complete her tenure at UT in some kind of role for the AD, probably liaison for women's sports

It would really be great if Holly would recognize her shortcomings and go to the AD and admit that she loves the Lady Vols but she just can't get the job done. I agree they should keep her involved in some area of the Lady Vol program. Also allow her to have some say concerning her replacement. This would help the Lady Vols keep their incoming recruits and would provide dignity for Holly and the program. In any case, I hope they give her the option of retiring, rather than just straight up showing her the door. I truly believe Holly is a good person who means well but is way over head.

 

[Prophet1]

Usually players would have a close door meeting to address losses. Just wondering why there haven't been one called.
Could be they already know the problem and that there is nothing to discuss about their
performance.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Usually players would have a close door meeting to address losses. Just wondering why there haven't been one called.
Could be they already know the problem and that there is nothing to discuss about their
performance.

They did have one before this last game.
The question I would have is : which player initiated it

 

[glv98]

Maybe they should try some players-only practices. Lock the coaches out.

 

[aurabass]

They are already sitting over there.... Don't think pushing her PUBLICLY and backfilling with the current staff offers a lot. If she will step down, maybe with some quiet pushing from the top, then maybe.... but an ugly might eliminate some of the pool available for a successful transition. I am still holding for her to take an admin job and complete her ORANGE life on as good a note as possible.... no inside info, just a hope.

I get that and perhaps you are right. At the moment I'm hung up on not making the NCAAT and ruining that record.
In order to win 8 I feel like we have to shake things up with a change.

 

[glv98]

Trying to blame this on Dean? - Have you watched his reaction to Holly on the sidelines? I'm certain he is appalled but in his position he has zero power to fix this. I'm sure he's tried his best to help Holly, but Holly is beyond his help.

Is that true? The assistants are aware and have to sit right beside her and not do anything? Dang, we thought we had it bad! I just assumed they were all in a protective semi-coma or something.

I would think an assistant as longterm as Dean would have some input, especially in an obvious emergency situation. Which makes it even harder for me to understand why they never attempted to revamp the offense. Dean or someone must have brought it up.