Thoughts on the hire of Kim Caldwell

[Majors]

“best” is in the eye of the beholder.
He didn’t hire men’s bb coach, he didn’t hire the baseball coach, he didn’t hire the softball coach. Those are the big successful teams right? I’m not diminishing track or swimming at all but football, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball are the sports that move the needle.
Regarding football, I like Heupel a lot. He has pulled our football program out of the burning dumpster. But, we are not good enough yet to win the SEC East championship, the SEC or get into the Nattie picture. Hopefully we will get there in the next few years. So currently football is a good, not great, hire.
DW gets a lot of credit for teams he had nothing to do with.
I give him adequate, certainly not one of the best. Relief over the football program has led, IMO, to grading DW too high.

Except securing Vitello when others came calling to a long term investment in the coach and facilities. Credit

Securing long term investment in the softball program under his watch with facility upgrades. Credit

 

[ThatVolGuy]

“best” is in the eye of the beholder.

By any objective measure—from results on the field to revenue generated to fundraising to season tickets sold to more feel-good things like Directors' Cup standings—Danny has done a pretty exceptional job leading our athletics programs. I'm genuinely asking you here: What's your counterargument? You've mentioned the baseball incident, and obviously you don't agree with the decision to let go of Kellie. I'm not sure those things come close to outweighing the positives.

And as an aside, after thinking about the hire a bit more, I'm still in "wait and see" mode, but I at least want to be as positive as possible. I got carried away with the possibilities like many others. Kim deserves the benefit of the doubt.

 

[madtownvol]

Considering I was 2 when it came out. Might need to close the age gap discussion to something in the 1984-current timeline .

Excellent point, if only someone would invent a technology that would enable people to conveniently watch films at different times and across generational eras.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

A lot of posters on here still butthurt over the Kellie dismissal and DW is the bad guy so he gets no credit for anything with that group. But I am in the group that thinks he has done a great job as AD.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Coach_Kim_D = 40 minutes of heck

 

[TJSVOLS]

“best” is in the eye of the beholder.
He didn’t hire men’s bb coach, he didn’t hire the baseball coach, he didn’t hire the softball coach. Those are the big successful teams right? I’m not diminishing track or swimming at all but football, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball are the sports that move the needle.
Regarding football, I like Heupel a lot. He has pulled our football program out of the burning dumpster. But, we are not good enough yet to win the SEC East championship, the SEC or get into the Nattie picture. Hopefully we will get there in the next few years. So currently football is a good, not great, hire.
DW gets a lot of credit for teams he had nothing to do with.
I give him adequate, certainly not one of the best. Relief over the football program has led, IMO, to grading DW too high.

You do realize it’s not just about hiring and firing coaches. So what is your problem with him?

 

[Majors]

Excellent point, if only someone would invent a technology that would enable people to conveniently watch films at different times and across generational eras.

Sadly, the first recommendation in my 46 years. No need for cinematic recommendations if thats your first thought.

 

[Jax_Vol]

We gonna come out swinging like Tiger Wood's wife..

 

[JohnnyPayne]

View attachment 632858

So they played offense against D1 teams at her D2 school according to the graphic?

 

[Majors]

A lot of posters on here still butthurt over the Kellie dismissal and DW is the bad guy so he gets no credit for anything with that group. But I am in the group that thinks he has done a great job as AD.

Had CKH did her job, DW wouldn’t have to have did his last week in regards to letting her go.

 

[Majors]

You do realize it’s not just about hiring and firing coaches. So what is your problem with him?

XY chromosomes

 

[lvocd]

Does Tusculum need a men's coach?

lol

If it isn't obvious, my only choice would be for our coach to be our coach and never again a coaching tandem, even if by appearances only.

 

[creekdipper]

Says someone who wanted Kellie to get 1-2 more years.

Says someone who wanted Kellie to get 2-3 less years.

 

[Lucy]

Zzz

By any objective measure—from results on the field to revenue generated to fundraising to season tickets sold to more feel-good things like Directors' Cup standings—Danny has done a pretty exceptional job leading our athletics programs. I'm genuinely asking you here: What's your counterargument? You've mentioned the baseball incident, and obviously you don't agree with the decision to let go of Kellie. I'm not sure those things come close to outweighing the positives.

And as an aside, after thinking about the hire a bit more, I'm still in "wait and see" mode, but I at least want to be as positive as possible. I got carried away with the possibilities like many others. Kim deserves the benefit of the doubt.

hey, I edited and added to the original post to discuss other programs and my thoughts on that.
Totally with you on you last paragraph.

 

[Majors]

Says someone who wanted Kellie to get 2-3 less years.

RJ saved her last season. Not sure that’s a surprise to anyone.

 

[butchna]

to also respond to another of your comments. Yeah USC hired Musselman from Arky who had an absolutely TERRIBLE year this past season and he was only hired because USC literally lost their coach to SMU, yes Southern Methodist University! So did USC upgrade or did they actually downgrade and what reason would a coach leave USC to go to SMU even with SMU who hasnt been good in basketball for a long time?


As far as DW not having good relationships with coaches is hilarious! You do know he was the one that hired Nate Oats at Buffalo and now Oats is the head coach at Bama who is coming off a FF appearance something that NO coach before had done at Bama and hasnt been done at UT? Also NONE of us have any idea who all he asked about the vacancy, we have no idea what all coaches showed interest in the position. We have heard he wanted Gottleib and she wanted to stay out west. Some of us think he talked to Indiana coach, but none of us really have any idea what interest was shown in this job. As much as we want to all think this job is one of if not the best job in WBB it just isnt anymore. It's like with football, the shine has worn off and its not a powerhouse anymore! IF we had made the Wes Moore hire instead of allowing the hire to be dictated to Fulmer that it be a female AND a former LV we wouldnt be in the position we are in right now. Instead Fulmer was made to hire who the LV WBB people wanted and we got stuck with a coach that failed and got fired at NC State. I am underwhelmed on the hire right now, but at this point it might have been the best DW had with the choices he was facing and I'm just glad he went outside the family, took a swing and I just hope it leads the LV back to at least competing for FF and NC instead of the usual beating they take when they play teams that ARE competing for those.

Will never be confirmed but his process has always been: a) Identify your list of candidates (and he had a head start).

b) Gauge interest through agents/intermediaries.

c) Schedule interviews and arrange transportation.

d) Conduct interviews and make decision.

e) Offer and get contract ironed out and signed by all parties.

Errything else is window dressing and outside his trusted circle. I tend to believe this was done on Friday with actual basketball being played in the background along with all university business. Impressive turnaround time. While we’re throwing all these fanciful names around, it’s more likely his biggest swing was Gottlieb and when that was quickly identified as a dead end, he settled on Terri Moren as top choice and Kim Caldwell as second. People knocking the results wiped their memory of past processes and have discounted the importance of getting this done for portal and recruiting. Brunhildas thinking that keeping Kellie and riding with ANOTHER talent cycle are entitled…and have opinions. He knew what he wanted on the court and made it happen. Results pending. Have more interest than I have had with the last two coaches.

 

[butchna]

Zzz

hey, I edited and added to the original post to discuss other programs and my thoughts on that.
Totally with you on you last paragraph.

Dude took on a job with the NCAA all but shutting us down and with the full support of the President and Chancellor weathered through and shone. Good luck with your delusional hopes that a less than stellar women’s basketball hires sends him packing.

 

[TimR]

Regarding football, I like Heupel a lot. He has pulled our football program out of the burning dumpster. But, we are not good enough yet to win the SEC East championship, the SEC or get into the Nattie picture. Hopefully we will get there in the next few years. So currently football is a good, not great, hire.

In fairness the SEC East champions have lost 2 games in 3 years (both in the SEC championship), and of course with expansion the SEC East is no longer a thing, so it's impossible to ever win again. But I'll agree that the 12-team playoff is generally an expectation next year if not the next two years.

 

[Lucy]

Dude took on a job with the NCAA all but shutting us down and with the full support of the President and Chancellor weathered through and shone. Good luck with your delusional hopes that a less than stellar women’s basketball hires sends him packing.

Are you still here?
I 100% want Coach Caldwell to do great things! My looking forward to DW leaving UT has nothing to do with her.
My god you are bitter about women with opinions aren’t you! How many ex wives do you have?
I am now blocking you as you are a waste of my time.

 

[woodpusher]

He did just that, in a sport bigger than basketball, with CJH.

Central Florida is a much stronger program than Marshall.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

You have your reasons to support him. I have reasons to not support him. How is that related to intelligence. Also, if you were that intelligent you would know that the correct term is stupid not dumb. There! You learned something today.

Lucy, I don't agree with you about DW, but I like the way you roll.

 

[jp1]

Central Florida is a much stronger program than Marshall.

Well sure, but wasn't a P5 school at the time. If you're being honest, you can see the similarities in the comparison.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

There's NO WAY she's getting 4 years to learn on the job. If she misses the tournament her first 2 years she won't survive. Nor should she , imo.

Good point. 4 years is just my old time reflexes reacting to the hire. Today is NIL and the portal, which change that calculation at least somewhat. But I don't think DW will let her fail quickly, given that he hired her.

To your point also, she isn't starting out with the shelves empty, assuming there is not a mass exodus. She has a bunch of very good three point shooters on the current roster, and a highly mobile, midrange shooting big in the frontcourt. Task #1 is to recruit them back and then hit the portal for more of the type she wants. Despite a lack of speed, I think she can do better with this roster than Kellie would have.

 

[butchna]

Are you still here?
I 100% want Coach Caldwell to do great things! My looking forward to DW leaving UT has nothing to do with her.
My god you are bitter about women with opinions aren’t you! How many ex wives do you have?
I am now blocking you as you are a waste of my time.

Nice deflection…and honored to be on that list. Have had two wives. First I lost to breast cancer…happily and lovingly married to the second. Just celebrated our 8th year of marriage and 10th together. And not that you’ll see this, but by the time DW leaves us, you’ll be way old(er) and much too haggard to enjoy it.

 

[TimR]

As for Coach Caldwell, she's cut down nets, and she's won championships. Yes, they were at the lower level, but having that experience and expectation in herself is worth something. Best case, it reminds of (pre-NCAA sanctions) Jim Tressel at Ohio State football.

I mean, who knows how this goes, and she could very well break the streak of NCAA tournament appearances next year given the roster, but she does have a record of making things better. The recruiting inexperience is concerning, but almost anything is going to be a step up there. But at this point, I think it's clear that the only way the LVs are a coaching destination is if Kim Caldwell makes it one again.