What did you appreciate about coach Harper?

#51
#51
madtownvol said:
I will try to explain though I don't think the premise is all that hard to parse. Let's set the context. On THIS board, we have endless threads where posters pontificate on Kellie's endless coaching failings and why this change needed to happen, had to happen, should have happened the day after she was hired, and why any breathing person will be a huge upgrade.

As a change of pace and to create a space for more positive narratives, the OP entitled this thread as "What do you appreciate about Coach Harper". So post keeping with the spirit of the thread should do just that.

To clarify, the thread title was not "What did you appreciate about Coach Harper and what did you think was her biggest coaching failing" nor was it "what did you appreciate about coach Harper and how much better do you think the new coach will be." The rest of the board addresses those caveat comments.

Make sense?
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Ha. I see. I missed the sarcasm intended toward others who can't stay within the thread. My bad. I guess my brain has been trained to read negativity into all posts about her. Oopsy!
 
#53
#53
She is a true professional on and off the court. She loves her players and they love her. She loves the University of Tennessee

I’ll never get it out of my head, the devastating look on her face when SC beat us at the buzzer in the SEC tournament. That should have shown EVERYONE how much she cares about her players, the university and the fans. She wanted that more than anything.

She will be missed big time!!!!
 
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#55
#55
She was hot. Also loved her as a player. Didn't hate her as a coach, but we can do better.
 
#57
#57
Kellie was basically my introduction to Tennessee sports. When I was 9 years old, my family visited my uncle in Kansas City (can't remember why—maybe a wedding?), and the women's Final Four happened to be in town that year. We went downtown where the games were being held, and despite the fact that I was from New Mexico and had no real reason to be a Lady Vols fan, I was very excited to be in the same building where they would be playing for a championship. I don't remember exactly why I was such a fan, but it must have been from seeing them on TV so much.

I wasn't able to see the Lady Vols play in person, but I vividly remember listening to the championship game on the radio as we drove home, and the name that was seared into my brain that day was none other than Kellie Jolly. I'll always have tremendous fondness for the many contributions she made to the program as a player and coach. She's a legend.
 
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#58
#58
Echo much of what has already been said -Kellie is a true professional with a ton of class. She has been a fantastic role model, continually influencing her players more than in just basketball to be model citizens in our society. She is a great communicator who presents herself well, always stays positive, and doesn't get bogged down with drama. I wish things would have worked out better, and I wish her the very best in her future endeavors.

I view Kellie as a good coach and a truly great human being. The same can be said for Holly. Summit was a really great coach and a truly great human being. I don't know if there are that many other women's basketball coaches that fit that description -Tara Vandeveer is the first that comes to mind. I hope the next hire fits the "great coach" and "great human being" description. Josh Heupel and Rick Barnes certainly fit that description in football and men's basketball coaching.
 
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#59
#59
Kellie was on the rise. Got involved in USA and Overseas coaching. Was laying long roots. Took her licks but was improving no matter what these half baked fans think. Most just want the 5 best players from the portal and throw everyone else away. Embarrassing really.
 
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#60
#60
rickyyrs said:
I liked Kellie and was wanting her to make it as Lady Vols coach. But i don't think he was recruiting very good, transfer portal was so,so. And the lack of athletic ladies on the court for Tennessee was not like S. Carolina, LSU put on the floor. And with Texas, and Oklahoma coming to the SEC, you better pick it up quick. I do think what done her in was the S Carolina game in the SEC tourney. You got Key standing in the paint guarding nobody. After she seen what Carolina was going to do, should of called a timeout and redone her defense.
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I think what hurt the most is expectations. We were preseason top 10 team back to back years and got punched in the face in our OOC schedule and entered SEC play unranked. That just creates challenges. Perhaps softening up the OOC schedule or winning more of those games might have helped.

For example, I don't understand the back-to-back losses to Indiana.

I still think we should have kept her but pressure is on our staff to find someone better. It could be like Georgia dumping Mark Richt in Football, which seemed like a bad move, but they brought in Kirby Smart who was vastly superior to Mark Richt and has taken them to new heights.
 
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#61
#61
volbound1700 said:
I think what hurt the most is expectations. We were preseason top 10 team back to back years and got punched in the face in our OOC schedule and entered SEC play unranked. That just creates challenges. Perhaps softening up the OOC schedule or winning more of those games might have helped.

For example, I don't understand the back-to-back losses to Indiana.

I still think we should have kept her but pressure is on our staff to find someone better. It could be like Georgia dumping Mark Richt in Football, which seemed like a bad move, but they brought in Kirby Smart who was vastly superior to Mark Richt and has taken them to new heights.
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Or scheduling Ohio State for your season opener on the road. A team who presses 40 minutes and your squad struggles with turnovers.

Idc how much you wanted to give Jordan Horston a homecoming game.
 
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#62
#62
volbound1700 said:
I think what hurt the most is expectations. We were preseason top 10 team back to back years and got punched in the face in our OOC schedule and entered SEC play unranked. That just creates challenges. Perhaps softening up the OOC schedule or winning more of those games might have helped.

For example, I don't understand the back-to-back losses to Indiana.

I still think we should have kept her but pressure is on our staff to find someone better. It could be like Georgia dumping Mark Richt in Football, which seemed like a bad move, but they brought in Kirby Smart who was vastly superior to Mark Richt and has taken them to new heights.
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Could also be like TN firing Fulmer… lows we will never recover from for another 15 years
 
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#63
#63
VolFuture said:
Could also be like TN firing Fulmer… lows we will never recover from for another 15 years
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Agree and almost put that but we have already been in the wilderness for 15 years it seems like. To be frank, I know the Lady Vols are making Tournaments but they are pretty much irrelevant in the SEC race (mostly due to Dawn Staley and South Carolina) and the National Picture. I still think that hurts. Do we think that Harper could make us relevant again? Seems like the answer was "no".

In Football, I think we were too patient with coaches. We gave Dooley 3 years when it clearly was visibly not working in year 2. Arkansas and Auburn both fired coaches after 2 years and LSU has been trigger happy, even with National Title winning coaches. Our opponents are far less patient than Tennessee.
 
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#64
#64
volbound1700 said:
Agree and almost put that but we have already been in the wilderness for 15 years it seems like. To be frank, I know the Lady Vols are making Tournaments but they are pretty much irrelevant in the SEC race (mostly due to Dawn Staley and South Carolina) and the National Picture. I still think that hurts. Do we think that Harper could make us relevant again? Seems like the answer was "no".
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And that’s what DW thought. But there’s nuance to it.

I think one of the biggest setbacks was Kellie didn’t have a P5 staff ready at the start. Lacey KILLED US and is now Killing Arkansas. Sullivan wanted to leave after 1 year to be a head coach.

I think it Kellie and Co we’re here from the beginning it’d be different. But it’s not other nuances like injuries but still.
 
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#65
#65
VolFuture said:
And that’s what DW thought. But there’s nuance to it.

I think one of the biggest setbacks was Kellie didn’t have a P5 staff ready at the start. Lacey KILLED US and is now Killing Arkansas. Sullivan wanted to leave after 1 year to be a head coach.

I think it Kellie and Co we’re here from the beginning it’d be different. But it’s not other nuances like injuries but still.
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Yeah there was "bad" luck. Again, my reasoning, if I was AD, for keeping Harper. The program wasn't a disaster with her and we tend to get hot towards February and March most years. Had we not drawn NC State and got an easier seed, maybe we would have advanced, who knows. Kind of like our Men's team vs. Alabama. Alabama wasn't a better team but their bracket didn't have Purdue in it.
 
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#66
#66
volbound1700 said:
Yeah there was "bad" luck. Again, my reasoning, if I was AD, for keeping Harper. The program wasn't a disaster with her and we tend to get hot towards February and March most years. Had we not drawn NC State and got an easier seed, maybe we would have advanced, who knows. Kind of like our Men's team vs. Alabama. Alabama wasn't a better team but their bracket didn't have Purdue in it.
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Exactly could sit down a revise her OOC scheduling and have her submit a plan for recruiting to u. She was hitting it hard with the youngins. But hopefully we get an objectively better coach. No nuance. I’m skeptical tho
 
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