RebKell's Junkie Boards

[bballjunkee212]

This is a "highjack" from the ESPN Board, submitted for your edification:

ltf: [to the effect that La Tech's time has passed and it will never again be able to be a power, or even compete with LSU]

CBiebel: [Interesting point, that LaTech is "dead", raises an interesting point about wcbb generally, which is:
"How will the landscape change in W. BBall as a lot of the "old guard" retire, especially the ones who have been in one place. Right now La Tech isn't look so good without Landers.

How many successful programs are really still with the first coach to get them there? Tennessee, UConn, ND, Texas, Texas Tech, Duke, Georgia, etc.:

Me:

Interesting question; put another way, CB is asking whether wcbb has the vitality to continue once the people who brought it to where it is are no longer involved. I think the answer is resoundingly yes.

Keep in mind that today's "icons" are actually the second generation. And before I plunge into this, I need to give appropriate credit: My source is John Walters, "Same River Twice." Before Summitt, Auriemma, Sharp, Conradt, Stanley and others, there was Cathy Rush and Margaret Wade. Wade coached Delta State. Rush coached Immaculata. In 1971, Rush and her husband started a summer basketball camp for women whose counselors included Geno (who went to the same high school as Rush); Harry Perretta, Jim Foster, Theresa Grentz, Muffet McGraw, June Olkowski, Rene Portland, Debbie Ryan and Phil Martelli. And there was also Mel Greenberger of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who maintained a wcbb national poll for almost 20 years. There was, in a sense, a changing of the guard when Immaculata lost in the 1977 national semifinals to UT, coached by Pat Head. I find it both interesting and unfortunate that wcbb's "first generation" has been relegated to obscurity by the NCAA’s co-opting of the sport in 1982. I say "co-opting" precisely because the NCAA has refused to acknowledge the sport’s pre-1982 history.

Now we are seeing a similar pattern where former players are taking their place in the coaching ranks. UConn coaching alums include: Jenn Rizzotti, Jamelle Elliott and Stacy Hansmeyer (all the names I can recall off the top of my head). Maria Conlon and Morgan Valley are also headed to coaching. UT coaching alums include: Nikki Caldwell, Kelly Jolly, Holly Warlick, April McDivitt; Boo Randall, Calamity McEntire (manager) and (sadly) Cheryl Littlejohn. Harry Perretta has produced a couple of coaches, but I can’t think of their names. And of course, we have Pokey Chatman and KMR, who played for Sue Gunter and Leon Barmore, respectively. I am sure there are many others who I am not thinking of at the moment. And in addition to the coaches who played for the icons, I would also guess that current coaches who were not players are the exception and not the rule.

So there is plenty of continuity in the sport; when the current generation of icons passes, there will be many new faces to take their place. And as the sport grows, schools will invest more in their programs. The combination of continuity in coaching and resources will make the game even better than it is now. My fearless prediction is that sometime in the next 20 years, as the current crop of icon coaches retire, new coaches will emerge who will produce teams and programs that will eclipse the best that Immaculata, Delta State, UConn or UT ever produced under their legacy coaches.

Another thing to keep in mind is that great coaches do not spring up over night. Pat Summitt got a head start because her institution made the first serious, permanent commitment to wcbb. But even Pat struggled in her early years- if not in the W-L column, certainly in her maturation as a coach. I was reminded of this the other day when I was conversing with my young teaching assistant- a North Carolina grad who was wearing the biggest grin you ever saw in your life. We were talking about Matt Daugherty and Roy Williams. We both liked Matt and hope he coaches again, but we agreed that Roy was the better fit at UNC. But I had to point out to my young TA that it was also the difference between a young coach and a seasoned coach, to be able to handle a high profile seat and thoroughbred talent. I pointed out that even John Wooden took time to ripen: He coached 13 seasons at UCLA before winning a championship. So I think there are many coaches out there who will step up in the seasons to come and help make wcbb great. The icons will be replaced by new icons. We may not know who they are yet, or we may not realize we already know. But seeing it happen will be fun.

~Bill

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~Bill

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