I have never met Sherri Coale. We've been at a few functions together, but I never chatted her up. I have chatted with former recruits, players and athletic department officials, however.
So, here's the deal: I have a love-hate relationship with Sherri -- and the OUWBB program -- at this point.
Watching Sherri Saturday night as she bit her lip, cast her eyes down and shook her head in frustration -- and in shame, in my opinion -- over our performance, I felt so sorry for coach and felt like we fans had somehow contributed to this season and this mess. I wanted to have some answers to offer Sherri.
Saturday night was one of those nights I loved Sherri Coale -- and there have been many.
I find her to be an example of what you see is what you get, while at the same time being an enigma. I am proud to have her as our coach.
As a role model coach, Sherri seems to be the entire package. Hard-nosed, but lady-like, sincere, a mentor and leader, a mother-confessor and a task master. She is perfect for OU, or any program really. From a distance she is an outstanding human being and from talking to people who interact with her, she is truly wonderful. Great coach. Highly motivated to bring the best product to the floor. Seeks to turn out better, more complete, individuals than basketball players.
In short, Sherri is the entire package, and athletic director's dream and a fan base's best girl.
Saturday night, I also hated Sherri Coale. I blamed her for the lousy focus, poor play, bad decisions, lack of intensity. We are 22-9, but the reality is this is an average team barely. If it's a big game, 9 times out of 10 we get kicked.
I wanted Sherri chewing out her players, stomping her foot, lecturing, benching people (which she finally did). I thought, how can such a great coach and person turn this kind of mess out.
It's easy to say it's just her or it's just the players. However, it was definitely the players Saturday night. Just an horrific performance, but that, in essence means it's Sherri's faulty too.
So Saturday night, I hated Sherri and what seems like her milk-toast staff. I was really angry at a senior/experience-laden team that turned in a performance more akin to a grade-school church league team than a history-laden D-1 basketball program.
Now, still living in my love/hate Sherri and OUWBB world, this is what, in as short a monologue as I can make it, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, IMO.
FTR, I don't know if Sherri or anyone would have the guts to do a couple of these thing:
1. Sherri must change herself. She must recruit hard, whether she likes it or not. She must play the AAU game up to the point that she just can't live with herself any longer -- until that system of corruption is reformed. She has to recommit herself to a herculean effort. I believe she began that effort two seasons ago and we will see this improve next year and the year after, as we have this year. She has to leave her comfort zone -- the zone that says I'm golden, I've been her 20 years and I'm gonna slide now. Every veteran, tenured coach falls into that trap. It's impossible to avoid in any profession after 20 years.
2. Sherri must change the type of of player she is recruiting hard and is willing to accept. You need players with an edge. Players like Buddy Hield, in the gym when they are awake, players who live and die basketball. Sherri's number one job is to recruit, build and present a championship team. It's to do nothing else first. Building solid citizens comes 2nd. It has too. You want fire and desire, talent and determination. Most of our players have no fire and little desire that manifests itself on the court. Their a bunch of middle-class, no-trouble kids. Twenty years ago I would have said they are a bunch of middle-class snotty white girls, but race has nothing to do with this.
Doing this means Sherri might have to deal with kids who have personal problems, tough home lives or who operate on the edge, kids who will challenge her and her rules. Those are the best players. Well, that's just life and why she gets $1.2 million a year. If she won't recruit, then go do something else. While Bible study and turning out fine young women is laudable, that's not the goal. Winning championships and building women are not mutually exclusive, one has to be put before the other, however. Frankly, I'm worn out with the battle over which comes first. Sherri, without a doubt, has a type of player she is willing to get -- a strong family, goody-two shoes, middle class American girl. That hasn't always been the case and there are plenty of girls Sherri took a chance on, kids like Amanda Thompson and other. We were best when we had that kind of kid. Hell, I think D-Rob was that kind of person. We need that kind of kid again.
3. She's got to shake up her staff. Chad has to go, frankly her best friend has to go. Only keep Acosta if and only if, she's going to bring in some great players right away. A clean house, frankly, would be the best thing for this program.
4. Joe C. has to throw down the gauntlet. He has to say to Sherri, we are losing money big time again. We aren't winning championships, hell, we barely compete in big games. Not acceptable. Change or retire and for goodness sake, don't make me fire you. If you want to move to teaching and motivating in a different place in this university, fine, you are family who is to be honored. But it is no longer acceptable.
5. Sherri needs to somehow increase defensive intensity and go to more man, although our defense was probably the best it's been in years this year.
6. The new offense needs to be scrapped. It's not any better than the last one.
There it is. Why I love/hate Sherri Coale. I want her to bring back the glory she gave this program. I want her to change, something this old man knows isn't easy to do. However, I'm pretty sure pride and $1.1 million per year would make me change, especially if it came down to possibly losing the gravy train.
As for the players, let me say, I'm glad these seniors are graduating. They simply aren't very good. Not one of them is as big a disappointment as Peyton Little has been. There's a reason she couldn't get on the floor at A&M and we've seen it the last two years.
Frankly, (and this is where I give some of you a heart attack), I wish Maddie would not come back. She isn't a leader, she isn't that great and she disappears when it counts more. No clearer picture of what Maddie is and isn't exists than the first play of the WVU game and the subsequent foul. She's isn't going to lead us to any level of greatness or competitiveness, so it's time to move on. We need the scholarship for a better player. Now, it also doesn't bother me if she stays another year -- but, and this is a big but -- she should be coming off the bench. She is not the starting player type,
Mulkey, this girl is one year away from being a bust or big-time. If she is anywhere but the gym, the film and weight room over the next six months, then she's going to turn into another famous Sherri bust. She simply must develop the drive and determination to be great. I have no idea what she will do.
Vivi just needs to become better aware of what to do when she is double and triple-teamed.
Gabbi, just be consistent and shooting. You can be great. Just be consistent.
I have hopes for this team, Sherri and the program over the next two years. I give Sherri two years. If she hasn't changed herself and this team by then, then I'm moving over to soccer and softball. In fact, I'm already moving to softball as a balm for our WBB performance the last couple of years.
Light me up or whatever. I am depressed and confused about this squad and Sherri and I so want them to be truly competitive again and they just aren't.
