Iowa State at OU

[soonermom1000]

This stat bothers me:

OU 12 / 14 free throws

IA ST 27 / 34 free throws

Thats the difference in the game !!!!!!

 

[Sooner Suzie]

You don't have the commitment to women's sports and winning at all costs at OU that you have at Baylor and OSU. Tech is falling a bit as the tide rises. Those final four appearances have something in common---Sherri.

Well, Baylor's "committment" to women's basketball starts and ends with Mulkey similar to OU and Coale. Baylor never finished in the top-25 prior to Mulkey. They got lucky hiring Mulkey who at the time was still an assistant to her old head coach, Leon Barmore at LA Tech and had little chance of moving up (ironically, it was Budke who eventually succeeded Barmore). It's Mulkey, not Baylor, who has had a committment to winning.

Ya gotta give Baylor a lot of credit for the development of all their sports teams over the last decade or so tho! Some of Kim's committment seems to be rubbing off.

OSU didn't fare much better prior to Budke, although for 5-6 years they made the top 25, but never ranking higher than 19th at any time. I guess their committment to winning seems to be more directly correlated to T. Boone's wallet than anything else. However in other sports (namely wrestling and golf with a few other occasions in other sports) they have a terrific history of NCAA championships.

 

[35TangoTango]

To buy into that line of reasoning, OU football ....should have died again when Barry Switzer left...

Not sure that comparisons to football are valid, but when Switzer left, the program may not have died, but it was pretty much on life support for a decade. If you use that as an example, it took 4 tries to get a winning coach after Switzer, and as someone said, the jury is out on whether Stoops can be considered as good as Switzer. I can only assume that the athletic department did its due diligence in each case. Maybe it ain't as easy as Norm thinks it is.

Just as a point of history, there are two coaches who are responsible for making the Big 12 the most attended conference in America - they are the two coaches you saw on the floor Thursday night.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Norm, just to clear the air for me, do you, deep down in some dark recess, look forward to having someone other than Sherri as our coach?

I ask because there is just a faint odor of that, very faint but still there, in a lot of your posts, and it's been there for quite a while. If that's how you feel, deep down, that's OK because we are all entitled to our opinions. It just seems to me that in your posts, the essence of wanting someone other than Sherri has been with us for a while.

This is not a personal attack because we all know that the day will come when Sherri is not our coach. It just seems to me that if you could push the arrival of that day just a bit, you would.

I apologize in advance if that offends you for I don't mean it to but I would like to know.

No offense taken at all. I love having Sherri as our coach! Unlike some, I'm not afraid to say when I disagree with her. That doesn't make me right and it certainly doesn't make her wrong. It is simply me voicing my opinion just like everyone is encouraged to do.

The main thing I am sometimes critical about is recruiting. I think I am justified in having that opinion. I understand that some of her assistants do not always agree with her in that regard either. I am somewhat critical in how loose she is with some players and how tight the rein is on other players.

I think we are lucky to have Sherri as our coach and I hope she is still taking us back to final fours when she is 65 years old. I will never believe she is the only available coach in America who could be as successful at OU but I do think she is doing a heck of a job.

 

[SoonerSpock]

She's at what 17 years? I'd bet any of you $10 she's gone by 20.

If Jan Ross gets sick again, or worse, I bet Sherri quits within a year.

Not time to start thinking about replacing her, but it would be smart to update your list, I think.

Sherri is only 47 who has proven that basketball is her first love. I am also certain that her love for OU women's basketball has grown significantly after 17 years at the helm.

Furthermore she has not won that national championship I thinks she covets in earnest. Additionally I supect she would like to make that million dollar salary for at least another decade. Even were she to retire at 57 that would be a young age.

In my opinion Sherri is not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Nor should she.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Most definitely OU could hire a more than adequate replacement for Sherri but the odds of it being done the first time are slim to none. How many coaches did Alabama hire between Stalling and Saban. Three, DuBose, Franchione and Shula for 10 years then Saban How many coaches did aTm hire between Hickey and Blair. Two, Harvey and Gillom for 9 years then Blair. How many coaches did aTm hire between Slocum and Sumlin. Two, Franchione and Sherman for 9 years then Sumlin. How many coaches did OU hire between Wilkinson and Switzer. Three, Jones, MacKenzie and Fairbanks for 10 years then Switzer. How many coaches did OU hire between Switzer and Stoops. Three Gibbs, Schnellenberger and Blake for 11 years then Stoops.

Using your comparisons history says it is going to take about a decade and 3 or 4 attempts to get the job done. You can use the OU football program as a comparison and the conclusion would be similar 3 or 4 coaches and 10 years later you will have your "guy".

 

[SoonerNorm]

Nice try at a stretch of logic, but it does have one ring of truth. Wilkinson did build a monster that made it a lot easier for Switzer and Stoops (on whom my vote is still out). But, Wilkinson also built that program with the absolute and complete support of every oil man, public official, regent, university president, and newspaper that had any influence in Oklahoma.

If OU were to set out to build a women's basketball program with the same intensity that they used to build a football program, I would have faith in the future after Sherri. But, I don't think we have that commitment to women's sports, or, really, even to basketball. What this university and its alumni did to build a football program in 1946 was the most determined effort at any endeavor in Oklahoma history.

You are suggesting that only when the university throws its full support behind a program will it have a chance to succeed. If true, how do you explain the national championships in gymnastics and softball? I'll give you a hint...OU hired the right coaches. Sure, OU's support helped but I give the coaches the vast amount of credit. To say that Sherri doesn't have the university's support is ridiculous and I think she would say the same thing. If she didn't feel like the university was providing everything she needed to be highly successful I do not believe for a second she would still be there.

OU has made some bone-headed moves in their athletic program over the years from Blake to Snellenberger to Steve Owens, etc. But, I do not think any of those mentioned failed because the university let them down.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Sherri is only 47 who has proven that basketball is her first love. I am also certain that her love for OU women's basketball has grown significantly after 17 years at the helm.

Furthermore she has not won that national championship I thinks she covets in earnest. Additionally I supect she would like to make that million dollar salary for at least another decade. Even were she to retire at 57 that would be a young age.

In my opinion Sherri is not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Nor should she.

I agree. I think she's wise enough to realize she has a situation that's just about perfect for her. She's made it clear that this is the only college team she's interested in coaching. I don't think being a professional coach appeals to her.

I know she loves to write and I suspect she would enjoy teaching at the college level but I'm not sure either of those would satisfy the competitive side of her personality.

 

[35TangoTango]

You are suggesting that only when the university throws its full support behind a program will it have a chance to succeed. If true, how do you explain the national championships in gymnastics and softball? I'll give you a hint...OU hired the right coaches. Sure, OU's support helped but I give the coaches the vast amount of credit. To say that Sherri doesn't have the university's support is ridiculous and I think she would say the same thing. If she didn't feel like the university was providing everything she needed to be highly successful I do not believe for a second she would still be there.

You are quite right in thinking that the secret is hiring the right coach. OU certainly didn't throw mountains of money and support at the program when Sherri was first hired. Building the attendance from 98 to thousands was Sherri's accomplishment. Only then did the athletic department begin to put significant resources into it. Incidentally the same is true for Iowa State and Bill Fennelly.

What I disagree with is Norm's naive idea that any Athletic Director that does due diligence can identify and hire a coach that will quickly grow into one of the top 20 coaches in the country. I think several posters have contributed ample examples to show that it just doesn't happen that way.

 

[sybarite]

You are suggesting that only when the university throws its full support behind a program will it have a chance to succeed. If true, how do you explain the national championships in gymnastics and softball? I'll give you a hint...OU hired the right coaches. Sure, OU's support helped but I give the coaches the vast amount of credit. To say that Sherri doesn't have the university's support is ridiculous and I think she would say the same thing. If she didn't feel like the university was providing everything she needed to be highly successful I do not believe for a second she would still be there.

OU has made some bone-headed moves in their athletic program over the years from Blake to Snellenberger to Steve Owens, etc. But, I do not think any of those mentioned failed because the university let them down.

Gymnastics? That's about like lacrosse, or maybe early women's basketball. Immaculata was a national power until the majors began playing basketball. How many schools even have gymnastics? How many schools fielded a wrestling team when Oklahoma A&M won all those titles? Any real commitment can make a winner when there are so few in the sport.

I'd hate to begin a marriage on the level of commitment that OU exhibited when Sherri was hired. A highschool coach? Not even an assistant from a top college program? Not even someone who has been around a national title team, or even final four? When the practice facility was built, they had to speciffy that the women have not one square inch less than the men?

 

[SoonerNorm]

You are quite right in thinking that the secret is hiring the right coach. OU certainly didn't throw mountains of money and support at the program when Sherri was first hired. Building the attendance from 98 to thousands was Sherri's accomplishment. Only then did the athletic department begin to put significant resources into it. Incidentally the same is true for Iowa State and Bill Fennelly.

Could not agree more.

What I disagree with is Norm's naive idea that any Athletic Director that does due diligence can identify and hire a coach that will quickly grow into one of the top 20 coaches in the country. I think several posters have contributed ample examples to show that it just doesn't happen that way.

I have said earlier that it isn't easy finding the right coach. But, I contend that only when they hire the right coach will the program have a chance to win national championships. I have given plenty of examples to back that up. Some have talked about Mulkey...perfect example. She turned that program into one of the best in the country where many would have failed.

This is somewhat changing the subject but, I wonder if we give Jan Ross enough credit. She has been with Sherri from day one. Who knows, she could be the brains behind many of the great decisions/strategies that Sherri has implemented. I do know that Sherri sits beside her during most games and the two are often in communication with each other. That tells me that Sherri values her input greatly.

 

[BanjoCharley]

Norm

Thanks for answering my question. I found your answer meaningful and enlightening. I'm glad you took it as no harm no foul, that was how it was meant.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Gymnastics? That's about like lacrosse, or maybe early women's basketball. Immaculata was a national power until the majors began playing basketball. How many schools even have gymnastics? How many schools fielded a wrestling team when Oklahoma A&M won all those titles? Any real commitment can make a winner when there are so few in the sport.

I'd hate to begin a marriage on the level of commitment that OU exhibited when Sherri was hired. A highschool coach? Not even an assistant from a top college program? Not even someone who has been around a national title team, or even final four? When the practice facility was built, they had to speciffy that the women have not one square inch less than the men?

If winning at gymnastics was easy, I would think every coach would have a national championship or two. I don't care if you are playing tiddledy winks, it takes great coaches to win at the highest level.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Norm

Thanks for answering my question. I found your answer meaningful and enlightening. I'm glad you took it as no harm no foul, that was how it was meant.

No problem! I do understand that I can be a bit harsh on coaches at times (not just Sherri) but I don't mean any thing personal by it. I disagreed with Switzer on many levels and Stoops on some as well, Tubbs too. That doesn't mean I didn't respect their coaching ability and what they accomplished. Sherri is great for OU and is someone I think the vast majority of fans are very proud of and rightfully so.

 

[gosooner2]

Gymnastics? That's about like lacrosse, or maybe early women's basketball. Immaculata was a national power until the majors began playing basketball. How many schools even have gymnastics? How many schools fielded a wrestling team when Oklahoma A&M won all those titles? Any real commitment can make a winner when there are so few in the sport.

I'd hate to begin a marriage on the level of commitment that OU exhibited when Sherri was hired. A highschool coach? Not even an assistant from a top college program? Not even someone who has been around a national title team, or even final four? When the practice facility was built, they had to speciffy that the women have not one square inch less than the men?

While some might think that this showed a lack of commitment to WBB it turned out pretty well. Perhaps more diligence was done before she was hired than some think.

 

[SoonerNorm]

While some might think that this showed a lack of commitment to WBB it turned out pretty well. Perhaps more diligence was done before she was hired than some think.

I think you're right.

 

[Stringmusic]

Sherri got a hefty endorsement from Geno as Geno had seen Sheri coach at Norman High when he was recruiting Stacey Hansmeyer. Marita Hynes persuaded Geno to address a letter of recommendation to the Board of Regents, hand carried into the meeting by Marita and that did it along with a terrific sales pitch by Marita. Geno was right. Marita was right. We all benefit.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Sherri got a hefty endorsement from Geno as Geno had seen Sheri coach at Norman High when he was recruiting Stacey Hansmeyer. Marita Hynes persuaded Geno to address a letter of recommendation to the Board of Regents, hand carried into the meeting by Marita and that did it along with a terrific sales pitch by Marita. Geno was right. Marita was right. We all benefit.

Also, Sherri had prepared some sort of multi-page document, explaining exactly how she would transform women's basketball into a winning program. I think Marita said she was the only candidate they interviewed with a real plan.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Gymnastics? That's about like lacrosse, or maybe early women's basketball. Immaculata was a national power until the majors began playing basketball. How many schools even have gymnastics? How many schools fielded a wrestling team when Oklahoma A&M won all those titles? Any real commitment can make a winner when there are so few in the sport.

I'd hate to begin a marriage on the level of commitment that OU exhibited when Sherri was hired. A highschool coach? Not even an assistant from a top college program? Not even someone who has been around a national title team, or even final four? When the practice facility was built, they had to speciffy that the women have not one square inch less than the men?

Correct me if I am wrong but I recall Sherri hiring the assistants that were not from a top college program or been around a national title or final four team. Choosing instead to hire another high school coach as her top assistant.

Likewise, it was the athletic department's plan under Joe Castiglione, who arrived in Norman one year after Sherri, to expand Lloyd Noble and solicit Mrs. Noble for a contribution that that resulted in funding for the equal facilities. Doesn't sound to me that Sherri was getting little support from the athletic department except perhaps in 1997.

Moreover, Mrs. Noble's public demand for equal facilities could have been merely her emphasizing how she wanted her moneys spent not that the athletic department planned to do otherwise as you infer. Your inference is unwarranted unless you have first hand knowledge it was otherwise. Typical Syb hyperbole.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Correct me if I am wrong but I recall Sherri hiring the assistants that were not from a top college program or been around a national title or final four team. Choosing instead to hire another high school coach as her top assistant.

Likewise, it was the athletic department's plan under Joe Castiglione, who arrived in Norman one year after Sherri, to expand Lloyd Noble and solicit Mrs. Noble for a contribution that that resulted in funding for the equal facilities. Doesn't sound to me that Sherri was getting little support from the athletic department except perhaps in 1997.
, Mrs. Noble's public demand for equal facilities could have been merely her emphasizing how she wanted her moneys spent not that the athletic department planned to do otherwise as you infer. Your inference is unwarranted unless you have first hand knowledge it was otherwise. Typical Syb hyperbole.

While we don't know for a fact that the women's facilities would have been shortchanged w/o Mrs. Noble's demand that they be equal, we do know for a fact that historically women's facilities have been shortchanged time and time and time again. Mrs. Noble was wise enough to know this and demand that it not happen at OU.