One question remains: OU-TT

[NMSooner'80]

I'm still curious if anyone knows what happened with Tech's program to get Candi Whittaker fired. I was driving not far from Lubbock that day when they announced her firing on local radio.

It'll be interesting to see what direction Tech goes after this season. That is one school that definitely has favored hiring "one of their own," and with Whittaker that was definitely a time when it burned them.

I also wonder, thinking awhile back, if they have ever recovered from OU coming in and taking Chelsi Welch and Leah Rush out of their back yard. Tech had locked down that part of Texas under Marsha Sharp, until then. But having seen their fan behavior up close at a men's game (when OU crushed them in '98 out there), I can't say I mind. :ez-roll:

 

[tycat947]

It is a dumpster fire, no doubt!

I’d love to know what happened as well. I looked at Tech board recently but didn’t find anything about what happened. I know something happened last summer with Recee Caldwell’s dad and he left Lubbock and the other sister decommitted. Recee was still on the team when Candi was fired and was supposedly injured before we played them in Lubbock. I don’t think she’s played in a game since and I couldn’t find her on the bench this weekend. She has already transferred once (from UCLA) so not sure what has/will happen to her.

After Caldwell’s father left (and another assistant as well), Candi hired Sheryl Swoopes, Shimmy (acting head coach) and former Vanderbilt head coach Melanie Balcomb (who was one year assistant at South Carolina during championship season). Balcomb abruptly quit early in the season, a few weeks before Candi was fired. Rumors on Tech board were that Swoopes was causing conflict and trying to get the head job (she also left her previous job in a bad place) at Tech. I really feel bad for Shimmy as I think she’s a good coach but leading a dumpster fire for sure.

They have better talent than what they’ve showed. I know DeGrate and Terry were highly recruited (DeGrate went to Louisville and Terry went to A&M and then both transferred to Tech). I’m guessing they were linked to Caldwell’s dad somehow in AAU.

Will be interesting to see what happens. Wonder if Marsha Sharp has any stories to tell...

 

[sybarite]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Texas_Tech_Lady_Raiders_basketball_seasons

There is such a parallel between Tech's history and that of OU that we should pay attention. Tech wasn't much before Marsha. Once she made the NCAAs, they made it every year until her last. They were only in the Elite Eight one time, and they won it. Sheryl was ahead of her time. Nobody had her ability, and she carried them to their only title.

Curry made it to the NCAA twice. Whitaker never.

If you are a Tech, you need a Hall of Fame coach to be in the NCAAs at all. Does that sound similar to OU?

That area of Texas has no more talent than does the State of Oklahoma. Even if you have it all, it won't get you past the first round. You need the big name from elsewhere. Why would they go to Lubbock? I kind of like Lubbock. But, if I were a kid from Miami, Fl, Houston, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, or Charleston, SC, I would wonder what I would do if I graduated from Tech. Would the community embrace an ex-basketball player, emphasis on ex?