Thinking About Retirement

[Oliver Hardy]

Sherri is about to complete her 22nd season in the next month. She's done a tremendous job with this program. There's no two ways about it. She made OU a powerhouse.

I don't see her as a quitter or ever getting fired. I have, however, been thinking about her retirement.

Coaches always say they will know when it is time to go. I would guess Sherri will know faster than most other coaches because of her drive, focus and determination. She has never struck me as someone who will hang on just to keep getting a check -- and we all know she doesn't need the money.

While I have only talked to her briefly at a couple of OU events and out and about Norman, Sherri has always seemed organized, self-assured and confident.

To get to the point, I think she retires after 25 years in. That strikes me as a part of who Sherri is -- someone who plans ahead.

Recruiting is improving. I think coach is working hard to get the ship in as good a shape as she can (of course she's also trying to win championships) and have it as prepared as she can make it for the next head coach.

Now, the only thing I can see altering my view is if we just absolutely tank next season or off-season transfers raise their head again or someone doesn't sign who pledge to do so.

This is just my opinion, one that I developed over the last several weeks. What are everyone's thoughts?

 

[rocjunkie]

Good post Ollie. She's a young 53, but to be honest I would be very surprised if she is still coaching past 60. I think you maybe right. She might step down in 5-7 years.

 

[sybarite]

Sherri just turned 53. Jan and Pam are about the same age. Jan just had a bout with cancer that may have affected a great deal. She is now recovered.

I never envisioned Sherri as a 60-year-old coach. I strongly suspect that Sherri and Jan will build a program back to Final Four caliber and leave it to someone else. Sherri seems the type to want to spend a year in Europe experiencing the romantic flights of literature. I could see a book for young women on sports, training, and the romance of life in which she encourages them to reach for the stars as women.

I wouldn't be surprised if she encouraged that the program be left in hands with whom she agreed philosophically, and I can see the administration fulfilling that goal. It would not surprise me if the next coach were a former player. I keep looking at Dionnah Jackson who is being credit for developing the Mississippi State guards. I don''t know if she would hold out long enough for DRob to garner some experience as a coach.

I doubt Sherri is here five years from now. I think she would want to live before she is too old to travel. There are worlds beyond Norman.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Sherri just turned 53. Jan and Pam are about the same age. Jan just had a bout with cancer that may have affected a great deal. She is now recovered.

I never envisioned Sherri as a 60-year-old coach. I strongly suspect that Sherri and Jan will build a program back to Final Four caliber and leave it to someone else. Sherri seems the type to want to spend a year in Europe experiencing the romantic flights of literature. I could see a book for young women on sports, training, and the romance of life in which she encourages them to reach for the stars as women.

I wouldn't be surprised if she encouraged that the program be left in hands with whom she agreed philosophically, and I can see the administration fulfilling that goal. It would not surprise me if the next coach were a former player. I keep looking at Dionnah Jackson who is being credit for developing the Mississippi State guards. I don''t know if she would hold out long enough for DRob to garner some experience as a coach.

I doubt Sherri is here five years from now. I think she would want to live before she is too old to travel. There are worlds beyond Norman.

That's the advice I would give anyone with the means to make it happen.

 

[scrybe]

Hanging it up after her 25th season should give Sherri enough time to claim her first national title. :woot

 

[SKSooner]

I think she wants to make another big run and then will likely hang it up. I don't think she wants to leave after a few "decent" seasons (not decent by her standards).

The people who claim she's lazy and just cashing a check are truly ignorant. Sherri Coale is one of the most driven human beings out there. She wants to win more than anybody.

I think she has another big time run over the next few years.

 

[scrybe]

I think she wants to make another big run and then will likely hang it up. I don't think she wants to leave after a few "decent" seasons (not decent by her standards).

The people who claim she's lazy and just cashing a check are truly ignorant. Sherri Coale is one of the most driven human beings out there. She wants to win more than anybody.

I think she has another big time run over the next few years.

Agreed. And I believe she can make that big-time run with the freshmen she's got now and the recruits she has coming in.

 

[j2d2]

My guess is that Stoops set the precedent that Sherri would like to emulate, ie. leaving the program in great shape. The last year or two she has made commendable effort to actually work at recruiting and it shows. A few more years of that and she will get to a point that it will be possible for her to retire honorably leaving on a good note.

 

[tycat947]

I think she wants to make another big run and then will likely hang it up. I don't think she wants to leave after a few "decent" seasons (not decent by her standards).

The people who claim she's lazy and just cashing a check are truly ignorant. Sherri Coale is one of the most driven human beings out there. She wants to win more than anybody.

I think she has another big time run over the next few years.

I agree!

 

[betterstill]

Not needing more money is a relative expression. She may want to keep the pay checks rolling in for a variety of reasons. Setting up her kids. Buying really nice retirement homes in exotic places. Being a big wheel in the community by supporting charities. Setting up a foundation.

I do not know if she has any other interests. If she doesn't she may prefer to just keep on working because that is her life. If OU would give her an office and a couple hundred thou she might go for it, but she probably doesn't have golf like Stoops does to occupy her time.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Not needing more money is a relative expression. She may want to keep the pay checks rolling in for a variety of reasons. Setting up her kids. Buying really nice retirement homes in exotic places. Being a big wheel in the community by supporting charities. Setting up a foundation.

I do not know if she has any other interests. If she doesn't she may prefer to just keep on working because that is her life. If OU would give her an office and a couple hundred thou she might go for it, but she probably doesn't have golf like Stoops does to occupy her time.

She jogs alot.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Not needing more money is a relative expression. She may want to keep the pay checks rolling in for a variety of reasons. Setting up her kids. Buying really nice retirement homes in exotic places. Being a big wheel in the community by supporting charities. Setting up a foundation.

I do not know if she has any other interests. If she doesn't she may prefer to just keep on working because that is her life. If OU would give her an office and a couple hundred thou she might go for it, but she probably doesn't have golf like Stoops does to occupy her time.

We know she loves teaching and writing.

 

[Sooner81]

Do you all Really think she is “gearing or Building” for another final four run? That seems absurd and crazy. I believe there are some VERY crimson glasses being worn here. I don’t see her EVER getting the program back to be able to beat Baylor imo. What the last 4 years gives anyone the confidence that OU can even compete for just a Big-12 title lol??

 

[soonerstar]

Do you all Really think she is “gearing or Building” for another final four run? That seems absurd and crazy. I believe there are some VERY crimson glasses being worn here. I don’t see her EVER getting the program back to be able to beat Baylor imo. What the last 4 years gives anyone the confidence that OU can even compete for just a Big-12 title lol??

+1

 

[sooner8693]

+1

+2
When SC retires she will push hard for the son to become the head coach. God help us.

 

[sybarite]

I wonder if all of you know how a meg-lev train works as it speeds over the rails, not touching, at 300 mph. They are planning one now on the East Coast between NYC and DC that would capture the best characteristics of the trains of Japan and China.

The trains are powered by electromagnets that take advantage of the fact that like forces repel each other, such that a positively-charged train simply won't touch the positively-charged rail as long as the current is flowing. The train rides on air.

It takes a lot of repulsion to respond to charge by lifting a train and propelling it down the tracks. The Hadron Collider works much the same way, only with a charged package of protons, as a rule. guiding them around the circuit before directing them to collide into each other.

It's difficult to achieve that type of repulsion to a charge. Then, there are those cases in which someone makes such a repulsive statement about Sherri or the program that it mimics the effect of the electro-magnet, almost able to lift a train.

But, you could be a fan of the program and appreciate that some talent is coming in. And, you might realize that despite all of that talent that she cheated to get, Mulkey hasn't exactly set the world on fire. She gloated that you had better get her (not the team, her) this year when her team of AAU teammates somehow magically recruited together with her daughter, were freshmen, because you weren't going to beat them after that. Well, they did. She won one, not three. She gets great talent and sounds off. But, she isn't exactly competition for Geno, or maybe even Jeff Walz and Muffet. Given similar talent, which they may have in a year or so, she is also no match for Sherri. Now, that ought to float your electromagnetic charge.

 

[Sooner81]

I wonder if all of you know how a meg-lev train works as it speeds over the rails, not touching, at 300 mph. They are planning one now on the East Coast between NYC and DC that would capture the best characteristics of the trains of Japan and China.

The trains are powered by electromagnets that take advantage of the fact that like forces repel each other, such that a positively-charged train simply won't touch the positively-charged rail as long as the current is flowing. The train rides on air.

It takes a lot of repulsion to respond to charge by lifting a train and propelling it down the tracks. The Hadron Collider works much the same way, only with a charged package of protons, as a rule. guiding them around the circuit before directing them to collide into each other.

It's difficult to achieve that type of repulsion to a charge. Then, there are those cases in which someone makes such a repulsive statement about Sherri or the program that it mimics the effect of the electro-magnet, almost able to lift a train.

But, you could be a fan of the program and appreciate that some talent is coming in. And, you might realize that despite all of that talent that she cheated to get, Mulkey hasn't exactly set the world on fire. She gloated that you had better get her (not the team, her) this year when her team of AAU teammates somehow magically recruited together with her daughter, were freshmen, because you weren't going to beat them after that. Well, they did. She won one, not three. She gets great talent and sounds off. But, she isn't exactly competition for Geno, or maybe even Jeff Walz and Muffet. Given similar talent, which they may have in a year or so, she is also no match for Sherri. Now, that ought to float your electromagnetic charge.

Interesting, I’m new here but I had a couple of people tell me that if I posted anything negative about Sherri that you were one who would defend her to the death. Spot on lol.

 

[35TangoTango]

I think any of you that are thinking about retirement should go ahead!

 

[betterstill]

I think any of you that are thinking about retirement should go ahead!

Do you mean the entire board should retire or only those who defend Sherri or only those who criticize Sherry? Or what about those who criticize her and defend her?

 

[35TangoTango]

We might as well speculate about each other’s retirement - none of us has a clue about Coach’s. This is a silly thread.