First, I enjoy hearing and discussing about other programs. I want to see women's basketball in general advanced, so some of the negative talk about it not being interesting because there are only a few good teams can be challenged. Don't have a problem with this thread being about another school's WBB team. The anti-Baylor vitriol on other WBB boards has pretty much driven me away. And the most well respected and active fan board would generally be the Boneyard for UConn and they will occasionally have threads like this.
Secondly, I might agree with your UT going after bigger fish when they start their next head coaching search, but Peebly IS a good coach. Her teams are athletically inferior a lot of the times, but they are always competitive, they play hard, she gets the most out of the talent she has, and she schemes well for what she does have. Inferior talent WOULD NOT be a problem at UT. It's the strengths I mention above that would address UT's biggest faults...lack of player development, uninspired play at times, inability to play to the player's strengths, and occasionally undisciplined play. The biggest element that I think at least makes this an option is the fact that the UT AD is the guy that hired Peebly at TCU, so there is a prior relationship there. I know he has to hire according to the culture and expectations of his current school, but UT went after a big name with Goestenkors and that was not a good fit. I also think UT may be looking for new coaches in MBB & football, soon, so the effort and $$ they might direct toward a WBB coach might not be the same as in the past, though I, myself chuckle at the thought of lack of money impacting a hiring decision at Texas.
Back to Duke, I agree that they haven't seemed to care much about women's basketball since Coach G left (apparently because she felt a lack of support, despite multiple trips to the Final Four. It was implied Coach K wasn't given to working with the WBB program much, but who knows?), but there does seem to be a growing number of ex-players and alumni and fans of WBB calling out the AD for the state to which he has allowed the program to slide. At some point, that may reach a critical mass, especially if the thought becomes the AD is purposely letting his women's programs suffer. Donors don't like bad press. The issue for WBB fans of Duke has mostly been the men's program has always been so successful, that their "rah, rah" story drowned out all others. Maybe that story diminishes in volume somewhat and the AD is forced to address the hue and cry for McCallie's dismissal. Will be something to watch.
As far as how this impacts Baylor, it can serve as a bit of a cautionary tale. When Coach Mulkey retires, what becomes of our successful program? A lot of $$ freed up when her salary is off the books. And no doubt her personality and program success has pushed $$ toward WBB budget that it would be tempting to direct somewhere else. Does our AD at that time have a commitment to continuing success, or does the temptation to redirect resources come into play? I feel pretty confident right now, that Baylor has a strong commitment to its women's sports, but Duke and, in some measure, Tennessee can serve as examples of how great programs can devolve when commitment from administration is weak.