I think they are about to have an opening.

They could hire a lady named Goestenkors. She knows quite a bit about Duke basketball.

Texas is gonna hire the TCU coach.

I think UT will make a run at her. Let's see if TCU Big Money opens their wallet to keep her.

yes. i've always liked her. seems she doesn't harbor ill will toward Kim..

I wondered if UT should open the wallet and go after Geno... so that he can get out of the cold and compete in a real conference...

Geno is not going to UT. He is too smart to fall for that.

A few things that come to mind late at night after a whiskey neat:

1. TCU hasn't finished better than 5th in the conference in the last several years - quoting a recent article so I might be a little off here. Peebles competed well against a Baylor team that was missing their starting forward and whose All-American is still getting her feet under her. She hasn't earned her way into another conference or a better team...and the Big 12 (and TCU for that matter) is as capable a conference and a team as any so she has no reason to leave. Kristie Curry beat a Griner-led Baylor team and that in no way, shape, or form made her a good coach - look at Alabama's track record. I love TCU's growth but relax a bit. It's a dramatic, knee-reaction to all the sudden assume she is prime for picking on the forthcoming coach carousel. TCU didn't even make the NCAA's last year and are considered a bubble team this year.

2. Geno isn't leaving UCONN for any school. Stop referencing Texas as going after him. The frustration with the Longhorns - who haven't been seriously relevant in the sport in years - is comical at this point. Geno is set to stay at UCONN just as Mulkey is set to stay at Baylor. They have enough money and reputation - they are loyal people who have built a legacy.

3. Duke hasn't been relevant in women's basketball since McCallie arrived. Why they would go after TCU's coach...or any coach seems odd. That's without referencing the fact that there is no reason for any coach to go to their program. Being good in men's basketball doesn't equate to women's basekball plain and simple. They've been on a downward trajectory for nearly a decade and haven't seemed to care - not sure why anyone expects them to shell out money now to right the ship.

4. If Texas goes after anyone it will be a big name hire outside of the Big 12. I graduated from Texas and worked for the football program during their national championship run. I also helped out with the women's basketball program during conference play. They will get who they want for namesake, and it won't be Geno, it won't be Muffett, and it won't be Kim. Trust me when I say that if Karen doesn't work out, they know who they want and they know what it will cost. Peebles isn't in that category and likely never will be until she makes a Final Four. Texas is somewhat of a joke in the sport; however, they've finished Top 3 in the conference nearly every year since Karen's arrival - there just isn't' much parity in women's basketball and it just seems like they are terrible when in reality they are probably better than average and just don't deliver on the talent they recruit.

5. I understand this is a message board/forum and the point of its existence is to discuss possibilities and what-if situations. I appreciate the activity and always enjoy reading but threads like this are just a waste of time and energy. I'd rather read 100 articles about the team than see a headline referencing Duke women's basketball, which just so happens to be lead by a coach who after getting annihilated by Baylor in the 2005 National Championship game didn't have the decency or respect to reference Emily Neiman by name. It's wasted breathe.

Okay...rant over. Looking forward to the game on Saturday and hopefully Smith's return. But if the game is under 20, please don't' say that Marlene Stollings should be hired by someone.

Above is the most logical, well organized 'rant' I have ever seen on this board.

Thank you, and thank you Mr. Neat, for the insight.

Might I suggest another?.......By the way, exactly what are you drinking??

TX Blended Whiskey....my brother introduced it to me over the holidays and I've become a loyal sipper ever since!

bawitdaball said:

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TX Blended Whiskey....my brother introduced it to me over the holidays and I've become a loyal sipper ever since!

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TX......amirite??? It's Delish!!

Friends from Austin think UT will go after the Oregon St coach Scott Reuck (sp?)

ScottS said:

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Guys, UT has a great coach. I'm not sure why people are suggesting someone new for them.

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Asston is going to retire some day. Maybe Texas wants a coach in waiting kind of deal, so that they are ready in 2045.

"If Karen doesn't work out". Seems like she isn't working out too well. As a Baylor fan, happy to have her coaching at UT for years, but if I was a UT fan I would be extremely disappointed and ready for a change.

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.

This isn't 1984. WBB coaches aren't all underpaid to the point UT can just go grab another Top 10 coach. It's another exaggerated point that people overdramatize with no factual basis. Coaches, particularly at Top 25 programs, make good money that allows a comfortable lifestyle at a "known" factor and have built their programs to the point it's almost on auto pilot. They don't just jump because UT was "THE" program 30 years ago. Most programs have to find up-and-comers who have done well at mid tier programs.

The same "predictions" were made last time and UT ended up with Aston, who was nowhere near a Top 25 head coach. They had to dip all the way to North Texas. Same error in thoughts happen all the time with football and MBB hires too. Big names don't just jump.

On a national scale, Texas does not pay well for their coach. If they really want to pick off a top quality coach, they will have to increase their spending by a factor of 3 or more. Given that they are building a new arena and probably about to eat a lot of money on Shaka Smart's contract, I'm not sure if the funding is there.

My guess at who they look at for a new coach is Tina Langley at Rice. She's put together a solid program at a place where it is really hard to win.

Aston checked some boxes that a lot of better coaches didn't.