Why I don't come around so much these days

[suzebe]

I like talking about the women's team. I like learning about the team and the game from those who know more than I do, and perhaps from those who have some inside info that I'm not privy to.

Yes, I like talking about the team more when they are good. It's exciting, and people tend to get into the nuances of the game, and the individual players strengths and weaknesses. Now the team is not good. I have spent a couple of years reading forum poster's opinions about why that is. There aren't all that many theories, and I've read them all over, and over , and over again. It's rare that much new is added to the conversation after each defeat. In short, this site has become one note, bitter, and boring.

There is still plenty to talk about even though we're just not that good. There's an entire new cast of characters that I'm struggling to catch up with. I only got to see the season opener, but Victoria Harris looked much improved except for the fouling. #22 Kandiss Barber piqued my interest. It looks like we have more three point shooting(?). As I said, I only saw the one game, but our offense (while not good) seemed to me to be uptempo, as opposed to the pass around the perimeter brand we have seen before. Oddly, it seem to be defense we were lacking. And we're really short, but maybe really fast? Who is injured, and who is eleigible to play right now? Who is going to the Cappie retirement game?

Just some ideas for different conversations we could be having.

 

[Knight Time Fan]

I like talking about the women's team. I like learning about the team and the game from those who know more than I do, and perhaps from those who have some inside info that I'm not privy to.

Yes, I like talking about the team more when they are good. It's exciting, and people tend to get into the nuances of the game, and the individual players strengths and weaknesses. Now the team is not good. I have spent a couple of years reading forum poster's opinions about why that is. There aren't all that many theories, and I've read them all over, and over , and over again. It's rare that much new is added to the conversation after each defeat. In short, this site has become one note, bitter, and boring.

There is still plenty to talk about even though we're just not that good. There's an entire new cast of characters that I'm struggling to catch up with. I only got to see the season opener, but Victoria Harris looked much improved except for the fouling. #22 Kandiss Barber piqued my interest. It looks like we have more three point shooting(?). As I said, I only saw the one game, but our offense (while not good) seemed to me to be uptempo, as opposed to the pass around the perimeter brand we have seen before. Oddly, it seem to be defense we were lacking. And we're really short, but maybe really fast? Who is injured, and who is eleigible to play right now? Who is going to the Cappie retirement game?

Just some ideas for different conversations we could be .

Sadly, I haven't been scarce, although I don't usually post so much. I agree, there are times the board is insufferable. My wife and I have been women's basketball fans basically since Vivian came to Rutgers. Rutgers (and also, now, Arizona) is / are our favorite teams, but we are fans of the game. Don't watch much that isn't on broadcast TV, but follow the game.

I did see the Princeton game and I cannot make any useful comment (I also saw the Chattanooga game), both via the internet. Like you, I don't know a lot about the individual players. As a fan and observer of the game, I can make (I think) intelligent commentary on how we got to this situation, but no one on the board seems to care, nor does it do anything but stress me out.

I do know that I am confused as to the status of one of the 4 transfers. I keep hearing that 3 are sitting out. We have 10 players playing, 2 out (Scaife and Juene the older), and 4 transfers. I'm not sure the status of the 4th or which player it is.

 

[RUClassof67]

I do know that I am confused as to the status of one of the 4 transfers. I keep hearing that 3 are sitting out. We have 10 players playing, 2 out (Scaife and Juene the older), and 4 transfers. I'm not sure the status of the 4th or which player it is.

Not sure I can help but here is my understanding on the jucos and transfers.

Jaz Rollins and Kandiss Barber have 2 years of eligibility and have both been playing decent minutes thus far.

Ciani Cryor is sitting out this year but I believe will have 3 years of eligibility

DaChe Williams and Stasha Carey are sitting out and both have 2 years left.

Kathleen Flaherty is sitting out and has 1 year of eligibility.

I think this is correct.

 

[knightfan2000]

Not much to talk about. I've had season tickets for over 20 years and never thought I'd see a season like this. Our talent level is barely Division 1 let alone B1G caliber. Candiss Barber looks like she could be a decent scorer. For those who say next year will be much better, I have serious doubts. We have a bunch of transfers from lower level programs who were just OK players. If Tyler comes back that will help a bit. I don't see us winning more than 2 or 3 games this year. Recruiting needs to take a HUGE upward trajectory or we are doomed to the bottom of the conference for the foreseeable future.

 

[RU MAN]

Not sure I can help but here is my understanding on the jucos and transfers.

Jaz Rollins and Kandiss Barber have 2 years of eligibility and have both been playing decent minutes thus far.

Ciani Cryor is sitting out this year but I believe will have 3 years of eligibility

DaChe Williams and Stasha Carey are sitting out and both have 2 years left.

Kathleen Flaherty is sitting out and has 1 year of eligibility.

I think this is correct.

'67 you seemed to be clued in here. What do you think this program will look like next season when the aforementioned players are on the court and if Scaife comes back?
Thanks.

Oh, and yay! Rutgers women have their first win. They got off the snide.

 

[RUClassof67]

'67 you seemed to be clued in here. What do you think this program will look like next season when the aforementioned players are on the court and if Scaife comes back?
Thanks.

Oh, and yay! Rutgers women have their first win. They got off the snide.

I don't think I'm clued in any more than anyone else. I am just an avid follower of this program (and others at RU).

Because of the uneven classes currently on the roster (Tyler & Alex Alfano are the only Seniors and Shrita Parker is the only Junior), it was necessary to bring in some transfers and Jucos to even out the classes. For example, last years class had 5 seniors who dominated most of the playing time. I think that with Tyler back next year, we will be more competitive but it may be a year or two after that until we begin to develop the incoming freshmen and recruits CVS is looking to bring in. We are basically playing with one player who has experience (Shrita Parker) and 4 others who are fairly inexperienced, KK Sanders had 5 starts last year.

The uncertainty brought about by the series of one year contracts cost us some players. Hopefully the future is a little more certain and we will see recruits of the caliber we've had in the past.

Looking forward to seeing more progress this year. We were at the Virginia game on the road (who by the way had 2 Jersey players we were recruiting) and our team played much better than in any other game. They shot 8/13 from three and fell just short at the end. But the shooting at Princeton reverted and didn't allow them to stay close. Some consistency will help.

This program over the last 20+ years has consistently been among the best we have at Rutgers. I'm not about to give up on it now. I trust Pat Hobbs judgement on Coaches.

 

[RU MAN]

I don't think I'm clued in any more than anyone else. I am just an avid follower of this program (and others at RU).

Because of the uneven classes currently on the roster (Tyler & Alex Alfano are the only Seniors and Shrita Parker is the only Junior), it was necessary to bring in some transfers and Jucos to even out the classes. For example, last years class had 5 seniors who dominated most of the playing time. I think that with Tyler back next year, we will be more competitive but it may be a year or two after that until we begin to develop the incoming freshmen and recruits CVS is looking to bring in. We are basically playing with one player who has experience (Shrita Parker) and 4 others who are fairly inexperienced, KK Sanders had 5 starts last year.

The uncertainty brought about by the series of one year contracts cost us some players. Hopefully the future is a little more certain and we will see recruits of the caliber we've had in the past.

Looking forward to seeing more progress this year. We were at the Virginia game on the road (who by the way had 2 Jersey players we were recruiting) and our team played much better than in any other game. They shot 8/13 from three and fell just short at the end. But the shooting at Princeton reverted and didn't allow them to stay close. Some consistency will help.

This program over the last 20+ years has consistently been among the best we have at Rutgers. I'm not about to give up on it now. I trust Pat Hobbs judgement on Coaches.

Thanks '67. As you probably know, I do follow the women's program from afar, but this year I haven't paid too much attention once Tyler went down. I'm hoping that this is just an anomaly this year. The women's program in my mind has always been the jewel of athletic programs and I am saddened by the recent turn of events. I hope it's just a short term thing and C Viv. can right the ship starting next year.

 

[MSRU71]

I go way back to Coach Grentz when the ladies played the first game and the men completing the double header (actually, during the Littlepage years, the men were so bad they played the first game followed by the powerhouse women because everyone left after the end of the ladies game). I have never experienced such a poor start by C Viv's team. After sweating out a win over Bryant, I talked to some of my contacts in the program. From what I gathered, C. Viv was hampered in recruiting by the uncertainty of her contract being renewed. That is on top of the relatively poor facilities that she has had to overcome since she has been here.

Seems plausible. So for me, I will give our H.O.F. coach a mulligan this year. With the combination of playing in the BIG, a new contract extension, exciting new facilities, and a group of players sitting out this year led by Tyler coming back next year, I am hoping this is a bump in what has been a very successful road. Hopefully the parade of McDonald's All Americans will find their way back to the RAC.

And as always, we will continue to support our teams.

 

[rut08]

I go way back to Coach Grentz when the ladies played the first game and the men completing the double header (actually, during the Littlepage years, the men were so bad they played the first game followed by the powerhouse women because everyone left after the end of the ladies game). I have never experienced such a poor start by C Viv's team. After sweating out a win over Bryant, I talked to some of my contacts in the program. From what I gathered, C. Viv was hampered in recruiting by the uncertainty of her contract being renewed. That is on top of the relatively poor facilities that she has had to overcome since she has been here.

Seems plausible. So for me, I will give our H.O.F. coach a mulligan this year. With the combination of playing in the BIG, a new contract extension, exciting new facilities, and a group of players sitting out this year led by Tyler coming back next year, I am hoping this is a bump in what has been a very successful road. Hopefully the parade of McDonald's All Americans will find their way back to the RAC.

And as always, we will continue to support our teams.

This confirms what Coach Stringer said in an interview recently. She mentioned that the contract situation turned away some Major players. I also hope the 2018 class brings back the All-American players that we are used to.

 

[bac2therac]

i call bs on the contract thing....it was a 4 year contract, 2 years guaranteed and CVS performance was declining as coach and she is getting old. Her age is a huge factor in recruits not coming because they know at sometime she is retiring, that question is always going to be there for the next round of recruits. Should RU sign her for 8 years, come on now, the general thought is she would gracefully retire before it got ugly like this. Her recruiting was decling for years, a few years ago BEFORE the new contract with Julie I heard posters here saying that CVS wasnt getting the top talent so thats why we were falling off the national map..so she wasnt getting it before but now we are blaming the contract and now all of a sudden they will come even though they werent coming before...sounds like excuses

 

[RUClassof67]

Call it what you want. I'll call it what I want. My opinion is as valid as yours. Maybe more since I actually support the program.

 

[Knight Time Fan]

i call bs on the contract thing....it was a 4 year contract, 2 years guaranteed and CVS performance was declining as coach and she is getting old. Her age is a huge factor in recruits not coming because they know at sometime she is retiring, that question is always going to be there for the next round of recruits. Should RU sign her for 8 years, come on now, the general thought is she would gracefully retire before it got ugly like this. Her recruiting was decling for years, a few years ago BEFORE the new contract with Julie I heard posters here saying that CVS wasnt getting the top talent so thats why we were falling off the national map..so she wasnt getting it before but now we are blaming the contract and now all of a sudden they will come even though they werent coming before...sounds like excuses

I'm going to post this as long as you post that - the contract thing is one of many factors, along with age / retirement, declining on court results, facilities, changes in potential player's expectations, etc. that have affected recruiting. It isn't bs, if anyone claims that is the "only" reason for recruiting issues only then is it an "excuse". It is one of many factors, all legitimate.

All of these are factors that all coaches face as they inevitably get older.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Call it what you want. I'll call it what I want. My opinion is as valid as yours. Maybe more since I actually support the program.

Your "opinion" is more valid because you "support" the program? I don't care if we're winning the national title, or losing every game, that comment makes no sense (and I say that with all due respect) to me nor has it ever, to be honest, regardless of the sport.

 

[RU MAN]

I go way back to Coach Grentz when the ladies played the first game and the men completing the double header (actually, during the Littlepage years, the men were so bad they played the first game followed by the powerhouse women because everyone left after the end of the ladies game). I have never experienced such a poor start by C Viv's team. After sweating out a win over Bryant, I talked to some of my contacts in the program. From what I gathered, C. Viv was hampered in recruiting by the uncertainty of her contract being renewed. That is on top of the relatively poor facilities that she has had to overcome since she has been here.

Seems plausible. So for me, I will give our H.O.F. coach a mulligan this year. With the combination of playing in the BIG, a new contract extension, exciting new facilities, and a group of players sitting out this year led by Tyler coming back next year, I am hoping this is a bump in what has been a very successful road. Hopefully the parade of McDonald's All Americans will find their way back to the RAC.

And as always, we will continue to support our teams.

Thanks for this.

 

[RUClassof67]

Your "opinion" is more valid because you "support" the program? I don't care if we're winning the national title, or losing every game, that comment makes no sense (and I say that with all due respect) to me nor has it ever, to be honest, regardless of the sport.

Sorry if you didn't understand. But what I should have said was that I attend games and talk to the people involved with the program unlike the several folks who post more frequently in bad times rather than in good. My posts are based on information gathered at games and in talking to people closely involved. If that's not good enough for you, I apologize.

I understand that we most likely won't agree.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Sorry if you didn't understand. But what I should have said was that I attend games and talk to the people involved with the program unlike the several folks who post more frequently in bad times rather than in good. My posts are based on information gathered at games and in talking to people closely involved. If that's not good enough for you, I apologize.

I understand that we most likely won't agree.

I understand perfectly but my point still stands: being a "supporter" of a program, regardless of which one or at what school, doesn't necessarily make one OPINION more "valid" than another's. If anything - and we see it here all the time - it skews one's opinion and makes it less balanced. With this program especially, let's be honest, posters get incredibly defensive of CVS because of her past, so my guess is that most opinions will tend to skew far too positively in a scenario that is exceedingly negative right now. Doesn't mean you won't be right, doesn't mean she won't turn this around, but it also doesn't "validate" your opinion, over another's, at this point.

That's all!

 

[bac2therac]

oh I have no reason to doubt that the people close to the staff and the coaches themselves are telling people that and using it as an excuse so I dont doubt you are hearing it, to me its a bs excuse though IMO and thats what this message board is about isnt it. Do you really think that CVS is admitting to herself the game has passed her by.

 

[RUClassof67]

oh I have no reason to doubt that the people close to the staff and the coaches themselves are telling people that and using it as an excuse so I dont doubt you are hearing it, to me its a bs excuse though IMO and thats what this message board is about isnt it. Do you really think that CVS is admitting to herself the game has passed her by.

Again you can believe what you'd like.

 

[MADHAT1]

Don't think anyone who follows RU WBB would think Vivian would retire before making her best effort to reach 1000 victories. CVS didn't stop being competitive and
that competitiveness as a HC is why she's close to that accomplishment.

I doubt anyone thinks Hobbs wouldn't like to see that happen and the great PR it would bring to RU and the Rutgers Women's Basketball Program.
As for the program slipping down, this season is the only one in the last 5 years that you can say looks like a disaster.
>2011–12Rutgers 20–13 10–6 6th NCAA First round
2012–13 Rutgers 16–14 7–9 T-9th
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (American Athletic Conference) (2013–2014)
2013–14 Rutgers 28–9 12–6 4th WNIT Champions
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Big Ten Conference) (2014–present)
2014–15 Rutgers 23–10 12–6 5th(NCAA Second Round)
2015–16 Rutgers 19–15<
With the record Rutgers had over the last 5 years ( not including this season)
Vivian Stringer deserved to be given every chance to come back this season to see if she could get withing striking distance ( believe 31 games short before season started)
The knock before was that she made too much money, now it switched to age.
There are reasons besides just her age that has made RU not a top destination anymore and it was her name that was the main reason talent came.
( except for the pony-tail players, that seemed to be invisible, some posters had wanted years ago in their daily bashes of C.Vivian Stringer when other recruiting reasons weren't that easy to find)

Despite the long time Viv must go crowd, she has proven year after year she deserves to stay, though this one could be the reason she goes.
Rutgers didn't support RU WBB like it should have and that's why it regressed.
Men's Basketball was in the same boat and that's why it wasn't successful.
But with new facilities coming MBB has a chance to succeed because the facilities won't drive away recruits. Giving the new coach who seems to be a good one help on the recruiting trail.

With that in mind Stringer's name and having better facilities to show potential recruits will help her recruitment of players and could overcome recruits thinking she might leave after this contract is up.
Also wanting to be a part of Stringer earning her 1000th win might help RUWBB recruiting.

But if this season doesn't turn around a bit and show some positives, Vivian might not be asked to return and I won't complain, like I would have if her record was like the past 3 years. But would like to see her come back for that 1000th if at the end of this season Stringer looks close enough to get 1000 easily.

 

[bac2therac]

last year they didnt make the NCAA tourney with 3 WNBA players, also the year earlier they tanked at the end of the year and that cost them because their seeding drop to 8 and they drew UConn, and the year before they totally missed the NCAA tourney most likely because of an embarrassing loss to a hideous UMass team that was like 3-27 in its last 30 games coming into it...and 2013 was a disaster as well..what was the excuse then? contracts?

 

[Knight Time Fan]

last year they didnt make the NCAA tourney with 3 WNBA players, also the year earlier they tanked at the end of the year and that cost them because their seeding drop to 8 and they drew UConn, and the year before they totally missed the NCAA tourney most likely because of an embarrassing loss to a hideous UMass team that was like 3-27 in its last 30 games coming into it...and 2013 was a disaster as well..what was the excuse then? contracts?

I'd tell you if I knew. I think there are always legitimate reasons - poor recruiting being one of them - not excuses. The biggest criticism of CVS that is highly defensible is that she hasn't been able to overcome whatever the situations are. So, a team that should have done much better didn't. "WTF" losses. A late season flop. Whatever reasons - she couldn't overcome them. And yes, I recognize that other coaches have been able to overcome these things, so that may indeed be Vivian's greatest weakness.

You seem to be unable to accept that many of us do wonder if CVS cannot do it anymore - and as another poster says constantly, I will not have a single word against any change of coaches if Hobbs chooses to make one (assuming the season continues to go poorly).

Conversely, I am one of many who want CVS to be able to do it, hope she can, and will also not say a word if Hobbs was to retain her past when I think it appropriate.

 

[RU old timer]

Like I have said on previous posts on multiple RU boards, it is clear that Rutgers fans enjoy losing. They have more loyalty to coaches--who are EMPLOYEES--than to their teams. This is exactly why we keep our coaches at RU too long...we wait until a program is not only a losing program but completely wrecked to do something. I know of no other school in the Power 5 conferences with fans more stupid than Rutgers fans. Football program: Wrecked. Men's basketball: asleep for one quarter of a century. Top 25 women's program becoming a train wreck. But we will continue to support the employees while forgetting than we should be making decisions that are in the best interest of PROGRAMS--NOT EMPLOYEES.

 

[dmd78]

Like I have said on previous posts on multiple RU boards, it is clear that Rutgers fans enjoy losing. They have more loyalty to coaches--who are EMPLOYEES--than to their teams. This is exactly why we keep our coaches at RU too long...we wait until a program is not only a losing program but completely wrecked to do something. I know of no other school in the Power 5 conferences with fans more stupid than Rutgers fans. Football program: Wrecked. Men's basketball: asleep for one quarter of a century. Top 25 women's program becoming a train wreck. But we will continue to support the employees while forgetting than we should be making decisions that are in the best interest of PROGRAMS--NOT EMPLOYEES.

It's so easy to cast stones when you're anonymous, isn't it? Your post is an insult to all Rutgers fans. Our fans aren't "stupid". We don't make the coaching decisions. We didn't hire Dick Anderson or Terry Shea or Craig Littlepage or some of the other dreadful mbball hires (Bannon, Rice, etc). And more often than not, our fans have called for replacements long before Rutgers took any action. In the case of CVS, she is by far one of our most successful coaches ever at RU, in any sport. And during the 40+ years since Rutgers hired Theresa Grentz as the first full-time wbball coach in the country, Rutgers has experienced far more winning seasons than losing ones. Our fans LOVE winning and we HATE losing. We also care about the student-athletes who represent Rutgers, and we take the time to get to know them. We want them to experience winning here. But one of the reasons that our wbball fan base gets defensive about CVS - besides her status as a HoF coach and her legacy here - is the fear that Rutgers will try to replace her on the cheap to free up $$ for other sports. (I've lost track of the number of times that idea is floated on other RU messages boards.) Rutgers could get lucky with an up-and-coming coach, but there are no guarantees (see above list of failed RU fb and mbb coaches). Anyway, are we fans concerned about the current state of the wbball team? Absolutely. Are we stupid? Absolutely not.

 

[SkilletHead2]

'67 you seemed to be clued in here. What do you think this program will look like next season when the aforementioned players are on the court and if Scaife comes back?
Thanks.

Oh, and yay! Rutgers women have their first win. They got off the snide.

schneid

 

[RU MAN]

schneid

Thanks.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Thanks.

Any time!

I just tried to explain the concept down here in New Zealand. I got responses like, "The Catskills?" "No, I didn't see Dirty Dancing." "Gin. Like gin rummy, or like gin and tonic?" "Why did Schneiderman keep playing gin if he wasn't very good?"

 

[RU MAN]

Any time!

I just tried to explain the concept down here in New Zealand. I got responses like, "The Catskills?" "No, I didn't see Dirty Dancing." "Gin. Like gin rummy, or like gin and tonic?" "Why did Schneiderman keep playing gin if he wasn't very good?"

LOL! I read that too.

 

[RU old timer]

Thank you for your reply, Moderator. I respectfully disagree with your thought that Rutgers will try to go "on the cheap" and therefore will most likely disappear with the next hire. Why such fear?????? If you look at the top 25 in women's basketball this week:
ND, CT, SC, Baylor, MD, Miss St, Lou, FSU, Ohio State, UCLA, Stanford, Oklahoma, Wash, TX, DePaul, WVU, Ken, Mia, FL, Syra, Col, TN, Aub, Oregon State, and Texas A&M---while I'm not going to take the time to look up their salaries....the point here is that HALF of these schools are not "name programs". Just look at: Miss State, Wash, DePaul, WVU, Mia, FL, Syracuse, Colorado, Auburn, Oregon State......if we hired not a "big name" but someone "on the rise" as a head coach in a non power 5 conference or a top assistant at a power 5.....there is no reason----or excuse---for Rutgers--with its history under Grentz and Vivian (until the last few years)--to NOT be at the level of my schools mentioned above. I'm not here to preach that we should still be with ND, Baylor, Stanford, and Maryland---but for us to not be with the schools I have named is inexcusable. It is a disgrace that we are not in the bottom half of the top 25; we should be there every year. Rutgers is not going to de-emphasize women's basketball...unless those who care about it don't realize that a change is urgently needed to save women's basketball. By supporting our coach who is an employee of Rutgers...leading a dead program that has not been top 25 consistently through a regular season for several years...you actually are digging the grave for the program. It is like staying at a one star hotel which used to be 5 star hotel because you are afraid you might have no hotel to stay in. Tear the hotel down now, build a 2-3 star hotel which can improve to 4 stars in a short time.

 

[BeKnighted]

Thank you for your reply, Moderator. I respectfully disagree with your thought that Rutgers will try to go "on the cheap" and therefore will most likely disappear with the next hire. Why such fear?????? If you look at the top 25 in women's basketball this week:
ND, CT, SC, Baylor, MD, Miss St, Lou, FSU, Ohio State, UCLA, Stanford, Oklahoma, Wash, TX, DePaul, WVU, Ken, Mia, FL, Syra, Col, TN, Aub, Oregon State, and Texas A&M---while I'm not going to take the time to look up their salaries....the point here is that HALF of these schools are not "name programs". Just look at: Miss State, Wash, DePaul, WVU, Mia, FL, Syracuse, Colorado, Auburn, Oregon State......if we hired not a "big name" but someone "on the rise" as a head coach in a non power 5 conference or a top assistant at a power 5.....there is no reason----or excuse---for Rutgers--with its history under Grentz and Vivian (until the last few years)--to NOT be at the level of my schools mentioned above. I'm not here to preach that we should still be with ND, Baylor, Stanford, and Maryland---but for us to not be with the schools I have named is inexcusable. It is a disgrace that we are not in the bottom half of the top 25; we should be there every year. Rutgers is not going to de-emphasize women's basketball...unless those who care about it don't realize that a change is urgently needed to save women's basketball. By supporting our coach who is an employee of Rutgers...leading a dead program that has not been top 25 consistently through a regular season for several years...you actually are digging the grave for the program. It is like staying at a one star hotel which used to be 5 star hotel because you are afraid you might have no hotel to stay in. Tear the hotel down now, build a 2-3 star hotel which can improve to 4 stars in a short time.

Just to pick a few names from your list, DePaul has a highly-respected coach with something like 500 wins, WVU has been a regular in the NCAAs, Colorado had a down period but had been a Sweet 16 team in the 2000s, and Auburn had a 2 seed as recently as 2009 (as anyone who was at the 2nd round NCAA game at the RAC that year should remember). So, yeah, a lot of those teams are *name* programs.

I'm not saying that RU should keep CVS, and I share the concern that she's not up to the task for whatever reason, but I also think that the assumption that hiring someone "on the rise" for not so much money will work is speculative. History is littered with examples of well-respected assistants or mid-major coaches going to major conference teams and not succeeding. Think of Cheryl Burnett, who had 2 FFs at SMS, going to Michigan and doing nothing. Think, for that matter, of what's happened at Tennessee when they hired Pat Summitt's immediate deputy; it's not too hard to imagine the Lady Vols dropping out of the top 25 once the SEC season starts.

 

[richthedentist]

Obviously we are not going on the cheap because he retained CVS although for less money than her previous contract it is still a hefty contract and at that number we can certainly bring in a quality coach

 

[MADHAT1]

Obviously we are not going on the cheap because he retained CVS although for less money than her previous contract it is still a hefty contract and at that number we can certainly bring in a quality coach

Up until recently, why would a quality coach want to come to RU with the lack of support the RU Administration gave basketball.
Just recently did RU BB facilities get the OK to be upgraded and an all out effert to fund that upgrade.
Stringer was the reason RU had winning records and why recruits considered RU,
This season might be the reason she doesn't return,but past seasons were not a valid because of the obstacles she had to overcome because RU BB wasn't supported properly.

People who expect to have a great program should realize that it's more than what you pay the HC that gives the financial support that goes with having a great program.
Rutgers never made the investment and CVS kept the program afloat despite that fact. But this year might be the one that sinks her and I'll understand if Hobbs decides it's time to make a change.
Luckily RU is starting to support it's BB programs and should be able to bring in a qualified HC and not go on the cheap gambling on an assistant or lower level HC being able to make RU WBB one of the best.

 

[Knight Time Fan]

I just want to say that, like so many things "its complicated". Many of the programs mentioned above have sound reasons for their success, including in a number of cases a very shrewd hire for head coach. However, BeK is also 100% correct, the court could be littered with supposedly good hires that, well, didn't work out. And then there were the hires that didn't look good in the first place . . . Such as the P5 school that recently hired a head coach with a losing record - and limited experience - from a lower level conference.

I'll also offer an article I just read about our head volleyball coach here at Arizona - in 24 years prior to this one, he is 459-277, he has made the NCAA's like 19 times. One final four, a few 2nd weekend appearances and a lot of 1st and 2nd round exits. Some top 25 rankings. Would Rutgers fans accept a similar record of success in WBB under a new head coach?

 

[knight82]

C Vivian Stringer was a great coach. One of the best ever. But she hung on too long. And her stubborness to not realize that today's game is much different from the past and that today's youth does not want to play her style has caused this once great coach to the point where getting the thirty whatever wins she needs for 1000 to be very, very difficult. And unfortunately this whole situation has blown up our once great program.

 

[hoquat63]

After attending Brant and Chattanooga games, I am not impressed with the team. However, we have a bunch of kids who were mostly role players last year and kids new to the program. It will take time to see if former role players step it up this year and jell with the new players. I suspect we get manhandled (womanhandled?) by Duke tonight. Anyone else remember as season where we got blown out by Duke early in the season? (And no, I am not predicting we get into the NCAAs this year).

 

[RizwranII]

i call bs on the contract thing....it was a 4 year contract, 2 years guaranteed and CVS performance was declining as coach and she is getting old. Her age is a huge factor in recruits not coming because they know at sometime she is retiring, that question is always going to be there for the next round of recruits. Should RU sign her for 8 years, come on now, the general thought is she would gracefully retire before it got ugly like this. Her recruiting was decling for years, a few years ago BEFORE the new contract with Julie I heard posters here saying that CVS wasnt getting the top talent so thats why we were falling off the national map..so she wasnt getting it before but now we are blaming the contract and now all of a sudden they will come even though they werent coming before...sounds like excuses

Totally agree Bac.

I remember the year she complained about not having the talent on the team and her lap dog John (put a player in to just rough up the other team that ended w 5 fouls in a matter of minutes and a broken arm for an opposing player) Chaney backing her up big time. The problem was that she had more McD AA players on the team than 75% of the Big 10 teams had combined for the History of their programs.

Please...it is time and has been for a while now for CVS to leave for the good of the program.

 

[RizwranII]

Like I have said on previous posts on multiple RU boards, it is clear that Rutgers fans enjoy losing. They have more loyalty to coaches--who are EMPLOYEES--than to their teams. This is exactly why we keep our coaches at RU too long...we wait until a program is not only a losing program but completely wrecked to do something. I know of no other school in the Power 5 conferences with fans more stupid than Rutgers fans. Football program: Wrecked. Men's basketball: asleep for one quarter of a century. Top 25 women's program becoming a train wreck. But we will continue to support the employees while forgetting than we should be making decisions that are in the best interest of PROGRAMS--NOT EMPLOYEES.

This is my first nasty post. You are a sad moron that should transfer out. We'll try to even waive the one year sit out requirement to give you more incentive to never come around this board again.

 

[rubaseball78]

While 1000 wins is a great accomplishment we shouldn't be making hiring/replacing decisions with getting 1000 wins as a criteria.

 

[78CollegeAve]

She's underachieved with her McD kids and has made some impressive runs when least expected. I think the contract issue is a convenient excuse for kids who want to go to a program that's trending up instead of RU on the downslope. But ... Hobbs was in a tough spot and really had no choice but to retain her. This season is self-inflicted, for the most part, but she deserves a pass. Next season it should be NCAA or time for Hobbs to move on.

 

[RizwranII]

She's underachieved with her McD kids and has made some impressive runs when least expected. I think the contract issue is a convenient excuse for kids who want to go to a program that's trending up instead of RU on the downslope. But ... Hobbs was in a tough spot and really had no choice but to retain her. This season is self-inflicted, for the most part, but she deserves a pass. Next season it should be NCAA or time for Hobbs to move on.

What impressive runs did she make when least expected without at least 4-6 McD All Americans on her team?

She has been very bad game-time coach for a while now.

Last year she had on paper, the 2nd best team in the Big Ten and ended up getting whacked at home in the 2nd round of the NIT.

Time to start fresh before the hole the next coach has to dig out of gets too big.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Again you can believe what you'd like.

C'mon now. Be honest.

Plenty of the greats did not know when it was time to walk away.