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WBB: Candidates to Replace KMM

dyemeduke said:
I don't quite agree with this statement about Burns. Her resume isn't all that impressive - she seems like a quality coach, but CU Buffs W Bball used to be an elite program...I'm not convinced if she will bring us back to elite status.

I honestly don't know too many women's coaches except for the top programs, so I can't think of too many candidates. However, I'm wondering about a male coach? They've seemed to have done well in the women's ranks. I'd prefer a great female coach, but I don't think we need to cut out 50% of the population based on sex. I wonder if there's a good coach out there that just didn't seem to connect with male players...

For example, and this is completely sexist of me to say (LB and others, if you still patrol these boards, feel free to bitch me out), but take Hawk - if there was a female football team, I think he'd be awesome for that. He's a good guy, knows "some" football, personable, trustworthy, etc. We need to find the equivalent of Hawk in men's bball, and allow him to thrive in womens bball...but I want someone that knows Xs and Os better than Hawk knows football.
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Ceal Berry told me that male coaches in WBB had an advantage in recruiting. The fathers were getting more and more involved in their daughters careers and were a driving force in the decision making. Since they related better to male coaches Ceal thought that was an advantage. That is why she hired a male assistant at the end of her career - he left after one year.
 
Buffnik said:
At this point, I can't think of a single good reason to retain K-Mac as our head women's basketball coach. After another loss Saturday, her team is 3-13 in the Big 12, 13-16 overall, and losers of 11 of its last 12 games. This on the heels of the 2008-09 team that also went 3-13 in the Big 12 (11-18 overall).

As I've stated before, the timing is perfect:

- 2010 recruiting class is already signed (new coach won't have a last minute scramble)
- 2011 class could be truly special with the excitement of a new coach, a new practice facility and (likely) an announcement that CU will be joining the PAC
- Talent is in place for a very strong 2010-11 season, so we should be able to attract a good coach (not a rebuilding job)
- A clause in K-Mac's contract allows us to get out of it after this year and owe less than $200k

Here's my top choice as a replacement after doing an internet search:

2343705.jpeg


Beth Burns
Head Coach: San Diego State

Notable:

  • Winningiest coach in SDSU history
  • Hired by Mike Bohn for 2nd stint (after she spent several years at Ohio State)
  • Worked for several years as an assistant coach under Ceal Barry at CU in the 1980s
  • Career .580 winning %
  • Holds a Master's Degree and has coached 30 Academic All-Conference athletes
  • 6 NCAA teams and 1 WNIT Champion in 17 years at SDSU and OSU
  • This season (her 18th year) has her SDSU team in 3rd place in the MWC at 18-10 (a good bet to become her 7th 20-win team)
  • Strong recruiting ties to San Diego which, coupled with Colorado in-state recruiting, can deliver just about all we need
Link to SDSU Bio

Thoughts? Other suggestions?

:gobuffs:
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Well, last night Beth Burns #11 San Diego State team knocked #6 seeded Texas out of the NCAA in the first round, playing on the Longhorns home court in Austin. That makes this even a better idea in my book
 
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And tonight Burns' SDSU team took down #3 seed West Virginia to get into the Sweet 16.

Lowest seed still alive in the women's tourney at #11. Really doubtful the Aztecs get through Duke, so she should be available for an interview next week.
 
Buffnik said:
And tonight Burns' SDSU team took down #3 seed West Virginia to get into the Sweet 16.

Lowest seed still alive in the women's tourney at #11. Really doubtful the Aztecs get through Duke, so she should be available for an interview next week.
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Beat me to it 'Nik.
 
OK you guys. Is this for real? Do you really think K-Mac is going to get fired? Honestly? I just don't see it happening, given all the other crap that's going on in the AD these days, but you're all much closer to the program than I am, so my question is serious.
 
sackman said:
OK you guys. Is this for real? Do you really think K-Mac is going to get fired? Honestly? I just don't see it happening, given all the other crap that's going on in the AD these days, but you're all much closer to the program than I am, so my question is serious.
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I'm less confident than I was.

There was reason to believe before this season even started that the AD-KMM relationship wasn't all it could be and there was some feeling that she was a dead woman walking without a breakthrough year.

But why not announce the firing (or re-assignment) and begin the search as soon as the season ended? This isn't making much sense to me.

If I can make it over to the practice facility groundbreaking tomorrow, I may get clued in a bit better.
 
sackman said:
OK you guys. Is this for real? Do you really think K-Mac is going to get fired? Honestly? I just don't see it happening, given all the other crap that's going on in the AD these days, but you're all much closer to the program than I am, so my question is serious.
Click to expand...

I hesitated to write this, because I hate internet **** talk. However, someone I know, who knows someone that knows some people in the program thinks it's going to happen. So, please, take this all with a grain of salt, as this is NOT coming from a straight source by any means.

Me, I agree - I don't think it's going to happen, some players not happy with KMac MAY transfer, and Bohn will be shown to be an idiot once again. Even if he does get rid of KMac...I'm not sure I want Bohn doing the hiring.
 
dyemeduke said:
I hesitated to write this, because I hate internet **** talk. However, someone I know, who knows someone that knows some people in the program thinks it's going to happen. So, please, take this all with a grain of salt, as this is NOT coming from a straight source by any means.

Me, I agree - I don't think it's going to happen, some players not happy with KMac MAY transfer, and Bohn will be shown to be an idiot once again. Even if he does get rid of KMac...I'm not sure I want Bohn doing the hiring.
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I used to watch CU's women, they used to be one of the better programs in the country. You follow Duke, anybody on their staff worth taking a look at? I wish we could get someone off the men's staff but that wont happen. Hell, they probably wont even fire KMM anyway.
 
dyemeduke said:
I hesitated to write this, because I hate internet **** talk. However, someone I know, who knows someone that knows some people in the program thinks it's going to happen. So, please, take this all with a grain of salt, as this is NOT coming from a straight source by any means.

Me, I agree - I don't think it's going to happen, some players not happy with KMac MAY transfer, and Bohn will be shown to be an idiot once again. Even if he does get rid of KMac...I'm not sure I want Bohn doing the hiring.
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The Denver Post says it is going to happen. She is gone. I am very glad to see the AD step up and do the right thing.
 
Boulder Buff said:
The Denver Post says it is going to happen. She is gone. I am very glad to see the AD step up and do the right thing.
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Hallelujah!

Thank you, BB. I hadn't seen that article.

Link

"Colorado is negotiating to terminate the contract of women's basketball coach Kathy McConnell-Miller, according to an athletic department source."
 
It was a very nice surprise to read my e-mail and see that headline from the Denver Post. Glad to see the AD striving to make our basketball programs relevant again with this move and the groundbreaking.
 
K-Mac was not at the groundbreaking. Officially, she was on vacation with her family. The other 2 coaches who will use the facility (Jeff Bzdelik and Liz Kritza) were on hand for the event.

http://www.buffzone.com/ci_14756904

CU athletic director Mike Bohn would not say that negotiations are underway, saying only that the "process" of evaluating the program was continuing.
 
Buffnik said:
K-Mac was not at the groundbreaking. Officially, she was on vacation with her family. The other 2 coaches who will use the facility (Jeff Bzdelik and Liz Kritza) were on hand for the event.

http://www.buffzone.com/ci_14756904

CU athletic director Mike Bohn would not say that negotiations are underway, saying only that the "process" of evaluating the program was continuing.
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She's a goner. And you know what? This is how women's basketball has grown up. The coaches make damned good money. If they do not win, it is a big deal. That wasn't the way it was not too long ago.
 
I have to say I'm surprised by this. I didn't think the AD cared about women's basketball. Buffzone comments aside (they're always good for a chuckle), I think this actually shows that the AD has a spine. He'll give you five years to hang yourself. Hawk, are you paying attention?
 
Woelk didn't pull any punches in his blog today:

http://www.buffzone.com/ci_14761765

It's worth reading the whole thing. He blasts CU for how it bungled the Barnett, Patton and Hawkins situations and how the university has screwed up the KMM firing in a way that formed a cloud over a day of celebration at the groundbreaking. While all those bigwigs were on campus to celebrate the new facility, KMM was not. It was an elephant in the room that could have easily been avoided.

But as much as he rips on CU, Woelk goes especially hard at KMM. Check this out:

McConnell-Miller should shoulder plenty of blame in this fiasco.

She's known for weeks that her future is not at CU. She and her agent could have sat down with CU's administrators, hammered out an exit deal and moved on. She had her chance and it didn't work out. Game over. She should have the maturity to accept it and do the right thing.

Instead, we hear she's threatening legal action. She's taking a page from the "desperation" section of the Playbook for Coaches Who Don't Get the Job Done.

Can't do it on the court? Take them to court. Call one of Boulder's fineset ambulance chasers and cry foul.
 
I certainly see your point. His resume isn't that great. He struggled at Providence, but he did build Marquette into a really good program an is doing some good things at Dayton. I was just looking at some former Ceal Barry assistants and thought we should at least look at the guy. I still prefer Beth Burns though.
 
Beth Burns' SDSU Aztecs are taking on Duke right now on CBS. I'm actually gong to check it out to see how they hold up against a more talented team. They should get smoked, but Texas and West Virginia should have smoked them too. Who knows?
 
SDSU down 34-35 at halftime. I've seen all I needed to see. Burns can flat out coach and has recruited athletes to SDSU.
 
Buffnik said:
SDSU down 34-35 at halftime. I've seen all I needed to see. Burns can flat out coach and has recruited athletes to SDSU.
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I looked over their roster. Several players from So Cal and even some from No Cal. You give her that recruiting base with an already strong in-state recruiting base, no reason she would not be able to field a talented roster at CU.
 
Been hard to watch the 2nd half. It's so obvious when an underdog team simply runs out of gas. Duke turned up the defensive pressure, beat SDSU to every rebound and loose ball, and SDSU had nothing left. Duke should coast to a double digit win. Great run by the Aztecs.

Time to get your pitch together, Mike. I hope that there has already been some behind the scenes talk with Burns' agent.
 
I just fond a great article on Burns: http://www.nctimes.com/sports/college/aztecs/article_a24a2e88-07dd-5591-a9a1-0bef76edb83f.html

If we hire her, people should go back and read it. She's a pretty amazing lady.

But here's the part that is most relevant for CU today: "San Diego State officials had seen enough by the end of the 2007 season, tearing up Burns' original contract and awarding her a new five-year deal through 2011-12 at an annual salary of $175,000".

We can double her salary and include escalators that would triple it starting when we were done paying for the K-Mac buyout. We should be able to land her as our next Head Coach.
 
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