RandBall: Common threads between Stollings, Frese departures -- including Whalen?

per RandBall:

The last time a Gophers women’s basketball coach known for an up-tempo, offensive style bolted town for a job that looked like a lateral move (at best) in the short-term, she ended up winning a national championship a few years later and establishing her new school as a perennial national contender.

That was 16 years ago, when Brenda Frese left Minnesota for Maryland.

On Monday, history repeated itself in some ways and not at all in others when Marlene Stollings left the Gophers for Texas Tech.

The similarities come in the raw circumstances. Both Frese and Stollings took the Gophers to the second round of the NCAA tournament in the season prior to their departures, and both left for programs that had experienced previous success before falling on hard times.

Maryland was 13-17 the season before hiring Frese and had been to the NCAA tournament just twice in the previous nine seasons. Texas Tech won the NCAA title in 1993 but hasn’t had a winning season since 2012-13 and hasn’t won an NCAA tourney game since 2004-05.

Both moves were surprising on the surface, but for different reasons.

http://www.startribune.com/common-t...epartures-including-lindsay-whalen/479194333/

Go Gophers!!

That is one strange stretch of an article; especially the part about "paranoid" Gopher fans. Paranoia is way down the list of descriptors characterizing today's posts.

Sorry, but I just can't see Whalen as the head coach. To state the obvious - she has no coaching experience, no recruiting experience - and people want to make her the head coach at a D1 school in a major conference? not going to happen. Now, if she wants to be an assistant coach, that's fine. Let her learn under a more experience coach for a few years, and then take over as the HC down the road.

If they go that route, the HC hire would be more of an older, mentor type. If Whalen lets the U know she's not interested, then they would probably look for a younger coach who could presumably hold the job on a long-term basis.

short ornery norwegian said:

Sorry, but I just can't see Whalen as the head coach. To state the obvious - she has no coaching experience, no recruiting experience - and people want to make her the head coach at a D1 school in a major conference? not going to happen. Now, if she wants to be an assistant coach, that's fine. Let her learn under a more experience coach for a few years, and then take over as the HC down the road.

If they go that route, the HC hire would be more of an older, mentor type. If Whalen lets the U know she's not interested, then they would probably look for a younger coach who could presumably hold the job on a long-term basis.

Click to expand...

Thank you! No way they hire Whalen as the head coach. One person in the comments said that she should take the job and just “have an assistant take care of the summer stuff when she’s playing”. Get real.

As per Rand's article, I'll concede that there are some parallels with the departures of Freese and Stollings, but the attitude of Gopher fans to those departures has been totally different. When Oldfield/Freese left, that was a kick to the stomach. Gopher fans were hurt and outraged. In just one year, Gopher fans had already decided that Oldfield was a good coach. I've sensed none of that with Stollings' departure, even though I think most Gopher fans would concede that Stollings did a good job with this year's team. In looking back at Oldfield's move, it was a good move for her and for Maryland. I'd argue that she could have had similar success in Minnesota. She never totally gave her reasons for leaving, although there was lots of speculation, including her relationship with then AD Chris Voelz, better facilities at Maryland, and her thought that she could more easily recruit premier players on the East Coast. Also, she was going through a divorce at the time and that may have been a factor.

short ornery norwegian said:

Sorry, but I just can't see Whalen as the head coach. To state the obvious - she has no coaching experience, no recruiting experience - and people want to make her the head coach at a D1 school in a major conference? not going to happen. Now, if she wants to be an assistant coach, that's fine. Let her learn under a more experience coach for a few years, and then take over as the HC down the road.

If they go that route, the HC hire would be more of an older, mentor type. If Whalen lets the U know she's not interested, then they would probably look for a younger coach who could presumably hold the job on a long-term basis.

Click to expand...

Old or young won't matter if there is no connection to the U. An old coach for obvious reasons and the young coach would leave after a few years if successful here Hire a great coach now and convince Whalen to become an assistant. After a few years, Lindsey can take over the program. Doubt she would ever head to greener pastures and hopefully would coach here for many years.

Frese Departure

I also remembered that she moved to be in a more temperate climate for her golf-pro then-husband. There were lots of speculation.

It appears some people are surprised Whalen is the new Head coach. I like the hire. I will be surprised if she is not much better than Stollings. Anxious for next season.

I am a little surprised with no coaching experience. I love the hire though. Get a couple top assistants that can help her out and all should be good. I hope she has already made a phone call or visit to Hopkins High.