Shouldn't Our Women's BB Coaches' Fanny Be Red-Hot About Now?

[KCDuck1]

Sir Mister Fishduck,

   

   Shouldn't our Women's BB coaches' fanny be red-hot about now? He has finally tied the record for most consecutive losses in a year. He seems like he is coasting while injuries limit his team's success.

Still, isn't that a problem for all coaches in every sport? Doesn't a coach determine the physical fitness of their team to then shape the training IOT facilitate greater fitness or to exploit the firness they have to defeat opponents?

 

   The Ducks' Women's BB program has been on a downward slide for quite a while. I was disappointed when our previous point guard transferred to USC to play for a winning program. She recognized our 

program was going nowhere but would continue the downward slide. To be fair, I never talked with our previous PG, and I am specualting as to her motivation. I believe we are fortunate to have the players

we have, but they are not enough. We have seen what our coach can do when he has a lot of great material that meshes, and what he does when he fails to mesh the material - he loses, and his job is to win.

 

   Best regards with your move and new home. Thanks for your consideration,

KCDuck1

[anyotherduck]

Should be sent packing immediately. Complete loss of control + no direction have destroyed the program. No idea what they're waiting for, maybe they think Graves will leave on his own.

[Washington Waddler]

     Graves acknowledged from the get go that this team would not be good offensively. That prediction has proved correct. When you continually can’t capitalize on defensive turn-overs, it guts a team.
 

     Despite the losses, this team still competes. That tells me they’re putting in the practice hours trying to improve the offensive production. It just hasn’t happened. 
 

     Is that Grave’s fault? Dunno. When you’ve been to the Covid-altered top, and are now at the bottom, it makes me curious what could be next? I’m not ready to give up on the guy.

[Duckman60]

I think they need to go in a different direction...Mark Campbell.  He is connected to Oregon's best teams and done a good job at TCU till injuries devastated the team.  Sabrina said he was the reason she came to Oregon to begin with.

[NJDuck]

On 2/26/2024 at 3:56 PM, Duckman60 said:

I think they need to go in a different direction...Mark Campbell.  He is connected to Oregon's best teams and done a good job at TCU till injuries devastated the team.  Sabrina said he was the reason she came to Oregon to begin with.

Bingo!

[David Marsh]

I think Graves has had enough time to get this team rolling again and it has continued to be a disappointment. When players consistently transfer to other programs and do better that is a good sign that the program is flopping. He brought in too much high quality talent for the results to be this bad. \

 

Personally, I believe it is time for a change. 

[2002duck]

On 2/26/2024 at 3:31 PM, David Marsh said:

When players consistently transfer

This is what I have been thinking these past few years as well. The only reason players should transfer out of Oregon for football or basketball is because they don't want to sit on the bench. If people are bailing you've got a problem.

[Cacker Guy]

Players who transferred after Mark Campbell left include Jaz Shelley, Taylor Chavez, Taylor Mikesell, Angela Dugalic, Maddie Scherr, Kylie Watson, Sydney Parrish ... and last year Tehina PaoPao, Indiya Rogers and Sedona Prince.  All went to top programs and have done very well (with the exception of Chavez who had a few good games at Arizona but didn't start).  The few players who transferred in have not been anywhere near the talent level of those who left.  There is mounting evidence that Campbell was largely responsible for the Ducks' success.  I don't know what's going on ... but I'm not sure Graves does either.

[ArkieDuck]

Transferees probably talk among themselves, to other players and recruits (high school, AAU) why they transferred from Oregon, 

[SmithRiverDuck]

I get calling for coach Graves' job.  The losing is one thing. The player exodus is symptomatic of much deeper problems.  This problem, or cancer, whatever you want to call it, is harkening back to the darkest times of Oregon Womens' Basketball. Past Paul Westhead to the Bev Smith era.  I'm definitely in favor of a reboot helmed by Mark Campbell.

 

I've also heard the fire Dana Altman calls on these threads. That I just don't get.  I'm as frustrated with this team as anyone (Dana probably heads that list).  But I don't see that the coach is the problem.  I'll admit to being a total Altman homer.  He's the guy I wanted during our last search, where we were willing to give our portion of the sun in order to get Tom Izzo (how's his team doing, by the way).

 

It's just a tough basketball year for Oregon.  Every time I start to believe in the men's team, they go out and let a Cal beat them and I see what I've been seeing all season.  Another NIT quarter-final team.  Maybe we can lose to Wisconsin again.

 

With the women I can see a total rebuild is in order. With the men I have to wonder what a healthy Dante and Bittle would have been. Although, injuries would be my biggest question over the last few years.  Bol Bol seems to be tearing up the NBA lately, but played all of nine games for us. There's a couple more examples.  I do question that. But, we've got the only active coach not in the hall of fame that deserves it.  That streak of winning seasons? Every other coach on that list is already in.

[QuackAttack]

And who would you suggest they hire? Kelly Graves brought the women’s basketball team into the national conversation! Without KG, the program wouldn’t have the high expectations they have. Chill, I think KG has earned some wiggle room.

[David Marsh]

On 2/27/2024 at 12:14 AM, SmithRiverDuck said:

I get calling for coach Graves' job.  The losing is one thing. The player exodus is symptomatic of much deeper problems.  This problem, or cancer, whatever you want to call it, is harkening back to the darkest times of Oregon Womens' Basketball. Past Paul Westhead to the Bev Smith era.  I'm definitely in favor of a reboot helmed by Mark Campbell.

 

I've also heard the fire Dana Altman calls on these threads. That I just don't get.  I'm as frustrated with this team as anyone (Dana probably heads that list).  But I don't see that the coach is the problem.  I'll admit to being a total Altman homer.  He's the guy I wanted during our last search, where we were willing to give our portion of the sun in order to get Tom Izzo (how's his team doing, by the way).

What's interesting with both Oregon basketball coaches if that both Graves and Altman lost one of their prime assistant coaches a few years ago. For Graves it was losing Mark Campbell and for Altman it was losing Tony Stubblefield, who is no longer a head coach so possible reunion maybe? There are some coaching combos out there that just make each other better and that's the chemistry.

 

It seems like Campbell may be the better half of the duo with Graves as his program is doing well while Graves' is floundering.

 

But what's certain at this point is that the basketball magic is gone in Eugene right now. I think Altman stands a better chance of figuring out how to regain that lost shine for his team but I don't have any confidence that Graves does at this point.

[Dr Hilarius]

On 2/27/2024 at 8:04 PM, QuackAttack said:

And who would you suggest they hire

Mark Campbell

[MicroBurst61]

RedHot, Five Alarm Fire, Habanero/Carolina Reaper Fanny Hot Right now.

 

I honestly believe he will not be coaching the Ducks Women's BB in the B1G next year.

 

Dana has earned another year or two before his fanny starts to warm (consistent 20 win seasons will do that for ya) but going into the B1G he better be able to return to form or.... buttocks.

 

Going to be an interesting couple years for Ducks Basketball, men and women's, and the direction they will be going.

[JabbaNoBargain]

Worst thing that can happen is a return to apathy.
 

I was really into the team when they were good, was actually going out of my way to watch every game I could, even when it involved a terrible streaming situation. 
 

Now I’ve completely quit paying attention. Stay the course if you’re cool with back-burner women’s hoops.

[spartan2785]

In my opinion the calls for Altman are premature, he's by far the most successful basketball coach Oregon has ever had, a down year for him is around 20 wins with a NIT invite, he's had decimating injuries the last three years, let's see how he does if has any semblance of an off-season where he isn't scrambling to put together 10 players together in order to scrimmage, or completely having to change his style mid-season.  

 

Graves has had injuries this season, but it's a completely different situation where players are leaving in droves (players that are wanted), his teams have also seemed to regress in basic knowledge of the game, and they don't even play hard.  It's turned into a garbage fire of a season. 

Edited February 28 by Steven A

[JabbaNoBargain]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:02 PM, spartan2785 said:

The calls for Altman are ridiculous, he's by far the most successful basketball coach Oregon has ever had, a down year for him is around 20 wins with a NIT invite, he's had decimating injuries the last three years, let's see how he does if has any semblance of an off-season where he isn't scrambling to put together 10 players together in order to scrimmage, or completely having to change his style mid-season.  

 

Graves has had injuries this season, but it's a completely different situation where players are leaving in droves (players that are wanted), his teams have also seemed to regress in basic knowledge of the game, and they don't even play hard.  It's turned into a garbage fire of a season. 

 I don’t think calling for Altman is completely ridiculous. For me, this was the year to make the top 68 and look the other way on the past two seasons because of injuries. How many years of ridiculous injuries does it take before we start to chalk it up to more than bad luck?

 

I wouldn’t fire him yet, but I hope that he retires after this year. A 4th year of no tourney, regardless of why, would be the breaking point for me. Making the field is a minimal bar for success.
 

EK was great, until he wasn’t.

Edited February 28 by JabbaNoBargain

[spartan2785]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:14 PM, JabbaNoBargain said:

 I don’t think calling for Altman is completely ridiculous. For me, this was the year to make the top 68 and look the other way on the past two seasons because of injuries. How many years of ridiculous injuries does it take before we start to chalk it up to more than bad luck?

 

I wouldn’t fire him yet, but I hope that he retires after this year. A 4th year of no tourney, regardless of why would be the breaking point for me.

If you're talking about why they're getting ridiculous injuries it's the trainer and the strength and conditioning coach that should be questioned.  Even with the injuries it hasn't been a terrible year, it's been disappointing sure, but not to where I would be firing anybody, I still think he's an elite coach

 

He's a hall of fame coach who hasn't had seasons like those of Boeheim or others who at the end of the their career cratered.  He has never not reached 20 wins in a season at Oregon, the last time he had a season under .500 was 1995/6!  

 

I totally understand being frustrated with this season, but I don't think you'll find a coach who is better out there who will come to Oregon.

[Steven A]

I think his seat should at least be toasty warm.

 

Listening to the 24/7 podcast, they stated that some of the WBB transfers were for NIL reasons.

 

Not that that is the sole reason for the spiral.

 

I think Graves should be given one more year.  The BIG will be nowhere near as tough as the Pac 12 was this year. 

 

Six teams in the top 18, played an unbalanced schedule with starting point guard lost for the season after 5 minutes of play and other players having to play out of position.