Whitney Williams transferring

[beatiowa]

I imagine many times in this situation it is for non-basketball reasons. I think Whit was a very valued player, given how much playing time she got this year. Not every member of a team has to have all-conference speed or athleticism in order to help a team win. She definitely seems too tough to be leaving for being yelled at too much. I certainly don't believe the coaches didn't want her leadership and experience the next two years, as thin as our bench will be next year. I for one am still waiting for a reason that makes sense...

I agree with you there. My guess is it is a combination of both. She could have had personal reasons why she was considering the transfer, and basketball didn't give enough of a reason to stay considering the uncertainty of future playing time. Players don't typically leave big name programs for purely playing time reasons. If basketball was the only aspect of a person's life, then I'd imagine most players would still rather be an off-the-bencher for a Sweet 16 team with national television coverage than be a star where no one will hear of you. Obviously we'd all like to know the reason why, but a lot of athletes just don't feel comfortable exposing details of their lives to thousands of strangers.

That said, I wish WW the best. One thing I always wonder (and hope usually isn't the case) is if transferring players assume their former fan bases hate them for leaving.

 

[cyclone13]

One thing I always wonder (and hope usually isn't the case) is if transferring players assume their former fan bases hate them for leaving.

I wouldn't think so, if:
1. The transfer was amicable
2. They didn't go to EIU
3. They didn't start badmouthing ISu and the staffs and most importantly: the FANS
4. The transfer was due to legitimate family reasons

 

[mred]

I wouldn't think so, if:
1. The transfer was amicable
2. They didn't go to EIU
3. They didn't start badmouthing ISu and the staffs and most importantly: the FANS
4. The transfer was due to legitimate family reasons

I'd drop #4. The top 3 are the only important ones to me.

 

[Three4Cy]

Let's quit trying to hash and re-hash why Whitney is transferring. She has made her decision and the program goes forward. Look at the people who left last year - Ashley Arlen, had the potential to be great, but didn't like to fly and saw the writing on the wall with Poppens, Prins and Z - and I'd take Poppens any day of the week of Arlen. Pop is far tougher than Arlen and loves the physical play. Rockhall - a miss, wanted to go back home. Yackley - saw the writing on the wall, and I'm not sure she physical enough to play B12 night in and night out. As for those questioning Bill, want do you want some softie who lets they players do whatever they want? Do you think Geno and Pat never yell or swear during practice? For us to compete night in and night out in the B12 and nationally, we have to change our way of thinking from a finesse team to a more physical team.

As for players transferring, it happens in the B12. Look at last year, Oklahoma had two transfers, and wow they made the final four this year. Transfers happen far more than we think.

Jenny Vining and Rose Hammond plan to transfer out of Oklahoma - ESPN

 

[jbhtexas]

As for those questioning Bill, want do you want some softie who lets they players do whatever they want?

Harsh verbal communication does not imply strong leadership, and strong leadership does not require verbally beating down the subordinates...

 

[Three4Cy]

Don't think I ever mentioned harsh verbal harassment. I hope Maya Moore doesn't transfer from UConn after Geno chewed on her the other night during the BU game. Obviously there was a disconnect between Whitney and Bill, and none of us know what it was, and all can do is speculate.

 

[bigcyfan82]

These ladies know what they are going to get day in and day out. They know Bill is going to ride their *** every day in practice and yell and scream at them...but they also know that after practice, Bill is calm and collective and will explain things, and is one of their best friends.

Maybe some of you don't see the relationships and the kind of conversations he has before games with former players...but I do, and they all respect and love that man for how much of a better player and person he made them.

Let's not blame this completely on Bill, the statement from Whit was pretty sparse, and I'm sure there were a lot of factors influencing her decision that we will never know.

 

[gizzsdad]

...but I do, and they all respect and love that man for how much of a better player and person he made them.

I guarantee you that not ALL of them do!!

 

[superman_101680]

I guarantee you that not ALL of them do!!

Not to defend BF because I have no idea what goes on behind the scences but I've worked in the business long enough to know that seldom does everyone get along with the coach over the course of the year or season. It would be the exception, not the rule.

It's tough to balance, egos, playing time, and still end up winning year to year. You can't please everyone all the time.

 

[Palmer]

Good luck Whit! I enjoyed your weekly vids all year long.

 

[benjay]

I guarantee you that not ALL of them do!!

The ones who matter do.

 

[RandomFan]

if we are happy with sweet sixteens, nothing.

if we want a final four, we need athlete + system. I do think we are starting to see more of this.

I know you follow the women's game closer than I do, and I respect your opinion. My question is this: If we were capable of beating 2 of the teams in the final 4, were we not, ourselves, capable of making the final 4 had we been in a different bracket?

 

[twistedredbird]

I know you follow the women's game closer than I do, and I respect your opinion. My question is this: If we were capable of beating 2 of the teams in the final 4, were we not, ourselves, capable of making the final 4 had we been in a different bracket?

The tourney is often the luck of the draw of course, and while did beat Baylor and OU, we did it at Hilton. With the right draw, anything was possible. But, to be a final four team regularly, a team must be able to play with the big dogs (not within the confines of Hilton or Hilton South). That is something I really want to see. To take the next step up, ISU needs to beat Baylor, OU on the road. Needs to beat a TN, or a Stanford.

I think this team can get there. I think we will be happily surprised with our recruiting, and as BF and JS say, you have to recruit well to win games, and you have to win games to recruit well.

 

[Landshark]

Bill has shown his program is strong enough to work through these things. We'll be fine.

Especially considering this was a "rebuilding year"....perhaps his best coaching job ever. You only have to watch him in a game to imagine the thick skin you have to develop in order to play for him and I don't mean that in any sort of negative way, just the way some of the younger generation are being cuddled these days.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

The tourney is often the luck of the draw of course, and while did beat Baylor and OU, we did it at Hilton. With the right draw, anything was possible. But, to be a final four team regularly, a team must be able to play with the big dogs (not within the confines of Hilton or Hilton South). That is something I really want to see. To take the next step up, ISU needs to beat Baylor, OU on the road. Needs to beat a TN, or a Stanford.

I think this team can get there. I think we will be happily surprised with our recruiting, and as BF and JS say, you have to recruit well to win games, and you have to win games to recruit well.

This. Getting put in UCONN's region was a death sentence not only for us but every team in that region. I wanted K.C. even if that meant lowering our seed to get put opposite Neb. in that region. If not that I wanted to be a 4/5 in the Memphis region because while I knew we had no shot at UCONN I think we could have given Tenn. a run for their money. But what's done is done. We all just need to move on.

 

[gizzsdad]

The ones who matter do.

Kool-Aid.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Kool-Aid.

You're problems with BF are pretty well documented. Some of us don't have a problem with it because:

a)It works
b)He's pretty forthcoming about who he is and how he coaches

Two years of eyebrow raising transfers isn't quite a trend and the team is still performing at a high rate. If it keeps happening at a rate that keeps us from fielding competitive teams, then we can talk about how he has to tone it down.

 

[gizzsdad]

You're problems with BF are pretty well documented. Some of us don't have a problem with it because:

a)It works
b)He's pretty forthcoming about who he is and how he coaches

Two years of eyebrow raising transfers isn't quite a trend and the team is still performing at a high rate. If it keeps happening at a rate that keeps us from fielding competitive teams, then we can talk about how he has to tone it down.

c) You've never experienced anything close to the worst of it.

The transfers go back many years. Some of which I predicted months in advance by merely watching interactions. Some were even predicted in advance on this site. We've also had player's parents speak about the profound effects on young people - of course they are then trashed as not tough enough.

 

[MNCyGuy]

c) You've never experienced anything close to the worst of it.

The transfers go back many years. Some of which I predicted months in advance by merely watching interactions. Some were even predicted in advance on this site. We've also had player's parents speak about the profound effects on young people - of course they are then trashed as not tough enough.

I'm not trashing anyone. I've had coaches that absolutely crossed what most people would consider "the line". There were lots of good kids on that team that he was way too harsh on, hell I was probably one of them, and they didn't get as much enjoyment out of it or left the sport. However, there were lots of guys on that team that benefitted from it, whereas they would have floundered under a coach with a gentler approach. It helped the team, we were succesful.

There's nothing wrong with these girls, but is it fair to say that BF needs to change his approach when the team is maintaining a high level of success? Because 1-2 girls on a given team find it to be too much for them? For every Whitney Williams or Ashley Arlen there is a Lyndsey Medders or Heather Ezell.

 

[twistedredbird]

I'm not trashing anyone. I've had coaches that absolutely crossed what most people would consider "the line". There were lots of good kids on that team that he was way too harsh on, hell I was probably one of them, and they didn't get as much enjoyment out of it or left the sport. However, there were lots of guys on that team that benefitted from it, whereas they would have floundered under a coach with a gentler approach. It helped the team, we were succesful.

There's nothing wrong with these girls, but is it fair to say that BF needs to change his approach when the team is maintaining a high level of success? Because 1-2 girls on a given team find it to be too much for them? For every Whitney Williams or Ashley Arlen there is a Lyndsey Medders or Heather Ezell.

You know, I think the difference is, well, let's look at Geno, in general he challenges his players constantly by trying to overcome impossible challenges in practice, like playing offense against 8 guys.....but in listening to him, he understands each of his players individually, and what motivates them on an individual level. I think that is the difference. Understanding how to adjust your motivation tactics to the individual. A good example during the UCONN/Stanford game, was that Geno, while upset and somewhat laying into his team, he was calm, he challenged them individually by daring them to prove him wrong, and he didn't lose his temper and call his players "effing" "stupid" "SOBs." Women are motivated different from men. We are wired differently. Working in an industry dominated by females, I have had to learn that I cannot take a universal approach to supervision, and must approach each of them individually. I have actually found that over the top negative criticism, like pull your head out of your butt, which tends to work well on men, results in a lot of restroom gossip and bitterness with females.

I do not pretend to know what goes on in the locker room. Nor do I question whether or not BF is a good coach. However, I do think he might go from "great" to "excellent" watching film of his behavior during games, and learning to tone it down a bit. Future recruits see and hear that too.