- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,152,077
- Reaction score
- 59
March Madness is in the rear-view mirror. But my literary contributors remain fixated on a disintegrating Lady Vols basketball program.
On a lighter note, Don envisions a bright future for Smokey XII. I hope he’s right.
Mike writes: What the heck is going on?
Eight Lady Vols have announced their intention of entering the transfer portal. Assistant coach Gabe Lazo resigns and joins Kim Mulkey's staff at LSU. Assistant coach Roman Tubner gets fired.
The only person who definitely appears to be coming back next year is head coach Kim Caldwell − the one person we Lady Vols fans do not want coming back. And athletic director Danny White continues to ignore the disaster that is unfolding.
White has done a good job for Tennessee, but his gross mismanagement of this issue has cost him all the credibility and goodwill he had built up.
My response: White still believes in Caldwell. But there’s not a long line behind him.
Bob writes: Tennessee has enjoyed a tremendous run of success in the past few years. We are at a crossroads, though.
Football is stalled and the 2026 schedule is murderous; women’s basketball has gone from mediocre to disarray; men’s basketball is stuck at Elite 8 overachieving; baseball is slipping. Thank goodness for softball.
Coupled with AD Danny White beating the drums for more spending, bigger donations and higher ticket prices, we may be in the early stage of a perfect storm.
I agree with your recent article about two lists for Kim Caldwell. In my management career, we always followed this motto: Hire slow, fire fast. If the person is not performing, keeping them around will not improve the performance.
My response: Fortunately, my company doesn’t follow that motto. Although my annual evaluations reflect a decline in performance and work ethic, my bosses keep me around.
Brian writes: Been a fan of your writing for a long time.
I'm a physician in Ohio who now runs a program of physician leadership and development. I wrote to you about 7 years ago about Jeremy Pruitt and the fact that he had zero leadership skills
I have read your columns on Kim Caldwell. The only answer is to fire her.
Yes, her system is highly flawed. There is no way Pat Summit subs out Candace Parker after playing 90 seconds. But far more importantly, Caldwell, like Pruitt, has no leadership skills.
Her comments after the South Carolina game were beyond appalling. She took no responsibility whatsoever for the result. She said "they" need to figure it out.
They??? A coach and her team should be “Us.”
My response: I only had to read your first sentence to recognize your leadership skills. Great “lede.”
Darryl writes: Why is Kim Caldwell still employed at UT?
When a coach throws her entire team under the bus, that’s pure stupidity. I think Caldwell is clueless.
My response: Perhaps, UT plans to use Lady Vols basketball as a tax write-off. I will check with my column’s accounting department to see if that’s possible.
James writes: In your experience as a sportswriter have you ever seen an athletic team dissolve as quickly as the Lady Vols basketball team?
My response: Only one. SMU football got the "death penalty" from the NCAA in 1987.
Lady Vols basketball has been wounded and diminished. But, as of this writing, it’s still alive.
Don writes: John, I am sure you are following the story of Smoky XII. A News Sentinel article said that Smokey XII is learning essential commands including sit, stay and down. My dog Bob Barker was half bluetick, and he could do all that plus speak on command. In fact, he would keep barking until you asked him to stop.
I am sure that Smoky XII could do the same. Imagine what a crowd-pleaser it would be if they let Smokey step up to the microphone at Neyland Stadium at key moments during the game and, you know, bark his head off. Broadcast him throughout the stadium at 100 decibels. They could even put him on the Jumbotron to enhance the effect. What do you think?
My response: You’re preaching to the choir. I have written before that Smokey needs a greater role.
He long has been overshadowed by another dog in the SEC. Georgia’s Uga is slightly more active than a plant but has become one of the most renowned mascots in college sports.
But what exactly does Uga do? He spends most of game day in his icehouse and occasionally yawns.
Granted, he does have a look about him – even when he’s as motionless as a statue. But Smokey has great potential if properly managed and promoted.
William writes: When an athlete enters the transfer portal, does he contact a school or does the school contact him?
Is each athlete in the same portal? When you have time, please clarify this.
ADAMS: Why assistant coach Gabe Lazo left the Lady Vols
My response: Sorry I didn’t have time to respond last week. Thanks for your patience.
There is only one transfer portal. An athlete in the portal can contact the school, or the school can contact him.
But such connections often are made by representatives from both parties before an athlete enters the portal. The NCAA frowns on that. But there’s no way to prevent schools from “tampering.”
If schools don’t tamper, they have no shot at winning in the portal.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Reader want to know 'what the heck is going on' with Kim Caldwell, Lady Vols
Continue reading...
On a lighter note, Don envisions a bright future for Smokey XII. I hope he’s right.
Mike writes: What the heck is going on?
Eight Lady Vols have announced their intention of entering the transfer portal. Assistant coach Gabe Lazo resigns and joins Kim Mulkey's staff at LSU. Assistant coach Roman Tubner gets fired.
The only person who definitely appears to be coming back next year is head coach Kim Caldwell − the one person we Lady Vols fans do not want coming back. And athletic director Danny White continues to ignore the disaster that is unfolding.
White has done a good job for Tennessee, but his gross mismanagement of this issue has cost him all the credibility and goodwill he had built up.
My response: White still believes in Caldwell. But there’s not a long line behind him.
Bob writes: Tennessee has enjoyed a tremendous run of success in the past few years. We are at a crossroads, though.
Football is stalled and the 2026 schedule is murderous; women’s basketball has gone from mediocre to disarray; men’s basketball is stuck at Elite 8 overachieving; baseball is slipping. Thank goodness for softball.
Coupled with AD Danny White beating the drums for more spending, bigger donations and higher ticket prices, we may be in the early stage of a perfect storm.
I agree with your recent article about two lists for Kim Caldwell. In my management career, we always followed this motto: Hire slow, fire fast. If the person is not performing, keeping them around will not improve the performance.
My response: Fortunately, my company doesn’t follow that motto. Although my annual evaluations reflect a decline in performance and work ethic, my bosses keep me around.
Brian writes: Been a fan of your writing for a long time.
I'm a physician in Ohio who now runs a program of physician leadership and development. I wrote to you about 7 years ago about Jeremy Pruitt and the fact that he had zero leadership skills
I have read your columns on Kim Caldwell. The only answer is to fire her.
Yes, her system is highly flawed. There is no way Pat Summit subs out Candace Parker after playing 90 seconds. But far more importantly, Caldwell, like Pruitt, has no leadership skills.
Her comments after the South Carolina game were beyond appalling. She took no responsibility whatsoever for the result. She said "they" need to figure it out.
They??? A coach and her team should be “Us.”
My response: I only had to read your first sentence to recognize your leadership skills. Great “lede.”
Darryl writes: Why is Kim Caldwell still employed at UT?
When a coach throws her entire team under the bus, that’s pure stupidity. I think Caldwell is clueless.
My response: Perhaps, UT plans to use Lady Vols basketball as a tax write-off. I will check with my column’s accounting department to see if that’s possible.
James writes: In your experience as a sportswriter have you ever seen an athletic team dissolve as quickly as the Lady Vols basketball team?
My response: Only one. SMU football got the "death penalty" from the NCAA in 1987.
Lady Vols basketball has been wounded and diminished. But, as of this writing, it’s still alive.
Don writes: John, I am sure you are following the story of Smoky XII. A News Sentinel article said that Smokey XII is learning essential commands including sit, stay and down. My dog Bob Barker was half bluetick, and he could do all that plus speak on command. In fact, he would keep barking until you asked him to stop.
I am sure that Smoky XII could do the same. Imagine what a crowd-pleaser it would be if they let Smokey step up to the microphone at Neyland Stadium at key moments during the game and, you know, bark his head off. Broadcast him throughout the stadium at 100 decibels. They could even put him on the Jumbotron to enhance the effect. What do you think?
My response: You’re preaching to the choir. I have written before that Smokey needs a greater role.
He long has been overshadowed by another dog in the SEC. Georgia’s Uga is slightly more active than a plant but has become one of the most renowned mascots in college sports.
But what exactly does Uga do? He spends most of game day in his icehouse and occasionally yawns.
Granted, he does have a look about him – even when he’s as motionless as a statue. But Smokey has great potential if properly managed and promoted.
William writes: When an athlete enters the transfer portal, does he contact a school or does the school contact him?
Is each athlete in the same portal? When you have time, please clarify this.
ADAMS: Why assistant coach Gabe Lazo left the Lady Vols
My response: Sorry I didn’t have time to respond last week. Thanks for your patience.
There is only one transfer portal. An athlete in the portal can contact the school, or the school can contact him.
But such connections often are made by representatives from both parties before an athlete enters the portal. The NCAA frowns on that. But there’s no way to prevent schools from “tampering.”
If schools don’t tamper, they have no shot at winning in the portal.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Reader want to know 'what the heck is going on' with Kim Caldwell, Lady Vols
Continue reading...
