What to do about Tammy?

The Maroon · What to do about Tammy?

Well the regular season is over and we finished a dismal 7-22 but with more PL wins than we've had in a long time. Do we look at the former or the latter?

We're a decent home team, a ridiculously bad road team. Even though we were better at home, there were five games at Kirby=by we were definitely good enough to win: Morgan State, Penn, Colgate, Columbia and NJIT. The Colgate, Columbia and NJIT losses were particularly dreadful. Do our nice league wins cancel those out?

Personally I don't think so---but she's got pretty much everyone back and they seem to believe in her. I think Bruce keeps her---and if the women manage to win a tourney game (very realistic possibility)---then I think it's a slam dunk for him.

Still, the biggest factor as far as I'm concerned is I've seen six full seasons and I've yet to see a team that has reached its potential. I say the Tammy Smith era should end in 10 days.

LeopardFan04

I think it's a tough call. I agree that if they win one down at Navy next week, she definitely stays. And it was nice to see a few more wins this year...but how long to stay with this?

TheTruth

While the women have won more games in the league this year then in the past, they should have been in 3rd place comfortably. Three quarters of the team in the league were below .500. this has to be one of the worst seasons overall for the Patriot League. We should not be happy being 6th this year. Granted we do have a chance with defeating HC, I'm not holding my breath.

Andy

I hate to keep putting off what seems to be inevitable, however, if I'm Bruce, I look at the players she's got coming in. If there are difference makers, I keep her to coach the players she brought in. If the girls had options and for some reason clicked with Tammy and her staff, then I'd not want to make a change right now. Of course if Bruce sees it as an Xs and Os shortcoming--that she's just overmatched--that's a different story. Basically though, if she just can't recruit into this mess, we need a fresh start.

The Maroon

I mull over this more than anybody in their right mind ought to, and in the end I always reach the same conclusion: It's time for her to go. I don't know what I would do if I were Bruce. So much of this mess isn't her fault---but the question is really is she the one who can lead us out of it? I saw us lose too many games we just simply should have won. She's now 30 and...well a lot of losses...

We underachieved this season and have basically for the past 6. The 1-26 team just wasn't that God awful bad. I've wondered for YEARS how Tammy recruits against her record--but I see players like Garner, VVDV, Purrr and figure she's doing something right. But how long can she pull it off?

Andy's right in that unless she's landing a big-time player she ought to be gone. The situation gets hairy though if they can make some noise in the tourney--and why not? They've proven they can beat any team in the league...oh..except 'Gate. (If I ever feel like Tammy should stick around another year my mind goes back to Colgate, Columbia and NJIT).

Andy

Any idea on the length of her original contract? Is it still in effect? I don't recall announcement of an extension.

carney2

Kind of drifting off into outer space here, but Michelle Marciniak who played at Notre Dame and Tennessee (MVP in a Final Four) and then had a decent career in the WNBA, lobbied to get this job when they hired Tammy. She would have probably only hung in for two years or so with this mess, but ya gotta wonder "what if" had Bruce originally gone a different direction.

Forget it. I just woke up and looked at the 6-year record again. Yoiks!

The Maroon

I remember hearing Michelle had applied for the job. I really couldn't disagree with the decision not to go with her. She still had pro aspirations at the time if I remember. Plus...what would someone like her---she was the most recruited player in the country when she was at Allentown Central Catholic, know about recruiting in the Patriot League?

There was nothing not to like about Bruce's decision to hire Tammy. She had never had a losing season before she came to College Hill and had built a solid program at Muhlenberg.

Problem is for six years I've waited to see her give us a reason to believe she can get it done--I just don't see it.

Xbo

Anyone who followed the team in 1990 and 1991 remembers Michelle and her mother attending a few games each year. Many may remember that she was the Naismith female prep POY in 1991 (Chris Weber was the male prep POY). However when she applied for the job in 2001, she was still bouncing around in the WNBA and had no coaching or recruiting experience.

She landed an assistant coaching job at South Carolina in 2003. She is still there as the number two assistant and works on ballhandling and passing with the guards and wings. She is also the recruiting coordinator. Since her arrival, SC's record has been: 10-18, 8-21, 17-12, and 16-13 going into the playoffs this year

dogofthewater · well it's odd that it's even an issue

It's kind of odd, consider the record, career and this season, that we'd even be discussing this. But that's the Patriot League for you.

Andy

27-63 got the Colgate coach fired. What's the count on Tammy, Maroon, about 27-130?

What to do about Tammy?

well it's odd that it's even an issue