KU WBB, dont' get it

**twistedredbird** · 06-27-2011, 04:51 PM

I just don't get it. I don't understand how KU WBB is repeatedly landing top talent over and over again. One, I don't understand why with the talent she has had, they haven't done more. Two, I don't understand with the lack of results, why she continues to land top talent, year after year.

What does KU WBB offer that is so great? A top coach, no. A big fan following, no. A crowded arena, no. Good NCAA tourney results, no.

What is it that Bonnie is doing/saying that is getting these kids to Lawrence. I mean, the Phog only goes so far, and its mostly about mens basketball anyway.

College Basketball Class Rankings 2011 - ESPN

I know we run into speedbumps recruiting to Ames, but surely we offer more than any other north school for WBB hands down. It should be a no-brainer. I mean, KSU has major defectors with even public criticism of Deb, and yet she wins a recruiting battle over us. Do not get it.

The only thing I can really think of (not going to bring up the yelling thing), is that these other programs have female head coaches.

22 of the top 30 classes have female head coaches, many of which are far from proven, and all but one of the male coaches are proven, hall of fame bound caliber, and the 1 out, Matthew Mitchell, is going to be.

**cykadelic2** · 06-27-2011, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by twistedredbird

I just don't get it. I don't understand how KU WBB is repeatedly landing top talent over and over again. One, I don't understand why with the talent she has had, they haven't done more. Two, I don't understand with the lack of results, why she continues to land top talent, year after year.

What does KU WBB offer that is so great? A top coach, no. A big fan following, no. A crowded arena, no. Good NCAA tourney results, no.

What is it that Bonnie is doing/saying that is getting these kids to Lawrence. I mean, the Phog only goes so far, and its mostly about mens basketball anyway.

College Basketball Class Rankings 2011 - ESPN

I know we run into speedbumps recruiting to Ames, but surely we offer more than any other north school for WBB hands down. It should be a no-brainer. I mean, KSU has major defectors with even public criticism of Deb, and yet she wins a recruiting battle over us. Do not get it.

The only thing I can really think of (not going to bring up the yelling thing), is that these other programs have female head coaches.

22 of the top 30 classes have female head coaches, many of which are far from proven, and all but one of the male coaches are proven, hall of fame bound caliber, and the 1 out, Matthew Mitchell, is going to be.

I think you need to assess the ISU staff instead and you'll reach the same conclusion that I have: It is probably time for BF to reshuffle his staff and add a young aggressive recruiter like what he had in Brenda Frese and Robin Pingeton.

**CycloneRulzzz** · 06-27-2011, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by twistedredbird

I just don't get it. I don't understand how KU WBB is repeatedly landing top talent over and over again. One, I don't understand why with the talent she has had, they haven't done more. Two, I don't understand with the lack of results, why she continues to land top talent, year after year.

What does KU WBB offer that is so great? A top coach, no. A big fan following, no. A crowded arena, no. Good NCAA tourney results, no.

What is it that Bonnie is doing/saying that is getting these kids to Lawrence. I mean, the Phog only goes so far, and its mostly about mens basketball anyway.

College Basketball Class Rankings 2011 - ESPN

I know we run into speedbumps recruiting to Ames, but surely we offer more than any other north school for WBB hands down. It should be a no-brainer. I mean, KSU has major defectors with even public criticism of Deb, and yet she wins a recruiting battle over us. Do not get it.

The only thing I can really think of (not going to bring up the yelling thing), is that these other programs have female head coaches.

22 of the top 30 classes have female head coaches, many of which are far from proven, and all but one of the male coaches are proven, hall of fame bound caliber, and the 1 out, Matthew Mitchell, is going to be.

Iowa is 11 and Nebraska is 29 and ISU doesn't make top 60 or even one of the teams barely left out? Thank god we have the best coach in the country to teach these nobodies that commit to us.

**synapticwave** · 06-27-2011, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by cykadelic2

I think you need to assess the ISU staff instead and you'll reach the same conclusion that I have: It is probably time for BF to reshuffle his staff and add a young aggressive recruiter like what he had in Brenda Frese and Robin Pingeton.

This is exactly what I was going to say. We need to bring in a highly accomplished recruiter/headhunter. I love Fennelly; I think he's got a good staff with the people he has and they all work well together, and I don't think you can undervalue stability in a coaching staff so I don't really want to see anyone let go. But some shuffling of the staff is probably in order and bringing in a new face to head up recruiting could go a long way for the program.

**pulse** · 06-27-2011, 06:11 PM

The only thing worse than men's high school basketball entertainment recruiting profiles is women's. You could make up your own rankings and it would be just as valid.

**Go2Guy** · 06-27-2011, 06:16 PM

Iowa whooped us last year - so bad BF was quoted with an apology.

Just wait to see what they do to us the next couple years.

**acoustimac** · 06-27-2011, 06:18 PM

Easy answer really. Fennelly is recruiting what he needs. Some of the teams listed needed more and were able to pull pretty good athletes with the promise of helping turn a program around. ISU has one 4 star player signed and there weren't evaluations on any of the others. VanLoo may have been a 4 star as well. Just one more person with 3 stars and ISU is a top 60 easy.

**twistedredbird** · 06-27-2011, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by acoustimac

Easy answer really. Fennelly is recruiting what he needs. Some of the teams listed needed more and were able to pull pretty good athletes with the promise of helping turn a program around. ISU has one 4 star player signed and there weren't evaluations on any of the others. VanLoo may have been a 4 star as well. Just one more person with 3 stars and ISU is a top 60 easy.

I actually have an email where Chris Hansen at ESPN told me Vanoo would move ISU up into his top 60. Don't know what happened there.

**twistedredbird** · 06-27-2011, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by acoustimac

Easy answer really. Fennelly is recruiting what he needs. Some of the teams listed needed more and were able to pull pretty good athletes with the promise of helping turn a program around. ISU has one 4 star player signed and there weren't evaluations on any of the others. VanLoo may have been a 4 star as well. Just one more person with 3 stars and ISU is a top 60 easy.

While I would agree, KU, KSU, and Nebby all beat us out for recruits we have wanted the last couple of years.

And, 2008? Ouch. We have had some misses on our guards, and the lack of 3-point shooting guards hurt us this year. I do think our 2011 class, and our 2012 class is much better than ranked. And, note, we are going more in the athlete direction than system direction ourselves.

**twistedredbird** · 06-27-2011, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by synapticwave

This is exactly what I was going to say. We need to bring in a highly accomplished recruiter/headhunter. I love Fennelly; I think he's got a good staff with the people he has and they all work well together, and I don't think you can undervalue stability in a coaching staff so I don't really want to see anyone let go. But some shuffling of the staff is probably in order and bringing in a new face to head up recruiting could go a long way for the program.

I love BF and family, I'm not one to tell him how to run his shop. I don't like it when people tell me how to do my job that have no clue what it takes either. I love our assistant coaches. However, I could see the argument that adding a young black female coach to do recruiting instead of adding Billy could have been an excellent strategic move.

**twistedredbird** · 06-27-2011, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Go2Guy

Iowa whooped us last year - so bad BF was quoted with an apology.

Just wait to see what they do to us the next couple years.

this series has been pretty lopsided for the home team the last few years, imagine that trend will probably continue for whatever reason.

**twistedredbird** · 06-27-2011, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by pulse

The only thing worse than men's high school basketball entertainment recruiting profiles is women's. You could make up your own rankings and it would be just as valid.

Actually, other than missing out on the midwest(more in the past/and better for us anyway), ESPN Hoopgurlz does a pretty honest job of their analysis. Their work is primarily based on what happens at big AAU tourneys/skill camps and USA basketball. They don't see everyone, but they are pretty fair in what they see.

Now, how they rate classes is pretty amusing. Its more about quantity.

**CycloneRulzzz** · 06-27-2011, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by twistedredbird

this series has been pretty lopsided for the home team the last few years, imagine that trend will probably continue for whatever reason.

I can't remember when they last beat us in Hilton.

**mred** · 06-27-2011, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by CyclonesRulzzz

I can't remember when they last beat us in Hilton.

It hasn't happened since the ISU/Iowa series resumed in the 95/96 season. ISU lost @ Iowa that year and won the next 5 contests. In the decade since then, ISU's 2006 win @ Iowa is the only time the home team has lost.

**cykadelic2** · 06-27-2011, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by twistedredbird

I love BF and family, I'm not one to tell him how to run his shop. I don't like it when people tell me how to do my job that have no clue what it takes either. I love our assistant coaches. However, I could see the argument that adding a young black female coach to do recruiting instead of adding Billy could have been an excellent strategic move.

As DBO, Billy doesn't recruit and any new recruiting assistant doesn't have to be black although it would help IMO, especially if Latoja was the one being replaced.

It will be interesting to see how the incoming recruits pan out. If none of them are future all-conference type players, I think that should expedite the need for staff changes or else the program will be very hard pressed to get back into the top half of the conference anytime soon. The program paid the price last season for the Yackley/Arlen/Rockall/Williams class and it cannot afford another large unproductive class like that one.