Gotnext Women's Basketball Boards

Keegan · Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

http://www.arizonarepublic.com/sports/articles/1022mercury1022.html

Now we have a new coach, let's hope the process of rebuilding can truly start. Good luck to John and go Mercury!

Dunkin' Dan · Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2002 6:05 am Post subject:

Yessssssss
:D

Go Shu!! Go Merc!!

caune · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1563 Location: Phoenix

Yipeeeee :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

gillomfan · Joined: 16 Jun 2002 Posts: 262

YESS!!!!! I am so happy. Perhaps about as excited as I was when Cynthia Cooper was hired. This is great news. Management came through. What a relief. Carrie would of been good but this is a much better choice. We'll know for sure tomorrow! Whoever broke this news THANKS!! Go Mercury!

Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

YES :!: :!: :!:

Go Merc!

Mat H · Joined: 24 Jun 2002 Posts: 168 Location: Glendale AZ

Great Choice, Im going to be late to school because of the news! Go Mercury!!! :P

gia · Guest

Well High Fives and Butt Slaps to all Groundswellers! :D

As much as I like and respect Carrie's abilities, I think Shu is just what the Dr. ordered. A clean slate and a new vision. I would love to see Graf in Portland. There's a lot of talent there and Oregon is SOOOOOOO nice :)

I was a bit surprised that Jeff chose to take the wind out of the press conference sails, though I guess that's what reporters do. ;) It would have been more fun finding out at the moment it was announced. :(

mb · Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2002 9:08 am Post subject:

Victory for the Groundswellers!!!

Congrats to John! Guaranteed, his heart is in it.

The dawn of a new day for the Mercury! We will come out of training camp more prepared than ever before.

**************************************************************
Questions:

1)Would Carrie Graf be considered as an assistant?
2)Would she take the position if offered?
3)Jeff Metcalfe was doing his job, yet is the Mercury organization a little disappointed in the preemptive article?
4)Who in the organization was the leak?

**************************************************************

The players indicated a desire for a male coach. Shu will gain the respect of the women and lead them to the playoffs.

Likely he just may meet Seattle there, under the guidance of Carrie Graf.
A scenario just fine with me. Seattle would be fools not to hire Carrie, who I'd bet missed out in PHX by the slightest of margins.

**************************************************************
Prediction: An over 500 season and a playoff birth.

Now it is time to work on ensuring the return of Stepanova, Korstine, and Fallon. Along with Bonfiglio, Veal , Moises, etc.

Again, this is a rebirth for the Mercury! YES!

tracey · Guest Joined: 17 Jul 2002 Posts: 146 Location: chandler AZ

I see bright and shiny things in the Mercury's future. Congratulations to Coach Shumate. Ahhh...a breath of fresh air.

Hopefully it will be Head Coach Graf in Seattle. She deserves the job. I'm rooting for ya, Graffy.

eaction83 · Guest Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 130 Location: Fremont, CA

Sweetness! Let it never again be said that Mercury management never listens to the fans. :)

Keegan · Guest Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

I'm not going to predict playoffs yet because barring anything else occurring, we're not playoff calibre but I hope we draft smartly over the next two years (especially in 2004)...

If Houston does go to the East though, well that changes everything.

Gaucho81 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 147 Location: Ventura, CA

Ya just got to LOVE IT :lol:

Let's see, my vote (13th) was for Shumate. Now who's superstitious :wink:

I think this is wonderful news. Great for the Mercury, the post players, the team, the fans, Phoenix, etc, etc, etc :!:

Thankyou Seth and company (Colangelo's) :D :P

--Gaucho81

p.s. I will be watching our Kayte this weekend in a UCSB Women's scrimmage. With any luck, I'll get some good pictures and post them in Kayte's thread.

Go MERCURY :!: :!: :!:

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1563 Location: Phoenix

Hey kids, lets all get our butts over to the azcentral website and vote in their poll http://www.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/
right now over 50% of the people think Shumate was a bad choice...we need to right that ship, so go vote early and vote often :wink: Thank You for your support :P

gia · Guest

Move those Who? and Reserve Judgement Til Later voters to the Good Move column and we're in a dead heat ;)

mb · Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2002 9:00 am Post subject:

If people are disappointed that Graffy didn't get the job, I can empathise.

If they are NLC fans, well they just don't understand. She be a good replacement for Val Ackerman, not a good choice as our coach.

If they are man haters, they should know that ALL of our players stated a preference for a male coach. They also should open their minds.

gia · Guest

Perhaps a better poll is the one on the Merc site at WNBA.com.....
Quote: In 2003, I am most looking forward to seeing:

The leadership of a new head coach - 38%

The development of the team's younger players (Veal, Moises, Christensen) 24%

The return of center Maria Stepanova 20%

Increased competition throughout the WNBA 18%

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1563 Location: Phoenix

Another poll for ya'll to take
http://www.mercuryxfactor.com/
click on the Poll #1 link
Thank you for your support

Keegan · Guest Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

mb wrote: If people are disappointed that Graffy didn't get the job, I can empathise.

If they are NLC fans, well they just don't understand. She be a good replacement for Val Ackerman, not a good choice as our coach.

If they are man haters, they should know that ALL of our players stated a preference for a male coach. They also should open their minds.

I think gender should be a non-issue... either way.

Actually the feedback I am hearing is that there is a perception that the comment that Shumate was rewarded for his "loyalty" shows that WNBA coaching jobs are a part of the "old boy's club" and that many would have preferred a coach with women's basketball coaching experience.

mb · Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2002 11:48 am Post subject:

The Suns organization does take care of their own. However, Shumate had a good job as a scout for the Suns. A concern at one time was if they would release him from his duties with the Suns to be coach of the Mercury.

He gained the job do to his experience and passion. In due time, fans will see the results of his commitment to the team, and be pleased with the choice.

As an adamant supporter of womens sports, I beleive gender of the coaches should be a non-issue. Hopefully teams and leagues will have sucess with both male and female coaches and executives.

gia · Guest

The loyalty factor is probably what made both Shu and Graf the final 2.

When it came down to weighing it out....Shu does live here full time. He knows the org and vice versa, he knows the game, he knows the players etc etc. He had a lot of pluses on his side. I would guess that Bryan and Uncle Jerry decided they needed a really really new start.

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1563 Location: Phoenix

Ya know, I thought the being an ex-Sun might rub some the wrong way....
But he was the best choice for so many reasons, none of which was being an ex-Phoenix Sun...oh well It looks like now that we got him hired, we are going to have to do some persuading of the closed minded Merc fan :wink: :wink:
I think we are up to the task!

Gaucho_Don · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 223

I have to admit I haven't paid too much attention since a bit after the end of the season, but glad to hear that Shumate (THE choice, from what I remember back then) is the new coach.

mb · Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2002 3:16 pm Post subject:

From WNBA.com, Shu's thoughts on the NBA:

Quote: Coach's Corner with New Mercury Head Coach John Shumate
Shumate played seven seasons in the NBA and served as an assistant with Toronto (1995-98).

The Phoenix Suns are my favorite team to watch in the West. I like Phoenix because I like Amare Stoudemire. I think that he’s got a killer instinct. He’s going to be a combination of Charles Barkley and Connie Hawkins. I love watching his dunks. I really enjoy watching Penny Hardaway – I think he’s the smartest player playing in the NBA.

Currently, if you had to pick a coach based on track record, I’d have to go with Phil Jackson. I think that he’s done a terrific job where he’s been – he’s won championships. People have said he’s had the two greatest players at each of his stops but there have been many people that have had great-great players and have never won. I think he’s a master of the psychology of the game. I think there are some up-and-coming guys. I think that our guy Frank Johnson is an up-and-coming coach and I think the same thing about Maurice Cheeks.

Who will win? The Los Angeles Lakers based on their continued dominance. They also made some nice additions in this year’s draft. I love watching Shaq because he’s a great post player. His signature move is his drop-step baseline with the jump shot. He compliments it with his turn to the middle where he gives you the elbow to the gut and has the jump hook.