Gotnext Women's Basketball Boards

gia · Guest

Well, caune, mb, and myself (the 3 stooges!) were invited to the press conference (we saw Hannah there too) at AWA. Jen and Lisa were there to represent the team (assuming they're the only ones in town), along with a slew of Suns dignitaries (Cotton, Mark West, etc), and media people (appears that everyone but channel 12 sent someone over).

After listening to Shu, I'm more convinced he is the absolutely best person for the job and I commend the entire Mercury organization for listening to the fans (Seth even mentioned caune and mb in his schpiel!), doing their due diligence in exploring all options, and then making a sound selection.

You're going to love this guy. He's basketball smart, humble, funny, and he has a gleam in his eye that shows he is SO excited for this opportunity. He loves this team and is chomping at the bit to take them where they need to go, mentally and physically.

Sounds like defense and transition will rule the day. Maybe Moe and Curly will have some input as to what he actually said regarding his plan for the team ;)

An interesting side note: Bryan C. said the final 2 came down to Shumate and Jim Boylan (Suns asst coach) and that he gave Shu a run for his money in the end.

If I have time I'll post the media piece they handed out.

Keegan · Guest Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

The Suns assistant was the other main contender? Now that does bother me a bit...

I really don't get this NBA coaching craze. Laimbeer did turn Detroit around but then again, Detroit had talent... it's just that Greg Williams couldn't coach. Dee Brown was nothing special and Michael Cooper is soooooooooo overrated. A pack of platypuses could lead L.A to a championship with the talent and depth they have.

If Seattle get an ex-NBAer as a coach, I'm gonna scream because it's obvious that Carrie was a big part of their success last season and she would know the team better than any ex-NBA player could.

skew11 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 372

questions ---

1. did the 3 stooges(canue,mb,gia) arrive at AWA via Limo? :lol: :shock:

2. Was Timmsy there? Asst. Coach or Broadcasting? Know she is a great assistant but oh did I miss her on the Merc tv/radio games I watched/listened to.... :wink:

3. Where's Linda Sharp now?
:shock:

gia · Guest

1. No limo. Actually, I paid 7.00 to park!

2. Timms is not back yet. Should be in about 3 weeks. Guessing she'll be broadcasting.

3. No clue on Linda's whereabouts

Keegan........I read this morning that Boylan is shooting for the Portland job.

BTW, I gave it to Shu the gotnext.com address and told him if he wants to hear what the fans really think/want, now or during the season, that this was the place to find out.

Maybe Seth will let us have a chat with him here

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1562 Location: Phoenix

Keegs, don't hold Coach Shumates playing in the NBA against him...he has more years coaching then he does playing. He is a Coach and a teacher more then an ex-NBA player.

Skew
1. Limo????? MB, car man, why didn't you think of that?
2. Timmsy is in Oz broadcasting
3. I believe Linda may be back coaching a college team in Texas.

To add to Gias synopsis....
It was pretty great to be included in the "festivities" It was my first press conference 8)
What I liked was hearing Bryan Colangelo say they were, as an organization, committed to the Mercury. With the ownership changes that are now allowed to happen, it is nice to hear that they are committed to this keeping this team!!!!

gillomfan · Guest Joined: 16 Jun 2002 Posts: 261

I really enjoyed the press conference. It was my first one too. John Shumate is an awesome choice for head coach. He is excited and ready to go. I heard him telling both Lisa and Jen he wants to work out with them in the gym soon and often. That's great! I loved what he had to say about Jen. He has the utmost respect for her and she is still a vital part of the team. YES! I also liked his comments on being a rough and physical team. For the first time since right before the season ended I am looking forward to next year.

It was an honor to be invited to the press conference. I'll never forget that. Tami Scott introduced me to John as on of the Mercury's biggest fans. HE asked my name and said he would try and remember it. An hour later I saw him court side at the SUns game. As he passed by he said,"hi Hannah!" He is so friendly and has the biggest smile.

I am pleased to see the Colangelos taking interest in the team again. That is a very good sign. Better days are ahead for this team. Go Mercury!

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

Thats great news..why wasnt I invited? ( Laugh) :wink: :P

Shu is going to make us Mercury fans proud. I never had one doubt. Now, why don't these fans at azcentral listen to the players and stop voting him as a bad choice. Shu is well deserving and qualified.

mb · Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2002 10:13 am Post subject:

Mat H, when I rec'd the invite and heard Caune and gia were also to be guests; my thoughts turned to you as a fellow "groundsweller", supporting John Shumate's hire. Wish you could have been there. Had there been more time, I would have made an effort to make it happen.

Keegan, yes they did say it came down to Jim Boylan and Shu, however an article (and common sense) says Graffy was also in the running to the end. She will be offered an assistant job if she doesn't end up head coach in Seattle (which gives me mixed emotions...I want her here, yet she deserves to be a head coach). Apparently, Boylan is a lead candidate in Portland. Some article links are to follow in my next post.

Fans, this is a great hire.
EVERY Mercury player stated a preferrence for the next coach to be male.
Jen and Lisa seem pleased and knowledgable fans are ecstatic. When he took the podium, John's eyes were slightly red. As he started to speak after Bryan Colangelo introduced him they turned very red. His passion had him tearing up. He says he was just as excited as if he'd been annouced coach of the Suns. It was a sincere comment. Among saying all the right things, he mentioned a focus on defense and a transition game.

Some links to articles to follow.

gia · Guest

Link to Tribune Article
http://www.aztrib.com/sports/sports6.shtml

And UPI story below:

Mercury hires John Shumate as coach
From the Sports Desk
Published 10/24/2002 12:09 AM

PHOENIX, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The Phoenix Mercury announced Wednesday former Phoenix Suns player John Shumate would be their new coach.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Shumate, the Mercury's third coach in six seasons, was a 1974 first-round pick of the Suns and played for six teams over seven seasons, averaging 12.3 points and 7.2 rebounds before having his career cut short due to a circulatory condition in his leg.

The 50-year-old Shumate, who most recently was a college scout for the Suns, was an assistant at Notre Dame on two occasions, most recently from 1986-88, the coach at Southern Methodist from 1988-95, and an assistant for the Toronto Raptors from 1995-98.

"As an insider, John was a natural choice for the position of head coach for the Mercury and he starts well ahead of the curve from a standpoint of understanding our situation," Mercury president Bryan Colangelo said.

"His coaching and teaching experience at many different levels, coupled with the enthusiasm and passion he brings to work every day, are a perfect fit for this team."

Last season, Phoenix went 11-21, the worst mark in franchise history. Cynthia Cooper resigned as coach just 10 games into the season and was replaced by assistant Linda Sharp.

Copyright © 2002 United Press International

jeff metcalfe · Guest Joined: 22 Jun 2002 Posts: 41

Boylan would have been an almost impossible sell here, which is why I don't believe that could have happened. It's nothing against him, just that Shumate and Graf were the only choices that ultimately could have made enough people happy from this group of candidates. Also with three years here as an assistant, Graf has some internal claims of her own even though she isn't part of the Suns network. Management wants to help Boylan in his job search, which is why he was specifically mentioned at the press conference. I have no idea how serious a candidate he is in Portland, just that they have encouraged several people about their chances and he is among those. I won't be surprised if Portland and Seattle go the NBA route, making Graf available here as an assistant. Or perhaps she'll be offered that chance in Seattle too. I know she would be welcomed here by Shumate and management and that the Mercury lead assistant will be a woman whether it's Graf or someone else.

mb · Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2002 10:48 am Post subject:

Articles about the hire:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/1024mercury1024.html

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/sports/sports6.shtml

Couldn't get the last link to post, so the article's author, Scott Bordow of the Tribune e-mailed it to me. It follows:

The Mercury hired a basketball coach Wednesday. I didn't know they had it in them.
John Shumate won't treat the Mercury like a part-time job. (See Cheryl Miller).
He won't show up just 30 minutes before games, put on his headphones and hit the treadmill. (See Cynthia Cooper).
"The guy is committed," said Mercury general manager Seth Sulka. "He's got a great work ethic."
Finally, the Mercury chose substance over style. Shumate was an NBA player, a college assistant and head coach, an NBA assistant and, most recently, a scout for the Suns.
I don't know what kind of job he'll do, but at least he knows how to do the job.
"From a basketball standpoint, he was the right person to lead the team into the future," said team president Bryan Colangelo. Sulka said he heard from fans who "were sick of us hiring coaches for their name and for their star symbol. They wanted a basketball coach."
Shumate has only one thing working against him. He's a man.
Already, Sulka has received e-mail from fans angry that the Mercury went for the Y chromosome. He expects to lose some season-ticket holders.
The anger is understandable, if misplaced. The WNBA is about giving female athletes equal opportunity, and here the Mercury is, bypassing female candidates to hire Shumate.
"I'm not going to say I didn't think about it," Sulka said.
So why not a woman?
Several reasons. First, there's a limited pool of candidates from which to choose Most successful college coaches, such as Arizona State's Charli Turner Thorne, are not interested in leaving their positions for the WNBA, which offers less security and money.
"It's so much in its infancy," Turner Thorne recently told the Portland Oregonian. "I think that there's not too many coaches who are lucky enough to have successful college programs that would trade that for any WNBA job." Also, Sulka wanted a coach with professional experience. Because the WNBA is only six years old, there were only a few ex-head coaches or current assistants who interested the Mercury.
"That eliminated a lot of people," Sulka said.
It will take a couple of generations of WNBA players retiring and entering the coaching ranks before the list of candidates grows.
It's not like the NBA, where a Hubie Brown, Kevin Loughery or Mike Fratello loiters on every corner.
"Maybe four or five years from now it will be different," Sulka said.
Finally, and perhaps surprisingly, there were the nine Mercury players who asked Sulka to hire a male coach.
"It was hard," said veteran Jennifer Gillom. "I want to see women succeed."
That desire, though, was exceeded by the players' belief they would respond better to a male coach.
"I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a matter of respect," said Gillom, who at the University of Mississippi played for current Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor. "It's just a different deal than a woman."
The hiring of male coaches has become a trend in the WNBA. Eight of the 16 teams are coached by men, and the three teams without a coach are looking at male candidates.
"We wanted to make the right basketball decision," Colangelo said. "It's about the women's jobs on the court we're trying to protect. It's not to put a scorecard out there, but just the best situation for the Phoenix Mercury players and right now that is John Shumate."
Fair enough, but it's still sad that a league for women and run by a woman (commissioner Val Ackerman) has so many men as head coaches.
Hopefully, the day comes soon when WNBA teams can choose from a surplus of qualified female candidates, not a shortage.

mb · Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2002 10:59 am Post subject:

Sorry, one article link had already been posted by gia. The other article is Jeff Metcalfe's. The third is a copy of Scott Bordow's article...a great read. Again, we are lucky to have local media who are knowledgable about the WNBA and give it coverage.

Thanks for the insight, Jeff!

Carrie deserves to get the Head coaching job in Seattle, yet having Graffy here as the lead assistant would be the icing on the cake!

Go Mercury!!!

Hope to see Carrie Graf, Rodney Overby, and Trish Fallon all return.
Certainly Seth will do all he can to make it happen.

Expect Timmsy to be back to commentating. Good onya, Michele!

gia · Guest

The key line in that article was
Quote: The WNBA is about giving female athletes equal opportunity

The hiring of a male coach in no way infringes on that opportunity. It's about choosing the right person for the job to ensure the success of the women on the court.

Red · Guest Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 32 Location: Glendale, AZ

This is all really great news! :D A very happy day for the Phoenix Mercury I'd say.

As pleased as I am to have an enthusiastic and committed new coach, I am equally as pleased, as Caune said, to hear Brian Colangelo state that they are committed to the Mercury and their success. I feel much better knowing that.

Now that we have a great new coach, let's hope there is also a full scale plan to really market and merchandise this team the way is should have been from the get-go.

gia · Guest

These people who are complaining about gender are most likely the same people who cried foul when Andy Rooney said that a woman shouldn't be a football sideline reporter.

It's the reverse double standard. No men behind the women's bench, but dammit, how dare you say a women should be working in male sports!

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

I agree with you, Gia. Why shouldn't a man coach a women's basketball team? What is the big deal about gender? I thought the point was to find someone qualified for the job. Our new coach could be a Martian...I don't care. I want the players motivated and winning games.

Even though I love Graf, I truly believe a new face and a fresh perspective is just what this team needs.

skew11 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 372

:D Ballboy Productions -great vid of the press conference on the Official Site !

www.phoenixmercury.com

It was as if I was there at the press conference ( but without the invite :cry: :lol: )

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

It is sooo refreshing to hear a coach be excited about the opportunity and not it mearly being a stepping stone to other things. Just reading about his enthusiaism (sp?) has me excited about next season.

I'm so glad the organization went for substance over style and believes in the Mercury. I can't wait for next season!

I really like how Shu said he would evaluate the players in practice before forcing an offensive system on them and developing one to complement them.

It was sad to hear Jen say male coaches command more respect, I think its just the female coaches she's been around weren't worthy of the respect.

I can't wait to see who comes back and for the season to start!

Go Merc!

gia · Guest

That's a nice press conference video. Thanks for posting that skew. I was on the Merc site and never even noticed there was a video :shock:

mb · Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2002 9:29 am Post subject:

Remember, chat with Shu at 10 am.

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1562 Location: Phoenix

Wow, thats the first time I got a question answered in ANY chat on the WNBA website...and what an answer, very impressive...he quoted Adrians EUROPEAN stats...I thought I was the only nut who followed that stuff!
I also like the assertive vs aggressive and not letting it get out of hand..it is obvious he has watched some WNBA aggression!

gia · Guest

Quote: Caune in Phoenix: Coach, I had the pleasure of attending your press conference and I impressed with your thoughts on defense, so let me ask...is the team finally going to get a mean, rebounding "enforcer" to protect Maria?? Or do you think you can teach our post players to be more physical and aggressive? Thanks, and best of luck to you!

John Shumate: I don't think Maria needs to be protected, she's one of the bigger players in the league, tall and athletic. I just don't know if we've got the most of her talent to date. We want to work with her to be as skilled and aggressive as she can be. I lilke to use the word assertive, like a person can assert the game. When you use the word aggressive, sometimes it gets out of control. We can't survive with Maria doing all the postwork, we do need Adrain Williams to come in and do well. Overseas, Adrain has gotten 20, 16 and 15 rebounds in her last three games.

The man is the genuine article. No pretenses, no sideshow.

skew11 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 372

:D way to go caune! good question and answer :!:

gia,

sorry you missed ballboys vids..I always notice when they change them. Wish they had archived them for you..

1. Granma cooking a dish at her house ...yummy :D
2. Lisa visiting a school on Valentines Day ... "Lady In Red" :D
3. Hoops event downtown before the start of the season sometime in April.

those are ones I remember as I type ...

www.ballboy.net

gillomfan · Guest Joined: 16 Jun 2002 Posts: 261

Today I received a hand written card from John Shumate. He said it was good to see me at the press conference and can't wait for the season to begin. MB, Caune, Gia, did any of you get a letter? I din't think I would admire any coach as much as I did Cynthia Cooper but John Shumate has already really impressed me. I admire him a lot. He's very sweet and I know will make this team rock again. Go Mercury!

gia · Guest

Yes, I got one. Caune said she did too. Haven't heard from mb but assume he did as well. It said (paraphrasing) thanks for attending the press conf. and for the support, and he looks forward to our "partnership". Guess we're going into business together! 8)

Dunkin' Dan · Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2002 12:10 am Post subject:

Smart man that Shumate. He's wasted no time in getting all you guys wrapped around his finger eh?
;)

Haha... seriously though, it must be fantastic for you guys to be involved like this. This is what a club is all about after all - involvement.
You've all been huge fans of the team from day 1, and you all have knowledge & opinions that are well worth listening to. It's nice to know that they are.

I have to applaud Shu & the Mercury organisation for the way they have acted in the off-season so far.
I am genuinely excited about not only next season, but the future of the team in general.

Now I just have to find a way to get my butt over there & see some games!!

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1562 Location: Phoenix

Yes, I did get a note, a very nice touch. It's attention to detail that is what has been missing in the past. I take this as a very good sign!

Dan, Come on, I still have an extra ticket for any or all games you wish to attend and the heat in the summer here will be nothing compared to living in Saudi Arabia!

skew11 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 372

that is a nice touch that Shu would take the time to write you all...shows how much he cares and his actions tell you plenty :!: The future looks bright!

"The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says, 'Go!' - a leader says, 'Let's go!'"

mb · Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:36 am Post subject:

Yes, a nice card was in my mailbox as well.

In addition to endorsing this coach, the "groundswellers" will be trying to make some other good things happen for the Mercury family. Stay tuned.

Dunkin Dan said, Quote: "Smart man, that Shumate."
Yes, quoting Adrain's stats in the on-line chat, and the quick thank you notes reinforce that notion. His daughter is in law school and his son just rec'd a scholarship to Yale. I'm impressed!

Dunkin' Dan, Caune will provide the game tickets, I'll help with food, drink, lodging, and transportation...grab an airline ticket and get here already.

You too, keegan.

Great days are ahead! Go Mercury!!!

skew11 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 372

John Shumate:

Quote: I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity that the Mercury organization has given to me," shumate said. "I love both the teaching aspect as well as the coaching aspect, and I think this Mercury team will be very receptive of that. I am most looking forward to the style of play that I think will be exciting and enjoyable to our fans.

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1562 Location: Phoenix

Hey Skew, you have to make the pilgramage to Phoenix this summer! Dans in Australia, you have no excuse for not visiting!

skew11 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 372

:idea: I'll get my mountain bike ready and roll out around the holidays...should be in PHX in time... :shock: :lol:

On second thought -- Mapquest.com just told me its 1,467 miles :shock: uhhh Delta or Southwest might be the ticket... :D