Pat Summitt - New Men’s Coach?
Driving to work a couple of days after the Tennessee Lady Volunteers won their 8th National Championship in women’s basketball, I heard something that made my blood pressure slowly begin to rise.
Before I go on, as a native Tennessean, I would like to congratulate Pat Summit and the team, as a whole, for representing themselves with class and playing great basketball against their peers. However, the sense of pride I garnered from the representation of such a dominate program coming from my hometown was quickly doused by a feeling of disbelief quickly turned into irritation.
The cause of my emotional roller coaster: hearing a ludicrous statement by the host of a local radio talk show. The egregious position of this host, who, by chance, is also the play-by-play announcer for the Lady Vols’ basketball team — if given the right opportunity, Pat Summit could be the head coach at a high profile men’s basketball program.
Before you keep reading, please take a moment to stop your hysterical laughing and clean up whatever came out of your nose when you read the last sentence. The talk show host pointed to her 983 record number of wins as a head coach at the University of Tennessee, a recruiting advantage she may have over her male peers, and the discipline she has had while running her program over the years as reasons why she could be successful.
First, Coach Summit has been able to amass such a large number of wins because she became a head coach at the age of 22, mind you there was no such thing as NCAA women’s basketball at this point. No major men’s program is going to allow someone male, or female the same opportunity at such a young age. Time has passed, the women’s game has grown, and Coach Summit has become an eight time champion. Nonetheless, she still coaches a second tier sport at the university. People across the country are still largely apathetic to women’s athletics in general, much less to specifically women’s basketball.
I am sure many of you will point to the attendance numbers the Lady Vols put up before the Bruce Pearl era to say that women’s basketball is not a second tier sport in the the state of Tennessee, but guess what?
The men’s basketball team is now a winning program and has been able to attract several more fans than the Lady Vols the past three years. Bottom line, a perennial losing men’s team can overtake a proven women’s program in a matter of a couple of seasons. Even the most desperate men’s team, like the University of Tennessee a few years ago wouldn’t put its program in the hands of a female coach.
Another argument made by the foolish host was that Summit would have an advantage over male counter parts in the recruiting area. His reasoning was that mothers of many of the prep stars come from fatherless homes, and the mothers play a significant role in the recruiting process. Therefore, the mothers would desire the mothering instincts and influence Summit could bring to the table.
While the assessment of the home situation may be true for many of the high school basketball players being recruited by major men’s programs, would the mothers not want their sons to have the positive male influence their sons have been lacking for most of their lives if they did indeed grow up in a fatherless home? If you listen to current and former college players who have come from broken homes, many of them speak of the wonderful relationships they were able to develop with a coach they could look to as a father figure.
This carries over to the idea Summit would be able to develop the same discipline she has had with the Lady Vols. While the Lady Vols have experienced far fewer discipline problems than their male counterparts on the football and even basketball teams on campus. The idea of a well disciplined team would not hold up because of ummit’s gender. Being a woman amongst a male dominated sport, would only lead to more discipline issues.
There would not be the respect factor many of the male coaches bring to their programs. As stated before, these young men need that positive male many of them have needed for much of their formative years.
No one doubts Pat Summit’s role as spokeswoman and dean of women’s college basketball. However, to suggest the success she’s had at the women’s level of competition would translate to and maybe even enhance at a major men’s college basketball program is nonsensical. It boggles the mind how some are so blinded by the orange they could even suggest what this radio host did Monday morning.
Yes, Pat Summit is a great coach, a great leader, and a great example for her players. But why compare her to something she is not? She is good at coaching young women. Do not attempt to compare her with male counterparts. In the end, it is unfair to Sumitt, and I think, if asked, she would agree wholeheartedly.
Heisman
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April 17th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Pat Summit is a hell of a coach, and when it is all said and done she will be one of the best ever men’s or women’s. I have no doubt she could be a men’s coach at the DIII or even a DIII level, but there are too many other things that come into play for her to be a DI head coach. I don’t mean that as a knock on her, because she would tougher than a lot of men who are coaching now. But she just doesnt have what it takes to coach a major men’s program. I hate to say it.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Pat Summit would be a great ball coach for any men’s team. Being a great coach does not mean “look at me i can bench press a bus” or “i can paint my chest” or “i can yell and demoralize my player”, which many men in the business do. Coaching is building relationships. And that is why Pat Summitt is what she is….A Winner! And the revolving integrity that seems to follow Pat and her girls, would only benefit a “man’s” team. Pat’s nac for building relationships would take care of the small things: discipline, respect, hard work, HUSTLE, etc. BTW i think she has this coaching thing down “PAT”, and would reach the “SUMMITT” in men’s basketball as well. Thank you for your time.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:18 am
a second tier sport? Comparing women and men sports is like comparing apples and oranges. Just cause i knock over the apple cart and do things different (ala bruce pearl) does not mean the orange cart follows. Pat knocked down those oranges many years ago (and did very well i might add). Does an apple weigh more than an orange????? I think not. She could do it. You Go Girl!!!!
May 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am
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May 21st, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I also think that Pat Summitt could not coach a “men’s” college basketball team - for a simple reason. She would not put up with the self-centered and childish crap that those “men” would try to subject her to, nor would she allow players to play if they screwed up their academics. So, more than likely she’d have no team…
Summitt was asked once if she’d want to coach a man’s team. She showed no interest. Not because she couldn’t do it, but because she didn’t consider it a “step up.”
Caroline Miniscules last blog post..Pat Summitt has made the big time!
June 18th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Good Grief, why do men continue to try to pull us into their arena? Coach Pat Summitt is where she belongs and I hope she stays there. Women’s basketball is just beginning to gain credability, I see more games broadcast on network TV every year but men’s both high school, college and professional are still given the most coverage. I think that will change in time but women’s college basketball needs women like Pat Summitt connected with the program. The men can fend for themselves. Go Coach Summitt, I wish you many more good years of coaching women’s teams.