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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2021 20:31:05 GMT -6
No change in coaching or performance. I doubt replacing the coach at this point would make any difference. They shot 31 percent against the Birdettes ... I watched part of it and there's not a lot going on there. They hustle but the outcomes are predictably bad.
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Post by E-Villan on Jan 21, 2021 21:49:45 GMT -6
No change in coaching or performance. I doubt replacing the coach at this point would make any difference. They shot 31 percent against the Birdettes ... I watched part of it and there's not a lot going on there. They hustle but the outcomes are predictably bad. Ruffing was back?
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Post by acecard on Jan 21, 2021 21:52:22 GMT -6
No change in coaching or performance. I doubt replacing the coach at this point would make any difference. They shot 31 percent against the Birdettes ... I watched part of it and there's not a lot going on there. They hustle but the outcomes are predictably bad. They have lost their last 28 games to Valley opponents. Tyra couldn't do any worse, and I bet she can recruit better than the current coach. They have yet to score more than 57 points against any Valley team this season.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2021 9:39:01 GMT -6
I guess I missed it. Ruffing is still out for "personal reasons" and the assistant Doug Rogers is running the team.
This is somewhat curious. If he was sick, that would be an acceptable explanation. I won't speculate beyond that.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2021 10:40:56 GMT -6
Nobody seems too interested in covering the L.A.'s and I can't find any semblance of an opinion from Rogers, Buss or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the status of Ruffing or the program. The "personal reasons" are a billboard for something but aside from guessing, at least they are playing games. That signals something is being done right, even if the outcomes are predictably bad.
What little I know about women's ball is that the players are all at least 5-9 now and I don't think there was a single girl in my high school class who was over 5-6. The teams that are beating the Aces don't seem to have superior size, speed or strength. How they are getting these one-sided decisions comes down to something that may be obvious, may not be.
I thought early on the UE women were playing crisply, had a nice offensive scheme, made good passes and hustled on every play. They might still be attempting that but something is clearly missing. Not saying they ought to win 20 games or even 15, but going 9-9 in the conference is a goal that all of them should pursue.
They ain't gonna beat UConn, ND, SC, or any B1G anyhow. Just play to compete, get the education and make yourself proud for having tried. Going 0-for-the-decade should not be in your resume.
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Post by bballjunkie on Jan 22, 2021 13:17:57 GMT -6
They forfeited today!! How sad is that
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2021 13:26:42 GMT -6
(edited a lot of this)
I guess they only had 6 players available for today after one player was injured. Ruffing is still out for 'personal reasons' and how is it they only have 7 players on the team?
Again, the opaque nature of how the university manages its public image is troublesome and I will stand in apology if this seems callous.
Having the coach out for "personal reasons" is also acceptable but that does not keep us from wondering -- given that there has been something resembling precedent at UE about a coach's behavior.
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Post by E-Villan on Jan 22, 2021 15:22:44 GMT -6
In the things could be worse...or maybe not department. The entire Detroit Mercy Womens Basketball Team has quit for the season in response to alleged abuse by the head coach, AnnMarie Gilbert. nypost.com/2021/01/22/entire-detroit-mercy-womens-hoops-team-quits-over-horrific-abuse-allegations/?utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=SocialFlowBesides Detroit having been a former conference mate in the MCC, what does this have to do with us? Well.....Oties Epps, the former head coach of the Lady Aces, who abruptly walked out in the middle of a horrific season, is an Assistant Coach there. It was Epps who Ruffing served as an assistant to prior to replacing him. The UDM team has been as horrible as ours over the last few years. I am not saying Ruffing is guilty of abuse by association, but this linkage, and coaching tree, has produced horrible results over numerous seasons. We simply must purge it from the program. There is ZERO excuse for a team to forfeit a conference game because they have lost too many players with a coach in his 5th season. Throw in the fact that he is currently AWOL on top of it, and it becomes simply inexcusable and outright embarrassing. Ruffing should have already been let go due to his performance. The forfeit, AWOL and loss of players makes his removal an absolute necessity. Anything short of an immediate firing by Spencer should viewed as complete incompetence on his part. Kaitlynn Pacholke or Tara Buss should be promoted promptly. Either of them would do a much better job, and may be able to salvage what is left of this team before they end up following UDM.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2021 16:38:13 GMT -6
I agree that the UE management needs to mitigate this. Being in a conference with the Valley's prestige means stepping up and participating. The Covid issues can be excused and if that's one of the reasons the team has fewer players, that is understandable. But they have not reported any Covid issues, so if they aren't -- that would be the only basketball program in the country that isn't reporting it.
Did some of the women opt out over this? If so, that would be information that should be shared with the public. If they opted out because they didn't like the alternative, that's also something we need to be discussing. Opting out is fair and smart for the ones who see the virus as a risk to their health or their family's health.
If they opted out ahead of the coach going off to attend to 'personal matters,' also worth a conversation.
If this topic is too sensitive for us to fully grasp, seriously ... we have been desensitized already. Let us have it full-cannon on high.
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Post by 83Ace on Jan 23, 2021 9:50:21 GMT -6
It’s hard to comment much, not knowing what is going on. But that has been a big issue with all things UE athletics for some time: the lack of information and transparency. Who is injured, did players leave the team, is there an idea on when Ruffing is expected back, how about an interview with the acting/interim coach, etc. I’m also curious that games can be postponed/canceled for COVID but apparently not for other illness/injuries. I’m sure it happens but I can’t remember a forfeit before for any team.
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Post by E-Villan on Jan 23, 2021 11:33:33 GMT -6
It’s hard to comment much, not knowing what is going on. But that has been a big issue with all things UE athletics for some time: the lack of information and transparency. Who is injured, did players leave the team, is there an idea on when Ruffing is expected back, how about an interview with the acting/interim coach, etc. I’m also curious that games can be postponed/canceled for COVID but apparently not for other illness/injuries. I’m sure it happens but I can’t remember a forfeit before for any team. I completely agree on the lack of communication. It is a big deal and has been an issue for the last several years. I thought we had turned the corner when McCarty was suddenly everywhere, but since his removal, we have gone back to this. This shows indecisive leadership or a lack of concern. I really feel bad for the girls, and hope it doesn't lead to more defections. I would like to think Chad is asking and not getting any answers.
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Post by 83Ace on Jan 23, 2021 11:52:40 GMT -6
It’s hard to comment much, not knowing what is going on. But that has been a big issue with all things UE athletics for some time: the lack of information and transparency. Who is injured, did players leave the team, is there an idea on when Ruffing is expected back, how about an interview with the acting/interim coach, etc. I’m also curious that games can be postponed/canceled for COVID but apparently not for other illness/injuries. I’m sure it happens but I can’t remember a forfeit before for any team. I completely agree on the lack of communication. It is a big deal and has been an issue for the last several years. I thought we had turned the corner when McCarty was suddenly everywhere, but since his removal, we have gone back to this. This shows indecisive leadership or a lack of concern. I really feel bad for the girls, and hope it doesn't lead to more defections. I would like to think Chad is asking and not getting any answers. I expect that is the case.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2021 12:14:52 GMT -6
If these young women are defecting, then there's something there that smacks of an environment they didn't sign on for. If losing is the problem, hey ... we forgive them for that. There is no sin in losing, only quitting. But quitting and opting out in this peculiar time are not the same thing either.
There is an unfinished sentence or two in this discussion that I do think UE needs to publicly address. The "personal matters" is acceptable if it isn't related to Ruffing's job. Despite the preferred university policy of saying nothing until they have to, there is a connection between a person accepting a coaching position and his/her public persona. You don't get to hide behind privacy if you are expecting the public to support your program.
That being my take on it, if this is about his personal life, then it's not my business. If these women are leaving the program because they think they are at risk of the virus, they get my unvarnished blessing for making that choice.
We can't sue for Sunshine laws, but this sort of stuff is another warped board in the platform UE is standing on as it tries to sell 'reductions' to the alumni.
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Post by ncace on Jan 23, 2021 17:12:04 GMT -6
There is nothing "normal" at this moment, but neither the school or the athletic department communicate well. This would be OK, except UE is such a big part of the fabric of the city. Spencer needs to be gone. Ruffing's extension was unnecessary and unwise. We need a new, enthusiastic approach to athletics at UE, and if there is a new approach to the overall viability of UE as an institution, we need to hear that too.
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