Updated: There are two new coaches in the North Division of the Big 12, with Robin Pingeton taking over at Missouri (she was formally announced at a press conference Thursday), and Linda Lappe named Colorado’s new coach at a press briefing this morning in Boulder.
Pingeton comes from Illinois State; Lappe, who is a former Buffs player, from Division II Metro State.
I am trying to take some deep breaths and sort out my thoughts on these two hires. Actually, I was up most of the night writing those thoughts, but I don’t want to publish all that just yet without a little more time to ponder the situations. If that gives you some indication my reaction to both is not exactly positive, that’s a correct guess.
Yet, I don’t want to just unload negativity, because that serves no purpose. I have some real questions about both of these coaching choices and want to be fair, but firm, about how I present those. Will have more to say, much more, a bit later.
I do want to take time to “plug” something: broadcaster Brenda VanLengen does a twice-weekly women’s sports radio show here in Kansas City _ it’s called, “She’s Got Game” _ and has been gracious to have me as one of her regular guests. The show is Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m., and you can listen live or on replay at this site.
Pingeton’s teams have a reputation for losing the big games. Her ISU teams have done well in the MVC during the past 5 years, winning the regular season conference title in several of those years, only to lose in the MVC tournament. They have not been able to secure an at-large bid in the NCAA, which tells you something about their strength of schedule. And during the few times they have won the MVC tournament, her teams have not progressed far in the NCAA. I am not convinced that she is a strong hire for this job. And I don’t think she understands that her ISU recruiting strategies may not translate well to Mizzou. An up-and-comer from a stronger conference may have been a better pick.
As for Lappe, did Ceal Barry inadvertantly set up her protege to fail?
Even coaches who have had considerable success in other conferences find it hard to adjust to the Big 12. Gail Goestenkors has done awell at Texas, but has yet to enjoy the kind of stratospheric success she had at Duke in the ACC. Bonnie Henrickson, who had some noteworthy success inthe ACC at Virginia Tech — not as continually successful at GG, but still did well for a few years — has not been nearly as successful at KU, this season’s unfortunate player injuries aside.
Here’s the $64,000 question Stat_Girl, who else are you going to get who is willing to come to Columbia or Boulder and rebuild.
Missouri could have hired upmarket, but the word’s out on the street. They program is ignored. They don’t draw and no talent really worth anything will sign with you. Three of the best players in Show Me State HS Basketball are wearing Texas A&M uniforms? Why? When it was time to be recruiting the Aggies were a winner. The Tigers weren’t.
To Pingeton’s credit. 5 NAIA tournament bids, 3 NCAA bids from a program that had problems winning 7 games when she got there + she was on a staff of a Big 12 periennial contender. Robin’s initial CV is about equal to two other coaches I know who took over backfield programs as a “questionable hire”
One was a high school when she was hired. Today’s she has three Final Fours to her credit, a fat salary and closet full of Jimmy Choos.
The other, who had the same number of NCAA appearances as a head coach in the MVC as Pingeton, is this year’s national coach of the year.
Lets give Pingeton and Lappe a chance.
Chipper, Bill Fennelly’s base annual salary when his contract was renewed in 2007 was $225,000. There are LOTS of people who might go to to Mizzou to rebuild, especially when the base is $300,000. Who would be better? Kelly Harper, Nikki Caldwell, and Jen Rizotti come to mind very quickly.
I’ve watched Pingeton coach ever since she landed at ISU. I watch as many MVC games as anyone, and I also sat through 10 out of the 11 games at the Big 12 tournament last year and this, and I can tell you that the MVC is not even close to being the conference that the Big 12 is. If you doubt that, look at the win/loss record of MVC teams vs Big 12 teams in the past 5 years. Or, look at the number of MVC teams who have made it past the first round the NCAA’s in the past 5 years versus the number of Big 12 teams that have made it into the round of 32 or 16.
It would be nice if we could just wish someone into being qualified to succeed at a job. I would certainly wish it for our Iowa girl Lappe (Pingeton, not so much…I watched her chew out a ref during a game this spring and then immediately turn around and grin, giggle and wink at Randy Norton, so though it was all a big act and she was the clever one getting away with it; just one example of this so called “Christian coach’s” misbehaviors I have seen over the years), But life doesn’t work that way. And I’m not sure that we do ourselves or anyone else any favors by thinking it does or should.
Pat Griffin’s take on the Missouri hire:
http://ittakesateam.blogspot.com/
I have to agree Mechelle. Both of the hires are questionable. Neither has the true experience of rebuilding in a conference as deep as the Big 12, yet no one really does. However, that being said, we have seen a couple of Big 12 schools hire power coaches from power conferences, Kristy Curry and Gail G come to mind, and not get very far with them.
So, I think that I lean with Colorado as the better hire. I know that Lappe has less experience and a questionable resume, but she is young and very enthusiastic about the program as an alum. This will begin to attract better talent. Enthusiasm and youth sells with recruits.
On top of that, it should be easier in the north for a few years with Nebraska and Iowa State graduating everything that made them go. If they can either attract a few high level recruits, they could get going in a hurry.
Stat-girl, Missouri wasn’t getting Harper or Caldwell because they’ve just landed in their jobs, the salaries are comparable and more importantly, they have thing cooking already. Missouri’s going to be a climb no matter who takes it. You have lacking institutional support and no fan support. You weren’t getting any head coach from a BCS conference school there unless you really backed up the Brink’s truck.
Bill Fennelly may make a base salary of just $225, 000 but he has something very few in this game has. That guy has a deal structured for job security for the next decade. Iowa State has taken care of him to where the only way Bill Fennelly loses his job is if he get caught playing golf and a going to a strip club with Satan.
Jen Rizzotti’s getting paid a similar salary at UHart right now and she has a better program going. Hartford has a lot more people buying season tickets than Missouri and Colorado does. And there are the intangible factors she and her family are at home. She’s a native nutmegger. She’s only going to leave UHart for a job in the Big East at this point.
You can make a case from others. Brian Giorgis from Marist comes to mind, but even then when you are that far down in the order and the support has been lacking it comes back down to who do you get?
The MVC isn’t the Big 12? DUH. But then again not too many leagues are. But before we start immediately pressing out major conference superiority, lets remember that just because you belong to a big league doesn’t necessarily make you a big-league program.
This is a list of the mid-major “not even close to the Big 12 teams” that Missouri and Colorado have lost to in the last four years:
Missouri lost to South Dakota State (who beat up a lot of BCS sad sacks to build their program), Samford, Stephen F. Austin, Marshall, Holy Cross, Xavier, and Memphis
Colorado lost to Wyoming, Cal State-Fullerton, South Dakota State, Siena, UMass (you have to be pretty sorry to lose to UMass. I see them play a great deal), Drexel, Colorado State
This is the depth that both Lappe and Pingeton have to rise from.
I like seeing Linda Lappe get the chance and I hope she does well with it, but she is throwing against a stacked deck. The administration at CU is an disarray and she’s facing a Big 12 conference were even the undertalented teams are quite capable teams.
Pingeton is not necessarily the person I’d hire given the credentials, however there just aren’t that many coaches with greater CVs who are available no matter how many dollars you throw on the table.
Nontheless, these are the people who have the job, so fans get on board and support ‘em. They are the only head coach you got.
Based on everything that I have read, Pingeton seemed like an odd choice for a program that wants to be competitive in the BIG12. Programs in the BIG12 south that have wanted to build competitive programs have gone after big named coaches with long histories of success: Mulkey @Baylor, Blair@A&M, Goestenkors@Texas, even Curry@Texas Tech, even though her success at Purdue hasn’t translated in Lubbock.
I was under the impression that TCU’s Jeff Mittie was also in the running for the job. He has had great success in the Mountain West, and in the post season with TCU. He has taken TCU to the NCAA’s 8 out of his 11 seasons with the Frogs. I believe he is also a native of Missouri.
Maybe it boiled down to money in the choice, I can’t imagine another reason for choosing Pingeton over Mittie.