The article has alot of good things to say about Coach Van from respected coaches. One said that Chancellor is now rested and ready for another 7-10 years of coaching and the type of coach that will bring LSU over the Final 4 hump. Great Xs and Os coach but even greater motivator that knows his players. Hope it works out, sounds like Lady Basketball will be just fine the next few years. He was inducted to the Naismith Hall of Fame a few weeks back with Phil Jackson and Roy Williams. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070406/SPORTS0202/304060003/1028
I think this would be a good hire. I've watched him on TV and with the Comets. He won the first 4 championships in the league, so if he has the horses, he can get them there. He had to deal with animosity between Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes, who both wanted to be the queen bee, and got them to play together long enough to win the titles. The best thing about him, is his players seem to like him, and he seems to like and respect them. He seems like a good old down home person, kinda folksy. He did a lot of commercials for Sooty's Catfish and a Break Away rim company (just thought I'd through that in).
Yeah, the more I read about Van, the more I like it (honestly, though, what are our back ups? ). At first I was intrigued by the Ole Miss record, the Miss background, and impressed (but less impressed) by the WNBA background. Honestly, the WNBA was just getting kicked off, talent was not widely dispersed, and arguably Houston had the best talent. BUT, the fact that he won 4 in a row says something (he can keep talent motivated). After reading the quotes of a former Alabama coach that used to coach against Van, I'm more enthused (he's exactly the kind of "complete" coach that LSU seems to have been missing). Quote: "He's the type guy that could win it all with that LSU team," said Moody, who took Alabama to its first Final Four in 1994 and coached there from 1990-2005. "If it gets down to pushing the right buttons, I'd hate to bet against him. If I was still coaching and Van gets the LSU job, number one I'd be excited for the league. Number two, I'd be real concerned. The man's a legend in his own time. He's been so good at every level - in college, in the WNBA, in the Olympics." Moody said Chancellor is a technician and a motivator. "He was always one of the toughest to coach against," Moody said. "He would always come up with something or some kind of different plan, and he's very good at managing a game. He's a great X an 0 guy, but he's a better motivator and he's better at reading people than anyone I've ever coached against. He's really good at knowing his own players." I've also said for some years that LSU needed some "NBA" legitimacy. More and more college coaches are utilizing some NBA ties--it helps in recruiting, it helps in credibility. The fact that Van can talk about winning WNBA championships, helping these girls prepare for the NBA, that's going to kill in recruiting. Quite honestly, it's something the men's program doesn't have. If there is any truth to the rumors that perhaps a Cynthia Cooper comes as an assistant, even better. This may be a good step in really building legitimacy and credibility in the LSU hoops program. I'm sure Brady could learn a few things from Van, too. :hihi: :geauxtige :bball: :champs: LSU IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. BE A FAN.
It would be a huge coup to get Cynthia with Van! Cynthia is the head coach at Prairie View, and she has improved that program (it would have been hard NOT to). She's a competitor, and young, and could give the program continuity down the road. Cynthia played in Europe before the WNBA, she has tons of top flight playing experience, and she coached the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA for one and a half years.
He better be able to recruit because after next year he will have a ton of scholarships available. As far as this year goes there is still a 6'6 mcdonalds all american uncommitted who has LSU on her list.
