(WBK) Kelly Rae Finley: Time to Drop the "Interim"

Up to a seven seed in bracketology today.

 

My expectations for this year were higher than some, as I have thought for a while that the talent was finally where it needed to be. I wanted to see .500 in Conference and 20 wins to feel good about the future. We have already accomplished .500 and hard to imagine us not having 2 more wins to get to 20. Kelly took over a very difficult situation and held the team together, held the recruiting class together, and then went out and exceeded expectations in the W/L column. There is no way Striklin does not have her on board at this point. I think you will see an announcement before the Arkansas game. If we win at Auburn then we are coming home for a chance at 20 wins (10 SEC) for the season. If fans are filling those seats in that game then the hard part is already over.

 

I sincerely hope you are right. Full disclosure, I voted for Kelly in the first “who do you want as coach” poll on the board, so there’s that. This seems like a total no-brainer to me. She would not be expensive but we should lock her up with a good contract. If she fails, well, who cares, it’s only women’s basketball…… if she succeeds then it’s “WOW, ITS WOMANS BASKETBALL!!” I do know that from my point of view not hiring her would be unforgivable and my fandom would join the entire team in the transfer portal.

 

I don't think there's any conspiracy and I think the embrace Stricklin gave her after TN was genuine. He would have to be a moron to not realize he has lightning in a bottle and he's unlikely to do better. And he didn't get to his position by being a moron.

I'm humble enough to know I have 0.0001% of the information. Rather than fill that vacuum with doom-ridden fantasies, I'll just presume, rational people are responding to a variety of inputs and things are on track.

 

Um, are you new around here? We have a strict code, at least in NBN, where information is NOT a prerequisite for gloom and doom proclamations. In fact, I think a lack of knowledge is a prerequisite for posting on this forum. I believe "NBN" is an abbreviation form for "Nothing But Nonsense".

Welcome and just a helpful reminder, if you need to use your brain, you are trying WAY too hard.

 

My understanding is your guess is very off base. I would agree that he probably was strongly looking outside initially....something I think most would have agreed was the proper and prudent thing to do given the situation in the program at that time and her experience. But I also believe he has been putting together a pakage once she began to display the things we need and are looking for.
Personally can't find fault in the way this seems to be playing out. But I like SS a lot, so I probably slant as well.

 

I will be shocked if Kelly Rae is not named HBC. I'll be surprised if it's not before the end of the season. I tend to think they've both discussed it in great detail and want to wait for a bigger impact. Or maybe, it's just a wait-and-see if the team flatlines. Barring injuries and Covid, it's not gonna. These women are playing at a very high level. And KRL is coaching at a very high level, both in-game and in preparation. The growth over the course of the season is outstanding. The February Gators would beat the early-December Gators by 25 points.

 

I think it's been handled as well as could have given the situation. I am definitely NOT a Stricklin fan but he may have really lucked into Kelly being a great fit for the program.

 

I am so super happy for all of them!! The staff, Coach Kelly, and mostly these young ladies.. They are trying so hard to "win" that head coach position for her. They thought they did it when they got their first ranking by beating all those ranked opponents. But here they sit, waiting for what they hope is inevitable. They are ready to knock down walls,(Or shatter glass ceilings), for her. Which, in my opinion, is how it should be. It just shows what a little care, a lot of effort, and a pinch of hard fought determination can do to rally the troops. I didn't know what to expect, but I am here for it. I wish the recent past players got to experience this atmosphere, and the ones I've spoken to wish the same.. It doesn't diminish that they are still so happy for their basketball sisters and very proud to call themselves gators... something that was strained, and quite frankly ,almost forbidden for some, with that previous leadership... Go Gators!!

 

She is kicking ass and having a great season. It ain't over. No harm in waiting until the end of the season to make her THE HC. Right now, it is more emotion than logic which would drive a decision to drop the
"interim" tag. I think it will be dropped soon enough. I just know a lot of my personal decisions made with body parts below my neck did not turn out as well as I thought they would. Patience.

 

Patience? Patience!?!

We are Gator basketball fans. We do NOT do patience!

 

My best guess is that a deal is in place, but she doesn’t want to potentially ruin the momentum of the season by adding this to the mix..