Dykes Coaching Career at Arkansas FIlled with Ups and Downs

[gdumont]

Razorback women's basketball coach Jimmy Dykes resigned on Friday afternoon, following 3 seasons at his alma mater

http://www.nwahomepage.com/razorback-nation/dykes-coaching-career-at-arkansas-filled-with-ups-and-downs/666989933

[LadybackBBFan]

Razorback women's basketball coach Jimmy Dykes resigned on Friday afternoon, following 3 seasons at his alma mater

http://www.nwahomepage.com/razorback-nation/dykes-coaching-career-at-arkansas-filled-with-ups-and-downs/666989933

No where does it say what he said in the first two years of the program.  I quote:
"I do not have five starters returning.  This is my team, I have no starters."  One thing was true, one previous year's starter left the team and another player who played significant minutes left the team and two signee's did not show up.
At his first luncheon in the second year, he said "We are in better shape this year than last year.  Those were not my players, I am beginning to get my team - it will take a while."  What a way to throw three returning starters under the bus, Jackson, Brooks and Wolf plus Berna and Bowen.

At this year's luncheons: "Our program is in the best shape of the three years.  I am getting my players and they are all together."  Woops Jackson almost disappeared for the year after being thrown under the bus three straight years and so did three others with apparently more with one leg out the door.
That is the rest of the story!

[Scott7703]

Yet you have people like Joe Klein pissed off and taking up for the guy. I'm am a jimmy dykes fan/.supporter but there is no doubt he had to go. He was in over his head, had no clue how to utilize his staff, no idea how to relate to the players, terrible practice coach and the list goes on and on. When people start putting a friend, coach, ect in front of the good of the university you have major problems.

[hog63]

Could go down as the worst basketball hire in the history of the program. That is saying something considering Susie!!

The only reason "hope was in the air" after his first year was he had a group of girls who won in spite of him not because of him. They had a desire to win that would not be hampered by his craziness. He had no clue what he was doing and they picked up on it early. He tried numerous times to beat them down and they just would not break. After the first year his ways just finally broke some kids and it snowballed from there. Had he not been fired we would have struggled to field a team next year and the staff would have been completely different.

I wish him well but he did it to himself and JL had no choice but to do what he did. 

[ricepig]

Could go down as the worst basketball hire in the history of the program. That is saying something considering Susie!!

The only reason "hope was in the air" after his first year was he had a group of girls who won in spite of him not because of him. They had a desire to win that would not be hampered by his craziness. He had no clue what he was doing and they picked up on it early. He tried numerous times to beat them down and they just would not break. After the first year his ways just finally broke some kids and it snowballed from there. Had he not been fired we would have struggled to field a team next year and the staff would have been completely different.

I wish him well but he did it to himself and JL had no choice but to do what he did. 

"Beat them down", what exactly does that mean? I understand he was a "my way, or the highway" coach, but there are a lot of those.

[hog63]

"Beat them down", what exactly does that mean? I understand he was a "my way, or the highway" coach, but there are a lot of those.

constant verbal attacks about them personally and his basketball fundamentals were so far out of left field they because comical   

[ricepig]

constant verbal attacks about them personally and his basketball fundamentals were so far out of left field they because comical   

Well, it would have seem to me that the players, parents, coach, and AD, would have had a sit down over that, if it was personal. I've got no problem with "hard" coaching, but verbally abusing someone doesn't fly in this day and time. Although, you still hear it at times on the practice fields, or did.....

[flippinhogmana]

I have to back up Hog63 on this:  Even if you didnt have experiential knowledge of some of the events, you have to see the signs of it happening repetitively.  Whatever Dykes core beliefs were, he didnt act them (or maybe his core beliefs are skewed in ways that allowed or justified tearing down rather than building up).  Hog63 is to be commended for not being more cynical or more negative given his experience in all this.  It was painful enough for me as a Christian to see such conduct.  That is all I have to say or will ever again have to say on the matter. 

[flippinhogmana]

Well, it would have seem to me that the players, parents, coach, and AD, would have had a sit down over that, if it was personal. I've got no problem with "hard" coaching, but verbally abusing someone doesn't fly in this day and time. Although, you still hear it at times on the practice fields, or did.....

It wasn't a long sustained attack in any one incident, Rice, but the cumulative effect and the sharpness with which the individual incidents were inflicted that Hog63 is talking about.  Christy Smith, Calli Berna and Jhasmin Bowen were the main recipients of it in year one, but it continued.  The reason why it didnt come to a head was the character and the philosophy of being 'good soldiers' that kept parents, players and those around them from complaining.  Glad it is over with though.

[ricepig]

I have to back up Hog63 on this:  Even if you didnt have experiential knowledge of some of the events, you have to see the signs of it happening repetitively.  Whatever Dykes core beliefs were, he didnt act them (or maybe his core beliefs are skewed in ways that allowed or justified tearing down rather than building up).  Hog63 is to be commended for not being more cynical or more negative given his experience in all this.  It was painful enough for me as a Christian to see such conduct.  That is all I have to say or will ever again have to say on the matter. 

Well, I don't know who Hog63 is, so I don't know what his experience is with Jimmy. I always thought the hire was a "PR" event hoping to build up the women's program with a local guy who could bring some spark to the program.

I will say a good friend who won state titles with boys in high school, was an assistant coach at D-I in college, and coached girls in high school, said by far the hardest group to coach was the girls. He said you never knew what you would get from day to day, who was fighting over boyfriends, and countless other distractions. I'm not saying there isn't a multitude of issues with guys, but generally, you can get on them a little harder, without feelings being hurt. So, that's probably the biggest mistake in this, hiring a coach with zero experience coaching women.

[psycHOGlogist]

To offer a psychological perspective, it always struck me that Jimmy was fundamentally insecure about his coaching ability and knowledge, and his insecurity manifested itself by lashing out at anyone who challenged his authority. That makes for a terrible team environment. He temperament is ill-suited for coaching, generally, and particularly ill-suited for coaching female athletes.

[BWS]

I believe longtime Louisiana Tech women's Leon Barmore had one of the best quotes in regards to the difference between coaching men and women. He said with men, they have to play good to feel well. With women, they have to feel well to play good. As a female coach, you really have to be cautious what kind of message you bring to female athletes and you have to be extra sensitive to the team's chemistry. Not saying that female athletes can't take intense instruction or criticism, but with females there's a huge difference between constructive criticism and derogatory criticism.

Jody Adams, Cheryl Swoopes and Connie Yori were all forced out of their jobs because of a "toxic environment" in which the main complaint I read from players was mental abuse. From my understanding, that environment was taking place under Dykes. JD was painting a pretty picture on the outside, but realistically players and some coaches were getting fed up. Its not a coincidence that Arkansas was the only known college program to kneel during the national anthem. From what I heard, part of the reason to kneel was a defiance toward Dykes.

[hogman64]

I have been a razorback fan for over 50 years and Jimmy Dykes was one of the worst coaching  hires ever in any Hog sport...... he was a failure  in all facets of coaching and leadership   Not that I knew  that when he was hired but he sure left no doubt about it after 3 years......The only logical move was to end it.

[Pork Twain]

Well, I don't know who Hog63 is, so I don't know what his experience is with Jimmy. I always thought the hire was a "PR" event hoping to build up the women's program with a local guy who could bring some spark to the program.

I will say a good friend who won state titles with boys in high school, was an assistant coach at D-I in college, and coached girls in high school, said by far the hardest group to coach was the girls. He said you never knew what you would get from day to day, who was fighting over boyfriends, and countless other distractions. I'm not saying there isn't a multitude of issues with guys, but generally, you can get on them a little harder, without feelings being hurt. So, that's probably the biggest mistake in this, hiring a coach with zero experience coaching women.

As a father of two daughters (20/17) and two sons (22/19) and being around all of their friends during their lives, I can tell you this is true for a fact.  I pretty much knew what I was getting from my boys day-to-day, unless a significant change took place, but with the girls any change could be considered significant and moods were a roller coaster.  I saw the same thing in my leadership roles within the military.

[Vantage 8 dude]

But, but, but.....Wally said in his column this morning that JD deserved at least another year (if not two) to prove himself. That should have finished the debate right there. 

[hawg1221]

I really don't need to add fuel to the fire, but I will. The very first couple of post game interviews by Dykes turned me off. He came across as being too possessive and with a big ego by the way he said "my team", like he owned them. Maybe it was just me, but that's what I sensed.

[psycHOGlogist]

It wasn't just you.