That part in Babb's article, which I actually thought was generally quite good, struck me as an unnecessarily cruel knife twist in order to drive in a hamfisted nail through Mulkey's propensity to drop things cold that no longer serve her (which it's clear she does do).

Quote:

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"No longer among the sport's upper tier, another structure abandoned and left to wither."

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Baylor is obviously no longer in the elite three or four schools you look at every year as title contenders, but to say a program that's had 4 tourney wins and 3 20+ win seasons since Mulkey bounced was left to "wither" is just ridiculous literary dramatics.

Throw in some officiating of courage and integrity and this one might have played out differently this year. Add a post with some skill, either portal or developmentally, and I'd strongly suggest next year looks differently also.

I was excited how Nicki responded to the withering comment from the article. She was direct but still positive. I am excited about next year, and agree a great post from somewhere is needed. If that person is on our roster(unlikely but possible), or if we get someone in the portal, we could be very good.

I actually thought the article was generally reasonable and fair. The "withering" comment about Baylor was a throwaway line in furtherance of his narrative that Mulkey leaves a lot of heartache in her wake. That seems to be objectively true in my view. While the Baylor part was untrue, it is true that she is one of the most driven and unforgiving people I have I seen. I think if her family(dad and sister) are willing to talk to the reporter and honestly answer questions, it is none of Kim's business to complain about it. That sounds like an entitled crybaby. No comment like from her ex(and Baylor!)was always an option for anyone.

I know people like Kim(see Michael Jordan) can be VERY successful in their profession, but wow, carrying grievance and affront and anger in perpetuity may be great for national championships, but not so much for the rest of life. Even more than the Griner saga, or even her dad, the Emily Niemann part really made me sad, and mad too. She even has to "win" 15-20 years later with Emily.

Glad the article is out and over for the most part. Let's talk about our Bears in 24-25!

I used to really like Kim but now I hope they lose every game...especially the Iowa game. I like Nicki and hope she gets national championships at Baylor.

I've struggled to be a Nicki reason but after watching the USC game - I'm sold. She gets 2 more years to get her blend of recruited players through her system and Baylor will compete for Championships... Refs really dictated the USC game result.

No problem at all with CNC's response. However I thought he was talking about literallly the state immediately after she left. Like literally in spring of 21 after she left. Like conveying KM doesnt really give a shxt about her creation she built (which was our program) and the loyalty the place had toward her for 20 years. I didnt think it was a jab at the current state of the program.

Again though I'm glad CNC went to bat for the program anyway.

PartyBear said:

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No problem at all with CNC's response. However I thought he was talking about literallly the state immediately after she left. Like literally in spring of 21 after she left. Like conveying KM doesnt really give a shxt about her creation she built (which was our program) and the loyalty the place had toward her for 20 years. I didnt think it was a jab at the current state of the program.

Again though I'm glad CNC went to bat for the program anyway.

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I would agree. I think that is what he meant, but he could have followed up with something along the lines of despite getting left to wither, the program under CNC has managed to overcome getting dumped. I also think ctxbear's comment about NIL and the portal is spot on as well. The comment by the poster in between is way off the mark, and in my opinion not the majority opinion concerning WBB here.

When LSU called and told her what she would have there, especially that which was non-salary related, she was gone, IMO. There is nothing the AD could do to make it not be.....and I for one, would not have wanted him to do "everything it would take" to get her to stay. First off "everything it would take" would still be not enough. And this program despite its history is not more important than the overall athletic department or the school itself.

There are limits as to what you can do with your resources, both the ones you have yourself and ones that people outside the school can provide. We would never be able to match those of a gigantic state school such as LSU. Sure we could divert everything to WBB and leave football or MBB hanging out to dry. I'm sure the poster not named above would be fine with that. No, he would rag on with the same old line directed at a different sport.

We had not even been bringing in the last couple of years the same number and high quality of new players that had gotten us to where we were. The transfers coming in for the 2021-22 season were not that impressive and HS recruiting was way behind what it had been. Anyone that believes we were in line for another NC in a year or two was dreaming. The fire that you have seen at LSU was no longer in Waco as it had been in the earlier years. LSU was a lifeline that she couldn't pass up. Blame Rhoades for a lot, but there is absolutely nothing, IMO, that could have kept her here that could be justified in any manner. I am perfectly fine with where we are. It is fun again to be in the hunt. The real excitement for me in WBB was the journey it took to get to 2005 and then 2012. After that the "monster" as KM called it was a burden that was a no-win situation, especially in the era of pay-to-play. Proud to have CNC as our coach and face of the program.

He could have said the WBB program at Baylor has dropped some in results but of course journalists have to paint extremes.

"Withering" is if we hired the janitor to coach the team and fell to the Big12 basement.

Nicki has won 75% of her games, with 1 Big 12 championship, and 3 for 3 NCAA appearances.

Recruiting has certainly gone down, but Nicki has brought in some good transfers. She is a very good coach and comes across much better than Kim. I am glad she is here and because of her response to the article, I think she has a burning desire to get us back to where we were.

Yeah there was nothing new in the article for me except the Niemann story .

That's a horrible look for Mulkey. Supposedly you get into coaching to shape young people's lives. And sometimes it takes years to realize the meaning behind rough love and coaching.. Emily probably realized she made some mistakes and wanted to bury the hatchet..but the petulant child walked away.

I truly believe it was Kim's intent to set Baylor up to wither and die. I think Kim knew she was leaving so she stopped recruiting her last two years. When she left Baylor only had 1 player in the pipe line and less than 10 on the whole roster. She intended to take as many players with her as she could and hoped the others would leave. CNC saved the program from dying.

Cp2310 said:

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I truly believe it was Kim's intent to set Baylor up to wither and die. I think Kim knew she was leaving so she stopped recruiting her last two years. When she left Baylor only had 1 player in the pipe line and less than 10 on the whole roster. She intended to take as many players with her as she could and hoped the others would leave. CNC saved the program from dying.

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I totally agree with this. Love that she lost yesterday.

Cp2310 said:

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I truly believe it was Kim's intent to set Baylor up to wither and die. I think Kim knew she was leaving so she stopped recruiting her last two years. When she left Baylor only had 1 player in the pipe line and less than 10 on the whole roster. She intended to take as many players with her as she could and hoped the others would leave. CNC saved the program from dying.

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If that is what you truly believe, you may need to reevaluate yourself lol


Recruiting relationships aren't built over the course of two years. The "pipeline" extends far beyond a single recruiting class. I know some of y'all happen to be recruiting experts, but having a class with a single player ( a dang good player in Dauda) doesn't mean a coach was planning to leave two years prior. Sometimes that is how it goes.

Take offense with the WaPo author calling us withering, and let's not try to drum up a conspiracy while we are at it. CNC is doing a good job, and so is KM at her new school. Both can be true.

Some of the conspiracies drummed up on here are utterly ridiculous

I don't think they've come out for a national anthem one time since COVID. This is another media thing to get the politics going. Why would it be deliberate for this game only?? Y'all are on one this morning

Jack Bauer said:

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Someone help me...did Baylor players stay in the locker room during the national anthem when Kim was coaching? I call BS this is "routine", it is deliberate.

Kim Mulkey said her team didn't intentionally leave the floor prior to the playing of the United States National Anthem.

"Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played. We kind of have a routine [for leaving the court at a certain time]." pic.twitter.com/JclJExC1Ym

— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) April 2, 2024

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Agree. I was a Baylor WBB season ticket holder when mulkey was there, and the players were ALWAYS out on the floor for the national anthem. This must be a new unpatriotic routine for mulkey. Regarding her answer, she knows if she and her team are out there for the national anthem. Make it a point to be on the floor then. It's not that long a song and means a LOT to MANY (if not most) of us. The extra time in the locker room didn't seem to help last night.

OntheRecord said:

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CNC should have not begun with "I was offended." She should have just defended the institution and left herself out of it. This, unfortunately, is the way people offer objections to things they hear or read and believe are false: they start with themselves and their offense or their hurt or "being troubled." Mulkey did it with the LA Times piece.

What we are cultivating today is the woke version of the blue haired old lady pushing morals legislation. The whole "how dare you" faction of our country stifles discussion, dissent, and serious conversation. Although I agree with Mulkey that the Times piece used imprudent language, it was not the "sexist" and "racist" screed the dim-witted Van Lith claimed as "fact" in a recent press conference.

This whole approach to civil discussion is distasteful, childish, and unbecoming of adults who should not come across as whiney crybabies.

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I wouldn't exactly describer her as that... She graduated from Louisville with a Finance degree in 3 years, has a Master's coming from LSU, and word has it, she has applied to law school.

I am the one who reported that about Maryam Dauda although others may have also. She was never coming here even before Kim left as Brian referenced above. That's the main reason we never got her to even look our way once CKM left. Just made it easier and more convient for her to say she was changing to the home state team once that happened.

CKM did try to take Nalyssa, Sarah, and Moon, and Gusters - don't remember about Queen yes or no on her way to LSU. So glad Nalyssa and Sarah and Queen(?) stayed. The next year she tried to recruit one of our top young players off the team behind our coaches backs but was unsuccessful. When leaving Baylor she and some assistants did some very negative and untruthful recruiting against us on the HS circuit but all that seems to be mostly behind us now. Glad we have CNC and glad CKM seems much happier at LSU now.

Iowa, hope you are feeling better soon.