Aggies' Blair wants more games on television
KANSAS CITY, MO -- Gary Blair, head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies, is never at a loss for words. He's a good basketball coach; but, he's also a great quote for the media. Coach Blair can inform you, charm you, and answer questions during any press conference.
During the 2009 Big 12 Women's Basketball Media Day, Coach Blair answered a few of my questions about the Big 12 North, Big 12 South, and the impact of Baylor freshman center Brittney Griner on women's college basketball in his usual way -- very thoroughly.
HRR: How is the Big 12 North compared to the Big 12 South? Is that gap narrowing between the two?
Coach Blair: It’s always narrowing because there’s more continuity in the coaches. When the coaches stay, they will build a program; and, we haven’t had a new coach in the Big 12 North since Kathy (McConnell-Miller at Colorado). Kathy’s going into her fifth season.
The South is going to be better this season just because Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are going to be better; and, that’s going to make it even harder for anybody to even think about going the through league undefeated. It’s just too much parity which is good for our league. When you have parity, you have a chance to get eight teams in the (NCAA) Tournament. What we should hope for, every year, is to get eight teams in the NCAA Tournament and three teams in the WNIT. If that works out, then everybody is happy except perhaps that last team.
The league is strong because our coaches in the Big 12 do not leave to go to another league. They pay us well. We’ve got a great recruiting base. We’ve got a great attendance base. Why should you ever leave the Big to go to another conference? And, nobody has done it since I’ve been in the league. Nobody has left this league to go take another BCS job; and, I think that’s a strength.
I left the SEC (Arkansas) to come; Bonnie (Henrickson, Kansas) left (Virginia Tech) to come, Gail (Goestenkors, Texas head coach) left (Duke), Kristy (Curry, Texas Tech head coach) left (Purdue); Kathy moved from Tulsa. I think we’ve got the premier league; and because people in the stands. People care about women’s basketball in this area. I think it’s just great for women’s basketball; but, I still think we’ve just scratched the surface as far as growth. We need to be on television more. Hopefully, when our contract expires, a new deal will mean more exposure for women’s basketball.
I think our Tournament needs to continue to grow, particularly our attendance for the Big 12 Tournament. I think the schools need to start following their teams more – particularly the Aggies. We need to come from College Station, TX to here (Kansas City) – not just wait to see if it’s ever going to be in Dallas or in San Antonio. We need to start supporting our teams like we do in football and some of the other sports.
HRR: What are your thoughts about (Baylor freshman) Brittney Griner’s beginning her college basketball career?
Coach Blair: I think when Griner comes in – you’re not old enough, I’m old enough – when Wilt Chamberlain went to Kansas (in 1955), I’m old enough to remember that. I used to see him compete against Jim Krebs of SMU. I think she’s going to change the game that much.
Now, how are you going to defend her? Who knows?
Obviously, we’ve got to see a lot of film of Baylor before we have to worry about Baylor. We’ve got a lot of other fish in the pond to play; but, people said that about Courtney Paris when she came into the league – ‘How can you defend Courtney Paris?’ ‘She’s going to win every game.’ The first year they (Oklahoma) went 16 and 0 (in Big 12 play). Well, we beat them five out of nine times; but, not that first year. We had to learn how to defend her; and, our team had to get better. One player wasn’t going to beat you; and, it’s going to be the same with Baylor.
Baylor has a great supporting cast. They’ve got three good players coming back in (Melissa) Jones, (Kelli) Griffin, and (Morghan) Medlock. They’re freshman class is that good; so, it isn’t all Griner.
It’s just going to be a great rivalry. We’re 90 miles apart. In the ACC, you’ve got Duke, N.C. State, and North Carolina, here (in Texas) you’ve got Baylor, Texas, and A&M in that triangle. We’re a little bit further apart ; but, it’s our version of what the ACC has.
During the 2009 Big 12 Women's Basketball Media Day, Coach Blair answered a few of my questions about the Big 12 North, Big 12 South, and the impact of Baylor freshman center Brittney Griner on women's college basketball in his usual way -- very thoroughly.
HRR: How is the Big 12 North compared to the Big 12 South? Is that gap narrowing between the two?
Coach Blair: It’s always narrowing because there’s more continuity in the coaches. When the coaches stay, they will build a program; and, we haven’t had a new coach in the Big 12 North since Kathy (McConnell-Miller at Colorado). Kathy’s going into her fifth season.
The South is going to be better this season just because Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are going to be better; and, that’s going to make it even harder for anybody to even think about going the through league undefeated. It’s just too much parity which is good for our league. When you have parity, you have a chance to get eight teams in the (NCAA) Tournament. What we should hope for, every year, is to get eight teams in the NCAA Tournament and three teams in the WNIT. If that works out, then everybody is happy except perhaps that last team.
The league is strong because our coaches in the Big 12 do not leave to go to another league. They pay us well. We’ve got a great recruiting base. We’ve got a great attendance base. Why should you ever leave the Big to go to another conference? And, nobody has done it since I’ve been in the league. Nobody has left this league to go take another BCS job; and, I think that’s a strength.
I left the SEC (Arkansas) to come; Bonnie (Henrickson, Kansas) left (Virginia Tech) to come, Gail (Goestenkors, Texas head coach) left (Duke), Kristy (Curry, Texas Tech head coach) left (Purdue); Kathy moved from Tulsa. I think we’ve got the premier league; and because people in the stands. People care about women’s basketball in this area. I think it’s just great for women’s basketball; but, I still think we’ve just scratched the surface as far as growth. We need to be on television more. Hopefully, when our contract expires, a new deal will mean more exposure for women’s basketball.
I think our Tournament needs to continue to grow, particularly our attendance for the Big 12 Tournament. I think the schools need to start following their teams more – particularly the Aggies. We need to come from College Station, TX to here (Kansas City) – not just wait to see if it’s ever going to be in Dallas or in San Antonio. We need to start supporting our teams like we do in football and some of the other sports.
HRR: What are your thoughts about (Baylor freshman) Brittney Griner’s beginning her college basketball career?
Coach Blair: I think when Griner comes in – you’re not old enough, I’m old enough – when Wilt Chamberlain went to Kansas (in 1955), I’m old enough to remember that. I used to see him compete against Jim Krebs of SMU. I think she’s going to change the game that much.
Now, how are you going to defend her? Who knows?
Obviously, we’ve got to see a lot of film of Baylor before we have to worry about Baylor. We’ve got a lot of other fish in the pond to play; but, people said that about Courtney Paris when she came into the league – ‘How can you defend Courtney Paris?’ ‘She’s going to win every game.’ The first year they (Oklahoma) went 16 and 0 (in Big 12 play). Well, we beat them five out of nine times; but, not that first year. We had to learn how to defend her; and, our team had to get better. One player wasn’t going to beat you; and, it’s going to be the same with Baylor.
Baylor has a great supporting cast. They’ve got three good players coming back in (Melissa) Jones, (Kelli) Griffin, and (Morghan) Medlock. They’re freshman class is that good; so, it isn’t all Griner.
It’s just going to be a great rivalry. We’re 90 miles apart. In the ACC, you’ve got Duke, N.C. State, and North Carolina, here (in Texas) you’ve got Baylor, Texas, and A&M in that triangle. We’re a little bit further apart ; but, it’s our version of what the ACC has.
posted by Kris Gardner @ 9:13 PM
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