The 800 Club

Congrats to C. Vivian Stringer, head coach of the Rutger's women's basketball team, and Mike Krzyzewski, the head coach of the Duke men's basketball team. Within the past week, these coaches reached a milestone when they both achieved 800 wins in their coaching careers.

Coach K got his 800-on in a most unusual fashion. The Duke Blue Devils were down to North Carolina State, trailing by 13 points in the second half. They staged an unbelievable comeback, and went on to beat the Wolfpack in a tight one, 87-86. Duke is solid this season, as usual, but they've had some key losses that have them at the #6 spot.

Krzyzewski coached 6 seasons at Army before joining Duke in 1980, and he's won 800 of the 1,064 games he's coached. Is this guy good or what!?! So good in fact he has his own instructional DVDs and hosts summer basketball camps. Just think of all the Duke standouts he's coached that are now, or were once, in the NBA. For some reason I just assumed that Coach K was already a member of that elite group of coached that have won nearly a thousand games. Duke is one of the most storied franchises in NCAA history but in my mind I have them winning like 10 championships, when in reality, they've only won 3 ('91, '92, '01). The Blue Devils have made it to the Final Four 14 times, but last year they got knocked outta the Tourney in a 1st round shocker by the ultimate underdog, VCU.

There was even talk before this season began from fans and Duke brass alike calling for the resigning or firing of the famed coach. People are looking for a change in Duke, especially with the trend of just making it to the Final Four, instead of winning the Big Dance. Now I'm not tryna throw some shade on an otherwise very happy occasion, but the 61-year old Coach K is gonna need more than just 800 wins and some Fin4 appearances to keep that comfy coaching connect. I would be hard pressed to find anyone who has Duke taking the whole thing this season, especially considering other strong teams in the NCAA. But then again, March is very Mad, so we'll see how it all works out.

On the flip side, C. Vivian Stringer led her team of "nappy headed hoes" to the big 8-0-0 in a 60-46 victory over Depaul University last Wednesday. The crowd let her have it, giving her a standing-O and chanting her name at the end of the game. The Scarlet Knights are 23-2 and ranked 4th, behind other powerhouses like UConn, UNC and Tennessee. Stringer is the 3rd winningest coach in Women's NCAAB and the only African-American to accomplish such a feat. She is also the only coach to lead 3 different teams to the Final Four. Stringer has won National Coach of the Year honors three times, as well as numerous other accolades, and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001. And don't think Rutgers doesn't know how good they have it! Last year Stringer and RU signed a 7-year contract extension deal, netting her $450,000 a year, and that figure could be bumped up to $550K a year with bonuses. That salary makes her the 5th highest paid women's NCAAB coach in the country.

Stringer began her coaching career in 1973 at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania, then continued on to Iowa. She spent 12 years at each college, and led both teams to 1 Final Four appearance. She won 251 games at Cheyney and picked up 261 more with the Hawkeyes, before she landed the job at Rugters in 1993. The rest is, as they say, history. Under Stringer, Rutgers has won 251 matches and has been in the Final 4 twice. She has expressed her desire to finish out her career at Rutgers and one can only hope that the 59 year old can Stringer get that BIG W, the championship, before she retires.

And you can't help but be happy for her too because the woman has been through a lot. Her husband died suddenly from a heart attack in 1992, leaving her to raise their 3 kids, including a daughter disabled by meningitis, alone. Stringer also overcame her battle with breast cancer. Sounds like a movie huh? Well, that's in the works along with her autobiography. Even though Stringer is the one getting all the attention, we gotta give it up to all the young ladies she's coached over the years. Like they say, you can draw up the plays but you can't put it in the hoop for them. Every single one of those 800 victories are a testament to the will and effort put forth by those girls on each of those teams.


Now I'll be truthful. I don't watch women's college basketball. Or the WNBA. I've been to a few NY Liberty games in my day, and all of them have been great, but 99% of the time I'm quickly changing the channel if it's on tv. I know, I'm a woman, I should support. But I'm just not that interested, and yes, there's an element of sexism there on my part. I think it's more like the chicken and egg thing; if I watched more games I would probably be interested and I would probably be interested if I watched more games. I usually only watch during the WNBA Championships and March Madness, and I know more of the big name players. I pledge from now on to show more of an interest in women's basketball.

I have friends, male and female, who LOVE women's basketball. They say it's more pure, and focuses on the fundamentals. There aren't as many egos and it's more team oriented. Ain't nothing wrong with that! Some guys in the NBA could stand to take a page out of that book.

And there's also that whole DUNK controversy. I know dunking doesn't make basketball, but I love to see it!! A 2 is a 2 anyway you slice it, but damn if isn't more exciting to see an alley oop or a 360 or a reverse! The slam is awesome! It's fun, it's powerful and it's entertaining. Many argue that the women's game is more about teamwork than individual showiness which I don't have a problem with, but 1 dunk a season!?! I mean come on! Which would you rather see - someone (male or female) finish with a layup, or take it to the hole with some force? I'm 5'2, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've only dunked on kids baskets. If I were over 6 feet with the ability to stuff it in someone's face, best believe I would be hanging on the rim with my snatch all up IN somebody's grill! Eat THAT!! But hey, maybe that's just the nastiness and arrogance in me ;-)