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Young Drachma · 05-07-2012, 08:52 PM

Sue Muldowney was preparing to hang 'em up after her 46th year behind the bench. After 1364 career wins, she had figured she'd had enough. Despite a #1 recruiting class returning to Portland after losing out to Indiana State's super frosh duo in the national title game, there was confidence that she could come back and bring them to the mountaintop once more. After losing two more assistants to head coaching jobs in the form of Amy Lewis, who took the job at Texas A&M-CC replacing former Muldowney player Lilah Hernandez -- who actually resigned to take a job on the staff here at Portland -- and Rachel Cole, who took the job at Nebraska State, Muldowney figured there wasn't really anything left for her to accomplish.

Maybe the crazy number of 1400 career wins? Seems unlikely, since it would take 36 wins to do that and she hasn't had a team win that many games in in 25 years.

Mostly, she'd decided after having two of her former players in the Elite 8 last year and depriving one of them of another national title, she thought it wasn't fair for her to keep hanging out in a young woman's game. Of course, she enjoyed working with the girls at these programs and giving them insights and helping them learn meant a lot to her.

She spent literally that entire summer trying to decide the best course of action. At 75, she's no longer a spring chicken, she thought to herself.

The deciding factor was her grandson. He was now nearing college himself. He told his grandmother that he was sorry he couldn't play for her, because he'd always wanted to, but not to worry because he'd have a daughter and she could play for her.

She laughed. But it did occur to her that the fitting way to go out would be to have family around, like when it started. Her son said his fondest memories were being on the road with his mother.

But she’d made this last year this way on purpose. Her staff full of young 20-somethings with two of her former TAMU-CC players and a UCLA girl on the same staff, she felt like she was passing the baton. At first, she considered stepping aside. “It’s be nice for these girls to be able to win a title without me always hovering in the shadows.” But in another way, she thought, if her legacy was to push her girls to excellence in the same way she’d pushed them as players; that by coaching she was still coaching them...then she felt like it was her duty to come back and finish what they’d started here.

UCLA brought her in to win a title and then pulled the rug out before she got a chance. Portland gave her a chance, they knocked on the door and failed to get it done but not without a fight. To leave now without a chance to finish the job they were hired to do would be pulling the rug not only out from her girls, but from the coaches she’d hired to learn from her.

There would be one more chance at redemption.

05-07-2012, 08:52 PM	#94
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	The Last Hurrah Sue Muldowney was preparing to hang 'em up after her 46th year behind the bench. After 1364 career wins, she had figured she'd had enough. Despite a #1 recruiting class returning to Portland after losing out to Indiana State's super frosh duo in the national title game, there was confidence that she could come back and bring them to the mountaintop once more. After losing two more assistants to head coaching jobs in the form of Amy Lewis, who took the job at Texas A&M-CC replacing former Muldowney player Lilah Hernandez -- who actually resigned to take a job on the staff here at Portland -- and Rachel Cole, who took the job at Nebraska State, Muldowney figured there wasn't really anything left for her to accomplish. Maybe the crazy number of 1400 career wins? Seems unlikely, since it would take 36 wins to do that and she hasn't had a team win that many games in in 25 years. Mostly, she'd decided after having two of her former players in the Elite 8 last year and depriving one of them of another national title, she thought it wasn't fair for her to keep hanging out in a young woman's game. Of course, she enjoyed working with the girls at these programs and giving them insights and helping them learn meant a lot to her. She spent literally that entire summer trying to decide the best course of action. At 75, she's no longer a spring chicken, she thought to herself. The deciding factor was her grandson. He was now nearing college himself. He told his grandmother that he was sorry he couldn't play for her, because he'd always wanted to, but not to worry because he'd have a daughter and she could play for her. She laughed. But it did occur to her that the fitting way to go out would be to have family around, like when it started. Her son said his fondest memories were being on the road with his mother. But she’d made this last year this way on purpose. Her staff full of young 20-somethings with two of her former TAMU-CC players and a UCLA girl on the same staff, she felt like she was passing the baton. At first, she considered stepping aside. “It’s be nice for these girls to be able to win a title without me always hovering in the shadows.” But in another way, she thought, if her legacy was to push her girls to excellence in the same way she’d pushed them as players; that by coaching she was still coaching them...then she felt like it was her duty to come back and finish what they’d started here. UCLA brought her in to win a title and then pulled the rug out before she got a chance. Portland gave her a chance, they knocked on the door and failed to get it done but not without a fight. To leave now without a chance to finish the job they were hired to do would be pulling the rug not only out from her girls, but from the coaches she’d hired to learn from her. There would be one more chance at redemption.