Skibbe quits team!?!?!

[Cowgirlfan]

There is an article in today's Stillwater paper saying Skibbe quit the Cowgirls Sunday. Right now I can only get the PDF of the page, but when they post the article on the other part of the site later, I'll copy and paste it.

How disappointing for OSU. There goes any chance they had of winning another game this year. I wonder what Skibbe's deal really was? It is as simple as her having to sit so long against OU?

[FeFiFoFum]

From the OSU website:

"Oklahoma State head women’s basketball coach Julie Goodenough announced today that senior Trisha Skibbe has left the team for personal reasons.

“We regret Trisha’s decision to end her playing career at Oklahoma State and wish her well,” Goodenough said. “She has meant a great deal to the Cowgirl basketball program.”

The Oxford, Kan., native played in all 26 of the squad’s games this season, leading the team in scoring (19.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg).

In keeping with team policy, Goodenough will not comment further on the issue.
----------------------

Kind of odd for the star player to quit before the last game of the season.

[swok34]

oh no.........Skibbe, just one or two more games http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/frown.gif

That's really sad, but by the comments she made to her local paper...it's not surprising. Just don't quite understand when your top senior/scorer can't hang on for one game on senior nite and a trip to Dallas....

[Row6Seat10]

That's too bad she had to pull up stakes with just a couple games left. I wish her luck in the future.

[Jennifer]

Winners never quit; quitters never win.

That's a shame to do that to your team at this point.

[Press]

Ya think Julie made her take off the black nail polish? http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/wink.gif

Seriously, I wish we (Tech) had her 19 ppg for the next few games. She's a great player and I'm sure she has a WNBA career--hope this doesn't hurt her chances.

[Cowgirlfan]

Here is the story from the Stillwater New-press

Published on 2004-03-01


Big 12’s leading scorer quits team
By Jacob Longan
Sports Writer
Oklahoma State senior Trisha Skibbe quit the Cowgirl basketball team Sunday.

Skibbe ended her Cowgirl career just three days before what would have been her final regular season game, a meeting with No. 17 Baylor Wednesday at 7 p.m. inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“She came into practice Sunday and said she was quitting,” said Cowgirl coach Julie Goodenough. “She cleaned out her locker. She said she was unhappy about playing time.”

Oklahoma State is 8-18 overall and 3-12 in league play. Skibbe led the team with 35 minutes per game, though she played just 20 in a 78-44 loss to No. 23 Oklahoma Saturday.

Skibbe finishes her career as one of the most statistically successful players ever at OSU. She started 98 games, including the final 81 contests of her career.

This year, she was the leading Cowgirl in points per game (19.0), rebounds (7.8), field goal percentage (.472), three-point percentage (.444) and blocks (38).

Her points per game lead the Big 12 conference. She was a second-team All Big 12 honoree last season.

Her career point total of 1,718 is fourth in school history. She also finishes on the school career list in several other categories:


• Ninth in points per game, 14.6

• Fourth in field goals made, 609

• Fourth in field goals attempted, 1,360

• Tied for 19th in three-pointers made, 42

• Third in three-point percentage, .403

• Third in free throws made, 458

• Third in free throws attempted, 597

• 11th in free throw percentage, .767

• Third in rebounds, 791

• 10th in rebounds per game, 6.8

• Second in blocked shots, 109

• Tied for 11th in games played, 117

• Third in double-doubles, 25

• Sixth in games started, 98

• Seventh in minutes played, 3,333


Goodenough said the team would just move on without Skibbe.

“At this point, I think the most important thing is who is on the team and not who isn’t on the team,” she said.

A call to Skibbe seeking comment was not returned Sunday.

[binchy]

I'm sure she'll regret this sooner or later.

[spooky]

Playing time????

There has got to be way more than this under the surface than we know about. Hate to see her tarnish what has been a great career with a move like this.

[YemenBear]

Very bizarre. Too bad Trisha decided to end her OSU basketball career on this note. I've admired her game from afar for the past 3 years. What a sweet fade-away jumper. Based on what I've seen, she's a big-time competitor. I never really noticed an attitude when she played. That makes her decision all the more puzzling. Skibbe couldn't remain on board for at least two more games? No way this move helps her. Hurts her?...maybe. Upside?...none I can see.

I'm sure this puts additional pressure on Coach Goodenough. Hope the OSU faithful will give the coach an opportunity to build the program. Watching her (coach) on the sidelines when the Cowgirls came to Waco, I saw her constantly encouraging her team. Don't really know how she is with the Xs and Os. Hope the rest of the team rallies around their coach.

Sic Em,

[schooner2]

Very unfortunate for Oklahoma State. I was waiting to see a quote from Skibbe before I commented. But if her quote is it is because of lack of playing time - then I'm sure Goodenough is saying good riddance. What a classless act. Skibbe has obviously learned nothing throughout her basketball career.

Wierd. I'm a Sooner through and through - yet I really feel for the Cowgirls. I still think Goodenough, is well, good enough to pull through this and create a strong program.

It always pays to get those players with the best attitudes even at the expense sometimes of taking players with a little less talent. I hope Goodenough can recruit well.

[beachbum]

Very sad. Hope she wasn't counting on playing in the WNBA...

[35TangoTango]

I expect a highly motivated, almost fanatical (if not proficient) game against Baylor.

[redraider3414]

If Skibbe quit because she didnt get to play against OU that much, then i have NO respect for her but i do not know the EXACT reasons therefore i will not continue with that. I think maybe the "Tech Flu" is headed to Stillwater....HOPE NOT!!
Well I will miss Miss Skibbe!

[This message has been edited by redraider3414 (edited 03-01-2004).]

[Bob_Ballew]

Very strange! I have always felt that Skibbe was one of the really good players in this league. She has been the heart of this team for so long. I agree with Yemenbear, she has a great shot. She is certainly one of those players that can put it to you in a critical game. Hopefully Baylor won't feel that OSU will be a push over. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/frown.gif

[swok34]

Skibbe didn't have a great game the first time against OU...
for some reason, OU seems to get into her head. It was the first game all season that she didn't reach double figures in points.

Here was her line the first time out:
2-10 FG shooting, 4-4 FT shooting, 3 rebounds, 8 points, 8 turnovers, 3 blocks, 1 steal, 1 foul in 32 minutes.

[Bball Girl]

Wow...hate to see Skibbe leave, she does have a great shot but this year I've really noticed some attitude from her. Here at Tech when down by 40 or so, she blocked Natalie's shot and proceeded to yell trash loud enough that we could hear her. You don't talk trash when you're down that far, but I've just seen that kind of attitude in some other games. Maybe she and Julie don't get along.

Whatever the case...you've put up with it for 4 years, long days, hard work and you throw away the last few games at this point....very sad for the OSU team and for Skibbe

[YCN]

Without a doubt it was a very unfortunate decision by Trisha, and given her demeanor it was likely out of passion rather than spite.

I've been in her shoes before, and I feel so uncomfortable about what has happened.

Trisha, whatever might be behind this gesture, I wish you the best for the rest of your days. Hang in there, it isn't all about basketball, ya know.

[ChipperF1]

This whole situation makes no sense.

Two or more game left in a career and you quit in a huff? That's too simple. Something else had to have happened...or at least I hope so.

Quitting is a hard habit to break once you start.

[Dale8R]

I agree with Chipper and others who indicated the same thing. There has to be more to it than sitting out part of one game, though the fact that she had MANY fans in the stands for that particular game would be a "hurt pride" factor.

RE the comments or rather "no comment" when a reporter asked if she had regrets about her decision to stay at OSU ~~ were those a factor in her sitting down, either in retaliation (not likely) or punishment for failing to parrot the party line? We probably won't ever know unless Skibbe herself eventually speaks out.

One thing is certain, no one benefits from the decision as I see it.

[swok34]

problem is she earned her spot on that bench for the majority of the second half Saturday.....

Cowgirlfan
Role Player posted 02-29-2004 01:49 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are my thoughts on the game...
First, I think Skibbe sat because, as always, she was playing poorly against the Sooners (think maybe OU knows how to stop her? I do) and, as she always does when she doesn't score, she stopped playing defense and even caring. Caton Hill is a phenomenal player, but she would not have scored that many so easily if someone had been defending her. I think Goodenough just got sick of seeing Skibbe sulking on the court and decided to play some people who wanted to be out there.

[love da game]

"and, as she always does when she doesn't score, she stopped playing defense and even caring."
Good point! So as a coach why not fix that in December, of last year, Not with 60 min. left in the season, in front of Skibbe's whole basketball world. You can't punish a child for the same things that you let them get away with for the last two years. And if you do then it's very spiteful. This is Big-12 BB it's not fair that these young women are experiments while the coaching staff learns on the job. everyone is so forgiving of the coaches, regardless of what they do to these kids.
One thing that makes womens bb so great is that they don't play for money, glory or fame. But for the Love! but on the flip side when someone comes along and takes that love away from you...
all of a sudden there is no more reason to play. ALAH Meghan Craig from last year, and a couple more that I won't mention. I have seen it a hundred times before, girls walk away from a game that they used to love, but no longer seems worth the trouble.
I hope it all works out for Skibbe, because we undoubtebly don't know her pain.

[Cowgirlfan]

Well, Love da game, we finally found something we agree on -- something should have been done sooner (not OU Sooner, either) about Skibbe's attitude. But perhaps the reason something wasn't done is because of this result -- maybe the staff knew Skibbe would quit if they treated her like a player instead of a prima donna. I honestly don't know, but there must be a reason Skibbe pouted all year (and last year as well) and then quits the first time she is benched for significant minutes.

And I believe bringing up Meghan Craig is a low blow. Did she personally tell you she was quitting the team because the coaching staff had killed her love for the game? I have some friends that had class with Meghan, and they told me she never really wanted to play college ball to begin with, it was more something she did to make her father happy. Like I said, that is second-hand, so it may be wrong, but I know Craig was a good player for OSU last year and would seem to be one of the players with the least cause to complain about the staff. If someone like Nicole Campbell who hardly ever plays can stick it out, so could Craig and Skibbe (if it were just a matter of a bad staff).

Regardless, I do not understand Skibbe quitting with two games left. It seems incredibly shortsighted to me. I think this is a decision she will always regret.

But I have enjoyed watching her play the last four years and thank her for all she did for the program. For her sake, I wish the team had been more successful in that time.

Originally posted by love da game:
"and, as she always does when she doesn't score, she stopped playing defense and even caring."
Good point! So as a coach why not fix that in December, of last year, Not with 60 min. left in the season, in front of Skibbe's whole basketball world. You can't punish a child for the same things that you let them get away with for the last two years. And if you do then it's very spiteful. This is Big-12 BB it's not fair that these young women are experiments while the coaching staff learns on the job. everyone is so forgiving of the coaches, regardless of what they do to these kids.
One thing that makes womens bb so great is that they don't play for money, glory or fame. But for the Love! but on the flip side when someone comes along and takes that love away from you...
all of a sudden there is no more reason to play. ALAH Meghan Craig from last year, and a couple more that I won't mention. I have seen it a hundred times before, girls walk away from a game that they used to love, but no longer seems worth the trouble.
I hope it all works out for Skibbe, because we undoubtebly don't know her pain.

[schooner2]

Originally posted by Cowgirlfan:
And I believe bringing up Meghan Craig is a low blow. Did she personally tell you she was quitting the team because the coaching staff had killed her love for the game? I have some friends that had class with Meghan, and they told me she never really wanted to play college ball to begin with, it was more something she did to make her father happy. Like I said, that is second-hand, so it may be wrong, but I know Craig was a good player for OSU last year and would seem to be one of the players with the least cause to complain about the staff. If someone like Nicole Campbell who hardly ever plays can stick it out, so could Craig and Skibbe (if it were just a matter of a bad staff).


This exact same thing happened for OU during Sherri's 2nd year of coaching. They recruited a touted player from the Tulsa area. Very good player at the high school level. And could have made contributions at the collegiate level. However, her heart just wasn't in it. The grind at the collegiate level became too much because her heart wasn't in it. We you have a coach that really pushes you and forces you to be intensely dedicated to what you are doing - you just can't continue if your heart is not in it.

So, as I've said before - give Coach Goodenough more time to continue to bring in the players she knows she can coach and that will play for her.

[Jennifer]

Here's an article in today's DO that has a few more quotes from Goodenough.

Skibbe quits after Bedlam
2004-03-02
By John Helsley
The Oklahoman


STILLWATER -- Trisha Skibbe might finish this season as the Big 12's leading scorer.
She won't, however, finish the season as an Oklahoma State Cowgirl.

After sitting the final 18 minutes of Saturday's 78-44 loss to Oklahoma, Skibbe has quit the Oklahoma State team. A senior, Skibbe departs after starting all 26 games this season.

"It's unbelievable," said OSU coach Julie Goodenough, who was on the road recruiting in Kansas on Monday. "I just don't understand it."

Skibbe played much of the first half against OU but was beaten regularly by Sooner forward Caton Hill, who scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Skibbe started the second half but was pulled after two minutes and did not return.

Skibbe scored eight points on 3-of-7 shooting and told Goodenough after the game of her intentions to quit. The two met again Sunday, but nothing changed.

"She told me, 'You made me sit 18 minutes. I'm not going to sit on the bench that long," Goodenough said. "I said, 'You've been here four years, and this is what's going to cause you to quit?'

"She said, 'Yes.' There's nothing to read between the lines here. There's nothing that's been building. It's just crazy."

Efforts Monday to contact Skibbe failed.

The Cowgirls (8-18, 3-12 Big 12) have lost eight straight and are 10th in the conference. Stuck in what will be a fourth straight losing season, Skibbe has appeared frustrated at times.

"No more than any of us," Goodenough said. "Even through the frustration and losing games, she's always been our star."

Skibbe's 19.0 scoring average leads the Big 12, just ahead of Colorado's Tera Bjorklund at 18.7. Skibbe ranks ninth in the conference at 7.8 rebounds a game.

The senior from Oxford, Kan., is fourth in career scoring at OSU with 1,718 points, third in rebounding with 791 and second in blocked shots with 109.

OSU closes the regular season Wednesday night at home -- on Senior Night -- against Baylor.

[swok34]

You know......a team can adapt to losing a player when they have time to recover; if this was her atttitude all along, I would have kicked her butt halfway back to Kansas. This is a really hard situation for a coach to be in when you have kids in your program that you DIDN'T recruit and they act like pissants..though you (obviously) go out of your way to accommodate them.

"She told me, 'You made me sit 18 minutes. I'm not going to sit on the bench that long," Goodenough said. "I said, 'You've been here four years, and this is what's going to cause you to quit?'

"She said, 'Yes.' There's nothing to read between the lines here. There's nothing that's been building. It's just crazy."

[Jennifer]

Yeah, this really makes Skibbe look like a self-centered primadonna. You wonder what the team chemistry was like w/ her, if that was her attitude.

Umm no, Ms. Skibbe, your performance on the court and your attitude are making you sit.

[Gator]

The kindest thing I can think to say is that it was an immature decision no matter the perceived provocation. None of us know what went on before between player and coach. It seems Skibbe's intention was to strike out and her actions certainly have been hurtful to others: the players in the remaining games, the coach who doesn't need a public controversy (no coach does), the coach whose recruiting coin has been diminished when it is most needed, etc. But in the long run, it probably has been most hurtful to Skibbe herself. Most of us are allowed to have our youthful boo boos swept under the rug of memory.

[CYMAN]

While I agree Skibbe is probably a prima dona...Goodenough should have taken the high road and not commented. This will become a she said..she said and will make them both look bad. Skibbe supporters can blame youth...a head coach at this level should be above that publically.

[bosley]

Did any of you watch the game Saturday? There were a couple of times in the game that made me wonder what the heck was up with Skibbe. One was when she totally blanked out and headed down court, leaving Caton Hill wide open with the ball. Even the commentators saw it and mentioned that it was an obvious mental collapse. Just a few minutes later, on a made shot by OU, the guard was waiting for Skibbe to throw the ball in and she had already headed down court, another obvious mental error. I've got to believe after seeing that, then reading Skibbe's comments about "I won't sit that long" that she's an uncoachable player. I don't know if she's always been that difficult, or if the frustration pushed her to that, but I do believe any coach has to be the adult and be in charge. If Skibbe has designs on playing at a higher level, this doesn't say much to her next coach about what kind of team player she is.

[Bob_Ballew]

I'm a little nervous about going into Stillwater. Those Cowgirls may want to go on a bear hunt just to prove they don't need Skibbe. Strange things can happen. I'm also surprised that coach Goodenough would comment on this. I believe KMR will have her team prepared.

[swok34]

http://www.hovpensports.org/content.asp?CID=272719

Hmmmmm...little more light.

[redraider3414]

This is very SAD. One of my favorite quotes:


"WINNERS NEVER QUIT, QUITTERS NEVER WIN!"


Not intended to lash out at Trisha, but that Quote is true and the truth hurts.

[This message has been edited by redraider3414 (edited 03-02-2004).]

[ChipperF1]

Just another reason why I'm glad I'm not a college head coach.

If Skibbe did what was reported, it is quite regrettable.

[Dale8R]

Though I read it somewhere else, that is the article that I was referring to earlier. It contains the "no comment" comment by Skibbe.

"In keeping with team policy, Goodenough will not comment further on the issue." I will chime in with my opinion that Goodenough should have kept her mouth shut if that is indeed school policy. To say that she was "unaware that she and Trisha had an adversarial relationship" is not exactly the way I think she should have faced the situation. That is a bit of blame shifting, I think. The old "we wish her the best, we'll miss her, etc, etc" would have been the adult reaction.

There's no question in my mind but what Trisha probably regrets the decision already, but it is made, and now we'll have to wait to see how Christian Hood reacts to her opportunity. I'll be hoping for her to do well.

[Jennifer]

Interesting article...
Denise said she received an e-mail from a source close to the program whom she did not want to identify publicly. According to Denise, the source told her Goodenough was not pleased with Trisha?s defense, and unless she improved, Goodenough would sit her on the bench.
The source said it was odd that Goodenough would affect the chemistry of her team by threatening the team?s leading scorer, Denise said.
Goodenough said she was unaware that she and Trisha had an adversarial relationship, and she was disappointed by her decision on Sunday.
Asked if she would accept her back, Goodenough said, ?I don?t think her teammates will accept her back.?

Actually, I see nothing odd with demanding your player play defense or else they sit on the bench. Offense alone doesn't win games, and it sounds like Skibbe didn't buy into that.
This is still very baffling.