The Coaches’ Collection: Classy Champions

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Quite honestly, it is hard to believe the 2012-2013 NCAA Women’s Basketball season is over, and a big congratulations goes out to the UConn Huskies’ on claiming their eighth title. (I could write more about my thoughts surrounding that, but I will save that for a future blog!) But, while I did not attend quite as many games as I did during the 2011-2012 season (I was just three shy!), I was able to go to a variety of games and really made some lasting memories this season. For now, I will make one final entry into “The Coaches’ Collection” blog series. Oh!, trust me, I have many, many more photos to share, but I think I will take a hiatus and save some for next season, which I trust will be as exciting, if not better than this year! But, though I am taking a hiatus from “The Coaches’ Collection”, that does not mean I am not going to keep blogging. There is no telling what I may think of next! So, pay attention as you may learn some more random facts from Meredith’s House of Useless Knowledge and Information!

Since we are on the topic of championships, I figured I would close out the blog with the ultimate showdown between our reigning fashion champions. The previous blogs have pretty much already laid the foundation for who our top contenders are; so, now it is up to you to decide who wins the ultimate championship: Muffet McGraw from the University of Notre Dame or Chris Dailey from the University of Connecticut. The decision rests in your hands…Let’s Go!!


I honestly cannot think of another word to describe Muffet McGraw other than classy! She just absolutely epitomizes the word whether it is from her fashion or just her overall personality and coaching style – she is just plain classy! For the majority of the games that Muffet coaches, we find her in her prowess squat along the sideline, and it absolutely amazes me how she can just stay in “squat position” for most of the game rotating from side-to-side. My knees ache just thinking about it. With that being the case, Muffet has to dress quite conservatively, but yet she also makes her conservative outfits quite classy. She can wear a simple black skirt and dress it up with a nice shirt and colorful accessories; or as pictured here, she can wear a nicely colored dress with a belt and scarf to accessorize and she pulls it off quite nicely. It’s never really over the top; it is just simple yet classed up with accessories. We have already previously documented how she is probably one of the only coaches who can pull any type of animal print off and wear it in dramatic fashion, as well as being capable of wearing leather and not looking too tasteless. In “The Coaches’ Collection”, Muffet has probably been featured more than any other person for being the positive light in our mostly negative world of outfits. You can always count on Muffet McGraw to look very fashionable along the sideline of a game. I am going to award Muffet the nickname “The Classy Cat” because she is always classy no matter what she wears and she can wear the “big cat” animal prints and pull them off flawlessly. Props to Muffet McGraw for another great season at Notre Dame; looking forward to actually seeing her a lot more during the 2013-2014 season as Notre Dame joins my home-state conference, the Atlantic Coast (ACC)! And, we all know what that means…more photos for the blog!


So, if classy is my word to define Muffet McGraw, what can I possibly use to describe Chris Dailey, who I have self-proclaimed “The Coaches’ Collection’s” ultimate fashionista? Well, she can be described in so many flattering ways, but for now, I will settle on elegant. Okay, that’s not really a word you would associate with basketball, but it is what she is – absolutely graceful, well-put-together, super stylish, gorgeous and elegant. When I get to be her age, I only hope I can look half as good as she does. The times Chris (better known as CD) has been featured in the blog, it has always been in our positive class; as I have yet to find an outfit of hers that was absolutely distasteful – now, there have been a few that I have pondered whether she should have worn or I had some concern over the color choice washing her out, but she still manages to throw on some accessories somewhere and reclaim the lead in the fashion race. Whether it is pink or leather or heck, maybe even animal print, CD can literally pull off anything. Over the years that I have been following UConn Women’s Basketball, it has been a rare occasion that I have ever seen CD repeat an outfit – I would LOVE to take a tour of her closet one day! One could easily question whether some of these coaches have someone help them with their attire? Some may, but I have been told by a source that Chris Dailey picks out her own clothes and designs her own outfits with matching accessories. That is a top-notch, class-act of a person and one who can do it absolutely with perfection. From dresses to skirts to pants with cute shirts, no matter what CD throws together, it looks amazing on her perfectly trim and toned frame. And, of course, I absolutely love it when she wears her pink bracelet! These photos here are just a few of the collection of photos that I have of Chris Dailey – she seems to love wearing a lot of black and grey, which I think look great on her. I also think the royal blues look good with her skin tone, as well. If I were here, I would try to stay away from the beige that she likes to wear, as sometimes it does kind of make her look washed out. Stick with the black, grey and white; add in a little more blue and of course keep the pink!

So, just by the length of my write-up, you can probably easily figure that I would hand the championship trophy right on over to Chris Dailey. But, what about you – would you choose Chris Dailey or Muffet McGraw?

And, while we are on the subject of National Championships, let’s close the blog out with the coaching duo who always seems to just flow effortlessly on the sidelines of the basketball court – Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey.


When it comes to National Championships, Geno and Chris are two of the best – claiming their eighth title together this year in New Orleans and that is absolutely unbelievable. During games, we do not always get to see Chris Dailey’s incredible fashion sense until Geno gets out of hand and she has to go chasing him down to court to keep him from getting a technical or getting tossed (her worst nightmare!). But, together, they not only make up one best coaching duos (aka “power couple”) of today’s basketball era, but together, they also combine for the best dressed coaching duo that exists. They are often referred to as the Donna Karan and Giorgio Armani of basketball – now that, in and of itself, is a huge compliment! Whether it is on the court or off the court at other functions, you can always count on Geno and CD to be there and be dressed to the nines. Props to them for winning eight and looking great while doing it!

So there you have it…the few samplings of my thoughts regarding fashion in Women’s Basketball. Not a lot of detail goes in to it because I just cannot keep on writing and writing, plus you probably don’t really want to keep reading it. Maybe someone, somewhere out there has enjoyed this series and shared a few laughs at times. As I said, for now I will take a temporary hiatus until basketball season resumes again, but keep on reading because you never know what might come up next.

The Coaches’ Collection: (Slightly Off-Topic) – Decades later, Mama’s STILL in the Family

How many of you remember watching the TV show “Mama’s Family” featuring the extremely hilarious Vicki Lawrence who played endearing Thelma Harper? Mama Harper was one of the funniest characters on TV. She made you laugh with her stories and jokes, but most of all, she made you laugh with the way she dressed – the hair, the stockings rolled down to her ankles, the dresses, etc. She was a hoot!

During the 2012-2013 basketball season, we discovered that in some aspects, Mama Harper still exists. She has been spotted most recently perched along the sidelines or lingering somewhere in the stands at Reynolds Coliseum. Who would have thought that Thelma Harper would have made it all the way to Raleigh, North Carolina, from good ‘ole Raytown…or could it be possible that she has a look-a-like or twin?

Oh wait!! That’s not Thelma Harper after all; it’s Debbie Yow from NC State!

As many of you know, I absolutely adore Debbie Yow and have spent time talking with her and her husband at several basketball games. Debbie is a lot like her sister, Kay, in that she tries to speak to everyone and takes time to talk to people. Yet, at the same time, Debbie is all business. If there is something she wants, she will get it. She lays down the law and set her rules and guidelines that she anticipates being met. And when they aren’t met, adios amigos – that’s all she wrote! (Haven’t we witnessed that already three times recently?!?) Debbie doesn’t take anyone’s mess; she stands her grown and stands firm. That’s one reason I really admire her. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and get down to business.

Because of Debbie being so business-oriented, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with, she obviously doesn’t have time to focus on her attire. She does indeed always dress very business-like with her business suits however, most of the choices she makes are quite out-dated. Thankfully though, she typically does wear the red and black to at least support the school she works for (can’t say that for some other administrators!). Then there’s the hair, the glasses, the make-up that just makes her blend. I think the glasses and hair is what made us realize she reminds us too much of Mama Harper, and maybe her gruffness, as well. Debbie is not out to make a fashion statement, trust me, I know that; nor in reality, does she need to make the fashion statement. She is the Athletics Director of a large university, she needs to dress more professional and business. I just think she needs to get out of the past decades and come on up to the more recent ones – new hairstyle, stylish glasses and maybe some more modern type business suits.

Absolutely nothing against Debbie, and I don’t mean her any ill-regard because of this. It’s just an observation that a lot of us fans have noted. When NC State first hired her, I wasn’t so keen on that idea. But, as time has progressed, I think they made an excellent decision. She has put her foot down where it needed to be; she’s making improvements, as well. And best of all, she actually shows up at the games! No matter the sport, Debbie Yow will be there supporting the Wolfpack. I can’t say that for her predecessor, who I may have seen on campus once.



PS: Linda, if you are reading this, well, this one is really for you! Since you helped me come up with the realization of the similarities between Debbie & Thelma! Hope you enjoy!

PSS: Kim, if you are reading this, don’t hate me. You know I still love Debbie, and you have to protect me next season in case she whacks me at the game!

The Coaches' Collection: Think Before You Pink!

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When I think of women’s college basketball, I am so often reminded of why I began to absolutely fall in love with the sport and that was due in part to legendary Head Coach Kay Yow. What a legacy Coach Yow has left, not only for women’s basketball and all sports, but for individuals in general. A lady who faced so many struggles in life, yet she mustered up the strength and courage to keep pressing forward. Her legacy lives on, not only forever imprinted in the hallowed halls of Reynolds Coliseum and throughout the university of North Carolina State, but her legacy now also lives on through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Each year, primarily in the month of February, universities throughout the nation host “Play4Kay” games where proceeds raised from admission sales or other fundraisers the schools hold go directly to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. It is also during these “Play4Kay” games where you see the teams wear their pink uniforms and shoes, as well as their coaches adorning themselves in various shades of pink. These gestures really bring a smile to my heart, as the Kay Yow Cancer Fund is an organization that is very dear to me. I try to go to a few of the “Play4Kay” games myself, and even when the “Play4Kay” games are over, I will still occasionally wear my pink – and nothing warms me more than to see coaches wearing their pink, long after the “Play4Kay” games have ended. In a way, it’s hard to critique the coaches and their attire when they are wearing pink, since it holds such a symbolic meaning; yet, as with anything else, there are times when the pink is overkill, too much, doesn’t match, etc., but there are those select few who can wear it and make me even more proud. So, let’s examine a few of our individuals who have donned their pink during “Play4Kay” and even after “Play4Kay” but still supporting the cause!


We all know it wouldn’t be appropriate to have a “Coaches Collection” entry that does not include Kim Mulkey, bless her heart! So I must say, that the pink shoes she wore were actually killer – I’m a huge fan of high heels and even though I am tall, yes, I will wear them myself. So I do like the pink shoes and while they do match with the pink pants, sort of, I would still say….umm…that might be pink overkill. Maybe she should’ve worn a pink top with black pants to create some distance from the pink shoes and not make the pink blend together. And, as far as the other outfits ………..well, where do I even begin? Or, what exactly is it? Do you remember those things we used to have in school where they had these random colored bubbles and hidden inside of that image was a number or letter or some object that we were supposed to find? When I look at Kim’s jacket, it reminds me of that and I find myself constantly trying to find the number “4” or something in her jacket’s pattern. At least the second time she wore the jacket, albeit during the NCAA Tournament Semi-Finals, she wore blue pants – if you’re going to wear this interestingly, splattered pattern, don’t wear it with pink pants, keep it with the blue. And I can’t even recall what color shoes she had on – there is honestly no telling. So Kim, while you really did try to support the wear pink campaign, I much preferred the outfit you wore to the Baylor/UConn “Play4Kay” game with the pink jacket trimmed in black – much more stylish than this splattered paint looking, multi-colored, unknown, indescribable jacket featured here. I’m terribly sorry Baylor lost in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, but maybe it has saved us in the long run from more fashion mishaps. (Sorry, Kim, I still do really think you are awesome!)


Part of me feels really bad to include Kellie Harper in my blog, especially since she is no longer employed with NC State University, but she still must be included. For the past two Hoops for Hope games at NC State, Kellie’s outfits were drastically different (left and right in the picture above). The pink suit on the left is very, well, pink, and adding the Mulkey-like shoes, to me, is again a bit of a pink overkill. Here, I would’ve either worn the pink suit and some other color pair of shoes, or worn the pink jacket with a black skirt and the pink shoes. Plus with Kellie’s hair color, too much pink somewhat washes her out and makes everything appear to be too plain. Then we have the photo in the middle – the black jacket with pink turtle neck—and it is actually fine – my only issue there is with the hair! Something just doesn’t seem quite right. But I will say that during the “Play4Kay” game hosted by UNC vs. NC State, Kellie was, at least, the only person on the NC State team who actually wore pink! Thanks!! And then there is this year’s Hoops for Hope outfit … the pink jacket is great; the shoes are okay; but the skirt…well it was hideous – you can’t actually see it well in the picture, but believe me, those of us sitting inside Reynolds just had to shake our heads. But all in all, Kellie did a bit better than Kim Mulkey did. I will miss seeing Kellie at NC State and wish her the best for her future.


And then there is Muffet McGraw…actually, Muffet just epitomizes pink and she pulls both of these outfits off splendidly. The simple, yet rather large, pink scarf adorned with a classy black jacket and shirt looks terrific on Muffet. The other outfit with a black skirt and jacket with the pink shirt is perfect. The black boots are a little questionable, but I think they are passable. She balances her pink out with other colors – she isn’t “pink heavy” meaning – she isn’t wearing all pink, she’s mixing it with other colors to try to balance it out, and it works. I was initially concerned with Muffet wearing pink, as I was fearful that it might clash with her hair color, and while it obviously doesn’t go as well as the leopard print or some other colors I have seen her wear, the pink is a nice addition. But then again, it just proves why Muffet McGraw has been ranked in the top two in The Coaches Collection series for her fashion tastes … yet, Muffet still is coming in runner-up to our ultimate fashionista…


Is it possible for Chris Dailey to ever go wrong? (Okay, maybe so, I did witness an outfit recently that caused me to shake my head and wonder if she was feeling okay). But when it comes to pink, she does it second to none – she is the best, she is and remains the fashionista for two weeks in a row! For the entire month of February, Chris wore pink – whether it was a skirt or a shirt or a bracelet, something on her was pink for the entire “Play4Kay” month, not just the UConn “Play4Kay” game. Massive props to CD for supporting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund!! In addition, she also has worn her pink several times during the post-season. That makes me proud! (And not to mention I received a note in the mail from her regarding the Kay Yow Cancer Fund!!) Anyways, Chris Dailey is a fashion icon in the basketball world. Pictured here are a variety of the pink outfits she has worn both this season and in the past few seasons. And, notice how CD NEVER wears all pink like some of our others featured above. She always coordinates the pink and the black and it looks smashing. The only one I really have issues with, yet it doesn’t even involve the pink, is the really odd pair of hose she wore a few years ago – umm, really Chris, don’t do that again! But this year she managed to get Geno in the pink wearing spirit by wearing a pink necktie TWICE – obviously at the “Play4Kay” game but even the week before when they played at Rutgers (also where CD graduated). My favorite is her pink accessories she wears, as well, in particular her breast cancer bracelet. Thanks, Chris Dailey, for your support for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and for always knowing how to pull any type of wardrobe off!

While I have never been a huge fan of the color pink, recently my wardrobe has accumulated a little bit more. I tend to wear the darker shades of pink rather than the lighter, pastel pink. But either way, I proudly wear my pink in honor and memory of those battling breast cancer. I hope and pray that one day we will be able to find a cure for this dreaded disease that has taken so many precious people away from us. Thank the Lord for the advancements in treatments that we have now, as we have seen so many women battling this disease and continuing to be survivors. I encourage each and every one of you to visis the Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s website (www.kayyow.com) and read about what an amazing organization it is. If you feel compelled, please help support this cause and keep the legacy of Coach Kay Yow alive for many, many years to come. Next year, even if you are not a women’s basketball fan.