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Q&A WITH KRISTY CURRY
Where her heart is
Ex-Purdue women's basketball coach feels Texas Tech is where she belongs















By Steve Ballard
steve.ballard@indystar.com

After seven seasons as women's basketball coach at Purdue, during which she posted a 179-51 record and took her team to the NCAA Tournament every year, Kristy Curry resigned in April to take over at Texas Tech.




Looking up: Kristy Curry, in her first season as Texas Tech coach, watched her team earn a national ranking last week. Curry says she has a great relationship with the Red Raiders' men's coach, Bob Knight. "We bounce things off each other," she said. - JOE DON BUCKNER / Associated Press

Less than a month into her first season since replacing Hall of Fame coach Marsha Sharp in Lubbock, the Red Raiders appeared in the national rankings last week for the first time since December 2005 before dropping out on Monday.
But even without that early success, Curry wasn't going to have any second thoughts about her decision. She is closer to her family in Louisiana and husband Kelly's family in Texas. She has two familiar faces -- Kelly and former Boilermakers star Shereka Wright -- on her staff and access to facilities and resources she could only dream about at Purdue.
In a recent phone interview, Curry talked about the job she left behind and the one she hopes will be her last:
Question: Marsha Sharp coached at Texas Tech for 24 years, won a national championship in 1993 and still is active in the program as a fundraiser. How difficult is it to follow a legend, especially one who's still around?
Answer: The circumstances with Marsha leaving, it was her decision and the kids understand that and accept it. She has been nothing but supportive. The worst thing you can do is look at the past and be intimidated by it. The Purdue experience prepared me for how hard it is to follow someone. I replaced Carolyn (Peck) the year after they won the national championship.
Q: How closely are you following Purdue this season?
A: My mom was a high school coach and she always told me, it's not how you come to a place, it's how you leave it. I'm proud of the way we left it there. There's no one who wants Purdue to have success more than Kristy Curry. I'll always bleed a little black and gold.
Q: You had a close relationship with your players. Have you stayed in contact with them and, if so, do you worry about undermining new coach Sharon Versyp?
A: Sure, that's a concern. But when I talk to the kids, and 99 percent of the contact has been initiated by them, we don't talk about basketball. It's more, "How are you? How are you doing?" I'll always love them. It's just from a distance now.
Q: Ultimately, what convinced you it was time to leave Purdue?
A: Seven years in one place is a long time in this business. It came down to two things: family and resources. Those are two things that can't be denied and were hard to say no to. We've seen Kelly's family more in six months here than we did in seven years up there. In terms of resources, five years at Tech is like 10 years at Purdue. Everything doubles. That doesn't diminish my appreciation for Purdue. I can't thank Morgan (Burke, athletic director) enough for taking a chance on an unknown assistant seven years ago. Some people wanted to attach negatives to me leaving, and there's really no reason to. Bottom line, it was just time to go home.
Q: You're not the first coach to leave the state of Indiana and land at Texas Tech. How's your relationship with Bob Knight?
A: There were people who tried to use that against me and tell me not to come here, but he's been awesome. The perception has not been the reality. We bounce things off each other. He's an incredible teacher. It's a really special time here with him about to break the (victory) record. What he's done for (me) and our basketball program, I couldn't feel more welcome. And his wife has been great.
Q: What's your take on the recent flap created when Knight struck a player during a game?
A: We were out of town then and I was busy with my own team, but it seemed to me it was something that was blown out of proportion. I think when it involves coach Knight, it gets treated differently.
Q: You made a lot of recruiting contacts in Indiana. Will you continue to look this way for talent?
A: Texas is so big, we've got to look here first. We've got to do a better job in Houston and Dallas and make sure we cover West Texas. But you've always got to think nationally and so I won't say we won't recruit Indiana and the Midwest.
Q: What's the biggest difference between living in Lubbock and West Lafayette?
A: The weather and Mexican food. I'm so happy to be back in a place where there's Mexican food on every street corner. It's my favorite. Lubbock is a place where family and faith are important. It's a great place for my two little ones (daughters Kelsey, 6, and Kendall, 3). We just love being here.

_________________
" My best seasons in the WNBA have been the two that I spent in Indiana. Not only did I get the chance to play in front of some of the most passionate fans in the WNBA, but I also had an incredible opportunity to play alongside one of the best players in the history of the game in Tamika Catchings. " ANNA DEFORGE.

[CamrnCrz1974]

Instead of engaging in intellectual property violations, why not post a portion of the interview with the link?

[00NDROCKS]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061205/SPORTS0602/612050409/1070




THERE'S YOUR LINK.... I FIRST DID A COPY/PASTE...GUESS THAT'S NOT YOUR STYLE.

_________________
" My best seasons in the WNBA have been the two that I spent in Indiana. Not only did I get the chance to play in front of some of the most passionate fans in the WNBA, but I also had an incredible opportunity to play alongside one of the best players in the history of the game in Tamika Catchings. " ANNA DEFORGE.

[CamrnCrz1974]

[00NDROCKS]

[boilerjay]

I'm a little surprised the Indianapolis Star took the time to do this....considering they haven't sent anyone to cover Purdue yet this season.

[PUmatty]

If she couldn't find Mexican food in Lafayette she wasn't looking very hard. There is a good amount of good authentic Mexican food in town, believe it or not.

[IndyPurduefan]

[boilerjay]

[PurdueBBall3]

[PUmatty]

The Indy Star did a large story on Versyp on Nov. 8. It was their main season preview. It is in their archive but must be paid for so there is no link.

[PurdueBBall3]

[PUmatty]

[00NDROCKS]

[PurdueBBall3]