Diaco on importance of being picked 9th

[coachRD]

As a long-time coach, I am always fascinated by how other coaches choose to structure their programs and by what their overall philosophy is in terms of how they run their program....

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Coach Diaco's quote about what impact the preseason prediction of being picked 9th in the AAC will have on the team (found in the audio clip about 45 seconds in from the Boneyard Home page). Typical coachspeak (and this is correct but vanilla and standard...) is to say something about predictions being meaningless, what matters is what happens on the field, etc. All that is true of course, and UConn has traditionally been undervalued by prognosticators.

However, Coach Diaco went MILES beyond that in a mere few seconds to my ear. He said "...that can't be an energy for us..." Music to my ears! To me, "proving the doubters wrong" and other similar sentiments is a no-win outlook that ultimately comes up short in terms of motivation. To want to prove people wrong comes from a place of insecurity. Who gives a S&^$ what other people think? It is a shallow motivation. I like what Coach Diaco seems to be bringing to the table in terms of outlook. It strikes me as a winner's outlook.

 

[ZooCougar]

As a long-time coach, I am always fascinated by how other coaches choose to structure their programs and by what their overall philosophy is in terms of how they run their program....

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Coach Diaco's quote about what impact the preseason prediction of being picked 9th in the AAC will have on the team (found in the audio clip about 45 seconds in from the Boneyard Home page). Typical coachspeak (and this is correct but vanilla and standard...) is to say something about predictions being meaningless, what matters is what happens on the field, etc. All that is true of course, and UConn has traditionally been undervalued by prognosticators.

However, Coach Diaco went MILES beyond that in a mere few seconds to my ear. He said "...that can't be an energy for us..." Music to my ears! To me, "proving the doubters wrong" and other similar sentiments is a no-win outlook that ultimately comes up short in terms of motivation. To want to prove people wrong comes from a place of insecurity. Who gives a S&^$ what other people think? It is a shallow motivation. I like what Coach Diaco seems to be bringing to the table in terms of outlook. It strikes me as a winner's outlook.

I agree. The whole bulletin board material is overrated.

Fact is, when this team was winning games it would have ground the current AAC into dust. Once he gets a season or two under his belt I think getting back to that will be attainable by focusing on actual improvement. The change in perception will follow.

 

[ScottBonz]

Any one have the good old table of our predicted standings versus our actual finish?

 

[Carl Spackler]

As a long-time coach, I am always fascinated by how other coaches choose to structure their programs and by what their overall philosophy is in terms of how they run their program....

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Coach Diaco's quote about what impact the preseason prediction of being picked 9th in the AAC will have on the team (found in the audio clip about 45 seconds in from the Boneyard Home page). Typical coachspeak (and this is correct but vanilla and standard...) is to say something about predictions being meaningless, what matters is what happens on the field, etc. All that is true of course, and UConn has traditionally been undervalued by prognosticators.

However, Coach Diaco went MILES beyond that in a mere few seconds to my ear. He said "...that can't be an energy for us..." Music to my ears! To me, "proving the doubters wrong" and other similar sentiments is a no-win outlook that ultimately comes up short in terms of motivation. To want to prove people wrong comes from a place of insecurity. Who gives a S&^$ what other people think? It is a shallow motivation. I like what Coach Diaco seems to be bringing to the table in terms of outlook. It strikes me as a winner's outlook.

I heard the same soundbyte and had the same feeling coach. The man gets it, and it's remarkable, that he's been able to clearly demonstrate that he understands these kinds of things well, at such a relatively young age. He's yet to put any of it into practice as a head coach in actual game competition, but there is no doubt in my mind that we will field a team with an entirely different and much better mental makeup and that elusive word "chemistry" than we have seen in a few years now. After finally getting a chance to listen to the guy in person and watch him, I'm sold. I will be very surprised if we do not compete well, throughout the season and make a decent run of it - this year.

The only unknow(s) really, are two-fold, how our roster physical and talent wise matches up with the competition on our schedule - and that will reflect the recruiting that's been done since 2009-2010, and secondly, how those recruits will respond to adversity under this system and leadership.

Because as I'd be willing to bet you know, you can be as well prepared, positively motivated, effectively motivated, and well planned as anyone - until you get punched in the face. That's when character really shows up. You can try to prepare for it, but you don't really know it - until it happens.

Best thing Mike Tyson ever said or contributed to the world.

"Everybody's got a plan, until you get punched in the face." -Mike Tyson


We'll learn a lot about Diaco, and this new 2014 Husky season, the first time they get punched in the face real hard. But so far, the foundations of winning - Diaco gets it, and has a plan.

 

[hardcorehusky]

He said at the dinner last night the motivation around getting picked 9th ends at the end of the first play. Then reality sets in and that is not a motivational tool. School spirit is a tool that can carry you through a game and it is much more positive!!

Great mentality stuff from Coach

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

It's pretty much the antithesis of these two insecure loud mouth s.

I love Diaco's approach to this.

 

[freescooter]

I agree. The whole bulletin board material is overrated.

Fact is, when this team was winning games it would have ground the current AAC into dust. Once he gets a season or two under his belt I think getting back to that will be attainable by focusing on actual improvement. The change in perception will follow.

I agree that bulletin board material stuff is overrated. It can sometimes be useful in a specific instance but it is a short term motivation. It is useless over the course of a whole season.

 

[Uconnalliance]

9th 10th who Gives a sh!!t after we kick mega ass this season we will challenge Cincy,just like the stars ratings its all numbers....which= bulls!!t bringem on!!!!!!!!