ESPN: UConn Coaches vs. Kentucky Coaches

[JavaMan]

Two coaches struck similar poses and spoke of similar subjects, one as April began and another as the month concluded.

In starkly different ways, each was proof that the health of a program is sometimes best measured through those we often overlook.

At a Final Four press conference, Geno Auriemma wiped away tears as he accepted an award as national coach of the year. The emotion was the only surprise moment during a Final Four that saw Connecticut complete another undefeated season, its legendary and legendarily acerbic coach barely able to get out the words as he thanked longtime associate head coach Chris Dailey.

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell, too, sat in a press conference some weeks later. Nominally to address the return of former assistant coach Kyra Elzy as Mitchell's new associate head coach, the question-and-answer session had more to do with damage control.

"If your chemistry doesn't fit, you're going to have a very difficult time working because you're basically on a pedestal for your kids. "They see you every day, you're their model. And if you guys can't get along then it's not going to bode well."

There are so many potential places for all of it to break down. If it doesn't, you might get what Auriemma compared to a mighty ship crossing the Atlantic. If it does, people start looking for life preservers.

[MUCH MORE...]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I did not recall the Geno award misty eyes event, so went looking for it.



Stewie's reaction was intriguing. Never saw that cut before. I think she likes him.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

What UCONN fans love about the Huskies WBB program is we see the players and coaches on a day to day basis as human beings not just talented players and excellent coaches! We see the frailties and warts, so to speak, and we understand that Geno is not just a cocky Philley Italian but someone who has a great perception on life and sports and shows it from time to time.
In other words, HE GETS IT! His players come back repeatedly to see him and the staff and be a part of something that is truly special! Too re-live what they felt when they competed here, even just for a day or two. Look at the crowd of alumni at Indianapolis this Tournament!
He recently made the comment that he still occasionally gets the feeling that if he has a bad year he's replaceable. That's his old world/Italy values coming out. He has to constantly prove himself!
He and CD remember how they started at UCONN, where they've come from and where they've gotten and they still shake their heads in disbelief.

 

[HuskyNan]

What UCONN fans love about the Huskies WBB program is we see the players and coaches on a day to day basis as human beings not just talented players and excellent coaches! We see the frailties and warts, so to speak, and we understand that Geno is not just a cocky Philley Italian but someone who has a great perception on life and sports and shows it from time to time.
In other words, HE GETS IT! His players come back repeatedly to see him and the staff and be a part of something that is truly special! Too re-live what they felt when they competed here, even just for a day or two. Look at the crowd of alumni at Indianapolis this Tournament!
He recently made the comment that he still occasionally gets the feeling that if he has a bad year he's replaceable. That's his old world/Italy values coming out. He has to constantly prove himself!
He and CD remember how they started at UCONN, where they've come from and where they've gotten and they still shake their heads in disbelief.

Taurasi on Auriemma's true personality: "As much as he wants to show all that machismo, he's an Italian softie. He drinks a little bit of wine, and that's all he is."

USATODAY.com - Connecticut's Taurasi handling the pressure

For all of Auriemma's bluster and theatrics, his players, past and present, adore him.

He may be hard on them on the court, but they know he's a big, old softy away from it. He gets birthday reminders on his BlackBerry and will send a text message to a player. Ask him about a former pupil and he can rattle off not only UConn highlights, but what she's doing now. When Rizzotti's team, in the midst of a tough season, lost another game, she got a text from Auriemma telling her to hang in there.

The Great Geno Dynasty | Amarillo.com | Amarillo Globe-News

 

[HuskyNan]

Two coaches struck similar poses and spoke of similar subjects, one as April began and another as the month concluded.

In starkly different ways, each was proof that the health of a program is sometimes best measured through those we often overlook.

At a Final Four press conference, Geno Auriemma wiped away tears as he accepted an award as national coach of the year. The emotion was the only surprise moment during a Final Four that saw Connecticut complete another undefeated season, its legendary and legendarily acerbic coach barely able to get out the words as he thanked longtime associate head coach Chris Dailey.

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell, too, sat in a press conference some weeks later. Nominally to address the return of former assistant coach Kyra Elzy as Mitchell's new associate head coach, the question-and-answer session had more to do with damage control.

"If your chemistry doesn't fit, you're going to have a very difficult time working because you're basically on a pedestal for your kids. "They see you every day, you're their model. And if you guys can't get along then it's not going to bode well."

There are so many potential places for all of it to break down. If it doesn't, you might get what Auriemma compared to a mighty ship crossing the Atlantic. If it does, people start looking for life preservers.

[MUCH MORE...]

Another great article from Graham Hayes. I was struck by this quote from Washington's Mike Neighbors, "It's the one thing [picking assistants], I think, as a head coach that you have to be very, very selfish about," Neighbors said. "If you don't have a staff of people that will protect the culture you are trying to create and protect the head coach, I think you're starting off behind the eight ball. Those people have to have a very good understanding of who you are and what you want your program to feel like to be a part of." He nailed it.

 

[Jim]

I think what gets lost in this thread is that if Geno and CD didn't have great rapport, you probably would have never heard of Geno Auriemma or Chris Dailey. And the only reason Mathew Mitchell is being discussed is that he did have some success and the Kentucky team was a contender. I think the more interesting question is "What changed at Kentucky?" How do you go from having that success to what appears is a complete meltdown?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

and protect the head coach

But, Nan, if the head coach is Captain Queeg, then you are pretty much consigned to quietly getting out of there. When a whole bunch do that, questions naturally arise. Mitchell has said it is on him, but implied he picked the wrong people for years and now he needs time to pick the right ones and rebuild. I think it far more likely that he's the problem, whether in management style or otherwise. If he did not see this coming what does that say for communication within that program?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Taurasi on Auriemma's true personality: "As much as he wants to show all that machismo, he's an Italian softie. He drinks a little bit of wine, and that's all he is."

USATODAY.com - Connecticut's Taurasi handling the pressure

For all of Auriemma's bluster and theatrics, his players, past and present, adore him.

He may be hard on them on the court, but they know he's a big, old softy away from it. He gets birthday reminders on his BlackBerry and will send a text message to a player. Ask him about a former pupil and he can rattle off not only UConn highlights, but what she's doing now. When Rizzotti's team, in the midst of a tough season, lost another game, she got a text from Auriemma telling her to hang in there.

The Great Geno Dynasty | Amarillo.com | Amarillo Globe-News

Nan- - - Thanks for the great article! Geno is so misunderstood outside of CT but we fans love him because he couldn't care less about outsiders perception!

 

[UcMiami]

But, Nan, if the head coach is Captain Queeg, then you are pretty much consigned to quietly getting out of there. When a whole bunch do that, questions naturally arise. Mitchell has said it is on him, but implied he picked the wrong people for years and now he needs time to pick the right ones and rebuild. I think it far more likely that he's the problem, whether in management style or otherwise. If he did not see this coming what does that say for communication within that program?

And I think those same questions are swirling with JPM -
But sometimes it is just getting the wrong people hired - I've seen it in business, and seen it in the theater, where a single mistaken hire can create years of turmoil. And interviews and resumes, and recommendations, and even performance once hired can be hard to ferret out. The proverbial 'wolf in sheep's clothing' is real. In the intensity of a college sports program things can go from smooth functioning to chaos pretty quickly. And it isn't just staff, but the players recruited can create some of the same issues - bring in an Iago and best friends and team spirit can quickly be shattered.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

bring in an Iago and best friends and team spirit can quickly be shattered.

This guy Iago, who has he coached for and what makes you think he'd screw things up?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Regarding Matthew Mitchell, here is a pretty analytical article which I do not recall having been posted before.

Can Matthew Mitchell survive as UK Hoops coach?

"2.) Mitchell’s inability to build a cohesive coaching staff has caught up to him.

Since the 2011-12 season, Mitchell has employed nine different assistants. This offseason is the second time in three years he’s had to replace all three full-time assistants.

In most successful major-college basketball programs, the head coach pushes players beyond their comfort levels, sometimes in tough, demanding ways.

Usually, it is left to the assistants to play “good cop” and reassure the players that the head coach cares about them and is only trying to inspire their best.

Because Kentucky has had so much assistant coaching turnover, the relationships and trust required to “build the players back up” may not have existed.

3.) The “culture” that allowed UK Hoops to ascend has seemed to be under stress in recent years.

Near the end of the 2014-15 season, Mitchell spoke often about his team’s four seniors — Bria Goss, Jennifer O’Neill, Azia Bishop and Jelleah Sidney — coming to his house to ask the coach to be more vigilant in upholding the standards of the program.

I asked Mitchell last week if he had over-compensated and become too tough.

“No, I think that meeting with those seniors was nothing but positive for me,” he said. “I worked really hard to create a good environment in practice and I think those results showed on the court. I think where I have made the misstep is if people are feeling like I didn’t care about them and I didn’t serve them and I didn’t serve them well enough off the court.” (emphasis added)


Read more here: Can Matthew Mitchell survive as UK Hoops coach?