Geno has something to say to Caroline doubters

[vtcwbuff]

The thing is, and I'm not trying to take sides in Caroline "doubters", but it wasn't the fans who played her 4 minutes total in the Big East semi's and finals combined. It was the coach. So either she was injured, she was sick, or he felt she couldn't contribute - and that would be HIS choice, not the fans. Or maybe it was another reason. All we could do as fans was wonder why she played bench warmer minutes in 2 very important games.

I agree with coach - "if Caroline can play significant minutes", UCONN will be hard to beat. So why did she play 4 minutes in 2 of the most important games of the season? I get that he's sarcastic, but I didn't see a single person on here say she was the "worst player ever at Connecticut".

So instead of taking a shot at some of the fans, why not explain why she played 4 minutes? And if he did already explain that, I must have missed it and I apologize. But if not, don't point to fans as being "wrong" when coach is the one who kept her on the bench.

I do want to point out that I totally agree with the people on here who pointed out some of the ridiculously harsh criticisms of her as way out of line. Not defending that at all.

Eric, I know you've been a UConn fan for a long time. I'm sure you're aware that taking shots at the fans is an Auriemma staple. He must have forgotten the comments he made earlier this year about conversations he had with Doty about her not getting it done.

As for fans taking shots at Doty, except for a drive by or two the worst comments I read were about her not scoring - which was true.

 

[JoePgh]

Eric, I think there were two reasons for Caroline's minimal minutes in the Big East tournament:

1. Against Notre Dame, she could not guard either Diggins (too slow) or McBride (too small), and those two players needed to be guarded since they were (and are) the majority of ND's offense. I don't think Caroline could have really guarded Jewel Loyd either, but she might have been able to do that.
2. I think Geno thought (hoped?) that Moriah was close to being ready for primetime, and wanted to give her minutes against good opponents with games on the line to confirm that.

With respect to #2, I think the Big East experience caused him to conclude that Moriah is not quite there yet (and he seems to be right about that). We REALLY miss BBanks. But in the present circumstances, it's back to Caroline.

I think it is reasonably likely that Bria will be back in the starting lineup, and certainly will get the majority of minutes, on the coming weekend. But I predict that Caroline will (and should) get more minutes than Moriah.

 

[huskyharry]

Tell it, Coach. Solid, supportive comments. And give her the green light to go beyond two misses. She can make a few in a row and be a difference maker.

I thought she provided a settling influence and showed commendable hustle when she was in last night.
I do think her game and positive contribution to the team would be enhanced if she quits trying to be a three point shooter. On her attempts that she missed, she actually backed up to get being the line. That technique is fine for someone who is shooting the ball well, but when it has been a while since you have made a three-pointer, then take the 17 footer. I would much rather have 50% shooting from her from 17 feet than 0% from 21 feet!

 

[magic]

Point guards that don't score a lot are more the norm than the exception. Their job is to keep the troops calm and in line, handle the ball securely and distribute it to the player that's in the best position to score. If the pg can score too, like a Sue or Renee, that's just gravy. I think that Sue and Renee have spoiled UConn fans and now we expect all pgs to be like them.

A complaint I have with basketball fans in general is that they rely on the number of points scored to determine whether or not a player is good or not. Isn't that one of the complaints we fan have had about the public's perception of Kelly? It's only this year she's been looking for her shot but we fans know how invaluable she is to the team, whether she scores or not.

Well Nan, I guess everything I've ever heard about the role of a point guard has been wrong then. To me a point guards responsibility is to handle the ball safely, distribute the ball to the proper scorers at the right time( usually accounts for assists), play good defense, and hit the open shot . In this case since I see no points , steals , assists, apparently she is there for the sole purpose of keeping the troops calm. I am actually fine with this. But trying to convince me that the sky is red , when it looks blue insults everyone's eyes. I'd rather Geno would just say that she has earned the right to play because of her dedication. That I can live with.

 

[snowkot]

Point guards that don't score a lot are more the norm than the exception. Their job is to keep the troops calm and in line, handle the ball securely and distribute it to the player that's in the best position to score. If the pg can score too, like a Sue or Renee, that's just gravy. I think that Sue and Renee have spoiled UConn fans and now we expect all pgs to be like them.

A complaint I have with basketball fans in general is that they rely on the number of points scored to determine whether or not a player is good or not. ...

I pretty much agree with you. Which is why I phrased it accordingly: "...2 points on 1 of 3 shooting, and 1 assist in 24 minutes..." - noting the lone assist in addition to the solitary basket on three attempts.

And again - the key point was to counter Coach's assertion that last night's performance should put an end to the dialog.

Speaking of - and I certainly cannot speak with any frame of reference other than the northeast - is there any coach - any sport - men's or women's - college or pros - that publicly chastises the fan base more than Coach?

Granted his heart is absolutely in the right place and he clearly only has the best of intentions - but - come to think of it - I cannot think of another. Anyone? <not sarcasm - no hidden meaning or implications>

Just another facet I guess of the irresistible personality that makes Coach one of a kind...

 

[blackbird]

I think Geno is just a bit of a Papa Bear.

It's alright if he chastises his girls, but he'll get very upset if someone else attacks them. Particularly someone like Caroline, who Geno clearly has a soft spot for. (As, I don't think it's completely logical to give her minutes over Moriah, and I know it's not logical - if it's going to continue - to start Doty over Hartley.)

Geno is also in a different circumstance than any other coach in the country. These are a bunch of kids who are expected to be elite and never lose. They are almost expected to be Robots. And the fans have gone from loving the team and their flaws to expecting perfection.

Geno's said himself, it's a blessing and a curse. But I honestly think he's just defending his players against unfair criticism. This is a "down year" for the Huskies when they are virtually a lock for the final four and their only losses are to the #1 and #2 team. Caroline Doty, three surgeries later, just can't play against the two best guards in the country. Bria Hartley struggled after having ankle issues for most of the year. Breanna Stewart struggled as a freshman. Fans can sometimes forget they are people..

So yes, Geno's defensive when it comes to his players. But I can see why. There isn't another team with the pressure that these players have. People even expect Lebron James to lose games..

 

[jsloanjr]

CD has an affect on this team without scoring........Those 12 days off after the ND loss has given this team a new lease on life......Doty, Stewart, Tuck, Faris have all benefited.......They were not healthy then they will get another 6 days off before see ND (MAYBE) in NO........UCONN will be waiting for who ever shows up.........

 

[vtcwbuff]

Not a Papa Bear. I think he still has many of the same insecurities that Luigi had when he was a little Italian kid in the neighborhood. IMO that's why he responds to criticism the way he does.

 

[blackbird]

He doesn't respond to criticism about himself. He responds to criticism about his players.

I remember him being a little upset whens someone came up to him and said a loss was probably good for the team. Which he agreed with. Then the fan went on to say that it would probably "humble" the players. That bothered him.

He's said himself that he thinks players win games and coaches lose them.

 

[UConnCat]

Not a Papa Bear. I think he still has many of the same insecurities that Luigi had when he was a little Italian kid in the neighborhood. IMO that's why he responds to criticism the way he does.

Ah. So in addition to arm-chair coaches on the board we are now blessed with arm-chair shrinks.

 

[Icebear]

Not a Papa Bear. I think he still has many of the same insecurities that Luigi had when he was a little Italian kid in the neighborhood. IMO that's why he responds to criticism the way he does.

I believe the board bears would heartily welcome Geno into the den.

 

[Vowelguy]

Ah. So in addition to arm-chair coaches on the board we are now blessed with arm-chair shrinks.

Not a new phenomena (unfortunately). I guess you've forgotten the posts that said they "could tell" that player X was clinically depressed just by looking at her demeanor on the bench, OR that PHS "must be" far along in her dementia based on how she looked/acted during the games.

We have no shortage of "experts".

 

[RadyLady]

Not a new phenomena (unfortunately). I guess you've forgotten the posts that said they "could tell" that player X was clinically depressed just by looking at her demeanor on the bench, OR that PHS "must be" far along in her dementia based on how she looked/acted during the games.

We have no shortage of "experts".

in any walk of life.

 

[Icebear]

Not a new phenomena (unfortunately). I guess you've forgotten the posts that said they "could tell" that player X was clinically depressed just by looking at her demeanor on the bench, OR that PHS "must be" far along in her dementia based on how she looked/acted during the games.

We have no shortage of "experts".

That is not in the least what I said and that you think it was shows your incompetence on the matter.

 

[VAMike23]

A complaint I have with basketball fans in general is that they rely on the number of points scored to determine whether or not a player is good or not. Isn't that one of the complaints we fan have had about the public's perception of Kelly? It's only this year she's been looking for her shot but we fans know how invaluable she is to the team, whether she scores or not.

I would extend your point to the fans on the 'Yard who will quote statistics and then stand pat, as though the numbers tell all. They don't. It's one thing to say, as Caroline said yesterday, "The numbers don't lie." But that doesn't mean they always tell the whole story, or that the interpreter is infallible. Kelly's impact is a prime example, but there are many others.

 

[vtcwbuff]

He doesn't respond to criticism about himself. He responds to criticism about his players.

I remember him being a little upset whens someone came up to him and said a loss was probably good for the team. Which he agreed with. Then the fan went on to say that it would probably "humble" the players. That bothered him.

He's said himself that he thinks players win games and coaches lose them.

Not so. Where do you think the comments about fan coaches are coming from?

 

[vtcwbuff]

Ah. So in addition to arm-chair coaches on the board we are now blessed with arm-chair shrinks.

Read his book. Then think about why he would bother to take the time to criticize "arm chair coaches?" Why should it bother him at all? It comes with the territory.

As for arm chair coaches, how many here have never second guessed a coaching decision at a sporting event? Whether it's a pitching change or a lineup change, or a 4th and 1 situation?
That's what fans do. It comes with their territory and it has zero impact on what's going on in the arena. That's why Auriemma should quit bitchin' about it.

 

[hoopfan515]

Caroline performs better in the starting line up rather than coming off the bench. If Bria can score a lot of points off the bench, that might be what is best for this TEAM.

 

[baggerbob]

Great players don't always win championships, great teammates do. Caroline is an example of a great teammate, even when her body won't allow her to do the things she once did she carries on, doesn't complain. All championship teams need heart, and a soul Caroline provides both for this team, that can't be measured in points, rebounds, assists.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Ah. So in addition to arm-chair coaches on the board we are now blessed with arm-chair shrinks.

You really should get to know Auriemma's character a bit before making snarky comments. Here's just one of my armchair sources - A
John Altavilla column from a couple of years ago.
A couple of quotes from the article -

"And he also talks about the inherent insecurity which has driven him his entire life. "Act like I know everything about everything so no one will say you're the dumb kid from Italy. Am I insecure? Absolutely,"

"He talks about his temper, how reactionary he is sometimes to criticism from the public, "

 

[blackbird]

Caroline performs better in the starting line up rather than coming off the bench. If Bria can score a lot of points off the bench, that might be what is best for this TEAM.

Except against the elite teams, when Caroline will struggle to bring the ball up the court (If Diggins and Sims decide to pressure her), add nothing on offense, and get beat pretty badly on defense.

And I'm as big of a fan of Caroline as there is. I wish the above wasn't true, but I've seen it enough to know it is. If you want to play Caroline in a big game, you've got to play her when she's next to Hartley, so that Bria can take some pressure off of her. (And quite frankly, the reverse is true too. Caroline helps Bria out by allowing Bria to not have to be the point guard.)

Btw: I'm so glad the boneyard has so many psychologists. Between Hartley playing "passionless" and Geno being so insecure that his comments defending his players are really about deflecting blame and wanting to be right all the time, a book should probably be written.

And yes, I know he doesn't like criticism and he's always searching for perfection. But that's not why he sticks up for his players.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

To me this is one of the most tiresome themes/debates of this season. In part, maybe large part, because I really like who CDoty is, a leader with a sense of humor. I suspect that for some the frustration over BH's erratic performance has added spice to the dialogue over C Doty. I hope the NCAA run is successful for all and we have more positive topics to chatter about for a couple of weeks.

 

[UConnCat]

You really should get to know Auriemma's character a bit before making snarky comments. Here's just one of my armchair sources - A
John Altavilla column from a couple of years ago.
A couple of quotes from the article -

"And he also talks about the inherent insecurity which has driven him his entire life. "Act like I know everything about everything so no one will say you're the dumb kid from Italy. Am I insecure? Absolutely,"

"He talks about his temper, how reactionary he is sometimes to criticism from the public, "

So, it wasn't your diagnosis; it's Geno's self-diagnosis.

I'm fully aware of what Geno has said about the insecurities he felt as an immigrant kid. He's talked quite openly about it. The fact that his childhood insecurities and challenges affect his adult behavior to this day means he's no different than about 99.99% of the adults in this world. The fact that he knows it and admits it probably puts him in a much smaller category.

My comment was directed at the level of scrutiny that goes on over every coaching move and some of the comments he makes. We're told it wasn't protective Geno who made that comment; it was insecure Geno. Okay then.

There are days I'm just stunned by it and this is one of those days.

 

[Buzzyboy]

UConn has played very well against Baylor and Notre Dame, only to really falter in the last minutes with uncharacteristic mental mistakes that are so atypical of any Geno team. What is contributing to them is beyond me but I would love to have a healthy Caroline Doty (which she isn't) playing in those final moments as she did a few years back before her ACL's diminished her abilities, particularly on the offensive end. She was a pretty substantial scoring threat prior to these ACL injuries even if she only showed it sparingly, deferring to Tina and Maya and other more senior Huskies. She will always be one of my very favorite Huskies! I hope she gets the chance to walk off into the sunset with a victory net around her neck.

To be fair, the national championship team on which Ms Doty was the point guard featured the two best players in WCBB that season who would go on to become WNBA Rookies of the Year, and two other players currently on WNBA rosters. Play well against Maryland and in the games remaining and Coach Auriemma can stand up and take jabs at at all the doubters and enjoy the last laugh.

It is also fair to say that everyone here is rooting for Caroline Doty to play well and to contribute. The criticisms are not necessarily leveled at her, but at the team's weaknesses against better teams. The better teams are few and far between, thus, relatively, so are the criticisms.

C

 

[pinotbear]

I believe the board bears would heartily welcome Geno into the den.

he's got the right personality, and he'll bring wine: I vote "yea"!