Geno: This has to be April Fools

[mauconnfan]

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn...auriemma-uconn-women-0401-20150401-story.html

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Was just about to post

 

[Tenspro2002]

If true, I'm sure he feels the same way about women's basketball, save his own squad (and maybe their adversaries from the other night). These games, both men's and women's, can be hard to watch.

 

[tcf15]

It's not like Geno is the first person to call out the state of college basketball. That's been a topic of discussion all season long involving media and coaches. And here was the question he was responding to, so it wasn't just out of the blue:

You've read a lot about the state of the men's college game this year, that the game is not as fluid, efficient, exciting, well played as it has been in years past. There's many reasons people would surmise that from more freshman, sophomores playing than juniors and seniors. I know you are obviously an authority on the women's game and your team. But you're a basketball coach and a basketball fan, so you see a lot of men's college basketball. What has been your thought about where you see the state of the men's game is right now?

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=108045

 

[jfuchs91]

There is some truth to Geno's comments. Personally, I enjoy the defensive slugfests in some college games, but I can understand why a casual fan might not view it as enjoyable. It is exponentially harder to score with the size and athleticism present in the men's game, and that's what leads to lower scoring totals.

It may seem counterintuitive, but I think moving the 3 point line back closer to the NBA arc would help college offenses. Players are capable of hitting deeper shots, and it'd do wonders to improve the spacing of the floor. It's hard to score in the college game because the paint is so cluttered. A lower shot clock would improve the pace of games as well.

 

[Inyatkin]

Sounds bad at first, but he makes reasonable points. He says they need to change the rules to allow more scoring. I know I've seen enough 45-42 games for my liking.

 

[UConn990411]

What he has to say about the men's game is spot on - the product has declined so much in recent years, to the point where I find myself watching less and less non-UConn games than ever before.

I'm a fan of defense, but I'm a little fed up with top 25 games finishing in the 50 and low 60s on a regular basis. Defenses are way too far ahead of offenses right now.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Regardless of how you feel about the sport Geno coaches, he's 100% correct. The men's game has the longest shot clock in the world (for no reason), gives 10 timeouts to the coaches despite 8 media timeouts already built into the game, has officials who have no idea how to differentiate between a block and a charge, has added the need to go to the monitor every time a player raises his hands above his head, etc.

And I love college basketball more than most (and more than the NBA for that matter). But there are plenty of fixes that would make the game much better.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Regardless of how you feel about the sport Geno coaches, he's 100% correct. The men's game has the longest shot clock in the world (for no reason), gives 10 timeouts to the coaches despite 8 media timeouts already built into the game, has officials who have no idea how to differentiate between a block and a charge, has added the need to go to the monitor every time a player raises his hands above his head, etc.

And I love college basketball more than most (and more than the NBA for that matter). But there are plenty of fixes that would make the game much better.

 

[RipCity]

I don't think Geno's premise is too outlandish. But I would argue that it's not a problem of low shooting percentages, it's the pace of the game. The shot clock needs to be lowered.

 

[zls44]

If this quote was made by random person on the street instead of coach of a team who beats everyone by 50, nobody would disagree with anything he's said.

 

[2Husky]

What he has to say about the men's game is spot on - the product has declined so much in recent years, to the point where I find myself watching less and less non-UConn games than ever before.

I'm a fan of defense, but I'm a little fed up with top 25 games finishing in the 50 and low 60s on a regular basis. Defenses are way too far ahead of offenses right now.

well said, teams like Virginia, and Wisconsin (before the last two years) who average about 1 point a minute are killing the game. I would have enjoyed this season a lot more, even if we hadn't won more games, if we were averaging 75 points per game.

 

[Leebo]

People complain about the low scores of college ball all the time. Why is it surprising to hear him say it? Just because he used the phrase "it's a joke?"

 

[Deadrody]

Nah, this is just Geno doing his thing to deflect attention off his team and onto himself. With everybody flipping out because they were down 1 at halftime the other day, it makes sense for him to deflect as much pressure off them as he can. They seem to be handling it pretty well, regardless.

 

[jibsey]

Do ya think he liked our win against Butler? It was one of the ugliest games ever played, yet beautiful of course.

 

[Jerry1714]

He is not wrong.

But you could not pay me to watch the women play, it is not basketball.

 

[James]

i just feel like geno gives off this high horse vibe. like he's the or something.

 

[UConnSwag11]

It's not so much that the defenses are great, it's that kids don't have the fundamentals. How many kids have legit jumpshots? Pull-up jumpers? They're not taught anything in high school or aau. Everything is drive to the rim make small contact and get to the line bc the refs reward it or jack a bunch of threes. Also the kids run a play that waits for the shot until the last ten seconds, they don't take the first open shot. Unc may be up and down but I like watching them play bc they get out and run. Watching the uconn women I enjoy it, they're fluid, play fast and aggressive, and look for a shot early in the shot clock. They also show what staying for four years or more than two can do to help the kids and the game.

 

[mcs333]

The one thing I hate is now the refs check out the clock on almost every foul in the last 1 or two minutes. Takes way too much time.

 

[Waquoit]

i just feel like geno gives off this high horse vibe. like he's the or something.

He is the , though.

 

[Inyatkin]

He is not wrong.

But you could not pay me to watch the women play, it is not basketball.

It's not? They've been playing lacrosse this whole time? Weird.

 

[tcf15]

i just feel like geno gives off this high horse vibe. like he's the or something.

Ha, 9 rings will do that to a man.

 

[upstater]

From looking at what is going on in all sports at the youth level, I'd say this is a matter of overprofessionalization. Kids do not play games as much any more, as much as they drill drill drill on skills skills skills. And not all of them, just the ones they are already good at. Game play suffers, and it's weird because I bet these kids are better dribblers and better shooters than their peers from the past. But not better passers, and they can't run set plays as crisply.

This is happening in all sports. In soccer, the Germans are dominating because they drill on those skills, as opposed to say the Brazilians who played soccer all day but had a different approach to skills building.

You also see it in the NBA. The players are simply much better shooters than I can ever remember from 2 or 3 decades ago.

 

[shakes65]

I think he is right on. I liked the 30 second clock in the NIT. I certainly think it helps the women's game.

And as for those ignorati who do not appreciate GOOD women's college basketball, I suggest you go back to John Wooden's comment that if you want to see how the game was intended to be played, watch a good women's team. And for the time being, we have the best.

 

[FartMan69]

Shot clock needs to be at 24. 30 at the most, 35 is ridiculous.