Geno's comments...from ESPN...hmm

[Bone Dog]

He meant it. Look for Coach Geno to retire at the end of the season. He has nothing left to prove. And the team will only get worse next year. He means it.

Sorry, nope on all counts. He's under through 2025 and will probably stay beyond that give the kids he's already recruited. He's a loyalty guy -- his word is his bond -- and I don't see him coaxing kids like Jana from the other side of the earth and then leaving them high and dry. Same goes for kids not from quite so far, like Morgan.

And just to underline it: the team will be much stronger next season.

 

[tomcat]

I really wish folks would stop saying that Geno only needs "x" number of wins to pass Tara. They seem to have forgotten that she is still coaching, and coaches a teM that us much better than UConn. So she will likely widen hee leas by one is two this year.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Geno’s not retiring anytime soon IMHO. I don’t think he’d be recruiting Sarah Strong, Allie Zweibel, and Morgan Chelli, and at the same time contemplating retirement. If and when he does decide to retire, he would give a 2 or 3 year heads up to everyone close to him, including recruits. That would also I think give UConn and the athletic dept time to find a good replacement and minimize a fall off in the program.

He better land Sarah Strong. South Carolina is all over her and recruits like bragging rights of signing with the top program.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

He better land Sarah Strong. South Carolina is all over her and recruits like bragging rights of signing with the top program.

I’d like to see South Carolina’s bragging rights if they had season ending injuries to 4 of their best players. LSU is also all over Strong, and that being said, I think Strong is smart enough to take with a grain of salt what snake oil South Carolina and LSU are selling. Neither will ever have 11 or more National Championship banners hanging from the rafters, something even the great John Wooden cannot claim.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Both coaches built programs into national contenders. Geno, Pat, and Tara all deserve respect for building College WBB into what it is today. As a Big East fan growing up I wish football hadn’t destroyed the old Big East and UConn hadn’t had to play 7 seasons in the AAC.

Stanford women’s basketball wasn’t relevant nationally until Tara took over. She won a national championship her 5th season at Stanford and has been to 15 final fours. She left Ohio State for the challenge of building a program at Stanford. Geno won a national championship in his 10th season at UConn and been to 22 final fours.

You are definitely wrong on that score. The Stanford women were already a decent program when Tara took over. Why do you think Van Der Vere left Ohio State for Stanford? Jeanne Ruark was a terrific player in the early 80’s at Stanford. Granted they weren’t National Champions but they were definitely not a joke like the program Geno took over in 1985. What Geno did for the Uconn Huskies reminds me of what Vince Lombardi did for the NFL Green Bay Packers. Tara didn’t have to recruit players to come and play in a leaky roofed Field House, she already had a big running head start. What Geno Auriemma did blows away what any other coach ever did in a game ruled by women coaches. The great John Toner must of seen something in young Geno when Toner offered him the job over a cup of coffee in Dunkin Doughnut's 39 years ago.

 

[visitingcock]

I’d like to see South Carolina’s bragging rights if they had season ending injuries to 4 of their best players. LSU is also all over Strong, and that being said, I think Strong is smart enough to take with a grain of salt what snake oil South Carolina and LSU are selling. Neither will ever have 11 or more National Championship banners hanging from the rafters, something even the great John Wooden cannot claim.

What is the “snake oil” that Dawn is peddling? No, she may never have 11 banners (even if one is garnet colored), but she ain’t peddling snake oil with an average of 30 wins per season and two blue banners over the past decade.

 

[cancontent]

I’d like to see South Carolina’s bragging rights if they had season ending injuries to 4 of their best players. LSU is also all over Strong, and that being said, I think Strong is smart enough to take with a grain of salt what snake oil South Carolina and LSU are selling. Neither will ever have 11 or more National Championship banners hanging from the rafters, something even the great John Wooden cannot claim.

South Carolina has a credible record for developing talent that can handle the pro level. Why is it necessary to take a jab like this especially when you outline what UConn has to offer in the same post?

Both programs have great things to offer. We're seeing really talented players graduate from both programs to the WNBA and dominate the league. They're dominating on the international stage togther as team mates.

Both programs are making women's basketball better as a whole. Players who choose UConn or South Carolina end up in great situations. Isn't that what's more important in the end?

 

[dabears17]

You are definitely wrong on that score. The Stanford women were already a decent program when Tara took over. Why do you think Van Der Vere left Ohio State for Stanford? Jeanne Ruark was a terrific player in the early 80’s at Stanford. Granted they weren’t National Champions but they were definitely not a joke like the program Geno took over in 1985. What Geno did for the Uconn Huskies reminds me of what Vince Lombardi did for the NFL Green Bay Packers. Tara didn’t have to recruit players to come and play in a leaky roofed Field House, she already had a big running head start. What Geno Auriemma did blows away what any other coach ever did in a game ruled by women coaches. The great John Toner must of seen something in young Geno when Toner offered him the job over a cup of coffee in Dunkin Doughnut's 39 years ago.

I take offense to you saying the University of Connecticut was a joke before 1995. I have two sisters who went to grad school at UConn and a friend of mine from college is a professor at UConn.

 

[tower1]

I can't see either of these two taking over.

If Shea wants it i would take her in a heart beat, Carla is not ready for big time. If need be go outside and get best available. We need some one that can come in and start recruiting the elite players.

 

[temery]

Ten days is enough for this topic. There is no benefit to a recruit, player, coach, or the team in speculating how long a coach will continue coaching.

Who might coach in the future, sure. But when Geno or Chris Dailey will retire - a big no.

I have no doubt other teams are mentioning to recruits how long a coach of their competition will continue coaching. There is zero reason to feed the rumor mill. At the very least, no benefit to UConn women's basketball.

To quote OP:

"How seriously should we take these?
More importantly...how should UConn recruiting targets take them?"

Let's not discuss anything that could negatively affect recruiting, or current players.

Maybe keep it in a game chat, not open to the general public.