Not to open that can of worms again.....

[UC10NN]

but SNY now has article about the infamous topic of Lou's heart with more details.


Samuelson takes tough times to heart

 

[Bronxjeff]

Nice article about a really great kid. As they note, she is extremely tough, despite Geno's lambasting. She seems to enjoy herself more than possible, despite his getting pissy with her. And as he so wisely says she has about three times of upside ahead of her!

 

[eebmg]

but SNY now has article about the infamous topic of Lou's heart with more details.


Samuelson takes tough times to heart

The best part is that Lou could see she is not alone. Mo and Stewie were often pushed very hard and reacted in the right way. 'I will prove him wrong'. Actually interesting Tuck was not included. Probably never did anything wrong.

It helps that Shea can crystallize Geno's approach so clearly and provide helpful reference and feedback.

My vision of Lou is that she will be another EDD.

 

[bags27]

I agree Bronxjeff. It's a great article and gives so much insight how Geno can say things most of us would never dream of saying to another human being (at least to one we liked) and yet have those kids respond to it positively. Every kid who comes to UConn knows well that this is part of the drill with UConn. They see it as tough love, not only pushing them to be greater players but tougher people who are about to go into a very tough world, where they don't take prisoners.

"He knows how to push my buttons and how I respond," Samuelson said. "He knows better than anyone how to work with each individual player here and what they need to do. With me, I feel he knows he can get me pissed off and I'll do better or that I'll show him. It's the challenge of proving him wrong is how I take it."

"I don't know if I knew, but I had heard how tough he was," Samuelson said. "I saw it first hand last year with Stewie and Mo (All-Americans Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson). He would do that to them and he would see how they would respond.

 

[bags27]

My vision of Lou is that she will be another EDD.

My thoughts, too. But there are differences, of course. Lou has absolutely perfectly classic jump shot form, magnificent really, but possibly defensible by someone her size, while EDD hangs and shoots from a little from behind her head, and also, being one of the tallest players in WNBA, absolutely impossible to block. And EDD hits the boards harder; Lou can do that but she has still to prove that she can. OTOH, Lou is a bit more mobile. Both are long-legged and so it takes them a half-step to get under full steam, but EDD is a bit stiffer physically and a bit more mannered in her instincts as well, so I think Lou can figure out more ways to score in a crowd.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Let what Geno says here sink in.

"But she does some things better than anyone else in the country. She does some other things that other kids can't do. There are great shooters in America, but they're not her size. There are kids her size but they don't shoot it the way she does. She's got unique talents and right now she's using them all. If you'd asked me on a scale of 1-10, 'How good is Lou relative to where she should be or going to be?' I would say, 'Three.' That kid has got so much further to go and when she does get there it's going to be pretty amazing to watch."

That is not tossed out there lightly.

 

[oldude]

As a result of all-access shows, pressers & other media events we probably have a greater window into Geno's coaching style than any other coach I can think of. The one thing I know for sure is that Geno is far from being the most difficult coach to play for.

While Geno constantly challenges his players, there is a fine line between motivation and abuse. I have never seen Geno cross that line, but there are many other coaches that do. Bobby Knight comes to mind on the men's side. On the women's side, in the past few years, there have been numerous investigations and several dismissals of coaches who went too far.

When a coach abuses a player it's almost always the result of the coach losing their perspective, getting angry and making it personal. A good coach is always under control of their emotions, even when they are yelling. Geno is a master motivator, and while there are certainly times when every one of his players is less than enamored with him, there is not a single one who graduated from UConn that doesn't have an enormous sense of appreciation and affection for him.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A good coach is always under control of their emotions, even when they are yelling.

Or he goes and sits under the bleachers. Wait! No bleachers at the Worth he can get under. Potential design flaw discovered.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

And EDD hits the boards harder

On the Olympic team Geno ragged on her about rebounding though.

 

[bags27]

On the Olympic team Geno ragged on her about rebounding though.

Ah, just something for Geno to complain about to show that he could deal honestly with EDD, who had broken his heart. In truth, EDD almost never was needed to rebound last summer, given the other players on the court, while over the next couple of months, UConn really does need Lou to hit the boards harder, IMNSHO (in my not so humbly opinion ).

 

[BroadwayVa]

but SNY now has article about the infamous topic of Lou's heart with more details.


Samuelson takes tough times to heart

With all her hard work---it's a shame Geno does not like her!!! Has Uconn ever had a more dedicated player with injury kid than this one?? Geno's glowing over KLS has been earned. AND think--she'll only get better---look out world--here comes Katie Lou, Napheesa Collier, Gabby Williams,Kia Nurse and Saniya Chong--they are ALL only getting better!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

Ah, just something for Geno to complain about to show that he could deal honestly with EDD, who had broken his heart. In truth, EDD almost never was needed to rebound last summer, given the other players on the court, while over the next couple of months, UConn really does need Lou to hit the boards harder, IMNSHO (in my not so humbly opinion ).

I always say---When you are great---why be humble!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

As a result of all-access shows, pressers & other media events we probably have a greater window into Geno's coaching style than any other coach I can think of. The one thing I know for sure is that Geno is far from being the most difficult coach to play for.

While Geno constantly challenges his players, there is a fine line between motivation and abuse. I have never seen Geno cross that line, but there are many other coaches that do. Bobby Knight comes to mind on the men's side. On the women's side, in the past few years, there have been numerous investigations and several dismissals of coaches who went too far.

When a coach abuses a player it's almost always the result of the coach losing their perspective, getting angry and making it personal. A good coach is always under control of their emotions, even when they are yelling. Geno is a master motivator, and while there are certainly times when every one of his players is less than enamored with him, there is not a single one who graduated from UConn that doesn't have an enormous sense of appreciation and affection for him.

Old dude--I agree with most of what you say--even about a great coach--Bobby Knight--
Humans--are funny animals, but animals they are, sometime (and i have done this) started out with "fake" emotional anger only to have it become real--to make a point. Holding the line of controlled "abuse" is darn near impossible when it starts. Geno --to his credit --keeps his words
abuse from being physical--I personally don't like some of what he does--but apparently it's effective--but with some transfers it apparently does not work with all.

The investigations are mainly because of changing attitudes and ability of players to accept hard
and personal criticism--what was once accepted--is now considered verbal abuse. I never liked being "chewed out" but if factual, I accepted it.

 

[oldude]

It is fortunate for Lou that she had Stewie around her freshman yr to take her under her wing and mentor her in exactly what it was going to be like to be "in the barrel" with Geno. Hopefully, Lou will pay that favor forward once Megan arrives next season.

 

[BroadwayVa]

My thoughts, too. But there are differences, of course. Lou has absolutely perfectly classic jump shot form, magnificent really, but possibly defensible by someone her size, while EDD hangs and shoots from a little from behind her head, and also, being one of the tallest players in WNBA, absolutely impossible to block. And EDD hits the boards harder; Lou can do that but she has still to prove that she can. OTOH, Lou is a bit more mobile. Both are long-legged and so it takes them a half-step to get under full steam, but EDD is a bit stiffer physically and a bit more mannered in her instincts as well, so I think Lou can figure out more ways to score in a crowd.

Agreement
As a Soph--my impression of KLS playing much tougher competition--is better than EDD as a Soph.
I think, at least to me, there is little doubt as a Senior she'll excel beyond EDD in every category.
Believe it or not ==I like EDD and her family--great people.

 

[bags27]

It is fortunate for Lou that she had Stewie around her freshman yr to take her under her wing and mentor her in exactly what it was going to be like to be "in the barrel" with Geno. Hopefully, Lou will pay that favor forward once Megan arrives next season.

An interesting question is: Geno's publicly been hard on Lou, Kia, and Saniya, but not nearly so on Pheesa and Gabby. Is he somehow sensing that some better respond to the carrot and others to the stick? If so, is he guessing correctly?

 

[oldude]

An interesting question is: Geno's publicly had been hard on Lou, Kia, and Saniya, but not nearly so on Pheesa and Gabby. Is he somehow sensing that some better respond to the carrot and others to the stick? If so, is he guessing correctly?

Great point. If you remember the movie, "Miracle on Ice," Herb Brooks made Mike Eruzione the team's whipping boy because Eruzione, a tough blue-collar kid from Boston, could take it and the rest of the team would get fired up because they all respected Eruzione, the team captain.

 

[BroadwayVa]

An interesting question is: Geno's publicly been hard on Lou, Kia, and Saniya, but not nearly so on Pheesa and Gabby. Is he somehow sensing that some better respond to the carrot and others to the stick? If so, is he guessing correctly?

You picked the tulips out of the cabbage patch! After Stewies funk as a Freshman--Geno Soph and beyond approach appeared to be more praise (more carrot than stick). He has been for the past 6 weeks or so giving KLS faint praise (high praise from Geno) about her performances and abilities.
I think you are correct in that Napeesa and Gabby respond to good words rather than criticism. (I come from the school of: All criticism is negative --some don't attend my classes)

 

[eebmg]

My thoughts, too. But there are differences, of course. Lou has absolutely perfectly classic jump shot form, magnificent really, but possibly defensible by someone her size, while EDD hangs and shoots from a little from behind her head, and also, being one of the tallest players in WNBA, absolutely impossible to block. And EDD hits the boards harder; Lou can do that but she has still to prove that she can. OTOH, Lou is a bit more mobile. Both are long-legged and so it takes them a half-step to get under full steam, but EDD is a bit stiffer physically and a bit more mannered in her instincts as well, so I think Lou can figure out more ways to score in a crowd.

EDD evolved her inside game in the WNBA including her rebounding going from around 4 RPG to over 6. Lou works screens so well and with UConn training, her cutting is greatly improving. That is all you really need to get good shots. I think the EDD comparison is the closest I see in the WNBA. Good enough for me.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Bless her parents for their tough skin. We all know(at least I do) how parents(ourselves!!) can react to critique of their offspring, at any age.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

An interesting question is: Geno's publicly been hard on Lou, Kia, and Saniya, but not nearly so on Pheesa and Gabby. Is he somehow sensing that some better respond to the carrot and others to the stick? If so, is he guessing correctly?

Guessing?! The G does not guess!!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I always say---When you are great---why be humble!!

I like DT's inverse/convers version: Don't be so humble, you're not that good.

 

[Icebear]

An interesting question is: Geno's publicly been hard on Lou, Kia, and Saniya, but not nearly so on Pheesa and Gabby. Is he somehow sensing that some better respond to the carrot and others to the stick? If so, is he guessing correctly?

Geno manages players according to their personalities. He does not need to be hard 24/7 with Gabby because she is so hard on herself. Katie Lou gets tough when pushed and challenged. He reads every player.

The time to worry about Geno is when he stops talking to you. It means he doesn't think it is worth the energy.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Actually interesting Tuck was not included. Probably never did anything wrong.

Yes. At times I've wondered if Tuck was maybe Precious 3. Or at least 2.5 (given that Memphis game).

 

[UcMiami]

An interesting question is: Geno's publicly been hard on Lou, Kia, and Saniya, but not nearly so on Pheesa and Gabby. Is he somehow sensing that some better respond to the carrot and others to the stick? If so, is he guessing correctly?

Some folks on here aren't going to like this comment, but ...
I think it is because he has a vision of the player that Lou might be able to become, and that player is somewhere out there in the stratosphere - a Maya/DT/EDD/Stewart kind of player both in college and in the pros. He doesn't see a limit to her potential and so he is pushing hard to see how far she can go in the four years he gets to work with her.

And (the part people aren't going to like): that isn't true for Gabby and Napheesa - they are great players and they can become better by becoming more consistent, and expanding their games incrementally, but there is a limit to just how high they can rise and they are well on their way.

(NB I think that distinction was true as well between Tuck and Stewart - if Stewart had another year of eligibility, I think her would have pushed her harder to stay for her last year whereas I think if anything he was in favor of Tuck going pro before her eligibility was up, because he didn't see much more he could give her.)

By the way - on the Lou/EDD comparison - Lou has the advantage of being surrounded by a much better team. The development that EDD was able to do in college was seriously limited by her teammates and the amount of attention she received from the opponents. She grew up in college, but it really required her getting to the pros (and the NT team) for her game to mature, playing with other really good players.