Why I love to watch the UConn women...

[WestCoastFan]

I realize that nobody cares why I do, but Jim Foster said it best, after the game last night:

"The intensity and attention to detail that they play with, as a coach, it's refreshing to watch," Foster said. "In this day and age of dribble-drive and `I want to get my own,' it's kind of refreshing, whether it's the Golden State Warriors or Connecticut women's basketball, there are some teams playing basketball the way you'd like to see it played."

You can take your points, your player rankings, your chest-bumping, smack-talking, it's all about me a**-carnival players. I'll take the Huskies. See you in April.

 

[UcMiami]

He also went on to talk about #22 (Ekmark) busting her ___ to get a hand in the face of an open Moc shooter when her team was up 50.
The intensity of Uconn play does not waver whatever the score or based on starter vs bench player.

 

[huskeynut]

Foster summed up why UCONN is the top dog. Now why other coaches don't get it I don't know.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Foster summed up why UCONN is the top dog. Now why other coaches don't get it I don't know.

What's annoying is that fans of other teams see it as running up the score or Geno not calling off the dogs. To hear some fans complain, looking at you Tennessee, ND, and South Carolina fans, you'd think Geno left Mo, Stewie, and Tuck in until the final buzzer. Geno also signaled to Chong and Ek to run clock in the 4th quarter when they were bring the ball up. I guess unless Geno lets the shot clock expire on every possession after halftime, it'll be seen as poor sportsmanship.

 

[WestCoastFan]

Foster summed up why UCONN is the top dog. Now why other coaches don't get it I don't know.

I frequently shake my head as well. My brother has a great theory...other coaches are just too lazy to work at being great!! Geno, CD, et al, work as hard as the players at making it work. For other coaches, it's so much easier to recruit "athletes" and let them run around pretending to be basketball players.

 

[WestCoastFan]

What's annoying is that fans of other teams see it as running up the score or Geno not calling off the dogs. To hear some fans complain, looking at you Tennessee, ND, and South Carolina fans, you'd think Geno left Mo, Stewie, and Tuck in until the final buzzer. Geno also signaled to Chong and Ek to run clock in the 4th quarter when they were bring the ball up. I guess unless Geno lets the shot clock expire on every possession after halftime, it'll be seen as poor sportsmanship.

Think about Geno's dilemma...his bench works their tails off at every practice. How can he tell them: "Hey, get in there and stall." Those players deserve to "play" every second they're in the game. If the other team can't keep up...find another coach.

 

[MJL243]

A perfect example of UConn basketball came in the second half of the St. Francis of Brooklyn first round game last spring. Even with a forty point lead against an overmatched team, on one possession there were three Huskies diving on the floor for a loose ball.

 

[billnaples]

Being an old guy who was vertically challenged among other reasons I enjoy watching a game being played below the rim. I needed a ladder just to touch the net, forget the rim. The discipline that UConn displays with its high assist ratio and lock down team defense is beautiful to watch. Good players, good coaching, math says fantastic results.

 

[Kmoney]

I think a few coaches are trying to emulate UConn. It is hard to find 17-18 yo girls willing to buy into what Geno is offering. You will work harder then you ever thought you could. You will get no special treatment. You will do thing my way or you won't play. You will take real classes. You will be a good teammate. You can do all of those things and I still might not play you. Oh, and it's cold. The pool of girls that are UConn material is very very small. I just think it is so much easier for coaches to run a dribble-drive offense, shop at McDonalds, win 25 games and watch the final four on TV.

 

[WestCoastFan]

I think a few coaches are trying to emulate UConn. It is hard to find 17-18 yo girls willing to buy into what Geno is offering. You will work harder then you ever thought you could. You will get no special treatment. You will do thing my way or you won't play. You will take real classes. You will be a good teammate. You can do all of those things and I still might not play you. Oh, and it's cold. The pool of girls that are UConn material is very very small. I just think it is so much easier for coaches to run a dribble-drive offense, shop at McDonalds, win 25 games and watch the final four on TV.

Yup...a sign of the times! Quoting a great line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off: "I weep for the future."

 

[UcMiami]

Foster summed up why UCONN is the top dog. Now why other coaches don't get it I don't know.

Because it isn't actually that easy - you can run all the same drills and the same offense and defense and recruit the same kind of players, and without Geno, CD, Shea, and Marissa you will not get the same result. There is a creative side to coaching that involves a critical eye for the minutia of the game and of each players movements, and the ability to then correct in the same minute detail there errors you detect. The ability to teach 10+ different people, providing each with a personalized vision of their ultimate capabilities and the road map and waypoints along that route, and providing them with the tools to progress. And then the orchestration of all those individuals with different skills into a high functioning team, one that is constantly changing from day to day and year to year - adjusting to learning curves of all involved, and the addition of new players and loss of others.
If you have ever watched an artist work, each individual step looks quite easy and logical, but something magical happens in a true artists hands that change all those ordinary brush strokes of various colors into a masterpiece. Being a great coach includes some of that magic.

 

[HuskyNan]

I think a few coaches are trying to emulate UConn. It is hard to find 17-18 yo girls willing to buy into what Geno is offering. You will work harder then you ever thought you could. You will get no special treatment. You will do thing my way or you won't play. You will take real classes. You will be a good teammate. You can do all of those things and I still might not play you. Oh, and it's cold. The pool of girls that are UConn material is very very small. I just think it is so much easier for coaches to run a dribble-drive offense, shop at McDonalds, win 25 games and watch the final four on TV.

Exactly. Jim Foster is the guy that taught Geno how to coach so he knows what's needed. Does anyone think Foster, or any coach, tells his kids, "You don't need to play hard or bother with defense if we're up by 20"? It's the recruiting, the players that buy into Geno's system.

A few years ago, he said there were probably only 7-8 girls in each class that he wants to pursue. Not to denigrate any player, but not all top players are "UConn material". Geno would much rather have a Molly Bent or a Saniya Chong or a Courtney Ekmark, someone who's willing to be a valuable role player, who's willing to bust her butt to play defense, set screens, and pass the ball to the superstar. That's UConn's real secret - the Carla Berubes and the Kelly Farises of the basketball world.

 

[JoePgh]

Exactly. Jim Foster is the guy that taught Geno how to coach so he knows what's needed. Does anyone think Foster, or any coach, tells his kids, "You don't need to play hard or bother with defense if we're up by 20"? It's the recruiting, the players that buy into Geno's system.

A few years ago, he said there were probably only 7-8 girls in each class that he wants to pursue. Not to denigrate any player, but not all top players are "UConn material". Geno would much rather have a Molly Bent or a Saniya Chong or a Courtney Ekmark, someone who's willing to be a valuable role player, who's willing to bust her butt to play defense, set screens, and pass the ball to the superstar. That's UConn's real secret - the Carla Berubes and the Kelly Farises of the basketball world.

But let's be realistic here. UConn would not have won 10 (or probably any) National Championships with a roster full of Carlas, Kellys, Mollys, Saniyas, or Courtneys. Those championships are mainly attributable to the Rebeccas, Dianas, Mayas, Tinas, Stewies, and Moriahs.

But it certainly is true that the championships would not have been won if the "other" players on the team did not play in the way that you describe -- helping to exert peer pressure on the superstars (if that is needed, which it is in some cases such as Tina) to play to the maximum of their abilities. Nor would they have been won if the coach allowed the superstars to "do their thing" as they saw fit.

Pat Summitt won eight championships because she instilled intense competitiveness, systematic defense, and relentless rebounding, even though she did not have a sophisticated offensive system. At least in the Parker years, the offense seemed to consist mainly of having Candace dominate her defender one-on-one, forcing a double team and allowing Candace (who was a good passer and team player) to find the open shooter. If the rest of your team is "good enough", you can win that way with one superstar. But I don't think it is going to work (for numerous reasons) with Diamond in the "Candace" role.