Coach Sue Bird

[ConnMotors]

 

[JoePgh]

I wouldn't mind seeing that action at Gampel, maybe in six or seven years. And, despite past comments when she was a younger person, I think she would find the job impossible to turn down if it were offered to her.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Whether Sue is playing for the Storm, Team USA, or someone else, when she speaks, she has everyone's attention. I recall her calling out MVP Lauren Jackson in a stern voice: "Lauren, when a play is called, run it!"

 

[ConnMotors]

I wouldn't mind seeing that action at Gampel, maybe in six or seven years. And, despite past comments when she was a younger person, I think she would find the job impossible to turn down if it were offered to her.

I often think about who will replace Geno when he does retire. That will happen at some point. I still believe that it will be a former UConn player of his. There are many great candidates.

Only my opinion here but I don't think that Shea will take the job. She and her hubby have family. Rebecca would be the perfect choice and she could have her daughter on the team. But, she has a great gig at ESPN. Jenn would be the most qualified and she would not hesitate to say yes.

For me though, I am a Sue Bird fan. I believe that her legacy would make it work as the head coach at UConn.

 

[JordyG]

I love DT, but like Michael Jordan or Kobie, I wonder if she has the makeup to patiently coach players with lesser talent at the college level.

 

[VAMike23]

I love DT, but like Michael Jordan or Kobie, I wonder if she has the makeup to patiently coach players with lesser talent at the college level.

You mean patient like this guy was in his 30’s...?

 

[Carnac]

View attachment 43719

it's only a matter of time. Water always seeks its own level. She's a natural. She's like Kobi, she's sees things on the court before they happen, and she sees the whole court. She can relate to today's players at the college and pro level.

 

[Carnac]

Whether Sue is playing for the Storm, Team USA, or someone else, when she speaks, she has everyone's attention. I recall her calling out MVP Lauren Jackson in a stern voice: "Lauren, when a play is called, run it!"

There's at least one player on every team that has that "E.F. Hutton" persona, command and respect on the team. Sue has it on the Storm, and has had it for a while.

 

[Carnac]

You mean patient like this guy was in his 30’s...?


View attachment 43722

He was full of urine and vinegar then, he's mellowed with age, just like the rest of us. He's a lot smarter now. With 34 years of coaching experience, there are no more surprises now. He's seen it all, and knows what to expect around the corner.

How many of us did or said things 30 years ago that we would think twice before saying or doing now? When you're young, you don't know what you don't know. That dynamic changes as you get older.

Ask your children, they'll tell you you're a lot smarter now than you were 20-30 years ago...........when they were teen agers or young adults. They seek and respect our parental advice now. When they were teenagers, they laughed at it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I love DT, but like Michael Jordan or Kobie, I wonder if she has the makeup to patiently coach players with lesser talent at the college level.

What. She's been doing that with every team she has ever been on!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

View attachment 43719

You go right back out there and smack her one - you hear me!

 

[MilfordHusky]

There's at least one player on every team that has that "E.F. Hutton" persona, command and respect on the team. Sue has it on the Storm, and has had it for a while.

Each team may have one, but Sue is the E.F. Hutton of the league and of WBB.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I love DT, but like Michael Jordan or Kobie, I wonder if she has the makeup to patiently coach players with lesser talent at the college level.

I'm not certain top level professional players, former Uconn or not can do the job Geno did. Remember, Geno had little high level playing time when he started coaching. It is NOT always about experience but more about anylitical abilities, understanding the application of aspects of the game. Geno took Wbb and sped up the game, began conditioning his athletes long before anyone else, called them basketball players (gender omitted purposefully). All of that was innovative. Who has he coached that has that analytical/innovative approach to the game?? Then too some times talented players cannot adjust their thinking to know what not so talented players don't immediately see.\
I worked along side of a brilliant Engineering Instructor. He just could not bring his thinking down to the student level and never could communicate with them.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I worked along side of a brilliant Engineering Instructor. He just could not bring his thinking down to the student level and never could communicate with them.

I had a math teacher like that ...no, wait, he just flat out stunk at it.

 

[Jmsdawg]

He was full of urine and vinegar then, he's mellowed with age, just like the rest of us. He's a lot smarter now. With 34 years of coaching experience, there are no more surprises now. He's seen it all.

How many of us did or said things 30 years ago that we would think twice before saying or doing now? When you're young, you don't know what you don't know. That dynamic changes as you get older.

Ask your children, they'll tell you you're a lot smarter now than you were 20-30 years ago......when they were teen agers or young adults. They seek and respect our parental advice now. When they were teenagers, they laughed at it.

I did not follow WBB during Geno’s early years but it is hard for me to believe he is not a better coach today than he was then and I can not perceive him as any tougher as a young guy than he is today. Geno today is the standard I measure coaches by and so far no one has equaled that standard.

 

[Jmsdawg]

I had a math teacher like that ...no, wait, he just flat out stunk at it.

Yea, me too. Brilliant but so hard to understand.

 

[JordyG]

What. She's been doing that with every team she has ever been on!

So did Kobe. So has LeBron. So did Michael. Think any of these guys want to coach at the pro or college level? It's far different when you're on the court than when you're wearing the suit, when you have to use positive reinforcement, or even use Geno's psychological manipulations. For DT and great players they can say you stink, or do it this way or hit the road. With Geno it's you stink couched with the subtext of "But I'm going to make you better". Great players by their nature don't have the time to make you better. They want to win now. Remember, at the pro level generally it's here are our plays, our sets, our tendencies and our goals. It's up to you to improve your game and your conditioning. No one is pushing you. What pushes you is the thought of losing your job. In college, that's all on the coach.

 

[eebmg]

A while ago, I threw my scenario into the ring in the Gigi thread with little response.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A while ago, I threw my scenario into the ring in the Gigi thread with little response.


View attachment 43745

!!! Kobe has very recently reiterated that he is not at all attracted to coaching or team management.

Same position in 2015.

"Find a somewhat peaceful location — it might be difficult during the workday, but that’s fine — and close your eyes. Try to imagine something. Try to imagine, in fact, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant as a coach. Hear the yelling in your mind. Envision the players driven to tears. Feel the tension break when Bryant the coach snaps a computer tablet in half on the bench.
Because all of that imagining is apparently the closest the NBA will ever get to having Bryant as a coach on the sidelines. The future Hall of Famer is in China on tour, and he took part in a Q&A with Chinese social media site Weibo while overseas. And in response to a question about potentially coaching in the future, Bryant was clear (translation courtesy of Lakers Nation): "Coaching isn’t for me. I just have no interest in doing it."

Coach Kobe? Lakers' Bryant: 'I just have no interest' in coaching

Most recently:

“I’m not doing it,” Kobe says. “I’m not interested,” he adds. “It’s not even a couple [of] years. I’m just not interested. I don’t want to be a GM. I don’t want to own a team. I don’t want to coach. I have no interest in any of that. That’s an easy answer for me.”

KOBE BRYANT IS HAPPY TO COACH HIS DAUGHTER’S BASKETBALL TEAM, HAS NO DESIRE TO RETURN TO NBA

 

[eebmg]

!!! Kobe has very recently reiterated that he is not at all attracted to coaching or team management.

Same position in 2015.

"Find a somewhat peaceful location — it might be difficult during the workday, but that’s fine — and close your eyes. Try to imagine something. Try to imagine, in fact, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant as a coach. Hear the yelling in your mind. Envision the players driven to tears. Feel the tension break when Bryant the coach snaps a computer tablet in half on the bench.
Because all of that imagining is apparently the closest the NBA will ever get to having Bryant as a coach on the sidelines. The future Hall of Famer is in China on tour, and he took part in a Q&A with Chinese social media site Weibo while overseas. And in response to a question about potentially coaching in the future, Bryant was clear (translation courtesy of Lakers Nation): "Coaching isn’t for me. I just have no interest in doing it."

Coach Kobe? Lakers' Bryant: 'I just have no interest' in coaching

Most recently:

“I’m not doing it,” Kobe says. “I’m not interested,” he adds. “It’s not even a couple [of] years. I’m just not interested. I don’t want to be a GM. I don’t want to own a team. I don’t want to coach. I have no interest in any of that. That’s an easy answer for me.”

KOBE BRYANT IS HAPPY TO COACH HIS DAUGHTER’S BASKETBALL TEAM, HAS NO DESIRE TO RETURN TO NBA

I imagine coaching a bunch of professional head cases in the NBA is different than coaching a hand picked team of highly motivated team oriented kids with his daughter as the 'carrot' to get him in the door.

I understand his complete contempt of the NBA and coaching life in particular in the NBA . He could not even look at half his coddled team mates.

Not saying it is anywhere near likely but I would at least pursue the remote possibility. Sorry to say it but no one else has the cachet to follow Geno. The recruits we are getting are all quoting Geno as the reason.

 

[baggerbob]

I'm not certain top level professional players, former Uconn or not can do the job Geno did. Remember, Geno had little high level playing time when he started coaching. It is NOT always about experience but more about anylitical abilities, understanding the application of aspects of the game. Geno took Wbb and sped up the game, began conditioning his athletes long before anyone else, called them basketball players (gender omitted purposefully). All of that was innovative. Who has he coached that has that analytical/innovative approach to the game?? Then too some times talented players cannot adjust their thinking to know what not so talented players don't immediately see.\
I worked along side of a brilliant Engineering Instructor. He just could not bring his thinking down to the student level and never could communicate with them.

The world teams always play better when Sue is on the floor. She is always thinking 2 or 3 passes ahead of her pass.

 

[Jackalope]

Let's hear from the "Experts" about the oldest player in the WNBA. Not even close. From the 2019 WNBA GM Survey:

Who is the best point guard in the WNBA?

1. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm – 67%

Which player is the best leader?

1. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm – 83%

Which player has the highest basketball I.Q.?

1. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm – 67%

Which player is the best at making her teammates better?

1. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm – 83%

and

Which active player would make the best head coach someday?

1. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm – 75%

 

[MilfordHusky]

Sue has 8, 9, or 10 of the 12 GMs voting her first in each of those categories. No one is a close second.

 

[Carnac]

Each team may have one, but Sue is the E.F. Hutton of the league and of WBB.

You better know it!!! That's because the players coming up behind her recognize and respect the long hard road she's traveled to get to this point. They know she's been where they're going.

Bottom line............They know she knows what she's talking about.

 

[Carnac]

A while ago, I threw my scenario into the ring in the Gigi thread with little response.


View attachment 43745

If your "vision" comes to fruition, I'll box up my turban and cape and mail then to you. You'll deserve to wear them more than me. You went way way out there for THAT one.