Congratulations to Geno and the women...UConn needed this.

[ShakyTheMohel]

I am not a big women's hoops fan...usually catch half of a couple big names and then maybe a Final Four game...but...I was proud yesterday to be a UConn alum for the first time in a long time yesterday. The dark cloud of being in a non-conference...the apathy created by 2 bad years of football....the lack of men's hoops post season... all of drained me of my enthusiasm for the programs.

Yesterday reminded me of why UConn is so great...and will continue to be great. I was amazed when I saw the stat that the men's and women's hoops programs had been in 11 title games and won EVERY ONE!! 11-0!!

Congratulations to the women's team...we needed this.

 

[RioDog]

I am not a big women's hoops fan...usually catch half of a couple big names and then maybe a Final Four game...but...I was proud yesterday to be a UConn alum for the first time in a long time yesterday. The dark cloud of being in a non-conference...the apathy created by 2 bad years of football....the lack of men's hoops post season... all of drained me of my enthusiasm for the programs.

Yesterday reminded me of why UConn is so great...and will continue to be great. I was amazed when I saw the stat that the men's and women's hoops programs had been in 11 title games and won EVERY ONE!! 11-0!!

Congratulations to the women's team...we needed this.

Well said. Personally I have always enjoyed watching womens hoops. Not as much parity as mens (too many 90-60 blowouts), but when two powerhouses play its a great game to watch. Proud day for The University of Connecticut.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I honestly am not a fan of women's hoops. I've tried. I 've tried many times. I feel guilty at times that I'm not a big follower.

What I do appreciate, tremendously, is Geno Auriemma's passion for competition, and not jsut competition - the passion to WIN in competition. The fire, is undeniable, and the football program would do very well, to take the field, as a program, as a full 105 man roster, every single one, with the same passion for competition and winning, that Geno installs in his rosters, year after year. I watched Geno's post game speech, and was shocked to see that he thinks this was his worst coaching job to date, but then it makes sense. They didn't win the big east title or big east tourney, winning the NCAA is easy. Of course it was his worst job. I love that guy.

 

[BugsyCT]

Jonathan's happy. Kinda creepy-looking, but happy.

 

[uconndogs]

Agree with the sentiment exactly. Geno has done as good a job with that program as anyone has ever done with any college program in history. Great success on the court with tremendous kids who graduate and represent the University unbelievably well. Whether you are a women's hoop fan or not you have to be proud of that team.

 

[Pudge]

I am not a big women's hoops fan...usually catch half of a couple big names and then maybe a Final Four game...but...I was proud yesterday to be a UConn alum for the first time in a long time yesterday. The dark cloud of being in a non-conference...the apathy created by 2 bad years of football....the lack of men's hoops post season... all of drained me of my enthusiasm for the programs.

Yesterday reminded me of why UConn is so great...and will continue to be great. I was amazed when I saw the stat that the men's and women's hoops programs had been in 11 title games and won EVERY ONE!! 11-0!!

Congratulations to the women's team...we needed this.

Well ....

Part of this feeling for us is that we are so used to winning. Excellence. When you talk about "bad football" and the Conference stuff and the post-season ban, that is what 100 other schools have regularly. Something. We have been darn good in multiple sports. And, we aren't VALUED in this new world. Kick Emmert in the balls. Hire a Hit on Swofford. Get Michigan to play 2 games in the Rent. I think we needed last night BIG. I think we have to keep on poking the status quo in the eye.

 

[Nostical]

I love our WBBall team and enjoy their games. I saw a TV piece last weekend where the players said when you come to UConn, Geno makes you put away your earphones, iPods and Twitters. You aren't allowed to wear them and shut yourself off from teamates, coaches and fans. There are other specific rules players have to follow and the players either buy in or go home. He builds discipline and respect into his teams and it shows up on the court.

 

[uconndogs]

Well ....

Part of this feeling for us is that we are so used to winning. Excellence. When you talk about "bad football" and the Conference stuff and the post-season ban, that is what 100 other schools have regularly. Something. We have been darn good in multiple sports. And, we aren't VALUED in this new world. Kick Emmert in the balls. Hire a Hit on Swofford. Get Michigan to play 2 games in the Rent. I think we needed last night BIG. I think we have to keep on poking the status quo in the eye.

Pudge, don't necessarily agree with a lot of what you post on CR. But, your sentiment and message of perserverance are dead on. We have to maintain excitement and pride and maybe our distiny, at least for some time, is to be the maverick. Good post.

 

[CL82]

Jonathan's happy. Kinda creepy-looking, but happy.

New logo?

 

[Carl Spackler]

I love our WBBall team and enjoy their games. I saw a TV piece last weekend where the players said when you come to UConn, Geno makes you put away your earphones, iPods and Twitters. You aren't allowed to wear them and shut yourself off from teamates, coaches and fans. There are other specific rules players have to follow and the players either buy in or go home. He builds discipline and respect into his teams and it shows up on the court.

I've read a lot about Geno, and listened to him many times. He's a John Wooden basketball guy. Wooden had a system like that. It was radical in his day and age, because college at that time - well was the 60's and 70's in southern california. I didn't go to college during those times, and I"m from new england, but I've heard stories. Short hair, making sure your socks were right, etc. THose kinds of things.

There are many, many ways to build successful teams, and motivate. There is no one best way. For me, it all comes back to having stated goals as to what you're doing with yourself and your program. If your single goal is to win.....then it doesn't matter what your players are doing away from the field, or the court, or how they handle their personal appearance, etc. BUT: If you goal, your purpose, is to take young people and mold them into successful adults of character through sports, and education actually matters to you? then there are different ways to go about coaching.

Geno is the kind of guy that combines the ultimate will to win, with teh education and development of the person. Pasqualoni, and Edsall, and every football coach going back to Toner were the kind of people that valued education and development of the person combined with the will to win. Dee Rowe - such a guy. As great as Calhoun has been for UCONN, you can make an argument that in his later years, the will to win, and develop players solely for the NBA, began to take over a bit, from being an educator as well. Only he knows if that is true.

Congrats to Geno and the Huskies, on women's basketball national championship #8.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

New logo?

No the new Logo for UConn is Jonathan on the Titantic while it is sinking.

 

[UConnDan97]

Pride. Heart. UConn!!!

 

[CTMike]

I don't have it, but about 5:40 or so on the Channel 30 news, Nathan and JoeD were interviewing P, and he said something along the lines of "UConn has the best basketball program in D1 Football."

 

[ASweet3781]

Things are lined up nicely for UConn basketball. Ollie seems to be a good fit and did a great job this year, if Napier comes back they are a top 15 team next year. The women are going to be the favorites to win until Stewart graduates. Only a freshman. Kaleena Lewis only a sophomore. Yikes!

Football needs to win and win now.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Well ....

Part of this feeling for us is that we are so used to winning. Excellence. When you talk about "bad football" and the Conference stuff and the post-season ban, that is what 100 other schools have regularly. Something. We have been darn good in multiple sports. And, we aren't VALUED in this new world. Kick Emmert in the balls. Hire a Hit on Swofford. Get Michigan to play 2 games in the Rent. I think we needed last night BIG. I think we have to keep on poking the status quo in the eye.

One thing that puzzles me (and I spoke to my son about this last night) is how quickly people are to kick dirt on our grave when we aren't even sick. Not quite three years ago, after an NIT season followed a final four trip, our men's basketball team had supposedly fallen into such a deep abyss that we would be lucky to one day rub elbows with the likes of PC, DePaul and Seton Hall. Over the past few weeks, our women's team (who happened to have made it to five consecutive final fours prior to this year's tournament) was (as a one seed no less) an afterthought who, due to the likes of Griner and Diggins would never again be elite the way Baylor, Stanford and ND (all not far above flashes in the pan to be completely honest) have become.

It appears that all we need to do is have an off day and most in the press are ready to say we're done.

 

[huskymedic]

I don't have it, but about 5:40 or so on the Channel 30 news, Nathan and JoeD were interviewing P, and he said something along the lines of "UConn has the best basketball program in D1 Football."

I heard something along the same lines - seemed to try to catch himself.

Jim Fuller just posted an article about his convo w/ PP:

http://runwayramblings.blogspot.com/2013/04/pasqualoni-takes-in-womens-basketball.html

 

[Jimdish255]

Good to see/hear Coach P out there. Had some nice things to say.

 

[HuskyNan]

Part of this feeling for us is that we are so used to winning. Excellence. When you talk about "bad football" and the Conference stuff and the post-season ban, that is what 100 other schools have regularly. Something. We have been darn good in multiple sports. And, we aren't VALUED in this new world. Kick Emmert in the balls.

Half the crowd at the women's championship was made up of Big East fans. Emmert was boo'd at the trophy presentation last night. Loudly.