Geno Auriemma: "Mr. Women's Basketball"

[DobbsRover2]

Yeah. Plus, I'm pretty confident D learned an adequate amount in college to make the experience a success. Getting a diploma really shouldn't be the be-all, end-all of it, should it? I think simply growing your place in the world is a great payoff.


Getting the degree is right and good for the purpose of setting an example or making parents happy or whatever, but that doesn't mean it's particularly right and good for the recipient herself. Does having a fancy piece of paper really make her better in some way?

Nope, with NCAA rules the way they are, you better get that degree. If Calhoun had been harder on this point, the UConn men's team wouldn't be in the pickle it is. Whether you've learned life's lessons in college or not, you owe it to your team to get that piece of paper.

 

[PacoSwede]

Nope, with NCAA rules the way they are, you better get that degree. If Calhoun had been harder on this point, the UConn men's team wouldn't be in the pickle it is. Whether you've learned life's lessons in college or not, you owe it to your team to get that piece of paper.

D no doubt felt she owed it to the team, to UConn, to kids who admire her and probably others, and that's a real good reason to come back to get that piece of paper. But, for herself? She didn't need it ... as is true with many folks. And, ya know, isn't that kind of sad? That you must have this piece of paper simply because others demand that you have it? Guess getting it could be seen as a righteous exercise of self-discipline, though.

Your point is certainly accurate, of course.

 

[Vowelguy]

D no doubt felt she owed it to the team, to UConn, to kids who admire her and probably others, and that's a real good reason to come back to get that piece of paper. But, for herself? She didn't need it ... as is true with many folks. And,

How do you know she didn't need it? She's not gonna play basketball forever, and unlike an NBA star I highly doubt she's set for life.
At some point she's probably going to need another career.

 

[Scotter]

How do you know she didn't need it? She's not gonna play basketball forever, and unlike an NBA star I highly doubt she's set for life.
At some point she's probably going to need another career.

She's been making in the neighborhood of 1 million per year for about 5 years now. If she wanted to be set for life, she could be. I'm sure she'll find something to occupy her time, but I doubt it will involve sociology. Having her degree is good if she wants to coach college ball, but we have learned you can be the head coach at USC without being a college graduate.

 

[Kait14]

In defense of DT, that was an incredibly hectic time in the spring of 2004 for her. Besides leading UConn to the NC, receiving tons of awards and having to be hopping between ceremonies, being picked 1st by the WNBA and the resulting plane flights for all of that, there was one other major thing. She was selected in May for the 2004 Olympic team, and I'm sure there must have been some tryout sessions and ceremonies about that. Then it was off to juggle her time for the USA Olympic champions and Phoenix, so with the 7 major awards in 2004 and all, she probably needed a breather at the end of the year. She often seemed close to superhuman, but she isn't Superwoman.

But yeah, the academics took a bit of a second seat there. Good that she completed the job.

I can't really feel bad when Emeka had one less year and was an economics major

 

[Icebear]

I can't really feel bad when Emeka had one less year and was an economics major

I believe he was a double major.

 

[HuskyNan]

She's been making in the neighborhood of 1 million per year for about 5 years now. If she wanted to be set for life, she could be. I'm sure she'll find something to occupy her time, but I doubt it will involve sociology. Having her degree is good if she wants to coach college ball, but we have learned you can be the head coach at USC without being a college graduate.

Maybe you can get a job as a coach without a resume at some places but there are probably others that do require one. Why limit your opportunities?

And there are other reasons that have nothing to do with earning a paycheck...

 

[PacoSwede]

How do you know she didn't need it? She's not gonna play basketball forever, and unlike an NBA star I highly doubt she's set for life.
At some point she's probably going to need another career.

Well, she's not likely to be paid to play basketball forever, sure. Let's say she needs another career. It's really pathetic that despite all that D brings to the table -- her ability to lead, for example, is astounding -- people/society believe she must have a college degree in order to be productive. How freakin' absurd.

Lots and lots of talent is submerged because of that norm. We're lucky that Dickens, Picasso, Lennon and many others didn't have to meet the standard.

 

[phil sampieri]

She's been making in the neighborhood of 1 million per year for about 5 years now. If she wanted to be set for life, she could be. I'm sure she'll find something to occupy her time, but I doubt it will involve sociology. Having her degree is good if she wants to coach college ball, but we have learned you can be the head coach at USC without being a college graduate.

There is a great quote by Calvin Coolidge- titled Press On which addresses
education. wish I could find it.

 

[Icebear]

And there are other reasons that have nothing to do with earning a paycheck...

An older but good friend of mine has had an amazing life. One of his great sources of pride is that he has never used his undergraduate degree in civil engineering for a single day of his livelihood. He became a journalist for the Navy during the Korean War. He still works as a professional hypnotist with contracts going back 30 years. He has been a union organizer and has taught union law as a college professor. He worked with James Michener at Time magazine and was a bureau chief for them in Central and South America. He grew up on the Mississippi Delta and went to school with Charlie Connelly former quarterback and star with the NY Giants.

One of his favorite friends earned his PHD in philosophy and then went back to work on the farm. The friend's explanation was he thought it would be good to have something to think about all day on the tractor.

 

[CL82]

Yeah. Plus, I'm pretty confident D learned an adequate amount in college to make the experience a success. Getting a diploma really shouldn't be the be-all, end-all of it, should it? I think simply growing your place in the world is a great payoff.


Getting the degree is right and good for the purpose of setting an example or making parents happy or whatever, but that doesn't mean it's particularly right and good for the recipient herself. Does having a fancy piece of paper really make her better in some way?

Does scoring the winning basket make a team better in some way? I mean if they fought the good fight what does it matter if the chuck it out bounds on the last play?

Not finishing what you start is a bad habit.

 

[Icebear]

There is a great quote by Calvin Coolidge- titled Press On which addresses
education. wish I could find it.

Is this it?

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

 

[PacoSwede]

Does scoring the winning basket make a team better in some way? I mean if they fought the good fight what does it matter if the chuck it out bounds on the last play?

Not finishing what you start is a bad habit.

I don't understand your first paragraph.

Regarding he second, I wrote earlier in this thread regarding finishing up a degree: "Guess getting it could be seen as a righteous exercise of self-discipline, though."

Maybe you missed that?

 

[PacoSwede]

Maybe you can get a job as a coach without a resume at some places but there are probably others that do require one. Why limit your opportunities?

And there are other reasons that have nothing to do with earning a paycheck...

There are indeed other reasons, real good ones, for getting an education besides securing a paycheck.

Thing is, most of them can be accomplished without ever seeing a sheepskin. Diploma = Education is a defective equation. But, it is a big profit center for the academic-industrial complex (and I have a feeling there are a fair number of BYers working in it).

From a practical standpoint, I agree that it's wise not to limit opportunities. But, perhaps the price of maximizing opportunities is too high for some people, and in the process the best opportunities may be squandered.

 

[Vowelguy]

Well, she's not likely to be paid to play basketball forever, sure. Let's say she needs another career. It's really pathetic that despite all that D brings to the table -- her ability to lead, for example, is astounding -- people/society believe she must have a college degree in order to be productive. How freakin' absurd.

Society sets lines all over the place.

I'm sure there are med students who fail the boards that could be good doctors. Would you trust your surgery to one?

Or a non-certified electrician. Or an unlicensed trucker. Or about a zillion other examples.

 

[phil sampieri]

Is this it?

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Is this not true ?

 

[Waquoit]

Very true. Mostly it is an indication of limited vocabulary or an attempt at shock value.

Total nonsense.

 

[Icebear]

Total nonsense.

Exactly, it is nonsense to think that cursing is in anyway a positive. Simply amounts to a lack of respect of oneself and one's neighbor.

 

[alexrgct]

Geno's point wasn't that D personally wouldn't thrive without a degree. The point was that she is a role model, a member of a program that emphasizes its kids graduate (and did so before APR), and she's one of the most visible female athletes we have. Setting the right example is important.

 

[Kait14]

I believe he was a double major.

Major was finance, graduated in 3 years with a 3.8 GPA.. So really no excuses =)

 

[PacoSwede]

Geno's point wasn't that D personally wouldn't thrive without a degree. The point was that she is a role model, a member of a program that emphasizes its kids graduate (and did so before APR), and she's one of the most visible female athletes we have. Setting the right example is important.

Gaining something valuable from the college experience is important. Setting the right example is important -- if that involves getting the diploma, then that also is important. Just getting a diploma to get a diploma ain't, but some people think it is and have a lesser opinion of anyone who doesn't play that game. I object, not that it makes any difference.

 

[Icebear]

Major was finance, graduated in 3 years with a 3.8 GPA.. So really no excuses =)

Agreed the double which I thought was Econ would make it even less of an excuse.

 

[blackbird]

Gaining something valuable from the college experience is important. Setting the right example is important -- if that involves getting the diploma, then that also is important. Just getting a diploma to get a diploma ain't, but some people think it is and have a lesser opinion of anyone who doesn't play that game. I object, not that it makes any difference.

That wasn't his point at all.

Geno's point was Diana going to college was a great source of pride for her parents. They're immigrants (like his parents) and having Diana attend college and get a degree probably meant the world to them.

It was very much a "respect what your parents have done for you so you can enjoy the privilege you have."

 

[blackbird]

Major was finance, graduated in 3 years with a 3.8 GPA.. So really no excuses =)

Or you could say that Kemba, also graduated in three years, in SOCIOLOGY. And according to him, has only read one book

 

[alexrgct]

Gaining something valuable from the college experience is important. Setting the right example is important -- if that involves getting the diploma, then that also is important. Just getting a diploma to get a diploma ain't, but some people think it is and have a lesser opinion of anyone who doesn't play that game. I object, not that it makes any difference.

You can object all you want. You don't get to talk about why it doesn't matter that you don't have a degree on your resume, or what you did get out of college even if you didn't graduate, and many, many recruiters and HR screeners won't give you a second look without it.

A degree is a proxy for having completed what you set out to do. Your average 22 year old has very little else to demonstrate this.

Diana was not an average 22 year old. She has special talents, talents that mean a lot of young girls looked/look up to her. Geno didn't want her to send the message that a degree isn't important. Can you have a successful life without a degree? Sure- it's just less likely. Similarly, you can make it home safe if you drive drunk, but statistically, you're safer sober. Diana has, in her youth, needed to be reminded that there are comparatively few superstar women athletes, and because she is one of them, that gives her proportionally more responsibility than even a male athlete of similar stature. I, for one, applaud what Geno did.