Geno fires shot at Calhoun in Seth Davis interview

[cohenzone]

To take nothing from Geno; his teams are tremendous, both on the court and as ambassadors for our university, but he can't hold a candle to Jim Calhoun in terms of what they did to elevate the university.

Jim put us on the map first, Geno took it to new heights, but, in the end, Geno coaches a women's basketball team. The money is in men's hoops, and although Geno has more wins than Jim, more national titles than Jim, and has a better program in his game than Jim ever did, Jim Calhoun did more for this school than Geno has.

And I mean that with no disrespect toward Geno. Really, I don't. But when you talk about exposure, and making money, men's basketball to women's basketball is like comparing a company winning an award in the Wall Street Journal versus winning an award in the Hartford Courant.

Geno should be proud of his and his team's accomplishments, but should respect that Jim Calhoun means more to UConn. And I'm glad he does.

Too bad when these "professionals" , meaning these highly paid coaches, get into this sort of discussion. I follow both teams, and although I was not a fan of some of JC's behavior on the court, I'm of a mind that the Rent could well have been named for him. No big success in men's hoops, no real thought of moving up from the old D1A football. If all that UConn had to offer the national sports scene was the women's hoop program, the impact nationally on other UConn sports would have been hard to notice if existent at all, in much the same way that Joe Morrone's pretty successful soccer program had no impact on the school recognition. It's still the way it is whether or not it makes sense, because women's hoops still has a much smaller niche than men's hoops.

That women's hoops nationally has much greater visibility than it did 2o years ago is pretty much attributable to Geno, whether Tennessee fans like it or not. As a coach within his sport, he has no peers, but his competition was much narrower at the beginning. Jim Calhoun had to play in a much bigger pond, and was in the position from day one of having to be the guy to remove UConn from the expert analysis that UConn didn't belong in the Big East. He also proved something that I had argued with friends about for years, and that was he dispelled the idea that great players wouldn't come to play in Storrs. My argument always was, if they'll go to Lawrence, Kansas, why would Storrs be so unthinkable? I think as far as coaching goes, JC had more flaws than GA, but he also had to maintain a pretty high level against much stiffer competition over a long period of time, not only in terms of recruiting, but in terms of game by game competition.

Bottom line is, that if this is any sort of story, that's a shame because both of them are extraordinary as basketball coaches and as life coaches to the kids who play(ed) for them.

 

[CL82]

Both men created UConn greatness from almost nothing.
Both men have my respect and my "Bleed Blue" love.
But there's no doubt in my mind that what Geno said was true. And there's no reason that it should have become true. All one has to do is look at the relationship that Ollie and Auriemma currently have. And quite frankly, that's how it should be...

Yeah Dan but is that relationship because of Geno or Kevin? I mean KO loves JC. It seems to me that the common denominator is that KO, a humble man, can get along with anyone.

Geno and Jim are like a guy in a staring contest with his own reflection who won't give up because he is quite sure that he can get the guy in the mirror to blink first.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, both are great coaches. Once they both got decent contracts , I remember Geno gets a car and then Calhoun has to top it and get a better car. And so it goes.

 

[Fishy]

I don't care if they like each other - they're both more than a little abrasive.

But, bottom line, if you didn't have the sack to talk about it when the guy was here, don't do it now that he's retired.

Geno has hit the point in his career where he's losing the filter on his mouth. Calhoun got there, too.

 

[Paesano]

I don't see that as a bad thing. In fact, Geno was probably trying to not cause a distraction when Calhoun was still coaching. He was being diplomatic. Now, there is very little impact by being honest.

 

[Hoophound]

The impact from being "honest" is that he is disrespecting a state hero. There is just no point in it. It is a pissing match and Geno is showing me that the whole thing may be that he's a whiny baby and that maybe he has the problem all along. I hope JC stays mum or says that any issues are between them and making a public spectacle of it isn't wise or classy. I've always found that the person that makes negative comments about others in public is usually the problem. The one that restrains himself is usually the wiser and more credible.

 

[8893]

Never underestimate how well even the most successful and driven people remember every slight.

 

[DOZE860]

Working in Gampel from 00-02, and having to deal with both Geno and JC, i have to say Geno was genuine good person, was easy to work with, kinda a smart ass, but was a good guy. Calhoun on the other hand, lets just say was not the easiest person to work with. Don't get me wr0ng, Calhoun definitely took care of his guys but, on a day to day basis, was hard to work around. One of the main beefs that Geno had with JC, as well as other coaches, namely the women's volleyball coach, well at least when i was there, was practice time in Gampel. Calhoun would regularly run his practices late and mess up everyone else's schedules, and not really care about doing it. i also remember when the women won their 2nd title, Calhoun had a fit that the men's nation championship banner was in between both of the women's banners, and demanded that we move the women's to the other side of Gampel. i kinda got the impression that Calhoun thought he was the only one coaching at the university of connecticut. Don't get me wrong, i love what the guy did for university, and the hoops program, but i have to say, if Geno made a comment that painted Calhoun in a bad light, i cant be that mad at him..

 

[Hoophound]

I have no problem with any of the above. I agree with JC on all accounts. The saying we're all used to, "football drive the bus" comes to mind. Well at UCONN, men's basketball drives the bus.

JC didn't get where he is by stopping practice when they weren't ready to because volleyball needed the court. Besides, I'm almost certain that JC did many of these things to shine light on the need for a practice facility. The administration was totally spoiled by him. If I were him I would have taken a job with a school willing to provide the money and tools I deserved. Instead he stayed and made a few enemies with his displeasure.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Look at this piece of comedy from the comments section:


"Chester
3 hours ago 1 2
There is no comparison between the two. Calhoun was a terrible coach who got lucky a couple of times. Geno on the other hand can flat out coach, which is why his teams are so great. Geno not only wins on the court, his players graduate which helps to prove what a great person and coach he is!!"

I wish that person posted here, so I could ignore him.

 

[uconnell]

Matt, that's exactly what Geno said that women's hoops can't compare with men's hoops. I don't condone Geno for taking the bait, he shouldn't have but he doesn't like the Calhoun and feels like Calhoun denigrated him and his program. No big deal. Offhand, I can't recall Calhoun saying anything publicly, does anyone else?

Yes I do. Long time ago Calhoun made a crack about the women's team and their fans.. I do not remember the exact wording but it was in a way denigrating the team and its fans. Was uncalled for.

Don't get me wrong I live and die with both teams.

 

[NCHusky91]

Yes I do. Long time ago Calhoun made a crack about the women's team and their fans.. I do not remember the exact wording but it was in a way denigrating the team and its fans. Was uncalled for.

Don't get me wrong I live and die with both teams.

Something about him getting stuck in traffic on campus when a women's game was let out and grousing about the "nursing homes and day care centers" serving as their fan base. Ridiculous for this BS to be resurrected 20 years on after so much success, figures Seth Davis would bring it up.

 

[mhshuskies]

Both men created UConn greatness from almost nothing.
Both men have my respect and my "Bleed Blue" love.
But there's no doubt in my mind that what Geno said was true. And there's no reason that it should have become true. All one has to do is look at the relationship that Ollie and Auriemma currently have. And quite frankly, that's how it should be...

Clarification on UCONN BB history. Certainly the women had never attained any success prior to Geno, but Jim brought the program back from it's low point (Dom Perno era) to heights it had previously had and then surpassed them.

 

[Yonick]

Most Bostonians & Philadelphians do not get along, sports wise. All stemmed from the Russell- Chamberlain days.
Supposedly, when JC was headed to practice, at the old fieldhouse, years ago, a womens game was ending, on a Sunday afternoon. JC got caught up in traffic, and supposedly later made a negative comment about their fans being old folks and young girls.
Chris Daley supposedly had a negative rebuttal to JC over that comment.
This, and the women accompanying the men to Kansas for a hoops doubleheader didn't help either. JC wanted no part of that. Matters worsened when the women won, but the men were drubbed by KS. The girls team had to be silent on the plane ride home. Everything went downhill after that.

 

[CL82]

Yes I do. Long time ago Calhoun made a crack about the women's team and their fans.. I do not remember the exact wording but it was in a way denigrating the team and its fans. Was uncalled for.

Don't get me wrong I live and die with both teams.

I had forgotten about this but if I racall correctly it was something about playing in front a crowd that was older than 70 and younger than 14 or somthing along those lines. It was funny because there was a bit of truth in it. Geno retorted that he rather play in front them than drunk 20 year old or something like that. I'm sure that someone else may remember it more detail. Unfortunately I'm closer in age WBB crowd stereotype age than the MBB one.

 

[The Viking]

They are both egomaniacs and at times s.
Geno is more of a salesman type - sort of like a calipari so he's going to get more leeway from fans and media. Meanwhile JC doesn't play the game as well.

But it was Geno - not Jim - who stopped the team bus before a game in NY so he could storm outside and berate a couple of WHUS play by play kids who dared to criticize a famous UConn player who had gone through a bit of a slump. He informed the kids that because the school was providing them the opportunity to call games that they should basically be homers.
I root for Geno particularly because he continues to do a great job of lifting the UConn brand but he is as big a bully as JC if not more so if the situation calls for it in his mind.

But I'm glad they are both our cranky northeast war mongering curmudgeonly s. I wouldn't trade them for anyone else.

 

[Palatine]

I though Geno handled that horribly. If you are going to say those things, you have to give Calhoun props. Then say what you like.

 

[CL82]

..or simply stick with the party line of "Well, I think there's an expectation among fans and the media that we should be best friends and at each other's house every Friday night. That's just not the case but I do believe that there is mutual respect for what each of us has achieved for the university. I really don't see it as a big deal and know I that Jim doesn't either."

 

[Excalibur]

..or simply stick with the party line of "Well, I think there's an expectation among fans and the media that we should be best friends and at each other's house every Friday night. That's just not the case but I do believe that there is mutual respect for what each of us has achieved for the university. I really don't see it as a big deal and know I that Jim doesn't either."

This. He was fine in his response until he went on the "denigrating womens' basketball" rant. "We don't have to like each other, and we don't like each other" was enough.

 

[ctchamps]

Loved everyone's posts.

Two brilliant, egocentric, demanding individuals who have a propensity to irritate others. No surprise they irritate one another.

If this acrimony aired in public gets UConn an invite into the B!G, let the battle flame on. Otherwise I don't care one way or another.

 

[IMind]

So hard not to troll thread... so hard.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Read all comments up through the "behind the scenes at Gampel" one and then watched the video.
The big winner? Seth Davis, no more no less.

 

[Nostical]

If you are going to say those things, you have to give Calhoun props.

How do you know he didn't and they were edited out?

 

[Palatine]

How do you know he didn't and they were edited out?

Fair point. But it sounds like the answer to a question about a JC/Geno rivalry.