Geno In Rio: Nails it! Scores A Ten!

[JavaMan]

“People have been asking about whether the dominance of the USA team is bad for the game, but that’s not being said on the men’s side. What are your thoughts on that?”

Revel in Auriemma’s response below:

We live in that Trumpian era where it’s OK to be sexist and degrade people that are good, just because they’re the opposite sex.We are what we are. We’re never going to apologize for being that good. We’re never going to apologize for setting a standard that other people aspire to achieve.

We got a guy in the pool with a USA swim cap on who nobody can beat. And if he wasn’t in swimming, there would be a lot of other guys with gold medals. So, it is what it is. The world needs times when such great, great teams or great individuals are doing great things, that other people can talk about and other people say, “Wow, wouldn’t it be great to be at that level?”

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Complete comments and story HERE and HERE

(Political innuendos aside, it's déjà vu for us and Geno ...same plot, different arena.)

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[SallyH]

I'm so glad I'm on Geno's side. I love him, but if I were from another team, I'd hate him.

He talks a big game, but he backs it up.

 

[cbraarj]

If what The WNT and Uconn Have been doing is bad for the game then whoever is saying this needs to really think about what they are saying about women in general. If you have daughters that excel in anything it could be school, work, sports or life in general and they are the best at what they are doing year after year. Are you telling them not to work there hardest in the classroom so somebody in there can have a turn being the best. If they are tops in their profession are you telling them it is no good to be the best Doctor, Lawyer, Real Estate Agent, Basketball Coach or player. If you are then shame on you! The only thing you should feel is proud! If your daughter played on one of these teams. I dont think you would be saying bad for the game. You would say she has worked so hard to get where she is at today and I am so proud of her.

 

[UcMiami]

It is so obvious that the US women gymnastic team is bad for gymnastics - they had the top three qualifiers for the all around, they crushed the rest of the world for the second Olympics in a row - I just stopped watching it was so boring!
Now the men's gymnastics team is great - they are so democratic letting everyone else take home medals.

 

[warbler1055]

Why the question still being asked is beyond me. I thought that Taurasi already answered that question at least twice at Rio press conference. So Michael Phelps is bad for swimming?

 

[meyers7]

That was...ok. But I would have preferred:
"Is Phelps bad for swimming? No? Then STFU."

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I'm so glad I'm on Geno's side. I love him, but if I were from another team, I'd hate him.

He talks a big game, but he backs it up.

You know, were I rooting for another team, I wouldn't hate Geno Auriemma.

Actually, growing up in Maryland, I was a Maryland b-ball fan. They had some great players (including Lenny Elmore, who is a main commentary guy for college basketball still). But they just couldn't beat Dean Smith's Carolina teams. No matter how good Maryland was, Carolina always found a way to pull out a win.

But I didn't despise Dean Smith; on the contrary, I admired his coaching skills, his teams' penchant for finding ways to win; and the consummate class and dignity they displayed when they won.

I would hope that the rest of the women's basketball world would share the admiration for Coach Geno that I, and much of the men's basketball world, felt for Dean Smith.

 

[meyers7]

I would hope that the rest of the women's basketball world would share the admiration for Coach Geno that I, and much of the men's basketball world, felt for Dean Smith.

Don't hold your breath.

 

[BroadwayVa]

If

View attachment 14936​

“People have been asking about whether the dominance of the USA team is bad for the game, but that’s not being said on the men’s side. What are your thoughts on that?”

Revel in Auriemma’s response below:

We live in that Trumpian era where it’s OK to be sexist and degrade people that are good, just because they’re the opposite sex.We are what we are. We’re never going to apologize for being that good. We’re never going to apologize for setting a standard that other people aspire to achieve.

We got a guy in the pool with a USA swim cap on who nobody can beat. And if he wasn’t in swimming, there would be a lot of other guys with gold medals. So, it is what it is. The world needs times when such great, great teams or great individuals are doing great things, that other people can talk about and other people say, “Wow, wouldn’t it be great to be at that level?”

​

Complete comments and story HERE and HERE

(Political innuendos aside, it's déjà vu for us and Geno ...same plot, different arena.)

​

If Geno thinks the Trumpian age is nasty he should have lived in the Adam=Jefferson age --when disputes were often settled by shooting each other and the lies written of others were absolute slander--but that's not basketball.\
Excellence in anything is difficult for those not winning or succeeding but the world should not lower it's standards just because this particular group cannot be beaten. If you wait long enough even a Geno team shall be beaten--and all us UConn fan will wonder what happened? It is the rise and fall of sports and everything else --thankfully nothing is constant.

 

[CL82]

You know, were I rooting for another team, I wouldn't hate Geno Auriemma.

Actually, growing up in Maryland, I was a Maryland b-ball fan. They had some great players (including Lenny Elmore, who is a main commentary guy for college basketball still). But they just couldn't beat Dean Smith's Carolina teams. No matter how good Maryland was, Carolina always found a way to pull out a win.

But I didn't despise Dean Smith; on the contrary, I admired his coaching skills, his teams' penchant for finding ways to win; and the consummate class and dignity they displayed when they won.

I would hope that the rest of the women's basketball world would share the admiration for Coach Geno that I, and much of the men's basketball world, felt for Dean Smith.

I would, but it would be the kind of 'hate' that's reserved for a respected opponent. Geno comes off as confident, self-assured, smug or arrogant depending of your lens. He's ours and I love the guy, but I get why other fanbases wouldn't.

 

[meyers7]

That was...ok. But I would have preferred:
"Is Phelps bad for swimming? No? Then ."

Shut The Front Door.

(Ridiculous)

 

[bags27]

I don't know the answer to this question: "Is the MEN'S US Olympic Basketball team considered harmful for the sport?". If that question does get asked, well, the question to Geno is annoying but it comes with the job. It's ridiculous, because why would any country field less than their best, but it's the kind of stupid, news-trolling question reporters ask.

But if it doesn't get asked about the men's team as well, then Geno doesn't have to say anything beyond: you reporters are complete sexists.

 

[Plebe]

Don't hold your breath.

I think that most of WBB world does have immense respect and admiration for Geno. I think it's a small but vocal minority who continue to worship at the Lady Vol altar that just sees red in everything Geno does.