Geno interview on Succeeding and Failing.

[Bone Dog]

This recent interview is a return to an older series Geno did with Brett Ledbetter about 7 years ago. In it he says something like “the only thing worse than losing is winning all the time.” He’s brutally self-critical when it comes to what he considers his failings.

A recurring theme of the interview was another thought, that success is intoxicating but sustained success requires sobriety. When the interviewer asks him if there was a period when he felt he hadn’t been sober enough, he points to the ten years beginning with his first NC in 1995 to 2004.

According to him, the first NC was intoxicating and it led him to dismiss the subsequent seasons as mere accidents that got in the way of what should have been successes. And the successes in the last 4 years of that era were just what should have happened. This is the decade he is most critical of himself for. This is of a piece with remarks he made after the NC about the Tennessee loss being decisive for bringing the team together. The defeat was an important experience.

He is very clear about how differently he coached Paige and the huge role Jamelle played in that. She reminds him not to let his frustrations with particular results get in the way of coaching. The greatness of Diana comes through as well, and especially that she could do that even as a player, to keep him focused on the team rather than his own frustrations.

As a side note, he says about the loss to Iowa in the last final four that it was an illegal screen and that it was his fault for calling that play at that moment. He says he didn’t complain to the refs. He just hung his head.

 

[victor64]

He talks about "making a player who is square round". I immediately thought of Ice Brady. He made her play the five because of lack of depth at the position. He knew she is more comfortable on the perimeter but he needed her inside.

Now that he has the depth inside, I am excited to see Ice get a chance to play the spot she is most comfortable playing.

BTW, this is must see viewing for "Geno-junkies" like myself. One thing that is sometimes taken for granted is how clearly he can make his point. It why I am sure he on a whole other level of teacher.

 

[Basingstoke]

What a brilliant half hour.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ice should be a great 3/4 but she has to find much greater shot consistency to break through.

 

[Bone Dog]

Ice should be a great 3/4 but she has to find much greater shot consistency to break through.

Ice is in a paradoxical situation. Her game overlaps too much with Sarah’s game, but Sarah is simply much better at all aspects: rebounding, rim protecting, steals, low post moves, midrange shooting, perimeter shooting, running the court in transition and above all passing.

Ice prefers to play at the elbow the way Liv used to, but the passing game (and the rest of the offense) declines noticeably when she subs in for Sarah. The one thing she does better than anybody is setting solid screens at the top of the key. Geno says he doesn’t want to make square pegs round anymore. This means letting Ice try to improve as a shooter and a passer. But this looks like a pretty steep hill for her to climb with the addition of Serah whose game also overlaps a lot. Serah already has the midrange game and the high post passing Ice aspires to, as well as much else.

I really hope Ice can improve her shooting and passing and “force Geno to play her.” It is likely to prove decisive for any hopes she has to make it in the W.

 

[PacoSwede]

Ice is in a paradoxical situation. Her game overlaps too much with Sarah’s game, but Sarah is simply much better at all aspects: rebounding, rim protecting, steals, low post moves, midrange shooting, perimeter shooting, running the court in transition and above all passing.

Ice prefers to play at the elbow the way Liv used to, but the passing game (and the rest of the offense) declines noticeably when she subs in for Sarah. The one thing she does better than anybody is setting solid screens at the top of the key. Geno says he doesn’t want to make square pegs round anymore. This means letting Ice try to improve as a shooter and a passer. But this looks like a pretty steep hill for her to climb with the addition of Serah whose game also overlaps a lot. Serah already has the midrange game and the high post passing Ice aspires to, as well as much else.

I really hope Ice can improve her shooting and passing and “force Geno to play her.” It is likely to prove decisive for any hopes she has to make it in the W.

this post may be right on in december, january etc., but it's mighty pessimistic during the height of summer when lucky folks are enjoying the beach. u may be right as things progress, but you could be wrong. we shall see in 2026.

 

[Bone Dog]

this post may be right on in december, january etc., but it's mighty pessimistic during the height of summer when lucky folks are enjoying the beach. u may be right as things progress, but you could be wrong. we shall see in 2026.

It’s not pessimistic at all. I really do hope Ice ups her game and forces Geno to play her more. That’s the the very definition of optimism. And optimism is all we have in the summer.

 

[WiseWillie]

Ice is in a paradoxical situation. Her game overlaps too much with Sarah’s game, but Sarah is simply much better at all aspects: rebounding, rim protecting, steals, low post moves, midrange shooting, perimeter shooting, running the court in transition and above all passing.

Ice prefers to play at the elbow the way Liv used to, but the passing game (and the rest of the offense) declines noticeably when she subs in for Sarah. The one thing she does better than anybody is setting solid screens at the top of the key. Geno says he doesn’t want to make square pegs round anymore. This means letting Ice try to improve as a shooter and a passer. But this looks like a pretty steep hill for her to climb with the addition of Serah whose game also overlaps a lot. Serah already has the midrange game and the high post passing Ice aspires to, as well as much else.

I really hope Ice can improve her shooting and passing and “force Geno to play her.” It is likely to prove decisive for any hopes she has to make it in the W.

Rewatching the games leading up to and including the Final Four, Ice could use the off-season working on improving a delayed reaction time (missed passes directed to her) her quickness to the ball (seemed to always be a half step or whole step behind an opposing player) her speed (she never ran faster than the opposition in transition) and overall scoring within the 10'-15' circle. Let's hope for a quicker, better Ice in 2025-26.

 

[Geew1992]

Rewatching the games leading up to and including the Final Four, Ice could use the off-season working on improving a delayed reaction time (missed passes directed to her) her quickness to the ball (seemed to always be a half step or whole step behind an opposing player) her speed (she never ran faster than the opposition in transition) and overall scoring within the 10'-15' circle. Let's hope for a quicker, better Ice in 2025-26.

She also needs to work on her confidence.