Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="willtalk, post: 3424920, member: 1220"] Some time back there were some threads on when Geno was going to retire. I for one thought he was considering calling it quits. As it turned out he did not. The dynasty Geno built was mostly based on the system he runs. The best coaches develop systems. John Wooden developed a system that created a dynasty. Geno, as were many other coaches, used the principles outlined in Woodens book to establish the foundation for his program. Wooden when gave his reasons for quitting at his career peak, stated that he did not think he could coach the new generation of players entering college. He probably could have adapted to the different types of players but chose not too. I feel that is what Geno was also considering. Basically, because the number of players willing to buy into his system was diminishing. They still exist, but the numbers and other available options to them have certainly reduced the type of player that thrived in Geno's system. It hits the Uconn program most in the post position because that is the position where the available pool is the weakest. Geno has chosen to continue to coach under these new conditions. He will do fine because he is and has always been an excellent coach. However, the conditions no longer exist for him to reestablish the type of dynasty that once was Uconn. The type of players that thrived in that system has been considerably thinned out. While Geno is at Uconn, they will continue to compete for National Championships, but not at the same level they did in the past. No program ever will again. Next season will bring a new influx of players that should have positive results with respect to the program being able to compete with the top programs in the country. This season that was not true. The roster wasn't either talented or deep enough. Was it possible to compete--- yeas but everything would have to fall into place. In other words, having a whole lot of luck would be the deciding factor. In fact, it requires a lot of luck even for the best team in the country to make it through with all the competition in today's WCBB world. For most of this season, some fans on this site maintained highly inflated and unrealistic expectations, both of the team and the players on the team. Was it possible that those expectations might reach fruition? Yes! but no more than the hopes that many fans of other programs had for their teams and players. The difference is that for most other programs they were considered hopes, but for a large number of Uconn fans they were expectations. Uconn fans were spoiled to the degree that it began to morph into a sense of entitlement. Maintaining realistic expectations holds doubly true for players. Why burden them with expectations that have yet to manifest. It just creates disappointment. What would be wrong with waiting to see how players develop rather than creating expectations before the fact. Not doing so ends up with us directing criticism at players for not mirroring the expectations we created for them. They fail to give us what we want by not fulfilling the expectations we created for them. Purely selfish motivations. Cut the players some slack. You know that in Geno's system they are all working hard and doing the best they can. If not Geno will make sure they do. How much easier would it be to just enjoy the ride and be grateful for whatever they happen to accomplish this season? Some posters do attempt to balance off the expectations with realistic ( from their perspective ) evaluations of players. This is not necessarily criticism of the players, but rather a criticism of what they see as inflated expectations. Those that have those inflated expectations often attempt to gain the moral high ground by painting it as an attack on the player rather than a criticism of their own beliefs. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach

Forum statistics

Threads: 164,444

Messages: 4,396,576

Members: 10,209

Latest member: gemini*trvl