Geno slams door on Tenn game talk

[Tonyc]

For anybody that wants to know what happened and how low and disgusting Tenn stooped to destroy the UConn program so they could remain at the top I will be at the Duke game tomorrow nite and the Boneyarders meet before and at half time by the Trumbull St exit by section 119 next to the Carvel/Dunkin Donuts stand. Be there and I will tell you what it was like to go through that mess.

The series with Tenn should never be renewed even with an apology JMO. What they tried so hard to do was so low and despicable its beyond words. For those of you who weren't involved you have no idea. They tried to bring down the program, coaches, parents, recruits, players former and present and everybody and anybody they could without leaving out anybody to destroy our program because they thought [Pat] had the pull. She didn't and it blew up in their face. They have got to be so embarrassed and humiliate beyond belief but knowing them they think theyre right because most of their fans believe the lies. Understand Geno knows more then all of us combined and I can only imagine what he had to go through.

 

[pvdoggy]

I was not a fan back then so I have no sense of history, but listening to this back and forth, I can't imagine how big of a celebration and rub it in your face it would be if/when Tenn beats UConn in the NCAA Tournament. UConn beating Tenn won't seem to be as big of a deal to UConn fan, I think. I think a Tenn fan (forgot who) made a statement here a few months ago that Holly Warlick will be the first coach to beat GA in a national championship game. I am going to get my popcorn ready for that day to see all the fireworks!

 

[pinotbear]

I had not reached puberty then, so I have no sense of history, but listening to this back and forth, I can't imagine how big of a celebration and rub it in your face it would be if/when I seduce Kate Hudson at my Senior Prom. My seducing Kate Hudson won't seem as big a deal to her as it will to me, I think. I think a high-school bandmate made a statement here a few months ago that I'd be the first high-school guy to seduce her at prom. I am going to get my popcorn ready for that day to see all the fireworks.

Only slightly more unrealistic.

 

[Bestiarius]

I know this won;'t be a popular opinion here, but IMHO, it is just sad that people can't get over this stuff. The TN-UConn dispute happened over Maya Moore, for crying out loud, who has been out of college basketball for years. Yes, TN was wrong, but UConn needs to get over it. While I am sure that UConn's abysmal football program is a major reason the university is not in a real conference, I cannot help but feel that institutional arrogance dating back more than a decade has not helped, either.

Under Geno, UConn will continue to get its share of great recruits, and because he's Geno, they will continue to win big-time. But after Geno, a UConn team in the AAC will find the pickins pretty slim. UConn needs to do everything it can to position itself for a decade down the road, rather than three years down the road, and if that means a little humility, and doing things for the good of the game rather than just for the good of UConn, that's how it should be.

All that is required is for Tennessee to admit wrong doing and apologize for it. UConn did nothing that needs getting over. Tennessee created the problem and only they can end it by doing the right thing.

 

[Bayareahusky]

For anybody that wants to know what happened and how low and disgusting Tenn stooped to destroy the UConn program so they could remain at the top I will be at the Duke game tomorrow nite and the Boneyarders meet before and at half time by the Trumbull St exit by section 119 next to the Carvel/Dunkin Donuts stand. Be there and I will tell you what it was like to go through that mess.

The series with Tenn should never be renewed even with an apology JMO. What they tried so hard to do was so low and despicable its beyond words. For those of you who weren't involved you have no idea. They tried to bring down the program, coaches, parents, recruits, players former and present and everybody and anybody they could without leaving out anybody to destroy our program because they thought [Pat] had the pull. She didn't and it blew up in their face. They have got to be so embarrassed and humiliate beyond belief but knowing them they think theyre right because most of their fans believe the lies. Understand Geno knows more then all of us combined and I can only imagine what he had to go through.

As I always say on your posts on this subject AMEN Tony!!!

 

[Bayareahusky]

I was not a fan back then so I have no sense of history, but listening to this back and forth, I can't imagine how big of a celebration and rub it in your face it would be if/when Tenn beats UConn in the NCAA Tournament. UConn beating Tenn won't seem to be as big of a deal to UConn fan, I think. I think a Tenn fan (forgot who) made a statement here a few months ago that Holly Warlick will be the first coach to beat GA in a national championship game. I am going to get my popcorn ready for that day to see all the fireworks!

Holly will never win an NCAA championship...... Good person, ineffective coach

 

[OldAlum]

I kind of like it when top teams have not met until the NCAA Tourney. Look at all the hype for last years UC-ND game.

With Summitt having Alzheimer's I kind of understand how an apology wasn't forthcoming when she was in charge. My dad had paranoia as part of his symptoms and no logic or evidence could convince him otherwise. I would suspect that now it would be up to the ADs to play diplomats to try to work out an agreement if both parties really wanted it.

But as I said - personally I would rather wait until and if they meet in the NCAAs.

 

[uconnfan68]

I was not a fan back then so I have no sense of history, but listening to this back and forth, I can't imagine how big of a celebration and rub it in your face it would be if/when Tenn beats UConn in the NCAA Tournament. UConn beating Tenn won't seem to be as big of a deal to UConn fan, I think. I think a Tenn fan (forgot who) made a statement here a few months ago that Holly Warlick will be the first coach to beat GA in a national championship game. I am going to get my popcorn ready for that day to see all the fireworks!

Don't hold your breath. On second thought, please do...

 

[tomcat]

You bring up a couple of good points here, but as for "UConn needs to get over it". it is hard to talk about continuance of what had been a good series..... when TN is still saying "You know what you did!".. what is their ongoing contention..... yes i know what it is but it has been disproven..... and we should , you contend, just say forget about it and go forth? there still is tremendous enmity down there and vulgarity and profanity (check their websites) to describe our coach, I know it is a broken record..... but it is a non issue.... this ongoing discussion is stuck in neutral.....

Can't disagree with a thing you said. My only point -- and what ties these two ideas (TN-CT games and UConn's ability to recruit) together is the fact (and it is a fact) that UConn WBB -- the best program in the last, coached by the best coach in the land -- is in a very disadvantageous position in terms of its league. As a result, UConn may have to do some things it really does not want to do to remain relevant in the long term -- maybe 10 years from now.

 

[RadyLady]

I kind of like it when top teams have not met until the NCAA Tourney. Look at all the hype for last years UC-ND game.

With Summitt having Alzheimer's I kind of understand how an apology wasn't forthcoming when she was in charge. My dad had paranoia as part of his symptoms and no logic or evidence could convince him otherwise. I would suspect that now it would be up to the ADs to play diplomats to try to work out an agreement if both parties really wanted it.

But as I said - personally I would rather wait until and if they meet in the NCAAs.

It was the thinking of several of the posters on the board at that time, myself included, that perhaps her illness, unknown at the time, played a part in her behavior when this all went down. That said, since we don't know for sure, I am quite firmly on the side of UConn never playing Tennessee again because of what was said and done by Summit and company...

 

[triaddukefan]

Just goes to show you the difference between WCBB and the MBB and College Football. These accusations and stuff that were made are a big deal in WCbb... it would be small potatoes compared to what goes on in Football and MBB.

 

[uconnfan68]

Can't disagree with a thing you said. My only point -- and what ties these two ideas (TN-CT games and UConn's ability to recruit) together is the fact (and it is a fact) that UConn WBB -- the best program in the last, coached by the best coach in the land -- is in a very disadvantageous position in terms of its league. As a result, UConn may have to do some things it really does not want to do to remain relevant in the long term -- maybe 10 years from now.

And it was the same entity that caused the conference alignment issues that wants the game. Oh the irony.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Can't disagree with a thing you said. My only point -- and what ties these two ideas (TN-CT games and UConn's ability to recruit) together is the fact (and it is a fact) that UConn WBB -- the best program in the last, coached by the best coach in the land -- is in a very disadvantageous position in terms of its league. As a result, UConn may have to do some things it really does not want to do to remain relevant in the long term -- maybe 10 years from now.

Agreed the league is a problem in the future..... but the sacrifices we may have to make should not include scheduling Tennessee for a refular season game..... they tried too hard to bury our program without remorse

 

[HoopsFan21]

Just goes to show you the difference between WCBB and the MBB and College Football. These accusations and stuff that were made are a big deal in WCbb... it would be small potatoes compared to what goes on in Football and MBB.

In CFB and MBB you aren't trying if you aren't cheating! It's assumed teams are doing shady things to get top recruits in those sports.

 

[meyers7]

I know this won;'t be a popular opinion here, but IMHO, it is just sad that people can't get over this stuff. The TN-UConn dispute happened over Maya Moore, for crying out loud, who has been out of college basketball for years. Yes, TN was wrong, but UConn needs to get over it. While I am sure that UConn's abysmal football program is a major reason the university is not in a real conference, I cannot help but feel that institutional arrogance dating back more than a decade has not helped, either.

Could not disagree more. I question your Husky "fanness".

 

[DobbsRover2]

Could not disagree more. I question your Husky "fanness".

Yeah, I don't get the "just get over it" part. Sure it's somewhat ancient history and many UConn fans don't have much awareness now that it happened. But there is one place down south that didn't "just get over it." In thread after thread on VolNation let alone the Scummitt, there is continued references for anything involving UConn in the "ahh, ain't Iyah so clevah" sneers about the imagined misdeeds of Geno and associates.

So I don't get the moral superiority stuff about just forgetting and moving on, when it should be just moving away and staying away from a team and its fanbase that will never get over its fall from the rocky top and just wants to stew in bitterness about anything Husky.

Despite the more measured statements of Vol posters here, the mass of the driving-force hard-core fans for UTenn are not ones you want to be associated with. The continuing success and NC accumulation by UConn has not earned respect down there but rather has only hardened the delusion-based enmity, and there is just no reason for UConn to play UTenn when there are so many better schools that the Huskies have developed respectful rivalries to play, along with the limited slots for surging and resurgent programs to fit in. Heck, UConn doesn't even need to play UTenn to set up a Tennessee recruiting pipeline and pick up someone like Dangerfield, especially when teams like Vanderbilt are happy to play the Huskies. At the very least, playing hard-to-get with ESPN so that it needs to sweeten the financial pot for a game like that is a given.

 

[HoopsFan21]

At the very least, playing hard-to-get with ESPN so that it needs to sweeten the financial pot for a game like that is a given.

Tell ESPN we'll do it for $20M or once they secure our spot in a P5 conference. The TV execs there like to play god with conference realignment, so this should be an easy fix, right?

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

"So I don't get the moral superiority stuff"

Dobbs...please speak for yourself and for your own motives..why assign cognitive attribution to others(eg me) who may disagree with you? This is a message board, people opine differently, and so it goes...

 

[Beemer]

because Holly Warlick [Tennessee’s coach] she was so close to Coach Summitt, so respectful of the history [of animosity between the programs] and she wanted to stand by her. Until that’s all resolved…
Great, so holly is obliged to carry on all of pat's biases, animosities, etc. What does that say about the character of their organization?

Not much. Or at any rate, nothing good.

IMO if Warlick is going to succeed she's got to put her own stamp on the program. Otherwise she's just a place holder.

 

[Beemer]

I don't care if the two teams ever play again. The rivalry is over and has been for quite some time now, especially since Pat Summit had to retire. IMO that was 50% of the rivalry right there, Geno vs Pat. You couldn't find two more different people or coaches. The contrasts were and are fascinating.The only things they have in common is their passion for women's basketball & achieving excellence. Other than that they are night and day.

 

[JS]

Shall we end the internecine part of the discussion? Tomcat said "people" (ambiguous) should get over it and "UConn" should get over it. This morphed into the notion that posters are taking "morally superior" postures and/or telling other posters how they "should" feel about it. This isn't a helpful line to pursue, so let's not.

 

[UConnCat]

Just goes to show you the difference between WCBB and the MBB and College Football. These accusations and stuff that were made are a big deal in WCbb... it would be small potatoes compared to what goes on in Football and MBB.

In one sense I disagree. As I've said previously on this board, imagine if Coach K or Dean Smith publicly accused the other of cheating at recruiting and then refused to face the media to defend those accusations. Only the CT media called Summitt out on that; the national media never did. I doubt that level of respect/fear would have been paid to either of those MBB coaching icons if either had behaved as Summitt did.

I'm a bit surprised by Geno's strong reaction when asked about Altavilla's piece, particularly after suggesting at the Final Four that things could be worked out. Either he's grown weary of Altavilla's annual stirring of this pot or something happened or didn't happen since April. I know Holly was reported to have said some uncomplimentary things about Geno on a Knoxville radio show during the summer (I listened and didn't think what she said was that bad) but I can not imagine Geno is aware of what she said. Then again, if I knew about it maybe Geno did too. It seems that for Geno it's as simple as Tenn acknowledging that the accusations were unfounded and unfair and until that happens he won't agree to play them. But that doesn't explain his obvious irritation when asked about it a few days ago.

 

[hoophuskee]

Just goes to show you the difference between WCBB and the MBB and College Football. These accusations and stuff that were made are a big deal in WCbb... it would be small potatoes compared to what goes on in Football and MBB.

I'm not arguing with you here - but what has the mcbb done to make things so bad in recent memory? I can remember long ago Calipari vs Chaney. Is that what you are referring too? hat big program in mcbb has ripped into another and accused the other as a cheater?

 

[EricSD]

It seems that for Geno it's as simple as Tenn acknowledging that the accusations were unfounded and unfair and until that happens he won't agree to play them. But that doesn't explain his obvious irritation when asked about it a few days ago.

Just wanted to reply to the last part - it seems that from what I've read, ESPN has decided it's time to renew the series and perhaps that's where Geno's irritation came from - from his perspective ESPN seems to think they can tell him it's time to play Tennessee because ESPN knows the interest in that game would be phenomenal. Geno has the right to tell them to go pound sand as his reasons are totally valid.

To the posters who think "just get over it", go back and ready Tony's very short snippet regarding what Tennessee, Pat, and her cronies tried to do to UCONN. Extreme example, but your neighbor hates that your dog barks so they poison and kill it. 10 years later some people are telling you to have them over to dinner, and just "get over it and let bygones be bygones". Not gonna happen.

What Tennessee and Pat did wasn't just directed at Geno, but the other coaches, the program, the university, some fans (yes they involved UCONN fans) and probably more egregiously, one of his players and their family. To this day some Tennessee fans still believe that UCONN bought Maya's mom a house and paid her lots of $$ to get Maya to come to UCONN. The fans, I'm sure, have zero impact on Geno's feelings, but that part of it is just the tip of the iceberg. Anyone telling Geno to "get over it" means either they are not UCONN fans, don't know anything about what happened, or partially insane... (Or they are ESPN only out for the $$)

 

[bob neal]

Could not disagree more. I question your Husky "fanness".

OH, Come on !! Everyone is entitled to an opinion and remain a loyal fan. Gees !!!

 

[JS]

OH, Come on !! Everyone is entitled to an opinion and remain a loyal fan. Gees !!!

Absolutely.

Again, enough of getting personal.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Wow this thread has has some interesting twists and turns......

For my part...... I have nothing against the Lady Vols..... I respect their program, root for Holly personally (though I do not believe in her coaching acumen). root for Janna Tucker (how could any human NOT root for her) and am sympathetic to Mercedes and her foot issues..... I respect Pat and her historical place in the WCBB game and her place in elevating it to what it has become..... and I like the contributions of the Tennessee fans who post here......

The one subject that drives me crazy still is the whole ball of wax revolving around what happened with the NCAA in 06-07 ... Kinda like Tonyc, perhaps I know a little too much about this..... it elicits a lot of emotion ...... what was tried against us, and how it was left ...... It is an understatement to say that our program has not deserved the artillery. When the subject comes up..... I should heed my own advice and be quiet on it.

Carry on Huskies.....

 

[ctkaiser]

Can't disagree with a thing you said. My only point -- and what ties these two ideas (TN-CT games and UConn's ability to recruit) together is the fact (and it is a fact) that UConn WBB -- the best program in the last, coached by the best coach in the land -- is in a very disadvantageous position in terms of its league. As a result, UConn may have to do some things it really does not want to do to remain relevant in the long term -- maybe 10 years from now.

So we are supposed to forget about the incidents re: Tenn and accusations about Maya recruitment from so long ago but be concerned about 10 years from now and 'maybe' still being in the AAC? Unlike the men's teams UConn is for the present time totally unaffected by it's league status as it is basically a women's bb superpower. It does not lose to teams outside the top 25 virtually ever. It has top 25 talent coming in for several years to come. I don't think Geno or UConn should do anything differently to accommodate any network, school or anybody else in the Tennessee scheduling discussion. In a way it's a bit of an insult to other top WBB teams to push the UC Tenn matchup. Plenty of good teams to match up.

 

[HoopsFan21]

So we are supposed to forget about the incidents re: Tenn and accusations about Maya recruitment from so long ago but be concerned about 10 years from now and 'maybe' still being in the AAC? Unlike the men's teams UConn is for the present time totally unaffected by it's league status as it is basically a women's bb superpower. It does not lose to teams outside the top 25 virtually ever. It has top 25 talent coming in for several years to come. I don't think Geno or UConn should do anything differently to accommodate any network, school or anybody else in the Tennessee scheduling discussion. In a way it's a bit of an insult to other top WBB teams to push the UC Tenn matchup. Plenty of good teams to match up.

Louisville and ND have usurped the WCBB super power status in that part of the country. Tennessee needs to be able to at least beat their own branchies if they want to climb back to the top of the hill.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Just wanted to reply to the last part - it seems that from what I've read, ESPN has decided it's time to renew the series and perhaps that's where Geno's irritation came from - from his perspective ESPN seems to think they can tell him it's time to play Tennessee because ESPN knows the interest in that game would be phenomenal. Geno has the right to tell them to go pound sand as his reasons are totally valid.

To the posters who think "just get over it", go back and ready Tony's very short snippet regarding what Tennessee, Pat, and her cronies tried to do to UCONN. Extreme example, but your neighbor hates that your dog barks so they poison and kill it. 10 years later some people are telling you to have them over to dinner, and just "get over it and let bygones be bygones". Not gonna happen.

What Tennessee and Pat did wasn't just directed at Geno, but the other coaches, the program, the university, some fans (yes they involved UCONN fans) and probably more egregiously, one of his players and their family. To this day some Tennessee fans still believe that UCONN bought Maya's mom a house and paid her lots of $$ to get Maya to come to UCONN. The fans, I'm sure, have zero impact on Geno's feelings, but that part of it is just the tip of the iceberg. Anyone telling Geno to "get over it" means either they are not UCONN fans, don't know anything about what happened, or partially insane... (Or they are ESPN only out for the $$)

Definitely. Geno has his principles and certain values, and though some might think there's some sort of great historic value with restoring this series, the issue for ESPN is money. Now the accomplishments of Geno's teams in the last five years have left UTenn in the dust, and I'm guessing he sees no reason to be dragged back to a time and a series that played out when UTenn and PHS could get away with anything and the national media and ESPN was quite happy to stoke the fires and give full exposure to her charges, baseless though they might be, and then try to wave it behind them with no examination of the facts and letting PHS off the hook for her mindless attacks.

So you can see why he might get a little irritated with ESPN and others who tell him to just get over it and put aside his deep reservations for what they opine is the "good of the game." Maybe the good of the game would be better served by a deep investigation by ESPN of what PHS did eight years ago and the damage it did to the sport and to reputations at UConn. That at least would be worth something, at least in explaining to coaches and ADs the boundaries of conduct that they should never cross.