Geno: This has to be April Fools

[tcf15]

He never made it a men's game versus a women's game debate - you're the only one who's doing that.

I just don't know how you can read the entire quote from Geno and disagree with his point. The men's game has gotten increasingly ugly over the years and needs a bunch of rule changes (shorter shot clock, defensive 3 seconds, ideally 2-year minimum for players, etc.).

Geno's argument isn't new.

That's what is so frustrating about this whole thing. Geno made good points, but people are looking this as a women's basketball coach critiquing the men's game, when even Geno clarified that he was talking as a spectator and fan of the sport. So many people, either on this board, Twitter, or other blogs, are using the "well why don't you coach the men's game" as their first line of defense when that isn't the point at all.

 

[mauconnfan]

He never made it a men's game versus a women's game debate - you're the only one who's doing that.

I just don't know how you can read the entire quote from Geno and disagree with his point. The men's game has gotten increasingly ugly over the years and needs a bunch of rule changes (shorter shot clock, defensive 3 seconds, ideally 2-year minimum for players, etc.).

Geno's argument isn't new.

He did make it a men's vs women's debate. He's a women's coach and he is talking about the men's game and how unwatchable it is. He didn't say how horribly unwatchable 95% of the women's games are in comparison and this should have been brought up in the context of the interview. He did after, so good for him.

Hey there are games, probably most of them, that are just painful to watch in the mens game I get it. Hell our team inflicted crap on us this year we aren't used to and it needs to change. The problem is there are a lot of good teams with a lot of good athletes, these games are going to happen. Funny though how when he real "Big East" was around, much of this was because of how they played but now it's all just ugly? I mean c'mon, it's tough to run consistent offense against teams who can play defense every night. I also love to watch great team defense and it's out there in the mens game and abundant at that. UConn beat Butler and UK the last 2 NC's and it was "ugly" in all reality or at least according to all of you and Geno.

To me those are prettier than any the women have won!

 

[tcf15]

He did make it a men's vs women's debate. He's a women's coach and he is talking about the men's game and how unwatchable it is. He didn't say how horribly unwatchable 95% of the women's games are in comparison and this should have been brought up in the context of the interview. He did after, so good for him.

Hey there are games, probably most of them, that are just painful to watch in the mens game I get it. Hell our team inflicted crap on us this year we aren't used to and it needs to change. The problem is there are a lot of good teams with a lot of good athletes, these games are going to happen. Funny though how when he real "Big East" was around, much of this was because of how they played but now it's all just ugly? I mean c'mon, it's tough to run consistent offense against teams who can play defense every night. I also love to watch great team defense and it's out there in the mens game and abundant at that. UConn beat Butler and UK the last 2 NC's and it was "ugly" in all reality or at least according to all of you and Geno.

To me those are prettier than any the women have won!

He was asked specifically about the men's game. He even said that women's basketball is behind the times, but then turned his focus back to men's basketball to answer the question that the reporter asked.

 

[mauconnfan]

Ok tcf voice of reason. I'm done unless someone says something really stupid! LOL

It's still not his place to go that far and not explain how different the 2 games are, but that's just me!

 

[CallMeBruce]

Ok tcf voice of reason. I'm done unless someone says something really stupid! LOL

It's still not his place to go that far and not explain how different the 2 games are, but that's just me!

It's not his place to answer the question he was asked. Got it. Obviously you have a problem with women's sports; it's pretty ugly.

 

[mauconnfan]

It's not his place to answer the question he was asked. Got it. Obviously you have a problem with women's sports; it's pretty ugly.

Hey Bruce FO. That's not the point here bag and don't try to tell me who the fk I am okay?

Like I said I was done unless something or someone stupid had something to say.

 

[Ripper32]

These were some pretty ridiculous comments. Sure, the college game needs refinements but...

 

[2Husky]

For what its worth Jay Bilas thinks the points are correct.

"Harsh, but, overall, he's correct. The game is not in a good place. Women's game is better administered, better rules."


(sorry i don't know how to post from twitter)

He has also been having a pretty interesting discussion on rules changes to improve the game, seems to favor 24 second shot clock, and international 3 point line, wider lane, etc. I think its all worth considering. I don't want to make college a less talented version of the nba. I do want to increase scoring and make games flow better. I was thinking that maybe coaches would teach better offense if the practice hours weren't as restrictive, but then again they may use extra time on defense.

 

[Deadrody]

i just feel like geno gives off this high horse vibe. like he's the or something.

Yeah, crazy, huh. Best coach in women's basketball history. Who does he think he is?!

 

[Adios]

In the "women" game, he is. It ends there!

Whether we like it or not, and UConn and the state of Connecticut. To be tops in the most popular women's sport is incredible.

 

[James]

Yeah, crazy, huh. Best coach in women's basketball history. Who does he think he is?!

who the hell cares about womens basketball history? Look i got respect for ann meyers, mainly cause she signed a contract in the nba. and she isn't on a high horse, does playbyplay for suns games and is awesome.

Also, all this blabber about the damn shot clock, the most glaring issue is the 3inthekey. all basketball should be played under the same set of rules. there is this new culture of 'hoops snobs' discussing college hoops, it , dont watch it. watch a superior product in the NBA. but OH the nba is terrible! they don't play defense or try hard!

junk defenses that are enabled by the no 3inthekey call is killing the game. also for some reason there is no clear path foul. oh , and possession arrows. do a jump ball.

But no everybody wants the hot take like the freaking shot clock is doing the damage here. I might agree with the some timeout stuff, but thats about it. I can't believe geno has the nerve to bring up the word 'entertainment'. Basketball is about behemoths executing physical feats not seen everyday, not 10 unathletic college girls running plays to precision because nobody is playing defense.

 

[FriarJ]

There are plenty of problems with the game as it is, ref's, too many stoppages and what have you, but to me it all started going downhill when the NCAA limited the amount of time a coach could spend practicing his team in the off-season. What used to be a time to work on fundamentals and letting players getting to know each other (in other words learning how to be a team) is now gone. In it's place when practice starts is positional coaching and plays. You watch these games and coaches spend the entire game yelling out to players, where to stand, when to rotate, how to move, when to move. It's become all very mechanical and tough to watch. The teams of the 70's and 80's and into the early 90's just played basketball.

AAU and the absolute lack of teaching basic fundamentals by the time the kids hit college has not helped either.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

He did make it a men's vs women's debate. He's a women's coach and he is talking about the men's game and how unwatchable it is. He didn't say how horribly unwatchable 95% of the women's games are in comparison and this should have been brought up in the context of the interview. He did after, so good for him.

I think he actually prefaced his statement with an acknowledgement that the women's game is screwed up too., not that it really matters. He's right. I don't really care about the women's game but men's college basketball has, for the most part, gotten pretty unenjoyable to watch. It's funny that so many on here are anti-NBA when the NBA presents a much, much more appealing product. I don't know how many more games I can watch where you've got teams struggling to score 40 or 50 points in an entire game.

 

[UConn990411]

I think he actually prefaced his statement with an acknowledgement that the women's game is screwed up too., not that it really matters. He's right. I don't really care about the women's game but men's college basketball has, for the most part, gotten pretty unenjoyable to watch. It's funny that so many on here are anti-NBA when the NBA presents a much, much more appealing product. I don't know how many more games I can watch where you've got teams struggling to score 40 or 50 points in an entire game.

"But they don't try hard or play any defense! It's all dunks and a me-first plays!!"

- stereotypical NBA critic who probably hasn't seen a game since 2002

 

[2Husky]

There are plenty of problems with the game as it is, ref's, too many stoppages and what have you, but to me it all started going downhill when the NCAA limited the amount of time a coach could spend practicing his team in the off-season. What used to be a time to work on fundamentals and letting players getting to know each other (in other words learning how to be a team) is now gone. In it's place when practice starts is positional coaching and plays. You watch these games and coaches spend the entire game yelling out to players, where to stand, when to rotate, how to move, when to move. It's become all very mechanical and tough to watch. The teams of the 70's and 80's and into the early 90's just played basketball.

AAU and the absolute lack of teaching basic fundamentals by the time the kids hit college has not helped either.

Good point. I think one of the reasons kentucky has been able to go undefeated is that they had the international trip in the offseason, which gives a couple weeks of extra practice and some real game experience. I think teams are limited to one trip every 5 years.

 

[storrsroars]

"But they don't try hard or play any defense! It's all dunks and a me-first plays!!"

- stereotypical NBA critic who probably hasn't seen a game since 2002

And that's Geno's (and Bilas' and Darly's, et.al.) point in the big picture. You get to a point (and with me, it was Iverson and ISO play in NBA post-MJ) where the game becomes so unappealing to watch that you lose fans to other forms of entertainment. I never went back to the NBA. Probably won't either. Once a league/sport loses a fan, odds are pretty good they lose them forever... those people just develop other habits. I gave up the NFL for most part 3-4 years ago as well - Sundays are far more productive and enjoyable.

As far as UConn goes, I'll keep watching all sports because it's my school. But I'm not watching other schools nearly as much (admittedly part of that is no longer being in BE).

 

[kyleslamb]

He's not 100 percent correct, even if some of his points are accurate.

The reason I say it's definitely not 100 percent is because if he'd bother to look at the stats, the field goal percentages have been stagnant for 20 years. They've hovered nationally at 43/44 percent since the early-mid 1990s. In other words, the ability to shoot has not been an issue as he's suggesting.

The problem really isn't even pace, directly. If the game weren't such a physical sport now because of fewer fouls being called and a lot more contact, I don't think people would gripe at the pace.

 

[kyleslamb]

Shot clock needs to be at 24. 30 at the most, 35 is ridiculous.

I promise you, want to see the game get worse? Go to a 24 second shot clock with the current officiating problem not being addressed.

Think the game is ugly now? Try to make teams get good shots off 11 seconds quicker without rectifying the defenses beating them to death.

No shot clock change is an adequate solution until the game is cleaned up physically. Once that is done, a 24 or 30-second shot clock will be fine. As I said in my previous post, though, I don't think the pace of the game would be as much of a problem if it were more free-flowing. When you have a lot of ball movement and a more fluid game free of contact, the number of possessions is not as big an issue.

 

[mauconnfan]

Bobby Huggins was on Sirius radio today and was quite annoyed with Geno's comments. I'm guessing based on what he said there's a lot more annoyed form the men's side then not!

 

[Gurleyman]

Do ya think he liked our win against Butler? It was one of the ugliest games ever played, yet beautiful of course.

Funny thing is that our last two national championships have had a couple of persistent talking points - the offenses were inept in 2011, and Calipari had a shrewd coaching move going to a zone at the end of the first half. Yet both were largely the result of us having two key guys on the bench in foul trouble for last 8-10 minutes of the first half (Lamb and Oriakhi in 2011, with Kemba joining them with about 3:00 left, and Daniels/Boat last year). Both times, our offense kicked into a better gear when we had our full team back out on the floor.

Just find it odd that both times, we managed to be sitting our #2 and #3 options for an extended amount of time and it was never a factor in the analysis.

 

[EricLA]

I mean this with 100% sincerity: I absolutely love watching blowout wins. They're so satisfying. I could watch my team ruin people all day.

True. BUT I will admit I enjoy a blowout of Rutgers much more than a blowout of Eastern Carolina. If the women ever play Tennessee again, I hope they win by 60...

 

[Waquoit]

For what its worth Jay Bilas thinks the points are correct.

So if I'm keeping score correctly we have Geno, Bilas and Morey on one side. Mau, James and Huggy Bear on the other.

 

[mauconnfan]

So if I'm keeping score correctly we have Geno, Bilas and Morey on one side. Mau, James and Huggy Bear on the other.

You forgot you with Geno and Bilas - that should make your day Waqjob.

 

[jibsey]

Don't forget that we're seeing the best basketball in the final 8 because during the regular season we get to see lesser talent play even worse, and that included our own offense many times. It seems to me that the refs are not letting the big men play, when you think about some of the touch and nothing fouls that were called on AB this year. Then on the other side someone gets hammered in the lane and no call, so how do you address the inconsistencies in officiating? The decline in great 4 year talent is really only a big factor for about 5 or 6 schools who get the superstars every year but it shows up in the final 4 in Duke and Kentucky who have players leaving early. We have 2 players that could leave after next year and that means our team just be a an offensive juggernaut, we'll see.

 

[mauconnfan]

http://www.courant.com/sports/college/hc-state-of-mens-basketball-game-0403-20150402-story.html

Not exactly agreeing but showing Geno respect obviously.