Geno's Legacy: Sue Bird

[luckyhusky7]

Just finished watching the episode and that had to be one of the best episode ever made. I'm sure I'll be saying the same thing with the future episodes but Geno and Sue are perfect with the banter, respect, and camaraderie together.

I love Sue's question at the end and Geno's response about not wanting to be old bc he doesn't want to forget the memories including the ones with Sue. Geno is oozing with charm, and is brutally honest. Thank God we have him as the coach.

 

[BigBird]

I was about to post the identical take on that show. They are both so bright and expressive. The relationship is obviously sincere and meaningful. Really good Sports TV.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

There is this unbelievable relaxed genuine togetherness about these exchanges between Geno and his former players which is very good to see and very affirming for those of us who believe he and they together created something special.

 

[Striper69]

Sue Bird is a very beautiful woman!

 

[VAMike23]

I suspect that Sue Bird is the only player who can "stifle" Geno

 

[UcMiami]

Sue looked great too - she was away from playing this year for quite a while and I think it shows - last few years I thought she looked a little thin, almost too little body fat - like an athlete that has burned through everything they have and then a little more. But on the show she looked really really good. Not quite so many sharp edges. She is alway beautiful, but she just looked healthier to me.
The show itself was great as was the new Geno Show afterwards. And I agree there is a warmth and affection between coach and former players that is very reassuring - very familial in nature with gentle ribbing and solid respect in both directions.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think that Sue have learned more from Geno than any other player did. She observed in huddles and games when she had to sit out with an ACL year and soaked it all in. Some people can turn lemons into lemonade, but Sue turned them into Opus One.

 

[Icebear]

The haunting sarcasm in the room both blatant and then just below surface but always playful was palpable. Sue is everything one could desire as a teammate or spouse intelligent, insightful, loyal, stunningly beautiful, and a bit of inscrutible mystery. Oh, and perfect hair just like the guy who taught her most of what she knows.

 

[mauconnfan]

I haven't seen it yet but saw the previews, damn Sue Bird got better with age. She looks great and even my wife noticed that……..always loved her game can't wait to watch this one!

 

[alexrgct]

Sue Bird is a very beautiful woman!

Water is very wet.

 

[jsloanjr]

The best keep getting better and Geno started them all on their path to greatness.........

 

[MilfordHusky]

The best keep getting better and Geno started them all on their path to greatness....

As his friend Jim Foster has noted, "Geno does more with more." Some coaches do more with less, by taking average talent and making them into a competitive team. Geno takes elite talent and makes the players even better than they thought they could be. He makes them icons. Not only that, he ensures that they are all about the team and winning. He does not have players who are interested in their own personal stats. The results are a 30-game winning streak. And a 70-game streak. And a 90-game streak.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Did anyone else notice that when they were talking about losing to ND in the Final Four in 2001 he didn't say a word about Shea and Sveta being injured? To me, the injuries were a biggie in their loss. To him, it was irrelevant.

 

[Striper69]

Water is very wet.

Had to say it in case you guys were afraid to...

 

[Striper69]

I wish someone would do a lengthier interview with her about her WNBA and overseas pro career.

 

[CL82]

Did anyone else notice that when they were talking about losing to ND in the Final Four in 2001 he didn't say a word about Shea and Sveta being injured? To me, the injuries were a biggie in their loss. To him, it was irrelevant.

I didn't at the time, but it is an interesting point.

 

[UcMiami]

Did anyone else notice that when they were talking about losing to ND in the Final Four in 2001 he didn't say a word about Shea and Sveta being injured? To me, the injuries were a biggie in their loss. To him, it was irrelevant.

Yeah I noticed that especially as they had sort of been talking about the progression of the season and naturally those two injuries had a lot to do with that progression, whether they were also relevant to the loss or not.
I also found it interesting that he talked about the half time - ND scoring the three at the buzzer to end the first half had really pissed him off and he carried that anger into the locker room - he basically asked Sue if she blamed him for failing the team by ranting at halftime, and she said no, that things just happen and whatever they had in the first half just disappeared in the second half. But him asking the question to me signals that he thinks he blew it in that game or at least suspects that he may have.

 

[ctfjr]

At the half UConn still had a double digit advantage. From the box score:
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf Tyler Phommachanh
Taurasi 31 1-15 2-3 0-3 5 5 4

As great a player that DT was she had a real stinko in the semi's in 2001. It was far more important than those not on the floor. Can anyone recall another game where she shot so poorly?

 

[Artifact]

Present for that 2001 final four game in St. Louis. It was a 30 point turn around. Svet & Shea, were out with injuries. Gino felt he still had enough to win. Hard to accept the final score. Team totally collapsed in scoring. With no inside game, only 3 out of 30 three point shots made! For me.felt N.D. stole one because of our injuries.

 

[rocky rococo]

At the half UConn still had a double digit advantage. From the box score:
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf Tyler Phommachanh
Taurasi 31 1-15 2-3 0-3 5 5 4

As great a player that DT was she had a real stinko in the semi's in 2001. It was far more important than those not on the floor. Can anyone recall another game where she shot so poorly?

I'm pretty sure that was Diana's worst game as a Husky. To the best of my recollection, she never had a really great game against ND. Give Muffet credit for knowing how to contain her.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Yeah I noticed that especially as they had sort of been talking about the progression of the season and naturally those two injuries had a lot to do with that progression, whether they were also relevant to the loss or not.
I also found it interesting that he talked about the half time - ND scoring the three at the buzzer to end the first half had really pissed him off and he carried that anger into the locker room - he basically asked Sue if she blamed him for failing the team by ranting at halftime, and she said no, that things just happen and whatever they had in the first half just disappeared in the second half. But him asking the question to me signals that he thinks he blew it in that game or at least suspects that he may have.

Yeah, my guess is that despite the injury losses that he refuses to mention as any type of crutch, he does believe if there is any time that he really messed up at halftime it was that ND game. It's hard to think of another game where there was a 30-point turnaround against UConn in the last 20 years, so that game does haunt him. The players had a different attitude in the second half, and though Sue was diplomatic about it all with a "things happen" kind of response which is certainly true, I think that they both still wonder if whether Geno had had more of an upbeat attitude at halftime whether things might have turned out differently.

And yes to ctfjr, that game is generally recognized as the one game where DT blew up, the game that taught her at the end of her freshman year that the magic hands aren't always magical.

 

[RadyLady]

Yeah I noticed that especially as they had sort of been talking about the progression of the season and naturally those two injuries had a lot to do with that progression, whether they were also relevant to the loss or not.
I also found it interesting that he talked about the half time - ND scoring the three at the buzzer to end the first half had really pissed him off and he carried that anger into the locker room - he basically asked Sue if she blamed him for failing the team by ranting at halftime, and she said no, that things just happen and whatever they had in the first half just disappeared in the second half. But him asking the question to me signals that he thinks he blew it in that game or at least suspects that he may have.

I remember being very, very angry at Geno in the second half of that game because he just set there and didn't coach...at all. Yet with Sue now, in that dialog, there seems to be none of that, what was, was, and there's no good to looking back at it

 

[Phil]

At the half UConn still had a double digit advantage. From the box score:
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf Tyler Phommachanh
Taurasi 31 1-15 2-3 0-3 5 5 4

As great a player that DT was she had a real stinko in the semi's in 2001. It was far more important than those not on the floor. Can anyone recall another game where she shot so poorly?

Diana scored zero points in a game against Pepperdine earlier that season, but she was 0-3, arguably not worse than 1-15.

 

[DobbsRover2]

I'm pretty sure that was Diana's worst game as a Husky. To the best of my recollection, she never had a really great game against ND. Give Muffet credit for knowing how to contain her.

That's true, and it was the toughest team that DT's teams played against, as they were only 4-3 against ND. In 2003 the focus on defending DT helped Turner and Conlon have nice games in the two Husky wins, and DT led Husky scorers in the home win with 13. Best scoring game was the Bird at the Buzzer BEast title game where she had 14 and hit 4 threes. But ND held her to 4 points three times and to 6 points in another game. She averaged 3.6 assists in the 7 games.

And lest we think that it was just UTenn that got the foul calls, UConn was outshot from the FT line by 46 to 13 in the 2001 game at ND. Neither team could hit the freebies, as UConn shot 53.8% and ND missed 22 and was at 56.5%.

 

[calpedaler]

What I found interesting was the implication that it wasn't the most harmonious team.