Geno's Legacy: Sue Bird

[Aluminny69]

I was disappointed they didn't go into any detail about the only disagreement they had, which Geno said he later apologized for. I for one would have liked to know more about it. If you are not going to give details, then why even mention it.

 

[DobbsRover2]

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

Geno kind of dealt with that a bit in "Same River Twice." Seemed the team had to keep locking DT in the bathroom on the team bus. But with Sveta, DT, Shea's injury history, and a TASS(K) group all trying to fit together on greatest collection of talent ever on a WCBB team, some issues arose.

As to Geno and Sue's spat, they couldn't even agree at what part of the season it happened, but clearly Sue was doing something in the game he didn't like, and she got upset over the one major time he called her on anything. Be interesting to see who was "right."

 

[ed4ourgirls]

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

At one point in the interview I got the sense that when hotshot DT joined the team as a freshman there
were a few noses out of joint - not Sue necessarily but some other (unnamed) players.

I can imagine that anyone with Diana's brassy personality coming into a really successful program
without being sufficiently reverential might irritate a few folks.

Sorry Dobbs. Didn't see your post.

 

[MilfordHusky]

That loss did not sit well with the returning Huskies, who played with a vengeance the following year by routing the opposition by a record 35 ppg.

Similarly, I think the controversy regarding EDD's departure fueled Renee et al. to play with a chip on their shoulders.

The moral of this story is: When the Huskies get p!$$ed, they wreak havoc, have an undefeated season, and start a record-breaking streak.

 

[MilfordHusky]

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.

Diana did not play well against ND in general, but was the intimate Orange Crush. She killed Tennessee.

But we did have a Leprechaun Killer in Barb Turner. She came up strong against ND on multiple occasions.

 

[ASweet3781]

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

Yeah that was interesting to me. Geno said they had all these players back from a team that won a National Title and it was hard for some to accept the fact that a freshman would come in and be better. Sue said I think "It's never a good sign when a player is tracking the points between another player in practice."

Could explain why at times the team lacked cohesion that year. Svet and Diana got into it over seas not too long ago right? Kennrita Johnson transfered a year later.

 

[luckyhusky7]

I was disappointed they didn't go into any detail about the only disagreement they had, which Geno said he later apologized for. I for one would have liked to know more about it. If you are not going to give details, then why even mention it.

I think they actually talked about this in his book. If I recall, it was with a practice player while they were playing 5 on 5 and the practice player made a shot that went in on Sue Bird and Geno stopped the play and said and I don't quote about Sue guarding him loosely and she shot back at Geno. Geno proceeded to ask the practice player if Sue's hand was on his face and said , "no not really." Sue then got mad and said, "of course he would say that, you're the coach" ...this maybe what that apologizing was about.

 

[DobbsRover2]

That loss did not sit well with the returning Huskies, who played with a vengeance the following year by routing the opposition by a record 35 ppg.

Similarly, I think the controversy regarding EDD's departure fueled Renee et al. to play with a chip on their shoulders.

The moral of this story is: When the Huskies get p!$$ed, they wreak havoc, have an undefeated season, and start a record-breaking streak.

Well they're wreaking havoc this year though they really haven't had anything much except maybe Morgan's knee to get p!$$ed about. But since Geno believes they need to get a nasty edge in them to finish off the season, hopefully they'll just feel that they still have a little payback left over for ND for their first three games last year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Well they're wreaking havoc this year though they really haven't had anything much except maybe Morgan's knee to get p!$$ed about. But since Geno believes they need to get a nasty edge in them to finish off the season, hopefully they'll just feel that they still have a little payback left over for ND for their first three games last year.

Maybe 7 losses to the Leprechauns in 8 games has them p!$$ed.

 

[Geno-ista]

Diana did not play well against ND in general, but was the intimate Orange Crush. She killed Tennessee.

But we did have a Leprechaun Killer in Barb Turner. She came up strong against ND on multiple occasions.

Barbara Turner played with a huge heart for an undersized forward- never say die on the boards! If she had a better frame with her heart - she would have been great!

 

[Geno-ista]

I was disappointed they didn't go into any detail about the only disagreement they had, which Geno said he later apologized for. I for one would have liked to know more about it. If you are not going to give details, then why even mention it.

Sue was in a panel interview yrs ago , and that incident came up in detail. I'm paraphrasing- in practice , Geno was pissed and then called Sue out for not hustling or playing with heart! She the responded and rebuked him immediately after he said it. He then got furious and she left the court crying. She came back either later that practice or the next day before practice and apologized to Geno in front of the team and to the team. You could see that even with the affection and respect they have for each other, this incident was still a touchy topic during their banter about when in February it happened. She is and was something so special. We are Blessed to get to share all this year in and out! All these Legacy shows are very good and very insightful!

 

[UcMiami]

Sue was in a panel interview yrs ago , and that incident came up in detail. I'm paraphrasing- in practice , Geno was pissed and then called Sue out for not hustling or playing with heart! She the responded and rebuked him immediately after he said it. He then got furious and she left the court crying. She came back either later that practice or the next day before practice and apologized to Geno in front of the team and to the team. You could see that even with the affection and respect they have for each other, this incident was still a touchy topic during their banter about when in February it happened. She is and was something so special. We are Blessed to get to share all this year in and out! All these Legacy shows are very good and very insightful!

It was the one time Geno 'got to' Sue and it was supposedly the one time she challenged him in practice or a game. I thought it was funny that they couldn't agree on exactly when it happened. Didn't get the sense that it was any tension, just back an forth about why Geno had apologized to her (which he did I believe after she had apologized to him and the team.)
And on the 'keeping score' during one on one play - I thought she meant that she was making a comment about the competitive nature she and DT had and that it was the two of them that did it.
Finally - what a pleasure it must have been for Geno to get to coach four of his five starters from that 2002 team again this past USA cycle and to look forward to having Sue and DT again this coming cycle. And for them as well. Tina and Maya too, but they were much more recent graduates so not as much time had passed.

 

[Geno-ista]

It was the one time Geno 'got to' Sue and it was supposedly the one time she challenged him in practice or a game. I thought it was funny that they couldn't agree on exactly when it happened. Didn't get the sense that it was any tension, just back an forth about why Geno had apologized to her (which he did I believe after she had apologized to him and the team.)
And on the 'keeping score' during one on one play - I thought she meant that she was making a comment about the competitive nature she and DT had and that it was the two of them that did it.
Finally - what a pleasure it must have been for Geno to get to coach four of his five starters from that 2002 team again this past USA cycle and to look forward to having Sue and DT again this coming cycle. And for them as well. Tina and Maya too, but they were much more recent graduates so not as much time had passed.

UC- you might be right re the one on one keeping score thing- but I was kind of thinking it was DT and someone else- maybe Shea or Svet? When she talked about DT coming in as a fresh w/ her big personality, she said there were a lot of players that didn't take it too well! My feeling was the struggle was more with someone else.

 

[David 76]

I appreciate that Geno still questions himself.

 

[nbastinks]

UC- you might be right re the one on one keeping score thing- but I was kind of thinking it was DT and someone else- maybe Shea or Svet? When she talked about DT coming in as a fresh w/ her big personality, she said there were a lot of players that didn't take it too well! My feeling was the struggle was more with someone else.

DT and Svet used to go at it one on one and keep score of who won the games in their lockers. pretty sure that is what sue eluded to when she said keeping score cant be that good for a team.

 

[Geno-ista]

I appreciate that Geno still questions himself.

David- great point showing that he is also human - and he's real. I remember he said after losing in the semi's to Stamford the yr we lost Mel and Kalena to injury. In the press conference I think he came out and said he blew the game because he didn't chg the defense after Wigins hit her 1st big 3 late in the game. Next time down Stamford ran the same play and she drilled it also. No mention of 2 starters going down- he said he prob blew the game- pretty classy!

 

[pap49cba]

David- great point showing that he is also human - and he's real. I remember he said after losing in the semi's to Stamford the yr we lost Mel and Kalena to injury. In the press conference I think he came out and said he blew the game because he didn't chg the defense after Wigins hit her 1st big 3 late in the game. Next time down Stamford ran the same play and she drilled it also. No mention of 2 starters going down- he said he prob blew the game- pretty classy!

Kind of reminds me of Coach P's comments after a loss.

 

[Geno-ista]

Kind of reminds me of Coach P's comments after a loss.

Exactly- I was thinking the same thing!!!!

 

[David 76]

For all his bluster, Geno checks to see if he is being a jerk. I like that. Wish he had tried that a little with Charde.

 

[Geno-ista]

For all his bluster, Geno checks to see if he is being a jerk. I like that. Wish he had tried that a little with Charde.

I'm glad she has had a nice pro career and life seams to be working out for her. But she was probably one of the few that have come here that really didn't fit the profile and buy in. And lord knows it sure isn't easy. She may have been a little too far off the reservation to begin with. We'll never know that story well enough to know for sure IMO!

 

[Icebear]

You get some glimpses in Mel's book.

 

[David 76]

You get some glimpses in Mel's book.

And?

I was glad things worked out for Charde too. And don't get me wrong, I know Geno is amazing. But Charde is the rare case where his tough love didn't work and I wished he tried a little TLC.

 

[Alexmia]

Anyone have a link to watch this?

 

[Geno-ista]

You get some glimpses in Mel's book.

Thanks IB- in the Bridgeport regionals against Duke, when Charde missed that 6-8' shot at the end of the game to send us to the FF in Boston. I purchased an entire double skybox of like 30 tickets and then sold them all- just to get a ticket to the game. I met a guy in the elevator, who had Mel's jersey on. I start going on about her. He then introduces himself. It was her Dad and her AAU coach. He spent both game with me in my sky box. I wish I could remember some of the info he was sharing. Will go find Heart of a husky and read it!

 

[snowkot]

The dread Notre Dame semi-final! Plenty of heart break to go around. DT's dreadful shooting - and subsequent tears on the bench, with coach kneeling in front of her. Bird's poor second half. And coach - as another poster offered - stuck like a deer in the headlights, apparently stunned into catatonia by what he was seeing. Reminded me of John Wooden just sitting there as UCLA lost the lead, the game and the winning streak against Notre Dame (them again?!?!?). Except Coach Wooden remained seated in his chair, rolled up program in hand, while Coach just stood, apparently dumbfounded. Proof that even the greatest of all time have their moments!

Bridgeport - another glorious memory (not!). Massively valiant if inspirational effort from Barbara Turner, fighting through cramps and just willing UConn to stay in the game. 19 points. 11 rebounds. And unmatched grit and determination.

Back to topic - 2 criticisms:

1. Should have been longer - 90 minutes (or 30 in 3 parts) would have done nicely. At least 60!!! Less than 30 minutes (with commercial breaks) is just way too short!
   
2. Coach is still learning as an interviewer, as sometimes we feel as though we're eavesdropping on a private conversation. At least two occasions of inside jokes where they'd discuss something intimate between them, but failed to elaborate for the audience as to what actually transpired. The incident previously discussed in this thread (Bird's tears) is a prime example. another was coach declaring her freshman start was among the best ever, while Bird herself categorized it as poor. Some discussion thee would been interesting...

Otherwise, massively brilliant to see the normally strictly composed, carefully worded (even pithy) Sue Bird let down the walls a little. The conversation on her "soccer dive celebration" (and the teams subsequent reaction to it) was worth the price of admission alone, though again, I'd liked to have seen coach press her to detail "the bet!"

Even the non-verbal communication between them - the looks she'd shoot his way as he developed a question, or chided her for whatever, were quite fascinating if illuminating.

Fantastic 30 minutes. Here's hoping DT and Maya each get 90 - or at least 60!!