Geno's most difficult season??

[eebmg]

And alot of it was off the court challenges

Mike Anthony: This feels like the most complicated year of Geno Auriemma’s UConn career

As Geno Auriemma sat in the Staples Center Feb. 24, waiting to speak before gathered basketball royalty and an international audience at the Kobe Bryant memorial service, he was initially overcome …

www.courant.com

 

[Charliebball]

Can't get the article due to pay firewall....................I'm sure it's been a frustrating season as Geno has seen his team under perform against top competition but compared to MM's situation at Notre Dame it's a walk in the park...............

 

[eebmg]

Can't get the article due to pay firewall....................I'm sure it's been a frustrating season as Geno has seen his team under perform against top competition but compared to MM's situation at Notre Dame it's a walk in the park...............

About 80% of the hardships dealt with off the court stuff.

 

[msf22b]

Can't get the article due to pay firewall....................I'm sure it's been a frustrating season as Geno has seen his team under perform against top competition but compared to MM's situation at Notre Dame it's a walk in the park...............

I really thought (early on) that MM was becoming emotional toast and would implode
But she, the coaches and the team have made remarkable progress, improving considerably...

Long, hardly my fav person

But Plaudits to her and the program, nevertheless.

 

[msf22b]

I spoke too fast... forked tongue

Notre Dame just lost to Pitt, a sterling 1 and 17 in conference.
An object lesson in improvement (?)

 

[msf22b]

I know that we can't bring negative stuff here from other boards,
so I'll refrain.
But, if you want to have a good laugh...McGraw"s bench is quite
the place, this afternoon.

 

[EricLA]

I know that we can't bring negative stuff here from other boards,
so I'll refrain.
But, if you want to have a good laugh...McGraw"s bench is quite
the place, this afternoon.

Not sure if it's allowed, but one poster started a thread saying "I feel like the family pet has been euthanized". No offense (or maybe offense meant), but I have pets - UCONN losing a heartbreaking game is NOTHING like having to put one of my furbabies down (you can see them in my handle picture)...

I apologize for going off topic. Don't think this was Geno's toughest season by a wide margin. The year we lost 8 games or so when we had Ann Strother and others - he constantly said he could not figure out how to light a fire under their collective asses, or motivate them. They were sweet and easy going kids, and none of them were overly tough or fiery or Nurse-like.

 

[my2cents]

Not even sure what to say to an article like that. Obviously in some respects, the coach has had some issues but the season is not over, so the ending to the story has not been written.

 

[HopJim]

Would say the previous 12-24 months+ more of an issue for Geno. Lost Collier to Texas, Boston to S. Carolina and few other top recruits came to Conn. Geno did a good idea plugging holes, particularly with Anna, but until this year's signed recruits, guessing he was wondering when the bleeding would stop.

 

[Carnac]

Not sure if it's allowed, but one poster started a thread saying "I feel like the family pet has been euthanized". No offense (or maybe offense meant), but I have pets - UCONN losing a heartbreaking game is NOTHING like having to put one of my furbabies down (you can see them in my handle picture)...

I apologize for going off topic. Don't think this was Geno's toughest season by a wide margin. The year we lost 8 games or so when we had Ann Strother and others - he constantly said he could not figure out how to light a fire under their collective asses, or motivate them. They were sweet and easy going kids, and none of them were overly tough or fiery or Nurse-like.

I’m really hoping that Bueckers comes in and immediately "infects" ALL of her teammates with her infectious guile and bravado. I would love to see this program develop an "edge" the next few years. That does not mean they have to play with a chip on their shoulder, but more the mode/style of Nolan Richardson's "40 minutes of hell." I'd like to see if Geno has the personnel next year to press the ball for 40 minutes, or maybe just the first half (more so against the 3-4 elite teams we'll play). Maybe try it the first 2 regular season games, then go from there. I realize it takes a lot energy and player rotation to put on a full court press for long periods of time.
I know he couldn't with THIS year's team, maybe next the next one.

 

[Bama fan]

As Geno has been feeling low lately, I got to thinking about some happy Italian songs to cheer him up. I remembered one that I used to hear at Italian weddings when I was living in a neighborhood of Irish and Italian families near Pittsburgh. Looking for a video I stumbled across this version by a band from the UK. This is a wonderful cover. Hetty and Charly are smashing! Turns out there are many treats from this group.


.

 

[Carnac]

Would say the previous 12-24 months+ more of an issue for Geno. Lost Collier to Texas, Boston to S. Carolina and few other top recruits came to Conn. Geno did a good idea plugging holes, particularly with Anna, but until this year's signed recruits, guessing he was wondering when the bleeding would stop.

Those two losses can’t be understated, especially Boston. She’s been putting up lots of double doubles lately.

 

[oldude]

If Geno feels like this season has been his most difficult, he might want to consider calling his good friend MM to commiserate. She’ll make him feel much better about the struggles he’s faced this year.....

 

[noirwestern]

I know that we can't bring negative stuff here from other boards,
so I'll refrain.
But, if you want to have a good laugh...McGraw"s bench is quite
the place, this afternoon.

It didn't make me laugh since we are one or two injuries from having the same, or worse season. No, no laughter but came away impressed that their fans were so sanguine about the whole thing and all things considered, pretty good sports.

 

[eebmg]

I really hoping that Bueckers comes in and immediately "infects" ALL of her teammates with her infectious guile and bravado. I would love to see this program develop an "edge" the next few years. That does not mean they have to play with a chip on their shoulder, but more the mode/style of Nolan Richardson's "40 minutes of hell." I'd like to see if Geno has the personnel next year to press the ball for 40 minutes, or maybe just the first half (more so against the 3-4 elite teams we'll play). Maybe try it the first 2 regular season games, then go from there. I realize it takes a lot energy and player rotation to put on a full court press for long periods of time.
I know he couldn't with THIS year's team, maybe next the next one.

I feel our defensive pressure and press has already improved alot. I know we can't do the Moriah /Kia/Gabby/Stewie dynamo defense but it seems we pick our moments and use alot of intelligent double teams and hedges etc. Of course, if the oppoent has an elite guards, it might be a different story. Still, Individual defense has improved incrementally (CD, Anna, Meg) with CW really improving on that side and wait till Aubrey really understands the defensive assignments, I have no doubt we will be very good defensively (as well as offensively) next year. Also, maybe I am wrong but I also seem to recall EW is a good defensive player and Nika has that reputation.

 

[meyers7]

Don't think this was Geno's toughest season by a wide margin. The year we lost 8 games or so when we had Ann Strother and others - he constantly said he could not figure out how to light a fire under their collective asses, or motivate them. They were sweet and easy going kids, and none of them were overly tough or fiery or Nurse-like.

If Geno feels like this season has been his most difficult, he might want to consider calling his good friend MM to commiserate. She’ll make him feel much better about the struggles he’s faced this year.....

The article talked more about the off-court stuff being what made the season so hard. Not as much the on-court stuff.

 

[willtalk]

People seem to forget that he had a major operation and he also isn't a spring chicken any longer. You have to add this on to all the other issues as well.

 

[MSGRET]

I’m really hoping that Bueckers comes in and immediately "infects" ALL of her teammates with her infectious guile and bravado. I would love to see this program develop an "edge" the next few years. That does not mean they have to play with a chip on their shoulder, but more the mode/style of Nolan Richardson's "40 minutes of hell." I'd like to see if Geno has the personnel next year to press the ball for 40 minutes, or maybe just the first half (more so against the 3-4 elite teams we'll play). Maybe try it the first 2 regular season games, then go from there. I realize it takes a lot energy and player rotation to put on a full court press for long periods of time.
I know he couldn't with THIS year's team, maybe next the next one.

I liked "Tark the Sharks" 40 minutes of hell more. Nolan's was mostly defense. Tarks was Defense that went into fast breaks from almost every turnover or rebound. One of my favorite games was the one where #1 UNLV went to #2 Arkansas and won the track show basketball game in the Barnhill Arena 112 - 105. Richardson stated afterwords that UNLV could have beaten some of the NBA teams that evening.

 

[BostonBay]

For some reason, the kids didnt listen to Geno this year. i've never seen a Geno team make the same mistakes over & over again, game after game. Even after benching them, they didnt get the message. This new generation of athletes are too entitled.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Can't get the article due to pay firewall....................I'm sure it's been a frustrating season as Geno has seen his team under perform against top competition but compared to MM's situation at Notre Dame it's a walk in the park...............

Underperform? UConn is an elite team capable of winning the NC! I think Geno should be proud of the team and the job he has done coaching them.

 

[JonathanXIV]

For some reason, the kids didnt listen to Geno this year. i've never seen a Geno team make the same mistakes over & over again, game after game. Even after benching them, they didnt get the message. This new generation of athletes are too entitled.

Wow. That’s one heck of a conclusion. Sorry, don’t see it.

 

[oldude]

For some reason, the kids didnt listen to Geno this year. i've never seen a Geno team make the same mistakes over & over again, game after game. Even after benching them, they didnt get the message. This new generation of athletes are too entitled.

Where in God’s name does this complaint come from? Everyone who’s watching is agreed that UConn is playing much better as a team as they get ready for the tournament. That includes knowledgeable basketball people like Andy Landers & Rebecca Lobo, as well as Geno himself, who made it very clear in his last postgame presser that he’s very happy with where the team is right now.

UConn is 26-3, ranked 4th or 5th in the country depending on the poll, having lost only to the top 3 teams in the nation. People really need to stop this irrational and baseless criticism of this incredibly successful program.

 

[Charliebball]

Underperform? UConn is an elite team capable of winning the NC! I think Geno should be proud of the team and the job he has done coaching them.

losing to the top three teams in the country is nothing to be embarrassed about but UConn's lack of competitiveness in the Oregon and South Carolina games was disappointing to the team and to it's fans...............I'm not convinced this team is capable of winning an National Championship unless they play to their full capabilities which hasn't been the case so far against the best competition..................believe me, I'd love to be proven wrong.........

 

[HuskyNan]

I know that we can't bring negative stuff here from other boards,
so I'll refrain.
But, if you want to have a good laugh...McGraw"s bench is quite
the place, this afternoon.

We have rule against dragging insults towards over from other boards. Anything else is fair game