Geno's Post-Game Comments About Stewie and Morgan

[sawxfan23]

Geno's expectation on his his players is unreal. Maybe he's forgetting that these are young people, young people don't have the same mental toughness as his.
I would give them a slack here and there not embarrass them on TV.

It is hard to argue ways of motivation against someone who has won over 900 games!

 

[Buzzyboy]

Geno's expectation on his his players is unreal. Maybe he's forgetting that these are young people, young people don't have the same mental toughness as his.
I would give them a slack here and there not embarrass them on TV.

That's more than a little strange to hear. Is there any difference between these kids and all the other kids who came through Geno's program previously who continually worked their butts off both in practice and in games who were of a similar age???? They seemed to have the mental toughness to contend with Geno's demands! How is it they had the mental toughness to deal with him by when and isn't everyone saying, that if anything, Geno is not as tough on these kids as he used to be?

 

[Buzzyboy]

Geno is the coach and his standard for effort, no matter how arbitrary, is the standard his players must meet. In the Uconn WBB world, fail to meet Geno's standard and you will have ample time to consider the efficacy of that standard on the bench.

My concern is not about the coach's prerogatives. Rather, my concern is why three players who have demonstrated remarkable effort throughout the season chose to "take a day off." Could it be that the godawful level of competition in the AAC is finally getting to the players? How much intensity should we expect when, notwithstanding the benching of three stars, the Uconn reserves still won by 46 points? Geno's is the boss but his players are human. They are also not stupid. Playing in a conference where the "competition" is at a Division II or maybe even a Division III level has already gotten to the fans. Perhaps it is now the players' turn.

Do you really think that there is a big distinction between UConn playing in their present conference and playing in the ACC or even the SEC? Who wouldn't they be beating badly in these conferences? They wouldn't be beating the Kentucky's and the North Carolina by bunches? There's few teams in women's basketball that wouldn't get clocked by this team because of the talent on the team and the unwillingness of the coaching staff to accept anything but a maximum effort. As long as the effort is there with Geno, you are pretty good to go. When you play down to your competition, he feels you are doing a disservice to the team and the game of basketball. It's that simple! It's that pursuit of excellence continually that's helped make UConn the preeminent women's basketball program in the country EVER!

 

[JS]

You don't rip into players who did nothing wrong as reasoning for letting other players try to swim on their own.

In one look I didn't see anything wrong either. Not going to look again, as you did, Slu, because I'm not that concerned.

I chalked it up to him seeing more subtleties and looking at a longer time frame -- including practices and the past few games -- than I was seeing.

And I also chalked it up to something else. Now, looking to the second game in three days, and perhaps not coincidentally:

• he's got three bigs (5, 4 and 8 min.; no one's talking about Kiah);
• who should be at least as feisty, focused and fresh as their counterparts tomorrow; and
• which counterparts, as a big and talented front line, happen to be their team's strength.

On the other hand, maybe he's just irrational.

 

[Wbbfan1]

I don't think Stewie and Morgan's actions in the game was the primary reason they were benched. I suspect its what's happening in practice over the last week or so, that has Geno bummed out. They may not be putting forth the effort in practice or other tasks related to the program. Geno wants Stewie and Morgan to lead by example and I'd guess they aren't. In all probability the coaches have talked to Morgan, Stewie and maybe others before yesterday's game and Geno still wasn't satisfied with the efforts the players were exhibiting. So he decided to set the example, do it the UConn way or don't play.

What they are not doing in practice could be the reason they have started the last three games sluggishly. At least Geno and the coaches think so.

 

[Vowelguy]

Do you really think that there is a big distinction between UConn playing in their present conference and playing in the ACC or even the SEC? !

Without question.

 

[Icebear]

Take a look at Geno on the bench before the game and during the first five minutes. I don't think he was happy before the game even started. His countenance is sour from the start. I don't think the lesson he was conveying necessarily only involved the sluggish start.

 

[hjoerring]

Much to do about nothing. All coaches bench players in- and for a game (or 2). I seriously doubt that he will do so on Monday- that would warrant the real discussions. My take is that he and the other coaches had nothing to gain from having these players on the floor against Tulane but, you can't sit them because it would send the wrong message to them, Tulane and the AAC and the team. So you kill 3 birds with one stone: rest them, find something (however trivial to scold them on, give real game time some other players who have been playing well, and Tulane a chance at something.
Equally, given our weak conference the coaches cannot afford for players to start pick and choose which games are worth 100% and which others only 90%. That would be our Waterloo.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Take a look at Geno on the bench before the game and during the first five minutes. I don't think he was happy before the game even started. His countenance is sour from the start. I don't think the lesson he was conveying necessarily only involved the sluggish start.

I agree. Didn't Burke say that during the 1st timeout it was Moseley doing all the talking - and it sounded like she wasn't happy either? My guess is that Auriemma saw a carryover from recent practice in his front line and he decided to send a message. NBD.

 

[Sonny44]

IMO what Geno did will have a negative effect to future Uconn recruits.

Not the one's that Geno and we want.

 

[Icebear]

IMO what Geno did will have a negative effect to future Uconn recruits.

You are kidding, right? This is the same Geno that has benched numerous stars in the past and the best still keep coming to Storrs.

 

[Stewie Fan]

Basically, he should have benched all of his starters in the 1st half if as he commented he would rather lose than watch them play the way they were. Mo, KML and Nurse were not playing well either. Benching someone is one thing but as I've said before he should keep his comments in the locker room or practice not on TV or in the press.

 

[Bgillon]

IMO what Geno did will have a negative effect to future Uconn recruits.

For recruits that don't have the intestinal fortitude to become great in a UCONN uniform. I know it's early but so far Geno has done pretty well with recruits.

 

[Bgillon]

Geno is the coach and his standard for effort, no matter how arbitrary, is the standard his players must meet. In the Uconn WBB world, fail to meet Geno's standard and you will have ample time to consider the efficacy of that standard on the bench.

My concern is not about the coach's prerogatives. Rather, my concern is why three players who have demonstrated remarkable effort throughout the season chose to "take a day off." Could it be that the godawful level of competition in the AAC is finally getting to the players? How much intensity should we expect when, notwithstanding the benching of three stars, the Uconn reserves still won by 46 points? Geno's is the boss but his players are human. They are also not stupid. Playing in a conference where the "competition" is at a Division II or maybe even a Division III level has already gotten to the fans. Perhaps it is now the players' turn.

AS Meg said on the post game, she didn't think it was just this game but Geno must have seen something at practice and previous games.

 

[ctfjr]

What he did in the past was just 1 player not all three at once, besides the crime did not fit the punishment.

Granted my mind isn't what it used to be but. . . I fuzzily remember a game where he pulled all the starters for some significant length of time - it was a Big East game probably 20 years or so ago.

 

[Suggie]

Hongster,never ever go aginst Geno on this forum...you will learn .He is God.

 

[huskiemaniac]

Bending young minds are just like bending wood into ship shape with patience and time otherwise it will break.

You don't think he and his staff work with players and shaping them and "bending their young minds" in practice, on and off the court? It's not like he screamed at them and sent them to the locker room. Maybe he should've just given them a 5 minute time out after the game, in private of course, so they could think about what they had done.

 

[Icebear]

Hongster,never ever go aginst Geno on this forum...you will learn .He is God.

Going against Geno would seem to require two things. Knowing Geno's history with players and the impact of his history with those players on their lives. And secondly, some basis for deeper understanding of why Geno's actions maybe reasonably challenged and not be accepted as well informed and constructed. Until then most critism is like dust in the wind.

 

[UConn990411]

My god, this thread is pure stupid.

 

[huskiemaniac]

Geno is the coach and his standard for effort, no matter how arbitrary, is the standard his players must meet. In the Uconn WBB world, fail to meet Geno's standard and you will have ample time to consider the efficacy of that standard on the bench.

My concern is not about the coach's prerogatives. Rather, my concern is why three players who have demonstrated remarkable effort throughout the season chose to "take a day off." Could it be that the godawful level of competition in the AAC is finally getting to the players? How much intensity should we expect when, notwithstanding the benching of three stars, the Uconn reserves still won by 46 points? Geno's is the boss but his players are human. They are also not stupid. Playing in a conference where the "competition" is at a Division II or maybe even a Division III level has already gotten to the fans. Perhaps it is now the players' turn.

I'm not concerned...its a long season and happens every year...sometimes the team starts hot, seems to get lulled into lousy games and plays down to their opponents level, and then turns it on again. Sometimes it's not the whole team but players at different times during the season. They usually get the message and turn it around, playing to their potential. ITs really nothing new.

 

[Suggie]

Going against Geno would seem to require two things. Knowing Geno's history with players and the impact of his history with those players on their lives. And secondly, some basis for deeper understanding of why Geno's actions maybe reasonably challenged and not be accepted as well informed and constructed. Until then most critism is like dust in the wind.

Like I said!

 

[meyers7]

IMO what Geno did will have a negative effect to future Uconn recruits.

See, we do need a "dislike" button.

Unbelievable.

 

[meyers7]

Geno's expectation on his his players is unreal. Maybe he's forgetting that these are young people, young people don't have the same mental toughness as his.
I would give them a slack here and there not embarrass them on TV.

Oh geez, he doubles down.

 

[Vowelguy]

Monday night can't get here fast enough.

 

[meyers7]

Hongster,never ever go aginst Geno on this forum...you will learn .He is God.

Maybe not God, but he does have 901 more wins than you or Hong, ..combined.