Geno's Shocking Statement About Olympic Gold

[RSHERMVIKES]

When Geno first took over the Olympic/World Championship USA team He said, "when choosing a USA team from the best of the best the coach doesn't have to teach them BB. They need discipline and organization! Right before the first game I'll recite the USA Olympic Coaches prayer, Please God, don't let me screw this up!"

 

[ChicagoGG]

I was just trying to stir up some action. I also think it is a statement made to emphasize to his "dream team" that the had to keep their intensity up. He has been known to use strategic hyperbole. Even if this is very hard I don't see him going to the hospital after the gold metal ceremony.

You go, Rocky! Stir it up you did, and nicely as well.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Yes, Rocky, old buddy, I think you are off base. Geno has 12 people with limited practices and training together to make a run to a gold medal. At UConn he has the same team for a year to work towards an NCAA championship.

At UConn, if UCWBB loses, the state goes into a faint. If USA basketball loses, the whole country is irate. He has much less control over his team and his outcome in Rio than he does in Storrs.N

And the pressure of being a naturalized citizen in charge of this large endeavor might be pressure enough without all the rest of it.

Go Geno!!

Naturalized is a good talking point but if he is like my Dad, who lived here since age 10 and naturalized at 20, he was all American afterwards. He was proud, as I am, of his French Canadian heritage and spoke fluent Canadian French and American English. If asked he would say (chest pushed out) I'm an American.
I suspect Geno is all American who came from Italy.

Back to Dissing Uconn and Uconn Fans--Bull Pucky-!!!! It was an acknowledgement of how hard it is to represent the whole of USA the pressure to win is there by nearly 300 millions. It is almost an impossible task to bring together 14 or so professional talents and egos in a matter of weeks and get them to buy into not being the focus of attention--work like a team.
I'm not surprised by Geno's abilities to get them to buy into playing as a team and not as an individual---that's the Geno style and the Uconn style--and it is the secret to Uconn's success.

Go USA--go for the GOLD!!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

Bite your tongue! UConn hasn't lost to ND since 2013.

Yes--but the Courant said---Muffet has Geno's number--I bet she calls him often for advise! (yea you bet )

 

[MilfordHusky]

Plus the pressure of going for your country's sixth straight gold medal in your sport.

Nobody wants to be the coach of the team who breaks that streak.

As Maya said, no one coaches streaks better than Geno. He's had a LOT of practice with it. 90, 75, 70, 46, etc.

 

[donalddoowop]

Whaaaaa??? I might believe Stanford, but not ND

You are right, j66kicker. UcMiami, the last two years Uconn lost one game and that was to Stanford. I know they went undefeated in other years.