I met Geno today...

[jermy201]

Was at Mater Dei high school in orange county, CA today catching some games at the Cal Sparks tournament. I am a huge Geno admirer and being that I coach girls and damn near everything thing I do is patterned after uconn, I took it upon myself to walk up to him and introduce myself. "I just wanted to shake your hand sir. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said the same and I took off.

It was crazy getting a chance to meet him. I'm sure he has no idea how big of an influence he is to my coaching career. He was as cool as can be. It was funny how every coach in attendance was fully dressed in their schools gear, notepads and paperwork and in walks Geno in a white linen button up, jeans & loafers with no socks. Nothing with UCONN on it whatsoever. I loved that. That's how you know you're the man. Just wanted to share my story with y'all today. He was there to see Erica McCall so I'm sure he didn't need anything else to do that..lol

 

[HuskyNan]

It was crazy getting a chance to meet him. I'm sure he has no idea how big of an influence he is to my coaching career.

You should have told him that. He loves to talk basketball and has said in the past that he enjoys learning things from other coaches. Next time - go for it!

 

[Husky7882]

Was at Mater Dei high school in orange county, CA today catching some games at the Cal Sparks tournament. I am a huge Geno admirer and being that I coach girls and damn near everything thing I do is patterned after uconn, I took it upon myself to walk up to him and introduce myself. "I just wanted to shake your hand sir. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said the same and I took off.

It was crazy getting a chance to meet him. I'm sure he has no idea how big of an influence he is to my coaching career. He was as cool as can be. It was funny how every coach in attendance was fully dressed in their schools gear, notepads and paperwork and in walks Geno in a white linen button up, jeans & loafers with no socks. Nothing with UCONN on it whatsoever. I loved that. That's how you know you're the man. Just wanted to share my story with y'all today. He was there to see Erica McCall so I'm sure he didn't need anything else to do that..lol

Given the circumstances, I don't think I would have said anything either, but I would definitely send him a quick e-mail explaining how much impact he has had on your coaching philosophy and why you didn't want to bother him when you met. I find Geno to be a very personable, approachable, guy and am sure that he would like to hear how you feel.

 

[Wonkster]

.
No socks again! LOL!
.

 

[VAUConnFan]

He is the man!

 

[Bestiarius]

He is a knock your socks off kind of guy.

 

[ThisJustIn]

It must have tickled your toes to meet him!

 

[MilfordHusky]

That iS Geno's recruiting garb--loafers and no socks, even in the winter sometimes. Come play at UConn and Geno and CD will teach you a sense of style.

I shook Geno's hand at the Team USA practice in D.C. in the fall of 2010. He was very gracious.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Geno walks on water... the reason he doesnt wear socks!

 

[jermy201]

Given the circumstances, I don't think I would have said anything either, but I would definitely send him a quick e-mail explaining how much impact he has had on your coaching philosophy and why you didn't want to bother him when you met. I find Geno to be a very personable, approachable, guy and am sure that he would like to hear how you feel.

Well, he was in the middle of a conversation with a UCLA coach. I just walked over there & interrupted them...lol I don't know his email, of course if I had it, I would email him because I have a million questions & ideas about the game. But it was still cool nonetheless. Not everyday you meet someone who is important like that. Having the guts to walk up to him was a breakthrough for me, trust me. But I knew that the chances of me meeting him again were extrememly slim so that was my motivation for mustering up the courage to go over there.

 

[justML]

I'm not usually at a loss for words; but I'm not sure I could speak coherently if I met Geno. That's how much I admire him.

You are one lucky fan!

 

[jermy201]

Geno walks on water... the reason he doesnt wear socks!

He's a rockstar man.... as soon as he walked in, all heads turned and got quiet...lol it was crazy.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I was told to NEVER let an opportunity to meet someone pass you by... cause you may never cross paths again

 

[Wbbfan1]

You probably did the right by just saying hello if Geno was already involved in a conversation. However, I would probably would have sat in his general area to look for an opportunity to talk to him when he wasn't so busy. Even if was just to provide him my general background that I coach girls basketball and did he mind if I sent him an email to ask questions on (topic). Believe it or not since you coach girls, Geno if he had the time would probably talk to you as you just might be coaching a girl that one day may want to attend UConn.

 

[jermy201]

You probably did the right by just saying hello if Geno was already involved in a conversation. However, I would probably would have sat in his general area to look for an opportunity to talk to him when he wasn't so busy. Even if was just to provide him my general background that I coach girls basketball and did he mind if I sent him an email to ask questions on (topic). Believe it or not since you coach girls, Geno if he had the time would probably talk to you as you just might be coaching a girl that one day may want to attend UConn.

yeah, you're right. It's good that I got this one out of the way though.

 

[cohenzone]

I was told to NEVER let an opportunity to meet someone pass you by... cause you may never cross paths again

Meet you at the corner at 6.

 

[Replicant]

He loves to talk basketball and has said in the past that he enjoys learning things from other coaches. Next time - go for it!

I had never, ever considered writing Geno. What would he possibly want to hear from me? But several years ago in the immediate aftermath of DT's departure, my frustrations with the team's new realities short-circuited my common sense. So I audaciously send Geno an email laying out my case for why he needed to start that Barb Turner kid! To my great horror, she started the next game! Needless to say, I've not written him again.

 

[alexrgct]

Geno's email address is publicly available and he responds to it, sometimes very rapidly. If you send him a message saying it was great meeting him in passing at MD and then anything else you wanted to tell him/ask him, I'd be shocked to hear anything other than you got a pretty cool response from him.

One of the things about WBB that I really like is the accessibility factor. Even Geno, who is the face of the sport now with Pat stepping down, will take the time.

 

[MilfordHusky]

He's a rockstar man.... as soon as he walked in, all heads turned and got quiet...lol it was crazy.

That's exactly what Jewell Loyd said when he showed up at her game--without socks. The place went silent.

 

[MilfordHusky]

How did Erica do?

 

[ochoopsfan]

Geno is in two pictures at this blog site.
http://hoopism.blogspot.com/2012/04/michael-t-white-tournament-of-champions.html

One picture he is by himself and the other picture the UCLA coach, Cori Close, is on Genos left(picture right)
On the full gallery link on the blog site are more pictures including Erica McCall, who Geno was there to see.
This morning, Geno was at a different tournament in So Cal watching The Cal Swish team. I am guessing he was looking at one or both of the Samuelson sisters, Karlie, 2013 or Katie Lou, 2015.
Today he wore a Blue golf shirt with a UConn logo on it......same loafers and no socks. Sorry, I didnt take pictures.

Erica played well.

 

[Biff]

How did Erica do?

Rumor is she was wearing socks but no that was there can remember.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Why can

Rumor is she was wearing socks but no that was there can remember.

Why can't no remember? Seeing Geno shocked her socks off?

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Geno went there to hang out with CTT.

We need to get Erica. With Tiff and Maya gone, who is going to wear the team knee pads?

 

[wallman]

3 tournaments in 3 days now that's impressive.

Considering how busy he is with USA he is still putting in the hours.