Is This Geno Auriemma's Finest Hour?

[Fairfield Fan]

He has no post player. He graduated three of the most talented players ever to put on a Connecticut uniform. He has played six of the first nine games against teams ranked in the top 28 in the nation (K-State is now 28th in the AP poll). He played Notre Dame on the road and won; his team went to #7 Florida State and won. He started a freshman point guard against K-State, and had just one other player coming off the bench, yet beat an undefeated team.

And he's winning with everyone he plays against wanting to be the team to stop the winning streak.

Is this his finest coaching job ever?

 

[oldude]

Is this his finest coaching job ever?

It may be just a wee bit premature to call this year Geno's "finest coaching job ever," but I sure do like the direction it's heading in so far. If this season ends up with banner #12, then I certainly would agree with the premise of your thread.

 

[trb123]

I do not know enough to compare it with other darkest hours and make such a statement.
If Uconn wins the national championship in 2016-17, this certainly will go down as his finest year.

 

[bags27]

Funny how these things work. Belichick has long been thought the greatest NFL coach in recent years (and among best ever) but it stopped being said for a bit until he went 3 and 1 without Brady this year, and then the superlatives began again. Now, suddenly, everyone's saying the same thing about Geno...again.... (even by Vols fans on the Tennessee message board!). Like oldude, I'd refrain until we see how it plays out this year from applying Churchillian descriptors to him, but I do think it's in a general way reflective of his being the greatest coach of all time in WCBB and certainly no one's been better at any level of the sport, in either men's or women's.

 

[BostonCanuck]

So far so good. Ultimately, though, I think we'll need the benefit of being able to look back on the entire season to make a final determination. My hope is to get past Maryland and into conference play undefeated and without injury, and then a lot more good things are going to happen. The team will use January and February to pace its fab four and develop its bench. I believe we'll be sufficiently rested and prepared for a solid win over South Carolina. If all of that comes to pass, then to me, a final four appearance would qualify as his finest hour, and a fifth national championship as otherworldly!

Moreover, if the team does pull off number five this season, I think they are finally going to get the mainstream recognition they deserve as one of the greatest sports and coaching stories in American history. There will be no more of the nonsensical "bad for the game" narrative that we all had to endure last year. I think they know it, too, which is why everyone involved is so motivated and working to hard to achieve it.

 

[Sonny44]

Finest half hour.

 

[huskeynut]

Have to agree with everybody - too soon to tell.

Even if we loose to MD and/ or SC and still make the Final Four, it will be unreal.

But what we do know is that Geno is the best coach in WCBB!

 

[BroadwayVa]

He has no post player. He graduated three of the most talented players ever to put on a Connecticut uniform. He has played six of the first nine games against teams ranked in the top 28 in the nation (K-State is now 28th in the AP poll). He played Notre Dame on the road and won; his team went to #7 Florida State and won. He started a freshman point guard against K-State, and had just one other player coming off the bench, yet beat an undefeated team.

And he's winning with everyone he plays against wanting to be the team to stop the winning streak.

Is this his finest coaching job ever?

While I don't believe a Coach has to "win it all" to have had a top of the game coaching year--and I think Geno has said this a few times--
A great coach looks great if he/she has great talent--i.e.--great recruiting helps in making a coach look great--. Obviously, some coaches can recruit the best of the best and still end up looking like the worst of the worst--or at least close to it!! I have to go along with this is ONE of Geno's best coaching years.

 

[JellyBean]

He has no post player. He graduated three of the most talented players ever to put on a Connecticut uniform. He has played six of the first nine games against teams ranked in the top 28 in the nation (K-State is now 28th in the AP poll). He played Notre Dame on the road and won; his team went to #7 Florida State and won. He started a freshman point guard against K-State, and had just one other player coming off the bench, yet beat an undefeated team.

And he's winning with everyone he plays against wanting to be the team to stop the winning streak.

Is this his finest coaching job ever?

Without a doubt, in my opinion.

 

[Kaizen]

Is this his finest coaching job ever?

Yes, and he has a different star or stars in every game that is so amazing.

 

[cbraarj]

IMO it was his first FF team in 1991! They knew there rolls and they had Kerry Bascom who could score on anyone! For NCs it was 2003 this years team more composed with the core 4 and talented except for that player from Chino.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I'm thinking about this run of nine straight wins. He knocked off the #1 (Notre Dame) on their court; he knocked off the then-#2 (Baylor); he knocked off the now #7 (Florida State) on their home court; he beat the #14 (Texas) at home; he knocked off an undefeated team in Kansas. And all while everyone was saying that UConn was "vulnerable."

There are seven games in December that comprise most of the tough games this year. And most of those seven games have come in quick succession. Now it's #12 Ohio State right after final exams. Then a small respite with Nebraska (though they have a renowned post player). Then he tops off this December playing #4 Maryland on the road.

I'm not sure that Connecticut has ever played such a tough schedule over such a short period of time. But if he pulls this off- without a proper post player, with only one or two kids off the bench he can reliably bring in- in my book, that will be an absolutely amazing achievement.

Everyone thought it was all a matter of "when" he would lose, not "if." Of course, these kids could lose to Ohio State. And a loss to Maryland wouldn't be the end of the world. But if he pulls it off....

Amazing!

So far, it's been close to miraculous!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

IMO it was his first FF team in 1991! They knew there rolls and they had Kerry Bascom who could score on anyone! For NCs it was 2003 this years team more composed with the core 4 and talented except for that player from Chino.

I've read the article about 2017's team being like 2003's team. But let's be honest: that team had the greatest college basketball player of all time on the court. I think that year's NC was Taurus's finest hour. But this year's team has no mega-star to depend on. It's five or six kids, without height mostly, mostly young, and going up against one top team after another.

Back then, Coach Geno kept saying, "We have Diana, and they don't!" And he was right. I don't see a Diana in Connecticut blue and white at the moment.

 

[uconnell]

I've read the article about 2017's team being like 2003's team. But let's be honest: that team had the greatest college basketball player of all time on the court. I think that year's NC was Taurus's finest hour. But this year's team has no mega-star to depend on. It's five or six kids, without height mostly, mostly young, and going up against one top team after another.

Back then, Coach Geno kept saying, "We have Diana, and they don't!" And he was right. I don't see a Diana in Connecticut blue and white at the moment.

True but we have Geno and they don't!

 

[Bigpetunia]

OK, I'm not trying to channel my inner Kibitzer here, but since this keeps reappearing on thread after thread, I feel compelled, hopefully without giving offense, to offer the following:

The young women on our favorite team can choose to play carefree and loose.
One day, blessedly far off in the distant future, they will, alas, inevitably lose....maybe.
But what they cannot do, and will never do, is loose!
Sorry!!

 

[Kaizen]

The 2016 team is the most under-rated team. Even most BYers do not believe we can reach today's records at beginning.

 

[alexrgct]

Well, 2013 was Geno's worst coaching job, according to him, so obviously we're doomed if this is his best job now.

Geno has brought in some great players and is developing them perfectly. I really cannot wait to see what happens when you add the 2017 recruiting class to this current squad. KLS and Collier have been perfect as a 1-2 punch, and Gabby and Kia will be poised to go out in style. The incoming freshman class will be devastating. This season? I'm enjoying the ride.

And I'm in awe of the notion this 84-game winning streak is still going. I really, really hope that streak is still alive in January because we'd be tying the record against USF. In the interim, Ohio State and UMD are going to be serious roadblocks to getting to 91.

Que sera', sera'. Hopefully, que sera'...sera' amazing.

 

[bballnut90]

I think more than anything, it shows how far ahead of everybody else UCONN was last season. The fact that they lose their three best players, basically regroup this year with the returning role players and they are still head and shoulders better than anybody else is pretty mindboggling. I don't think anyone saw Collier/Williams as All-American caliber players after their roles last season, but they're 2 of the nation's best players now.

I don't think this season is necessarily evidence of his best coaching job, but it is perhaps the strongest example of how far ahead of every other coach he is. This takes away the notion of, "his success is because he gets all of the talented players." His recruiting top talent is a big contributor, as 9 of his 11 titles have come with a "once in a decade" type of recruit (Moore/Stewart/Taurasi), but this year he doesn't have that caliber player on his team, and no one else could absorb losing 3 All-Americans, including 2 of the best players ever at their position, and STILL come out with the best team in the country who has a pretty good shot of running the table.

 

[Schoup]

Ge

The 2016 team is the most under-rated team. Even most BYers do not believe we can reach today's records at beginning.

Well there was a good reason to be skeptical. Remember the game last year when Geno didn't start The Big 3. The team looked pretty bad against a mediocre team playing the first 6 or 8 minutes of the game.

 

[cbraarj]

I've read the article about 2017's team being like 2003's team. But let's be honest: that team had the greatest college basketball player of all time on the court. I think that year's NC was Taurus's finest hour. But this year's team has no mega-star to depend on. It's five or six kids, without height mostly, mostly young, and going up against one top team after another.

Back then, Coach Geno kept saying, "We have Diana, and they don't!" And he was right. I don't see a Diana in Connecticut blue and white at the moment.

No Taurasi but 3 players playing at AA level and the Core 4 are playing like they have been there before and they have just in different roles. Because 03 had Diana didnt make them the best team. Texas was very talented that year and Dee took over the game but Texas was better overall imo.

 

[Monte]

He has no post player. He graduated three of the most talented players ever to put on a Connecticut uniform. He has played six of the first nine games against teams ranked in the top 28 in the nation (K-State is now 28th in the AP poll). He played Notre Dame on the road and won; his team went to #7 Florida State and won. He started a freshman point guard against K-State, and had just one other player coming off the bench, yet beat an undefeated team.

And he's winning with everyone he plays against wanting to be the team to stop the winning streak.

Is this his finest coaching job ever?

Nice post. This is something to think about during the "Exam Break." At this time, you really cannot disagree with your statements. I am excited about the rest of the season. The unexpected is happening, and most UCONN fans will NOT be satisfied without a National Championship.....................also, throw in the "undefeated streak."

 

[rugbymate]

Funny how these things work. Belichick has long been thought the greatest NFL coach in recent years (and among best ever) but it stopped being said for a bit until he went 3 and 1 without Brady this year, and then the superlatives began again. Now, suddenly, everyone's saying the same thing about Geno...again.... (even by Vols fans on the Tennessee message board!). Like oldude, I'd refrain until we see how it plays out this year from applying Churchillian descriptors to him, but I do think it's in a general way reflective of his being the greatest coach of all time in WCBB and certainly no one's been better at any level of the sport, in either men's or women's.

Geno is to basketball coaching as Churchill is to politics.....regardless of how this year plays out

 

[tomcat]

I agree with almost everyone here. If the year pans out the way we hope it will, it will be the finest caching job ever. This team will have done more with less than the Taurasi team becuase, as someone mentioned, they had Taurasi and this team has nothing like her.,

 

[Florida Fan]

YES, it is, among Geno's finest hours of which there have been many. Scoring 12 points against Stanford in the 2010 final, was not. Still, the team prevailed, but the current ensemble would not have stagnated like the Maya Moore led group that frustrated every one, including their (that night) first-half clueless coach.
The pride and resolve shown by the current team and the enthusiasm Geno, CD and the other coaches demonstrate, indicates that they are all on the same page, riding this what-the-hell wave into UCONN immortality, whatever happens the rest of the way. Gone is the boredom, the debate about parity and what was good for the women's game, this scrappy group has the skill to take all obstacles in stride, Geno and team deciding that each opponent run is the chance for someone to "make a play" to stop the slide. And Geno is all grins talking about how much fun he is having coming up with game plans to thwart whoever, this week, is gunning for him.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I think that year's NC was Taurus's finest hour. /QUOTE]

It was The Year of the Bull!

[just joking; autocorrect, I know]