Jim Fuller: Geno: "Everything I see has me really excited"

[UConnCat]

"I really like the fact that they go above and beyond what you ask them to do, it seems like," Auriemma said. "I am watching their conditioning, I am watching them work and I am looking at it saying 'man, there are years some guys are trying to take a short cut. The seniors can't wait to go work out and the freshmen they are psycho workout guys too so there is really nobody creating a bad karma. This group if you ask them to do 10 reps, they want to 15. If you ask them to show up at 6 o'clock there are there at quarter of. They just have a tremendous group dynamic that I can sense already.

"Kiah (Stokes), Kaleena (Mosqueda-Lewis), Brianna Banks it was hard for them (as freshmen). Now they come back this year and they look like different people. Brianna Banks is a different person, Kiah Stokes is a different person. There are no issues. The playing part I don't pay too much attention to that, I just look at the workouts and how they interact with Shea, Marisa, CD and each other, what they are doing in the morning and afternoons with Amanda Kimball, our strength and conditioning coach. Right now everything I see has me really excited."

http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/2012/09/geno-everything-i-see-has-me-really.html#links

 

[OneTrickPony]

The best and brightest...they have a certain effect on each other...

 

[speedoo]

If Geno's excited, I am REALLY excited.

 

[UCONNfan1]

That's a ridiculously optimistic set of comments from Geno. Has he ever been effusive with his praise before the season starts? I know Calhoun was famous for talking players up in preseason but later was proven to be exaggerations.

 

[speedoo]

That's a ridiculously optimistic set of comments from Geno. Has he ever been effusive with his praise before the season starts? I know Calhoun was famous for talking players up in preseason but later was proven to be exaggerations.

How is he being "ridiculosly optimistic"? All he's doing is telling us what he is seeing. That's not optimism, it's what he's seeing.

 

[alexrgct]

Well, I hope he has reason to be as positive about the actual basketball part of the equation, but this is certainly encouraging. UConn tends to have better-conditioned WBB players than just about any other program, so if kids are exceeding Geno's expectations along those lines, that's a great start.

I hope to see 11 ridiculously athletic and well-conditioned young women giving max effort to an absolutely suffocating degree on every possession (well, five on the court at any given time, but you know what I mean).

 

[UCONNfan1]

How is he being "ridiculosly optimistic"? All he's doing is telling us what he is seeing. That's not optimism, it's what he's seeing.

"Ridiculous" as in "Reedonkulous". I wasn't criticizing him. Sorry if it came across that way...

 

[speedoo]

"Ridiculous" as in "Reedonkulous". I wasn't criticizing him. Sorry if it came across that way...

No problem, thanks for clarifying.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Doesn't Geno know that he is feeding the Boneyard frenzy with comments like that?

 

[Samanthabrown3]

What strikes me is that Geno is watching while the players are working their a###s off and CD, Shea, Marisa, and Amanda are working with them. . .

 

[MilfordHusky]

What strikes me is that Geno is watching while the players are working their a###s off and CD, Shea, Marisa, and Amanda are working with them. . .

It's called "delegation."

 

[Tonyc]

This is Gonna Be a Very Special Season.

 

[UConnChapette]

I am ready for the season to start right now! I like to hear Geno praising the work ethic and motivation of the team - and it is only preseason workouts. Once official practice starts, I'm sure we will start hearing about how Breanna can't guard a chair, etc. He won't want them to get too comfortable with praise.

 

[VAMike23]

.
............................

 

[pinotbear]

"Ridiculous" as in "Reedonkulous". I wasn't criticizing him. Sorry if it came across that way...

 

[speedoo]

I am ready for the season to start right now! I like to hear Geno praising the work ethic and motivation of the team - and it is only preseason workouts. Once official practice starts, I'm sure we will start hearing about how Breanna can't guard a chair, etc. He won't want them to get too comfortable with praise.

I dunno. Breanna has so much ability and works so hard, she might just go through the year unscathed by Geno's wise-a**-ness!

 

[Kibitzer]

A reminder about GenoSpeak. Ignore mere praise. He doesn't mean it.

The adverb/adjective "very" is not in his vocabulary.

Same goes with words like "extremely."

BUT. . .

One "really" adverb or adjective, he may mean it but he lacks conviction and just doesn't have his heart in it.

Two or more "reallys" he is serious and sincere.

Measure his enthusiasm and sincerity by the frequency of "reallys."

Works every time.

 

[Wonkster]

.
Everything Geno says is "UN-believable!"

It's his all-time favorite (and much overworked) word.

 

[huskyniner]

Does he see anyone who can cover Griner?

 

[VAMike23]

Does he see anyone who can cover Griner?

My guess is he'd say that no one can guard Griner 1-on-1. Having said that, he has two players who can play between BG and the basket: Dolson and Buck. It's possible that come February, Kiah will also be confident and experienced enough to give us some minutes (and fouls!) against BG. Clearly you have to 'root her out' and not let her get position too deep. Same strategy Team USA used with the 6'8" Cambage in the 2nd half against AUS after she mauled us in the 1st half. But Griner is used to this and with her experience and shot variety it is getting harder to do. The real question is how well the rest of the defense helps out.

Here's where Stewart is such a huge addition for us, with her length and athleticism. She is one of the very few players in WCBB with the ability to really bother BG's shot as a help defender. (Not a primary defender underneath. I think she's too young and not strong enough yet for that.)

 

[meyers7]

It's called "delegation."

It's called NCAA regulations.

 

[HGN]

This is a special group of young ladies. Not a slacker amongst them. One pushing the other. If one is having an off night, there is a well qualified backup ready to step in. There is speed ; size ; shooting ; rebounding ; a great blend of upper-classmen experience , and young freshmen talent ; and excellent coaching with this team this year. And it makes it very hard to hold in the excitement and high expectations.

Let's Go Huskies !!

 

[VAMike23]

This is a special group of young ladies. Not a slacker amongst them. One pushing the other. If one is having an off night, there is a well qualified backup ready to step in. There is speed ; size ; shooting ; rebounding ; a great blend of upper-classmen experience , and young freshmen talent ; and excellent coaching with this team this year. And it makes it very hard to hold in the excitement and high expectations.

Let's Go Huskies !!

I agree - a very special group.

More than any year, possibly even 2001-02, there will be opposing coaches at the less-than-elite programs looking at each and every one of our players on the floor during warm-ups and wishing (dreaming) that they could somehow have a team like this to coach just once in their lives. The consistency of talent from top to "bottom" is staggering.

I know we're not starting four seniors, and there are no Birds or Taurasis on this team, but there is still a possiblity that the 2012-13 team will be one of the greatest ever.

 

[Shenandoah]

What I'm reading is that by 11, Geno is including Heather in the mix. If she is indeed getting stronger and working harder than last year, her play will demand that she be in the mix much sooner than mop up time. And if Geno is saying that he's excited, I'm out of my mind!!!!
LET'S GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

It's called NCAA regulations.

That too.