Jim Fuller: Wow

[UConnCat]

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville: UConn's Final Four loss to level playing field? I don't think so

Jim takes on a wide range of topics while talking about the impact of UConn's loss, the basketball landscape going forward, a little bit of recruiting and last, answering the question about what impact Geno has had on the women's game. For those who don't know, there's an organization called the Female Coaching Network, and after Geno's comments about female coaches an obscure job search counselor made a post that questioned Geno's impact on the game. Helen (ThisJustin) and Doug Bruno have responded eloquently and Jim does so here in his blog.

What I find most interesting in Jim's piece is this remarkable story:

More recently an organization consisting of female coaches had a post on social media asking what impact Auriemma has made to the game. The fact that somebody who I assume is involved in the sport has to even ask the question is beyond pathetic. There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. Auriemma said to her to make the notes on her scouting report as few and far between as possible. Tell me how many coaches would take that step? How many times have coaches come to watch his practices and I've never heard of a time when he said no. Try asking Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri of the role Auriemma had when she went after that job or count the number of his former players who have headed into the coaching profession.

 

[UcMiami]

Very fierce article, and very good.

 

[Charliebball]

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville: UConn's Final Four loss to level playing field? I don't think so

Jim takes on a wide range of topics while talking about the impact of UConn's loss, the basketball landscape going forward, a little bit of recruiting and last, answering the question about what impact Geno has had on the women's game. For those who don't know, there's an organization called the Female Coaching Network, and after Geno's comments about female coaches an obscure job search counselor made a post that questioned Geno's impact on the game. Helen (ThisJustin) and Doug Bruno have responded eloquently and Jim does so here in his blog.

What I find most interesting in Jim's piece is this remarkable story:

More recently an organization consisting of female coaches had a post on social media asking what impact Auriemma has made to the game. The fact that somebody who I assume is involved in the sport has to even ask the question is beyond pathetic. There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. Auriemma said to her to make the notes on her scouting report as few and far between as possible. Tell me how many coaches would take that step? How many times have coaches come to watch his practices and I've never heard of a time when he said no. Try asking Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri of the role Auriemma had when she went after that job or count the number of his former players who have headed into the coaching profession.

Unfortunately we live in an age where a lifetime of great work can be undermined by a single badly worded or misunderstood sentence by an overly sensitive and poorly informed blogger/pundit............luckily for Geno, his good works are well known throughout the WBB world so any ridiculous charges against his support of women in the sport won't travel very far

 

[EricLA]

Terrific article . I always like reading Fuller's stuff. He's an excellent writer who is honest and forthright in his assessments of comments or quotes he garners. Another great example:

"I don't cover women's soccer and softball at the collegiate level but I haven't heard of North Carolina's Anson Dorrance and Arizona's Mike Candrea being viewed as public enemy No. 1 in the female sports that they dominated. How much of that is Auriemma getting under people's skins and how much of that is simply the amount of pettiness in the women's basketball world? I don't have an answer to that question.

I would think the goal is to have teams coached by the best people but instead the attention turns to the gender of the coaches. It shouldn't matter that Auriemma and Vic Schaefer are men coaching women, it should matter that they have elevated their programs to remarkable levels as have Staley, Stanford's Tara VanDerveer, Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw among others. Take a look at the Oregon State program since Scott Rueck took over and tell me that he hasn't done a remarkable job turning around a program that was in disarray. There's no way what he has done or what Kelly Graves figures to do in the coming years at Oregon is bad for the sport."

I think he's spot on. And if pettiness abounds in WCBB from some "women's only" corners, I have zero sympathy or empathy for them. Go Geno (and anyone else who tries to achieve excellence in their team - whether a male coach or a female one)...

 

[Charliebball]

Terrific article . I always like reading Fuller's stuff. He's an excellent writer who is honest and forthright in his assessments of comments or quotes he garners. Another great example:

"I don't cover women's soccer and softball at the collegiate level but I haven't heard of North Carolina's Anson Dorrance and Arizona's Mike Candrea being viewed as public enemy No. 1 in the female sports that they dominated. How much of that is Auriemma getting under people's skins and how much of that is simply the amount of pettiness in the women's basketball world? I don't have an answer to that question.

I would think the goal is to have teams coached by the best people but instead the attention turns to the gender of the coaches. It shouldn't matter that Auriemma and Vic Schaefer are men coaching women, it should matter that they have elevated their programs to remarkable levels as have Staley, Stanford's Tara VanDerveer, Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw among others. Take a look at the Oregon State program since Scott Rueck took over and tell me that he hasn't done a remarkable job turning around a program that was in disarray. There's no way what he has done or what Kelly Graves figures to do in the coming years at Oregon is bad for the sport."

I think he's spot on. And if pettiness abounds in WCBB from some "women's only" corners, I have zero sympathy or empathy for them. Go Geno (and anyone else who tries to achieve excellence in their team - whether a male coach or a female one)...

That's all true but what's even more galling is that Geno has helped countless female athletes and coaches on his team and on others..............it is beyond an insult for any uninformed social critic to find him wanting when it comes to the advancement of women in all aspects of the sport.......

 

[Phil]

Excellent

 

[ThisJustIn]

Unfortunately we live in an age where a lifetime of great work can be undermined by a single badly worded or misunderstood sentence by an overly sensitive and poorly informed blogger/pundit..

I recognize the instinct to hyperbole, but seriously? One person's poorly thought out words has no impact on Geno's lifetime of work. Geno's, on the other hand, has.

As for the "we live in an age"? Again - a person's reputation has been subject to attack since humans learned to badmouth each other.

This poor unfortunate soul got all het up about a poorly phrased/thought out comment by Geno about female coaches. The fact that they didn't vet his CV (I think FCN is based in Europe?) and the site published their goofiness doesn't speak well for the supervisor. BUT, in this day and age, readers are unwilling to pay for quality reporting and the industry is suffering.

Ya wanna thank Jim Fuller? Subscribe.

 

[UcMiami]

Eric - I do like you final sentence, but I do understand the concerns being expressed about what is going into gender changes, which is not dissimilar to similar concerns throughout professional sports regarding racial disparities in coaching or across academia regarding gender issues which have been greatly improved in the last 40 years but are still probably not fully balanced and across all walks of life as well.
To be concerned is prudent, to be glib which I think the format of the questions posed last week was is to be irresponsible.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Many fans of other programs won't like what Jim has to say.

 

[bags27]

Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.....Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles. Emerson, Self-Reliance

Right: Geno was under a lot of pressure when a flippant question was asked and I think he didn't answer it wisely. We can focus on that or on a lifetime's body of work that it, far and away, the greatest in WCBB and ranks with the very best work done ever in all college athletics.

Frankly, the more criticism and whining about Geno, the easier it is for him. Not that he would wish it to be easier. But it distracts the whiners from facing the fact that they need to get better, not pray that Geno gets worse.

 

[Charliebball]

Real issues involving possible inequality are far more interesting.......don't know if anybody has seen this tough one:

Cincinnati will play at a high school for 2017-2018 season.

 

[UConnCat]

So no guesses as to which AA asked Geno for advice and was given UConn's scouting report?

It doesn't matter, of course, but as much as I love Geno's response, I love that an All-American player was willing to ask after a tough loss.

 

[EricLA]

So no guesses as to which AA asked Geno for advice and was given UConn's scouting report?

It doesn't matter, of course, but as much as I love Geno's response, I love that an All-American player was willing to ask after a tough loss.

How many teams did UCONN play where they had a player who was an AA last year? I think only Maryland (Walker Kimbrough), Nina Davis (Baylor) and SC (Wilson). Any others?

 

[JS]

So no guesses as to which AA asked Geno for advice and was given UConn's scouting report?

There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. [emphasis supplied]
​

I'm guessing A'ja Wilson.

1. All American
2. Approached Auriemma - implies personal relationship. He coached her in USA basketball, recruited her strongly. She's felt free to pick his brains before.



3. Lost to Huskies - in Storrs. 9:00 p.m. game; overnight, plenty of access.
4. Could've knocked UConn out of tourney. Yeah, if say Baylor and ND were the other side of the Final Four.

 

[Charliebball]

There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. [emphasis supplied]
​

I'm guessing A'ja Wilson.

1. All American
2. Approached Auriemma - implies personal relationship. He coached her in USA basketball, recruited her strongly. She's felt free to pick his brains before.



3. Lost to Huskies - in Storrs. 9:00 p.m. game; overnight, plenty of access.
4. Could've knocked UConn out of tourney. Yeah, if say Baylor and ND were the other side of the Final Four.

Gee if it's Aja I could have given her the same scouting report..........only knows how to drive to her left.................

 

[BroadwayVa]

Unfortunately we live in an age where a lifetime of great work can be undermined by a single badly worded or misunderstood sentence by an overly sensitive and poorly informed blogger/pundit..luckily for Geno, his good works are well known throughout the WBB world so any ridiculous charges against his support of women in the sport won't travel very far

Amen brother Amen--the (local) choir is listening!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. [emphasis supplied]
​

I'm guessing A'ja Wilson.

1. All American
2. Approached Auriemma - implies personal relationship. He coached her in USA basketball, recruited her strongly. She's felt free to pick his brains before.



3. Lost to Huskies - in Storrs. 9:00 p.m. game; overnight, plenty of access.
4. Could've knocked UConn out of tourney. Yeah, if say Baylor and ND were the other side of the Final Four.

Aj a isn't the only NON Uconn WBB player that has become better because of help Geno gave her ---Angel McCroughty (sp) spoke long and loud about the difference he made to her game---and she was much better.

I don't drink Geno's wine or aid---I'm critical of some things he does--but I write often about his "giving back" and he gives to any player, amateur, pro, college who asks his advice--it is given freely and willingly. His value system is much like the one I was raised on--and sometimes follow--it would appear he follows it much better than I.

 

[UcMiami]

So no guesses as to which AA asked Geno for advice and was given UConn's scouting report?

It doesn't matter, of course, but as much as I love Geno's response, I love that an All-American player was willing to ask after a tough loss.

Well, if it was as he says this year, and it was pre-tournament as he implies then it is a limited selection of possibles WBCA:
Baylor
SC
OSUe
ND
If you include the USBWA and or AP 1st through 3rd list you can add 2x from MD.

Strikes me as an upperclassman type of question so I would drop Baylor from contention.

 

[huskeynut]

An excellent article.

Jim really lays it on the line for a couple of "sensitive" issues. Geno's answer about women's coaches was well versed and very thoughtful. But as with any other profession, there are those who are at the ready to pounce and tear you down if you do not meet every point of their agenda.

 

[UcMiami]

There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. [emphasis supplied]
​

I'm guessing A'ja Wilson.

1. All American
2. Approached Auriemma - implies personal relationship. He coached her in USA basketball, recruited her strongly. She's felt free to pick his brains before.



3. Lost to Huskies - in Storrs. 9:00 p.m. game; overnight, plenty of access.
4. Could've knocked UConn out of tourney. Yeah, if say Baylor and ND were the other side of the Final Four.

Good choice - but ... he never coached her for USA basketball, did he? He has only coached national team for the last 8 years and she has never been invited to NT camps. And before that she would have been too young to be considered for U16 let alone other USA teams.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.....Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles. Emerson, Self-Reliance

Right: Geno was under a lot of pressure when a flippant question was asked and I think he didn't answer it wisely. We can focus on that or on a lifetime's body of work that it, far and away, the greatest in WCBB and ranks with the very best work done ever in all college athletics.

Frankly, the more criticism and whining about Geno, the easier it is for him. Not that he would wish it to be easier. But it distracts the whiners from facing the fact that they need to get better, not pray that Geno gets worse.

So much here to teach lessons with or with which to teach lessons (your choice). The top highlighted ---took years of living to learn that--a person without principles is no person at all---but you need not hold your principles in the face of others--they are personal.
You can take the guy out of Philly but you can't take the wiseass out of the Philly guy
Whiners won't learn until it's too late---while Geno will wine--with his branded wine!!

 

[JS]

Good choice - but ... he never coached her for USA basketball, did he?

You're right. Dawn was her coach on the 2015 U19 team.

I'll blame the backdrop in the video, lacking anything better.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville: UConn's Final Four loss to level playing field? I don't think so

Jim takes on a wide range of topics while talking about the impact of UConn's loss, the basketball landscape going forward, a little bit of recruiting and last, answering the question about what impact Geno has had on the women's game. For those who don't know, there's an organization called the Female Coaching Network, and after Geno's comments about female coaches an obscure job search counselor made a post that questioned Geno's impact on the game. Helen (ThisJustin) and Doug Bruno have responded eloquently and Jim does so here in his blog.

What I find most interesting in Jim's piece is this remarkable story:

More recently an organization consisting of female coaches had a post on social media asking what impact Auriemma has made to the game. The fact that somebody who I assume is involved in the sport has to even ask the question is beyond pathetic. There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. Auriemma said to her to make the notes on her scouting report as few and far between as possible. Tell me how many coaches would take that step? How many times have coaches come to watch his practices and I've never heard of a time when he said no. Try asking Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri of the role Auriemma had when she went after that job or count the number of his former players who have headed into the coaching profession.

Certainly confirms for the umpteenth time the bitterness/jealousy of the old girls network. Too pathetic to get upset about.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

There is a story this year of an All-American who approached Auriemma after her team lost to the Huskies asking for advice on how to get better. Even though there is a chance that player could have knocked his Huskies out of the tournament, he took her aside and told her what UConn's scouting report was. [emphasis supplied]
​

I'm guessing A'ja Wilson.

1. All American
2. Approached Auriemma - implies personal relationship. He coached her in USA basketball, recruited her strongly. She's felt free to pick his brains before.



3. Lost to Huskies - in Storrs. 9:00 p.m. game; overnight, plenty of access.
4. Could've knocked UConn out of tourney. Yeah, if say Baylor and ND were the other side of the Final Four.

Geno did not like A'ja's wise guy insolence in that presser.

 

[UConnCat]

Good choice - but ... he never coached her for USA basketball, did he? He has only coached national team for the last 8 years and she has never been invited to NT camps. And before that she would have been too young to be considered for U16 let alone other USA teams.

He didn't coach her but he recruited her so there is a personal relationship.