Geno is easy to love and to hate, depending on who you root for. He's done an absolutely remarkable job building a program from truly nothing to the very top of the game. Like him or not, we have something in Storrs you may never see again.
He's a great recruiter - in two respects. He obviously gets superior talent, but he also focuses on a certain "type." He's been pretty candid that not everyone can play for him, and he wants kids - and parents - who completely buy in to his vision. And that vision is a quest for perfection. He wants his kids to play a certain way, every play of every game. He pushes and needles and prods his players to their absolute limits to get the very most out of them, and during the process it's often not pleasant. Even a favorite like Taurasi said in the recent interview that she dreaded going to practice. Lobo thought about transferring. But as you can see from the alumni in the stands, the kids are UConn family for life.
I think he and CD are also superb game tacticians. He develops effective game plans and adjusts very well during contests. It's not an accident he's undefeated in title games. He flat out-coached Summit their championship games.
Geno is also extremely entertaining and quick with one-liners. It just naturally pours out of him. Like anyone ad-libbing, some are hilarious and some miss the mark. Again, it's part of the reason some love and some hate him.
Is he brash? Hell, yeah. I'm not sure he could have accomplished what he's done if he weren't a cocky guy. At the same time, I've had an opportunity to talk to him at meet and greets, and he's extremely personable in that type of venue. You take the good and bad with everyone, and Connecticut has a treasure in him. We are so very, very fortunate to have he and JC leave their legacies here.
