POLL: Who was Geno's biggest recruiting jackpot? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

POLL: Who was Geno's biggest recruiting jackpot?

Who amongst these players represents Geno's biggest recruiting jackpot?

  • Jennifer Rizzotti

    Votes: 17 17.0%

  • Kara Wolters

    Votes: 19 19.0%

  • Sue Bird

    Votes: 35 35.0%

  • Maria Conlon

    Votes: 3 3.0%

  • Jamelle Elliot

    Votes: 4 4.0%

  • Kelly Faris

    Votes: 6 6.0%

  • Stefanie Dolson

    Votes: 15 15.0%
  • Total voters
    100
Status
Not open for further replies.
I picked Bird, only because Rebecca wasn't a choice. Without her, maybe we would have still been a powerhouse, but it wouldnt have happened as soon and maybe not to this point.

She was the right person at the right time.
 
In answer to the OP, I think you have to go with Bird.
 
vowelguy said:
The key to building a great program is being able to keep recruits from your own back yard. Rebecca was a top 10 player, and had attention from everyone. UConn had never landed such players before. and it was still a team that had just a couple of NCAA appearances. Getting lobo confirmed that UConn was more than a bit player; a fact that was emphasized a season later when it went to its first final 4.

Does Rizz commit to UConn a year later without Lobo? Maybe. Maybe not.

Does UConn win a nc title in 95 and get loads of press without lobo? No.

Lobo was the building block for everything -- recruiting, fan interest, and success on the court. I can't believe there's even a debate.
Expand ...

The key question here is whether you think Rebecca delivered beyond the wildest dreams of someone recruiting a super-blue chip everyone expected to be great. If you think she did, and you've provided a good, admissible argument, then I concede she should be in this discussion and at the top thereof.
 
Answer to orig qst- All of the Above!
2nd - I agree with every post above!
 
I still try to figure out how DT won the 2nd and 3rd NC's- especially 2nd. So I don't know if it is DT, or these other highly improbable pieces like Conlon, Barb Turner? We can make cases for everyone above. What was Kerry B. Ranked out of HS?
 
.-.
alexrgct said:
The key question here is whether you think Rebecca delivered beyond the wildest dreams of someone recruiting a super-blue chip everyone expected to be great. If you think she did, and you've provided a good, admissible argument, then I concede she should be in this discussion and at the top thereof.
Expand ...

It's clear half the people unintentionally (read deliberately) ignored the parameters of the post. This particular board is often akin to herding cats.
 
intlzncster said:
It's clear half the people unintentionally (read deliberately) ignored the parameters of the post. This particular board is often akin to herding cats.
Expand ...
You expected something else?
 
SportsPageMike said:
You are missing Mel Thomas. Plus, I know that her mom didn't really care for Geno much.
Expand ...

Gossip, pure gossip, unless you can document or a mind reader. I await convincing.

BTW, as the parent of a DI athlete, I can tell you that I, on occasion, was defensive about coaching decisions, but I always tried to get over myself.

All parents need some time and some slack, and their thoughts do not have to be set in concrete.
 
.-.
alexrgct said:
This could be fun. Of course defining "jackpot" is hard, though you recognize one when you see one. I guess you describe a jackpot as "The player whose contribution to UConn's program exceeded expectations most greatly."
Expand ...

You left off one player who most exceeded expectations, mostly because no one had any expectations or knew how good she was until she traveled further than any other recruit to get here- Svetlana!
 
I picked Wolters, mainly because she was not effective (IIRC) her first year - all she had was height. But by her senior season she was NPOY. Bird, even tho ranked about 20, was considered by most a top 5 player, but because I think Blue Star was the only recruiting service around, and Sue chose to play AAU hoops NOT with the guy who ran Blue Star (Mike Flynn?), he rated her way low. So I guess she was a surprise if you go off their ratings, but not by anyone else who knew who Sue was... At least that's my recollection. If I got it wrong, I'm sure someone on here with a better memory will correct me!
 
The term "Jackpot" means something unexpected so that is why I voted for Maria Conlon, the ever steady point guard!
 
Icebear said:
You are kidding right?!?
Expand ...
I think there is a documented basis for this statement, and it is from Mel's book "Heart of a Husky". It wasn't as negative as the summary above indicates. As I recall, when Mel was still a senior in high school and was choosing between schools, she discussed the subject with her mother, and her mother offered her opinion that Geno was "full of himself". (Apparently he had not failed to repeat several times that UConn had won 5 National Championships.) Mel said that was actually what she wanted, and proceeded to choose UConn anyway.

There is no indication that I recall from the book that Mel's mother continued to have a negative opinion of Geno once her daughter became a valued part of the basketball team.
 
vowelguy said:
Rebecca lobo without a doubt. Most important recruit ever.
Expand ...
As has been mentioned, it's no doubt Kerry Bascom. She's the girl who put UConn on the map, leading them to the Final Four! Prior to her coming, UConn had absolutely no notoriety. I don't think Rebecca would have even considered UConn had it not been for the success and prominence that Kerry Bascom helped bring to the Huskies. Kerry was the FOUNDATION of UConn basketball and I'm sure Geno will totally acknowledge that. Lobo helped push UConn over the top (along with Jen and Nykesha and Jamelle but long before Rebecca, it was Kerry!
 
I think if you look up "jackpot" in the dictionary, there is a photo of Diana next to the definition!

I chose Sue B because Diana is not on this list & IMO, she is the best point guard to ever come thru the program.
 
.-.
alexrgct said:
This could be fun. Of course defining "jackpot" is hard, though you recognize one when you see one. I guess you describe a jackpot as "The player whose contribution to UConn's program exceeded expectations most greatly." None of my choices were high school top 10 recruits. They did receive some varying amounts of national attention coming out of high school, but didn't have "Future NPOY" or "Player who'd make every one of the 330+ Division 1 programs better" written in their recruiting profiles.

All seven of my choices won national championships, three have won NPOY, and all of them have made enormous contributions to the program (e.g., leadership, coaching, broadcasting) that go beyond "just" playing basketball well.

I wish I could have kept the list to six so that I could leave room for an option for "other". If you want to vote for other, give her a shout out in the thread! Sue Bird may have been the most heralded of recruits in the list, but as I recall she was ranked 15-20 and won two NCs and NPOY awards. Thus, I felt I had to include her.

Anyway, take your pick...
Expand ...
If this is about which player we never thought would end up great then this is easy. When Kara Walters came out of high school NOBODY wanted her. Her father, I believe is in the BC Hall Of Fame, and they didn't want her. Remember, she's 6'7" and wasn't highly recruited. Have a player that tall to practice against. She was heavy and slow. I heard Geno use to have her run stairs while the other girls practiced (I don't know if it's true or legend). Jen would be runner up because she was all state in high school in CT, but nobody envisioned her as a future All American and NPOY. I actually think we got what we expected from Jamelle and Kelly, tough hard nosed kids who wouldn't let themselves get out worked. Maria gave us more than I thought she would, but still was never an all conference player. Sue and Steph were McD's All Americans except we thought Sue would be the 2 guard and Kirsten Walters would play point.
 
{You are missing Mel Thomas. Plus, I know that her mom didn't really care for Geno much.}
[You are kidding right?!?]

Gossip and bull crap get you nowhere in life.
 
SportsPageMike said:
{You are missing Mel Thomas. Plus, I know that her mom didn't really care for Geno much.}
[You are kidding right?!?]

Gossip and bull crap get you nowhere in life.
Expand ...

You are right. So why are you promoting it. The individual on the board who spent the most time with Mel and the family would strongly dispute your assertion.
 
{You are missing Mel Thomas. Plus, I know that her mom didn't really care for Geno much.}
[You are kidding right?!?]

{Gossip and bull crap get you nowhere in life.}

Icebear said:
You are right. So why are you promoting it. The individual on the board who spent the most
time with Mel and the family would strongly dispute your assertion.
Expand ...

Ice, I am not being disrespectful. Granted, I read more than I post on this board. Many people know who I am here and the friendship that I had with the Thomas'.
 
meyers7 said:
In answer to the OP, I think you have to go with Bird.
Expand ...

I agree, IIRC, Bird wasn't projected to be the best PG in the class and ended up as the best PG in the world.
 
.-.
SportsPageMike said:
{You are missing Mel Thomas. Plus, I know that her mom didn't really care for Geno much.}
[You are kidding right?!?]

{Gossip and bull crap get you nowhere in life.}



Ice, I am not being disrespectful. Granted, I read more than I post on this board. Many people know who I am here and the friendship that I had with the Thomas'.
Expand ...
Since you are anonymous and I know the person I am speaking of and who stayed at the Thomases home I still trust what I know from him over someone I have no clue about. Now if you are talking about a short period at the beginning of recruiting or before Mel matriculated that is different than your naked statement without qualifiers.
 
The more I think about it the funnier it is that a guy using an alias pulled out the "Don't you know who I am" card.
 
{Since you are anonymous and I know the person I am speaking of and who stayed at the Thomases home I still trust what I know from him over someone I have no clue about. Now if you are talking about a short period at the beginning of recruiting or before Mel matriculated that is different than your naked statement without qualifiers.}

I am not sure of why you say that I am anonymous. If it matters to you but I have been to their home as well. This is a post that Mary wrote on FB after my niece was tragically killed in Newtown.
 

Attachments

  • Image1.jpg
    Image1.jpg
    43.4 KB · Views: 34
If you want to go with the list provided...
It's "The Big Girl".
Where everyone else thought "Big Bird" flopping her way out of high school,
the Maestro saw big possibilities... whispered "Kara-esa mi" in her ear & made history with his foresight.


Ched & 7961...
and we other cat-herders, will have to go with Diana as the historic turning point of the program.
D established that, counter to established Geographic "knowledge" of the day, there was at least one road that allowed one to get from California to Connecticut. That realization moved UConn from a sleepy, snow covered, regional program to the modern Mecca of the roundball religion.
(Of course, given the fact that no one in Tinassee or on Tabacky Road spoke Eye-talian, Geno's pitch was infinitely easier.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
167,967
Messages
4,547,189
Members
10,430
Latest member
TeganK


Top Bottom