Replacing a Legend and Recovering

[ConnHuskBask]

This is just peak Connecticut.

Any of you guys think the girls would give the boys a run for der money this season??

 

[nychuskyfan]

Tim Pikiell has accomplished little coaching. Steve Pikiell is the coach at Rutgers. I'm sure a big UConn fan like you knew that though.

Well actually I’ve watched probably every game since 1985, which is why I know Tim Pikiell exists. But thanks for correcting me - you must be good at using Google.

 

[whaler11]

I presume you are an alum of some kind. How awesome is the NC ST. fan experience going?

The kick to the balls we have endured is like nothing I can imagine a similar fan base encountering. I would also argue we have the 2 most satisfying championship runs over the past 25 years. And 2 more ships to add to it.

I lived in Raleigh near the campus for a few years and had football and basketball tickets. I have to go to Raleigh for work for a couple of days so I just timed it with a home game.

We have great memories - but memories just aren't so valuable to me when there isn't any hope of creating new ones. It comes off as sad.

I'm watching the Bonnies in Dayton right now and Dayton's atmosphere is so much better than UConn or that funeral tonight in Tulsa that I am almost willing to entertain dropping the football program just to potentially save something.

 

[intlzncster]

So you are saying recruits would be more impressed by a visit from Tim (Steve?)Pikiell? That is batsh!t crazy.

I don't think anyone really wants Pikiell anyway. He got a nice win at Rutgers, not much else.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'm continually reminded that a segment of our fanbase is spoiled rotten to the core, which logically results in a lot of whiny, crybaby tantrums when we experience some adversity. Other than a small handful of blue blood schools, every other school in NCAA D-I, about 345 of them or so, would kill to have our basketball resume.

Please, we just lost to Tulsa in double OT. We had our first losing season in forever last year. We're 7-7 this year. Is it too much for us to ask for competency?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I have zero doubt that Geno can teach fundamentals, offensive sets, defense, etc. better than all but perhaps a handful of people who ever taught the game.

I have zero doubt that Geno can handle the X's & O's, game plan and breakdown opponents' strengths and weaknesses better than all but perhaps a handful of people who ever coached the game.

The concerns are that I don't know if his personality would work with the egos that the better players in the men's game have, especially as most will be long gone from college basketball before he had close to the time teaching them as each would require. He isn't used to one and done players, they are very likely to require star treatment that neither he nor his system would allow.

There also would be a potential issue of many recruits viewing him as a girl's coach and being unwilling to give him a fair chance during recruitment.

 

[whaler11]

Well actually I’ve watched probably every game since 1985, which is why I know Tim Pikiell exists. But thanks for correcting me - you must be good at using Google.

Or I grew up in the next town and am the pretty much the same age as them. Either that or Google.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I don't think anyone really wants Pikiell anyway. He got a nice win at Rutgers, not much else.

People would be extremely disappointed with a Pikell hire at this point. We jumped the gun on his ability after that Seton Hall win.

 

[Walker11]

Not remotely ok with it.

Realizing that I can’t control it and that I am pretty damned lucky to have experienced what I have experienced, especially given where we were with Perno when I first became a fan? Yeah I’ll agree to that.

I will say the defeatist, reflective attitude shown by the 2 of us, who I consider rational and decent fans is pretty sad considering we won a championship in 2014. The reflecting on the good old days when we won a ship just 4 years ago is kinda sad. Thanks KO and UCONN admin.

 

[UofCT]

Haven’t heard this take yet

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The death storm is keeping the crazies inside and on the BY (or calling WFAN).

The super moon didn't help any.

 

[UConnNick]

I don’t think most people would say there’s no indication he could coach men and it’s a different sport. There are much more rational and nuanced arguments against it.

Some of you may not know it, but Geno coached his son Michael's AAU team for at least one summer and perhaps more. Try coaching a bunch of 15-17 year old male players, all of whom are being told by their entourage that they're destined for NBA stardom. I wonder how much of that nonsense Geno put up with on the court? I'll bet it lasted all of two minutes into their very first practice, and then it was all over with for the rest of their season.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Some of you may not know it, but Geno coached his son Michael's AAU team for at least one summer and perhaps more. Try coaching a bunch of 15-17 year old male players, all of whom are being told by their entourage that they're destined for NBA stardom. I wonder how much of that nonsense Geno put up with on the court? I'll bet it lasted all of two minutes into their very first practice, and then it was all over with for the rest of their season.

Who was on that AAU team that thought he was NBA bound?

 

[nychuskyfan]

Because it's just that stupid of an idea. I would hope no one would think Geno isn't capable. It's more Geno would never want to.

There are apparently plenty of people on this board who think he isn’t capable. Seems like a moot point though - I had always heard he wouldn’t be interested but didn’t know if it was pure speculation or not.

 

[whaler11]

Sorry I hit a nerve sport. I haven’t watched every game since 85, but most. Forgot about Steve’s brother, but you, me and everyone else knows you screwed up and I made a joke about it, so how’s about you not take yourself or the game too seriously, k?

Nobody could watch every game since 85 unless they were with the program because slews of games back then weren't on TV.

 

[whaler11]

Some of you may not know it, but Geno coached his son Michael's AAU team for at least one summer and perhaps more. Try coaching a bunch of 15-17 year old male players, all of whom are being told by their entourage that they're destined for NBA stardom. I wonder how much of that nonsense Geno put up with on the court? I'll bet it lasted all of two minutes into their very first practice, and then it was all over with for the rest of their season.

I actually saw some of their practices - our league used the court when they were done with it.

Rest easy there were no entourages nearby to ruin the instruction.

 

[TRest]

I actually saw some of their practices - our league used the court when they were done with it.

Rest easy there were no entourages nearby to ruin the instruction.

Did they win a national championship.

 

[whaler11]

Did they win a national championship.

I imagine they won every game by 50.

I think I've told this story before but if I didn't (and it will illustrate FCF's point):

Geno was hanging around after practice and our game had started. We were getting beat like 16-6 and one of our guys absolutely clobbered some guy going down the lane. Geno came over to our bench to let us know how bad we sucked (literally - 'you guys bleeping suck') - once he shared his opinion one of the guys on my team told him to "get the (banned word) out of here and go coach (banned word) girls.

We actually weren't that bad, our best players just had a habit of showing up late and high.

I've grown to like him over the years because he just says whatever the hell he wants and it's entertaining.

 

[Sea Goat]

I saw signs of life. Not from him, though.

Yup - I was proud of the kids tonight. A lot of good things or signs of life as you say. We kind of lost the old fashioned way. We tried hard and came up short. The kids did this on their own though. The coaches were still out of it, however.

 

[8893]

Nobody could watch every game since 85 unless they were with the program because slews of games back then weren't on TV.

Are you saying he’s not with the program?

 

[TRest]

I imagine they won every game by 50.

I think I've told this story before but if I didn't (and it will illustrate FCF's point):

Geno was hanging around after practice and our game had started. We were getting beat like 16-6 and one of our guys absolutely clobbered some guy going down the lane. Geno came over to our bench to let us know how bad we sucked - once he shared his opinion one of the guys on my team told him to "get the (banned word) out of here and go coach (banned word) girls.

I've grown to like him over the years because he just says whatever the hell he wants and it's entertaining.

He’s the best interview when allowed to talk about more than Stewie’s jump shot, and I seriously think he could do a great job coaching men somewhere. But he’s far too smart to take over this tire fire.

 

[whaler11]

Are you saying he’s not with the program?

I assumed it was Shawn Ellison and he’s still angry that Steve got more burn.

 

[uconnfan68]

Do you really need this spelled out for you? What indication is there he could coach men? He coaches a different sport.

Then why is he in the same HOF as JC? And he has coached AAU boys teams.

 

[whaler11]

He’s the best interview when allowed to talk about more than Stewie’s jump shot, and I seriously think he could do a great job coaching men somewhere. But he’s far too smart to take over this tire fire.

I imagine that had he gone down the road initially to coach in the men's game he would have been successful. There is no way to switch horses midstream.

1. The player/coach dynamic is so different
2. The negative recruiting would handle itself. He'd never get the players he needed at this level to compete. Maybe he could win in the Patriot or Ivy League now because players attracted to the academics might be a fit - but the players you need to win in a Power 7 league? The 'Is he going to get you to the WNBA jokes' write themselves.

 

[uconnfan68]

He would never do it, but don’t delude yourself into thinking he couldn’t do it.

 

[TRest]

Then why is he in the same HOF as JC? And he has coached AAU boys teams.

C. Vivian Stringer is in the HOF. You hiring her?

 

[housekeys]

The dynamics, recruitment and so on, are different and make a big difference between genders. However, no matter what the make up of his team, I firmly believe Geno would get the most from the players that he brought in and wanted to play for him. Having said that, it is a moot point, and I would not advocate for it to happen.

 

[HooperScooper]

... to Chris Daley. She deserves it. And time for the powers that be to plead(with a sweet boost in pay) for Geno to take over the men's program. Two, maybe three years and the men would be back in the Final Four. It would cement Geno Auriemma as the greatest basketball coach in the history of the game. Please, somebody make this happen because what's happening now is ruining the tradition of UConn Men's basketball.

 

[intlzncster]

2. The negative recruiting would handle itself. He'd never get the players he needed at this level to compete. Maybe he could win in the Patriot or Ivy League now because players attracted to the academics might be a fit - but the players you need to win in a Power 7 league? The 'Is he going to get you to the WNBA jokes' write themselves.

Don't downplay my material.

 

[jibsey]

Geno could teach offense better than KO especially ball movement but Geno is working with the best players in the women’s game. As a men’s coach does he have that? No.