Shea --Missing The Big Picture.

[AYusef]

Geno is one of the all time great coaches but UConn Women's Basketball is a brand.

Exactly...However, it will be very difficult to maintain this level of sheer excellence. Though I fully expect Geno to add a few more NC to his resume before he hangs them up.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I don't mind assumptions in posts. I don't mind presumptions in posts. I don't mind wild predictions in posts. BUT when it comes to fiction, leave me out.

 

[Twolf]

That is what I originally thought as well, but then I heard there might have been a rift with her and GA over it.

I don’t doubt that you heard it, but the reason I would discount it being accurate is that if it were true it would have been handled face to face with neither party having anything to gain by it becoming public. If either made it public, it not only is negative PR for both parties, but would hurt team morale knowing the staff wasn’t all on the same page. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, because I know no more than you, but I am saying if it’s true I don’t believe anyone else would have ever heard about it, & it would have been handled in a professional manner- something both individuals take pride in exhibiting.

 

[CL82]

From what I have read and heard, J has little interest in coaching and it seems she might have only took the Uconn job to work with GA, which I assumes she find enjoyable.

Does anybody think Shea left, in part due to some issues she and GA had with her departure from the team during the tournament? I vaguely remember GA said something that made it seem like he was not happy with that situation. Maybe, I got it wrong, just asking...

LOL, no. Vanderbilt was an excellent opportunity at the school at which her husband was an assistant I knew intimately. They are about to drop off ton of money building facility and they take women’s basketball seriously. There are only a handful of jobs like that in the country and she got one of them. We don’t have to look any further than that for her motivation. In fact, the fact that she got it without head-coaching experience speaks well of both her and Connecticut program.

 

[jazz]

Heard from where. The honey please

I don't remember to be honest. I thought GA has said something that was less than happy with Shea's decision. Anyway, I'm happy to drop it since nobody has collaborated it.

 

[Cuango]

I would love to see Sue as the next coach, however I don't see it happening. I think that at this time she would find the job to restrictive. She has been a player and recently an on air tv personality, The WNBA season is no longer that WCBB she has the ability to travel and pick her jobs outside of playing. Coaching at UCONN would be a full time job, I'm not sure she is ready for that much commitment at this time.

I’m always puzzled when I hear people touting Sue or Dee as the best choices to succeed someone like Geno. Geno is a brilliant coach! They were brilliant players! We have absolutely no idea if they would or even could be a great coach! I would rather find someone with at least some kind of track record that shows they actually know something about coaching!

 

[Beemer]

Whoever the choice is to eventually succeed Geno IMO it needs to be done fairly soon- at 65 he is far closer to the end of his career than to the beginning. Thankfully he is in good health and still enjoys the pressures that come from leading a very successful program. However that could change at any time. I'd hate to see everything he & CD built circle the drain because UConn had to scramble to find their successors (I don't think CD will follow Geno as HC)

 

[BRS24]

I’m always puzzled when I hear people touting Sue or Dee as the best choices to succeed someone like Geno. Geno is a brilliant coach! They were brilliant players! We have absolutely no idea if they would or even could be a great coach! I would rather find someone with at least some kind of track record that shows they actually know something about coaching!

Agree 100%. I'm amazed when former players at the NBA, NCAA M&WBB are mentioned as possible coaches/successors/saviors. On what basis? Just imagine the depth of knowledge that is acquired over the years for Geno, Hammon, Pop, Jackson, Tara, etc, etc.

 

[uconnfan68]

Whoever the choice is to eventually succeed Geno IMO it needs to be done fairly soon- at 65 he is far closer to the end of his career than to the beginning. Thankfully he is in good health and still enjoys the pressures that come from leading a very successful program. However that could change at any time. I'd hate to see everything he & CD built circle the drain because UConn had to scramble to find their successors (I don't think CD will follow Geno as HC)

Well, you really can’t keep a coach-in-waiting on the bench. That almost never works well. If the cupboard is stocked, you’ll have plenty of suitors, but following a legend is going to be a daunting task for anyone.

 

[Rb335]

I am very curios to see how Kara Lawson does at Duke. I know she has some NBA experience, but if she thrives, I would think someone like Rebecca Lobo could as well. I like her as a candidate because she's established roots in CT, she has the personality for the media aspect of the job, and she is a recognizable face to all kids currently being recruited. If they watch any big games, they know Rebecca Lobo.

I think we place a lot of emphasis on coaches that frankly most kids don't even know. I respect the work Duffy is putting in, but prior to us moving to the woeful big east, nobody paid much attention to what she was doing at Marquette. Kids watch the P5 conferences on TV, so you'd like to think the coach will come from those schools. I still think Shea could be lured back, along with Marissa to fill CDs role, if they both have success at that level. Shea seems to have the brand recognition more than Marissa, but the hire of Valley shows the program likes to keep it in the family.

Thankfully, Geno definitely has some good years left, so a qualified candidate may surface in the years to come. In the meantime, we need the Big East to become a mini power 5 conference with teams like Marquette, Villanova, Depaul & Seton Hall regularly making the NCAA Tournament. Right now, recruiting has no issues because of the allure of playing for the best coach in the business. When he retires, it will be a less proven coach, great facilities, average academics, somewhat undesirable location, and a mediocre conference.

 

[Majic Hands]

If no one has done what Geno and Chris have done. Why is there the believe that the program will continue as "just" if the "Right" person comes in and gets training from Geno and CD?

Anyone. Anyone! will have Different idea on how things work regardless who the mentors are. Where are all the monster programs built by Mr wooden's AC's?

The program built by Geno and Chris is a One Off. I'm just hoping they are having enough influence that more and more coaches see young women as basketball players not kids playing girls basketball.

People . Enjoy what we have gotten to see and get to see as long as we can. Whenever or however they step down. It's done. They have created the new gold standard.

I'm hopeful that in 10-15 years there are 20 teams playing at the UConn level.

 

[Waquoit]

Geno is one of the all time great coaches but UConn Women's Basketball is a brand.

So was La Tech.

 

[bluedevil]

So was La Tech.

As was Old Dominion once upon a time

 

[NormanDale]

I think we are missing the big picture with Shea leaving. When Geno does leave, she will have had a few years as a D1 coach in a major conference. And combined with her years of playing, coaching and recruiting top rated players, she would be the the perfect replacement. None of the former player/coaches have put in the time and effort with the team that she has put in.

Additionally, we avoid the "Holly" Syndrome-following a Hall of Fame coach. .

Coach Elliott will be the HC when Geno and CD leave, throughout this past season it became very apparent to me that Geno would look to Elliott the most for input throughout the games. Of course he got input from CD and Shea as well, but it seemed he was ALWAYS conversing with Jamelle. Elliott has prior HC experience and did a pretty damn good job turning around an abysmal Cinci program. In her last season she lead them to 19 wins(the most for Cinci in 15 years), and an NIT birth, all while literally playing in a HS gym because renovations were happening at Fifth Third Arena.