SI planning a story on Geno and Muffet?

[hoophuskee]

Now I hope that Tara doesn't do a "HA-RUMPF!" and then condescendingly remind anyone listening:

"What's the big deal? I already have TWO Samuelsons!"​

Good one!!

Great one!!!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Just some points to get out there.
1. Just as JS stated above, in the Geno vs Cappie affair, CViv said at a press conference that, "Geno called Cappie a name no woman should be called in any situation!" After the Big East looked into all the charges they said nothing happened! CViv was never made to apologize, so the Rutgers AD did! Cviv coaches a [mod edit] style of play, mouthing off, an over physical play etc. Also Geno didn't cotton to CViv's comment when she got the Rutgers job that "Rutgers will become the jewell of the Big East".
2. It is not luck that UCONN players don't lose their "cool" as Cappie did. The way Diana Taurasi behaves now would not be allowed if she still played for Geno & CD! She's a pro now! They recruit people as well as players and the players are evaluated on all types of social situations, how they interact with team mates, coaches, refs, opposing players, and that goes into their recruitment plans! [mod edit] There is a certain way you carry yourself as an athlete, and CD & Geno have all types of rules, like no tweeting, etc. during season to limit chances of problems occurring!
3. Doesn't it bother any TN fans or WBB fans in general, that Ariel Massengale has come out in public and said the last 2 years of players ignored Holly Warlick and the coaching staff, and ran their own plays, and this years team will follow the coaches as the team NOW realize the coaches know more than the players thought! This is wrong on so many levels. If Geno watched his players ignore him and run other plays than what he called, he would have sat them all down and the would have hit the fan! And none of the players he recruited would have even thought to run their own plays!
4. Concerning Muffett's amazing NCAA title in 1991, It was more that UCONN didn't do than what ND did to lose/win that semifinal game!
During the Geno "Legends" show on SNY with Sue Bird last season he asked Sue if she was still pissed at him for what happened at 1/2 time of the UCONN/ND semi in '91 and she smiled and said no, time heals things! He went on to explain that with 15 seconds left in the 1st 1/2, Ratay of ND hit a 3-pointer dropping the margin from 18 to 15 points. When he entered the locker room, he preceded to throw a chair across the room and he went nuts for the full 1/2 time. When the players went out to start the 2nd 1/2 they were all upset and he blames himself for costing that team, with Svet & Shea injured, he considered THAT team as the greatest team in WBB, and they didn't have a title!
5. Muffett McGraw saying that Geno and her have a negative relationship now and he doesn't show any respect for her & ND! Well, you EARN respect, you don't DEMAND respect, and MM wants to be treated as Geno's EQUAL and she isn't even in the same ballpark as Geno! When she has 9 NCAA titles and 17 or whatever Big East titles, and some of the greatest players to ever play WBB, then MAYBE she'll be considered Geno's equal!

 

[connboy77]

I don't have any problem what so ever with Tara. At least she is not afraid to play UCONN like another team that shall go nameless. UCONN has played Stanford in the regular season for a number of years and I hope the series will continue far into the future. This is good for women's basketball!

 

[Tonyc]

You can say and think what you want about Geno and UConn but remember this...WCBB would not be where it is today if Geno and UConn hadnt done what theyve done. He has put WCBB on the map beginning in 1995 and has done it with respect.

 

[HuskyNan]

Re: Geno & Cappie, CVS

JS is right - Geno and Cappie are friends. They spoke a few days after Cappie-gate and everything was resolved between them.

Regarding CVS - no offense to our Rutgers fan friends but CVS can be a tad, um, "out there" sometimes. A member of the Horde told me you can see this in some of CVS's press conferences that waver between rambling, semi-coherent, and unintentionally hilarious. I think she initially thought Geno had said something horrible to Cappie and stood up for her player but even after the situation was ironed out between Geno & Cappie, got this weird fixation on the alleged comment. I've heard rumors that others not associated with Rutgers might have been pouring oil on an already-incendiary topic but it's all second- and third-hand stuff. It has all been resolved, though, and Geno and CVS continue to have a collegial relationship.

 

[Zorro]

Very interesting thread. With regard to Cappiegate, and as an addendum to JS' excellent post above;
1) CVS did not hear what Geno said; it was relayed to her by Cappie.
2) In the excitement of the moment, Cappie very probably and understandably translated what Geno actually said into NY street talk.
3) What CVS was steamed about was NOT what Geno had said, but what Cappie had TOLD her he had said, in translation. Hence the "no human being should have to listen to" remark.
4) Like a certain other coach, once the charge had been made CVS felt that she could not back down without losing face.
5) The whole thing was (I think) blown way out of proportion by the mediaand UConn fans. It did not appear to me that Geno was nearly as put out as wee a lot of Boneyard posters. He certainly NEVER showed anything but respect and affection for Cappie. My guess is that he pretty much figured out what had happened and didn't take it all that seriously.
6) Of course, I could be wrong, but this seems to me the most reasonable explanation of what actually happened.

 

[HuskyNan]

2) In the excitement of the moment, Cappie very probably and understandably translated what Geno actually said into NY street talk.

Cappie is from Chicago.

 

[UcMiami]

Nan - nice summation. Anyone who has listened to a Cviv post game has gotten a feel for how off the wall she can be!
As for 'luck' - anyone that thinks Geno and CD never make mistakes in evaluating recruits ... ok. For the rest of us, they are not perfect. And if you can look at a coach and see that he has screwed up a few times - the ND halftime in 2001, the picking on Sue in practice to force her to break down (two things he has admitted were over the top) and not think that a 18-22 year old kid in the middle of a high pressure competitive situation might not make a mistake even though they are part of our sainted Uconn team doesn't know kids and forgets their own youth! I agree that Geno and CD would handle it well should it happen, but that they somehow have a magic touch that would prevent the possibility of it happening - not buying it.
Again - each year their are something like 350 D1 wcbb programs and in a bad year there are maybe five public incidents (most years fewer) involving D1 wcbb players - I like those odds. But multiplying those odds by 30 years of coaching you are getting into a range where 'luck' really is involved. Geno and CD emphasize character in their recruiting more than some other coaches, so their odds are probably better, but ...
I think BG for example is a 'good character' person, but she has also had to put up with a whole lot of crap from fans and opponents most of her life - ugly stuff that no one should ever be submitted to, and the kind of thing that mature adults might snap over, let alone a 18 year old kid. She snapped once and it was bad. Would that have happened at Uconn had she played here - quite possibly. And would Geno and CD have recruited her had she shown any interest - I am betting yes.

 

[Bgillon]

Didn't Muffet choose to define class acts in WBB and reference Summit vs Geno? If my memory is correct, that was a second example last year of Muffet's behavior in addition to snubbing Stewie. One post excused Muffet because she was under "pressure" with her undefeated team prior to the final. But didn't Geno get up and give his chair to Anchowa since she was on crutches? I suppose he knew UCONN would win so he was more relaxed.

Regarding UCONN being lucky that none of its women have made any behaviorial mistakes is an insult to all the effort the staff puts in to recruiting and life coaching. How many other programs don't allow tattoos and tweeting during the season?

 

[SallyH]

Wow, you just want to piss people off, don't you? Must be a BY infiltrator/sabateur.

Maybe a super good phsychiatrist to be able to point to Geno's "character flaws."

Bro, this is college basketball and within that context, Geno is simply pretty damned amazing.

I'm pretty sure most contracts have some amorphous "character clause" in them, not aggravating opposing coaches is not included, and should, in fact be encouraged!

 

[pinotbear]

Didn't Muffet choose to define class acts in WBB and reference Summit vs Geno? If my memory is correct, that was a second example last year of Muffet's behavior in addition to snubbing Stewie. One post excused Muffet because she was under "pressure" with her undefeated team prior to the final. But didn't Geno get up and give his chair to Anchowa since she was on crutches? I suppose he knew UCONN would win so he was more relaxed.

Regarding UCONN being lucky that none of its women have made any behaviorial mistakes is an insult to all the effort the staff puts in to recruiting and life coaching. How many other programs don't allow tattoos and tweeting during the season?

While I agree, pretty much, with all you say, I'd still credit a bit "of luck" to UConn's relatively clean record re: behavioral faux pas. We are talking college kids, spending most of their time with other college kids. Even with really good kids in a really good program, "stuff" happens.

 

[Beemer]

Bro, Re-read my post. I never said this and never will. I KNOW some flawed people. Geno IS NOT one of them. There is nothing but complete admiration for him from this direction and I will always defend that.
Through his tireless efforts I have recieved some of the most greatest memories of my life and watched him touch more people in the most amazing ways than most of will ever have the chance. Personally I feel blessed that he has coached UConn huskies to this pinnacle. I have watched his team excel while living in many places and countries around the world. HE has made me pround to be a UConn alum more than anything else UConn has provided me (other than a great education).
I can't help but say that I am offended that some anonomous poster on this board would feel free to take cheap shots at him.

1. I'm not a "bro". 2. I'm not anonymous. 3. I did not take "cheap shots" @ Geno. In many ways I admire him. But I'm not such a homer that I think he's 100% correct 100% of the time. See UcMiami's post above for proof, with respect to basketball at least.

 

[UcMiami]

While I agree, pretty much, with all you say, I'd still credit a bit "of luck" to UConn's relatively clean record re: behavioral faux pas. We are talking college kids, spending most of their time with other college kids. Even with really good kids in a really good program, "stuff" happens.

All I am saying - thanks.
And there was an off court incident with our sainted girls a few years ago that I believe involved alcohol and possibly a little violence - don't remember exactly, and it was pretty classic college kids stuff and not important and came to nothing - but the fact it came to nothing probably involved both the character of the players but also the character of a bunch of random students at Uconn as well.

 

[Zorro]

Cappie is from Chicago.

OK; Chicago street talk. Prolly not much different, but I stand corrected.

 

[hoophuskee]

Very interesting thread. With regard to Cappiegate, and as an addendum to JS' excellent post above;
3) What CVS was steamed about was NOT what Geno had said, but what Cappie had TOLD her he had said, in translation. Hence the "no human being should have to listen to" remark.
4) Like a certain other coach, once the charge had been made CVS felt that she could not back down without losing face.
5) The whole thing was (I think) blown way out of proportion by the media and UConn fans. It did not appear to me that Geno was nearly as put out as wee a lot of Boneyard posters. He certainly NEVER showed anything but respect and affection for Cappie. My guess is that he pretty much figured out what had happened and didn't take it all that seriously.


I disagree to an extent with number 5. But I guess it comes down to perception of what our definition of “blown out of proportion” means. I can’t recall what the media did – but I know for what I saw – a collegiate player sticking their finger into an opposing coach’s chest is flat out wrong. Inexcusable. And should be punishable by the coach or university.

As far as number 3, as mentioned before – she has had some prior discussions / relationships with Geno. She has to have some sort of logic reasoning that maybe her player that was in the heat of the game/moment and unquestionably disappointed for losing could be wrong. IMO if you are CViv you can’t take a kids word who is the heat of the game of what an opposing coach had said without asking Geno.

Instead she took the kids word for it. Imo this sums up the particular difficult times we had with RU and Cviv – she sort of let her players run wild. Instead of stepping in she chose to let the inmates run the asylum. Even years later when Maya got knocked to the floor almost – at least most of the fans booed Prince it sure looked like a dirty play – and Vaughn I believe gave an obscene gesture to the fans. It’s a pattern. The finger in the chest. The cheap shot, the obscene gesture – it’s a pattern. There was no acceptable reason for Cappie to go after Geno instead of telling her coach. There was no acceptable reason for CViv to go after Geno if she didn’t hear it herself. Hearing it second hand and then using an excuse of “saving face” is wrong but could be indicative as to how that era of RU played the game. It doesn’t make it right.

A final point regarding Geno being “put out.” It’s irrelevant to me how much he was put out. I’m not “put out” either. Just saying what was done was pathetic. Cappie and Geno are friendly. If I go to a party and see two friends of which one blatantly start a fight with the other and that person’s friends or family has shown further recklessness – when I throw a party I won’t be put out by inviting them. Along with sharing to others I don’t like the instigator. I don’t care that the friends made up. My like or dislike of RU is not based on Geno’s.

 

[j66kicker]

It’s a pattern. The finger in the chest. The cheap shot, the obscene gesture – it’s a pattern. There was no acceptable reason for Cappie to go after Geno instead of telling her coach. There was no acceptable reason for CViv to go after Geno if she didn’t hear it herself. Hearing it second hand and then using an excuse of “saving face” is wrong but could be indicative as to how that era of RU played the game. It doesn’t make it right.

Conspiracy theorist. No pattern - just random bad luck

 

[j66kicker]

While I agree, pretty much, with all you say, I'd still credit a bit "of luck" to UConn's relatively clean record re: behavioral faux pas. We are talking college kids, spending most of their time with other college kids. Even with really good kids in a really good program, "stuff" happens.

100% Graduation rate for 30 years is also luck. Boy, Geno and Chris are REALLY lucky!

 

[hoophuskee]

As for 'luck' - anyone that thinks Geno and CD never make mistakes in evaluating recruits ... ok.

Who said this?

For the rest of us, they are not perfect. And if you can look at a coach and see that he has screwed up a few times - the ND halftime in 2001, the picking on Sue in practice to force her to break down (two things he has admitted were over the top)

Over the top at halftime and behind practice doors you are equating with a college kid that points her finger in an opposing coach’s chest on national tv plus 15,000 fans, and CViv publicly admonishing Geno in front of a live audience?

Cappie and Geno talked behind closed doors. Because something “went wrong<” right? There is a difference between behind closed doors and public. The example you give below of Griner – we know that Mulkey dealt with talking to BG- behind closed doors. There is a difference dealing with things in public vs behind closed doors. Sometimes we PM each – so the public doesn’t see. From Cappie to CViv the incident should have been resolved behind closed doors. Not the blatant display RU performed.

and not think that a 18-22 year old kid in the middle of a high pressure competitive situation might not make a mistake even though they are part of our sainted Uconn team doesn't know kids and forgets their own youth!

Yes Cappie made a mistake. I agree. Kids will be kids. With mistakes though in some cases they should be punished. Others they shouldn’t. Not all mistakes are equal. In this case she should have been punished.

I agree that Geno and CD would handle it well should it happen, but that they somehow have a magic touch that would prevent the possibility of it happening - not buying it.

I agree with the underlined. I also agree with the italics. They would have handled it well if the event ever occurred. IMO they would handle it well – these type of circumstance via punishment.

.
Again - each year their are something like 350 D1 wcbb programs and in a bad year there are maybe five public incidents (most years fewer) involving D1 wcbb players - I like those odds. But multiplying those odds by 30 years of coaching you are getting into a range where 'luck' really is involved.

My issue with the “luck” comment has more to do with once an incident happens. We are in agreement that Geno and CD would handle it well. We may differ on what “well” means however.

She snapped once and it was bad. Would that have happened at Uconn had she played here - quite possibly. And would Geno and CD have recruited her had she shown any interest - I am betting yes.

If she played at UCONN and blindsided / punched a player ---as the Baylor coach said after that “There is no place for that in sports. I will deal with Brittany Griner and it won’t be discussed in the media . . . ” And she was ultimately suspended I believe. Plus Mulkey saying “it won’t be discussed in the media.” Yet the RU coach had no problem trying to throw Geno under the bus through the media. Thus the entire incident- the public display -- from Cappie to CViv I found reprehensible.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Just some points to get out there.
1. Just as JS stated above, in the Geno vs Cappie affair, CViv said at a press conference that, "Geno called Cappie a name no woman should be called in any situation!" After the Big East looked into all the charges they said nothing happened! CViv was never made to apologize, so the Rutgers AD did! Cviv coaches a [mod edit] style of play, mouthing off, an over physical play etc. Also Geno didn't cotton to CViv's comment when she got the Rutgers job that "Rutgers will become the jewell of the Big East".
2. It is not luck that UCONN players don't lose their "cool" as Cappie did. The way Diana Taurasi behaves now would not be allowed if she still played for Geno & CD! She's a pro now! They recruit people as well as players and the players are evaluated on all types of social situations, how they interact with team mates, coaches, refs, opposing players, and that goes into their recruitment plans! [mod edit] There is a certain way you carry yourself as an athlete, and CD & Geno have all types of rules, like no tweeting, etc. during season to limit chances of problems occurring!
3. Doesn't it bother any TN fans or WBB fans in general, that Ariel Massengale has come out in public and said the last 2 years of players ignored Holly Warlick and the coaching staff, and ran their own plays, and this years team will follow the coaches as the team NOW realize the coaches know more than the players thought! This is wrong on so many levels. If Geno watched his players ignore him and run other plays than what he called, he would have sat them all down and the would have hit the fan! And none of the players he recruited would have even thought to run their own plays!
4. Concerning Muffett's amazing NCAA title in 1991, It was more that UCONN didn't do than what ND did to lose/win that semifinal game!
During the Geno "Legends" show on SNY with Sue Bird last season he asked Sue if she was still pissed at him for what happened at 1/2 time of the UCONN/ND semi in '91 and she smiled and said no, time heals things! He went on to explain that with 15 seconds left in the 1st 1/2, Ratay of ND hit a 3-pointer dropping the margin from 18 to 15 points. When he entered the locker room, he preceded to throw a chair across the room and he went nuts for the full 1/2 time. When the players went out to start the 2nd 1/2 they were all upset and he blames himself for costing that team, with Svet & Shea injured, he considered THAT team as the greatest team in WBB, and they didn't have a title!
5. Muffett McGraw saying that Geno and her have a negative relationship now and he doesn't show any respect for her & ND! Well, you EARN respect, you don't DEMAND respect, and MM wants to be treated as Geno's EQUAL and she isn't even in the same ballpark as Geno! When she has 9 NCAA titles and 17 or whatever Big East titles, and some of the greatest players to ever play WBB, then MAYBE she'll be considered Geno's equal!

Point Number 5 is so, so true! When Geno came to UConn, there was none of the more talented high school basketball players in America that had any interest in coming to Storrs Connecticut to play there, particularly with the horrible field house and out there in the middle of nowhere. He and Chris had to cultivate his earlier players and blend them into a unit, making them cohesive and instilling in them a team first mindset. When they started having a little success and with the prospect of Gampel Pavilion, it (recruiting) got a little easier. More success bred even more success but their job initially was one of the hardest in the annals of women's college basketball. How much easier was it recruiting young talented girls to go to Stanford or to Notre Dame??? Even Rutgers! Making Storrs a place where young and gifted women athletes wanted to play was part of the genius of Geno and Chris and then to take these girls to the next level CONSISTENTLY is where his (their) greatness really shines! The tools that Muffett has had from day 1 in South Bend are so far ahead of where Geno was starting in Storrs that there should be no comparison between the two. Recruiting talent to Notre Dame has always been light years ahead of trying to get young ladies with talent to come to UConn! Game, set and match to GA!

 

[j66kicker]

But didn't Geno get up and give his chair to Anchowa since she was on crutches? I suppose he knew UCONN would win so he was more relaxed.

Yes he did and, to Achonwa's credit, she did applaud for Stewie.

 

[DGHuskyFan]

"8. Finally - I do think there is a societal double standard in play that is very persistent in the USA. It takes all forms but it has to do with the words used to describe forceful, ambitious people of different genders - and it appears here from time to time. Coaching at the higher levels is full of strong personalities - Geno's attributes being a male are referred to with generally positive adjectives, MM and other female coaches maybe not so much."

Very true since an earlier poster in this thread said that Muffet came off as "a bit of a bitch". Definitely a double standard in coaching and as in business for women in leadership roles. Great way to just put someone down. Where are all the "Lady Huskies" police on this one?

 

[intlzncster]

100% Graduation rate for 30 years is also luck. Boy, Geno and Chris are REALLY lucky!

Doesn't include transfers though. If a girl can't hack it at UCONN (basketball-wise or academically), she gets 'counseled out'. I've no idea if all former transfers have graduated or not, just pointing out the obvious.

 

[intlzncster]

For the rest of us, they are not perfect. And if you can look at a coach and see that he has screwed up a few times - the ND halftime in 2001, the picking on Sue in practice to force her to break down (two things he has admitted were over the top)

Over the top at halftime and behind practice doors you are equating with a college kid that points her finger in an opposing coach’s chest on national tv plus 15,000 fans, and CViv publicly admonishing Geno in front of a live audience?

Not arguing with your central point, but I'd say that a grown man, entrusted by parents and a public institution to develop young women, berating one of his kids until she cries, is far worse than a kid pointing a finger in a coaches chest or a coach making up stuff about another coach. Public or in house doesn't really matter.

 

[j66kicker]

Doesn't include transfers though. If a girl can't hack it at UCONN (basketball-wise or academically), she gets 'counseled out'. I've no idea if all former transfers have graduated or not, just pointing out the obvious.

I guess 'counseled out' implies the situation is consciously managed, not left to 'luck'

 

[meyers7]

All I am saying - thanks.
And there was an off court incident with our sainted girls a few years ago that I believe involved alcohol and possibly a little violence - don't remember exactly, and it was pretty classic college kids stuff and not important and came to nothing - but the fact it came to nothing probably involved both the character of the players but also the character of a bunch of random students at Uconn as well.

For some reason BT comes to mind, kinda wrong place, wrong time. Not sure though. Also CD the Younger, got in trouble a couple years back for a Halloween prank. Typical college kid stuff.