The Auriemma Aura

[JavaMan]

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Of his current players, "I'm conscious of not making them feel the weight of everything that came before them," Auriemma said, mentioning how he doesn't need Huskies sophomore Katie Lou Samuelson, who averaged 11 points a game last season, to go home every night saying, "I'm not Stewie. I'm a failure."

Auriemma jokes about how he will then be the one saying, "Stewie would never do that!" He was kidding. He thinks he's kidding.

Ask Auriemma about coaching Stewart at the Olympics, how was that different right after her UConn career. Different than coaching Maya Moore or Diana Taurasi or the other UConn alumni Olympians?

"She's the only player on the team I could still coach," Auriemma said with a little smile. "The others I had to negotiate with. Stewie, [Elena] Delle Donne and Brittney Griner, I could coach them. All the others, you negotiate a peace treaty at the beginning and then you manage it through the rest of the tournament."

Asked what he still wants to get out of coaching basketball, Auriemma talks about the way you'd expect, that there is a challenge when losing is the only way to make news, that seeing this team surprise people would be a great satisfaction. He still gets a kick out of seeing good things in practice, he said.

Starting his 32nd season in Storrs, he still likes the gig.

As Auriemma talked, somebody tapped him on the shoulder...[MORE]

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[BroadwayVa]

Thanks for this--I got a lot out of this ---
There is more to live than coaching a damn game?? Who is he kidding??
Fran Dunphy-- a relative?? of---A beautiful Navy nurse--God bless those Nurses--exceptionally looking red head--Her first name was Miss he last name was Dunphy, from Philly.

 

[JordyG]

The entire basketball world doesn't fully realize what this guy means to BB. After Geno leaves the game both the praise and the platitudes will come. But his effect on the game, his almost larger than life personality will never be replaced or equaled.