The job interview for UConn recruits

[oldude]

While reading an article in S.I. today on Yankee super-rookie Aaron Judge, I was surprised to learn that the Yankees employ an entire staff of individuals to investigate, interview and evaluate the character and psychological makeup of potential draft choices. Before they drafted Judge in the 1st round in 2013, the Yankees learned that the adopted son of 2 teachers was intelligent, confident, highly motivated and a great teammate (sound familiar?). Pro football has been doing this type of investigation for years, but it is a relatively recent phenomenon for pro baseball with only a handful of clubs doing it, including the Yankees, Cubs & Indians.

I immediately thought of Geno and the UConn coaching staff. While not necessarily employing a formal approach to the process, it’s no secret that UConn WBB has been evaluating the intelligence and character of potential recruits for many years. When UConn decides not to recruit an obviously talented HS basketball player, I always wonder what it was about that individual that turned the coaching staff off. As important as how they perform on the court, any recruit that is being considered by the Huskies has to understand that what they say and do when they’re not on the court is even more important to UConn. They are in fact undergoing an extensive job interview.

Geno’s track record is certainly not perfect, but no other basketball coach that I can think of does a better job, or is more successful, in evaluating a player’s character and intelligence to determine if they are a good fit for UConn WBB. The results are self-evident, 11 national championships and a parade of confident, capable and mature young women who are prepared to succeed in whatever they do once they graduate from UConn.

 

[huskeynut]

There was an interesting conversation by the ESPN broadcasters during the Blue Jays/ Yankees game Wednesday night on this topic.

Now realize I am not a big fan of ESPN baseball broadcasters. I find they ignore the game too much to discuss topics not relevant to the game being broadcast. Anyway, they mention discussions the Yankee brass had before drafting Judge. There was concern he might not pan out as such a high draft choice. There were "big" risks involved. Seems the Yankees got it right.

But yes, Geno has been doing this for a long, long time.

 

[oldude]

There was an interesting conversation by the ESPN broadcasters during the Blue Jays/ Yankees game Wednesday night on this topic.

Now realize I am not a big fan of ESPN baseball broadcasters. I find they ignore the game too much to discuss topics not relevant to the game being broadcast. Anyway, they mention discussions the Yankee brass had before drafting Judge. There was concern he might not pan out as such a high draft choice. There were "big" risks involved. Seems the Yankees got it right.

But yes, Geno has been doing this for a long, long time.

As a lifelong Yankee fan, there were only 2 other players that I made a point to stop and watch when they were hitting, regardless of the score: Mickey Mantle & Reggie Jackson. Now there's a 6'7", 280 lb youngster that makes it 3.

 

[Gabbyfan]

As good as Aaron Judge is hitting home runs and playing all around good baseball, it is his demeanor and his personality that super impresses me. His adopting parents did a superb job of raising him.

 

[oldude]

As good as Aaron Judge is hitting home runs and playing all around good baseball, it is his demeanor and his personality that super impresses me. His adopting parents did a superb job of raising him.

Excellent point, which brings to mind that when Geno recruits a player, he is evaluating the parents as well.

 

[Carnac]

While reading an article in S.I. today on Yankee super-rookie Aaron Judge, I was surprised to learn that the Yankees employ an entire staff of individuals to investigate, interview and evaluate the character and psychological makeup of potential draft choices. Before they drafted Judge in the 1st round in 2013, the Yankees learned that the adopted son of 2 teachers was intelligent, confident, highly motivated and a great teammate (sound familiar?). Pro football has been doing this type of investigation for years, but it is a relatively recent phenomenon for pro baseball with only a handful of clubs doing it, including the Yankees, Cubs & Indians.

I immediately thought of Geno and the UConn coaching staff. While not necessarily employing a formal approach to the process, it’s no secret that UConn WBB has been evaluating the intelligence and character of potential recruits for many years. When UConn decides not to recruit an obviously talented HS basketball player, I always wonder what it was about that individual that turned the coaching staff off. As important as how they perform on the court, any recruit that is being considered by the Huskies has to understand that what they say and do when they’re not on the court is even more important to UConn. They are in fact undergoing an extensive job interview.

Geno’s track record is certainly not perfect, but no other basketball coach that I can think of does a better job, or is more successful, in evaluating a player’s character and intelligence to determine if they are a good fit for UConn WBB. The results are self-evident, 11 national championships and a parade of confident, capable and mature young women who are prepared to succeed in whatever they do once they graduate from UConn.

Geno reminds me of Bill Belichick, another head coach that has mastered the art of evaluating talent. He has taken a similar approach in selecting players for his New England Patriots, by targeting specific players that fit into his particular system. The Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers have become the bellcows for the NFL with respect to learning and employing the principles for managing a successful professional football franchise. Auriemma's formula is tried, tested and proven to work if you stick with your plan of action, and don't compromise your principles, even though you may be tempted now and again.

 

[Husky1964]

How much investigation did Bellichek do on Aaron Hernandez??

 

[CocoHusky]

Geno is the best at it, no doubt. As unpopular as this might be I also have to give Muffet McGraw a great deal of credit after reading this article:
"I really get a good picture of the kind of person I’m recruiting when I get to see the recruit interact with her mom and dad. I am interested in how much she respects her parents. I want to know whether or not she’s spoiled."
Stoke The Fire Within

 

[oldude]

How much investigation did Bellichek do on Aaron Hernandez??

There was a lengthy discussion regarding Hernandez on another thread after he took his own life. Hernandez fooled a lot of people, including Geno Auriemma who coached Hernandez along with his son years ago in AAU BB.

 

[j66kicker]

There was a lengthy discussion regarding Hernandez on another thread after he took his own life. Hernandez fooled a lot of people, including Geno Auriemma who coached Hernandez along with his son years ago in AAU BB.

I'm a Patriots fan, but I'm pretty sure they had a good idea about Hernandez before they signed him. His issues at Florida were no secret, especially to Urban Meyer. Meyer had Hernandez room with Tim Tebow in hopes Tebow could help straighten him out a little, or at least help keep him between the white lines while he was at FL. I guess Tebow came to Meyer at one point and said it was hopeless - he just couldn't get through to Hernandez. Belichick and Meyer are good friends and have been exchanging annual off-season visits since 2005.

 

[GoingPostal]

Geno reminds me of Bill Belichick, another head coach that has mastered the art of evaluating talent. He has taken a similar approach in selecting players for his New England Patriots, by targeting specific players that fit into his particular system. The Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers have become the bellcows for the NFL with respect to learning and employing the principles for managing a successful professional football franchise. Auriemma's formula is tried, tested and proven to work if you stick with your plan of action, and don't compromise your principles, even though you may be tempted now and again.

In thinking about the Belicheck comparison with a Geno I see a significant difference. Granted both are trying to get the type of players who are going to perform well within their respective systems but Belicheck is dealing with professional athletes and their agents who are seeking the most money for their services. I have a hard time equating that dynamic with what Geno and his coaching staff are doing in their recruiting process. It's one thing to negotiate with professional athletes and their agents and then try and compare that with recruiting young women to continue their education and play BB in college. Call me naive but I don't think it's comparable.

 

[Carnac]

In thinking about the Belicheck comparison with a Geno I see a significant difference. Granted both are trying to get the type of players who are going to perform well within their respective systems but Belicheck is dealing with professional athletes and their agents who are seeking the most money for their services. I have a hard time equating that dynamic with what Geno and his coaching staff are doing in their recruiting process. It's one thing to negotiate with professional athletes and their agents and then try and compare that with recruiting young women to continue their education and play BB in college. Call me naive but I don't think it's comparable.

Negotiations, agents and salaries aside. My comparisons of the two were limited strictly to evaluating talent. They both recruit players, they just do it on a different level, and on a different playing field. Finding players that fit into their respective systems. You brought a dynamic into the equation that I had not thought about, and as you say, strikes a significant difference.

Belichick has the knack of finding players that are not necessarily stars or super stars, but most often average or sometimes below the radar, but sees something in them (their motor that he can use in his particular style of play that many other coaches do not. Bill Parcells and Jerry West also have that gift. So did the late San Francisco 49'er head coach Bill Walsh. Some called him a genius.

Great evaluators of latent talent. That's what I'm talking about. Belichick also knows when to trade or cut a player at the right time too. Sometimes a year early. The Cleveland Browns have made a myriad of mistakes in the last 20 years. Too many to recollect. One of their biggest was giving up on Belichick, and firing him when he was their head coach. Had they not gotten impatient and given up on him, he could be doing for the Browns what he's doing for the Patriots and Robert Kraft. UConn stuck with Geno. It took Geno 10 years to win a NC, but win it he did.

There are others who excel at evaluating talent, but those two immediately come to mind. It was Jerry West that saw the latent greatness in Kobi Bean Bryant while Bryant was still in high school, and traded for him after the draft, when Bryant entered the league directly from high school. After Geno is satisfied that a recruit has the skills necessary to play at the D1 level, then he must determine (via home and or campus visit, if said player has the mental approach to the game that is consistent with Geno's philosophy.

Geno has said many times that he won't recruit a kid that has over bearing or "helicopter" parents, or parents that insist on being part of the coaching staff from the stands (Lavar Ball). The recruit may be the best player in the country. If she's selfish, or is a me player (I gotta get mine first), Geno won't recruit her. He'll move on to someone else. He does not beg, or make promises to recruits. They have to want to come to Storrs, and have the desire to be coached by him and his staff.

Another similarity the Patriots and the UConn women's basketball team have in common is that they are both winning organizations. Neither program has to be sold to potential players. The program's history of success i.e, superbowls/national championships, etc, speaks for themselves.

 

[Carnac]

How much investigation did Bellichek do on Aaron Hernandez??

That's a question you should ask Belichick. He is the only person that can answer it.

 

[oldude]

I'm a Patriots fan, but I'm pretty sure they had a good idea about Hernandez before they signed him. His issues at Florida were no secret, especially to Urban Meyer. Meyer had Hernandez room with Tim Tebow in hopes Tebow could help straighten him out a little, or at least help keep him between the white lines while he was at FL. I guess Tebow came to Meyer at one point and said it was hopeless - he just couldn't get through to Hernandez. Belichick and Meyer are good friends and have been exchanging annual off-season visits since 2005.

I certainly agree that the Pats would have thoroughly investigated Hernandez before they drafted him, and would have had a "pretty good idea" about his past problems, but through the years the Pats have had a history of rehabilitating players and they could not have known that Hernandez would turn out to be a murderer.

When they drafted Hernandez, a 1st round talent, in the 4th round, they knew they were taking a gamble. By all indications Hernandez worked hard, performed on the field and said all the right things to Belichick and Kraft, so they incorrectly assumed that he had grown up and turned his life around.

Hernandez clearly wore 2 faces, the respectful one in front of Meyer, Belichick, Kraft & the Auriemmas; and the ugly one when he was with his crew out on the town.

The Pats made a terrible mistake drafting Hernandez. I certainly hope they've learned from it.

 

[mauconnfan]

As a lifelong Yankee fan, there were only 2 other players that I made a point to stop and watch when they were hitting, regardless of the score: Mickey Mantle & Reggie Jackson. Now there's a 6'7", 280 lb youngster that makes it 3.

Why not Mattingly?

 

[oldude]

Why not Mattingly?

Donnie Baseball was a great hitter, but "chicks" & oldudes dig the long ball..

 

[mauconnfan]

Donnie Baseball was a great hitter, but "chicks" & oldudes dig the long ball..

Some old dudes dig a Yankee being the best hitter in the game for 4-5 years straight too with the combo of average and power. His doubles numbers were off the wall and nothing wrong with 25-35 every year with 120 plus RBI. Maybe not Mantle, but I would much rather watch 23 in his heyday over Reggie. Add potentially one of the, if not the, best gloves at 1st base ever. Guess we're lucky to have seen all of them huh?

 

[oldude]

Some old dudes dig a Yankee being the best hitter in the game for 4-5 years straight too with the combo of average and power. His doubles numbers were off the wall and nothing wrong with 25-35 every year with 120 plus RBI. Maybe not Mantle, but I would much rather watch 23 in his heyday over Reggie. Add potentially one of the, if not the, best gloves at 1st base ever. Guess we're lucky to have seen all of them huh?

Hey, don't get me wrong, I loved Mattingly, but if the game is 12-3 in the 9th, I'm more likely to hang around and watch Mantle, Jackson or Judge hit to see if they can drive one off the facade or out onto the street.

 

[seeya27]

How much investigation did Bellichek do on Aaron Hernandez??

Good point '64. Bellichek is a brilliant football mind, but he and Kraft knew everything that was under the carpet with Hernandez -- and still they selected him, extended his contract, and chose not to have a morals clause in his contract. They are brilliant in some areas, and not so smart in other ways. They should cut him loose based on his character flaws, but winning was the overriding theme.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Hey, don't get me wrong, I loved Mattingly, but if the game is 12-3 in the 9th, I'm more likely to hang around and watch Mantle, Jackson or Judge hit to see if they can drive one off the facade or out onto the street.

I loved Jackson when he was young with the A's. His blast against the light standard at the All-Star game in Detroit was scintillating.

 

[oldude]

I loved Jackson when he was young with the A's. His blast against the light standard at the All-Star game in Detroit was scintillating.

I was sitting just inside the right field foul poll with my dad during game 6 of the 77 series. Jackson's 1st HR was within 3 ft. I fought the good battle but another fan came up with it. His 2nd HR was about 10 ft away, so I just let it go. Of course his 3rd was a moon shot into the blacked out area in dead center.

 

[Bigboote]

A couple of things about Geno and staff's recruiting:

The no (not easily coverable) tats rule skims quite a few off right at the get-go. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with heavily tattooed people, nor with their character, but anyone remotely considering UConn who goes ahead and gets covered with tats shows a certain lack of judgment.

The basketball mindset they're looking for also likely weeds out a lot of recruits. I remember CD saying that she first noticed Kelly Faris at an AAU tourney, when Kelly took a charge. CD said something to the effect, "A 13-year-old who's looking to take a charge is obviously somebody we're interested in." And of course, they're on the record saying they won't even consider recruiting anyone who's not a good passer. Natalie Butler had a difficult time at UConn, but she always shone as a passer.

 

[cbraarj]

Donnie Baseball was a great hitter, but "chicks" & oldudes dig the long ball..

Homeruns in 8 consecutive games and 6 Grand Slams in a season!Mattingly did that not Mantle or Jackson!

 

[oldude]

Homeruns in 8 consecutive games and 6 Grand Slams in a season!Mattingly did that not Mantle or Jackson!

Once again, I loved Donnie Baseball and he was a great hitter, but I believe that his lifetime HR's totaled just over 200, many of which were pull shots to the Yankee's short porch in RF. My original point referenced Yankees that were big HR hitters, both in quantity and for distance. Mantle & Jackson ended up with over 500 HR's for their careers, many of which were tape measure blasts. Who knows if Judge will reach that level for his career, but I love what I'm seeing so far from the 25 year old youngster.

 

[GoingPostal]

Carnac, I like your new logo. Looking good!