The last great number for Geno: 1,099

[alexrgct]

The number 1,099 is as big as Geno winning a ninth national championship, which would be a record of course.

Also of course true is that 1,099 won't be accomplished this season.

If you didn't already know, Geno enters this season with a career record of 839-133, just 260 wins away from 1,099. Pat Summitt won 1.098.

Geno could get to 9>8. I hope we don't go there just so we can have bragging rights, but to become the winningest coach in WCBB history? That would be incredible.

The obvious question: does Geno do it? If he coaches nine more seasons, he'd probably average 30 wins and get to 270. Probably. Five more seasons would only mean averaging 52 wins. SOmething tells me that isn't plausible. Eight seasons is plausabile: 32.5 wins on average would get him to 260.

And of course, Breanna Stewart might just get him to at least 112 wins over three seasons. If that happens. Geno would be a mortal lock to get to 1,099 if he coached five more.

History has one more door to knock on. By the end of the 2014-15 season, after two more years of Breanna AND Kaleena, something tells me we might be hearing a distinct tap-tap along with Geno receiving a basketball with the number 900 on it...

 

[pinotbear]

At the risk of being branded a vol-loving heretic, or being kicked out of the BY version of the Tea Party (the Dairy Bar Party?), I kinda hope he's not coaching in 9 years. I could spin all kinds of "it'd be good for the program's transition" stuff, but, what it comes down to, in 9 years, Geno will be old enough that he ought to be putting his golf game ahead of his country, and be busy corrupting his grandchildren with all sorts of seditious stories about their parents. Now, if he really, really wants to keep coaching, and he can maintain his focus, and his quality of program (both players and staff) I'm sure not going to be picketing his office. But, I kinda hope he'll want to kick back and savor all that he's done, and all that he's earned. Open that bottle of amarone before dinner, fire up the grill, and roast his dinner - and, his dinner guests.

 

[FairView]

I believe Geno should commit to holding off on retirement until his wins total is higher than the retirement year. For example, if he wanted to retire this year, he would need to have at least 2013 wins. Then we could put off the Geno retirement speculation for a couple of decades.

 

[stwainfan]

I remember when Pat passed the then 880 by Dean Smith. Then got the historic 1,000th win. I really didn't know when it would stop. Then her career was cut short by a illness. How much longer will Geno coach?

 

[CL82]

I don't get the feeling that Geno will stay past his prime. I don't feel like he feels that there is much more to prove. Certainly 9, or 10 or 11 or 12 would be enough.

 

[Kibitzer]

I have posted my thoughts about this before, highly speculative and without any inside information. We know that Geno re-upped for five years. Using that as a framework, let's consider some reasonable and attainable goals:

1. Nine national championships (one more than you-know-who).​

​

2. Ten national championships (tied with John Wooden).​

​

3. Eleven national championships (more than anybody).​

​

4. 1,000 victories.​

Once there, make a decision whether or not to go for more. This decision will be influenced by his health, his motivation, the mood of his family, and the presence of players with names like Wilson, Samuelson, Nurse and others of their caliber.

 

[Aj]

Geno definitely will stay long enough to pass Pats win total. I also think he will end up with atleast 12 NCs!

 

[Phil]

Geno definitely will stay long enough to pass Pats win total. I also think he will end up with atleast 12 NCs!

I think that's unlikely.

 

[DobbsRover2]

What's with the 30 number for that 9 season scenario? If Geno's teams only average 30 wins for the rest of his tenure, I'm sure a lot of BYers will get disgruntled and call for his head. And maybe forget about Title n0. 9. Even if we avoid a Tonyish prediction of 39 wins (not that I'm saying we should avoid that belief) a season and go with his average of the last 5 years at 36.4, that still allows him to cruise within reach after 7 years and then hand over the reigns to CD midway through the 8th season with 1100 wins stashed away. With the teams he's building, 30-something is not the right place to be.

I do like the 55 wins a season scenario though. And remember, probably Pat will not be set to call for an investigation of how the Huskies piled up double nickel wins on a 39 game schedule. Also remember that Geno did not start his head coaching career the day after he graduated from college, so Pat had a jump on him there.

 

[MilfordHusky]

If we win 61 times over the next 2 seasons, Geno gets to 900. If we win "only" 71 games over that span, there will be disappointment. I think the over/under could be 74 or so.

 

[Icebear]

Geno would be very happy to end is career tied with John Wooden and mentioned in the same breath as his inspirational mentor. That may be too soon for the rest of us at the rate he has piled up championships over the last decade. It could be just two years from now. I suspect the question of "How long?" Is one he must address regularly.

 

[xHunt3r]

...after 7 years and then hand over the reigns to CD midway through the 8th season...

I'd have to wonder if CD would also step away at that time. She would be in her 60s and been on the coaching staff at UConn for 36years. While CD more then deserves the opportunity, she may feel like she has coached for long enough and it's time to move on as well. Of the current staff, Shea maybe more likely to be the next head coach.

 

[UcMiami]

I get the feeling that both Geno and CD are really enjoying themselves - While I don't want to minimize the effort and ability of either, it isn't like they are working a 8 hr day 50 weeks a year with two weeks holiday like the vast majority of the US population. They work like dogs for 6 months a year and have a few intensive weeks on the recruiting trail spaced throughout the other 6 months, but also get some serious 'off' time and large chunks where their schedule is flexible and not very intense. And they get compensated very well. So ... I don't think the work load is ever going to be the issue - commitment and enjoyment will be the deciding factors. That is why you see a lot of successful coaches still working well into their 60s and 70s. And having watched my father struggle with fear of retirement well past when it would make financial sense, I also understand that dynamic. I am sure Geno enjoys his other business ventures, but to a large degree they run themselves. So what does he do with the six months that he would normally be coaching intensely once he hangs them up? Work on his golf game? Or ...? We all dream of the great things that we will do in retirement, but 365 days a year, year after year is a lot of time to fill - most retirees run out of things to do very quickly and start to vegetate - that was my dad's fear and it was very real as he had watched his colleagues retire and struggle to find purpose in life after retirement.
I suspect that the current contract will not be the last though the next one may be of shorter duration as long as Geno remains healthy and continues to enjoy the process. (The same may be true for the Olympic gig, though less likely. USA BB has gone three cycles with the men's coach and I will not be surprised if they would like to do the same with Geno.)

 

[Kibitzer]

Once he retires, Geno could [gasp] devote some spare time to become a regular Boneyard poster.

 

[pinotbear]

Once he retires, Geno could [gasp] devote some spare time to become a regular Boneyard poster.

Wherever Geno is, at this particular moment, a palpable shudder just went through his body ..and, he has no idea why!

 

[Icebear]

He would make an excellent bear.

 

[MilfordHusky]

He would make an excellent bear.

If we see someone with the handle of Montellabear, that'll be a dead giveaway.

 

[asuwish]

The number 1,099 is as big as Geno winning a ninth national championship, which would be a record of course.

Also of course true is that 1,099 won't be accomplished this season.

If you didn't already know, Geno enters this season with a career record of 839-133, just 260 wins away from 1,099. Pat Summitt won 1.098.

Geno could get to 9>8. I hope we don't go there just so we can have bragging rights, but to become the winningest coach in WCBB history? That would be incredible.

The obvious question: does Geno do it? If he coaches nine more seasons, he'd probably average 30 wins and get to 270. Probably. Five more seasons would only mean averaging 52 wins. SOmething tells me that isn't plausible. Eight seasons is plausabile: 32.5 wins on average would get him to 260.

And of course, Breanna Stewart might just get him to at least 112 wins over three seasons. If that happens. Geno would be a mortal lock to get to 1,099 if he coached five more.

History has one more door to knock on. By the end of the 2014-15 season, after two more years of Breanna AND Kaleena, something tells me we might be hearing a distinct tap-tap along with Geno receiving a basketball with the number 900 on it...

Geno should pass Pat for NCAA wins in the near future. I believe she had 175 wins in the old AIAW, leaving her with 923 NCAA wins meaning he only needs 84 to pass her. Only a handful of big time university's made major commitments to woman's sports until the NCAA came along.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't think Geno will finish as the all time wins leader. Hatchell is 70 wins ahead and I don't see her stopping anytime soon. I bet she sticks around for 7 more years to take the lead. That would mean at least 8 more years for Geno, or probably 9.

 

[wallman]

I just got a shiver downs my spine, what would we talk about, "oh the humanity"!

It would be a sad day, let's hope that he has great health and happiness for another 40 years.

 

[EricLA]

Geno should pass Pat for NCAA wins in the near future. I believe she had 175 wins in the old AIAW, leaving her with 923 NCAA wins meaning he only needs 84 to pass her. Only a handful of big time university's made major commitments to woman's sports until the NCAA came along.

Wow that's pretty cool. Another stat i thought was very interesting was NCAA tourney wins.

Pat went to 31 NCAA tourneys compiling a record of 124 wins.
Geno has been to 24 NCAA tourneys compiling 93 wins.

By the way, i did that manually so it's possible I got some of the #'s wrong.

He would need to coach 7 more years to get to 31 NCAA appearances, and need to make the final 4 every year to catch Pat.

My point is everything seems to fall into the 8+ year category. If he averages 34 wins per season, he'd pass Pat in his 8th season out. 8 more NCAA's making the elite 8 or final 4 would also pass her in those categories as well.

I'm hoping he lasts at least 10 more years and passes her in every single measurable category. I doubt, as some have said, that passing her will drive Geno, but I bet in the back of his mind, it would be a nice statistic to have. Still, I bet the fans are way more excited about the possibility than Geno is.

Good point from Vowel regarding Hatchell. Geno's 59 and Hatchell's 61. Don't see her retiring any time soon, and suddenly her recruiting has picked up so it's not impossible to think she'd be around for another 5-10 years and pass Pat before Geno does. Go Sylvia!!

Stringer and Vanderveer are also ahead of Geno. I think Stringer's days are numbered, but at only 60, I think Tara will be around for a while too and will also pass Pat.

 

[Vowelguy]

Stringer is about 70 ahead of Geno as well, but I think he could pass her with the way things have been going lately at RU. (And I too don't think she last much longer anyway.)

Tara is about 50 ahead. Several people on this board have been prediciting doom and gloom for the Cardinal in the years ahead. If true, Geno could pass her too.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I think he'll start looking at retiring when #9 is in the bag. As far as total wins I don't think that's a big milestone for him although he may want to make it to 1000.

I suspect he would like to retire to a little villa somewhere in the Campagna region. Someplace he can kick back and not be concerned about anything other than the grape harvest. Of course his wife may have other plans.

 

[Kibitzer]

There is yet another factor that will inevitably come into play in the next few years. Recruits and their families and coaches may reasonably ask Geno if he will indeed be the recruit's coach for four years should she sign an LOI. Wilson, for example, will not graduate from high school until 2014 and thus become a member of the UConn class of 2019, if my math is correct.

Geno has actively begun to recruit high school players who won't graduate for a year or more after A'Ja. I have no doubt but that Geno will be confronted by this question. I am curious what his answer will be -- starting with Wilson, Nurse, and Samuelson.

 

[Vowelguy]

There is yet another factor that will inevitably come into play in the next few years. Recruits and their families and coaches may reasonably ask Geno if he will indeed be the recruit's coach for four years should she sign an LOI. Wilson, for example, will not graduate from high school until 2014 and thus become a member of the UConn class of 2019, if my math is correct.
.

Are you expecting her to have to redshirt a year?
Otw, most kids graduate 4 years after hs , 2014 + 4 = 2018.