The Starters Chime In

[dogged1]

Classic management technique is to praise publicly and critique privately. This respects the criticized person's sense of self respect and makes for a better superior/subordinate relationship. Geno learned that beginner's HR technique ages ago. He also knows that some people are clearly motivated by being publicly embarrassed about their lack of consistent effort (to his standards, not mine). It stings their pride and they can't stand it. So they change.
Trust In Geno.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Geno expands on his position: "That is the key to everything isn't it, being able to do it so that it is not a fluke? You saw the game at Texas. We had guys who were All-Americans look overwhelmed out there. We had guys that were first-team All-Americans that struggled. So, I'm going to put in guys that struggle in practice to get something right two days in a row? It just doesn't make any sense.

Putting the freshmen in the Texas game? Of course not. Playing the frosh with some starters in AAC games is a horse of a different color. I am assuming (iffy thing to do) teams in the AAC for the most part are not as good as UCONN's practice players. One of the starters (Dangerfield?) was ask which team is the toughest they have played against. Without hesitation the response was their practice players. Perhaps playing against an easier opponent might engender the confidence Geno desires. This is coming from a person who once gave a newly minted computer programmer a very tough first assignment only to be cursed at by a respected employee who rarely was profane and thought the assignment required 5 years of programming experience. I guess I have gone soft in my old age.

 

[Rocket009]

We all don't really know what benchmark is being used. We do know that most of the starters have foot and ankle issues. Rest is typically the only solution. Pick your poison.

The poison has been picked the same way it is every year. Players play with all kinds of nagging injuries because they want to play. It has to be pretty serious before they sit out and rest. The rest comes after April. This is nothing new - D played with all kinds of issues and played the most minutes on the team.

 

[EricLA]

Here's the frustrating thing, at least I think this is mainly why fans/posters are frustrated.

Look around the rest of the country at some of the other freshmen who are being asked to shoulder large roles. Chennedy Carter for aTm. Westbrook/Davis/Hayes for Tennessee. Dana Evans for L'ville. Onyenwere for UCLA. Cooks for Michigan State. Williams and Dodson for Stanford.

All these kids are pretty much playing every single game (unless they are sick or injured). Most are averaging double figures in scoring. Most are playing significant minutes, even against good/great teams. So why can these kids all earn PT while Coombs and Walker cannot? Why can these kids figure out how to play against really good players while Coombs and Walker cannot?

Part of it is that these other teams don't have 6 potential all americans ahead of them on the depth chart. But I find it hard to believe that Carater, Westbrook, Davis, Hayes, Evans, Onyenwere, Cooks, Williams and Dodson are all so much better than Walker and Coombs that they are able to contribute while in big games, our freshmen are not. Is the UCONN practice and training regime so advanced that freshmen simply cannot grasp it at UCONN, but it's so much easier at other schools that really good freshmen not only start, but thrive all season long?

I am more asking that question rhetorically since I do believe that the UCONN way is different. Probably every other school out there, besides UCONN, allows freshmen to come in and continue to do what they did well in high school, while slowly trying to curb bad habits they picked up along the way. At UCONN, that's not the way it's done. Apparently you don't get to play until most bad habits are squelched and kids can excel when playing against the all americans ahead of them on the depth chart.

I can't argue with the results. Geno has consistently taken top 20 kids and turned them into WNBA players. He's taken top 10 kids and turned them into Olympians. I do get why fans are frustrated, especially if they are comparing our freshmen to other top freshmen in the nation, and that's part of the purpose of message boards - to let fans of all opinions share them, within reason. But as several have said, the proof is in the pudding. 11 NC's, many professional players, and the most Olympians of any program in the history of Women's Basketball... Oh, and almost every single player who has graduated from UCONN says unequivocally that no matter how hard the first year was, by the end, they get and appreciate why Geno coached them the way he did. He makes them into the best players they possible can be...

 

[LesMis89]

Putting the freshman into AAC games earlier because they're likely not as good as UConn's practice players still goes against Geno's principle that playing time is earned in practice. Once exceptions are made, excluding having to insert bench players into a game due to an injury to a starter or something like that, then his entire principle loses validity.

 

[oldude]

Putting the freshmen in the Texas game? Of course not. Playing the frosh with some starters in AAC games is a horse of a different color. I am assuming (iffy thing to do) teams in the AAC for the most part are not as good as UCONN's practice players. One of the starters (Dangerfield?) was ask which team is the toughest they have played against. Without hesitation the response was their practice players. Perhaps playing against an easier opponent might engender the confidence Geno desires. This is coming from a person who once gave a newly minted computer programmer a very tough first assignment only to be cursed at by a respected employee who rarely was profane and thought the assignment required 5 years of programming experience. I guess I have gone soft in my old age.

There is also a fine line for a young player between learning from their mistakes and losing confidence.

While I don’t know whether it factored in her decision, AEH initially impressed all of us wth her hustle and ability to knock down shots, earning her PT with the starters. But in subsequent games her shot stopped falling and her TO’s increased.

 

[GiladKatzDeli]

Totally agree. Earning it in practice, you gotta be kidding. There are just some things you can't learn in practice. Just as some kids don't learn or accept things from their parents, until they hear it from outsiders. It's a well known phenomenon.
Geno, please stop griping like a baby and let them play and struggle against the AAC. We don't need to win by 50 points every night!

UConn practices are probably the most competitive in the country. If you're Molly Bent or Lexi Gordon, you're playing against some of the best players in the country every single day. Game experience is great, but if you can prove yourself in a UConn practice then you can hold your own against anyone. Megan Walker is a big time talent who is only going to get better, but she (like all freshman) makes mistakes. It just takes time. I agree with other posters, I think she'll be part of the trusted rotation by seasons end. Geno doesn't need 5 players to step up, he just needs 2-3.

 

[donalddoowop]

Putting the freshman into AAC games earlier because they're likely not as good as UConn's practice players still goes against Geno's principle that playing time is earned in practice. Once exceptions are made, excluding having to insert bench players into a game due to an injury to a starter or something like that, then his entire principle loses validity.

Yes, but sometimes situations call for adjustments. Making those adjustments won't necessarily cause the coaches principles to lose validity. The coach doesn't have to let things get out of hand even while making adjustments.

 

[MilfordHusky]

It took TINA the better part of 3 years to become the player she became. Can we wait that long for Megan Walker?

I agree that Tina didn't find beast mode until late her third season. But there are differences between her and Meg. Both are nice kids, but Tina tended to be a little too nice and not intense enough on the court. Tina also grew up by being able to dominate opponents physically, even without playing especially hard. While Meg is a physical specimen too, she's a full 3" shorter than Tina. Of the players to become truly great at UConn, Tina may have been the one who took longest to "get it." I think Meg will follow the path of Pheesa or Lou more closely.

 

[GoUconn7961]

1. Geno has ALWAYS spoken to the media about players
2. There is obviously something going on in practice that we are not aware of
3. In Geno I trust (always have; always will)

 

[MilfordHusky]

Here's the frustrating thing, at least I think this is mainly why fans/posters are frustrated.

Look around the rest of the country at some of the other freshmen who are being asked to shoulder large roles. Chennedy Carter for aTm. Westbrook/Davis/Hayes for Tennessee. Dana Evans for L'ville. Onyenwere for UCLA. Cooks for Michigan State. Williams and Dodson for Stanford.

All these kids are pretty much playing every single game (unless they are sick or injured). Most are averaging double figures in scoring. Most are playing significant minutes, even against good/great teams. So why can these kids all earn PT while Coombs and Walker cannot? Why can these kids figure out how to play against really good players while Coombs and Walker cannot?

Part of it is that these other teams don't have 6 potential all americans ahead of them on the depth chart. But I find it hard to believe that Carater, Westbrook, Davis, Hayes, Evans, Onyenwere, Cooks, Williams and Dodson are all so much better than Walker and Coombs that they are able to contribute while in big games, our freshmen are not. Is the UCONN practice and training regime so advanced that freshmen simply cannot grasp it at UCONN, but it's so much easier at other schools that really good freshmen not only start, but thrive all season long?

I am more asking that question rhetorically since I do believe that the UCONN way is different. Probably every other school out there, besides UCONN, allows freshmen to come in and continue to do what they did well in high school, while slowly trying to curb bad habits they picked up along the way. At UCONN, that's not the way it's done. Apparently you don't get to play until most bad habits are squelched and kids can excel when playing against the all americans ahead of them on the depth chart.

I can't argue with the results. Geno has consistently taken top 20 kids and turned them into WNBA players. He's taken top 10 kids and turned them into Olympians. I do get why fans are frustrated, especially if they are comparing our freshmen to other top freshmen in the nation, and that's part of the purpose of message boards - to let fans of all opinions share them, within reason. But as several have said, the proof is in the pudding. 11 NC's, many professional players, and the most Olympians of any program in the history of Women's Basketball... Oh, and almost every single player who has graduated from UCONN says unequivocally that no matter how hard the first year was, by the end, they get and appreciate why Geno coached them the way he did. He makes them into the best players they possible can be...

Our freshmen year in and year out are comparable to or better than similarly ranked players on other teams. I think these are the key factors this year:

1. We return 3 All-Americans, an Olympian, and possibly the most improved player in the country, plus we add an All-ACC player who could be a #1 overall WNBA pick. No one has a top 6 that remotely compares to ours in terms of talent and experience. Trying to fit into that lineup and play at the level of the top 6 is really tough for a newbie (or anyone).

2. Geno's coaching approach is generally very different. He pursues perfection. Other coaches allow newbies to play through their mistakes far more than Geno does. He does it only when a freshman is the best available option (see Renee and Tina as examples). Geno wants the players to be mistake-free before they get into the game. He may have set the bar higher than in the past after 8 years of coaching the best team in the world (Team USA).

3. Geno's system is more complicated than most. The offense involves a lot of reads, and the defense involves considerable switching. That's all new to most freshmen. It takes time to learn. But when the players learn all that, they become, among other things, better pro prospects.

4. The effort required at UConn is higher than elsewhere. Other teams play hard and other players play hard, but no one as hard as UConn teamwide--diving on the floor for lose balls when up by 40 points. As Geno says, they don't coach effort, and there is no such thing as being tired at UConn. Many coaches do have to coach effort. Other than Maya Moore and Kelly Faris, most players had to learn to play harder at UConn. Some got it by the middle of their first year; others took longer.

5. As Moriah and others have said, the coaches break you down and then build you back up. Geno has said that the one thing needed to play at UConn is confidence. With the new and complicated system, increased effort required, extreme competition, and being broken down, many kids take a big hit in confidence. The freshmen are going through that now. Brianna Banks still had confidence issues after 3 seasons when she transferred. Kiah Stokes still has confidence issues on the offensive end. Perhaps only the supremely confident Diana and Maya didn't suffer confidence issues. Even the great Stewie had a rough slump her first year. Once the newbies see that they are getting the hang of things and get praise from the coaches and their teammates, their confidence will rebound (no pun intended).

 

[GoingPostal]

Admire and respect Geno immensely. But this strikes me as his talking way too much, especially if he's allowing the starters to do it too. For example, Meg was 1-1 from the field with 6 ribbies in SIXTEEN MINUTES against Notre Dame. Has she deteriorated so much in practice that Geno no longer trusts her to play at all against TX? And is he allowing the starters to echo that?

I actually took Lou's quote the opposite way. "I know we have people who are capable of it" means to me that she's saying to the non-starters they can do it. They have the skills and talent they just need to stop worrying and just play. Lou's a leader on the team and IMO just trying to encourage players she knows are capable into letting loose in practice so they can help the team down the road.

 

[Bigpetunia]

There is also a fine line for a young player between learning from their mistakes and losing confidence.

Yep, that is so,,,,but, over the years, how many interviews with former players have we seen, great players, even many, nay, especially many whose jerseys reside up on that wall, wherein they alluded to how their coach "broke them down" before building them up as far more accomplished players than they otherwise would have been? We've all seen this movie before, time after time. But now, suddenly, after all these years, there's a different dynamic in play? The "style" that's worked so well for so long is no longer valid? To read this forum, one would think so. Me, I think the guy knows exactly what he's about, and, privately, he'd chuckle at a lot of our bloviating here. The way he goes about his business is tough, and, sure, there will be casualties as a consequence (AEH?). Eleven (!!!) titles later, we're still unconvinced?

 

[HuskyPhan]

That was a Meyers mike drop....discussion over.....next topic

 

[HuskyPhan]

BY: waa waa waa, why isn't Geno letting them play? He's so mean.

Geno: Here's why they aren't playing XXX.

BY: waa waa waa, why is Geno saying stuff in the media? He's so mean.

Geno's program is NOT to make players feel good. It is to play games the right way, win and for players to improve and take responsibility. They are held accountable, they are pushed out of their comfort zone. You don't get a diamond without extreme heat and pressure. It's been that way for 32 years. If you haven't figured that out yet, well I can't help you. The denseness of some posters on here is beyond the pale.

Let me try this again.....The above is a Meyers 'mike drop'-let's move on to another subject

 

[oldude]

Yep, that is so,,,,but, over the years, how many interviews with former players have we seen, great players, even many, nay, especially many whose jerseys reside up on that wall, wherein they alluded to how their coach "broke them down" before building them up as far more accomplished players than they otherwise would have been? We've all seen this movie before, time after time. But now, suddenly, after all these years, there's a different dynamic in play? The "style" that's worked so well for so long is no longer valid? To read this forum, one would think so. Me, I think the guy knows exactly what he's about, and, privately, he'd chuckle at a lot of our bloviating here. The way he goes about his business is tough, and, sure, there will be casualties as a consequence (AEH?). Eleven (!!!) titles later, we're still unconvinced?

You misunderstood my post. I have no problem with Geno. What I was trying to convey is that if Geno plays someone in a game before they are ready, and they screw up, the result could well be that the player experiences a significant loss of confidence, making it even harder for that player to be effective.

That is why Geno doesn’t necessarily throw young players into the pool before he’s sure they can swim, and swimming lessons take place during practice.

 

[Longtime fan]

Totally agree. Earning it in practice, you gotta be kidding. There are just some things you can't learn in practice. Just as some kids don't learn or accept things from their parents, until they hear it from outsiders. It's a well known phenomenon.
Geno, please stop griping like a baby and let them play and struggle against the AAC. We don't need to win by 50 points every night!

I don't think it realistic that Geno will modify his coaching style at this point. I understand that we would all do it differently. For example, I would let the "B" team ( Molly, Kyla, Batouly, Meg, Lexi and Coombs) play every other quarter in AAC game, regardless of what happens. But I am not the coach and I haven't won a zillion championships. We are frustrated, because we always love seeing the " new kids" perform and develop, and watching the "A" team win by 60 is not such a thrill anymore. In 2017, we are seeing a slower than usual emergence of the bench and, as a result, we get to see only limited appearances of the new kids. But let's not forget, the starting six want their minutes, also. Even if it is against Tulsa. Geno's job is not easy. They did beat a fine Texas team in an unfriendly environment. They passed a stern, mid-season test. We can't complain about the coach or his approach. Much as we like to.

 

[meyers7]

Let me try this again.....The above is a Meyers 'mike drop'-let's move on to another subject

 

[Kevinmac]

I am disappointed to see that press keeps reporting the same information on UCONN has 12 scholarship players and only has 7 players that play against ND top 15 teams. The following about the American Conference is a given:
1. It has few top 20 rated players except for UCONN. The coaches in the conference are not trying to improve their players enough or get more talented players.
2. UConn players from 1-12 exceed the talented on these teams. Alexis, Molly, Kayla etc can play competitively for full games.
3. Megan Walker has exceptional talent and she will be great player for us in this years NCAA tournament and next years team. I sit at courside and saw how she rebounded against ND in that four quarter which was hugh for us.
4. Shea and Moseley are responsible for recruiting of guards and forwards. Next they are judged on developing the players once they get here. For example Molly works with Shea and Kayla with Moseley for last 18 months. These get paid well as Shea makes close to $90,000 and Moseley over $75,000.
5. There are limited elite athletes that gifted with speed, jumping ability,pure shooting form and ability to perform under pressure. We are lucky to have seven players that gifted including Megan.
6. We know that balance of bench can play major minutes in the conference if the position Coach can do their jobs.
7. Shea and Moseley recruited players outside of top 7. To my knowledge Geno never saw Kayla on Molly outside of top 75 players or Alexis at their high schools. These coaches should be accountable for their selection and work with these players. How can press report that the speed of game was to fast for Alexis through October? Nothing should be said on this to the public.
Let us let players work in their drills and support everyone.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Here's the frustrating thing, at least I think this is mainly why fans/posters are frustrated.

Look around the rest of the country at some of the other freshmen who are being asked to shoulder large roles. Chennedy Carter for aTm. Westbrook/Davis/Hayes for Tennessee. Dana Evans for L'ville. Onyenwere for UCLA. Cooks for Michigan State. Williams and Dodson for Stanford.

All these kids are pretty much playing every single game (unless they are sick or injured). Most are averaging double figures in scoring. Most are playing significant minutes, even against good/great teams. So why can these kids all earn PT while Coombs and Walker cannot? Why can these kids figure out how to play against really good players while Coombs and Walker cannot?

Part of it is that these other teams don't have 6 potential all americans ahead of them on the depth chart. But I find it hard to believe that Carater, Westbrook, Davis, Hayes, Evans, Onyenwere, Cooks, Williams and Dodson are all so much better than Walker and Coombs that they are able to contribute while in big games, our freshmen are not. Is the UCONN practice and training regime so advanced that freshmen simply cannot grasp it at UCONN, but it's so much easier at other schools that really good freshmen not only start, but thrive all season long?

I am more asking that question rhetorically since I do believe that the UCONN way is different. Probably every other school out there, besides UCONN, allows freshmen to come in and continue to do what they did well in high school, while slowly trying to curb bad habits they picked up along the way. At UCONN, that's not the way it's done. Apparently you don't get to play until most bad habits are squelched and kids can excel when playing against the all americans ahead of them on the depth chart.

I can't argue with the results. Geno has consistently taken top 20 kids and turned them into WNBA players. He's taken top 10 kids and turned them into Olympians. I do get why fans are frustrated, especially if they are comparing our freshmen to other top freshmen in the nation, and that's part of the purpose of message boards - to let fans of all opinions share them, within reason. But as several have said, the proof is in the pudding. 11 NC's, many professional players, and the most Olympians of any program in the history of Women's Basketball... Oh, and almost every single player who has graduated from UCONN says unequivocally that no matter how hard the first year was, by the end, they get and appreciate why Geno coached them the way he did. He makes them into the best players they possible can be...

No you CAN"t argue with result---but in a open fair and honest forum you could DISCUSS the view of Uconn Frosh vs those of other team (as you have done).
When GENO, himself, is apparently questioning why frosh are not "stepping up" and meeting his requirement--to me that becomes fair game toward any discussion---no Nc' or 11 NC's--they are not part of the discussion--using an unfair statement : that was then this is now (my rebuke to those who cut off arguments with---you cant argue with his 11 NC)--Certainly you can discuss--and we do.
Geno has had values in the past he no longer finds works with the New breed (within the last 15 years) of players (and these new ones don't accept being pushed excessively). So it is not a valid discussion that Geno is fixed strongly in those old views. AS needed he can and I am sure will change if it becomes advantageous to winning or means not winning.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Classic management technique is to praise publicly and critique privately. This respects the criticized person's sense of self respect and makes for a better superior/subordinate relationship. Geno learned that beginner's HR technique ages ago. He also knows that some people are clearly motivated by being publicly embarrassed about their lack of consistent effort (to his standards, not mine). It stings their pride and they can't stand it. So they change.
Trust In Geno.

That is Human relationships 101 and Management 101.

 

[Papa33]

Totally agree. Earning it in practice, you gotta be kidding. There are just some things you can't learn in practice. Just as some kids don't learn or accept things from their parents, until they hear it from outsiders. It's a well known phenomenon.
Geno, please stop griping like a baby and let them play and struggle against the AAC. We don't need to win by 50 points every night!

How do you respond then to Geno's assertion that the coaches are not going to measure first-year players by their performance against the AAC teams that do not really test their game readiness, that they face much sterner, and revealing, competition against their teammates in practices? He seems to be convinced that practices test them more dramatically than game experience against "easy" competition.

Consider how we sometimes have trouble getting an accurate sense of our recruiting targets' abilities when they are beating up lesser teams, or how high school competition often exaggerates the Uconn readiness of kids who are stars at that level. If practices are made demanding and tough enough, I think coaches can rely on them as the clearest kind of assessments to judge them ready for teams that test the Huskies.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Geno's "style" is pretty entertaining to watch. One of his favorite shticks, I've noticed, is to do what virtually all parents do, from time to time, throwing up his hands and saying, essentially, "Ah, kids today...'snot like in the old days when kids listened and did what they're told...nah, today it's different and you gotta take a different approach." Then, big surprise, he doesn't change his traditional management style one iota! One of my favorite recent videos of him is the one in which he seems so clueless..."just don't know how I'm gonna motivate these kids to do better." Yeah, right...maybe he'll start reading our forum for advice. He's doing what he's ALWAYS done, no differently, and that's why he'll not only get #12, and do it this year, but, as a result of his style, we'll all witness a replay of the dynamic we've seen before...like when Megan Walker becomes MEGAN WALKER!

 

[dogged1]

That is Human relationships 101 and Management 101.

Yes, it is. Lucky for us that Geno could teach the post grad courses on this.

 

[dogged1]

Geno's "style" is pretty entertaining to watch. One of his favorite shticks, I've noticed, is to do what virtually all parents do, from time to time, throwing up his hands and saying, essentially, "Ah, kids today...'snot like in the old days when kids listened and did what they're told...nah, today it's different and you gotta take a different approach." Then, big surprise, he doesn't change his traditional management style one iota! One of my favorite recent videos of him is the one in which he seems so clueless..."just don't know how I'm gonna motivate these kids to do better." Yeah, right...maybe he'll start reading our forum for advice. He's doing what he's ALWAYS done, no differently, and that's why he'll not only get #12, and do it this year, but, as a result of his style, we'll all witness a replay of the dynamic we've seen before...like when Megan Walker becomes MEGAN WALKER!

Like times 100,000.