What It Takes To Play At UConn...

[Woof 101]

This may have been posted in the past, I just did not see it. If a repeat I welcome the mods to delete. Then again it is one worth repeating for so many new on board.

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/tournament/2015/story/_/id/12488113/the-swagger-UConn

So many posts and threads that actually do not understand UConn women's basketball. Well here you have it in a nut shell. The low down on Geno, lengthy but very worth it.

 

[Buzzyboy]

This may have been posted in the past, I just did not see it. If a repeat I welcome the mods to delete. Then again it is one worth repeating for so many new on board.

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/tournament/2015/story/_/id/12488113/the-swagger-UConn

So many posts and threads that actually do not understand UConn women's basketball. Well here you have it in a nut shell. The low down on Geno, lengthy but very worth it.

New to me and I loved it. The theme is something I've heard before but some of the nuances are new and pretty entertaining.

 

[NVUConnFan]

One of the many reasons I really, really like UConn WCBB is because it reminds me of the USA's Army, Navy and USAF Academies. I am an alumni of USAFA in 1967 and I have a step-son who is a USMA graduate in 1997. The lessons I learned there plus the education have held me in good stead ever since. Let me give you an example that is similar to the what was described in this article.

During "Basic Cadet Summer", in 1963, fresh out of HS, us not-even-Doolies yet (USAFA for "plebe") had some survival training in the Rampart Range of the Colorado Rockies just to the NW of the Academy. We were there for 3 days learning important things about survival, but only had 1 C-Ration can of food to eat each. When we were done, we had to make our way back to the Academy and it was many miles. Just at the end of this return journey, almost starving (we thought, but not really) and dead tired, we sighted the USAFA campus. Then the Firstie (Senior) in charge of us lined us up and gave the command: "March Double time!" So we essentially ran the last 2 or so miles to the campus when we all thought we could hardly take another step. Lesson learned.

Basketball practice is not like USAFA survival training in 1963, but the lesson is still the same: Your limits are psychological, not really physical.

 

[Tonyc]

My motto and some of you have heard this before....To be Great at anything, you must pay a huge price, you pay it in advance, and there are no guarantees.

 

[NVUConnFan]

(snip) To be Great at anything, you must pay a huge price, you pay it in advance, and there are no guarantees.

Most will not pay this price.

 

[Huskies Rule]

"What It Takes To Play At UConn?"

Great talent, even greater character, and a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears.

 

[warbler1055]

Great read. Thank you for posting.

 

[BigBird]

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Fagan: Culmo also remembers Auriemma repeating a phrase: "Our team is a circle. We don't let anyone in; we don't let anyone out."
(Take from that what you will.)
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I'll take a shot at this one. The first sentence means that you trust only your team mates and coaches, and ignore the exterior clamor and clutter. The second sentence means that no one on your team is to be unsupported or ignored. If you are good enough to wear the uni, you are good to be valued by the entire team - all the time.

This is why the starters at rest on the bench go bonkers when Polly or T-Law gets a layup. It is why recruits (like Lexi) comment on how close the entire team is.

It also means, "We don't let JUST anyone in." In other words, that you were asked to be here was not an accident. We saw your potential, but now you must work to REALIZE that potential. And you won't get a pass on that.

 

[Sonny44]

Shudder to think of him retiring some day.

 

[Fiftyish]

DT..."I think it's four years of swagger school more than anything else."

Swagger School pretty much sums it up. I love it.