What's In Storrs?

[RoadMaster]

Great article from by Michael Rosenberg

MSN

Great insight from Geno:
"
“Breanna Stewart is exactly like Rebecca Lobo,” Auriemma says. “Not as a player. But cut her open, and you’ve got the exact same thing inside both of those people. Paige Bueckers is exactly like Diana Taurasi: Cut them open, they’re exactly the same person. Tina Charles was exactly like Stefanie Dolson. Different style of play, different backgrounds, whatever you want to call it … [but] here?”
(He taps his hand on his chest) “Exactly the same. So when people say, ‘How do you go and maintain it?’ You’re getting the same kid over and over and over again.”

 

[meyers7]

Hmmmm, I can see Bueckers and DT, and I guess if I think about it, Stewart and Lobo. But I don't see Charles and Dolson at all. Seem very different people to me.

BUT, I don't really know them and didn't see them every day for 4 years.

 

[Kaizen]

Paige looks like the combination of DT and Sue Bird ...

 

[Geew1992]

He's talking about their heart. Not style of play

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

I was thrilled when my SI arrived in the mail the other day to see this long, comprehensive and entertaining article. One of my favorite parts was "in the last 34 years, , 23 schools have won at least one men's or women's basketball championship. 21 of them have on campus football stadiums. The exceptions are UCLA, which plays in the Rose Bowl, and UConn, which does not play in the Rose Bowl." And btw, even Villanova has an on-campus stadium, and they are not even FBS.

 

[GoUconn7961]

This was a fantastic article. Thank you so much for posting it.

 

[Bone Dog]

Yes, he’s comparing hearts, and they’re not all identical. The shape of their ferocity is distinctive. Paige is more similar to Diana than she is to Stewie. Off the court she and Diana may differ quite a bit. The way they interact with fans, the way they relax, and so on. But the shape of their competitive spirit, the way they respond to setbacks, or to opponents who try to show them up, and above all the way they carry a team with courage, resolve and preposterous trash talk… that is easy to see.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Most outwardly competitive Huskies (imo):
Diana Taurasi
Jen Rizzotti
Jamelle Elliot

 

[huskeynut]

One of the best articles I have read about UConn basketball.

As Geno has said many times over the years, UConn is not for everyone.

 

[Jim]

Most outwardly competitive Huskies (imo):
Diana Taurasi
Jen Rizzotti
Jamelle Elliot

I would add Nika to that list.

 

[Bigboote]

One of the best articles I have read about UConn basketball.

As Geno has said many times over the years, UConn is not for everyone.

I like the way Hurley put it: No one picks UConn for the wrong reasons.

 

[UC15]

Nobody is like DT .... nobody

 

[cookie447]

I would add Nika to that list.

…..and Caroline Doty!!!

 

[Next 12]

I just read the whole article. Fantastic writing and Coach Geno was flawless in his comments. I think if you cut open Geno, you would find a basketball as his heart. He is so committed to superior excellence and devotion to the pursuit of Uconn BB From this 24-25 season to the end of his 5 year contract ,he will build a Women's BB legacy that will FOREVER define his commitment and purpose in the art of playing the game. I predict that Geno will win another 203 games ,including the N.C.'s and wind up with 1416 wins and then retire. I really pray I live long enough to see it. GO GENO!!!!! GO UCONN HUSKIES!!!!!

 

[GoUconn7961]

…..and Caroline Doty!!!

We need another Bam Bam too lol!
I loved Stacey

 

[kjkj3]

We need another Bam Bam too lol!
I loved Stacey

I would add Shea to the growing list. She had a fire that was second to none.

 

[RoadMaster]

Most outwardly competitive Huskies (imo):
Diana Taurasi
Jen Rizzotti
Jamelle Elliot

Here ya go...

 

[Bone Dog]

Add all the names you want. The point of the article is that Geno recruits scrappers. All the ones who thrive in Storrs are the scrappiest ones.

As for whether Paige is like Diana, it might make more sense to say no one is like Paige.

 

[UConnCat]

“We’re not in a recruiting area where a lot of players are growing up,” Auriemma said recently. “We are not in a major city or major community, so to speak. We didn’t have a great arena on campus. The university itself was a commuter school, pretty much. I can’t think of any positives that there would have been, 40 years ago, to come to school here.”

I've said many times that what Geno and Jim Calhoun built at this university is among the top accomplishments in the history of college sports. They did it with the power of their personalities and hard work. Some of their contemporaries coached at schools with better facilities and existing national brands. Geno and Calhoun had to build the UConn brand in basketball.