Why were you better in November?

[msf22b]

“Some of these guys I ask them, ‘Why were you better in November and December than you are now?’ ” Auriemma said. “And they go, ‘Because you really needed me then.’ So what? All of a sudden, LeBron, Kobe and Kevin Durant decided they were going to play for UConn women’s basketball and we don’t need you anymore? Last time I looked at our roster, we could use all the help we can get. But you don’t know how kids think. You don’t know what goes through their minds. But it is safe to say right now, it’s all hands on deck. That’s what we need.”

Bad day to post a provocative quote and question its meaning as I am sometimes wont to do.

Is this really the kid's fault?

Or are the kid's picking up a subliminal message that perhaps even I feel as well.

I'm prepared for the onslaught.
Someone had to pick up this quote.

And I'm sure that whomever the quote refers to, She (they) will step up big-time.

 

[UcMiami]

I think it gets to Geno's comment about the team not necessarily having that killer mentality but on an individual basis - and some of his comments about women in general vs men in athletics (and in life) - that they are too willing to defer to others on the team and not assert themselves. Gross generalizations, but not therefore false. His comment about coaching men and working on a play where they are supposed to set a pick to free a teammate 'what, you want me to do this so someone else gets a shot?!!!'
He has to ride KML and Stewart to shoot more - how many men's coaches have that problem? He is annoyed that Banks and Chong come off the bench and don't take open shots. He wants Stokes to be more assertive on offense.
Bria and Moriah and Stef - not such a problem, but the others ...

 

[Icebear]

It isn't a big issue quote. Geno's philosophy is bring it every day to practice and games. There should not be great variations in effort and/or execution over time. If you brought it in November because you were "needed" he wants that everyday so that he knows and your teammates know you are still ready because you are still "needed" and can be called on at any moment. It isn't just about the bench being ready it is about every player on the court giving focus and effort every time down the court. UcM is right, it is about killer mentality not just settling in and being comfortable. I think Geno may be pulling our leg about being from Italy, I think he is really from Missouri. Show me.

 

[UcMiami]

Just though about an illustration of what I was trying to say ... not saying this has actually happened but I could easily see it. Conversation in coaches office:
Bench Player: Coach, I think I have been going really well in practice, I'd like to see more playing time.
Coach: I agree you have been bringing it, but help me out, which of the starters do you think I should play less?
BP: I don't know.
C: Well do I cut Bria's time?
BP: Well, no, she is playing great.
C: Maybe Moriah?
BP: Wow - isn't she amazing?
C: So, who? Maybe Stewart?
BP: Um, coach, just forget I brought this up, OK. We're good here.

Of course when he had that conversation with DT her freshman year, her response to each question was 'Yeah, OK.' Same with Maya.

 

[watanabe]

Sometimes you would be surprised what the lower tier can do if given the chance/opportunity. We are all stars inside of ourselves, but for some reason opportunity just doesn't come. But when it does,.....

 

[reno tony]

Sometimes you would be surprised what the lower tier can do if given the chance/opportunity. We are all stars inside of ourselves, but for some reason opportunity just doesn't come. But when it does,.....

Just think that Lou Gehrig got his chance because the starter was in a little slump. Then 2,130 consecutive games later he retired. All UCONN players will get their chances now. Time to take advantage of them.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Just think that Lou Gehrig got his chance because the starter was in a little slump. Then 2,130 consecutive games later he retired. All UCONN players will get their chances now. Time to take advantage of them.

As the story goes, Wally Pipp had a headache and Miller Huggins gave him the day off and inserted Lou Gehrig into the starting lineup, the second game of the incredible streak having pinch hit the game prior.

 

[watanabe]

I sincerely believe several players need this. We will miss and feel bad for KML, but we can't help that. This spring has just gotten very interesting.

 

[msf22b]

The Gehrig story seems not exactly parallel.
Geno is seemingly complaining that Who? (Banks, Chong, Stokes…even perhaps one of the upperclassmen…unlikely)
When put in during the first version of the emergency, played better…Then!

Then Kaleena returned and seemingly at least some of the above retreated with regard aggressiveness and had a lesser effect.

The question I raised is:

Is it possible that Geno is a tiny part of the problem in that he played his starters plenty and god knows what the message to the others is.

Actually: I don't believe that Geno is the problem at all.

I think the problem is for young players, perhaps all the players too find their precise role within the UConn framework and to maximize their potential once they are comfortable in that role.

Bria struggled in some games, disappeared in segments earlier in the season until she figured out (surely with the help of the staff) just exactly what her new role was…mostly a straight 2

And look at what she'd doing now; as good as one can find.

Even better than her All-American year

 

[watanabe]

I have a twelve year old future lady husky in my home and I can't even get her to do much of anything I want her to do. With the results Geno gets, I'm never going to second guess him. There's what, about 50 lady huskies he deals with every day and night? God bless him.

With that said, I know we are going to see some amazing things from these players before the season is done. Go Geno (Go Huskies)!!!!!

 

[reno tony]

The Gehrig story seems not exactly parallel.
Geno is seemingly complaining that Who? (Banks, Chong, Stokes…even perhaps one of the upperclassmen…unlikely)
When put in during the first version of the emergency, played better…Then!

Then Kaleena returned and seemingly at least some of the above retreated with regard aggressiveness and had a lesser effect.

The question I raised is:

Is it possible that Geno is a tiny part of the problem in that he played his starters plenty and god knows what the message to the others is.

Actually: I don't believe that Geno is the problem at all.

I think the problem is for young players, perhaps all the players too find their precise role within the UConn framework and to maximize their potential once they are comfortable in that role.

Bria struggled in some games, disappeared in segments earlier in the season until she figured out (surely with the help of the staff) just exactly what her new role was…mostly a straight 2

And look at what she'd doing now; as good as one can find.

Even better than her All-American year

I wasn't trying to change the theme of the thread and I agree with what you have said. I was just making a different point that when you get your shot you need to take advantage of it.

Just think, if Kiah scored 18 points, had 13 rebounds, blocked 5 shots and had 4 assists in 26 minutes starting one game. What would Geno do next game with her? Do you start her for Stewie who might have had a sub-par game? For Stef who might have had a slow game as well? What message does it send Kiah when she plays the game of her life and then goes right back to the bench. That is a tough pill for someone to swallow. I agree that Geno is not the problem, but he has to deal with them.

But, I also have a hard time believing one of his players actually stood in front of Geno Auriemma and told him they played better in Nov/Dec because the team needed them to. I think Geno is a great motivator and this might be a story to motivate his players.

61 TO GO​

 

[UcMiami]

msf and Reno - nice posts. And I think it speaks to the ever changing dynamic of all teams. But especially in basketball where you have only five players active at any time and unlimited substitutions - a coach can carve up the minutes in a 40 minute game in an infinite number of ways. The training and preseason is a period of defining team chemistry and the roles for each player within the dynamic of the team. As the year progresses there is a normal adjustment that takes place as players improve, 'hit walls', go into slumps, and as the competition and dynamic in each game varies. That is the easy part of a normal season.
When you throw in injuries that sideline players for a game or a month you do not have a normal progression but a sharp shock to the dynamic of the team. Players who had a defined role yesterday now may have a dramatically different role today - and it is not just one player that is affected but the whole team. And it is not just once when the injury occurs but also when the injured player returns - that creates a whole new shock to the new dynamic that had been established in their absence.
For Uconn this year there have been a number of these 'shocks' - Kaleena and Morgan missing a month, Kaleena and Morgan returning, Stokes missing a game, Morgan going down again, Banks having semi-chronic ankle issues, Chong missing a game, and now Kaleena down for a second time. For the other starters, the issues were probably easier to deal with than for the bench whose roles after each shock were changed more dramatically. And it is interesting to note that they and the team probably dealt more easily with the loss of Kaleena and Morgan than they did with their return. It can be easier to step up to a challenge than it is to rebalance a role when the 'challenge' is removed, especially when that also involves getting a teammate(s) back up to speed.

 

[watanabe]

The truth of the matter is that there are no "I"s in team. No names on the jerseys.
Recognition of individual talent is unavoidable in the real world, but saps the strength inherent in "one for all, all for one"
For me this is the real strength of the women's game as compared to the men's game. The pinnacle of the WCBB experience (today) is during the college career.

Somehow Geno has to balance this. Not so easy as far as I can see. Society thrives on individual achievment, women's basketball does not.
Sims with her thousand points per game is nothing to the combined might of the Huskies. How the heck do you teach this to a group of American women raised to worship individual accomplishment.

The coach himself is a recognized individual achiever. As long as Geno understands that his value is from the combined efforts of the players, he remains grounded. As soon as he feels he has done all this on his own things will not go well. This is the lesson the Husky players must be taught to know in their very being. IMO we are now watching this process play out. I expect we will bear witness to success in this regard with another NC.

 

[babysheep]

He has to ride KML and Stewart to shoot more - how many men's coaches have that problem?

Obviously nitpicking but I think a lot of us on the men's side still think KO needs to ride Niels to take more than 2.7 3s a game.

IME/O what Geno has to say about females being more inclined to share is certainly generally true. My profession has got to be at least 75% women (closer to 90 in my specific environment), so I'm around a lot of them for a lot of time throughout my weeks, and I absolutely see that women respond to orders more and are less inclined to take over and lead. Men just seem to be more natural leaders and want to show that they are leaders. Neither is better than the other, just trends of behavior that I have noticed. If this is some passive-aggressive calling out of a player without singling her out in front of the rest of the team, that is definitely a strategy I see working with women (not that the team doesn't probably already know who he would be talking about anyway), while men are much more okay with being directly addressed.