Wow. I have never seen him like that. A part may be trying to motivate his team but I think the larger part is just truth telling. The players are not doing what they are instructed to do. It's not fatigue, it's them and his ability to coach them. No FF with this group unless there is a radical change he says. I think we have all been wrong trying to find the magic cure, looking and waiting for Azzi like some existential play. It's them and he was very specific about the disconnect between the practices, the training, the instruction, the film review, and the players executing. How do you fix something so endemic as not listening to a HOF coach, the GOAT? I have lost a lot of respect for our players after listening to him today, assuming he is not merely motivating but actually diagnosing.
Xavier Postgame Presser
- Thread starter OviedoFLHusky
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Another loooooong offseason
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I know that Geno loves his players and appears to have a soft spot for my favorite, Caroline, but in one of the timeouts, he walked up to her on her way to the bench and he seemed pretty unhappy with what had transpired on the court. Maybe she didn't do what had been expected of her on a recent play? Anyways, I was kinda shocked. And then later, on a different timeout, he did the same thing with Aaliyah. Again, I was kinda shocked. And I believe earlier in the game he had a talk with Ayanna when she was returning to the bench after being subbed for.
Seemed like an awful lot of talking going on for the last regular season game of the season...
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I was thinking the same thing! She absolutely has a mid-range jumper!
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OK - I am not the most sophisticated fan in the world - I'm not an athlete, and I never played on a team - BUT - I'm trying to understand what/who Geno was talking about in his press conference remarks.
I mean - What I saw in the Xavier game last night - was: Caroline drilling some 3s from the corner, Lou playing well (as always), though not having all of her shots fall, Ayanna making some good defensive plays and grabbing some rebounds (while annoying Geno with a foul). AE did some good things and some dumb things - was it AE he was referring to when he talked about one of the "bigs" taking the ball up the floor? (When she makes a steal, is it not OK for her to lead the break?)
Also, I thought Inez looked pretty good - even though others keep harping on how awful the bench is.
I though Aubrey also did some good things.
So who are the players who are selfish and refuse to be coached? Maybe Amari? Maybe AE sometimes? Maybe Nika sometimes? Seems like it was just a week ago that Geno called Carolyn "one tough mother," and it's pretty clear how highly he regards Lou. So ... I wonder if he was just really frustrated and/or trying to send a message to the team that even if they ARE tired and banged-up, it's time to put those excuses to bed.
Please tell me what you think.
The comments made by Geno and by the players in their respective videos appear to be well aligned. The players feel that they could and should be doing a lot better.
At its best, Basketball is a beautiful team sport. The coordinated movement of the players and the ball complemented by precision in execution leads to the excitement that most of us experience. Much like in a music ensemble, each player could be playing their notes perfectly. If however they are not synchronized with each other, the ensuing music can be difficult to listen to. This is where we are now. If the players do not take the lead of the conductor, the ensemble gets out of sync. Coach uses the phrase “selfish”, I shall call it poor timing.
Poor timing is hurting the team in many ways. It is happening on account of mental fatigue/insufficient focus. A few examples:
1. Turnovers. A passer sends the ball to a location where the receiver is not. Or, the passer sends the ball to a location where one or more players from the opposing team can wrest possession or prevent a shot attempt. Happens more than 15 times every game.
2. Missed layups. More often than desired, players are not delivering the ball softly to the backboard or to the net. Many of these every game.
3. Defensive lapses. While one defender is hedging to slow down the ball handler, the other should be following the opposing player that is rolling. The timing of the defender to defender hand-off is critical. Also, help defense has been lacking in many situations. Happens several times every game.
We have a really good group of players. They already know what to do. They have to hold each other responsible and accountable to at least do what each of them is good at. Items 1-3 can easily bridge the gap between a few point loss and a 20 point win.
In closing, the players reiterated that their goals have not changed For this season - BE championship, Final Four, and the overall championship. They want to get back to being the team they were at the beginning of the season. I believe they can if they set their minds to it. I am looking forward to some exciting basketball in the weeks ahead!
At its best, Basketball is a beautiful team sport. The coordinated movement of the players and the ball complemented by precision in execution leads to the excitement that most of us experience. Much like in a music ensemble, each player could be playing their notes perfectly. If however they are not synchronized with each other, the ensuing music can be difficult to listen to. This is where we are now. If the players do not take the lead of the conductor, the ensemble gets out of sync. Coach uses the phrase “selfish”, I shall call it poor timing.
Poor timing is hurting the team in many ways. It is happening on account of mental fatigue/insufficient focus. A few examples:
1. Turnovers. A passer sends the ball to a location where the receiver is not. Or, the passer sends the ball to a location where one or more players from the opposing team can wrest possession or prevent a shot attempt. Happens more than 15 times every game.
2. Missed layups. More often than desired, players are not delivering the ball softly to the backboard or to the net. Many of these every game.
3. Defensive lapses. While one defender is hedging to slow down the ball handler, the other should be following the opposing player that is rolling. The timing of the defender to defender hand-off is critical. Also, help defense has been lacking in many situations. Happens several times every game.
We have a really good group of players. They already know what to do. They have to hold each other responsible and accountable to at least do what each of them is good at. Items 1-3 can easily bridge the gap between a few point loss and a 20 point win.
In closing, the players reiterated that their goals have not changed For this season - BE championship, Final Four, and the overall championship. They want to get back to being the team they were at the beginning of the season. I believe they can if they set their minds to it. I am looking forward to some exciting basketball in the weeks ahead!
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The talking wasn't only for the last regular season game. It was also for the upcoming games and even for down the road into next season. That's how the best coaches think. Sometimes you have to plant a lot of seeds to get some things to grow.
meyers7
You Talkin’ To Me?
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There you go. You got it.
BRS24
LisaG
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Based on this observation, I'd like to think that what Geno said in his presser was not a surprise to the team, and perhaps he explained this in the locker room postgame, before doing the presser. If the players are echoing similar, then they'd already heard the message, as they usually are interviewed before the coach.
He flatly denied fatigue is the problem. Proof it's not a problem, he said, is that the team is just fine running up and down the court. He must be mind gaming them. Forcing yourself to be physically quick doesn't in the least demonstrate absence of fatigue. The more you push yourself, in fact, the more your fatigue is going to affect you mentally. Hopefully, these four days of rest and the likelihood of Fudd's return will have a refreshing effect.
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I think Geno knows this team is going to be limited in how far theyll go in the BE and NCAA tournaments. He‘s made remarks about previous teams similar to this on how they practice something over and over again, but then the game starts and it’s like they never ran a particular play, or played a certain defense. I don’t remember them coming this late in the season, and I sure as hell don’t remember him regretting not retiring when a superstar graduated several years prior.
I sincerely hope this is just coaching fatigue and that when the season is over, and regardless of how far they got, he’ll be able to rest up and recharge his coaching batteries for next year. If Paige, Azzi, and Ice come back healthy and we aren’t cursed again with so many injuries, next year‘s team has the potential to be one of the all time great UConn teams.
Imagine a starting lineup of:
Paige
Azzi
Nika
Aaliyah
Griffin
with your bench being Ducharme, Ice, Ayanna, KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, and Qadance Samuels.
If they stay healthy, wow, we are a STACKED team next year.
I sincerely hope this is just coaching fatigue and that when the season is over, and regardless of how far they got, he’ll be able to rest up and recharge his coaching batteries for next year. If Paige, Azzi, and Ice come back healthy and we aren’t cursed again with so many injuries, next year‘s team has the potential to be one of the all time great UConn teams.
Imagine a starting lineup of:
Paige
Azzi
Nika
Aaliyah
Griffin
with your bench being Ducharme, Ice, Ayanna, KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, and Qadance Samuels.
If they stay healthy, wow, we are a STACKED team next year.
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Geno's comment was a literal joke. He said it while laughing with reporters. Jesus this board takes things literally.
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There’s humorous laughter, and there’s gallows humor laughter. I’ve watched the presser twice, I don’t think he was being humorous. Just my opinion. Have you EVER heard him say something akin to his closing remark? (“I should’ve left w Stewie”)… If you have, please reply, because I’ve been watching this team since the 90’s, and I don’t remember him saying anything like that. And don’t respond with “oh I’ve heard him say it a bunch”. Be as specific as you can, please.
I understand Geno's frustration. However, being among the best that ever coached basketball, the solution is not complicated. Their current malaise is fixable. Don't throw the 25% pass (1 out of 4 being successful) and don't take the 25% "rush down the middle shot" where all of the defenders have packed it in around the basket. The UCONN women are smart and experienced and very teachable. Sometimes, though you have to tell them, tell them again and finally, tell them what you told them.
I have compiled an interesting chart that only takes into consideration 2 numbers, raw percentage of shots made and numbers of shots at the basket. At the bottom win or loss is indicated. Three pointers and fowl shots are not considered.
You can see how after the South Carolina game they tend to play at the same level as their opponent. If its fatigue then the 4 day break should make a difference. If it is something else then coaching is the answer.
I have compiled an interesting chart that only takes into consideration 2 numbers, raw percentage of shots made and numbers of shots at the basket. At the bottom win or loss is indicated. Three pointers and fowl shots are not considered.
You can see how after the South Carolina game they tend to play at the same level as their opponent. If its fatigue then the 4 day break should make a difference. If it is something else then coaching is the answer.
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Its a joke he makes frequently the last five - ten years. Here is another example from last year: "I go to myself, 'I'm 68. Do you know what guys my age are doing?'" he added. "'They're in Florida right now playing golf, or they're on TV asking why they didn't foul, dammit. And why am I trying to do this?' Every day in practice, guys, I ask myself."
I don't feel like digging out every press conference from the last 5 years to find more examples but its not the first time I've heard it in reference to Stewie specifically.