One Slight Slight, IMO

[Sonny44]

With all the celebration, all the credits, to ND, to our players, to Geno, the national media exposure, etc, etc. I can't help but feel the contributions of our assistant coaches CD, Marissa and Shea get overlooked. Geno did mention them briefly post game, but IMO that's not enough. Their contributions to this dynasty are well recognized by Geno and us and I'm sure the school, but somehow I just think thay deserve more.

 

[Fiftyish]

With all the celebration, all the credits, to ND, to our players, to Geno, the national media exposure, etc, etc. I can't help but feel the contributions of our assistant coaches CD, Marissa and Shea get overlooked. Geno did mention them briefly post game, but IMO that's not enough. Their contributions to this dynasty are well recognized by Geno and us and I'm sure the school, but somehow I just think thay deserve more.

Agreed. I often wonder why he is not more vocal on the contributions of his staff. I'm sure they play a key role in creating National Championship caliber teams. Would like to hear him talk more about how their work makes the team capable of winning so consistently and I would like to hear it while he is on national TV, which is often.

 

[UcMiami]

Eh ... the one time I have heard him praise them on the biggest stage of all is in USA basketball press conferences where he has said he couldn't do what he has done without the extraordinary efforts of the asst/assoc coaches and of the support from the Uconn.
When asked he gives plenty of praise, but does anybody remember who Phil Jackson's assistants were? A couple of John Wooden's are remembered because they went on to establish themselves as HC (though I couldn't name one of them.) It comes with the territory and I don't think any of them feels a lack of respect from either him or the fans - and I know they are very well compensated for their work, making more and living better than a lot of head coaches.

 

[JBMudd]

Rebecca did mention during post-game that the team could not have accomplished everything they have without CD and the rest of the assistant coaches. She talked about it for several minutes.

 

[sarals24]

Yeah, I think you're reaching...he talks about CD all the time, and she gets plenty of media exposure. She's probably one of the few assistant coaches in the sport that people could even name.

 

[Huskies Rule]

ARGGGGGHH !! Please, Sara- CD is NOT an assistant coach, she's an associate head coach, a significant difference both in responsibility and compensation. As crucial as their contributions have been to the team's success, and as much as Shea and Marisa love UConn, I am frankly shocked they have not been vigorously pursued by a bigtime D1 program and are not at least entertaining offers currently. In every sport, next to 'stealing' a famous, brand-name head coach, teams always go after the highest-ranking assistants at the top, winningest programs, hoping to acquire what they learned from their Vince Lombardi, Coach Krzyzewski, or Geno Auriemma. No matter their current pay, a D1 head coaching job would be far more lucrative, and I think that sooner rather than later we will be saying goodbye to Shea and Marisa (and I'm fearful that will in turn hasten Geno's departure). Shea and Marisa have certainly earned that opportunity, though watching Jamelle and Tonya may give them pause.

 

[sarals24]

ARGGGGGHH !! Please, Sara- CD is NOT an assistant coach, she's an associate head coach, a significant difference both in responsibility and compensation. As crucial as their contributions have been to the team's success, and as much as Shea and Marisa love UConn, I am frankly shocked they have not been vigorously pursued by a bigtime D1 program and are not at least entertaining offers currently. In every sport, next to 'stealing' a famous, brand-name head coach, teams always go after the highest-ranking assistants at the top, winningest programs, hoping to acquire what they learned from their Vince Lombardi, Coach Krzyzewski, or Geno Auriemma. No matter their current pay, a D1 head coaching job would be far more lucrative, and I think that sooner rather than later we will be saying goodbye to Shea and Marisa (and I'm fearful that will in turn hasten Geno's departure). Shea and Marisa have certainly earned that opportunity, though watching Jamelle and Tonya may give them pause.

Sorry? Geez.

And how do you know they haven't been pursued? Maybe they aren't interested. Cardoza and Elliot clearly wanted to be head coaches, and they were ready, and took their opportunity. And while it might be more lucrative to be a head coach, the grass isn't always greener. They probably want to learn as much as they can from Geno while he's still coaching.

 

[UcMiami]

I am sure they have been pursued as has CD, but when you really like your work environment and are challenged and successful, you do not just take any job - you look for one that you have some hope of succeeding at. It is not like they are seeing money thrown at them, which is the reason players in the NFL for example sign with Oakland - a place where they have very limited chances of being successful.

So ... if say Jabir at Dayton got lured to a P5 team, and Dayton called one of the assistants - that is a job I think they would be very tempted by. If Providence called I am not sure they actually return the call. Temple was very tempting, Cinci ... maybe not so much but it had also become time to go. I don't think the clock has necessarily gotten to that point for Shea or Marisa.

 

[Scotter]

When asked he gives plenty of praise, but does anybody remember who Phil Jackson's assistants were?

I think many basketball fans would know that Tex Winter the guy who literally wrote the book on the triangle offense (the same book that Geno read to install the triangle offense for 94-95 team) was Jackson's long-time assistant from the beginning.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Eh ... the one time I have heard him praise them on the biggest stage of all is in USA basketball press conferences where he has said he couldn't do what he has done without the extraordinary efforts of the asst/assoc coaches and of the support from the Uconn.
When asked he gives plenty of praise, but does anybody remember who Phil Jackson's assistants were? A couple of John Wooden's are remembered because they went on to establish themselves as HC (though I couldn't name one of them.) It comes with the territory and I don't think any of them feels a lack of respect from either him or the fans - and I know they are very well compensated for their work, making more and living better than a lot of head coaches.

Gary Cunningham and Denny Crum, to name two.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Gary Cunningham and Denny Crum, to name two.

Exactly. Crum is in the Hall of Fame and coached Louisville to 2 NCs. He was an excellent coach, having played for and assisted John Wooden.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Sorry? Geez.

And how do you know they haven't been pursued? Maybe they aren't interested. Cardoza and Elliot clearly wanted to be head coaches, and they were ready, and took their opportunity. And while it might be more lucrative to be a head coach, the grass isn't always greener. They probably want to learn as much as they can from Geno while he's still coaching.

I don't mean to be argumentative, Sarals. Brilliant as Coach is, it's hard to imagine that Shea (after 7 years) and Marisa (6 years) have a whole lot more they can learn from him relative to teaching/coaching basketball. Rather it is Geno's complex Montella psyche, how he personally connects with kids, engages, understands and empathizes with them, that makes Coach unique. Perhaps only a Freud could grasp those traits. What Geno has is a gift I really believe only he has. If other coaches had it, UConn wouldn't be all alone, on top, where it is today. Jamelle and Tonya learned Geno's X and O's, but Coach's unique talents are not learnable and replicable.