EricLA
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- Aug 24, 2011
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Geno was asked about the success of the men's and women's teams since 19999 - that the programs combined have been to 17 final 4's. He had this to say - certainly puts some things into perspective for us fans, and anyone who questions what we are doing...
"You know, I'm always amazed when people bring up those kinds of numbers, maybe because we are constantly looking ahead that we don't have a chance to look back. Someone told me the other day that we've won 35 games 10 times, and that the rest of the country has done it 12 times - combined. So when people tell me that, I go 'wow, really'? That's really good for a long time. And now when you tell me that... and not like in the history of the program - you're telling me since 1999? Those are just staggering numbers.
You mentioned Duke. Mention how many iconic basketball schools out there that haven't been able to do that - that have all the things that people think you need to have to be great. You know, you need to have the right conference. You need to have the right football program. You need to have the right facilities.
All these things that people say are important, and what we've had at Connecticut - we had a hell of a men's coach who did a hell of a job with a group of guys through the years - s0me pros, and some not, and then you have a young coach - where the jury was out on how do you replace a legendary coach with just any guy that has never coached... what's happened and what's happening is just nothing short of remarkable.
I think probably the only people who don't celebrate it enough are the people in Connecticut. Us, you know? We at times take this stuff for granted - that yeah we are UCONN and we are supposed to be there. And I like that - don't get me wrong, but I think that every once in a while we should look back, and go back and appreciate that what we've done is absolutely remarkable. When you think about what we have to work with and what we have compared to other people, it's just remarkable."
"You know, I'm always amazed when people bring up those kinds of numbers, maybe because we are constantly looking ahead that we don't have a chance to look back. Someone told me the other day that we've won 35 games 10 times, and that the rest of the country has done it 12 times - combined. So when people tell me that, I go 'wow, really'? That's really good for a long time. And now when you tell me that... and not like in the history of the program - you're telling me since 1999? Those are just staggering numbers.
You mentioned Duke. Mention how many iconic basketball schools out there that haven't been able to do that - that have all the things that people think you need to have to be great. You know, you need to have the right conference. You need to have the right football program. You need to have the right facilities.
All these things that people say are important, and what we've had at Connecticut - we had a hell of a men's coach who did a hell of a job with a group of guys through the years - s0me pros, and some not, and then you have a young coach - where the jury was out on how do you replace a legendary coach with just any guy that has never coached... what's happened and what's happening is just nothing short of remarkable.
I think probably the only people who don't celebrate it enough are the people in Connecticut. Us, you know? We at times take this stuff for granted - that yeah we are UCONN and we are supposed to be there. And I like that - don't get me wrong, but I think that every once in a while we should look back, and go back and appreciate that what we've done is absolutely remarkable. When you think about what we have to work with and what we have compared to other people, it's just remarkable."
