"The best thing that ever happened"

[Plebe]

"They, us, everybody thinks it is probably the best thing that ever happened," Auriemma said during American Athletic conference media day on Monday. "Best thing that happened to some of these kids, best thing that happened to our program and our fans, and best thing that happened to women's basketball.

"I think it was refreshing. The worst thing that could have happened is Connecticut wins another championship in a down year. What's that say about everybody else in our game?"

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball...s-basketball-2017-womens-final-four-loss-best

 

[oldude]

I’m sorry. I’m not buying it. With the loss in the rear view mirror, Geno can be philosophical about it, but don’t think for a second that he thought it was “the best thing that ever happened” while it was happening.

 

[eebmg]

I’m sorry. I’m not buying it. With the loss in the rear view mirror, Geno can be philosophical about it, but don’t think for a second that he thought it was “the best thing that ever happened” while it was happening.

I agree. There is nothing better than winning when you were not expected to at the beginning of the season. It would have secured in the minds of all that the season was one of his best coaching jobs. I am sure he is bitterly disappointed. It would have been possible to go 7 NC straight. Still, I think he is genuinely relieved that the win streak is over. Too many distractions. Of course, losing in the regular season would have been better. Time to start another one.

 

[BostonCanuck]

I'm kind of buying it. When watching that game, I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, Geno's not really doing anything substantive here to help his team get this one across the finish line. He's putting it entirely on them." I'm not saying he was happy with what was happening or the outcome of that game. But if in the 2018 tournament the Huskies should happen to be in any kind of nail-biter in the second half of a game, I'm willing to bet we see a different version of the head coach on the sideline... more like the one we saw in the Elite Eight game in 2016.

 

[tomcat]

Methinks Geno is using a little psychological warfare combined with revisionist history here,

 

[Intpseeker]

I'm kind of buying it. When watching that game, I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, Geno's not really doing anything substantive here to help his team get this one across the finish line. He's putting it entirely on them." I'm not saying he was happy with what was happening or the outcome of that game. But if in the 2018 tournament the Huskies should happen to be in any kind of nail-biter in the second half of a game, I'm willing to bet we see a different version of the head coach on the sideline... more like the one we saw in the Elite Eight game in 2016.

+1

 

[Huskee11]

Refreshing?

Worst thing that could have happened?

Nah. I didn`t feel refreshed. I felt like Andre the Giant was sitting on my chest.

 

[eebmg]

I am probably in the minority on this but while the loss hurt alot, I was not devastated mainly because it was such an underdog (Rudy type feel good) story with Morgan William etc. If we had lost to a more traditional rival (SC or Stanford or ND) , I think the loss would have hurt alot more.

 

[Sonny44]

There's no such thing as a good loss. There are always better ways to learn than losing.

 

[oldude]

In the word’s of Ted Turner, “The biggest thing I learned from losing, winning’s more fun.”

 

[Orangutan]

Methinks Geno is using a little psychological warfare combined with revisionist history here,

That and it reads to me like his tongue (as usual) is lodged firmly in his cheek.

 

[CL82]

I’m sorry. I’m not buying it. With the loss in the rear view mirror, Geno can be philosophical about it, but don’t think for a second that he thought it was “the best thing that ever happened” while it was happening.

Geno's got nothing to prove these days. I'm sure that he'd had liked for the team to win, but either way he goes home as the best coach ever in WBB.

 

[rugbymate]

This is just a great coach doing what great coaches do....take a negative and find the positive. This is Geno's way of putting The Loss in the rear view mirror. He doesn't want any negatives hanging over the heads of a still young team.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I’m sorry. I’m not buying it. With the loss in the rear view mirror, Geno can be philosophical about it, but don’t think for a second that he thought it was “the best thing that ever happened” while it was happening.

Old Dude---you and Cannuk from Boston--have the right slant on this--only with Boston's assumption Geno stood by and watched his kids lose--is very Un-Geno is my disconnect. When given the choice between UCWBB winning or losing--I choose the former. Geno, historically, has shown his great displeasure with not winning.
Having said this; I doubt Geno is dwelling on that game, except when some motivation may be required.

 

[donalddoowop]

I'm kind of buying it. When watching that game, I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, Geno's not really doing anything substantive here to help his team get this one across the finish line. He's putting it entirely on them." I'm not saying he was happy with what was happening or the outcome of that game. But if in the 2018 tournament the Huskies should happen to be in any kind of nail-biter in the second half of a game, I'm willing to bet we see a different version of the head coach on the sideline... more like the one we saw in the Elite Eight game in 2016.

I agree with you. Geno did not look like the best coach in WBB that game. I believe there is more to the loss than many think. The team did not look the same and neither did the coach. There were two players who had started on a national championship team and two more with NCAA Championship experience. It reminded me of the UNLV loss to Duke a year after blowing them out in the championship game. Something was not right in that game and although not the same thing, something did not seem right in the Uconn game, imo. By what I can remember, looking at the faces of CD and Geno after the game, it did look as if it bothered them. Just an observation. I don't think Geno needs to say anything like what he said to motivate this team. I believe they are motivating themselves. If the fans think he is using psychology, I am pretty sure the veterans on the team can see through it.

 

[BostonCanuck]

I agree with you. Geno did not look like the best coach in WBB that game. I believe there is more to the loss than many think. The team did not look the same and neither did the coach. There were two players who had started on a national championship team and two more with NCAA Championship experience. It reminded me of the UNLV loss to Duke a year after blowing them out in the championship game. Something was not right in that game and although not the same thing, something did not seem right in the Uconn game, imo. By what I can remember, looking at the faces of CD and Geno after the game, it did look as if it bothered them. Just an observation. I don't think Geno needs to say anything like what he said to motivate this team. I believe they are motivating themselves. If the fans think he is using psychology, I am pretty sure the veterans on the team can see through it.

One thing that sure didn't help the Huskies was that they had to play in the nightcap. That game started at 11 pm eastern time (10 pm in Dallas) and I've since believed that had they played the opener, the team would have been much more in sync and probably would have won.

But whatever we may say about Geno, he was such a class act speaking to the news media outside the locker room right after the loss. The way he handled that, the combination of humility and resilience, it was pure class and grace. He made me so proud to be Husky fan that night, and it frankly helped me get over the loss a lot easier.

 

[bags27]

I think he's trying to put the best face on what has to be a deeply disappointing experience. After all, he's an incredibly competitive guy.

But I also think he means what he says: he wants proportionality in the game, a sense that others can beat UConn, and so UConn's achievements aren't because of something beyond others' control: such as that UConn recruits the best and/or that Geno should really have moved beyond WCBB into the NBA or something, because he's just too good for this game.

So, I think Geno really believes what he said, but I also think he wants to win every championship every year. He knows that if he flies too close to the sun, his wings will melt, but that never stopped anyone from trying....

 

[nwhoopfan]

One thing that sure didn't help the Huskies was that they had to play in the nightcap

But it was the same for Mississippi St. Not sure how that placed UConn at a disadvantage.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I agree with you. Geno did not look like the best coach in WBB that game. I believe there is more to the loss than many think. The team did not look the same and neither did the coach. There were two players who had started on a national championship team and two more with NCAA Championship experience. It reminded me of the UNLV loss to Duke a year after blowing them out in the championship game. Something was not right in that game and although not the same thing, something did not seem right in the Uconn game, imo. By what I can remember, looking at the faces of CD and Geno after the game, it did look as if it bothered them. Just an observation. I don't think Geno needs to say anything like what he said to motivate this team. I believe they are motivating themselves. If the fans think he is using psychology, I am pretty sure the veterans on the team can see through it.

ll
I agree the looks of Geno and our expectations of Geno in the final game--were not the Geno most expect. I know we have beaten up on that game to the n th degree without a realistic solution. The only answer for Geno in that game we would accept is --a win!! If we believe Geno didn't do all he could to win that game is to believe Geno wanted to lose. Not MY Geno--he hates to lose, even playing marbles, losing gracefully (in private) is not in his DNA.
With the mental and physical tiredness of his team and the motivation of 11 player and game plan--- Geno is human, Geno is not perfect, Geno at times makes mistakes, Geno, contrary to reports, is not God. Geno has stated Wins are made by players, losses by coaches--and he has accepted 2 losses --now maybe 3 --that he created. He shall not have that problem this year.

I agree anyone past a Soph will know all of Geno's tricks and motivational mombo jumbo----if Geno had his index finger on his lips---his "tell" --he knew he was in deep doo doo without an answer. Watch reruns of his losses--a bit after half time the finger crosses his lips--and he looks at the floor--he's not a terrific poker player.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I think he's trying to put the best face on what has to be a deeply disappointing experience. After all, he's an incredibly competitive guy.

But I also think he means what he says: he wants proportionality in the game, a sense that others can beat UConn, and so UConn's achievements aren't because of something beyond others' control: such as that UConn recruits the best and/or that Geno should really have moved beyond WCBB into the NBA or something, because he's just too good for this game.

So, I think Geno really believes what he said, but I also think he wants to win every championship every year. He knows that if he flies too close to the sun, his wings will melt, but that never stopped anyone from trying....[/QUOTEs]
He smiled and was a bit jovial, even laughed a bit as he congratulated the other team and exited the floor---he is a terrific actor. Laugh clown laugh, even wit,h a breaking heart. I wonder how this was handled away from the camera's???\
I disagree--no NBA, No WNBA, No MLB not for Geno--his niche is fully and completely at UConn and WCBB--motivating MEN is not the same as motivating young women---each NBA player knows he knows more BB than Geno--coaching them isn't for the faint of heart. While 60 something is young for the healthy--travel of the demanding travel of super sports--is really tiring and more so as you age. UConn has just the right amount.

 

[uconn34]

We are so spoiled

 

[Scotter]

I agree that playing the second game hurt UConn. I had a bad feeling in the days leading up to the game because of the additional factor of Karlie playing in the 1st game. It was clear, especially from the HBO doc that the core players and even the UConn coaches had an emotional investment in Karlie from years of recruiting in addition to being Lou's family. Then a worst case scenario happened with Karlie getting hurt and Stanford losing, and I started to really worry about UConn coming out flat or tight. That emotional investment causes adrenaline and anxiety hours before the game they're actually playing in. It's not optimal and not something they can nessarily control. I saw Lou say she probably shouldn't have watched the Stanford game, but even if she was locked away she would still be getting anxiety from the unknown given the level of her emotional investment.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

We lost last year? I no longer have a rear view mirror. I'm happier that way.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I agree that playing the second game hurt UConn. I had a bad feeling in the days leading up to the game because of the additional factor of Karlie playing in the 1st game. It was clear, especially from the HBO doc that the core players and even the UConn coaches had an emotional investment in Karlie from years of recruiting in addition to being Lou's family. Then a worst case scenario happened with Karlie getting hurt and Stanford losing, and I started to really worry about UConn coming out flat or tight. That emotional investment causes adrenaline and anxiety hours before the game they're actually playing in. It's not optimal and not something they can nessarily control. I saw Lou say she probably shouldn't have watched the Stanford game, but even if she was locked away she would still be getting anxiety from the unknown given the level of her emotional investment.

It was a nearly perfect storm--including Karlie's team losing and Karlie getting injured. I was concerned when Stanford made the Final Four that it could have an adverse impact on at least Lou.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I can understand Katie Lou being distracted by Karlie and Stanford playing in the first semifinal, but the whole team? I am not buying it. That seems like quite a stretch.