Baylor: The Kind Of Game Coaches Love

By On 2013/02/18 · 8 Comments

Monday’s game against No. 1 Baylor will be the 959th in the UConn coaching career of Geno Auriemma. It will also be his 11th against a top-ranked team, his second this season following the Huskies’ 61-35 romp at Stanford on Dec. 29.

Despite it all, the Hall of Fame coach, with seven national championships since 1995, still finds inherent excitement working the sidelines of a big event.

Trying to stay a step ahead of the competition is what it’s all about. When the competition is the defending national champion, it tends to make the walk brisker.

“Any coach is probably excited to coach any game, but the kind of games coaches really love are those in which you know that you can play your ‘A-game’ and still lose,” Auriemma said. “Those are the great games to coach because the goal then is to play your ‘A-game.’

“If you win, you win, if you lose, you lose. It’s not that exciting to go into a game knowing that even if three of our stars foul out, we will still win by a bunch. It doesn’t do that much for you. But to coach in a game we could do everything right and still lose? That’s the goal. And the preparation that requires is a little different.

“Against some teams, you can watch film and say ‘Well, if we do this, we are going to get this shot. But against Baylor we know, we may or may not get that shot. So we need to be prepared for anything.

“That’s what gets the juices flowing because plan A is definitely not going to work. So you need plans A, B and C. It’s like Mike Tyson said, ‘You can have plan A [when fighting him] until you get punched in the face. Then you better have plan B.”

 
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
Reddit Facebook Twitter Delicious

8 Responses to Baylor: The Kind Of Game Coaches Love

  1. Steve Gee says:
    2013/02/18 at 10:15 am

    There’s going to be positives for each team no matter who wins.
    The loser will have a bit of extra motivation and focus going into the league tourneys.
    The winner will be full of confidence proving that they can win against any team.

    Touch gloves and come-out fighting.
    Go UCONN.

    • MaryAnn says:
      2013/02/18 at 1:28 pm

      This game is Baylors to lose. Tallest player, one of (if not) the best point guard in the USA. Best supporting cast-Hayden, Willims, Pope. It’s 7 pm in Texas at game start–9 pm at the end.
      The pressure is on Baylor the loss shall mean more to them.

    • Buffy the Troll Slayer says:
      2013/02/18 at 1:44 pm

      The winner will be full of confidence?? You know this HOW??
      The loser will have extra motivation?? You see this in one of your xtal balls??

      Uconn win by 30??? Using the other xtal ball?

      Your Aunt Sally doesn’t hold up!!!

  2. Bill Corley says:
    2013/02/18 at 1:37 pm

    Plans a,b,c to x are nice to have. Plans are nothing, planning is everything (Eisenhauer). For sure CD, Shea and Marissa have been disecting Baylor for the past month. They know how and when Pope, Hayden and Odssesy turns to shoot, to pass, to griner. Mulkey has done the same.

    • PHS says:
      2013/02/18 at 7:39 pm

      Marissa and CD coach Stokes and Buck. What does that tell you? Shea coached Engeln.

  3. Chicken Stew says:
    2013/02/19 at 7:29 am

    UConn Chokies.
    1-5 against ND.
    0-2 against Baylor.
    Geno outcoached again.

  4. Tom Turlington says:
    2013/02/19 at 11:18 am

    How can anyone criticize anything about this game!!? If you are a fan of WBB and want the sport to have more credibility we should rejoice in the spectacle. I am a Baylor fan, but I really enjoy seeing excellence these two teams exhibit. Geno? He is a gift to the sport! Kim? No one has ever matched her CV…National Championships as a player, assistant, HC, and also an Olympic Gold Medal.!! Also, both of these coaches graduate their kids! These two coaches and teams are jewels, and what a game!! BTW…Geno and Pat Summit both got standing ovations when they came to Waco! I hope Kim was treated with the same respect..couldn’t see that part on TV.