Geno Auriemma, Mr. Women’s Basketball [Pat Jordan, deadspin.com]

By On 2012/03/22 · 10 Comments · In Geno Auriemma

A lengthy, uncensored look at UConn’s Geno Auriemma by veteran freelance writer Pat Jordan hit the website www.deadspin.com on Thursday:

Click here for the full story: “Does this look like the office of a [expletive] egomaniac?” He makes a sweeping gesture with his arm. A coach’s office. Small, cluttered. Papers strewn across his desk, the papers inked with symbols in odd patterns, like ancient hieroglyphics, waiting for future generations to decode them. X’s and O’s, dotted lines, arrows. X bounces a dotted line to another X, who drives past an O in an arrow toward a big circle on a rectangle. The Perfect Play. In his head, anyway. On paper! But not yet perfected by his team. Imperfect human beings. Imperfection, his curse, his cross, his albatross. And Perfection: his goal, but not in this life. Read the rest of Jordan’s story

 
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10 Responses to Geno Auriemma, Mr. Women’s Basketball [Pat Jordan, deadspin.com]

  1. Clyde says:
    2012/03/22 at 5:18 pm

    Great article and interview. Very different in the fact this reporter asked questions that I never heard fro any other reporter and most amazing of all – not one stupid question. The only bad thing that I can think of that Geno has done is that he has won so much and set the bar so high that when he finally decides to retire that you would have to be a fool to take over his job! It would be unreasonable to expect someone else to accomplish what Geno did, but the University and the fans will crucify the person that doesn’t!

  2. Mozeys guy says:
    2012/03/22 at 6:55 pm

    Geno is flawed, uses foul language (sometimes), speaks from the hip, gives his honest opinion regardless of who or what may take offense. But a man I wish I could be. His tidbits of wisdom could/should fill a book–many of them are words to live by. Geno has made some not so nice comments to me–but I deserved them. I had the stupidity to tell him how to coach–image that, me the idiot telling the greatest living womens basketball coach how to do his job. I’m pleased he never told me how to sweep out the garage (my job). Thanks Geno, thanks for the great games, the learning experience for your fans, thanks for caring about our “women”, thanks for making this less that full life less humdrum, at least during basketball season!!!!

  3. Sweetretreat says:
    2012/03/22 at 7:49 pm

    Exceptional article, precursor to a book, I hope. Geno, I don’t know who doesn’t respect you for your coaching skills–only those who are jealous would not admit respecting your abilities, accomplishments, titles. If you respect and honor John Wooden then look in the mirror, you are the John Wooden of Basketball today. The key to playing great basketball has been turned by you. If only Calhoun would look in that door and see how it’s done. The only knock on the article is the statement that Geno’s teams play old school–no they play basketball. Even men’s teams with the ability to dunk, and shoot from half court will be successful using the Geno method. Team work, passing, using inate intutive understanding of the game–it works. But it works for everything in life. Do it Geno’s way and you can’t fail.
    I just loved ever second of every line in this article. I thought Geno was the greatest, now I know it!!

    • LA.kent30 says:
      2012/03/23 at 2:53 pm

      you did not just compare geno to john wooden.
      i know i did not just read that. you better put that blunt down and re-write this insane comment. next will be tebow to montana.

      • Clyde says:
        2012/03/23 at 4:31 pm

        If you do not see what Wooden and Geno have in common, you know nothing at all about basketball, And John loved womans basketball for the last ten years of his life and Uconn. He was quoted as saying that if you want to see how the game should be played – to watch Uconn. So maybe you should dig him up and correct him!

        • kent lords says:
          2012/03/27 at 9:44 am

          i’m sure he would be easy to find , cuz he’s been rolling in his grave from all these disrespectful comments. adolph rupp and dean smith are legends that you can compare with coach wooden.
          theres such a talent gap from the top 4 or 5 schools to the rest its ridiculous. geno’s a good salesman. all he has to do is sell basketball , thats it. then if they can read and write , they go to uconn. i would think theres some reason geno has never moved up. will he be considered when calhoun leaves ? i don’t think so. these comments about coach wooden just shows how warped and arrogant SOME uconn fans are.

  4. Kathleen says:
    2012/03/23 at 7:26 am

    At a time in our culture when everything is manicured and over-produced, when spin masters substance, we have our unapologetic, guileless Geno. His carefully coiffed hair and tailored suits are the jacket to the book that tells you everything you want to know about life while holding no punches. He’s the man you would go to when you want to know the absolute truth about who you are, even if it makes you cry. It takes a special person to expose themselves to that kind of scrutiny, let alone 18 year old women who have been told they are better at basketball than all of their peers since they were 10. Geno is a special man, and for all of the haters out there who think he is an arrogant lout, would they be able to withstand the brutal honesty and the critical eye that creates great basketball players, teammates, and people? He is the exact opposite of the cadre of “yes men” that surround athletes today, and our society needs more like him.

  5. UConn Husky Fan (UHF) says:
    2012/03/23 at 7:30 am

    John Wooden had problem$ at UCLA but for $ome rea$on mo$t turn a blind eye to what really went on. Wooden wa$ not a$ clean a$ he i$ portrayed.

  6. mari muro says:
    2012/03/23 at 8:53 am

    Thank you John, a long but interesting read – that’s why we love the UConn women – Geno – the staff and you

  7. FREDDYKOOL says:
    2012/03/24 at 3:21 pm

    FREDDYKOOL: VERY KOOL JOHN, I LOVE IT……GO UCONN!