[Leftcoast]

He's a winner but I can't imagine sending my child to play for him.  I think of him as the Bobby Knight of women's basketball - a sideline bully and narcissitic twit who could be damaging to the psyche of kids who aren't on his good side. 

The fact that so many parents DO send their kids to his program means one of three things:

1)  Gino's much, much better in person than  he shows on sideline shots and in media interviews
2)  Winning is a powerful deodorant for some parents.  They know what they're getting into but want to see their kid win.
3)  The UCONN brand is just THAT powerful among under 18 girls.  Geno's antics and mindgames are an afterthought.

Sadly, I expect UConn's recruiting success is based on a mix of numbers 2 and 3.  Brand and the Halo effect matter.  Geno probably knows he better keep winning or the program is one publicized incident away from crumbling in on him.  (And wouldn't all Stanford fans wail for him!)

I never cringe when I hear our coach speak  the way UConn grads must when Auriemma is interviewed and is his normal ungracious, ego-on-the-shoulder self.  With Tara it's quite the opposite.  The recently posted videos of Tara at a campus innovation conference and last week's story of her early days on campus were examples of Tara presenting the school and program under a terrific light. 

And, of course, she also wins.

[Leftcoast]

He's a winner but I can't imagine sending my child to play for him.  I think of him as the Bobby Knight of women's basketball - a sideline bully and narcissitic twit who could be damaging to the psyche of kids who aren't on his good side. 

The fact that so many parents DO send their kids to his program means one of three things:

1)  Gino's much, much better in person than  he shows on sideline shots and in media interviews
2)  Winning is a powerful deodorant for some parents.  They know what they're getting into but want to see their kid win.
3)  The UCONN brand is just THAT powerful among under 18 girls.  Geno's antics and mindgames are an afterthought.

Sadly, I expect UConn's recruiting success is based on a mix of numbers 2 and 3.  Brand and the Halo effect matter.  Geno probably knows he better keep winning or the program is one publicized incident away from crumbling in on him.  (And wouldn't all Stanford fans wail for him!)

I never cringe when I hear our coach speak  the way UConn grads must when Auriemma is interviewed and is his normal ungracious, ego-on-the-shoulder self.  With Tara it's quite the opposite.  The recently posted videos of Tara at a campus innovation conference and last week's story of her early days on campus were examples of Tara presenting the school and program under a terrific light. 

And, of course, she also wins.