Geno Auriemma - Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection

Copyright 2006 by Geno Auriemma

All rights reserved.

Warner Books

Hachette Book Group

237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Visit our Web site at www.HachetteBookGroup.com.

First eBook Edition: January 2006

ISBN: 978-0-446-55491-6

Book design by Giorgetta Bell McRee

The Warner Books name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

To the two best coachesmy parents, Donato and Marsiella.

To Kathy, Jenna, Alysa, and Michael,

you comprise the best team I could ever be on.

Geno Auriemma

To Alyson and Douglas, with all my love

Jackie MacMullan

To all the people who have stayed by my side, supporting me through the best and worst times in my life. I appreciate all of you and the experiences weve shared. A special thanks to my parents, for all the sacrifices they made so my life could be better. To my wife, Kathy, and my children, Jenna, Alysa, and Michael, for all the concessions they have made. They are the only ones who know just how much they have done for me. Thanks to Jackie MacMullan for having the tenacity to get my thoughts on paper. Thank you to Time Warner and Esther Newberg for taking a chance on me. A special thanks to my coaches, starting with Chris Dailey, who has been there from the beginning and has been instrumental in our success; to Jamelle Elliott, who played for me and coached with me, and has been such a valuable sounding board; to Tonya Cardoza, who has provided quiet wisdom; to Jack Eisenmann, who grew up with me and stood by me. To Sarah Darras, I offer my gratitude. This book never would have happened without you. To my family, staff, administrators, past assistant coaches, old friends, new friends, colleagues, and playerscent anni!

GENO AURIEMMAMay 2005

I am grateful to Sarah Darrasyou are truly amazing. Thanks to Chris Dailey, Jamelle Elliott, Tonya Cardoza, and Jack Eisenmann for letting me intrude. Kathy Auriemma, Peg Myers, Robyn Danahy, and the Connecticut players, past and present, were not only helpful, they were good company. Rick Wolff, Ed Kleven, Esther Newberg, Randy Press, Joe Sullivan, Don Skwar, Ian Thomsen, Todd Balf, and Michael Holley were great sounding boards. Michael, Aly, and Douglas Boyle mean the world to me. Fred and Margarethe MacMullan, Sue and Vinny Titone, and the entire Boyle clan have provided a lifetime of support. Janice McKeown and Jane (Cavanaugh) Smith are two of the best friends anyone could ever have. Thanks to the Ya Yas, the Westford moms, and the Fourth of July gang. To my boondoggle buddies, Liz Douglas and Stephanie Baird, thanks for keeping me sane during this project. Lastly, thanks to Geno. You sure know how to spin a yarn.

JACKIE MACMULLAN

I was in the WNBA for about two minutes before everybody started asking me the same question: Whats Coach Auriemma like? It was amazing. It was the first thing everybody wanted to know. People are very curious about what kind of personality he has, and how he approaches the game. They all want a little insight into how hes been able to win five championships and produce all these great players.

How do you explain Geno Auriemma to someone that has never met him? They probably already have the wrong impression about Coach. He isnt very well liked in the womens game, mostly, I think, because of jealousy. They want what he has, and they dont know how to get it. Hes also very confident and outspoken, and they dont always like what he has to say.

The biggest mistake people make is thinking that we must hate Coach because he was so hard on us. They figure we couldnt possibly like someone who yells at us and screams at us as much as he did. But, very early on at Connecticut, you realize hes on you because he wants to get the most out of you.

Nobody likes to hear the stuff he says. I didnt. Before we started my freshman season, I would see Coach on campus and hed be smiling and having fun. Wed be joking all the time. I was thinking, This guy is incredible.

But then practice started, and it was over. He was on my case constantly. He was busting me, big-time. As soon as we stepped in that gym, boom! He flipped a switch. He was this completely driven, competitive guy who was never satisfied. Whatever I did, I couldnt please him. It took a toll on me at first. Sometimes you need a compliment.

But he wasnt giving you one until March.

In my freshman year, we made it to the NCAA semifinal game against Notre Dame. I played horribly. I shot 1 for 15 from the floor. I was upset, and when I fouled out with about a minute to go, I came out of the game with my head down. I couldnt even look at the scoreboard. I knew if I had just made two or three more shots, we would have won. I felt so badly about letting my team down, especially the seniors.

Coach came over and talked to me. He rubbed my head. He wasnt going to let me feel that way. He wasnt going to let me blame myself.

Right after that, we had our individual end-of-the-year meetings. I figured he was going to say to me, Hey, you did a really good job this year. Instead, he sat me down and said, Next year were going to suck with you on the team.

I couldnt believe it. What happened to the its not your fault stuff hed said the week before? But thats what makes Coach Auriemma different. You go in there thinking one thing, and he hits you with something totally different. Im expecting all these compliments, and hes telling me, We cant win with you next year. You took no responsibility for that championship game.

At the time, I was really angry with him. But you know what? He was right. If he had said to me, Diana, I know you did your best in that game, its okay, I dont know if I would have been as determined or as hungry the next season. He knew exactly what he was doing. I came out in my sophomore season and had, I think, the best year of my career. Oh, and by the way, we won the national championship.

While you are playing, you are not going to see the comforting side of Coach that often. Youll see it off the court when hes busting your chops, or goofing with us on the bus, or checking in to make sure everything is okay at home, but on the court those times are rare.

The most emotional moment I had with him was when we beat Penn State in my senior year in the regional final. We had played like crap the whole year. It was our last game at the Hartford Civic Center, and he took me out with one minute left, and there were a lot of emotions running through me. I came out, and he just gave me a huge hug. Ill always remember that one. It solidified everything for me. I remember thinking, You know what? Coach has been on my side for four years. I might not have always known it, but he was.

The women I played with at Connecticut like to tease me. They call me Little Geno. They tell me, Hes your long-lost father. I say, Hey, shut up, but I know theyre right. Im competitive, just like him. Were both hardheaded. I made him step his game up, and he put me on a different level. He focuses on the little stuff that at the time you dont think is that important. But later on, you understand.

I get it now.

One of his biggest things is communication. He expected us to be talking to one another all the time on the floor. If you didnt talk, you didnt play. Now Im in the WNBA and you go to practice and you dont hear a word, for the most part. Its a different atmosphere. People have their agendas. They punch in, and they punch out when theyre done. Im out there clapping my hands, trying to get people going, because thats how we were successful at Connecticut. We were twelve people who were all on the same page. I miss that.