Classic Geno Auriemma. Some Tounge In Cheek, Some Not...By A Long Shot

UCONN women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma has always been a person who says exactly what's on his mind. Yesterday was no exception. You'll all find that out when the USA women's basketball team plays on the world stage that is the 2012 Olympic Games. The USA team couldn't be in better hands, not by a long shot. The UCONN women handily beat number twelve Ohio State at Madison Square Garden for their 88th straight victory, and we're not talking about exhibition games. We're talking about a team who, for the last three years, if not more, has always had one of the toughest schedules of them all. The following comments followed the rousing NYC victory last night that tied the all-time record of 88 in a row, bringing men AND women together. Geno was talking to a mammoth group of media, media from everywhere. Here you go...

"I just know there wouldn't be this many people in the room if we were chasing a woman's record," the Connecticut coach said Sunday near the end of his postgame news conference. "The reason everybody is having a heart attack the last four or five days is a bunch of women are threatening to break a men's record, and everybody is all up in arms about it. All the women are happy as hell and they can't wait to come in here and ask questions. All the guys that loved women's basketball are all excited, and all the miserable bastards that follow us to break the record are all here because they're pissed. Because we're breaking a men's record, we've got a lot of people paying attention," Auriemma said. "If we were breaking a women's record, everybody would go, 'Aren't those girls nice, let's give them two paragraphs in USA Today, you know, give them one line on the bottom of ESPN and then let's send them back where they belong, in the kitchen.' "

And then he said...

"I like to remind my players all the time that you don't stumble and bumble into history. You don't fall into the history books. You're going to have to do it the right way if you're going to get in there."

They are doing it the right way. I smile every time I read that. Some of it, he said with his huge and infectious smile. But not all the time. He is one of the best basketball coaches, women or men, NCAA or NBA, on our planet, and I can't wait for them to break the record with their 89th victory. UCONN will play Florida State University in Hartford tomorrow night at 7pm on ESPN 2. The game is a solid sellout. I'll be there in spirit with my UCONN cap on and a song in my heart. And you know what? They're going to do it. Take care and click on this post's title for a tremendous piece from the Hartford Courant head sports guy, Jeff Jacobs. I love his writing so click away. As always, BE WELL. Thanks. 88? WOW!!! 89? Nobody has ever done it in division 1 basketball.