Geno Auriemma: Coaches are 'afraid' of players who 'get off scot-free' Jason Owens,Yahoo Sports•April 2, 2019
Early in the NCAA tournament, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo created a buzz when he he lost his temper in a furious diatribe aimed at freshman Aaron Henry.
Some criticized the respected Spartans coach for crossing a line with a 19-year-old, while others defended Izzo for being the demanding leader Henry signed up to play for.
The incident sparked a debate over what’s proper and what’s not as well-compensated coaches manage amateur players at high-profile college programs.
Geno Auriemma talks coaches crossing the line The issue came up during a teleconference Tuesday with UConn women’s coach Geno Auriemma, whose Huskies are preparing for the program’s 12th straight Final Four appearance.
A reporter asked Auriemma about what constitutes crossing a line and how coaches navigate what’s appropriate and what’s not in terms of motivating players.
Auriemma responded by saying that a lot of coaches have given in to players who are reticent to follow instructions claiming, “It's harder today than it's ever been to motivate players,” resulting in coaches not running programs as they envision.
Geno Auriemma (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) Geno Auriemma had some thoughts on the current state of coach-player relationships. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) More
Auriemma: Coaches ‘afraid’ of players He told reporters that coaches are afraid of their players, thanks in part to societal and media pressure that risks branding them as bullies.
“I think coaches have become afraid,” Auriemma said. “Coaches are afraid of their players. The majority of coaches in America are afraid of their players. The NCAA and the athletic directors and society has made them afraid of their players. Every article you read, this guy is a bully, this woman is a bully, this guy went over the line, this woman was inappropriate. Everything you read.”
He then went on to lambast a dynamic that he believes allows players to “do whatever they want while complaining about players’ rights to transfer.
Auriemma: Players ‘get off scot-free’ “Yet the players get off scot-free and everything,” Auriemma said. “They can do whatever they want. They don't like something you say to them, they transfer. The NCAA goes, ‘Oh, somebody got mad at you because you didn't box out, that's dramatic, you can go to another school.’ Coaches have to coach with one hand behind their back.
“Why? Because some people have abused the role of a coach.”
Auriemma’s credentials Auriemma is a bonafide coaching icon. UConn has compiled a 1,062-138 record with the Huskies that includes 11 national championships and 19 Final Fours.
He’s also paid well for his efforts, having recently signed a $13 million contract extension.
Obtuse Auriemma It’s difficult to find sympathy for Auriemma here considering the dynamic that places the power in college athletics almost entirely in the hands of programs and coaches.
As players play for scholarships, coaches amass small fortunes on the backs of the talent playing for them. If coaches indeed feel “afraid of their players,” then that should be an issue that prompts personal introspection rather than lashing out at media and social norms that push back when coaches do cross a line.
In blasting players who transfer, Auriemma displays a sense of entitlement and ownership over unpaid athletes, suggesting that a freedom to change the course of their own lives is something that should be restricted.
Auriemma’s achieved a remarkable amount of success in a career that is and should be celebrated. He should show more appreciation for the players who elevated him to the pedestal he stands on.
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