All Streaks Come to an End

Geno during UConn's last loss...
in 2008 semis against Stanford

90 straight games. 998 days since their last loss. The same team that defeated them last was the one that stopped the streak.

The Stanford Cardinal put a halt to the UConn women's hoops team streak of 90 consecutive wins last evening. A streak that may never be duplicated in the basketball record books.

I find it refreshing that after taking the loss, UConn coach Geno Auriemma not only took the time to converse with ESPN's Jimmy Dykes, but Auriemma also voiced a couple of astute facts.

"At some point reality had to set in, and today reality set in," Auriemma said. "I'm not destroyed about it. Winning that many games in a row, it's unheard of..."

"...When you see what happens tonight and how it happened, I think you can appreciate it even more what it took to get to that point and how many things can go wrong and how you can have bad nights," Auriemma said.

It really is difficult to appreciate a feat so excellent when you're caught up in it. Now that it's over, Auriemma will go back to the drawing board and embark his squad on another streak.

And that's what Geno does best. He's constantly motivating his young team. Being top dog for so long should serve as a motivating tool in itself. You get every team's best shot night in, night out. After a while, the mental aspect of the game should become a grind. Not to Auriemma. That's when he coaches his best.

Why Call Geno?

I'm not a huge fan of women's hoops, pro or college. For that matter, I'm not a big hoops fan period.

But I do know one the greatest basketball players I've seen over the last decade, male or female, is Diana Taurasi.

The former UConn and current Phoenix Mercury women's basketball star recently tested positive for a banned substance while playing in a pro league in Turkey. It was her "A" sample which provided the positive result. While a request to run her "B" sample has yet to take place, it is forthcoming, but Taurasi has been placed on provisional suspension pending those results.

According to the story on SI.com, calls were placed to UConn coach Geno Auriemma and had yet to receive a response.

Why? I'm not asking as to why hasn't Auriemma not responded, but why on earth would someone feel the need to contact him. If Taurasi was still a player at UConn, I completely understand. Yes, she is a former player. I know that's the connection here.

Even if Auriemma were to respond, I'm positive he would be a bit surly and/or terse with his response. We all remember his now famous pseudo rant when approaching John Wooden's record for consecutive wins within college hoops. That attitude would project through in any statement or comment.

And the timing couldn't have been worse. Auriemma and his current crop of Lady Huskies were in pursuit of that landmark victory.

Let the coach and his players enjoy their feat, and holiday season, in peace. While I'm sure he's concerned of the news regarding Taurasi, his opnion on the matter is reserved for he and Taurasi. Not anyone else.