UConn Vs. Notre Dame: Is The Geno Auriemma/Muffet McGraw Feud Real Or Manufactured?
ByI'm not sure if tonight's men's national championship is one of the most or least anticipated finals in the last few years nor am I certain if the Geno Auriemma/Muffet McGraw feud is real or a publicity stunt (with the same question applying to the name "Muffet McGraw"). I'm not even sure how much I'll enjoy my first ever live women's final tomorrow night. The only thing I'm sure about is I'll be watching it or at the least keeping tabs on it. The alleged feud, the two undefeated teams, and the tradition of Connecticut women's basketball is too much to ignore for this sports fan.
In the press conference before the game, both coaches were sufficiently feisty. McGraw spoke about the "end of civility" between her and Auriemma, stemming from when the Irish beat the Huskies a few years ago and still didn't earn the respect they felt they deserved. More than just public perceptions, McGraw seemed to be saying something about Auriemma and his sometimes "bombastic" ways, as ESPN described it. But she never actually mentioned an incident relating to Auriemma specifically. Thus, the fight -- picked at this moment -- feels more like a play at television ratings than a play at another coach.
In response to Moffet, Auriemma made a curious statement when he compared the behavior of women's basketball coaches to that of "little girls." Once again, my sense of uncertainty was disrupted from its typically uneasy balance. Is it more or less appropriate for such a comparison to be made in men's or women's basketball? Probably, there is no right answer to that question; Auriemma simply shouldn't have said it. Yet -- sort of like Kentucky's John Calipari -- it's that brashness that no doubt serves him well on the recruiting trail.
If only male basketball players were as motivated to stay four years as females, Calipari might have nearly the same number of titles as Auriemma. If the 29-year head coach wins tomorrow night, he'll pass Pat Summit for most titles all time, eight. Sportbet has them at seven point favorites to win number nine. I'll take UConn for the cover.