If you follow women's college basketball at all, by now you're likely more than aware of the fact that UConn's head coach Geno Auriemma had a major reaction to his team's loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks Friday night. When it was time for Auriemma and Staley to shake hands, Auriemma appeared to say something that prompted an outburst from Staley. Staley later refused to explain what transpired between the pair, and insisted it was Auriemma's responsiblity since he initiated the moment.
Auriemma spent Friday night insisting he didn't do anything wrong, claiming (incorrectly) that Staley didn't shake his hand ahead of the game, and noting that the pair are rivals. But by Saturday, he'd issued an apology — but many feel it's still not quite enough.
Auriemma said there is "no excuse" for how he behaved at the end of the game, and noted his behavior was "unlike" that which is expected at UConn. "I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina," he wrote. "It was uncalled for in how I acted."
"The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don't want my actions to detract from that," Auriemma also wrote.
Geno Auriemma's apology could have easily been better
Auriemma's words are helpful, and it's clear that he's experienced some remorse about what he said and how he behaved, but many feel the apology is still lacking. If he'd hoped to truly make an impact, Auriemma should have tweaked his wording to include Staley by name.
Auriemma also, frankly, owes an apology to his players. That's especially true for his seniors, who were left on the court coping with the unexpected and disappointing loss on their own. It can be assumed he addressed them in the locker room, but UConn's longtime coach did himself little favors by not staying on the floor to console what was likely a deeply upset group of young women.
The moment was a stark contrast to the behavior of Vic Schaefer, whose Texas Longhorns also suffered a big loss to the UCLA Bruins. Schaefer, who has several seniors graduating and who has made it clear how special Rori Harmon has been to his program, took several long minutes to hug Harmon after the game.
These things matter more than ever, especially when so much focus is on the women's game and the collective goal is to nurture that focus and help it grow. It's unclear — and perhaps unlikely — if Auriemma will further address what transpired.