Geno Auriemma Issues Apology For Final Four Blowup
Fans online weren't buying Auriemma's contrition.
UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma is a legendary figure in the sports world, but after the Huskies' loss to South Carolina on Friday night, the 12-time national champion is a humbled man.
And it's not just because of the result, either.
Auriemma issued an apology Saturday afternoon via UConn's official social media account, taking full responsibility for his actions following the game.
For those who are unaware, Auriemma took some jabs at Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley for a perceived slight during the pregame handshake.
Things only escalated when Auriemma accused Staley of working the refs and calling them inappropriate names in an interview with ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe.
"Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referee some names you don’t want to hear. And now we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey, and they go, ‘I didn’t see it.’ Come on, man. It’s for a national championship," said Auriemma.
During the postgame handshake line, Auriemma was visibly heated and had to be restrained as he got into a shouting match with multiple opposing coaches, including Staley.
Staley took the high road (at least after the dust settled), saying she's "of integrity" and that if she did something wrong, she didn't mean it nor was she aware.
"I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn't know," said Staley. "I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff's hand. I don't know what we came with after the game, but hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on."
Most of the commenters weren't moved by Auriemma's apology, and many assumed this was a forced PR move.
Personally, I don't have a problem with either head coach's actions.
It's a Final Four game with a chance to go to the national championship on the line.
Tempers will flare and words will be said. Auriemma apologized and Staley doesn't seem too bothered by it.
This is a nothingburger, so I suggest we heed coach Staley's advice and "move on."