UConn Women's Basketball Coach Shuts Up Shaughnessy

The University of Connecticut women's basketball team won 72 straight games and is on the verge of winning a fourth consecutive national championship, but not everyone is rooting for the Huskies.

But, not everyone thinks their dominance is a good thing.

On Saturday, head coach Geno Auriemma led his Huskies to a 98-38 shellacking of Mississippi State University in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament. Following the win, Boston Globe reporter Dan Shaughnessy tweeted his thoughts on UConn's win and the team's dominance of women's basketball in general.

It appears Shaughnessy, like others, feels because UConn women's basketball is so great, fewer folks watch the women's NCAA tournament and the teams around UConn aren't getting any better.

Coach Auriemma, who's led the Huskies since 1985, couldn't disagree more, and when he was asked directly about Shaughnessy's comments, he gave a fantastic response.

Speaking to the media the day after the game, Auriemma said,

Don't watch. Nobody's putting a gun to your head to watch, so don't watch. And don't write about it. Spend your time on things that you think are important... We are what we are... We do what we do... When Tiger was winning every major, nobody said he was bad for golf. Actually, he did a lot for golf. He made everybody have to be a better golfer. And they did. And now, there's a lot more great golfers because of Tiger.

If this isn't the best argument against the assertion UConn's dominance is terrible for women's basketball, I don't know what is. Look at Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and others. The proof, as always, is in the pudding.

Seeing as he was on a role, Auriemma added,

There's a lot better writers than Dan Shaughnessy, but that doesn't mean he's bad for the game.

*Drops the mic*

Citations: UConn's dominance is good for women's basketball (CNN)