The Same River Twice: A Season with Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies [Paperback]

John Walters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2002

Sports book. The author, a former staff writer at Sports Illustrated, spends the 2000-2001 season with the defending NCAA champion University of Connecticut women's basketball team.

Product Details

• Paperback: 285 pages
• Publisher: John Walters (February 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971699909
• ISBN-13: 978-0971699908
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #954,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We need more books like this one!, February 5, 2003

By 

Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Same River Twice: A Season with Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies (Paperback)

As an avid fan of women's basketball, I get frustrated with the lack of access. TV networks show games at odd times -- when they show them at all -- and we don't get pregame and postgame shows to give us insights into the players. Therefore, I really enjoyed this glimpse behind the scenes of a top team, written by a seasoned sports writer.

We can learn all about Tennessee's teams from Pat Summitt's excellent books. Here we get a look at UT's chief rival and a coach whose style differs in style, but who is demanding nevertheless. And because we view the season through the eyes of a reporter, we get a more objective view of the team. This is the first book that talks about practice and drills. I'd read that Geno is a tough coach but also that he jokes a lot in practice -- and Waters explains how this happens.

The best part of the book (for me, anyway) was the insight into the individual team members. Diana Taurasi, dazed by the New England winter, bought three winter coats; her teammate who grew up there just had one. Perhaps the most sympathetic player is Svetlana ("Sveta") Abrosimova, who gets injured just before her parents finally make the trip from Russia. And at least one of the players is described fondly as "high maintenance."

I'd definitely recommend reading this book along with the Pat Summitt duo and the recent Nice Girls Finish First. Each team has a unique personality and each coach brings a different stle to winning. The world will be different as these competitive young women take their places in business and in the professions.

Same River Twice reads like a novel. Waters delivers high-quality journalism, creating a book that's a "must" for fans. I just wish this book were more widely distributed (why don't more libraries own copies?). When will publishers realize there's a growing market of fans of the women's teams?

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must have, December 28, 2002

By 

"bird10" (whitman, ma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Same River Twice: A Season with Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies (Paperback)

As a huge UCONN fan it's not a surprise I loved this book, but you don't need to be a UCONN fan to enjoy it. I watched the 2000-2001 season unfold on television and and in newspaper reports but this book gives you the inside story. The story you can't get from television or articles. You are taken on an emotional journey through the persepective of the players, coaches, and fans. For anyone who thinks women's basketball doesn't make for a compelling story read this book...it's the story of blowout wins, heartbreaking losses, cruel injuries, and a lost chance to defend the national championship. This book is obviously a must read for any die hard UCONN fan (but by now they've already read it) so instead I reccomend it for anyone whose heard the names Sue Bird, Shea Ralph, Diana Taurasi, or Geno Auriemma and wondered why the ESPN guys mentioned them. You'll be glad you took the time to get to know them and the UCONN women's basketball program.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Inside Look at One of the Top College Programs, August 14, 2002

By 

Jeffrey P. Hoyle (Swansea, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Same River Twice: A Season with Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies (Paperback)

John Walters has done every basketball fan a service. There are plenty of good basketball books out there. I own drill books, sports inspiration and quotes, play books, reference books - you name it. As a high school varsity girls coach at a small D1 school, I'm always looking to improve my knowledge and learn more about the game. I want to do whatever I can do to improve my team. I also want to know more about what other coaches do. Do they feel the same frustrations? The same joys? Is it similar on every level? What is it like to coach the pros? Or at the college level?

In that sense, I loved Bill Bradley's book "The Values of the Game". I've enjoyed John Feinstein's different basketball works and thought coach K's "5 Point Play" and "Leading With the Heart" were both great reads. I think Morgan Wootten and John Wooden are national treasures. But those books and most like it all dealt with men's programs. Besides Tennessee coach Pat Summit's books, there are not many out there, at least that I have read, that deal with women's college programs. "The Same River Twice" fills that void. And it does so with a bang. Here is a season with the NCAA women's champions UCONN Huskies. A behind the scenes look at underrated coach Gino Auriemma and this record setting team. The injuries, the frustrations, the exciting wins and tough losses. The day to day workings of a top national D1 college team. Walters insight into the players, the pressures and coach Auriemma's methods is fascinating. You see the see first hand the determination of Shea Ralph. The pure enjoyment and love of the game of Diana Taurasi. The gifts of Sue Bird, Swin Cash and many others. You also read what it was like for Russian native Svetlana Abrosimova to play in this country where her parents never saw her play a game. Team meetings, drills, time outs and huddles - it's all here - from October through March Madness. And let's not forget the UCONN women's basketball fans who give the team total support and sell out every game (even in snowstorms).

I loved this book. I think you will too.