We don’t often write about women’s hoops, but perhaps we should take a closer peek at the bubbling hatred between the coaches of the sport’s two premiere college basketball programs: Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and UConn’s Geno Auriemma. Right now, it might be the best feud in sports (can that be? If we’re counting UNC-Duke and OSU-Michigan as rivalries, and Tyrone Hill and Charles Oakley squashed their beef years ago, then it just might be). How else to explain Summitt phoning the gestapo NCAA and blowing the whistle on Auriemma for taking a recruit (who selected UConn over UT) on a tour of ESPN’s headquarters? Admirable recap from Shelley Smith, though we can’t wait for Pat Forde dissect this one:

The two sources said the NCAA launched its investigation after receiving a complaint from the Southeastern Conference. The SEC asked the NCAA to investigate the allegation that UConn had arranged the ESPN tour after the conference received a complaint from the University of Tennessee. At the time, Tennessee was also recruiting Moore, who starred at Collins Hill High School in Suwannee, Ga.

In June, Tennessee made public that the regular-season series between UConn and Tennessee women’s basketball programs was ending. Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt said she made the decision to end the series along with the school president and women’s athletic director. The series started in 1995 and was eagerly anticipated by hardcore and casual women’s basketball fans.

We’re sure we’re not the only ones who have painted Auriemma as a pompous, prickly, piece of work, but perhaps Summitt deserves some scorn as well?

Sources say Moore’s visit to ESPN was secondary rules violation (ESPN.com)
UConn Committed Minor Recruiting Violation Involving Moore, ESPN (Hartford Courant)