"This post is sponsored by Labatt Blue, who invites you to visit RefreshmentDuo.com, where you can enter to win a ticket for you and a friend to attend a massive concert and party with the Refreshment Duo and Blue Light girls."
Labatt Blue Light is sponsoring some SBNation blogs to talk about the most significant duos at their particular schools, and for UConn the choice was clear: men's basketball head coach Jim Calhoun and women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma.
Sure, they may not be a traditional duo in the sense that they "get along" or "work together," and yes, there was that time that Calhoun referred to the women's fanbase as the world's largest nursing home, but despite their differences, UConn would not be where it is today without the two of them.
Since arriving in Storrs in the mid-80's, each of them has taken a small, regional program and turned them into national powerhouses. Somehow, both have been able to convince scores of elite athletes to spend their college years int Storrs, Connecticut, and combined, the pair have 1558 wins, 14 final fours and nine national titles.
Their styles are different both on and off the court. Away from the hardwood, Auriemma is suave where Calhoun is gruff. On it, the women play disciplined fundamental basketball while the men use their speed, strength and athleticism. Despite the differences in style, they both achieve the same result: victory.
Together they have become two of the most beloved figures in Connecticut, and two of the most reviled everywhere else in the country. They are both Hall of Fame coaches and it is impossible to imagine where UConn would be without them. Well maybe not impossible.
As much as they may have personal differences, they will forever be linked by their success as UConn's standout duo.