UCONN: Geno more popular than Calhoun in CT

[dyedwab]

Just ran across this interesting piece of data for a slow summer day. Public Policy Polling, an NC-based firm that does a lot of statewide polling, and just recently polled CT. They usually include interesting, state-specific questions in their polls (along with their political questions) and in this case, they asked the favorable ratings for Geno Auriemma and Jim Calhoun. Auriemma comes out way ahead, with 57% rating him favorably, and only 10% rating him unfavorably, while Calhoun gets a 35% favorable rating, with 20% rating him unfavorably.

My only comments are that the gap between the perception of the two men surprised me, and left me to wonder if the recent problems of the UConn men's hoops team has led to erosion in Calhoun's standing.

Here's a link to the poll memo. (Sorry, there's some political stuff in it ;-) - the graph on Geno and Calhoun is the final one)

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/08/connecticut-miscellany.html

[-bdbd]

I'm not all that surprised. Geno has had incredible "dynastic" success, whereas Calhoun has just "done very well."

Also, I don't recall Geno, who clearly has ego and other issues going on (can you tell that I'm not a fan of his?), has so far managed not to run afoul of the NCAA, unlike what Calhoun has done repeatedly. Hence, Calhoun has double the unfavorable rating of Geno. No surprise. In fact, were it not for U-Con's 2011 men's National Championship, I think the margin would be much, much worse.