“Only thing worse than losing is winning all the time”: Geno Auriemma explains how success can be “intoxicating”

In his 40-year tenure as the UConn Huskies' coach, Geno Auriemma has achieved everything possible in college women's basketball. He has amassed a record 11 NCAA national titles, is the winningest college coach of all time with 1,221 victories and has coached alumnae who have become bonafide WNBA stars like Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore.

In an episode of "What Drives Winning" entitled "The Success of Feedback," Auriemma detailed how the success he has garnered in his legendary career can get his mind to different places as it can get to him.

"The only thing worse than losing is winning all the time," Auriemma said. "You've never experienced that, but I have. What happens is, you get into this mindset that I am being defined by how much I win and that I'm associated with winning. Losing then becomes a personal affront to who you are.

"You have to be careful with that. Winning didn't define you, but you allowed it to define you."

Auriemma then talked about how he thinks one can continue winning with the aim of not getting "intoxicated."

"In order to continue winning, you have to separate yourself and look at the reasons why you're winning," he said (Timestamp: 1:10.) "Most of them do not include you 100%. You're a part of the winning, but the minute you start to think you're the biggest reason why you're winning, I think that's when you do get drunk on your own success."

Despite the possibility of his ego getting to him due to his winning ways, Auriemma never let his success slide to his head. He is still UConn's main tactician and even celebrated his ruby anniversary with associate coach Chris Daily on Nov. 20 in an 85-41 beatdown of the FDU Knights.

Now at 70 years old, Auriemma still has a lot to give to his program. Currently, he is coaching college sensation Paige Bueckers in what could be her final Huskies stint after four years before moving on to carve out a WNBA career. In the same light, he has a budding star in freshman Sarah Strong, who has become one of the standout rookies of this season.

As he looks to reclaim the NCAA championship he last won in 2016, Auriemma has steered second-ranked UConn to an 8-0 record and will go for No. 9 in a tightly matched battle against the eighth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2) on Thursday.

Geno Auriemma shared when he was too intoxicated with winning

Geno Auriemma later revealed which era of his UConn Huskies coaching career was he most egotistic with winning. He disclosed that it was from 1995 to 2004 — when the Huskies won the title in 1995, lost in the national tournament for the next four years and then went on to win the title in three of the next four years.

"During that time, events conspired against us winning 10 years in a row," Auriemma said (Timestamp: 1:55). "That's what I thought 'cause we had the best team in the country all 10 years. So, I thought the only reason we're not winning 10 national championships in a row is because we've been unfortunate."

For a UConn program that hasn't hoisted the national trophy in the last eight years, Auriemma has seemingly turned the tide and become more mature with winning.