Christmas Comes Early for Coach Jim Calhoun and UConn Huskies Fans

Let's be honest, Husky fans—as the Christmas season is upon us, we have a lot to celebrate as 2010 comes to a close.

One might ask, how on Earth could 2011 be any better?

Well, let's look at where UConn athletics stands at the current moment.

The football team is headed for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona after winning the Big East Conference. Don't forget this is the same group of athletes that won five straight games against tough opponents in order to make this possibility a reality.

Randy Edsall and his staff have done a tremendous job in developing UConn into a big-time national football program.

Then, who can argue what an amazing time Geno Auriemma has done as the women's basketball coach in Storrs? The guy is able to recruit unlike any of his competitors. Storrs, CT, out in the middle of nowhere in the small state of Connecticut, has become a factory for producing national powerhouse women's basketball program.

The talent and types of players he brings in year after year makes me believe their stiffest competition comes during practice. They have won 89 straight games and counting. Some of my friends and I are starting to think they might not lose again. Auriemma is attempting to lead his team to a third straight 39-0 season.

If anybody doubts why this won't happen this season, my response is UConn has Maya Moore and you don't. It's as simple as that. Just look at her 41-point, 10-rebound performance the other night in the game that surpassed the 88-game win streak set by the great John Wooden and his UCLA team of the 1970s.

Moving ahead, to put the cherry on top is the UConn men's program. Kemba Walker has been simply sensational this season. Coach Jim Calhoun knew that he had a special player in Walker, but to think that he would be able to carry the load like he has this season is on another level.

If you had told me in October that UConn was going to be undefeated on Christmas, I would have laughed in your face. It just seemed like a foolish statement because of the fact that they are very young and inexperienced. UConn is 10-0 and ranked No. 4 in the country.

Husky Nation has plenty of gifts under the Christmas tree this season. Calhoun has seen his team develop over the first two months of the season and made momentous strides. It was obvious last night in UConn's 81-52 win over Harvard.

It still remains that this team is yet to taste defeat. The longer that lasts the better, because the talent and quality teams UConn plays from here on only gets harder. Eighteen Big East Conference games and non-conference games at Texas and against Tennessee will really tell us what kind of competitor Calhoun's squad will be come March.

The UConn Huskies have exceeded expectations as 2011 approaches, and there is a strong feeling of optimism amongst fans. There shouldn't be anything but positive things to say about the Huskies.

Unfortunately, there are always going to be the critics, who say the Big East is a shame to send an 8-4 UConn team to have to play Oklahoma. Don't forget the Huskies go in as the biggest underdog in BCS history.

Then there are the columnists who think that the UConn women's streak isn't legitimate because they are women.

Last, a lot of people aren't sold on the UConn men because they haven't played anybody or faced a true road test yet this season. Just remember the quality wins over Michigan State and Kentucky in Maui.

Let the critics cry, because right now the Huskies have everything going their way. The Holidays will have a little extra spirit and festivities for those part of Husky Nation.