Doug Bruno and Jennifer Gillom, coaches who are no strangers to serving USA Basketball, were named to Geno Auriemma's staff for the 2010 World Championships.

Hard to argue with either choice. Bruno is the only two-time winner of the USA Basketball Developmental National Coach of the Year - winning in 2006 and 2007 after leading the US Under-18 and Under-19 teams to a combined 16-0 record.

Gillom was a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team and earlier this year took over as the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx after joining the staff as an assistant in 2008. She immediately made an impact working with rookies Nicky Anosike and Charde Houston last season. Auriemma has always valued teachers on his staff at UConn. Bruno and Gillom, who I was extremely impressed with when I interviewed her for a feature on Houston in 2008, certainly fit that criteria.

Please spare me the "Bruno isn't eligible to remain on Auriemma's staff through the 2012 Olympics" because of the rule precluding coaches from the same collegiate conference from being on the same Olympic staff. USA Basketball changed the rules to allow a college coach to be the head coach of the United States' senior national team so Auriemma could be named coach. Why wouldn't they change the rules so a person that both USA Basketball and Auriemma have the utmost respect for remains on the staff. Anybody who follows anything USA Basketball does (I would be included on that list since I have flown out to Colorado for the U.S. junior national training camps the last three years) should realize that the organization values loyalty, continuity and excellence over any other attributes. They are not naming Bruno and Gillom to the staff just for kicks or so they can name two other coaches to replace them in the next year or two.

This is just me talking but the only way Auriemma, Bruno and Gillom do not comprise 75 percent of the 2012 U.S. Olympic coaching staff is if Gillom is no longer coaching in the WNBA.

I have to laugh at the mere thought of the subject being raised at the next meeting of the United States Olympic Committee big wigs. "So what do you think of having two coaches from the Big East on the Olympic staff in 2012?" I pause to allow for the committee members to unleash a collective yawn. Of the issues they will be focusing on in the coming years, I find it hard to believe that this will barely garner more than a passing mention at a committee meeting.

The feeling is that the fourth coach will come from the WNBA but don't know that is set in stone. Personally I think Carol Owens, another coach known to give of her time to USA Basketball, would be a great choice even if that would give the staff three college head coaches. It will be interesting to see what they do. I believe the other assistant will be a female. I mentioned quite some time ago that current Los Angeles Sparks assistant Marianne Stanley would be a perfect choice even if she is not a head coach.

My advice to USA Basketball, give us a break with all these by-laws especially when you keep changing them. Why not just name the best staff whether they are an assistant coach, head coach, college coach, pro coach. Other than giving committee members something to do when they aren't selecting teams, what is the purpose of these rules? If they want to deal with wading through red tape and silly obstacles, just take a job with the Internal Revenue Service. I believe adding a coach who is an assistant isn't a bad way to go because they have proven to have the ability to serve in that capacity. If it's going to be female who is currently a head coach in the WNBA, I think the best choice is Lin Dunn of Indiana. With all due respect to Dunn, who is more qualified than Stanley who has won at every level and recently has been an assistant at UMMC Ekaterinburg where she was credited for the development of French star Sandrine Gruda? Gruda just happens to be one of the players the U.S. will have to deal with en route to trying to win the Olympic goal. Coaching in Russia should also give Stanley some scouting reports on not only the stars from Russia but those from Australia and other medal contenders who play in the Euroleague.

Last order of business is to remind the readers that Auriemma, Bruno and Gillom will be conducting their first training camp beginning on Sept. 30 at American University in Washington, D.C.

The event is closed to the public except for the Oct. 4 training session, scrimmage and autograph session beginning at noon. Tickets are $5.00 and available by calling 202-885-TIXX or online at www.AUeagles.com. Children six and under will be admitted for free.