Are we becoming entitled from our past?

[RUSS56]

There is no question that our hoops team was elite for a long period of time, and with 4 National Championships to our credit, what I see on this board is a sense of entitlement, and maybe I can say, it can be justified. The problem is, in the what have you done for me lately department, things have changed dramatically over the last 3 years, and if that isn't rectified ASAP, it just adds another year to what have you done for me lately?

Most of us are sometimes too proud to see us how others see us, and we earned a right to feel the way we do about Uconn sports. We are all so deeply passionate, myself included. I tend to try and close off my endless passion for Uconn, remove all my emotional ties, and try to look through the eyes of someone less passionate, or neutral.

Those eyes see a different picture, one we want to blind ourselves to, or totally ignore, or deny the truth. Those that fit that group, the Uconn apologists if you will, are going to jump all over this post, I understand where you are coming from, I truly get it.

The fact is our basketball team, the last 3 years (all Ollie's players), is 61-43. We have lost to Yale, Northeastern, Wagner, etc. Our record against what have been the top teams in the AAC the last 3 years (Temple,Cincinnati,SMU,Memphis, and Houston) is 10-19.

Our record over the last 3 years against opponent that had a winning percentage of .730 or better at the time of the game is 8-23.

Football is 14-35 the last 4 years.

The University, in terms of athletics , our 2 key sports, men's basketball, and football, are not even close to where they need to be, we all can recognize that. Can we survive another bad season? YES, of course we can, but at the same time, another tough season, just damages what was once an elite program, and starts to have optics of a school that has lost its mojo.

We aren't the first program to go through this, there have been many before us, so there is nothing that has happened in our recent past that can change where we are. What is happening going forward, is every decision made has more significance associated with it. The further in time we go, without repairing the events that led to where we are now, will make every decision even more important.

This is either going to be a rebirth to prominence or a ship that sinks, and never relives its legacy. I'm on the rebirth bandwagon, and I hope those employed to do the work necessary are all-in, which I have no doubt they are. We are going to find out soon if that is enough? All-in is part I, part II is, do we have the right people to accomplish this?

I hope and pray that we do, and I'm hoping for their unbridled success, because my passion has a stake in it all, just like everyone else here! We may disagree on things, and share opposing views, but we are all on ONE BIG SAME PAGE!

WE BLEED HUSKY BLUE AND WHITE!

 

[AntG168]

This feels like just beating a dead horse to me....
Enough with the depressing rhetoric. Lets talk about how we want to see pur guys develope over the summer. Or prospective recruits. Or this insane tourney we will be playing in next yr. There are a lot of exciting things to be talking about. Beating this already mutilated horse over and over again is depressing

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If Louisville (or Pitt, or Cuse) was relegated to the AAC, you'd see the same thing on their message boards.

It's not UConn-specific. We just happen to be the only ones in this position.

 

[huskyrob1]

There is no question that our hoops team was elite for a long period of time, and with 4 National Championships to our credit, what I see on this board is a sense of entitlement, and maybe I can say, it can be justified. The problem is, in the what have you done for me lately department, things have changed dramatically over the last 3 years, and if that isn't rectified ASAP, it just adds another year to what have you done for me lately?

Most of us are sometimes too proud to see us how others see us, and we earned a right to feel the way we do about Uconn sports. We are all so deeply passionate, myself included. I tend to try and close off my endless passion for Uconn, remove all my emotional ties, and try to look through the eyes of someone less passionate, or neutral.

Those eyes see a different picture, one we want to blind ourselves to, or totally ignore, or deny the truth. Those that fit that group, the Uconn apologists if you will, are going to jump all over this post, I understand where you are coming from, I truly get it.

The fact is our basketball team, the last 3 years (all Ollie's players), is 61-43. We have lost to Yale, Northeastern, Wagner, etc. Our record against what have been the top teams in the AAC the last 3 years (Temple,Cincinnati,SMU,Memphis, and Houston) is 10-19.

Our record over the last 3 years against opponent that had a winning percentage of .730 or better at the time of the game is 8-23.

Football is 14-35 the last 4 years.

The University, in terms of athletics , our 2 key sports, men's basketball, and football, are not even close to where they need to be, we all can recognize that. Can we survive another bad season? YES, of course we can, but at the same time, another tough season, just damages what was once an elite program, and starts to have optics of a school that has lost its mojo.

We aren't the first program to go through this, there have been many before us, so there is nothing that has happened in our recent past that can change where we are. What is happening going forward, is every decision made has more significance associated with it. The further in time we go, without repairing the events that led to where we are now, will make every decision even more important.

This is either going to be a rebirth to prominence or a ship that sinks, and never relives its legacy. I'm on the rebirth bandwagon, and I hope those employed to do the work necessary are all-in, which I have no doubt they are. We are going to find out soon if that is enough? All-in is part I, part II is, do we have the right people to accomplish this?

I hope and pray that we do, and I'm hoping for their unbridled success, because my passion has a stake in it all, just like everyone else here! We may disagree on things, and share opposing views, but we are all on ONE BIG SAME PAGE!

WE BLEED HUSKY BLUE AND WHITE!

I agree, it's amazing to me how the UCONN brand in men's basketball has fallen from a Maserati to a Chevy Tahoe in such a short time. One thing is I think our football program will see a resurgence the next couple of years, while our basketball program, just like an alcoholic who refuses to admit there is a problem, still needs to hit bottom before people wake up. Let me also say this is not just on Kevin Ollie, there have been several factors contributing to this fall from grace, kind of a perfect storm.

 

[BlueMAB]

If you think this board feels entitled, you should have seen the football board circa 2009.

 

[sdhusky]

If you think this board feels entitled, you should have seen the football board circa 2009.

In 2009, there was a strong sentiment that we should fire Edsall because "It couldn't be any worse"

Same reason to fire Ollie.

 

[billybud]

Sometimes the light is so bright that it is perceived as darkness.

Excellence is its own curse in that expectations are set...example: the Duke board is discussing Coach K's shortcomings and mistakes....

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

When there's a list of five schools with more titles than you, you're entitled to feeling pretty good about your program.

 

[UCDaveD]

Uhhhh hey guys, success isn't owned, it's leased. And rent is due every day.

 

[AdamaNation]

Yes. We should be. That's what success entitles you with. That's why winning is awesome

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm ready to shift into optimistic gear, as soon as we land a couple of players for next year that can contribute. So I'm about done with the soul searching.

I'll say one thing about UConn that Russ has correct. We are not perceived by others, especially in "P5 country", the way we perceive ourselves. Connecticut isn't viewed as some wonderful place with lots of people of high income where you can take in a Broadway Show on Friday and a game at Fenway on Sunday. No...it's a place that isn't known for anything, which many people can't find on a map. Think Delaware. UConn is viewed as a small school from a small state that had a really amazing run. Our elite status was tied to Calhoun, and everyone, except the people here, credits a big chunk of that last NC to Calhoun.

If we want our mojo and swagger back, we are going to have to run off a few high 20's to 30 win seasons, with deep runs to the sweet 16 at least. Fans need to see "UConn" scrolling on the top 25 score update...all year every year. Last year's preseason top 20 team was in great shape to help accomplish just that, until it didn't. We do not have the luxury that P5 schools have to stay relevant when losing.

 

[intlzncster]

I agree, it's amazing to me how the UCONN brand in men's basketball has fallen from a Maserati to a Chevy Tahoe in such a short time. One thing is I think our football program will see a resurgence the next couple of years, while our basketball program, just like an alcoholic who refuses to admit there is a problem, still needs to hit bottom before people wake up. Let me also say this is not just on Kevin Ollie, there have been several factors contributing to this fall from grace, kind of a perfect storm.

Pretty sure Ollie recognizes there's a problem. And has. Taken several steps to address it.

The fanbase is fully aware as well, as evidenced by reading this board over the past couple of weeks. It's news to no one.

 

[SubbaBub]

Entitled to make the tournament nor finish midpack in the AAC?

Heck naw. We haven't sniffed a regular season AAC title, that itself is a problem. Then we can talk about unrealistic NC expectations.

 

[huskyrob1]

Pretty sure Ollie recognizes there's a problem. And has. Taken several steps to address it.

The fanbase is fully aware as well, as evidenced by reading this board over the past couple of weeks. It's news to no one.

Thank you Mr Chief Apologist.

 

[pj]

When there's a list of five schools with more titles than you, you're entitled to feeling pretty good about your program.

But not to forget the humility that brought those titles, or the head coach who brought one of them.

 

[intlzncster]

Thank you Mr Chief Apologist.

Has he not taken steps? Be dumber about this. You can't.

No idea if what he's doing will work, but he's addressing it.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

But not to forget the humility that brought those titles, or the head coach who brought one of them.

It's a fine line between the pride in what you've accomplished and the humility to know you have to continue to outwork everyone else to get back to that level of success the next time.

 

[BlueMAB]

Why are we talking about this as if we're coaching and playing? Outside of a few coaches, nobody in the program has accomplished anything at UConn. And the guys who were coaching in 2014 aren't resting on their laurels.

We can expect to win all the time and be disappointed. We can expect to lose all the time and be overjoyed.

The team isn't going to win or lose based on our attitudes or expectations.

 

[TIP-IN]

We are an elite program, the more we run our program down the faster and further we potentially fall. I will have no part in it ! I understand the program has not lived up to the level of success we all hope for, if not expect, but there is no reason at all why Uconn can not clone an east coast version of the Gonzaga model outside of a P5 environment !!

 

[huskyrob1]

Has he not taken steps? Be dumber about this. You can't.

No idea if what he's doing will work, but he's addressing it.

I think you have a problem with reading comprehension. READ MY ORIGINAL POST. I said it's not all on him, so stop focusing on KO because it's the only way you know how to make your idiotic posts.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I think you have a problem with reading comprehension. READ MY ORIGINAL POST. I said it's not all on him, so stop focusing on KO because it's the only way you know how to make your idiotic posts.

Pretty measured reaction.

 

[8893]

I agree, it's amazing to me how the UCONN brand in men's basketball has fallen from a Maserati to a Chevy Tahoe in such a short time.

Have you driven, seen or priced a loaded Chevy Tahoe recently? I got a 2016 as a rental last year when there was some work being done on my car because I wanted to check the Tahoe out as an option to replace my wife's minivan.

The model I had retailed over $70K.

I also hated driving it because it was enormous and I returned it for something else the next day.

 

[The Funster]

Pretty measured reaction.

Yeah, geez, he called me a "couch potato poster" Why couldn't he call ME an ?

 

[gtcam]

I think you have a problem with reading comprehension. READ MY ORIGINAL POST. I said it's not all on him, so stop focusing on KO because it's the only way you know how to make your idiotic posts.

Not called for -the name calling is BS
Your calling intlzncster an apologist allows me to realize that in fact, baring what you say/think, your post was a zing at KO
Chevy Tahoe? like an alcoholic? You can sensationalize all you want but that's all it is
There are other ways to seek likes on this board
I think KO knows what has to be done and is addressing it
I am really sick of all these woe is me and other depressing rhetoric about the program - there are hundreds of programs who will never even sniff the success that UConn has accomplished

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I agree, it's amazing to me how the UCONN brand in men's basketball has fallen from a Maserati to a Chevy Tahoe in such a short time. One thing is I think our football program will see a resurgence the next couple of years, while our basketball program, just like an alcoholic who refuses to admit there is a problem, still needs to hit bottom before people wake up. Let me also say this is not just on Kevin Ollie, there have been several factors contributing to this fall from grace, kind of a perfect storm.

This post isn't good enough (weak analogies, incomplete comparisons, unsupported assertions) to warrant your attitude in subsequent posts. It's not that you're not onto something, it's just that your type of criticism invites a critical look, and it doesn't measure up.

The "entertainment product" on the basketball court in the past three seasons hasn't measured up in terms of it being worth as much prioritized time & undivided attention as in the past either.

I don't know why, but I expect more from The Boneyard.