Rock bottom?

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I'm not sure any fan is a winner or loser. Well maybe fans are losers in that they need to find something outside themselves, something they have no control over, to put so much energy and passion into. Winners are the guys making real statements in life by changing the world in a positive way. I'm not sure posting in a forum meets this qualification.

Yikes I'm a double loser. By both yours and my standards.

Earlier in the season, I simply cut to the chase and said I wasn't seeing an "entertainment product" that justified my attention when so many other options were available. I adjusted my scheduling and managed, joyously, to see the second half against Memphi and the final minutes & OT against Temple. If I'd turned off the TV at halftime of the Houston game, I'd be feeling pretty good about player & team development during this undeniably last season, but no... I had shifted to scheduling things around games. Doh.

Last night was pretty much dreadful after the 8-0 Vance Jackson run. Yes, there was the comeback after ECU was held down 5 consecutive possessions & stuck on 52, but I'd recruited Lady Hans to join me, and this Texas gal contributed a wonderful homemade chicken pot pie & deserved more than just the amusement of learning that TCU is the Horned Frogs when ESPNU switched over after that debacle.

I read this thread and actually find merit a number of posts getting Likes from people I Ignore. That's indicative of something, alarming, almost bottom-y. Rock, as well? I won't go there. Instead, I'll watch as the playing warrants and be thankful for eases in a busy leisure life if that's where things go.

This has indeed been a year for perspective building.

 

[David 76]

Regarding the 2018 Huskies (and everything else) I will only accept.......
Reality

Everything else is pretty irrational.

 

[EBonz30]

You're not a true fan if you think our ceiling is a top 25 program. That's literally loser-talk. Your fan card deserves to be revoked.

and newsflash, we've been a top 25 program once under Ollie.

Let's look at this program in the real world, please....

Before Calhoun, not a top 25 program, a basic nobody.

During Calhoun a top 10 program, at times a top 5 or 3 program for about 20-25 years.

What did you expect when Calhoun left? Obviously considering before him Uconn was a nobody that was going to come back into the picture in some capacity (not UNC, Kansas, Dukes or Kentucky who are good no matter who the coach is) so I expected to be around top 25-30 program because I live in the world of reality.

Add on all the NCAA violations, transfers, and the biggest negative of all into the American conference.

I don't ever see this men's program becoming a top 10 program for an extended period of time ever again unless we did move back into a top 5 conference and even with that said we were a nobody before Calhoun, so yea we would need I believe another H.O.F. Coach to get it to a top 10 program again for an extended period of time.

Listen we can all say what we want Uconn to be, but unfortunately a top 10 program is no longer realistic for the reasons stated above.

Please live in reality, not the reality you want to live in, but the reality that is.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Top 15 classes with the worst season in 30 years might tell us something. It certainly suggests we should be able to put enough key players on the court to beat Wagner and Northeastern. No, something beyond injuries is at work here.

Lol ok. Only thing is that purvis and brimah have not improved and have kept other players from wanting to come here

 

[BlueDogs]

Lol ok. Only thing is that purvis and brimah have not improved and have kept other players from wanting to come here

Thank you for making my point. LOL.

 

[Huskybass]

KO is a very good guy. He is a great recruiter, and the players seem to like and respect him. For the most part, he is a good defensive coach.

On offense though, he really struggles. Too often his teams score about 60 points, and that just doesnt get it done.

In the last 3 seasons, how often has UConn been in the top 20? If the answer doesn't disappoint you, your expectations are simply too low given UConn's history over the past two and a half decades. Sadly, the program has become irrelevant on the national landscape, even if some of you refuse to see it.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

It's pretty cut and dry and I've been a big Ollie support but:

Year 1 Very good job
Year 2 Great job, National Title
Napier leaves
Year 3 Massive underachievenent.
Year 4 Massive underachievement.
Year 5 Abomination, but injuries.

It's not just the losses, but rather the same types of losses and same type of play we are seeing now for the past 3 seasons.

Would it be that shocking to anyone that maybe, just maybe, we had an all time great player in Napier catch fire at the right time? We didn't even have a good regular season that year and only got a 7 seed.

I understand having a down year and I understand injuries but there is absolutely no excuse for about 6 or 7 losses we've had this season. At 3.1M dollars I don't care who is on that court you're not losing to Wagner, Northeastern or ECU. I mean for Christ sake Loyola Marymount and even Chaminade gave us trouble!

 

[EBonz30]

Last year was not a massive under achievement, other than that I agree with the observation. Last year Uconn won a NCAA tournament game, going into the season most of us thought or hoped that we would be a sweet sixteen team so if anything I would call it average or a slight underachievement.

This year obviously all the injuries is the reason why we are where we are.

Please take a look at the other programs with injuries or suspensions who don't have multiple HS all Americans.

How is Oklahoma doing?
How is Xavier doing since Sumner got hurt, lost last 7?
How is Creighton doing since Watson got injured and kicked off the team?
How is Texas doing?
How is Texas A&M doing?
How is Washington doing?

Again, let's please be realistic with our expectations, most of the teams above didn't lose two starters for the year, an HS all American for the year, 3 rotational players for the year, and other various injuries game to game.

It's pretty cut and dry and I've been a big Ollie support but:

Year 1 Very good job
Year 2 Great job, National Title
Napier leaves
Year 3 Massive underachievenent.
Year 4 Massive underachievement.
Year 5 Abomination, but injuries.

It's not just the losses, but rather the same types of losses and same type of play we are seeing now for the past 3 seasons.

Would it be that shocking to anyone that maybe, just maybe, we had an all time great player in Napier catch fire at the right time? We didn't even have a good regular season that year and only got a 7 seed.

I understand having a down year and I understand injuries but there is absolutely no excuse for about 6 or 7 losses we've had this season. At 3.1M dollars I don't care who is on that court you're not losing to Wagner, Northeastern or ECU. I mean for Christ sake Loyola Marymount and even Chaminade gave us trouble!

ast

 

[mauconnfan]

It's pretty cut and dry and I've been a big Ollie support but:

Year 1 Very good job
Year 2 Great job, National Title
Napier leaves
Year 3 Massive underachievenent.
Year 4 Massive underachievement.
Year 5 Abomination, but injuries.

It's not just the losses, but rather the same types of losses and same type of play we are seeing now for the past 3 seasons.

Would it be that shocking to anyone that maybe, just maybe, we had an all time great player in Napier catch fire at the right time? We didn't even have a good regular season that year and only got a 7 seed.

I understand having a down year and I understand injuries but there is absolutely no excuse for about 6 or 7 losses we've had this season. At 3.1M dollars I don't care who is on that court you're not losing to Wagner, Northeastern or ECU. I mean for Christ sake Loyola Marymount and even Chaminade gave us trouble!

"Napier leaves" so what does that mean? KO made him who he was his last 2 years or was it JC? LOL people just try to make it sound like it was Napier or Boat or someone but not a good coaching job this is really ridiculous. Anything to make their point now, 3 years later on how bad he really is suddenly.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Thank you for making my point. LOL.

I agree they haven't but it's not all on Ollie. Some players are what they are

 

[huskymagic]

Huskymagic the empire fell once Calhoun left and we were moved to the American conference.
Are you people living in 2009?

You want to give Ollie credit for 2014 title that was with Calhoun players in the American conference no less, but you want the fanbase to accept mediocrity as the new normal as that's all he can do now. What's worse is this university gave him a 5 year 18 million extension in secret knowing how the fanbase would react. Cincinnati is in the American they are doing fine. SMU is doing fine. Hell Houston is on the upswing in the American. No, one thing you can count on from me is I will never accept St. John's or Georgetown status for UCONN now or moving forward. Ollie's so-called calling card his defense has been abysmal and a huge part of why every team lights us up from the perimeter. Nobody fights through screens or stays attached to their man with Vital as an exception. To mask poor perimeter defense Ollie switches to some horrible looking zone with announcers saying "Ollie is switching to his patented 1-3-1 zone" that makes the team look worst and enhances terrible defensive principles being shown.

PS: This type of thinking is what's ruining the program as it has infected the minds of the coaching staff and players as well.

 

[mauconnfan]

You want to give Ollie credit for 2014 title that was with Calhoun players in the American conference no less, but you want the fanbase to accept mediocrity as the new normal as that's all he can do now. What's worse is this university gave him a 5 year 18 million extension in secret knowing how the fanbase would react. Cincinnati is in the American they are doing fine. SMU is doing fine. Hell Houston is on the upswing in the American. No, one thing you can count on from me is I will never accept St. John's or Georgetown status for UCONN now or moving forward.

PS: This type of thinking is what's ruining the program as it has infected the minds of the coaching staff and players as well.

The fact you would even call anything you post "thinking" is hilarious. You are a joke, you know nothing, you change your spin every game you are the reason this BY is now the hell it is because of total idiots like you with no clue of what UConn basketball is or was. The fact you are still here amazes me, allowed to spew worthless crap over and over, just do us all a favor and find another team please.

 

[BlueDogs]

I agree they haven't but it's not all on Ollie. Some players are what they are

Not all KO. Agreed.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

"Napier leaves" so what does that mean? KO made him who he was his last 2 years or was it JC? LOL people just try to make it sound like it was Napier or Boat or someone but not a good coaching job this is really ridiculous. Anything to make their point now, 3 years later on how bad he really is suddenly.

Are you just going to ignore the fact I said his first two seasons were good and great coaching jobs? What I'm saying is that it would be foolish to ignore the fact they were largely helped out by a great player. He gets credit for developing Napier and he gets credit for keeping the program together in Year 1 and then of course the title in Year 2. It's not mutually exclusive to coach at a high level and to also have an all time great Husky.

My concern is that he isn't able to take good, solid Husky teams and coach a full and quality regular season with them. Year 1 was probably his best regular season, with a depleted squad coaching us to 10-8 in the old Big East. Since then in the AAC: 12-6, 10-8, 11-7, and now likely 9-9.

The reality is we've had some pretty good teams and players the last few seasons. We've also seen the same periods of offensive ineptitude, slow starts and simply put, losses to teams we had no business losing to the past few seasons.

KO gets credit where credit is due and that's the first two seasons. The last three have been 1 NIT, 1 first round exit and 1 no post season. To me, it's fair to raise some criticism and be a bit alarmed at the trajectory of the program.

 

[storrsroars]

9 assists last night.

9 (Nine).

 

[mauconnfan]

9 assists last night.

9 (Nine).

With arguably one PG playing, actually one guard in all reality and this is unusual? I mean think about the players involved there weren't a lot of great passers there and then to get an assist you need finishers too right? I mean no one made shots, how many assists can there be? They've had plenty of nights with assists let's not point them out last night without Vital even playing.

 

[storrsroars]

With arguably one PG playing, actually one guard in all reality and this is unusual? I mean think about the players involved there weren't a lot of great passers there and then to get an assist you need finishers too right? I mean no one made shots, how many assists can there be? They've had plenty of nights with assists let's not point them out last night without Vital even playing.

Need I remind you this was ECU, not Virginia.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Need I remind you this was ECU, not Virginia.

ECU with an interim head coach that hadn't won 1 game against the top 6 in the AAC this season.

There is just no way with Adams, Purvis, Jackson, Facey, Brimah playing we should lose that game.

Either the players aren't as good as we think, the coach isn't as good as we think or most likely it's a combination of both.

It's about as disgusting a loss as there has ever been for a UConn team.

I would say my posts over the years would show I'm usually a pretty level headed fan that doesn't make crazy statements on football or basketball, but this was a real low for UConn Basketball.

 

[The Funster]

To use a non-PC metaphor, Ollie didn't have a lot of bullets in the gun last night. He was short on healthy perimeter players and a crappy perimeter shooting team lit it up. Perfect storm and all that. However, Ollie has not demonstrated that he can build a team and take it on a good NCAA tourney run. He's got next year to show that he can do it with his guys. Short lease.

 

[yukonyc212]

ECU with an interim head coach that hadn't won 1 game against the top 6 in the AAC this season.

There is just no way with Adams, Purvis, Jackson, Facey, Brimah playing we should lose that game.

Either the players aren't as good as we think, the coach isn't as good as we think or most likely it's a combination of both.

It's about as disgusting a loss as there has ever been for a UConn team.

I would say my posts over the years would show I'm usually a pretty level headed fan that doesn't make crazy statements on football or basketball, but this was a real low for UConn Basketball.

That was ECUs 2nd top RPI 150 win of the season. Literally all their wins have come against top 200+ RPI teams. They are absolutely terrible, and it's about as worse a loss as Uconn has had in 30 years, considering we could have locked down a 1st round bye in the tournament.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

To use a non-PC metaphor, Ollie didn't have a lot of bullets in the gun last night. He was short on healthy perimeter players and a crappy perimeter shooting team lit it up. Perfect storm and all that. However, Ollie has not demonstrated that he can build a team and take it on a good NCAA tourney run. He's got next year to show that he can do it with his guys. Short lease.

This is where I disagree. He has demonstrated that in the past he can have a solid regular season (Year 1) and he has demonstrated come post season he can do great as well (Year 2).

I agree with you that next season is going to be a barometer to where we are headed. It needs to be a good season by UConn standards or I'll be extremely worried.

 

[mauconnfan]

Need I remind you this was ECU, not Virginia.

Need I remind you they threw the ball to Purvis he made exactly 3 shots of 15 or so, Adams missed everything in the 2nd half and Brimah catches it her the basket you might as well travel. Please, you have to make shots to get assists pretty simple doesn't matter if its against ECU or Cincy. They do share the ball better when they have guard stop play, and one with 2 legs helps too!!

 

[Son of Robert]

Gentlemen, when Calhoun passed the coaching baton to KO a primary reason was that KO had the Xfactors that Calhoun sought, developed, inspired and demanded from not only himself but his players. These factors are fierce determination and toughness. No quit. Add some talent and Look Out!! I think he saw that KO's entire basketball history epitomized this. Ollie has added Ricky Moore and Kevin Freeman who were certainly successful college players whose best assets were these same Xfactors. You don't beat Duke in that Championship game without those two. Moore's will and toughness was more important to his team than the pure talent of the Duke guards was to theirs. Fact.

KO is a young man with many years of coaching left. His recruiting would be phenomenal if Uconn as a program was better situated. His coaching is very good now and he's going to get better year by year. He is the best possible choice to coach Uconn basketball. So give it a rest mutts, you all don't know what you're talking about.

 

[freescooter]

I really think that what is happening is that people confuse Ollie the player and the man with Ollie the head coach. All positives on the first 2. It as a coach he is just not good.