“It’s all over” - A compilation of a few really dumb posts

[UCDaveD]

Bazz is for sure up there as one of my favorite Huskies of all time.

 

[Drew]

I am going to the UCF game Jan 31st. Meeting my son in Savannah. Then driving to Orlando. 4 hours. After today's debacle I started having second thoughts. Then realized, been a fan for over 40 years. Here is a chance to see our boys up front.Great seats. Paid $100 per ticket for this game. Section 116 Row E. Paid to much but...it is a mini vacay. Anybody else going to the game?

do yourself a favor and check out Savannah while you're there. Awesome awesome place with tons of history and a lot to do. I go every year if you want any tips on places to go/eat/drink/check out. Massive Civil War history city.

 

[3rdbass]

E Lectric!

I was at the Auburn game and he was the exact opposite coach. Just glued to the bench and only got up a few times. He was never fussing with the refs while old dirty Pearl was up all game until the very end and working the refs. KO just doesn't have the same passion for this job as when he started and it is sad or at least he doesn't know how to release it anymore. The divorce has definitely changed the man inside the coach.

 

[Stainmaster]

Why are you so certain that a new coach can't be great if you haven't heard of him?

I'm not going to assume mid/low-major coaches can reach success at the levels this fanbase wants without any evidence of them doing so. You can be blindly optimistic if you'd like, but if/when it doesn't work out, you're just setting yourself up for further disappointment.

 

[UCweCONN]

If Ollie has any self respect he will just resign.

Agreed. But his ex-wife might have something to say about that....

 

[Hankster]

do yourself a favor and check out Savannah while you're there. Awesome me place with tons of history and a lot to do. I go every year if you want any tips on places to go/eat/drink/check out. Massive Civil War history city.

Been to Savannah several times.Our son lives there. He is Executive Chef and manages the 1540 Room at the DeSoto. He used to be Executive Chef at a place called the Florence. In fact last summer I ran with a realtor to secure a home in the area. Pooler, Savannah and the Islands. All nice places. I am a bit of a Cival War buff. When I get the urge I drive 1 hour to Gettysburg. I agree. Savannah area is great. Next time you go there stop in the Desoto. Go to their webpage, then click on Dining. Meet the Chef. That is our son.

 

[Hoophound]

I'm not going to assume mid/low-major coaches can reach success at the levels this fanbase wants without any evidence of them doing so. You can be blindly optimistic if you'd like, but if/when it doesn't work out, you're just setting yourself up for further disappointment.

I didn’t say the next hire would be easy. I said, why do some posters insist UConn’s days as a Top 10 program are over, when much lesser name AAC schools are Top 20 every year? It doesn’t even make sense. You are just playing the odds and holding firm. That isn’t insight, it is betting against your school because the odds of not being a top 10 program are better than the odds of being one. Basically, you want to be a contrarian and claim you were right later when we struggle. Bravo. I bet if I buy a lottery ticket I won’t win. God, I’m smart.

 

[CTBasketball]

Has Ollie built a successful team yet?

 

[Adios]

Has Ollie built a successful team yet?

No one has responded so far. I guess you have your answer.

 

[WhiteDressWes]

We don't need a HOF coach. I like KO but he was fortunate to have Bazz & Co early on and when that group left KO was woefully unprepared to run a big program. We need a competent experienced coach with a little hunger....there are 350 division 1 BB teams so UConn is a big step up for at least 275 coaches...a good number of those would be a step up from KO.

All he needs to do is make up a list from the 275 who were able to beat teams with RPI's similar to Arizona, Arkansas and Auburn, without the benefit of a healthy PG, with only 2 players with significant time playing together, with one of their 3 best player recovering from an injury that, historically, takes about a year of playing to recover from... AND WHEN SOMEONE SUGGESTS HOW TO REPLACE KO, DON 'T ACCUSE THAT PERSON OF DEFENDING HIM.

 

[Scoe]

Since were on a thread of really dumb posts ill add to it could the university pay KO ex wife to get back with him so he can coach better, all she has to do is be around him during the season she doesn't even have to live with him, just do whatever it takes for KO to be a better coach. The way KO was talking about her during the 2014 tourney run it sounded like she was the one who broke off the marriage.

 

[Danzz]

He’s got a LONG way to go before he even sniffs the same zip code as John Toner who hired Geno and JC in back to Back years. Toner just dropped the mic after that

John Toner also hired Dom Perno.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I'm not going to assume mid/low-major coaches can reach success at the levels this fanbase wants without any evidence of them doing so. You can be blindly optimistic if you'd like, but if/when it doesn't work out, you're just setting yourself up for further disappointment.

Not blindly optimistic. Hopeful is the word you're looking for. I wasn't ready to move on from Ollie last year, given the thin, young roster and the injuries, but this year has bothered me.

You write "I'm not going to assume mid/low-major coaches can reach success at the levels this fanbase wants without any evidence of them doing so." There are a boatload of logical fallacies in that one sentence. To wit: No, you're not going to assume they can, but you're assuming they can't. That's arguing from omniscience. There are a plethora of successful coaches who didn't go from success at one blue blood to success at another, instead coming up through the ranks. Rick Pitino started at BU, then found success at Providence, for example.

Further, you're assuming you know what level the fan base as a whole wants, and that it's not attainable But there's a difference between what we all want (that's hope), and what we expect. While its true that everyone wants final fours and national championships, if you pin the members here down they'd admit they're in no position to demand that. What they really expect is a team that looks dangerous against all 350 other teams in Division 1, never looking overmatched like Arkansas and Auburn, and plays smart, aggressive competent basketball for 40 minutes.

Finally, "at the levels this fan base wants without any evidence of them doing so?" You've immediately eliminated virtually every coaching candidate, unless they are named Krzyzewski, Calipari, Pitino, Williams or Izzo. Or Ollie, having won 1. What did you think of Brad Stevens? I mean before he arrived at Butler and then went to two final fours.

Be reasonable. If Ollie isn't the guy, and evidence is mounting that he isn't, then we need to find a guy who is a sharp basketball mind, personable and yet aggressive enough to land good recruits; who can motivate young men to give their all on the court while playing the game the way he wants them to play; who, regardless of the recruits he can land, develops them to exceed expectations - the coaches expectations, the fan expectations, and most importantly, their own expectations.

Merry Christmas.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Skerry. Anyone who can do this at ... Towson, of all places ... is worth a close look. A very close look.

When Skerry took over coaching the Tigers before the 2011-2012 season, the school had endured 15 straight losing seasons. In his first year, they went 1-31. But since, they've rewritten the Towson basketball record books. In his second season they went 18-13, the largest single-season turnaround in NCAA Division-I history. And over the past two years they've recorded the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in Towson's history since moving to Division I. The next step is winning Colonial championships and making appearances in the NCAA Tournament.​

15 straight losing seasons, 1-31 in his first year, then 18 wins and >20, x 2. At Towson. That's not coaching, that's a damn miracle. And if you look at this year's results, they've beat up, badly, some of the same type of mid majors we've struggled to beat.

 

[Stainmaster]

You write "I'm not going to assume mid/low-major coaches can reach success at the levels this fanbase wants without any evidence of them doing so." There are a boatload of logical fallacies in that one sentence. To wit: No, you're not going to assume they can, but you're assuming they can't. That's arguing from omniscience. There are a plethora of successful coaches who didn't go from success at one blue blood to success at another, instead coming up through the ranks. Rick Pitino started at BU, then found success at Providence, for example.

Without affirmative evidence to the contrary, I am indeed assuming they can't.

Further, you're assuming you know what level the fan base as a whole wants, and that it's not attainable But there's a difference between what we all want (that's hope), and what we expect. While its true that everyone wants final fours and national championships, if you pin the members here down they'd admit they're in no position to demand that. What they really expect is a team that looks dangerous against all 350 other teams in Division 1, never looking overmatched like Arkansas and Auburn, and plays smart, aggressive competent basketball for 40 minutes.

I think months of reading everything KO does being directly compared to Calhoun gives me a good enough idea of what the fan base as a whole wants. JC is the only frame of reference most people have. The new coach's recruiting ability, gameplanning, and in-game management will be directly compared to Calhoun's on a weekly basis. Unless lightning strikes, it's hard to assume he will compare favorably, because most of the people here spent 26 years mainlining JC-coached UConn basketball into their veins.

Be reasonable. If Ollie isn't the guy, and evidence is mounting that he isn't, then we need to find a guy who is a sharp basketball mind, personable and yet aggressive enough to land good recruits; who can motivate young men to give their all on the court while playing the game the way he wants them to play; who, regardless of the recruits he can land, develops them to exceed expectations - the coaches expectations, the fan expectations, and most importantly, their own expectations.

Ollie isn't the guy. I'm just as on board with all of the people wrongfully attacking me about making a coaching change.

What differentiates me from them is the realization that there is a significant chance of this kind of play continuing into the next regime, as opposed to a quick turnaround/morph into Gonzaga/Wichita State.

Merry Christmas.

And to you and yours as well.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Without affirmative evidence to the contrary, I am indeed assuming they can't.

You shouldn't. Again, always be hopeful about the things you can't control. See Pascal's Wager.

Ollie isn't the guy. I'm just as on board with all of the people wrongfully attacking me about making a coaching change.

What differentiates me from them is the realization that there is a significant chance of this kind of play continuing into the next regime, as opposed to a quick turnaround/morph into Gonzaga/Wichita State.

As for "this kind of play," coaches have been correcting these kinds of problems for teams for decades, even some with no basketball tradition and poor recruits. There are recent examples, even. You think we might have a chance to recruit better than Towson?

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Skerry. Anyone who can do this at ... Towson, of all places ... is worth a close look. A very close look.

When Skerry took over coaching the Tigers before the 2011-2012 season, the school had endured 15 straight losing seasons. In his first year, they went 1-31. But since, they've rewritten the Towson basketball record books. In his second season they went 18-13, the largest single-season turnaround in NCAA Division-I history. And over the past two years they've recorded the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in Towson's history since moving to Division I. The next step is winning Colonial championships and making appearances in the NCAA Tournament.​

15 straight losing seasons, 1-31 in his first year, then 18 wins and >20, x 2. At Towson. That's not coaching, that's a damn miracle. And if you look at this year's results, they've beat up, badly, some of the same type of mid majors we've struggled to beat.

Oh, by the way, for all Calhoun guys ... he's from Medford, MA.

 

[Stainmaster]

You shouldn't. Again, always be hopeful about the things you can't control. See Pascal's Wager.



As for "this kind of play," coaches have been correcting these kinds of problems for teams for decades, even some with no basketball tradition and poor recruits. There are recent examples, even. You think we might have a chance to recruit better than Towson?

Zero tourney berths/championships in a pretty mediocre league. Most impressive OOC wins are Oregon State '12-13, Temple '13-14, George Mason '15-16 and '16-17, and La Salle '17-18. NEPSAC recruiting is a hard must for us, and it took him until this year to get a commit from that league.

He's done a fantastic job at Towson, and I wouldn't be opposed to him coming aboard. But no, his body of work as it stands doesn't shown me enough to make me confident he would accomplish a similar turnaround here.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Zero tourney berths/championships in a pretty mediocre league. Most impressive OOC wins are Oregon State '12-13, Temple '13-14, George Mason '15-16 and '16-17, and La Salle '17-18. NEPSAC recruiting is a hard must for us, and it took him until this year to get a commit from that league.

He's done a fantastic job at Towson, and I wouldn't be opposed to him coming aboard. But no, his body of work as it stands doesn't shown me enough to make me confident he would accomplish a similar turnaround here.

You're missing the point. Of course at Towson there is a ceiling to how far he can take them. Also there is the fact of the 15 straight losing seasons and 1-31 his first, and in only 3 years he's put this train wreck of a team in a position to possibly win their league and go to the tourney. Is the AAC a better league than the Colonial? Yup. Can a team with a history like UConn likely get better recruits? Yup. Can this guy coach? Yup. That he's proved.

Now, is there then a guarantee that dominance on the court would follow. No. There are no guarantees in life. There was no guarantee when Calhoun was hired, but it worked out swimmingly. Maybe UConn is in a situation now with a ceiling. I'm hopeful (not blindly optimistic) that's not the case. So, following game theory you make your best assessment of the situation, take your chance, and then work to make it happen.

 

[Vuce]

John Toner also hired Dom Perno.

And made up for it 10,000 times over.

 

[Hi-Low]

All he needs to do is make up a list from the 275 who were able to beat teams with RPI's similar to Arizona, Arkansas and Auburn, without the benefit of a healthy PG, with only 2 players with significant time playing together, with one of their 3 best player recovering from an injury that, historically, takes about a year of playing to recover from... AND WHEN SOMEONE SUGGESTS HOW TO REPLACE KO, DON 'T ACCUSE THAT PERSON OF DEFENDING HIM.

You can defend KO all you want, that's your right.....can't use injuries as an excuse though anymore. ...KO put this roster together so a 2nd year of blaming injuries doesn't fly. Good players also left in droves at the end of last year mainly because of KO, the team doesn't looked prepared to play against bad teams let alone quality teams. There are many coaches in Div 1 MBB that would be an improvement over KO at this point unfortunately.

 

[CTBballfan243]

You can defend KO all you want, that's your right.....can't use injuries as an excuse though anymore. ...KO put this roster together so a 2nd year of blaming injuries doesn't fly. Good players also left in droves at the end of last year mainly because of KO, the team doesn't looked prepared to play against bad teams let alone quality teams. There are many coaches in Div 1 MBB that would be an improvement over KO at this point unfortunately.

Who were the good players that left in droves after last year? The players that transferred were average to below average at best. The biggest problem with this team, besides that they can't shoot, and they can't play defense, is that they have really poor basketball IQ. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Some of the freshmen show glimpses of potential. They just need a couple of years to get stronger and get used to playing at the D1 level. We won't be a top AAC team but there is hope that we can become a decent middle of the pack AAC team. The players need to keep grinding. KO shouldn't need to coach effort, that is all on the player.

 

[Deadrody]

Who were the good players that left in droves after last year? The players that transferred were average to below average at best.

Not according to the level of programs they went to.

 

[Danzz]

And made up for it 10,000 times over.

10,000, really? He hired JC. Name something else. Toner's time was lackluster.

 

[8893]

10,000, really? He hired JC. Name something else. Toner's time was lackluster.

10,000x is conservative for Toner's contributions. He hired Geno and JC and got us into the Big East.