A Look at the Uncertain Future of UConn Men's Basketball

[Huskies4ever]

What is this "enough" he has shown you to be excited? Certainly hasn't been his coaching since he hasn't done any. Recruiting? he landed 2 guys we ought to be getting without even trying. he apparently struck out on the 2 big names he was after...

Deandre Daniels, Omar Calhoun (at least he made it known that he had no problem if KO took over), Phil Nolan.

 

[Huskies4ever]

[quote="freescooter, post: 361394, member but as long as his team "plays hard" whatever that means, Pudge and everyone else will be giving him a pass.[/quote]

The cupboard ain't bear. So if this team plays hard and together, they will surprise a lot of people. And KO would have demonstrated great teaching and leadership, valuable qualities of a great coach.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Leadership, teaching, accountability, responsibility, loyalty, desire, passion.

What is this "enough" he has shown you to be excited? Certainly hasn't been his coaching since he hasn't done any. Recruiting? he landed 2 guys we ought to be getting without even trying. he apparently struck out on the 2 big names he was after...

Let's face it. He can mentor and connect with these kids. He also knows UConn basketball inside-out. He's tough and fearless and understands the game of basketball. Give him a chance.

 

[freescooter]

None of Calhoun's other assistants spent 13 years as a backup point guard in the NBA, learning under hall of fame coaches.

Ollie never even called a time out, for heaven sakes. never made up a starting line up, never decided on who to substitute when...huge difference between being a backup player and being a head coach. As far as recruiting Omar Calhoun and Daniels, both thought they were coming to play for Jim Calhoun. Big Big difference. Phil Nolan is another one of those guys who we ought to get over most of the competition.UConn or Oregon? Hmm?..Jim Calhoun might have done great things with him. Kevin Ollie? Who knows...

 

[Joseph Zocco]

I appreciate the feedback on my article and please keep both the good and bad feedback coming. I would love to improve my work. Thanks for taking the time to look at it.

and Wow what a great conversation we have going keep it up I would love to hear from more diehard UConn fans like myself!

 

[Fishy]

I appreciate the feedback on my article and please keep both the good and bad feedback coming. I would love to improve my work. Thanks for taking the time to look at it.

Perfect - I wish you kids well.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Ollie never even called a time out, for heaven sakes. never made up a starting line up, never decided on who to substitute when...huge difference between being a backup player and being a head coach. As far as recruiting Omar Calhoun and Daniels, both thought they were coming to play for Jim Calhoun. Big Big difference. Phil Nolan is another one of those guys who we ought to get over most of the competition.UConn or Oregon? Hmm?..Jim Calhoun might have done great things with him. Kevin Ollie? Who knows...

Who knows........

Paul Pasqualoni has done all of the afore mentioned things and has plenty of experience.......
Right now PP is not looking so good. Maybe he will next year?

Right now, Kentan Facey and Terrence Samuel are a very good start with room to add more.

 

[mauconnfan]

Give the guy 10 weeks.

Gosh ... what is your problem. My issue with YOU is that you keep on prejudging something that we are largely going to know far more in just a short time. Will his team PLAY HARD?

We might be better off with the Ollie2o12 than the Calhoun2011 ... in that respect. And, then you go from there. Did you really think we are going to get Pitino to come over here? There's NO Italian restaurant that you can bang MILFs in Storrs ... yet.

Love this Pudge and as a HUGE JC supporter (no jokes) I feel KO may have been a better fit for AD last year just based on what I see and hear........hold them accountable to work harder no matter who they are coming in.....JC got a bit soft I'm afraid so the best we could get was 10/7/3 from Andre and that should have easily been 18/12/5.................but no matter, free's been on KO from Day 1.........crow is a wonderful snack!!

 

[Dove]

I appreciate the feedback on my article and please keep both the good and bad feedback coming. I would love to improve my work. Thanks for taking the time to look at it.

and Wow what a great conversation we have going keep it up I would love to hear from more diehard UConn fans like myself!

The article is seriously incomplete. I read it and am still wondering how ominous UConn's future is. The article never really told me.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Pudge,
That would be great if Calhoun had turned out one top notch head coach from among his many assistant. But when the best you can come up with is Ted Woodward, claiming that he knows who will succeed is hardly equal to the good housekeeping seal of approval. And here's the other thing, with the Ollie PR offensive, it will take a really courageous AD to replace him regardless of how his team performs this year and even next year. We're already working on the excuses...oooh, we can't be expected to actually win games...oooh, we can't be expected to recruit without a long term contract...oooh,( insert excuse of the week here). Somebody, Fairfield CountyFan I think, mentioned Dom Perno and how for several years it was clear he was over his head but he was bullet proof because he stole the ball from Bill Bradley. I suspect that Kevin Ollie is in the same situation...he's safe because he's Jim Calhoun's pick even if he is mediocre or worse...and somehow this idea that Kevin Ollie is the second coming of Calhoun is just a bit disrespectful of Calhoun in a way. Though I wouldn't expect you to get that. I mean you met Rick Kuhn and all that...

Ollie hasn't coached one game yet. Why are you so certain he can't win?
Who ever the coach is he's not going to be Calhoun.
But in case people forgot, prior to JC winning #3, we had the constant debate about whether Calhoun should step down. That after 800 wins, two NC's, and a bad season with Dyson and Robinson. Imagine this board if Ollie has a tough season?

 

[Huskies4ever]

Imagine this board if Ollie has a tough season?

Let's not

 

[dapriest]

he apparently struck out on the 2 big names he was after...

I'm starting to dislike you.

Kevin Ollie inherited a post season ban and the desertion of several players, as well as losing two stars to the NBA. He also has a 7 month contract.

I'm not sure it is possible to "strike out" when you're sent the plate hog tied and without a bat.

 

[Huskies4ever]

I'm starting to dislike you.

Kevin Ollie inherited a post season ban and the desertion of several players, as well as losing two stars to the NBA. He also has a 7 month contract.

I'm not sure it is possible to "strike out" when you're sent the plate hog tied and without a bat.

Plus, as I mentioned dapriest, the two kids he has brought in are a good start with three more slots available.

 

[upstater]

The point is that none of them have really made it as head coaches. Jeez, Tom Moore isn't even the best coach in the NEC for heaven sakes. claiming Ollie is a "great choice" because he was anointed by Calhoun, if you look at the track record of Calhoun assistants, is akin to saying someone has a great haircut because he went to Donald Trump's barber.

Calhoun didn't appoint Leitao to coach UConn (though Leitao did more than OK at DePaul), he didn't appoint Hobbs (though Hobbs once had his team ranked 5th going into the NCAA tourney), he didn't appoint Miller or Moore, etc. He appointed Ollie.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Calhoun didn't appoint Leitao to coach UConn (though Leitao did more than OK at DePaul), he didn't appoint Hobbs (though Hobbs once had his team ranked 5th going into the NCAA tourney), he didn't appoint Miller or Moore, etc. He appointed Ollie.

In other words, he saw greatness in Ollie in many areas as a coach, where he didn't in those more experienced, not bad head coaches. There are many reasons we may never know as to why JC wanted KO, but the fact that he thinks KO can preserve his legacy says something.

 

[Marty Jackson]

The article is seriously incomplete. I read it and am still wondering how ominous UConn's future is. The article never really told me.

Because its not...

 

[Scot-e]

You need to know one word "DOOMED"!

 

[Dogdeacon]

Calhoun didn't appoint Leitao to coach UConn (though Leitao did more than OK at DePaul), he didn't appoint Hobbs (though Hobbs once had his team ranked 5th going into the NCAA tourney), he didn't appoint Miller or Moore, etc. He appointed Ollie.

Exactly right. To say other guys haven't performed at UConn levels is both irrelevant and understood by Calhoun himself who didn't recommend any of those guys for the job. It is like saying UConn cannot produce anything except successful wing players for the NBA because that's predominately UConn's history. No, it is up to the individual.

I understand the tendency to evaluate the "Jim Calhoun Coaching Tree" as a hypothesis for how Kevin Ollie might do. A lot of this stems from the now fading notion that all truly great coaches produced great disciples. So guys like Krychshszcy, Dean Smith, Bob Knight, Rick Pitino were somehow thought of as better coaches if their assistants went on to success. It was never a good way to evaluate a coach (ie why doesn't this apply to John Thompson who isn't the coaching father of anyone including his own son who is as much a Princeton disciple) and I think this is an antiquated notion. Either because the world is smaller (more film, more interaction etc..) there are not unique & great coaching minds whose style of play and processes can only be replicated by direct disciples. Everyone copies, learns or steals from everyone else. Clearly you don't have to draw a line of ancestry back to James Naismith to be a good coach today. Brad Stevens for example has no 'blue blood' history.

Calhoun developed assistants and helped them get jobs. This is a good manager who both develops his personnel and helps them move-on if they want to. And most of these guys (most prominently Hobbs, Leitao) did well at least initially. Arguably where they failed is when their programs had a down-cycle or tried to sustain initial success. In contrast Jim Calhoun has persevered through a pattern of ups and downs at UConn, he always fought back. The Calhoun story is that his early life and struggles turned him into a fighter and someone that wouldn't quit. Doesn't Kevin Ollie have that same narrative? To me that's why Ollie is different.

 

[Palatine]

Ollie never even called a time out, for heaven sakes. never made up a starting line up, never decided on who to substitute when...huge difference between being a backup player and being a head coach.

That would have applied perfectly to Phil Jackson.

 

[Rico444]

Everything in life is uncertain...Will the Mets continue to be awful?

Nothing uncertain about that.

 

[Rico444]

Let's also not forget that Ollie could have sat as an assistant coach in the NBA with just about any team and the GM of OKC (a very well run franchise) wanted to bring in Ollie to groom as his replacement. Let's see some of those accolades for Hobbs, Dickenman, or Leito.